How dead is 40?

[40Garand]

Here's how dead .40 S&W is here in my neighborhood. A couple of days ago, I put my Glock 23 up for sale on Armslist. It lasted less than a day.

People dropping 40's and ammo like they're boxes full of herpes. I'll stick with my 40's, 10's, and 45's.

 

[The Heretic]

Don't like the 40?

Good - all the more for those of us who do.

 

[frank linkh]

Totally worthless . I'll take all I can get

 

[SBC97281]

Don't like the 40?

Good - all the more for those of us who do.

The CW40 I picked up some time back was 60% the cost of the 9mm right next to it in the cabinet. That is quite the reversal from decades ago when the price deltas were the opposite direction. As in many fields of endeavor, calibers and configurations are subject to the vaguaries of taste and fleeting popularity. For this buyer a great deal is always in style so maybe I am a step behind most of the time. I do relish that all to short window where my tastes are ever so slightly ahead of the pendulum swings.

 

[3MTA3]

Read an article this past week about how ammo sales have jumped due to COVID and riots. Top three in sales were 5.56. 9mm, and 40.

 

[GWS]

Seriously.
Why is the life of the .40 S&W even in question?
It is a solid performer, it does what it is advertised to do and the are literally millions of guns out there chambered for it.
It's not going anywhere except out the door in the hands of buyers.
You guys must be really bored to be flogging this horse again.

 

[The Heretic]

Dated, but still interesting:

Ammunition Market Size, Share | Industry Report, 2020-2027

The global ammunition market size was estimated at USD 20.40 billion in 2019 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 3.9% from 2020 to 2027. Rapid rise in procurement of defense equipment by militaries across the globe on account of growing hostilities and terrorist activities is expected to drive...

www.grandviewresearch.com

Ammo Sales Data - What's Growing & What's Dying?

A look at some of the ammo trends were seeing here at AmmoToGo.com. What's growing fast, is the 40 S&W dying? Here's the data!

www.ammunitiontogo.com

More recent:

Data Study: Ammo Sales Continue to Soar in Wake of Coronavirus Panic

As COVID-19 spreads across America, Ammo.com releases a data study about the significant increase in sales as people prepare for the coronavirus pandemic.

ammo.com

State	% Increase		% Increase		% Increase		% Increase
State Ranking by Sales Volume	Most Popular Caliber by Sales Volume	2nd	3rd
1. Texas	+524%	9mm ammo	+1,016%	223 ammo	+2,478%	40 S&W Ammo	+1,321%
2. Florida	+435%	9mm ammo	+758%	223 ammo	+1,385%	45 ACP Ammo	+600%
3. Illinois	+400%	9mm ammo	+599%	223 ammo	+1,577%	45 ACP Ammo	+255%
4. Georgia	+334%	9mm ammo	+568%	223 ammo	+2,252%	40 S&W Ammo	+543%
5. Colorado	+746%	9mm ammo	+1,263%	223 ammo	+5,970%	45 ACP Ammo	+1,334%
6. Arizona	+628%	9mm ammo	+1,473%	223 ammo	+1,556%	45 ACP Ammo	+734%
7. Virginia	+242%	9mm ammo	+617%	223 ammo	+1,032%	40 S&W Ammo	+349%
8. Ohio	+469%	9mm ammo	+674%	223 ammo	+2,217%	40 S&W Ammo	+374%
9. Washington	+795%	9mm ammo	+1,377%	223 ammo	+1,539%	40 S&W Ammo	+538%
10. North Carolina	+430%	9mm ammo	+823%	223 ammo	+2,083%	40 S&W Ammo	+732%

Ammo.com Reports A Recent Spike in Ammunition Sales That Indicates Rise in African American Gun Ownership

/PRNewswire/ -- Growing concerns over personal safety in the African American community are leading many to take action. Online ammunition retailer Ammo.com,...

www.prnewswire.com

The most popular calibers purchased by NAAGA members during this time frame were:

1. 9mm ammo - 37% of all sales.
2. 223 ammo - 27%.
3. 40 Cal (S&W) ammo - 14%.
4. 5.56x45 ammo - 6%.
5. 45 ACP ammo - 4%.

 

[The Heretic]

Seriously.
Why is the life of the .40 S&W even in question?
It is a solid performer, it does what it is advertised to do and the are literally millions of guns out there chambered for it.
It's not going anywhere except out the door in the hands of buyers.
You guys must be really bored to be flogging this horse again.

Are you new to gun forums or what?

Flogging a dead horse is what we do more than anything else!

 

[oldcorpgunny]

I believe that the 10MM will go the way of the excellent .41 Magnum. It is wise to buy and hold the same calibers as our military. If it all went south, the military would release ammunition for partisans to to use to fight guerrilla actions agains all enemies both foreign and domestic.

 

[oldcorpgunny]

Are you new to gun forums or what?

Flogging a dead horse is what we do more than anything else!

Is that horse dead? Beat it then!!

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

I have centerfire handguns from 5.7x28 up to and including a 460V (.460 mag).

