Please believe me, I am NOT trying to resurrect a "which is better" thread, I am trying to spark an informed conversation in trying to decide whether a handgun capable of firing the 40 S&W should be in my future.

I realize that the 40S&W development was somewhat a parody of Goldilocks and the Three Bears: the 9mm was not enough, the 45 was too much, and the 40 was just right! I have the opportunity to get a Sig 229 at a decent price, and it is a metal frame, not polymer. Other than price and the fact that it is a Sig, it can easily be converted to 357 Sig.

Realistically, I don't need a 40, since I have both 9s and 45s which I can handle competently. If I need to make a 40 something hole, I have a 41 Magnum. If a need a flat shooting hotrod, I have 357 Magnums. All of my firearm purchases are mission driven, but I already have handguns in calibers capable of over-shadowing a 40 S&W or a 357 Sig.

While I would like a metal frame Sig, I don't need a 40 S&W or a 357 Sig. Could anyone help me shed some light on why I should purchase a 40 S&W?

Thanks in advance for your opinions!

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Judge control not gun control!

I'm afraid I'm no help to you. One of the calibers I've never owned since, like you, I've had no issues with the 9mm and the .45acp.

The glut on the market of .40 caliber handguns right now tempts me just due to the number of them and the reasonable price. Sadly, I just can't think of a good enough reason to stock another caliber.

It sure is a buyer's market right now and I'm a long time fan of Sig products, but there are too many other pistols I like better than any forty I have ever seen.

IMHO the 229 Sig is the finest combat handgun ever made

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

No.

The .45 auto is by no means too much.

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No baby we aint

No, it's not.

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SWCA #3356, SWHF#611

I'm not a fan, but i learned that by shooting a few.... to each his own.

IMO, no the .40 isn't a must have, but I enjoy having mine, along with .45, 9mm, .38, .357.......

With police trade in M&P .40's available for just over $200.00 I would grab one. Think back to the regrets some have for not grabbing police trade in K frames in the 90's.

I've owned six different .40 handguns, Glock Sig, HK, SW, Glock, Sig, and for whatever reason I'm no where near as accurate as a 9mm or .45.

As I understand it, in LE the pendulum is swinging away from .40 back to 9mm. I may be wrong. In any case I haven't owned a .40 in years...haven't missed it.

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Isaiah 41:10

I had never owned a .40 and really didn't see much need for one, but the $230 LE Trade-ins were too much of a temptation. I added a full-sized S&W M&P to my handgun battery just because . . . too cheap to pass up.

No it isn’t.

I’ve owned a few. Got rid of them. They offer nothing that my current stable of guns can do. And I like not having to buy or reload another caliber.

If the Sig interests you, find a CPO P226 in 9MM or P220 in 45 Auto.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

I have never had lust for any .40 S&W handgun, and doubt I ever will. However, I do have a .400 Cor-Bon barrel for my 1911 .45. But I don't have the urge to shoot it much.

My Son & I have several 40 S&W`s in handguns & carbines. And We shoot them, reload for them, and enjoy them alot.
ken

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DON'T MEAN NOTHING:

I realize I am the odd man out here, but I actually like the .40 S&W round. I was first issued a DAO Beretta 96, then a DAO Sig P226 in .40. As a result of my LE duties, I had to dispatch a ton of deer. Never needed to use a shotgun slug or more than 1 - .40 round, just got close enough to put the round where it needed to go and it worked every time. Very first ammo we were issued was typical first generation / low bid ammo that sucked really badly.
When Colt put out a 1911 in .40 I jumped on it and wound up having Novak's customize it to my liking and carried it as my off duty gun for almost 15 years. Bought a Star Firestar .40, Glock 27, Kahr K40 and a Novak custom .40 Browning Hi Power. After retiring also picked up a like new LEO trade in DAO P229 in 357 Sig but quickly dropped a .40 barrel in it and it shoots extremely well.
During the last great ammo shortage I ran a gun shop and like others we struggled to get 9mm, 45acp and most other high demand ammo, but we were generally able to get and keep a good supply of .40 S&W available and sold quite a bit of it.
If you don't mind stocking an additional caliber ammo or just interested in trying a different caliber, I have found the .40 to be a very satisfactory choice.
I also like 22's, 9's, 10mm, 41 Mag, 45acp and 45 Colt so I guess I'm not really picky.

I have had a lot of .40 S&W handguns; currently own a Sig P250, P239, SP2340. I gave my son three, a BHP, Sig SP2022, Walther PPS. Ours are loaded with Underwood 200 grain hard cast ammo. We carry them hiking and fishing in north Georgia.

