WHAT DO YOU PREFER 40CAL OR 9MM

[bflobill69]

Shot placement will always trump caliber. 9mm has been around HOW LONG? I think its gonna be around a while longer lol...

 

[XTrooper]

Realistically, it's not about caliber so much as it is whether we carry a full size gun or a compact.

If I carry a full size gun why in the world would I "settle" for a forty?! I don't. I carry a 45 ACP.

If I carry a compact, it's a 9MM.

I know VERY few people that can shoot a compact 40 well and get good quality hits in a timely manner.

And factor in that most people only shoot at non moving paper targets just makes matters worse.

I'll be 51 next month. I'm still strong but not like I used to be. I can't shoot a compact 40 and get quick accurate follow up shots like I can a compact 9MM.

So I figure 2 or 3 quick well placed shots with a 9MM beats 1 hit with a 40 or 45 any day.

We're not talking about anything remotely resembling excessive recoil when discussing either the 9x19 or the .40 S&W. Both are easily controllable for most people including my wife how is petite and older than your 51 years. The .40 S&W might take slightly more effort to become effective with, but it's not a difficult caliber to master and I don't for a second believe it beyond your own limitations especially since you shoot a .45 ACP. The fact is, the whole point of the .40 S&W's creation was to provide a police service cartridge more powerful than the 9x19 yet, unlike the 10mm, manageable to the average shooter. It fills this role well.

If you truly know "VERY few" who can shoot a compact .40 S&W well, I think you probably need to find a better circle of shooters to hang out with.

Here's my wife's pistol of choice. It's a Heckler & Koch P2000SK sub-compact .40 S&W.
She's lethally effective with it.

 

[C Broad Arrow]

The best round is the one you can shoot well consistently. The 9,40, 45 all do the job.

 

[VAdoublegunner]

I have several good HK and S&W 40s, a couple of 45ACPs because I kept finding all this nice once fired brass at the range and decided the 3rd Gen S&Ws might be fun since they were showing up cheap (never really liked the 1911), and one 9 because it was a good one (3913) and at the time I bought it, it was cheap.

My opinion is that the 40 is a better round by itself than the summation of the other two.

It's cheaper to shoot than the anemic old 45ACP that needs viagra just to achieve decent penetration, whether you handload or buy factory, and more fun than the wuss little 9, with a snappy feel that says "yep, yep, that's right, I'm bigger, I got more stuff".
If I'm shooting a 9, I might as well be shooting a 38SP revolver; ditto a 45ACP viz-a-viz a 45 Colt.

 

[KarmannGhia]

It took a long, long time for me to warm up to the 40 cal. I have more 9mms (pistols and carbines) than I will admit to online, and several 45s (pistols and carbines). That said, I have a SIG 229 and SW 646 and really like them, as well as my issued M&P 40. If I'm buying the ammo, or reloading, I will shoot the 9mm. If the ammo is being handed out, I will shoot the 40 all day long.

I don't feel under gunned with the 9mm, but the more weight I can send your way in a fight, the better. Still, off duty, you will find a 9mm on my hip 70% of the time.

I hope to never be in a position that I'm forced to shoot a person, but if I am, I want it to end quickly (and I don't think you can put a price on that - cheap ammo is not my friend if the S H T F)

 

[rilkil23]

I have never used either for self defense. I shoot both at paper targets every chance I get and they are both a ton of fun. I am quicker and more accurate with my 9mm but I smile more when I shoot the 40. I carry either the .380, 9mm, or 40s&w everyday and feel protected with all three. I have never shot anybody so I don't know which round works best as a man stopper. Maybe when I mature I will take a liking to the 45 acp but I will probably try out a 10mm next, just to say I did.

 

[Pote]

I'm not very recoil sensitive, and enjoy it actually with the big bore guns. what I don't like about 40 is the torque. so of the two, I guess put me in the 9mm pref. I only carry 45 or 357 mag however. I take 9mm along with my SD guns to the range to shoot a lot of ammo. I wont shoot less than 3-500 rounds at a time for a range session.

 

[VictorLouis]

NINE all the way. Don't care for forty. Never have. Only had a couple in my hands over the years. Smith, Kahr, and I think a CZ75.

 

[sniper47]

I really enjoy reading these kinds of threads and have over the years. I "liked" two different posts because I agreed with both of them. I see a lot of "internet" complaints/opinions parrotted by some posters. I'll bet they have never even shot a .40 . I carry a .40 about 90% of the time. The rest is split between my 9mm and .45ACP. My own humble opinion is carry what is comfortable to shoot and practice, practice, practice.

 

[ironvic1952]

Although right now, I don't have a .40 S&W or a .45 ACP, I did own numerous .45 Autos in the past so I have beaucoup brass, dies, bullets and related reloading components for the .45 ACP, so would not consider a .40 as my next large caliber handgun. Most likely it will be a S&W 3rd gen .45 ACP bought on the used market. I'm not averse to the 1911 either, but don't like carrying them (my Colt used to slip off-safe after carrying all day-very disconcerting).

I have nothing against the .40 S&W, just have so much invested in gear for the .45 that buying and feeding a .40 would not be cost effective for me.

