If i had to choose between 9mm and .40 i'll choose the .40 every time. No telling how many police depts and the FBI issue it.

I personally feel that armed with a 9mm or a .40 S&W is just a matter of preference in the end. As other members have stated, as long as your ammunition runs flawless in your chosen handgun and your shot placement is dead-on, basically it is up to the design of the projectile to get the job done.

I've owned many different 9mm's and .40 S&W's over the years. I never felt under-gunned carrying any of them. I researched the projectile's effectiveness by whatever means I could back in the day and then made sure it ran 100% through my handguns.

I tend to lean towards a .45 ACP (Colt Mk IV, Series 70) these days, though. For the most part it's due to the muscle-memory I've built up on the platform over 30 years and the fact that I can employ it extremely well.

Then again, at various times, I carry a .40 S&W (S&W Shorty Forty) just for phoots and grins and it is the cats pajamas (for me) for accuracy and reliability. Not to mention that it is smaller (albeit, wider) than the Colt.

If I owned a 9mm, I'd end up adding it to my carry rotation, season and environment depending.

All-in-all, you could do far worse or far better in using other calibers. After the homework is done on your choice (reliability in your handgun, season, environmental-variables, anticipated threats and any restrictions by law, et al), buy ammunition and practice, practice, practice.

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JWS3
1SG, USA (Retired)

I choose 9mm.

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Endeavor to persevere. <><

9mm is fast becoming the new pocket pistol round, with 9mm pistols being made smaller and smaller. Ruger has the LC9 and I think Kel-Tec makes the world's smallest 9mm pistol. These pistols are as big as .380's and .32's were in years past.

10mm was supposed to be THE Law Enforcement duty round but it proved to be too much, and thus the .40 evolved from it. Back in the 90's I recall all the gun rags calling the 10mm the "round that will make the .45 obsolete" and all this other stuff, but it never happened.

9mm isn't going anywhere, and neither is .45 ACP. Both these rounds have been around over 100 years and the new advances in ammunition manufacturing have made defensive rounds in both these calibers WAY more effective than in past decades. Pistols are being made stronger, so you can stoke your Glock, S&W M&P, Ruger SR9, CZ, etc. with 9mm +P+ HP's and have a very effective defensive handgun.

.40 is the new kid on the block, compared to 9mm and .45. But almost all gun makers have .40 pistols in their lineups and they sell well. Other "wonder rounds" like .357 Sig have been slow to catch on, while almost all ammo companies report 9mm as their best selling handgun round, with .45 and .40 probably close senconds.

With the advances in defensive ammo of the last 10 years a 9mm is no longer a second class citizen they are both fine rds.And yes as stated above the bad guy isnt going to give a dang which one he is shot with.

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The Lord cometh and right soon

Here's some of the problem with these threads.....

How about YOU shoot all these calibers, in the same gun, and see what YOU think is the best and then decide which one YOU like?

Since no two shootings are ever alike, nobody can ever unequivocally say that one cartridge is better than another.

They are all okay and they all compromise something.

Lost Lake, If you are refering that I shot these 3 calibers and I decide, then I have and I think I made my point.
If you are refering to the OP, then I am with you and that is what I basically said in my 1st post.

Not sure why I get sucked into these "caliber" threads. So foolish!

Hey, went to range today with my little tupperware 40cal. shooting 180gr. Buffalo bore ammo real accurate little 40cal it bucked up really hard nothing i couldn't handle. I said that to say This. As hard as the buffalo bore ammo hits the little 40cal is a poweful round with the stronger loads such as buffalo bore 180gr I also use underwood ammo. Tom

depends on the weather. yes. honestly the weather haha. summer. when people are clad in a t shirt, or no shirt. 9mm is great. especially in HPJ. so is .40 . but ayoob taught me one thing. winter means heavy clothes. heavy clothes clog HPJ's and turn them into ball ammo. so if im going to be throwing balls. i want to be throwing bigger balls ;-)

Yeah, but I'm not sure 45 one thousandths of an inch diameter variance between 9mm and .40 is really going to make all that much of a difference....

I love .45's but own 9mm's and for ease of recoil, capacity, accuracy, muzzle lift, ammo cost and the ability to get good defensive loads I think 9's rock.
It was a soft-firing 9 that sparked my wife's interest. I believe I will surprise her with a 9mm Shield in the next few weeks (or when my gun monger has inventory).
That said, I certainly find no fault with a .40 and understand it's wild popularity. In fact, I'm sure there's one in my future!

3953 in 9mm is my choice. 4513 is next on my list.

I have a 5904 that is a very enjoyable pistol in 9mm. I recently purchased a XD Subcompact .40. A little less capacity but a little more punch.

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SGM, USA Retired

I Am sure you will like the 40 a liitle bit stronger punch.