The worst I have shot with regards to recoil have been a Grendel .380 P10 and my S&W 329PD in .44 mag. Both were the worst because of their light weight. My 460V is a big heavy gun with a comp on the end, and even with a 275 gr projectile at 1600 fps, it is a pussy cat compared to the 329PD with half the weight, shooting anything, including a 165 gr .44 special load at 1000fps. With a 300 gr load at 1300 fps it literally has drawn blood and left my hand numb - that is the trade off of having a .44 magnum that weighs only 25 ounces.

I guess maybe I need to do some more back to back shooting of the .40 and the 9x19, but that is just my subjective opinion - I don't notice that much difference.

My .40 Glock prints sorta obviously during warmer weather under a T-shirt so I normally carry my Ruger LC9:

We'd all be foolish not to claim that 9 Mike-Mike ammunition hasn't improved immensely over these past several years.
I gotta agree with Heretic concerning some of the smaller carry pistols like those in .45 ACP caliber. When you shoot those suckers they try to jump right out of your paws. I can't imagine how some folks with mitts like tennis rackets, can control those smaller pistols.
I have medium size hands, but I still need that rubber sleeve on my carry 9. It's just much more comfortable. When I see 9mm in this configuration, I sorta think all we'd need to do is show a round to a "bad guy" or two and they'd beat feet back to the crack house:



Well, your Honor, I'm an old fart, Doctor says I have A-Fib and I can't fight good anymore or run as fast as I did 30 years ago and the guy laying on the sidewalk weighs 150 pounds more that I do. I had to do SOMETHING so I could get back home and watch "Fox NEWS".

 

[oldcorpgunny]

My .40 Glock prints sorta obviously during warmer weather under a T-shirt so I normally carry my Ruger LC9:
View attachment 727743
We'd all be foolish not to claim that 9 Mike-Mike ammunition hasn't improved immensely over these past several years.
I gotta agree with Heretic concerning some of the smaller carry pistols like those in .45 ACP caliber. When you shoot those suckers they try to jump right out of your paws. I can't imagine how some folks with mitts like tennis rackets, can control those smaller pistols.
I have medium size hands, but I still need that rubber sleeve on my carry 9. It's just much more comfortable. When I see 9mm in this configuration, I sorta think all we'd need to do is show a round to a "bad guy" or two and they'd beat feet back to the crack house:

View attachment 727744

Well, your Honor, I'm an old fart, Doctor says I have A-Fib and I can't fight good anymore or run as fast as I did 30 years ago and the guy laying on the sidewalk weighs 150 pounds more that I do. I had to do SOMETHING so I could get back home and watch "Fox NEWS".

Let me be one of the first to recommend a belly band holster. I'm a fat guy and wear tee shirts and shorts all the time. I have been carrying my Kel-Tec in it for several days in a variety of environments including now with a guy who started in on me about not wearing a mask. I simply explained that I was wearing government issued Nostril Filters and that seemed to satisfy him. I felt confident with my concealed carry and he wasn't intimidated because he didn't know I had it. We both win!

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

I believe that the 10MM will go the way of the excellent .41 Magnum. It is wise to buy and hold the same calibers as our military. If it all went south, the military would release ammunition for partisans to to use to fight guerrilla actions agains all enemies both foreign and domestic.

OK, but what if we get a Commander in Chief like "sleepy Joe", of Pelosi, or that ding-bat AOC. In any of those events we'd be sharpening sticks and cutting up inner-tubes to make "tactical sling-shots" .

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

Well, I'm NOT a fat guy, so I like my 9mm choice this time of year.

 

[oldcorpgunny]

OK, but what if we get a Commander in Chief like "sleepy Joe", of Pelosi, or that ding-bat AOC. In any of those events we'd be sharpening sticks and cutting up inner-tubes to make "tactical sling-shots" .

I understand your concern, but if that happened, I'd be at another location. I'm simply offering an opinion about the demise of certain calibers. Years ago I bought a Model 88 Winchester in.284 Cal. It was a lever gun and I loved it for deer hunting. Where is it today?

 

[rupey7]

I love shooting .40 and my 226 is my wife's favorite gun to shoot. But I like to shoot in general so I enjoy a bunch of different calibers. .22 / 38 / 357 / 44 / 9 / 40 and 45 in hand gun calibers.
When I carry it's an HK 45 topped off with Gold Dot

 

[The Heretic]

OK, but what if we get a Commander in Chief like "sleepy Joe", of Pelosi, or that ding-bat AOC. In any of those events we'd be sharpening sticks and cutting up inner-tubes to make "tactical sling-shots" .

And we would have a sudden spurt of boating accidents

 

[The Heretic]

Now that I have some 185 gr GD .45 ACP ammo for my 227s I would like to try them back to back with the 180gr HST .40 ammo I have for my 226.

 

[DunRanull]

If the .40S&W is dead, someone should inform my old 411 Smith- now called the "410", with one less round in the magazine thanks to Billyboy... No complaints about it, ever. But then I have no complaints with modern 9mm either.

 

[The Heretic]

So which ammo is harder to find right now?

9mm or .40 S&W

I just picked up 1K rounds of .40 S&W in Winchester white box with bonded SXT bullets and nickel plated brass for $450 - try finding 9mm SXT/Ranger (now) for that price.

If you are patient and careful and know what to buy and when to buy it, buying ammo that is somewhat less popular than 9mm can work out to your benefit. As far as I am concerned, .40 is better than 9mm - but I have an shoot both.