The cartridge and guns chambered for it are dead in my area. There are deals everywhere. There is a good selection of ammo available; it can handle most any situation you may encounter. If you want to try one I would encourage you to do so.

In my area, Sig P250 and SP2340/2022 are unpopular and can be found in the $300.00 range.

I'd go for it. In fact I'm looking at a P229 in .40 cal for myself, which I'd convert to a .357 SIG. I already have two .357 SIG pistols, a P320, and an M&P 40c Storm Lake conversion (my EDC), and I love the round. With the P229 in .357 SIG, you'd have more capacity than most .45s, and you'd be firing a round with 50-100 ft/lb greater muzzle energy. And, as 29aholic stated, it's a great gun, so what's not to like?

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What, me worry?

Being a reloader, I am a fan of the .40 S&W cartridge. Many claim it's the "short & weak" substitute for a 10mm, and it is, sotr'a. Believe me, it's not weak. It is a bit snappy when compared to the 9mm, but it also makes much bigger holes.

I mentioned reloading only because .40 caliber brass is almost free everywhere you look. And it uses the same size bullets as the 10mm. And I can use the same dies to load both.

A 14 + 1 round FNX sleeps beside me every night. And I really enjoy shooting it at the range as well. I tend to shoot mostly 45 acp when I do shoot, but the 40 is always there, as is some .357's and some 22's. I have several 9mm's and enjoy them too. In fact, I carry a 6906 90% of the time.

I think you're missing out if you pass on having at least one handgun in .40 S&W. No, you don't need one, anymore than you need a 9, 38, 357, or a 45. But I think you should at least try one. They're practically giving them away these days.

I’m a fan of the ,40 S&W. I got rid of all but one of my 9mm guns long ago.

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- Change it back -

Answer: Only if you have a gun chambered for it.

Seriously, a few years back I got a used Sig P226 in .40 S&W because it was available at a good price in all stainless, but looking back it would have been better to get a 9mm.

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Buy American
Vote Responsibly

I have in all 3 calibers in metal and plastic........What's not to like about all of them.......IF I was ever in a real honest to God handgun fight I'd prefer the 40/45 in any pistol.

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S&W Accumulator

It is a personal taste. I like the .40 caliber also and we have more than a few of them.



S&W M&P with conversion barrels in both 9mm and .357 SIG, popular in TX because DPS used the caliber.



Ruger SR40.



Steyr M40, excellent grip design.



FNH FS40. Another fine pistol.

Another one. Beretta PX4 in .40.



Actually a nice caliber. Not into the whole 9 x .45 or .40 but all have a place. Like in the movie The Color of Money, it's in the way that you use it. Even SWMBO carries a H&K USP in the caliber as a car console companion.



Just another caliber. It is like asking why the .41 Magnum or .44 Special or why the .38 Special since a .357 can do all and more, or pick your own favorite.

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KM
S&WCA 3110 S&WHF 625

In my neck of the woods (S-C PA), the .40 seems to have run its course as a fad and pretty much died on the vine. There is no demand in the gun stores for new ones, and used ones go only at rock bottom bargain prices. Oddly, this last week I asked two gun shop owners how ammunition sales for .40 has been lately. Both replied 'flat'. I see nothing wrong with or objectionable about .40, but it seems to have run short on popularity in the last several years. As many recall, the .40 S&W was the hottest thing on the market several years ago, so there are lots out there. I had one, but it did nothing for me that my 9MM's or .45ACP's couldn't do. Mine went out the door thankfully before the market fell out. For me, there will be no more.40's..... although you very well may enjoy having one or several. Weigh your reasons for wanting one would be my only suggestion, and if you do not rush, a real bargain may present itself.

That is why I made the .357/.38 comparison. Why would anybody own a .38 when you can get the same plus in a .357? Why would anybody own a .44 Special when you can get a .44 Magnum and have both calibers?

Personal tastes and YMMV. It is what makes a horse race.

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KM
S&WCA 3110 S&WHF 625

Never felt a need to add another caliber when I already was full up on 9mm and .45 ACP semi's.

No, and the only reason I bought any now is because I picked up an ex-CHP 4006 TSW


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Would say I like them all personally, but that is just me. They all have uses and spots where they all excel. It is no different than the old internet post that every body has the best dog ever, they are all correct. It is just what you individually like. You run with it.

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KM
S&WCA 3110 S&WHF 625

Correction - 9mm wasn't enough, 10mm* was too much

10mm short is a sweet caliber IMO. That being said, I'd rather carry a 10mm, so that's what I do It is God's caliber, afterall.

