.40 or 9mm for ccw

[bikerboy]

I have shot many 9mm pistols but never had the opportunity
to shoot a .40. Could anyone shed some light on this subject,I know it's ones preference and I have a 9mm but thinking of switching to a .40 for a more powerful rd for cc.
Maybe it's just the thought of what a .40 can do as opposed to a 9mm.Cost of ammo is not much difference and .40 is plentiful.HELP!!!!

 

[samurai]

I finally decided to get out the "40" rat race and settled on 9mm and 45acp. I shoot both of these calibers better the the 40 in the same size guns.

 

[Kanewpadle]

Go with what you shoot the best. Not what someone else tells you. Plenty of people will give you thier opinion. But they don't know what your capabilities are. Only you know.

Contrary to what some say, there is nothing wrong with the 9MM. Nothing at all. The 9 gets bashed because of it's poor performance with police departments in the 80's. That's no longer true. Due to significant advances in ammo design, the 9 is still a good choice for self defense.

The biggest problem with the 40 is recoil. In full size guns it's normally not an issue. But in medium and compact guns it can be.

Shoot and see for youself.

I believe that bigger is better. But realistically for some that isn't always true. I carry a 40 everyday because I can control the gun well enough to be effective. I've carried a 9 for years and it didn't bother me. My carry guns are a M&P 40 compact and a full size M&P 9.

It's not the caliber of gun that's important. But the caliber of the man is.

 

[Kanewpadle]

I finally decided to get out the "40" rat race and settled on 9mm and 45acp. I shoot both of these calibers better the the 40 in the same size guns.

Smart man. That's how it should work.

A man must be smart enough and responsible enough to realize his strengths and weaknesses and work with what he's got.

In this respect "keeping up with the Jones's" is foolish.

 

[Dragon88]

It you can connect well with a 9mm and shoot until the threat is stopped, this is much better than having a .40 you can't control. The .40 has better ballistics on paper, but the bad guy won't notice the difference if your shot placement is good.

 

[blastfact]

I want my CC weapon to be small, light and easy to conceal. And very shootable at 10 yards or under. Thats why I carry a 9mm PF-9. Not a Smith, Glock, XD compact or snub revolver. I'm going to be running and ducking if the threat is out greater than 10 yards in public. 5 yards to in my face a attackers last thoughts will be whoops.

The 9mm is plenty for me concerning daily street carry. It's not like I'm going to war everyday. It's up to you.

 

[GaryM&P]

I have M&P pistols in every caliber. My house gun is a 40cal. My carry gun is a 357sig.

 

[Stu454]

Shoot examples of each and see what you perform with the best.

Then practice, practice, practice.

 

[s0nspark]

I have shot many 9mm pistols but never had the opportunity
to shoot a .40. Could anyone shed some light on this subject,I know it's ones preference and I have a 9mm but thinking of switching to a .40 for a more powerful rd for cc.
Maybe it's just the thought of what a .40 can do as opposed to a 9mm.Cost of ammo is not much difference and .40 is plentiful.HELP!!!!

I was in your shoes a while back... I started shooting with a 9mm and let the thoughts of being somehow underpowered get to me. This culminated in me carrying a Glock 29 for almost a year.

Although I practiced a lot in order to achieve and maintain a level competency with the 10mm I eventually had to face the fact that no matter how much I practiced, I was always going to be more effective with a 9mm. Add to that the fact that the similarly sized M&P9C gives me more capacity in a lighter, slimmer package and I made the switch.

The fact is that there really isn't as much difference in the performance of handgun calibers as some would lead you to believe. As others here have said, what truly matters is the shooter's ability to place shots on target in a timely fashion. From my experiences I'd say .40cal is a lot snappier than you are probably accustomed to and from what I've read does not justify that with any real world ballistic advantage. If I were you I'd put the extra money towards more 9mm ammo and just shoot more

 

[S&W Rover]

I like the replies here -- they fit with what I've read, experienced, and come to believe. I agree it is a matter of what works for you; either caliber should provide the basic capabilities you need. If "stopping power" is your exclusive factor, the .40 S&W would be better.

.40 S&W is more expensive to shoot, which seems like a tangential issue to "better" unless it affects how much practice you get.

Generally, the 9mm will have a few more rounds in the magazine of the same gun in .40.

For me, 9mm is very comfortable to shoot, but the recoil of the .40 is "snappy." .40 also makes more noise (a self defense scenario usually does not involve earplugs) and muzzle blast (even more noticeable in a confined area at night). All of these factors can affect the accuracy of the second and later shots, favoring the 9mm.

 

[Grayfox]

I had a .40 once. Now I'm glad its gone.

 

[jppezz23]

Well grey fox guess you either couldn't handle or didn't like the 40.I love my 40 and had 9mm glock and either shoots well.But i prefer the 40, but if you shoot the 9mm better than go with it.