Why a 9mm over .40 S&W?

[titsonritz]

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[darkminstrel]

Recoil compensation. Being able to put more rounds in your target accurately and with a quickness. Long term cost of ammo. Many .40s are built on a 9mm frame and thus not as strong.

Now I'll go read the article.

 

[nubus]

Oh well, that's why I have a Sig 226 with both 9mm and 40 slides, I can change calibers just like my underwear!

 

[chase]

I use to own a 40sw but sold it because of ammo costs. I can shoot a lot more 9mm then 40, and a 9mm would still suck to get shot by.

 

[titsonritz]

I use to own a 40sw but sold it because of ammo costs. I can shoot a lot more 9mm then 40, and a 9mm would still suck to get shot by.

I owned five .40S&W pistols before I figure out I hated that round. The only ".40S&W" handgun I still own is my S&W 610. Maybe someday I'll get a 40 conversion barrel for my Glock 20, but it certainly is not a priority.

 

[deadeye]

Oh well, that's why I have a Sig 226 with both 9mm and 40 slides, I can change calibers just like my underwear!

I hope the underwear gets changed more often.

 

[halmbarte]

Softer recoil on the 9mmP and my pistol and Uzi share a cartridge.

.40 S&W has more energy but I'm not convinced that there is any practical difference when shooting humans between .45 ACP, .40 S&W, or 9mmP when using modern expanding ammunition.

H

 

[glock.40]

Maybe I can convince my wife to let me buy a glock 19 now?

 

[sandman1212]

I agree with many of the above statements about cost, quicker on target shots etc, but my biggest reason is that the general recoil is uncomfortable to me. I prefer the push of the 9MM or .45 to the snap of a .40.

 

[titsonritz]

I agree with many of the above statements about cost, quicker on target shots etc, but my biggest reason is that the general recoil is uncomfortable to me. I prefer the push of the 9MM or .45 to the snap of a .40.

I agree completely.

BTW this thread was not just intended to be yet another caliber debate but also a self reflection of the evolutionary process regarding to the tools we choose to defend ourselves. There is nothing wrong with being wrong and along as we learn from it.

 

[skydiver]

1. Cost of ammo.
2. Availability of ammo - world standard.
3. Less recoil - also a different "feel" of the recoil.
4. Higher magazine capacity.
5. Lower weight of loaded pistol - lower grain weight of projectiles x number of rounds.
6. More weapons to chose from.

Blue Skies!

 

[jdub75]

I've come to the same conclusing after 14 years of .40 ownership & will be making the switch to 9mm soon. After my last range session doing some rapid drills, and shooting both a 9mm I've never shot before & my 40's I've had for awhile, I did better with the 9mm. I have noticed that I am more accurate this past year or so as more & more of my freinds have 9mm that I shoot.

 

[U201494]

Pointless article, it's all been written before.
Soft recoil? Sure.
Less cost for ammo? Yep.
Faster follow up shots? Who cares? The difference is minscule.
The .40 will always be more powerful - simple physics.
The .40 is the most used law enforcement cartridge in our country.
Pinky can write about the nine em em until he turns blue and it will not alter my opinion of it vs. the .40.
When the majority of law enforcement agencies in the good old U. S. of A. switch to the 9MM I'll ponder a change.

 

[halmbarte]

Pointless article, it's all been written before.
Soft recoil? Sure.
Less cost for ammo? Yep.
Faster follow up shots? Who cares? The difference is minscule.
The .40 will always be more powerful - simple physics.
The .40 is the most used law enforcement cartridge in our country.
Pinky can write about the nine em em until he turns blue and it will not alter my opinion of it vs. the .40.
When the majority of law enforcement agencies in the good old U. S. of A. switch to the 9MM I'll ponder a change.

So, I suppose you carried a .38 Spcl. revolver until about 1985 or so? And you now carry a Glock?

PD are rarely at the forefront of tactics and equipment.

I attribute .40 S&W's success with departments across the country to be due to good salesmanship rather than any inherent advantage of the cartridge.

H

 

[Boats]

So, I suppose you carried a .38 Spcl. revolver until about 1985 or so? And you now carry a Glock?

PD are rarely at the forefront of tactics and equipment.

I attribute .40 S&W's success with departments across the country to be due to good salesmanship rather than any inherent advantage of the cartridge.

H

No kidding. The entire 10mm<<.40S&W movement was born out of one gunfight featuring totally craptastic tactics by the FBI in 1986. To obscure the glaring fact that their agents had entered into a gunfight without as much foresight as a grasshopper can muster, they scapegoated the 9mm Winchester Silvertip instead.

Then the Norma 10mm full house load turned out to be too much of a handful for the more dainty agents, S&W shortened it, renamed it the .40S&W, and caught a marketing wave that apparently works all to well on some of our fellow forum members.

 

[halmbarte]

Then the Norma 10mm full house load turned out to be too much of a handful for the more dainty agents...

And guys weighing 260lbs that stand 6'3" tall. Not to mention all the pistols that that cartridge busted.

Full house 10mm ACP ain't a pussy load. Probably better as a subgun round than a pistol cartridge.

H

 

[titsonritz]

Personally I find my Glock 20 easier to handle than I did my Glock 22 or 23 due to the increased weight and more hand filling size. I'll take my Glock 19 over any of them in role of a carry piece. I use the G20 for toting in the woods for its increased power lever but familiarity of operation.

 

[U201494]

So, I suppose you carried a .38 Spcl. revolver until about 1985 or so? And you now carry a Glock.

PD are rarely at the forefront of tactics and equipment.

I attribute .40 S&W's success with departments across the country to be due to good salesmanship rather than any inherent advantage of the cartridge.

You quote my post and follow it up with garbage that has no basis in fact.
Everything I posted is true and indisputable.
If you like the little 9 that's great, but posting horsesh1t because you did not like my post is weak.

 

[FA9]

Bottom line, getting shot by any caliber would definitely suck...

 

[halmbarte]

How about this fact: The .40 will always be more powerful - simple physics.

I'm seeing 180gr 40S&W listed at 441ftlbs of energy.

115gr 9mmP +p is listed at 466ftlbs.

H