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SWCA 3563
10mm aficionado

Is it a "must have"? For me, no. In fact, I bashed it for years.

But then I found a gun chambered for it that I really liked, a 4006 in excellent condition, for a price I could live with. It's my EDC, and has been for close to a year. It's accurate and reliable, has plenty of firepower, and I can't picture trading it for anything.

I wouldn’t say it’s a “must have” cartridge, but it’s a really handy cartridge. I have several .40s: 4013, 4040, 4046, two CS40s, two P229s, and two P239s. I normally use .357 Sig barrels in the Sigs, but I have .40 barrels for both of them. An added advantage of that is being able to use my .40 cal iTarget laser cartridge to practice with those guns and not have to buy the .357sig cartridge. Everything about the .40 is inexpensive. I picked up a .40 Sig barrel for less than iTarget sells the .357sig cartridge. Brass is plentiful. Over the last couple of years, my .40 brass inventory has grown to over 2K from the original 3 or 4 hundred I started with. That’s all range pickup brass too, so people are shooting it. Reloading is easy, especially if you already load 10mm. I find that anything smaller than .40 is harder to handle when loading. I’ve loaded 9mm and .380 and I always end up with a bunch of cases all around me on the deck that I’ve fumbled getting in or out of the press. Longer cases like .38/.357, .32 H&R/.327Fed Mag don’t give me any problems.

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USS Brewton FF1086
SWCA#3597

I've got 9mm, 10mm and 45 ACP. I can't even convince myself that I need a 40 cal.

I don't think you have to have one but on the other hand I don't think you have to have a 9mm or a 45 or....whatever caliber comes to mind. Personally, I enjoy loading and shooting different calibers and the 40 is a fun one to do. I also load 9mm, 45, 38, 357, 222,and 308. I know lots of folks that only own one firearm and they are perfectly content with that. I only own one 40 and it's an HK USP. Now 45s, that's a different story. Do I have to have a 40, no. Am I glad I do, yes.

Is it a must have? No, in a word. Would I own one? If you had asked 2-3 months ago I would have also answered no and my reasons were that it doesn't do anything that I can't already do with 9MM, 45 Auto, 38/357 or 44. Then I ran across a decent deal on a .40 Browning High Power and all that changed. That Browning is a sweet shooter and the little I have shot it I have liked it a lot. I've only run 270 rounds through it so far, but that is about to change since I have bought reloading dies for it and right before I took off for the rig I ordered 1000 165 grain JHP bullets from Roze Dist. so I can reload some more for it.

To sum it all up, no, it's not a must have but if there is a pistol you desire in that caliber don't be afraid to give it a try out.

Modern 9mm defensive loads are almost on a par with a 357 Magnum and are above 38 Super. That is why the 357 SIG is fading from the scene slowly.

40 S&W is the same.

The magic word is cost. How many fifty round boxes of 40 can you buy versus fifty rounds of 9mm?

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The Last Standing Knight

My 4006 comes out as the weather gets cooler. Gets through more layers better and easier to conceal with more layers.

WR

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God, Country, Family

I spent decades being a card-carrying .40 S&W hater. I wouldn't say I have any regret, but my opinion on .40cal has changed. Shortest version I can make:

I hated .40cal because I was a 10mm guy. 10mm guns were .45 barrels and frames made for a smaller diameter cartridge allowing for more steel everywhere that mattered. I didn't hate .40 because it was "weaker", but I absolutely loathed it because ham-fisted/reckless handloaders were blowing up guns with the .40 at a rate out-pacing all other calibers combined. The inherent design of the cartridge AND the fact that these were basically 9mm guns bored out to accept .40 were big reasons. I can go in to deeper detail but it'll turn this in to a volume.

Almost 20yrs later I bought a .40cal barrel for my 10mm Glock and used it for training and organized shoots so that I could use my carry gun without losing precious 10mm brass and that is where I made my most hated cartridge work for me... and that's when I stopped hating it.

.40 brass is almost as cheap/free/easy as 9mm and the mere existence of .40 S&W meant that I always had a good selection of component bullets for 10mm too.

The other side benefit is a small one to most, but significant if you enjoy or take part in shooting steel plates: compared to 9mm, .40cal knocks the snot out of them, the upgrade in power over 9mm is easily noticeable, and in the right hi-cap gun, a good .40 S&W pistol is a fantastic tool for mowing down steel plates.

I've got a lot of handguns, including my Glock 29 with conversion barrel, only a paltry four are chambered in .40 S&W but these are capable guns and especially with my CZ Tac Sport, a phenomenal shooter on range day that gets a lot of work.