Right now, I have two 9mm handguns. I truly love my ex-law enforcement Sig P-226 9mm and it's a keeper. Also just picked up a S&W 659 last week which cleaned up real good and functions just fine. Will be taking it to the range for testing next week.

Overall, the 9mm has become one of my favorite calibers (the .38 Special is another). 9mm is easy on recoil, even though I'm not recoil sensitive, and fun to shoot. And it's inexpensive compared to almost all other centerfire ammo. I have no problem staking my life on it because I shoot it well.

 

[XTrooper]

My own humble opinion is carry what is comfortable to shoot and practice, practice, practice.

This is advice worth taking to heart. Practice IS the key.

 

[sqhead]

22,38,and 9mm,keeping to just these cal. make choosing guns and buying ammo easier,i like simplicity.That's not to say if a 631 32 cal. crossed my path i would'nt change my mind.

 

[Darryle]

Many people consider the .40cal as a compromise round and for that reason is not their choice.....I'm just the opposite. I like the .40 S&W round because it is a great compromise between the 9mm and .45ACP. Best of both worlds IMO.

For the same compromise reasons, I hunt deer and elk with a 30.06......many say it's too big for deer and too small for elk...just a "good compromise" caliber.

Don

Here here, that's blasphemy.

And I totally agree on both accounts. A fat bullet traveling moderately fast does a number on deer, elk and pigs. I used to carry an old Para 16-40 in a drop leg holster, one of the supposed frame crackers, and it has saved me a time or three walking up on a "dead" hog. You don't know what a nasty situation is until you are staring down a 300+ lb pig with 3" cutters. *

* This doesn't apply to our men and women serving to protect our freedom, rights and well being on a day to day basis.

 

[GLHunter]

I refuse to allow myself to be baited into an emotionally charged and totally pointless caliber war, but, personally, I prefer the 9x19 cartridge in every respect to the .40, or .45. I carry my full-size 9mm pistols stuffed with Federal 9BPLE, and my sub-compact loaded with 9BP. For less expensive practice sessions, I use handloads.

I do have personal experience with all three. To me, the .40 is nothing more than a 9x19 on steroids. It obviously will get the job done, or most LE agencies would not have selected some version of this cartridge for their LEOs to carry. However, I have discovered the recoil is too snappy for me to obtain quick follow-up shots, especially when using only one hand.

The .45 ACP is obviously another effective cartridge, but it is too BFS to suit my personal taste. And a larger framed pistol is normally required to utilize this cartridge... I do think the .45 GAP has virtually unrecognized potential to be a popular cartridge if it were to be properly promoted. Although this doesn't mean I would rush right out and buy a pistol chambered for it.

 

[scatterguy]

9 vs 40 vs 45...it's all really just a matter of preference. Since 9 ammo is so much cheaper than the other two, that's what I shoot most of the time. I own guns in all 3 and enjoy each of them--variety is the spice of life.

I do think that there is a lot of validity to recoil being a moot point in larger framed guns. The perceived recoil from a 4006 is negligible comparing it to a 5906 in my experience. Couldn't really say for more compact models.

I'm a "polygunist"--there's room in my safe for all.

 

[SixGunHunter]

After I 1st posted on this thread and I remained to the point, but threw in some good sarcasim to make more of a point....I see this thread is still moving along So.....Go on You Tube and search 9mm vs .40 S&W Penetration tests.

The next day, I spoke to guys that shoot all 3 calibers, 9, 40 and 45 about recoil. There is little difference between 9 and 40 to start any arguement and those of you that think 9mm has that much less recoil, what it God's name are you comparing too?
Even my Die Hard 9mm loving Wife Finally admitted that there is No Difference in the recoil between the 2 Calibers and she has compared over 15 different handguns, Steel and Plastic!

Lastly, At our gun club we are involved in Pin shoots. The majority of members shooting pistol are using .45. Some of us use .40, but the .45 guys really have a edge.
Those that choose 9mm are never winners.

I don't hate 9mm, I just know that in many applications the .40 is a better round.

Now practice head/neck shots and go get yourself a .22 or .380.

 

[BoDog]

I have heard a lot of complaining about ammo cost and unless I missed it no one has mentioned a .22 cal conversion kit. I have carried Browning Hp, controls are same as a Colt 1911 so no problem, also carry a Colt 1911 and a Glock 27 (safety on trigger so I can't flip it the wrong way). I have conversion kits for the Colts and Glock, so I am practicing on the same configuration as I carry . At the end of the day I convert them back and run a few mags of full power to make sure It is as designed and fully functional.
That said I am not above casting and loading my own ammo. Must be getting old and lazy.
As to 9mm center mass hit vs a maybe on a 40 or 45, carry what you shoot best. A near miss makes the bad guy nervous a center mass hit should make him stop all anti-social activity

 

[rock doc]

The bad guy definitely won’t care what he gets hit with. As for me, since I already own a few 9mm’s and a few .45 acp’s, why buy another caliber?

 

[Badkarma 1]

9mm. It worked for me in service, and it still works for me. Dale

 

[Mule88]

Its nice to have a choice of ones preference...if you like a 9...get a 9 if you prefer the 40 get a 40. What does it matter, the bad guy isnt going to like the end results anyway.