Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Do I need a 40 S&W?

colodog, Do you “need” one, probably not! But, it’s a darn good cartridge, and we have several lying around here somewhere.... along with other handgun cartridge variations. It just plain makes since to diversify! memtb

FWIW - I checked on Ammo on Friday. Before the panic really set in.

9mm was the only one missing from the shelf. Copious amounts of 45ACP and 40 SW plus typical revolver ammo available.

Multiple options in a compressed supply chain isnt a bad thing.

The prices on quality pistols is hard to beat. I picked up a new M&P40 2.0 Compact for $299. Nicer than a G23 IMO.
If you don't shoot much, the price of ammo ($13/50) isnt an issue. If you reload then ammo cost is a nit.

Good blog!

interesting about the Remington FMJ ammo flattening out and expanding

I always liked the 40 because of the cheap flat nosed ammo , but looks like it is even better than I thought

Thank you all for the kind comments on the blog. Need to get off my ass and get a few new articles up.

On the UMC/FMJ- I wouldn't call that 'riveting' consistent or repeatable on demand. I have seen this occasionally, during informal testing, with both Remington's older copper colored jacket and this more recent brass colored jacket they're using. Truthfully, it would take a lot of closely- controlled testing to even get an idea of what resistance is required for this to occur.. I am not inclined to undertake it. One should also remember this is a price point load and Rem/UMC may make changes (such as a plated bullet instead of jacketed one) to stay competitive.

If I was inclined to carry a 40 FMJ load, I would still select UMC. An old adage applied here. Expect the worst and anything else becomes a pleasant surprise.

Absolutely correct.

Yes, it's a fine cartridge, a Bud gave me 1000 of the double cannelured 180gr HST's to shoot in my P226, that said, I'm still going to look for a 357 Sig barrel for it.

I thoroughly enjoy shooting my 40. It is a Canadian made Para 16/40 1911 that someone had tweaked (Bomar sight, fitted barrel bushing and link, great trigger, etc.). I bought it at a pawn shop in 2000. It is easy to shoot well and is dead reliable once I tweaked the magazines to fit high and tight. I also fitted a 10 mm Bar Sto barrel and bushing though I have yet to fire that combo. Buy one.

My favorite .40 is a Kimber Stainless Gold Match, an original, no firing pin block, that I have owned and shot for more than 20 years. It runs like a sewing machine and has shot many a USPSA and IDPA match.

Thanks for the replies and information and Sarge, Thanks for the article! Well written and helpful.
I was considering a compact Baby Eagle but will likely go with a Tanfoglio Witness. I like their 9mm and another from the same litter makes sense to me.
Natchez has PMC Starfire for $5 and change a box so i'll stock up a bit on several brands to see what it likes.

Thanks again!

I like my springer EMP 40......

Hey Huntsman, Thanks for the reminder! I like the EMP as well.. I'll have to see what's available here locally but will likely order in exactly what I want.
Shopping options are a little different in my new neighborhood than what I'd gotten used to in Denver...

Just picked up a LEO tradein P226 and P229 40 from CDNN. They were brand new... couldn't believe those were going for less than $500.

There's really nothing wrong with the 40, & I own 2 & they do get used frequently, a G23 as a car gun & a G27 as coat pocket gun for short trips with a big jacket with pockets.

However, with all due respect, that article by Sarge was a little prior to all the newer / better versions of 9mm.

And to say with a straight face that many women have no issues with it, is somewhat misleading as I'm reasonably sure that that is some significant multiple of the women who cannot, & never do & never will successfully adapt to the 40 as compared to the number of ones that do.

And most any Gluck dealer will tell you straight out that the G27 is the most traded in pistol on the market......................

So again, nothing wrong with it, & there really are some good buys on guns in 40, but in the same gun vs a 9mm, the 40 is very noticeably snappier to shoot & control with any kind of speed than a 9; anybody that denies that is either in a state of mental denial or simply not being truthful...................except for the macho hee-roes; prolly Elmer woulda liked a G27 just fine.

MM

I have to agree with you.

The snappiness of the .40 S&W does slow repeat shots for me vs my 9mm Glocks, and requires more concentration on keeping a tight two-handed grip on the gun to avoid the need to reacquire a proper grip round to round.

Right now, anyone who's out of ammo needs a .40, because there's no 9mm in stock.

It would really suck to be in that predicament.............................

MM

I'm not disagreeing - more of an addition. 'Noticeably snappier' is only fair if the pistols being compared are similar in size/weight. The last time I owned a .40 S&W it was a Hi-Power - a cream puff. Yep, it kicked more than a 9mm Hi-Power, but less than a 25 oz 9mm.