After lots of research and reviews, I've torn between the M&P 9 and the 40. Other than the obvious (caliber) is there any difference? It would be my daily carry when I leave this terrible state of California, training at the range, and home protection. All my friends said the 9mm would be the best because of the ammo price and availability. Any comments or concern on either pistol would be greatly appreciated.

You seem to have knowledgeable friends. .40 is an excellent caliber, but is more expensive to shoot if you are stuck buying factory ammo. You don't mention your prior shooting experience or gun ownership, but assuming this is your first handgun purchase, I would highly recommend an M&P9.

Thanx for your response. My prior experiences- Hunting and recreational fun. Now, I shot occasionally with my friends and annually with the Bereta for my military requirements. This would be my first handgun purchase but I've tons of pistols, mostly Glocks, Beretas, and other cheap pistols.

I would also vote for the 9mm, though either caliber should fill the roles you outlined. I have the 9mm M&P and find that it is light recoiling and easy to shoot. Seventeen round magazine capacity is also nice. I used my M&P to introduce new shooters to center fire handguns. We start with a ruger 22 then graduate to the M&p 9.

With the additional info, I still think the M&P9 would be a great choice for you. It is a huge step above the M9s we are issued. Ammo is (relatively) cheap, recoil is low, and 9mm is still a very capable cartridge. It's the most popular handgun cartridge in the world for a reason. It gets the job done. You will end up owning both down the road anyway, but better to start with the 9.

There are many caliber choices, but "no best" caliber magic. This debate is everlasting and usually results in everyone trying to convert everyone else to their chosen bullet size.

The best answer I can give to this question is the best caliber is you can shoot most accurately. Since the bulk of your pistol experience is in 9mm, I would suggest this is a great starting place. With modern hollow point rounds and good, repeatable shooting technique's, 9mm is a very effectivepersonal defense round. Hope this helps, Marine.

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NRA Certified Instructor

I would go with the 9mm only because the ammo is cheaper then .40 cal.But,I have seen .40 cal ammo coming down in price in the last couple of years.I'm just guessing it's because LE is using .40 cal now more then 9mm....???? Knowing this,why did LE switch from 9mm weapons to .40 cal? I'm thinking it's because the .40 cal has better/more stopping power then 9mm?

I carried a 9mm on duty for 13 years and never felt "under gunned". Then moved onto the larger calibers and was a big fan of the 40. Now I am back to 9mm. The 9mm is highly effective with today's premium JHP rounds and combat proven the world over. Shot placement is the key. All of the service calibers work or fail about the same. I find the 9mm is the easiest caliber for me to shoot fast with speed and accuracy. Also easiest to shoot one handed, either hand, and from awkward positions that may occur in actual combat. Bill

If you want to carry less cartridges get .40S&W which is a "compromise" caliber between adequate 9mm and acceptable .45ACP.

I prefer biggest, not merely bigger bullets although I occasionally carry 9mm for capacity.

-- Chuck

I'm getting to be a bigger fan of the .40SW each time I get into loading for the only one I have. I know they make a dozen different barrels for the Glock that will convert the .40SW into .357 Sig or 9mm. I would assume with the popularity of the M&P that conversion barrels must be either coming or already available. But I'm a guy who likes options even if I'm not likely to use all of them. Actually, a quick Google search just showed Storm Lake is making conversion barrels already.

I bought a Sigma in .40 cal because it felt like it had more power then a 9mm and capable of taking "out" a bad guy if ever I had to defend myself in that kind of situation.This is my first ever .40 cal weapon. I know shot placement is the key to being successful but having that extra stopping power capability is good too.

I have several 9mm pistols and like them all. And Chuck is correct also about capacity....sometimes more rounds are better in certain situations.In my case,it's target shooting at the range.

My advice,go to a range that has rental guns and try both.Then buy what feels better to you,not what someone suggests you buy.

I have all 3 MP calibers, love my 40's, have purchased the 9mm conversion and 357 barrels... I prefer carrying the 40 for CCW, sorry but bigger is better. 40 doesn't need 17 rounds to stop the bad guys... But in the end, I been carrying my SW 1911 3" pro lately.. love that 45acp..

