How dead is 40?

[MrRob96]

Plenty of reloading components still available for 40. 9 and 45 looks pretty beat up.

Only checked one site. Just made me laugh.

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[Kruel J]

I don't think it's dead. But it's not gonna win any popularity contests either.

 

[CountryGent]

I wouldn't call it dead either. I doubt it will ever be as front and center as in the past though.

 

[wired]

I dont know why it would be considered dead. Lots of good 10mm level equivalent loads out there for it. My regular truck gun is a Glock full of 40 S&W Underwood loads. They hurt my hand to shoot so I'm pretty sure they'd hurt the receiving side too.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

During the last panic (08-09):
12g and 40s&w could always be found.

 

[titsonritz]

Lots of good 10mm level equivalent loads out there for it.

Not real 10mm loads..

200gr JTC @ 1200 fps 635 Ft/Lbs
170gr JHP @ 1300 fps 636 Ft/Lbs
165gr JHP @ 1400 fps 719 Ft/Lbs

...more like today's 10mm is loaded to 40 S&W ballistics.

 

[wired]

I use the Underwood 40 S&W 135 grain 588 ft lbs at 1400 FPS which is actually more into the high 1400's by my chronograph. load. Zippy little round.

The 10mm underwood loads are great at splitting cases in the Glock 20.

 

[CLT65]

I know I've said it before, but a comparison can be made between .38 Special and .40 S&W. The 38 was the king with law enforcement for decades, and now it's not. It's still a good round though.

Popularity does not necessarily equal usefulness. The .40 S&W is as good of a round as it ever was. Who cares what other people are using? I know I don't.

 

[nwslopoke]

Not dead. I still have 3 happy 40s and plenty enough of their favorite foods. Because I don't shoot ballistic gel I can see an actual bonus in performance over 9mm. At least with full sized pistols.

 

[DB is Here]

It's fallen out of popularity, who knows maybe it'll come back...we seem to be a fickle bunch.

 

[CLT65]

Not real 10mm loads..

200gr JTC @ 1200 fps 635 Ft/Lbs
170gr JHP @ 1300 fps 636 Ft/Lbs
165gr JHP @ 1400 fps 719 Ft/Lbs

...more like today's 10mm is loaded to 40 S&W ballistics.

I've wondered about this. When I was loading 10mm, and working up loads, I noticed that all the reloading data seemed rather anemic, not really that much more than the .40 sw. I wondered why it had been watered down so much.

The 10mm underwood loads are great at splitting cases in the Glock 20.

I picked up some Underwood brass at the range recently. When I tried repriming it, the new primers just fell out! I'd be concerned about using any ammo loaded this hot!

 

[MrRob96]

If its sitting on the shelf while tons of people buy out ALL the 5.56 ammo, 9mm ammo, 45 ammo... its dead.

Was the guy that got picked last for dodge ball the worst player? Yes.

 

[dangerranger60]

Here's my tin foil version of the future for 40 cal.
Gun sales people live in the land of New and Improved. Guns don't wear out, So they can only sell New and Improved. When they could convince enough police purchasing agents that the 6 round revolvers were not enough, Along came the Wonder 9's, New and improved!
Then 9mm wasn't enough to handle a dedicated BG. We needed the 10mm! New and Improved!
When it was found that non gun people had a hard time passing the Quals, Along came 40 cal! It held more ammo than a 45 but packed more punch than a 9mm. Again New and Improved!

So cops have been carrying 40 cal for 15 or 20 years now, The Gun sales people need a New Improvement to sell new guns. So they put bullet designers to work on 9mm ammo. So the new improvement is that I can deliver the Incapacitation power of a 40 cal in a 9mm package! New and Improved again. Notice I didn't say Stopping power. This is in a high capacity package that any cop can carry and be trained to shoot well.

Now for the tinfoil part!
Once I have sold all the departments on new 9mm guns and saturated the market, I'm just waiting for the next Miami FBI incident where the 9mm doesn't stop the BG's fast enough. Then Stopping power will be the new buzz word, and I will have improved the 40 cal's bullet selection to maximize Stopping Power! and I will have my next New and Improved!

Every cop shop in the country will again have to convert to the New and Improved 40 cal!

Now you ask Why did they not improve the 40 cal bullets with the 9mm improvements? That would prevent future sales of the New and Improved 40 cal bullets!

Any way thats my best tin foil guess! DR

 

[CountryGent]

I know I've said it before, but a comparison can be made between .38 Special and .40 S&W. The 38 was the king with law enforcement for decades, and now it's not. It's still a good round though.

Popularity does not necessarily equal usefulness. The .40 S&W is as good of a round as it ever was. Who cares what other people are using? I know I don't.

Excellent analogy. The .38 Special may not be "the" LEO handgun, and hasn't been for some time, but has it ever gone away? No. Is it a capable cartridge for the rôle in which it is intended? Yes. Same with the Forty.

Though, parenthetically, I do find it hilarious that there was a period in the 90s in which it was touted as the be all and end all. Never again would there be another caliber debate. Flash forward to 2020 and ...

 

[Hueco]

Why use 40 when you can use 357 sig?

 

[MrRob96]

Cause I can't find 9mm boolits.

Edit: i'm sure they're out there, i only looked at my preferred reloading component company

 

[deadeye]

Not dead it is just not as popular as the 9mm cause ya know that's what the military, police, women and rent a cops use and all........
I prefer .40 or 45 in semi auto's and have a couple 9mm but as you can see from surfing the interwebs the 9mm dries up pretty quick when the sky is falling.

 

[Kruel J]

Why use 40 when you can use 357 sig?

We can't be friends any more.

 

[JuglansRegia]

Its dead for the people that have to follow the latest and greatest trend. Remember, only dead fish flow with the current.

 

[deadeye]

Cause I can't find 9mm boolits.

Edit: i'm sure they're out there, i only looked at my preferred reloading component company

Natchez

www.natchezss.com