40S&W Ammo To Become Obsolete

[ISCS Yoda]

I might agree with them about the .45 GAP; not sure about the rest of them.

I'd go with that analysis. I might add the .25 ACP is endangered to a degree.

.32 ACP - besides the Seecamps that are still around, there are many imported Beretta Model 81s. That alone will keep the .32 ACP in business.

.41 Magnum - secretly popular with many revolver aficionados. The ammunition might become hard to find but I don't see it going away.

.25 ACP - mouseguns in this caliber were once very popular, and might still be more popular than Seecamps. Even if everyone stops making these mouseguns there are so many out there that the ammunition will remain around. At least for now, but I do see endangerment.

.32 H&R Magnum - I don't know, maybe I should put this on the endangered list, too. Still, these guns are around.

.40 S&W - not even an argument. So many guns around in that caliber, so many people like them.

.45 GAP - did anyone ever like this cartridge except Gaston Glock?

 

[Frank46]

Have a Sig P239 in the shorty fourty and love it even though they don't make them any more. Qualified for more than a few CCW permits with it. And my Sig P6 in 9mm also used it to qualify. Frank

 

[BE Mike]

Maybe the swap will dump some Sig P229s on the market at good prices, and magazines to boot. Keeping fingers crossed.

Rosewood

The Feds will destroy their excess pistols.

 

[Racer X]

I think you need to define what obsolete means. You can buy 38 long Colt but I would argue that it's pretty much been superseded by other calibers. Ammo for these calibers will be available for many years. Think about how many 32ACP's are out there that need to be fed. It's more about new GUNS being available. I don't see a return to guns chambered in 25ACP by the major manufacturers any time soon. Baring some manufacturing of small runs to fill a nostalgic demand, I don't think you're going to see any big amount of new guns chambered in any of these calibers. Of all of them, maybe the 40 could make a come back if the FBI has another Miami shoot out and the 9mm fails. But I really wouldn't invest too much in 45GAP reloading dies. From that stand point, I think the article is about on point. (I agree that Field&Stream sold out and now sucks by the way!)

Yup, carbs and point distributors are obsolete too. But people are still GLADLY driving those cars too.

But since we were lied to about personal jet packs and hovercraft any year now, since the Jetsons were on, I'm NOT holding my breath.

 

[CCantu357]

I believe that death notice of the .40 Smith & Wesson is premature. While it is not my favorite, I do have USP 40 and have been able to find .40 ammo easier than .45 lately. The LEO world might be moving back the 9mm now, but the .40 was heavily issued from the early 1990s until recently. As a result, many guns were made in .40 and it will not be going anywhere soon. I think that it follow a path similar to its father, the 10mm. As it loses popularity as an LEO round, it will maintain a following with shooters who want .45 ACP performance (or better) while utilizing a smaller yet higher capacity pistol.

I lean to older calibers such as 9mm and .45, but it seems the main reason that 9mm is now back in favor as an LEO round is due to modern ammo advances. I noticed that .40 seems to perform quite well with any ammo, from 1990s era Golden Sabers and Silvertips to the newest hollow points. In a time where ammo is scarce, that is an advantage in my book.

 

[sigp220.45]

The Feds will destroy their excess pistols.

After a period of neutered humiliation.

 

[Racer X]

After a period of neutered humiliation.

When switching to 9mm, more rounds to miss with.

 

[rosewood]

Yup, carbs and point distributors are obsolete too. But people are still GLADLY driving those cars too.

But since we were lied to about personal jet packs and hovercraft any year now, since the Jetsons were on, I'm NOT holding my breath.

And the Jetsons came out in the 50's.

 

[gen3guy]

I would think that the sheer number of guns in circulation would keep this caliber alive for at least two more decades.

 

[rosewood]

I would think that the sheer number of guns in circulation would keep this caliber alive for at least two more decades.

Many writers don't let the facts get in the way of the story they are writing or the agenda they are pushing.

 

[Mark8]

The only thing you can learn from this "article" is to never again read anything written by Richard Mann, who seems to think that the US market decides what calibers are important and successful on the planet. All calibers listed except for maybe the .32 Harrington & Richardson Magnum will be around for decades to come, and the .40S&W and the .32ACP will still be kicking when we are all pushing daisies. Pure sensationalism.

 

[TIMETRIPPER]

Half the cartridges I load and shoot are obsolete. It's no big deal. More like journalistic sensationalism to sell magazines than useful literature.

John

 

[Racer X]

I would think that the sheer number of guns in circulation would keep this caliber alive for at least two more decades.

All the LEO trade-ins in .40 or .357 must add up to almost 6 figures. I have one. And I'm getting a .357 SIG barrel for it too.

 

[amd6547]

While I have been a 9mm guy since the days most cops carried .38's, I couldn't resist the cheap police surplus .40's.
Pre-plandemic, I ordered a Glock 22 Gen4. When it showed up at the FFL, it looked about 98% new… even came with night sights.
I like Glocks, so I'm used to shooting them. Shooting the .40 made me a believer…The G22 quickly became my home defense pistol. At the same time I ordered my pistol, I also ordered a few 50rd boxes of HST 180gn, also police surplus..and that's what it's loaded with right now.

 

[Miami_JBT]

By that logic .380 acp would be cheaper than 9mm but that's not the case.

During the Obama years there were stories of Fed agencies buying literally tons of .40, now the narrative has switched to 9mm, anybody else curious why we haven't seen mass dumping of .40 on surplus market?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

When agencies have a few thousand to train, it takes a lot of ammo..

My former agency alone burnt through a few thousand rounds in one qual class. 20 agents shooting about 300 rounds each. That's 6k rounds right there for one class in one day. That's not counting the other hundred agents we had statewide.

The idea of the Feds stockpiling ammo is laughable. Most of it is purchased and shot up in training.

 

[Univibe]

At a recent gun show I saw a large vendor with at least four trade-in M&P40 for sale, $399. People will buy them.

 

[Miami_JBT]

Have a Sig P239 in the shorty fourty and love it even though they don't make them any more. Qualified for more than a few CCW permits with it. And my Sig P6 in 9mm also used it to qualify. Frank

My S&W Model 4040 and SIG Sauer P239 in .40 S&W aren't going anywhere

 

[STORMINORMAN]

A Kahr PM40 is about the smallest with the biggest punch out out there..

A full size M&P 40 gives one the easy way to shoot 3 calibers (40 S&W, 357 SIG & 9mm) on one frame... Barrels & 9mm mags will do the trick.

The 40 S&W out of a PC-length barrel (SUB-2000, Ruger PC 40, etc.) can provide serious hunting potential...

40 S&W ammo was typically still available during the dem-panic, and was often priced less than the oft unavailable 9mm...

40 S&W can typically be reloaded for only pennies more than 9mm...

"Obsolete..."? Not hardly (with kudos to Marion Morrison)!

Cheers!

 

[Maddog 521]

Aim Surplus still has M&P40 magazines for sale for $9.95. They ship pretty quick too.

 

[ken158]

Most magazine articles are nothing but dribble from the mouths of self appointed experts in the field of creating a story based on nothing more then making a buck while not offending the makers of products.