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Jack C

I'm a new first-time owner. I have the .40. I didn't care about saving a couple of bucks on a 100 count box. Learning how to shoot right has meant recoil isn't an issue.

One thing I didn't consider - the BANG sounds so much better when I'm standing next to a guy with a 9. So if you like the, "mine's bigger " and have the guy with the 9 feeling small, than have fun with the 40

could care less about the 9 guy feeling small... it's all about the stopping power, with great power comes greater noise.... living to hear another day means everything.

get some better ear plugs...

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Jack C

If you place your shots properly, it doesn't matter what you use.

If you don't place your shots properly, it also doesn't matter what you use.

couldn't agree more, I believe I shoot my 9,40 and 45's just as well.... heck... kick in the 38,357, but not the sig...

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Jack C

Last sale ad I recall from Express Police Supply, a 500-round case of 9mm ball was almost half the price of a case of 40 ball. With developments in bullet expansion technology over the past few years, there ain't much difference when a bullet expands the way its supposed to. A Winchester Ranger bonded HP is supposed to be the same bullet as the Black Talon without the black paint. I like the 45 because I don't have to buy them at present, but when I'm back to having to buy or load myown practice and carry loads, I may very well go back to 9mm. Generally a 9 is easier to handle, however, I observed that trigger jerk and flinch is something that can plague any shooter who does not get out and train - train included dry fire and ball and dummy drills.

If it comes down to it, the BG isn't gonna care what he was hit with, just that he was hit and doesn't want any more of it! Shoot every caliber you can and go with what feels comfortable to you. I carry an M&P 40 FS and a MS (4") RIA.45. but could just as easily use a 9, 357 Sig or .380. Choices are great!

Unless you're bringing a nuclear detonator to the pistol range, you don't have handheld stopping power.

Cost of shooting?
I bought 1000 rounds of .40 S&W for $245. That's 24.5 cents per round.
You can buy Winchester 9mm from Midway for $54 per 50 rounds, or $1.08 per round.

My point is if you shop around for your range ammo cost becomes a moot point. Guys who buy 50 or 100 packs pay a LOT more for ammo than guys who buy 1000 rounds at a time in most cases.

As for recoil, I think my full size .40 M&P shoots at least as softly as my 9c M&P. My 10 year old thinks the same, except the .40 is louder. So which is easier to shoot and control? That depends on which gun you are getting!

And if you buy a M&P .40, you can drop in a 9mm factory barrel for around $65. You can't go from 9mm to .40 though.

There's a lot more to think about that others here are touching on.

Can you really just order a 9mm barrel from smith & wesson drop it into a 40 slide??
That's pretty darn cool if that's true!

I like the 9-I think the Germans got it right. I like the 40, but I wouldn't want one in anything but a steel wrapper. Flapjack.

I'm not that much of an anal range shooter.My gun buddies and I usually all go in together and buy ammo by the 1Ks.That don't last too long between 5-6 shooters.

As for a choice between which to buy,I advised him to buy what feels good to him,not what someone suggests.Don't get me wrong,suggestions are good to "listen" to,to give you a sense of direction.I chose the .40 cal for several reasons, one being I did not have a .40 cal weapon yet.When it comes down to it i'm sure which ever one he chooses now he will most likely buy the other later.

finally some solid advice. the opposite advice of this is the "bigger is better" mentality, which i disagree with. If you can't do any of the following things listed above, you're hindering your ability to defend yourself.

Sure enough!
Storm Lake Conversion Barrel Smith Wesson M&P 40 S&W to 9mm Luger 1 16 Twist 4.25 SS

You will have to get mags too i believe.

Ah, okay I am aware of the storm lake and wolf conversion barrels, I was just wondering if you could take a factory 9mm barrel and put in a 40 slide.

Hate to pop the bubble, that's not advise, it's an opinion... but if that is the wording you were looking for, it's close. Good luck with your 9, I own about 4-5 9's and carry them too, just not MY go to gun. That's my OPINION, it's not advice.

And by the way, if my OPINION was "bigger is ALWAYS better" I would carry my SW500, 50 cal 4" revolver.... or maybe I'd carry one of my 9mm carbines if I could conceal it..