Your post is hilariously funny..........And untrue.

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S&W Accumulator

If cost is the magic word, I'm confused by your point here.

Fact: the cheapest center fire handgun round on the planet is 9mm, bar none, zero argument.

FACT: the second cheapest center fire handgun round on the planet without argument is .40 S&W.

So if you are arguing that 9mm is a better choice... okay. But you are de facto claiming that it makes sense to own 9mm guns and no .40's, just as long as you don't own anything in .25, .32, .327 Federal, .380 Auto, .38 Special, .38 Super, .357 Sig, .357 Mag, 10mm, .41 Mag, .44 Special, .44 Mag, .45 ACP and .45 Colt.

Another way of looking at it would that if you don't already own a Sig...a P229 that just happened to chamber .40 S&W could work well for you.

I have a number of handguns chambered in .40 S&W and enjoy them all...AND I can make MAJOR power factor in USPSA/IDPA very easily.

MY favorite in the world of .40's is still my CZ 40B which was only in produced for a few years, Colt ended up backing out of.

Randy

Up to this point, I wish to thank everyone for the informative advice on the 40. I would like to expound a little. I am looking primarily for a range toy, since I currently live in a restricted capacity magazine state that doesn't trust it's law-abiding residents to carry for self-defense (not a political statement, but a statement of fact).

I do handload. Just like Ivory Snow, 99.44% of all my rifle ammo is handloaded (formerly for service rifle matches, now for F class and mid-range prone matches). Before obtaining a non-resident CWP, 99.44% of my handgun ammo was my reloads, now it is about 98%. With the exception of a Glock 17 Gen 5 MOS that is on the horizon for GSSF matches, all of my semi-auto handguns have metal frames. Personally, I find that the extra weight from the metal frames helps to make the shooting more pleasant and successful.

Like many are saying, brass is cheap. Using my brass broom when I go to practice, I have accumulated a few hundred rounds already. I also like switch barrel handguns, and while I can't find a 9mm Sig at an attractive price, I can whet my desire for a Sig by getting a 40 and also purchasing a 357 conversion barrel.

That is where my dilemma lies.

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Judge control not gun control!

I used a Casian .40 S&W in IPSC competition because it made major power factor and held 17 rounds. Don't play that game now but still have the pistol and a Glock 23. No, not a "must have" but a useful cartridge. Yes, I reload for it.

Must have? No.

Interesting caliber, available in excellent quality firearms offering lots of other opportunities (like easy .357 Sig conversion)? Yes, definitely.

Nearly a year ago I purchased a Sig "red box" P229 in .40S&W. LE trade-in, Sig puts them through the shop for full inspection and replacement of any significantly worn parts, ships them out with a one-year warranty, manual, and two standard magazines. My cost delivered to FFL was just a shade over $400, which compares to MSRP of $1087 at the time.

Convert to .357 Sig? Requires only a barrel. Same mags & springs work just fine.

Extra magazines? Readily available (I bought two in as new condition, delivered for $44).

Since I already owned a .40 and was reloading for it I had over 1000 cases, couple thousand bullets, and 700-plus rounds of ammunition on hand at the time. Easy to reload for, components readily available at minimal costs.

Looks like I failed to mention Sig's excellent reputation for reliability, accuracy, and quality. Consider that mentioned.

I shot a GLOCK in .40 in USPSA to make major power factor also as scoring is different. I switched to 9mm because I don't hit anything but alphas anyways!!!! :-) I have several .40's and shoot them well. They are full and medium sized guns though. I tend to stay away from subcompacts in .40 as they are very snappy to practice with a lot. I have been drawn to 9's in subcompacts as I can place all shots on target fast and accurately when stationary or moving. .40's take more practice for me in a small framed gun. The .40 is a mean little round though, and as mentioned before, I believe it was developed back in the 90's when the FBI and other agencies were trying to go to the 10mm, but it was too much for many agents and officers. It was scaled back a bit and the .40 was born and widely accepted. Fast forward to today, and bullet technology has come along way. 9mm is a very effective caliber, and many more people can shoot it with great results. New shooters can also be turned off by the snappiness of the .40 as compared to the 9mm. I recently shot my fathers shield in .40 and it is a completely different animal than my shield in 9mm. He saw the huge difference also, and preferred the 9mm. I bought him one for Christmas and it is all he carries now. Do you need a .40, of course you do. That is the only way you will be able to tell whether it is for you or not, and as mentioned before, they are quite affordable at this time. I regularly see 229 CPO guns in the $400 range which is a steal for a great quality gun like a SIG in my opinion. 9mm CPO guns are at least $150 more it seems.

