Why does everyone hate the .40s&w?

[pirateer2007]

I'm a huge fan of the round as I've got a couple glocks and USPs chambered for it, but I'm constantly noticing people looking for trades, saying "pistols" and then when I ask exactly what they're looking for it's "Well... something in 9mm or .45, but NO .40s".

I've also noticed that most of the gunshops down here are full of .40s and pretty scarce on all others except high end .45s.

My question is... Why the dislike of the .40? Personally, I wouldn't carry anything else. Ammo is readily available at a fair price, velocity and specs are good on the ammo I carry(HydraShock) and recoil is easily handled. I just want to know if there's something others see that I just haven't noticed yet.

Please enlighten me!

-Adam

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[sbryson21]

I actually am with you, I LOVE the round. It's what my springfield carry gun is chambered in and everything you said about it is true. I just think people have their own personal preferences for various reasons.

 

[Karma]

Ya. I love the .40 round. I have several handguns chambered in .40 and I really like it.

 

[Benny503]

Foortee ammo are much more expensive then 9. 9mm will hurt as much as the 4O.

 

[WAYNO]

I'm a huge fan of the round as I've got a couple glocks and USPs chambered for it, but I'm constantly noticing people looking for trades, saying "pistols" and then when I ask exactly what they're looking for it's "Well... something in 9mm or .45, but NO .40s".

I've also noticed that most of the gunshops down here are full of .40s and pretty scarce on all others except high end .45s.

My question is... Why the dislike of the .40? Personally, I wouldn't carry anything else. Ammo is readily available at a fair price, velocity and specs are good on the ammo I carry(HydraShock) and recoil is easily handled. I just want to know if there's something others see that I just haven't noticed yet.

Please enlighten me!

-Adam

Not everyone dislikes the .40 S&W. I very much appreciate it.

It's cheap to shoot. It's got a lot better ballistics than the 9mm Para, which many folks think is great, it makes a bigger hole than a 9, and it's an easy round to shoot. What's not to like?

It is a compromise round. It's certainly superior to any 9mm loading, but it's not as big, and not nearly as expensive as a .45 ACP.

I think lots of folks, who don't know any better, accept as Gospel, the criticisms of .45 shooters, when they compare the .40 to the .45. And, there's no doubt, a .45 is a better round, but at the expense of the size and weight of the gun, and the diminished magazine capacities with the .45.

It doesn't matter what anybody shoots. There will be better cartridges, and cartridges that aren't quite as good. A guy's gotta decide what his priorities are. Performance? Capacities? Platform? The .40 is the best compromise between .38 and .45, that I can imagine. And, in spite of its tremendous following, I've always considered the 9mm Para to be at the bottom end of the acceptable cartridges. See? To each his own.

WAYNO.

 

[pirateer2007]

Not everyone dislikes the .40 S&W. I very much appreciate it.

It's cheap to shoot. It's got a lot better ballistics than the 9mm Para, which many folks think is great, it makes a bigger hole than a 9, and it's an easy round to shoot. What's not to like?

It is a compromise round. It's certainly superior to any 9mm loading, but it's not as big, and not nearly as expensive as a .45 ACP.

I think lots of folks, who don't know any better, accept as Gospel, the criticisms of .45 shooters, when they compare the .40 to the .45. And, there's no doubt, a .45 is a better round, but at the expense of the size and weight of the gun, and the diminished magazine capacities with the .45.

It doesn't matter what anybody shoots. There will be better cartridges, and cartridges that aren't quite as good. A guy's gotta decide what his priorities are. Performance? Capacities? Platform? The .40 is the best compromise between .38 and .45, that I can imagine. And, in spite of its tremendous following, I've always considered the 9mm Para to be at the bottom end of the acceptable cartridges. See? To each his own.

WAYNO.

my thoughts exactly

 

[sheepman]

I don't think that every one hates the 40S&W but there are a couple of gun writers that talk it down. The 10 mm group consider it a weak sister also. Personally the older I get the more I like lighter rounds and the 40, 9mm and 45 ACP are my favorites, in revolvers it is 38 sp and 45 colt. Some claim the 40 is too snappy (this has not been my observation) but a lot of law enforcement seem to like it. Shoot what you like and don't let what others say bother you, in the end only hits count, JMHO : Bill

 

[Trlsmn]

I have 3 Fotay's myself! If you want to find a deal on a pistol .40 seems to be the caliber.