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Jack C

Sure you can, and it usually works.
"The rest of the story:" The 9mm cartridge head is smaller than a .40 cartridge head, so the 9mm cartridge is at least 0.020" misfit undersize on the .40 breechface. Usually it works well enough, but personally I would not carry one to protect my life.
For a range toy, sure, why not?

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Science plus Art

But advise derives from opinion. Advise is seeking a preference on coarse. It is based on experiences, facts, and points of view. A answer to a question isnt always opinion if it's pure facts. But advise is an opinion on future actions.

ahhhhhhh, ok... I think I understand...... let me see if this helps..

o·pin·ion   /əˈpɪnyən/ Show Spelled[uh-pin-yuhn] Show IPA
noun
1. a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.
2. a personal view, attitude, or appraisal.

ad·vice   /ædˈvaɪs/ Show Spelled[ad-vahys] Show IPA
noun
1. an opinion or recommendation offered as a guide to action, conduct, etc.: I shall act on your advice.
2. a communication, especially from a distance, containing information: Advice from abroad informs us that the government has fallen. Recent diplomatic advices have been ominous.
3. an official notification, especially one pertaining to a business agreement: an overdue advice.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Origin:
1250–1300; late Middle English advise; replacing Middle English avis (with ad- ad- for a- a-5 ) < Old French a vis (taken from the phrase ce m'est a vis that is my impression, it seems to me) < Latin ad ( see ad-) + vīsus ( see visage)

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Jack C

Jesus Mary and Joseph, The guy is simply asking some info on a carry weapon. some say 9mm some 40S&W (i say 40 S&W). he is looking for adise from members on this forum

If you are considering a .40 but don't like the recoil the M&P is a great choice of all the .40s I have shot it seems to recoil the least. The biggest thing to me is the way that .40s they seem to be a whole lot snappier in their recoil than either the 9s or 45s which both exhibit more of a push type recoil to me where the 40 is more of a quick snap.

For me the M&P 40 seemed right, I seem to be better adapted to getting back on target with the snappy recoil than the push of the other guns but that is all dependent on the individual.

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Drew

I carried my BG380 last nite to the hockey game and again this morning to church... Put the 380 in the vault when I got home and put the M&P45 next to me watching tv and next to the nite stand when I went to bed....think I'll carry the 40c the rest of the day.... yard work, dinner at Mom's, watching the football game....... etc... I like all the calibers for different situations.. I bought my M&P40fs as my first purchase, the 9mm Storm Lake barrel shortly there after, then the M&P9c for the wife, " that was just an excuse to get the 9c" then the M&P45 when I got hot for one and lastly after playing and carrying all of them, I settled on the M&P40c... it just felt really good in my hand, I shot it very well and the bottom line I felt totally comfortable with a great IWB Crossbreed Supertuck holster... The beauty of the 40's is you can buy the 9mm barrels but if you buy a 9, you can't buy a 40 barrel.

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Jack C

and i did on post #25. Thank you.

Well, I have read a lot of posts here, and be forewarned that some people believe if the barrel isn't manufactured by Storm there's no way it will work, but I've read far too many problems people have with Storm barrels to ever want to try one for myself!

I don't think the breech face difference is anything to worry about if you are using the 9mm at the range and using the factory .40 barrel for self defense. Remember, the Storm conversion barrel does nothing for the breech face or extractor either.

Midway sells factory S&W barrels for $65 and sometimes has them on sale for as low as $58.

Here is a great write up by SWMod10 with pictures and measurements. He even used the factory .40 magazine and it performed flawlessly except the last shell doesn't feed due to the follower engaging the slide stop.

Test-9mm factory barrel in M&P 40-

Unfortunately I expect to get a lot of grief about the perils of using the factory 9mm barrel in a .40. That's the nature of some of our posters. Try to read past the negativity and see the facts for yourself. I personally have not tried the 9mm in my .40, I just bought a new 9mm. I would not hesitate to use a 9mm barrel in my .40 though. Not one second.

