Why I chose 40 S&W

[delawarelibertarian]

Hopefully these graphs render ok.

From them you can see that 40 S&W can match 9mm for velocity and 45 ACP for energy (depending on load).

With 40 S&W you get better magazine capacity than 45 ACP, and about 85%-90% of the capacity of 9mm.

Ammunition is less expensive than 45 ACP, and not much more expensive than 9mm.

There is the advantage that 40 S&W is in wide use by LE, so ammo will be widely available.

If I were in combat, I would choose 9mm for the slightly greater magazine capacity, and if I needed something to suppress (sound), I would choose 45 ACP since it is subsonic (without load modification). If money and over penatration were not concerns, I would choose 357 SIG, since it is clearly the fastest, most powerful load. As none of these is the case, I chose 40 S&W for its balance and versatility.

For what its worth, I own pistols in 22lr, 380 ACP, 9mm, 357 SIG, 40 S&W, 10mm, and 45 ACP, but I choose to carry one of the 40 S&W pistols. I carry the 180 load, which has better organ depth penetration than 45 ACP and better permanent wound channel creation than 9mm.

All that being said, I would probably feel comfortable carrying anything 380 ACP and above, and would not want to be shot with anything at all.



Here is the table this is based on. This is for Gold Dot ammo, which I chose, because it passes both the FBI hard surface and IWBA soft surface expansion tests.

Load MZ 50 100
9mm Luger 115gr 1200 1065 976
9mm Luger 124gr 1150 1039 963
9mm Luger 147gr 985 932 887
9mm Luger +P 124gr 1220 1085 996
357 SIG 125gr 1375 1203 1079
40 S&W 155gr 1200 1063 974
40 S&W 165gr 1150 1042 967
40 S&W 180gr 1025 956 902
45 Auto 185gr 1050 955 886
45 Auto 230gr 890 845 805
45 Auto +P 200gr 1080 994 930

Load MZ 50 100
9mm Luger 115gr 368 289 243
9mm Luger 124gr 364 297 225
9mm Luger 147gr 317 284 257
9mm Luger +P 124gr 410 324 273
357 SIG 125gr 525 402 323
40 S&W 155gr 496 389 326
40 S&W 165gr 484 398 342
40 S&W 180gr 420 365 325
45 Auto 185gr 453 375 322
45 Auto 230gr 404 365 331
45 Auto +P 200gr 518 439 384

Load 25 50 100
9mm Luger 115gr 0.8 3.5 8.3
9mm Luger 124gr 0.9 3.9 9
9mm Luger 147gr 1.5 5.5 12
9mm Luger +P 124gr 0.8 3.3 8
357 SIG 125gr 0.4 2.3 5.9
40 S&W 155gr 0.8 3.6 8.4
40 S&W 165gr 0.9 3.9 8.9
40 S&W 180gr 1.3 5 11.2
45 Auto 185gr 1.3 4.9 11.1
45 Auto 230gr 2 7.1 15.3
45 Auto +P 200gr 1.1 4.5 10.2

[knightoftheoldecode]

Soren, Thanks for the info! You've made an excellent argument for the . 40 [email protected] I too am a fan of the round. On paper It's the perfect compromise between the 9mm and 45 acp and possible the best defensive round going. The problem I have with the round is strictly a personal preference. To me the 40's recoil signature is just more unpleasant then either the 9mm or 45 acp, This slows my follow up shots somewhat. Kudos to those who shoot this fantastic round well.

[angio333]

Personally, I don't like the 40sw. It seems to be very inaccurate compared to the 9mm, 357sig, or 45acp.....at least when I'm shooting it.

[jeff]

Personally, I don't like the 40sw. It seems to be very inaccurate compared to the 9mm, 357sig, or 45acp.....at least when I'm shooting it.

Well that ain't the round....it's the gun....or the shooter.

[eye poker]

Not trying to be harsh but IMHO, all those facts are negligible compared to shot placement.

[delawarelibertarian]

Not trying to be harsh but IMHO, all those facts are negligible compared to shot placement.

I absolutely agree. Shot placement, and one's ability to place a shot well with a particular round is paramount. One must also consider that any given firearm may shoot one load better than another (although this issue is probably negligable in pistols).

For me, 40 S&W does not present a shot placement problem, so I chose it. As long as the recoil of a particular load/firearm combination is tolerable, one can work on accuracy.

[ccwhen.com]

Not trying to be harsh but IMHO, all those facts are negligible compared to shot placement.