 

[wichaka]

40's have a snappier recoil than a 45. And most 40's are built on 9mm frames, which will wear out quite fast.

If you put a ton of rounds thru an early 40 Glock, you'll be breaking things.

 

[NoAim]

40's have a snappier recoil than a 45. And most 40's are built on 9mm frames, which will wear out quite fast.

If you put a ton of rounds thru an early 40 Glock, you'll be breaking things.

That's because early .40 guns weren't built for the +P type pressures. Same thing would have happened with 9mm+P.

 

[pirateer2007]

40's have a snappier recoil than a 45. And most 40's are built on 9mm frames, which will wear out quite fast.

If you put a ton of rounds thru an early 40 Glock, you'll be breaking things.

Define earlier. I have a Glock 23 Gen 2 that my dad bought me in 1995 and I have put well over 12,000rds through in the last 14.5 years. I had a Glock rep look at it last summer and he went through the entire weapon. The only thing he suggested I change out was the guide rod assembly. He gave me a new one and installed it there on the spot. What a nice guy! The rest of the parts looked to be in great shape according to him, including the barrel and firing pin.

I have also never had a ftf, jam or anything along those lines.

 

[jordanvraptor]

The only pistol that I hated the .40 S&W in was the Glock 27. It hurt to fire it and I didn't even want to fire a hundred rounds that I had before I sold the thing... Didn't have a problem with the Glock 22 or 23 or even a Browning Hi Power in .40 but that 27 was pure evil. In medium sized pistols I think they are fine but I think that most people who carry medium sized pistols can handle the .45 ACP and still prefer it over the .40 S&W.

 

[WhyteCheddar]

Have had a G23 and now a S&W M/P .40c
Loved them both. Never a problem.
Went to a G19 for a while due to the less expensive ammo but finally had to go back to the .40.
Excellent compromise between the 9mm and the .45 IMHO.

 

[danblackstone]

I have a Glock 23 and I love it.

 

[86-0134]

shooting 40 s&w out of a lightweight polymer framed gun like glock, m&p, etc., just hurts my hands. its an awesome cartridge for sure, but a little too snappy for me. just not as enjoyable for me to shoot repeatedly like a 9mm or even 45 acp.

 

[gunnoob75]

The ballistics aren't better enough than 9mm to warrant cost/ammo capacity/extra wear and tear.

When the .40 came out, it was a noticeable improvement on the 9mm. But compare it to all the modern 9mm rounds. It's no better.

 

[usrifle]

The forty is a fine round, but indeed is a compromise. Fullsize 1911's are tough to conceal and heavy, but there are lot's of options in a compact.
My carry gun is a Detonics Combatmaster, (late 70's Seattle gun) very concealable with 6+1 of rounds of .45
Triple recoil springs, it's like shooting a 9mm and quite accurate for a 3" barrel.
The forty is a great round, but don't give up on .45's due to "size" issues!
usrifle

 

[wichaka]

Have seen many a Glock 40 with small parts broken and frames cracked etc.

I guess I should have said...a disproportionate amount of breakage/problems occur with the Glock 40 over the 9. And is still happening, but more so with the first ones that came out.

If you've got that many rounds thru yours without any problems, you're doin well.

 

[giddyupgo55]

forty shooter here. I have loaded and shot over 4 thousand rounds through my Glock and I bought it used

 

[MountainBear]

When the .40 first came out, it was compromise round. It was designed to allow more power in a smaller frame than a .45 ACP. But the 9mm round has come along way as has bullet design. With the +p and +P+ ammunition fitted with good hollow point bullet design, the 9mm is no longer underpowered per say (although I still prefer my .45's). The .40 S&W is a good caliber. I don't hate it, I don't even dislike it. It just no longer fills a niche in my toolset/collection/carry rotation.