I beg to Differ Sir, The original post from USMCDEVILDOGG advised that he was "torn between the 9 and 40" and was asking for comment/concerns for either weapon. You answered a question from Lanxandreads regarging dropping a 9mm into a 40 slide. Actually you offered NO comments/concerns regarding his question Nice try though

1SG
Out

Get the 9mm, take the $ savings on ammo cost and shoot/train more.

Ok, The price/savings is so minimal in the two calibers. A quick search yielded the following results\

SGAMMO 500rnds 40cal Rem Ball 165 grain $129.90
500rnds 9mm Rem Ball 147 grain $119.50 $10.40 diff

500 rnds 9mm Win Ranger 127 gr +p $239.50
500 rnds 40 Win Ranger 165 grain $245.00 $5.50Diff
That was just one web site Ammo to go usually has some great deals as well.
1SG
Out

If you are going to gather facts at least be objective. 1000 rounds of 165 grain .40 cal are $247.95. 1000 rounds of 9mm Lawman are $197.95. That is a $50.00 difference, $50.00 per thousand is not minimal if you are serious about training and shooting a lot.

Come on will ya.... really.... if you have to worry about 50. bucks diff for a 1,000 rounds then maybe you should just buy a 22lr... and this getting serious about training.... what is this M4Carbine.net now....

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Jack C

Roger That, I mean if YOU need 1,000 rounds to train then have at it. Personally (and professionally) I do not need 1,000 rounds. Like Turbo38gn said $50 bucks isnt a heck of alot of cash. Hell i just filled my gas tank for $51.00 bucks.
1SG
Out

Jesus Mary and Joseph, The guy is simply asking some info on a carry weapon and you insist on busting everone elses balls!

You are right, I did not actually express an opinion, and truth be told I have absolutely no concern on which he actually buys. Simply a link to a site that offers an OPTION of having both! ..but it is in fact a comment, thats what posts are in a forum.. comments.. just like this one.
Uhh..
out and stuff

No Ball busting here brother. Its obvious the original post is looking for some info on Guns. Right? maybe, Just maybe he is not as expierenced as the others on this forum. That is WHY he is asking questions and looking for answers, and as fellow forum members I think its out obligation to offer our insight (and expierence) and to ANSWER his question. Not to offer him another Forum to go to. He choose this forum for answers. Ya, maybe you dont care what he buys or as you put it "I have absolutley no concern" on which he actually buys. Well I do have a concern, I would like to think I am offering some info when asked a question that is helpful and useful. Maybe we are here to giude others that are not a knowledgeable as we are, Ya, I think thats why people ask questions. I dont know a heck of alot about football,But my Brother does so when I have a question I ask him. And ya Know what, (this is crazy) he gives me an ANSWER or EXPLAIN's what i need to know. He DOES NOT send me somewhere else or DOES NOT tell me to ask someone else.
Oh and it's
Out here
1SG
"carry on"

Second that,if $ is an issue, then you need to get a better job, find a cheaper hobby, get the wife a second job, stop going to the bar so much, and/or man-up.

Seriously, with money is the logic, go buy a pellet gun or a Hi-Point.

Now, back to a real discussion of of pros and cons.

I've always wanted to try a Hi-point just to see out of curiosity if they are really that bad. People said similar things about the Sigma, but it's actually one of my favorite guns to shoot.

This has nothing to do with the subject of this thread and away I go!

I used to say that there was one Hi Point that actually stood up to shooting our IDPA club matches, but a thumb-sized chunk broke out of his slide last Nov, so I guess not too sturdy in the long haul..........

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Science plus Art

We haven't heard from USMCDevilDogg since this post started.I wonder if he has made his mind up on which to buy?

After reading some of these responses,they make me want to go out and buy a Red Ryder bb gun.

Thanx for all the responses. After reading all the post will helpful advice I've been looking for a 40 because you change change out the barrel to a 9mm. I think I read that correct. Money isn't an issue because I'm a firm believer- you get what you pay for. I want to purchase a pistol that I know I'll be happy with and wont regret. With that said, Thanx again for everyone who gave me useful advice.

Peace out Brother, and happy and safe shooting..

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Jack C

Did you ever go out and try both to see how they feel? That is a good idea,to buy the .40 and the drop in 9mm barrel.

Now,if i could only find a Red Ryder with a laser on it........