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Proverbs 21:2

The great thing about a cheap, "Used" LE weapon is, that it is broke in
and usually has only minor flaws that most of us can live with.

Add a NEW barrel to it and now it is good for another 9,000 rounds of target loads with maximum accuracy.

Do we need a 40..............?
If the price is right, why not ?

If you need to ask, then have you not answered your question?

If you hang around gun forums, you will find that there are some things... some lines... some mantras... some legends... that get flipped out all the time. You get used to seeing them. Some of them drive me a little bit up the wall. I won't bore anyone with the long list of them that annoy me, but one of them is relevant.

It's the whole "man, I don't want to stock another caliber..."

I mean I think I get what you are saying, but I just don't understand how this is such an enormous burden or pressure on you.

Scenario: you are a guy who loves guns and shooting and you own a handful (or a pile) (or a truckload) of different handguns. You don't own a .40. You don't care that it's maybe a bit snappier. You don't care that it may be a little tougher to sell if you don't like it. You don't care that it holds a few less rounds than a 9mm, you don't care that the .45 guys at the range will snicker at your .40.

But what weighs you down is that you must "stock another caliber!"

Man, you could buy a box of ammo, maybe $14 OTD. You could even buy 2 or 3 boxes for less money than a dinner out for two.

Realistically, you could buy zero ammo and own zero ammo and have no components or tools to load ammo, have absolutely NOTHING to shoot in it and you'd be at exactly the same place you were a week ago before you bought a .40cal pistol... you would have everything you have ever had an no .40.

Where is this tremendous burden? A .40cal chambered pistol sitting on a low shelf in your safe doesn't eat anything. If you don't have ammo at the house, it doesn't choke & die. It doesn't do anything differently, it doesn't demand that you vacuum-seal 2,000 rounds to fend off the apocalypse.

It's just a handgun. If you want to use it, grab some ammo. If you like it, grab some more (better yet, roll your own or learn to roll your own and there's dozens of us that are ready & willing to help you learn.)

If you shoot thousands of round of 9mm or .45 and you don't want to cut in to that budget, don't. Snag that fantastic deal on a .40cal pistol in this market and buy one box of ammo or zero. It isn't going to hurt the gun if you don't have ammo and you won't need extra therapy because you don't have .40cal ammo on hand. The pistol will not wither and die or corrode and seize up because you aren't feeding it.

Really.

The only "must have" handgun caliber to me is the .22lr, after that its whatever YOU want. The .380 is great for a pocket pistol and the 9m/m is cheap and soft recoiling so I have some and I have several 38 Special and .357's because I like revolvers, and I have one .45 acp because I absolutely love the GI issue 1911 pistol. If it wasn't for the "GI 1911" I probably wouldn't own a .45 acp, just nothing that appealing about it to me but to each his own. The .40 is my defensive handgun of choice and I have confidence in it and I shoot it pretty good, I have confidence in the 9m/m I just have a little more confidence in the .40.

I enjoy shooting all 3 (9mm, 40S&W, and 45ACP) .... why limit oneself to just one or even just two of the three? They are all good calibers and IMO all 3 will be around for a long time.

None of the three are more of a "must have" over the others IMO.

Don

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Laus Deo! <><

My history with the S&W .40.

Circa 1990, Glock did a magnificent marketing job in selling departments huge swap out contracts, if they would exclusively go with their .40 Glocks.

I had them crammed down my throat from 1996 through 2016. Then my department exchanged them for Glock 19's. I prefer any SIG classic to a Glock. I never found the .40's to be as accurate as any .45 and especially compared to my SIG P220 or P245.

I still have my Glock 23 (.40) and probably always will. I got used to it and shoot it well enough but only because I HAD TO with no other pistol allowed by my department. It is a good inexpensive pistol that has seen a lot of abuse and I really don't mind it getting banged up or God forbid, have it stolen or admin confiscated.

But talking about the classic SIG's (metal framed), they are pure magic in my hands. I find them to be very comfortable and very accurate. I would jump at the chance to buy one in any caliber if the price is right.

Just my 2¢.

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Death? Smile back...

Lots of affordable used pistols in 40 cal in your LGS. Seems like no one wants them. I don’t. It’s going the way the dodo bird did.

I work in a gun store that buys used firearms. We have stopped buying 40 S&W. We cannot sell them. Nobody, and I mean nobody, wants them.

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That's gonna leave a mark.