I absolutely agree. Shot placement, and one's ability to place a shot well with a particular round is paramount. One must also consider that any given firearm may shoot one load better than another (although this issue is probably negligable in pistols).

For me, 40 S&W does not present a shot placement problem, so I chose it. As long as the recoil of a particular load/firearm combination is tolerable, one can work on accuracy.

Yep! Ya just have to throw a few more downrange, to get used to it.

I've never had an issue with accuracy in .40, with mine, nor, the recoil.

[mustang]

Thanks for the great tech info... I agree 40 s/w is great. my son has a 9mm. there is a deffinate difference between my 40 and his 9 he calls my sig a cannon.

After I shot his 9mm, it confirmed, I made the right choice in 40 s/w.

I can tell my son when and shoot a bullseye at 10 yards, he shakes his head. Accuracy, stopping power, affordability = for me 40 s/w.

[rich]

40 may expand.. but a 45 never shrinks.............

flame on ................

[px4_storm]

I've had my CHL for 6 months and I carry a 9mm but I've been studying which caliber would be best to carry and I've come to the same conclusion as the OP, i.e., the 40SW.

I love my storm but right now I am torn between the 90-Two and the PX4 Storm in 40SW. Right now, I am leaning toward the 90-Two for the winter and then I may get a PX4 for the summer! (easier to conceal)

I seem to have been bitten by the Beretta bug!

[foneguy]

Personally, I don't like the 40sw. It seems to be very inaccurate compared to the 9mm, 357sig, or 45acp.....at least when I'm shooting it.

Well that ain't the round....it's the gun....or the shooter.

i agree with jeffi shoot at stickers the size of a silver dollar after 10 rounds at 30-50 feet the sticker is gone wit my glock 23, 4in bbl .40 sw and with my xd .40 tactical. last night i shot a fuys springfield 1911 in a 9mm same accuacy as well as his 4in model. and yes that recoil of a .40 sw is alot, but i like it

[stew47]

wow good info! I have a 40 in the bedroom and my conceal weapons are 9mm. Happy with them all. Probably would prefer the ccw weapons to be 40 but I just make sure they have 147g hp and I' m sure they will do.

Anyways I do have a question. I was reading a copy of an older usccw magazine and there was an article about a witness 10mm. I thought that round kind of disappeared. Now I know that it still has its following. I am now a little intrigued. I was even at a local gunstore wondering if they had a glock 20 10mm. I'm not sure I will buy one just curious. If 10 mm fans call the 40 "short and weak" what the hell kind of cannon is the 10 mm. Well I would like you seasoned folks to give me some ideas on the pros and cons of 10mm. Thank you and take care.

[rhino]

If 10 mm fans call the 40 "short and weak" what the hell kind of cannon is the 10 mm. Well I would like you seasoned folks to give me some ideas on the pros and cons of 10mm. Thank you and take care.

I have found the recoil on my 10mm guns to be quite manageable. I have a G20, a few 1990s era (S&W 10x6 and Colt Delta) and a current production Dan Wesson 1911. They're great fun to shoot. I don't know about the G29, which is a subcompact. My guess is that that one is probably a bit unruly--but a good carry size. I intend to find out sometime. S&W also makes a revoler (610) that uses moon clips to shoot 10mm (also shoots .40 S&W). It's fun too.

The old Norma load (220gr @1200 fps) is pretty snappy. But the 10mm is said to be a flatter trajectory/more accurate than the .40 S&W (which I think is a fine choice for carry). Buffalo Bore and Double Tap make some excellent higher power loads in 10mm. I shoot mostly 165 gr. and 180 gr. in mine.

[stew47]

Rhino thank you for the insight! I'm seriously thinking of picking up a g20. As much as I would like a sub compact and make it my main carry rig....I'm chicken LOL. I wish I had a buddy that I could take one to the range and see if it would work for me. Maybe I could buy the 29 and practice with light loads. I don't know. Thank you for the info. Take care. :?:

[car15a2]

I have several guns in .357 Sig and like the round a lot. I also have a Sig P229 in .40 S&W and just do not like to shoot it. I find the .357 Sig much more controllable, extremely accurate, and the flattest shooting handgun cartridge I have ever fired. I like the 10MM much better than the .40, but then again the only 10mm I own is a S&W 1066 which tames the beast pretty well with it's mass. It's like shooting a 9mm! I have always been a fan of the .45ACP.

With all that said, I am more often carrying a 9mm +P+ these days, though I still sometimes carry a sig in .357.