9mm vs 40S&W

[cmort666]

I carry both.

The .40 S&W offers better stopping power, while the 9x19mm is easier to shoot.

I've got a Glock 19 and a Glock 22. The muzzle whip of the .40 S&W is significant. I'm used to the .45acp and find the .45acp MUCH easier to control, even 230gr. ball in a Springfield MicroCompact. It's not the recoil of the .40 S&W that bothers me, but the sharp upward snap of the muzzle. It's like somebody rapping smartly upward on the end of the frame.

If you shoot a lot of full house magnums out of your revolver, you should have no problems with the .40 S&W.

 

[KyWstJoe]

Watchmanjimg,

Bullet technology has come a long way in the past 10 years. Could a good quality hollow point loading in the 9mm come close to that of the 40 for stopping power?

Trey

Trey, try these on for wallop! These ballistic's sound like 40 S&W @ 1415 fps. and 45 ACP @ 511 ft. lbs. Penitration into 4 layers of denim and gel is equally impressive. They are "Double Tap Ammunition". Everything I have read is positive on this ammo. They are also reasonably priced. I just ordered 3 boxes.

DoubleTap Ammunition


9mm+P 115gr JHP 50rds. $36.95

These loads are low flash. They are a great option for personal defense.

Caliber : 9mm+P

Bullet : Remington JHP

Ballistics : 115gr @ 1415fps / 511ft. lbs. from a G17.

 

[Knightrider03m]

Well............you know what they say about opinions.

I am fortunate to own handguns of about all calibers. Each has advantages over others so your use will depend on what may be best for your needs.

I enjoy shooting a 9mm but would not care to use it for a carry gun and would take a .40 over the 9mm but really love a .45acp over any of the other calibers.

My 9mm guns are used strictly for the range. My .40 cals are sometimes used for carry and to keep in vehicles just to have. My carry guns are going to be .45acp.

Most likely, you will be happier with a .40 since the 9mm lacks the power and one shot take down that the .40 has.

No such thing as one shot take downs. Same effect will happen to a person when a person get hit with a 9mm, .40, or .45. Expanded, all 3 rounds isn't that much bigger then each other. Its all about how well someone can shoot the above calibers. I shoot my 1911 .45 a lot better than both of my 9mm so I carry my 1911 but I still use my 9mm as my main carry from time to time.

****************************************************Currently I carry and shoot a 357 magnum with magnum loads. I can't imagine the 40s&w being more snappy that those. I have owned 9mms in the past mainly Lugers and p-38's, beretta 92f and a glock 19 from time to time and have always gone back to a more powerful round. I guess my biggest hang up is i have just never been a fan of the 40cal, I guess if my dad can change and actually like the Gov Issued Glock 23 that he carries, i guess i could start liking the round.

I've never felt that the 357 had a "snappy" recoil. When I fire it, I know that I'm shooting a 357 but I feel that the recoil has more of a nice push to it (like how some feel about the .45). I shot another officers SW40VE after shooting my SW9VE and had to put his gun down. It was the pits.

 

[WOLFEMAN]

9MM VS. 40SW

I prefer 9mm, and there are plenty of defense rounds that
will preform as well as 40SW.

 

[chp]

IMO - with quality SD ammo, the difference is small. More important are things like situational awareness and practical shooting practice.

 

[writerinmo]

I have both 9mm's and .40's. I CCW a .40, but wouldn't hesitate to carry one of the 9's if for some reason my daily carry was in the shop for some reason. I like the so-called 'snappy' recoil of the .40, but the pistol is designed for it so I don't feel it really affects my return to POA. I have some pistols that are more accurate than others in both calibers.

I really don't want to get shot with any caliber, personally.

 

[WR Moore]

First, repeat the mantra 100 times: There is no such thing as stopping power.

The incapacitation effects of any bullet are entirely dependent upon the user hitting vital areas. In other words, shot placement is the fundamental requirement.

We issue the .40 (previously the 125 gr .357, then the 10mm), I've carried the 9mm on my own time for decades. Most everyone shoots the 9mm both faster and more accurately than heavier calibers. A number of LE firearms training folks I know would switch their agencies back to the 9mm in a heartbeat if budget allowed.

SO, pick the one you shoot more accurately specifically including one handed. Your other hand may be otherwise occupied with little Susie, your cellphone, the dog etc.

 

[oldman45]

No such thing as one shot take downs. Same effect will happen to a person when a person get hit with a 9mm, .40, or .45. Expanded, all 3 rounds isn't that much bigger then each other. Its all about how well someone can shoot the above calibers. I shoot my 1911 .45 a lot better than both of my 9mm so I carry my 1911 but I still use my 9mm as my main carry from time to time.

Might be you have never had one or experienced any but in the last 12 yrs, we have several that is burried in the local potters field that sustained one entry wound from a .40 round fired from a Glock 22, among others. In 26 yrs of 9mm use, we may have had a couple. The gangbangers went to the 9mm due to capacity and they seldom get a fatality from them. Of course, that is good for them since they avoid a homicide charge.

Still, it boils down to the opinion of the shooter. I get to talk to a lot of those taken into custody and many still think LEO is using the 9mm and they want the same type gun. I have nothing against the 9mm or the .40 and I have carried both but now carry a 1911 in .45acp. I am comfortable with either the .40 or .45 as well as several other calibers but will not carry a 9mm any longer. The real stats follow what we see in the streets and that is the reason we no longer use 9mm for duty work. But they make great target guns and would work for SD if the shooter is accurate enough but then so would a .e22 rimfire.

 

[USAF385]

.40 'cause I said so.

Actually I went with the .40 because when I was first looking for a semi auto caliber for carry, I could find .40 a lot easier than 9mm. I've stuck with it since then because I thoroughly enjoy every aspect of it.

I love to shoot it. I find it accurate and easy to control. The worst "snap" I've ever had was with 155 gr Winchester Silvertips.. and that almost felt like a .357 to me. My own personal ballistic testing has impressed me and I'm 100% satisfied with the rounds I carry. I'm still playing with the various bullet weights manufactured, but keep going back to 155 and 165. A few months back I saw a box of 200 gr .40 at my local dealer but didn't take it.. wish I did since I haven't seen it since.

Capacity isn't much of a difference. I'm happy carrying 10 rounds in my G27 (or 12 with the mag extension + capacity).

Anyway... I love the .40, but would have no issues carrying 9mm.

 

[flagaman1950]

Just a follow up comment. I competed in USPSA for a while and almost always had better scores with the 9mm than with the 45 ACP. Can't speak for the 40 as I don't shoot it. I usually finished in the top 25% even against 40's and 45's. Probably more a point of taking necessary time to get the good target hits than anything else. As has been mentioned here, the 9 mm seems to offer the faster follow up shot and with more practice time, my target scores were almost always reasonable.

Have never had to fire in anger, but have had to point and have had firearms pointed at me. My only real shooting experience is competition so my opinions are from that direction only. This is just the way things work for me. Will most probably be different for you. All are very personal things that only you can answer. But bottom line to me is I am perfectly content to depend on a 9mm for my CC handgun.

 

[timbo813]

I had the same decision to make about a year ago. I went with a 9mm because it is cheaper to practice with and easier to shoot accurately. Most people would say that the 40 is better for one shot stops but only slightly. For me, that is more than offset by being able to practice more and shoot more accurately. 9mm rounds have come a long way recently and are much more effective than they used to be.

 

[jppezz23]

The difference is around 4 dollars per box isn't your safety worth that?

 

[kcode]

With everything already being said, it all comes down to what you feel comfortable and capable with that can be carried concealed. I am old school and do not feel comfortable with any of the plastic fantastics. I feel more at ease with my third gen S&W 3913 or 6906, 4013, and a 4513. I have confidence in all calibers, the 9mm in 147 gr Hydra-shok JHP, in .40 the 180 gr Hornadys, and 230 jhp in the 45. All have barrels in the 3 1/2" range. I personally would not want to be on the receiving end of any of them. Again, you must have confidence and proficiency in whatever you carry.

 

[Bratastic007]

I carry a .40 when I'm not carrying a revolver, and most of my friends carry 9mm (or smaller). For whatever reason, when purchasing my first handgun I opted for a .40 based on the research I did at the time, and have never really felt the need to change. I have no gripe with the 9mm pistols I have shot.

Do you have any preference whatsoever? If not--the best advice? Flip a coin. You're not going to make a wrong decision here.

(One caveat: If you live in a state that only grudgingly respects your 2nd Amendment Rights and limits you to 10 rounds, I say go .40... but again, you can't go wrong either way.)

 

[Gunsmithattheguncloset]

Thanks everyone for your replies thus far. I live in Mississippi a second amendment loving state! I am leaning more toward the 40 S&W but still may go with the 9mm. Should make my final decision tonight. I will let you all know how it goes.

 

[M29since14]

Buy the 40. As John Linebaugh likes to say, velocity and energy change as the bullet goes down range. Size and weight don't. You never know what a bullet will do, but the .40 is always going to be bigger and heavier than the 9.

 

[MTKTM]

If I'm required to choose between a 9 and a 40 in a similarly sized gun, I'll pick the 9 every time. To me the 40 is something of a bastard round, half way between a 9 and a 45. If I want a big gun, I'll shoot a 45. If not, I'll take the 9. Half measures availed us nothing. That's just me though. I cannot disregard the popularity of the 40 with both law-enforcement and civilian shooters. We all have biases, this is one of mine.

 

[oldman45]

If I'm required to choose between a 9 and a 40 in a similarly sized gun, I'll pick the 9 every time. To me the 40 is something of a bastard round, half way between a 9 and a 45. If I want a big gun, I'll shoot a 45. If not, I'll take the 9. Half measures availed us nothing. That's just me though. I cannot disregard the popularity of the 40 with both law-enforcement and civilian shooters. We all have biases, this is one of mine.

The great thing about this country is we can each have our opinion. I am not against the 9mm as it has it's place and I am not totally for the .40 because it is not perfect. Yet the FBI studies dismisses the 9mm in strongly worded reports. Of course, their reports are based on the failure of the 9mm in law enforcement shootings. There can be a lot said about the ammo available when the studies were done but each year there are more agencies leaving the 9mm and going to either the .40 or .45acp. Also if one studies both military and civilian history, they will find the 9mm has consistently performed poorly in the real world and that has been a major factor in agencies leaving the 9mm.

For us older guys, we remember when the .45acp was the man stopper of all times. Now we have gone full circle and came back to the .45acp.

Add to the mix, the history of Glock failures in .40 has been well documented.

In the end, it is all a matter of choice.

 

[Gunsmithattheguncloset]

Moot point after all, As i was digging through the tote box that had all the 9mm and 40 cal SW99's in the very bottom of the box was the sole as in one and only SW99 in 45acp. That is what came home with me. Was sold on the 40S&W until i just happened to come across the only 45 in the box. Thank you everyone for your replies!

Regards,
Trey

 

[oldman45]

Consider the shooting of a man the other day in NYC by several officers. He was struck 21 times and lives on. Of course, NYC police still use the 9mm.

I wonder if 21 hits with a .40 or .45acp would have seen the man live through it. It seems to me the man would have bled out from those wounds. A 9mm just does not have the shock value that a department or individual needs.