Anyone else think: "I should have got a 9 mm instead?"

[dmar]

Call me hard-headed! but it took me about 18 years to sell the one, and only, .40 that I ever owned. Bought a Beretta 96 back around 1997 because all I heard was how great the .40 was compared to 9mm and .45.

The Beretta was a very good, quality gun, but I just never cared for the snappy .40. I don't consider myself recoil sensitive, and it really wasn't 'too much kick,' I just plain didn't like the feel of it. Interesting, because I've got a couple of 10mm guns (Colt Delta and a G29), and love shooting them; great round! I also love shooting .44 mags and .357 mags with my stout re-loads, but that .40 just never felt right...

I think .45acp does all you ever really need, and I carry a Colt Defender often, as well as a G30S sometimes. I also like 9mm, and carry a G19 and a Kahr PM9. I have never felt the need to have a .40 on me.

As for the late Beretta 96, probably only shot a few boxes of ammo through it, and it just sat in my safe for 18 years. Just sold it recently, and actually made a few bucks so it. The gun was in excellent condition. Like a French military firearm, barely fired!

 

[Dezfan]

40 S&W, meh.

A solution looking for a problem.

 

[MK]

Not me.. But I don't concealed carry, and my primary usage is animal
protection at the dirt patch, and here at the house.
If anything, I wish I would have spent the extra $$$ and bought a good
10mm or .45 instead of the .40. :/
But I feel the semi wad cutter shape of the .40 is more effective
against mean critters, than the sleeker shape of the 9mm round.
I use 180 gr FMJ, and not hollow points for woods use..
That may be wishful thinking, but that's what I think regardless.
It punches a big clean hole, and if the shot doesn't kill them, they
will bleed out pretty fast. I have no problem shooting the .40, even
single handed. Don't care about any extra wear.. if it wears out, I'll
buy another one.. Except maybe a 10mm or .45 instead. lol..
The .40 is cheaper to shoot than the .45, and holds a good bit more
rounds, which can be handy if I'm being attacked by a pack of mean
dawgs, or whatever. So it's not a bad compromise.

 

[Straightshooter2]

I have a .40 for one reason only. A Sheriff's dept. was switching from the Glock 22 to the 23 and selling off the 22s. Being related to someone in the department I was able to get a Gen 2 Glock 22 w/factory night sights, 3 magazines, armorers manual, holster and about 150 rounds of ammo including some Gold Dots for a ridiculously low price. The pistol belonged to one of the administrators, had barely been fired and no scratches or holster wear.

Would I have bought one except for the price? No but I don't think I would buy another 9mm either unless I just bought the conversion barrel for the Glock 22. With today's defensive ammo, I would probably buy a Kimber Micro Carry.

CW

 

[Rick_A]

There's hardly a difference in shooting for me and I don't believe in "range guns."

I can shoot about 250 rounds of 40S&W through a lightweight gun before I start feeling fatigued.

 

[LVSteve]

I shot a .40 and a 9mm on my first range trip after coming to the US. I quickly decided that .40 wasn't worth the extra snappy recoil and muzzle blast over a 9mm.

 

[Viss]

Yea you should buy a 9 in addition to and not instead of. I have and like both. I shoot the sigma in 40 better than the 39-2. But I think its just better sights on the sigma.

It seems 9mm ammo is cheaper.

 

[LouisianaJoe]

I had a 40 for about 6 months a few years ago. I could not see an advantage over the several .45's that I own. I traded it for a 28-2 and a Contender Super 14 .44 Mag and a few bucks. I reload most of what I shoot and I did not see any reason to load 40 cal. I shoot better with the 9 mm and the .45. I re-qualified for my CCW using a 92FS and I put 36 shots into a group the size of my fist shooting at a rate of each shot just under a second at 7 yds. My keep close at home gun is a M&P .45. I target shoot most with a .38 or .357.

 

[dcxplant]

I was issued a .40, and bought a personal .40 to carry to cut down on ammo types.

Arthritis is starting to creep in, and during my last requal, I hurt my strong side wrist, and weeks later it still hurts!!

I will be selling my personal .40, and go with a 9mm for this reason; I won't shoot something that hurts to shoot, and I won't carry what I don't shoot on a regular basis. My next requal, I hope all goes well, otherwise, no more duty for me

I have every confidence in the 9mm round in a reliable pistol.

As written scores of times here and on other forums, many LE agencies, most notably the FBI, went to the .40 following the infamous 1986 FBI Miami shootout in which 9mm bullet failure is widely suspected of allowing gunman, Michael Platt, to kill two FBI agents and wound five others.

The .40 was pushing the 9mm into its grave when a strange thing happened: many LEOs were having trouble maintaining proficiency with the snappy .40 and the cartridge apparently wasn't stopping anyone any quicker than the 9mm so the FBI has decided to return to the 9mm.

I know there is a great danger of touching off a caliber war here but the 9mm works form me, the ammo is certainly cheaper and brass is often available free of charge.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Never in the position of the OP. Before there was a .40 , I was well equiped with both 9mm and .45acp , didn't feel there was a gap inbetween.

In more or less full sized guns , flip a coin.. But in subcompacts , 9mm. Has advantage, both from control , and vel losses from short bbl.

In the future will be getting conversion bbls for the brand *G* 10mm - .40 for store bought plinking ammo , .357Sig because I'm intrigued by the cal , and the prospect of being similar to 125gr .357 revolver.

 

[Ogandydancer]

Well it's not that I think one is any better than the other but I did want 40 S&W when I bought my H&K P30 specifically because my other CCW'S are 40 S&W but all I could get was nine when I had the money so that is what I got.

 

[BaaBaa]

I guess I'll have to be the lone crazy that prefers 40SW to 9mm.

Can I join you in the crazy section? I have shot a Shield in 9 and a M&P Compact in 40. The 9 had more felt recoil to me and was much harder to shoot accurately. So I think I'll just stick with my 40 myself.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

I haven't even bought my first 40 S&W yet-5 9MMs.
As a Life Member of SNM-Sons of Neanderthal Man-and hence a confirmed Steel & Walnut devotee, I wonder if some of the problems encountered by 40 S&W shooters are due to lightweight frames. Years ago when I was in the New Jersey National Guard, I brought my Colt Combat Commander to the range, a sergeant had his Colt Commander. Everyone who fired them both said they preferred mine.

 

[jimmyj]

CCW : a straight razor in my pocket and a .32 in my shoe, a sawed off 12 gauge stuck down my pant leg, and a hand grenade in my hand with the pin pulled out. PLUS I usually have a dirty depends diaper at hand, I get to sit anywhere I wanta.
Jimmy ( i need my meds)

 

[NCW Ray]

Nope...had a Sig P226 9mm when the .40S&W came out in the early 90's, sold the 9mm and bought a HK P7M10 in .40S&W and it has been my caliber of choice ever since. Currently have M&P40, M&P40c & Shield 40.

 

[Smoke]

CCW : a straight razor in my pocket and a .32 in my shoe, a sawed off 12 gauge stuck down my pant leg, and a hand grenade in my hand with the pin pulled out. PLUS I usually have a dirty depends diaper at hand, I get to sit anywhere I wanta.
Jimmy ( i need my meds)

I thought the .32 gun went in your pocket full of fun and the razor went in your shoe

 

[hangnoose]

ASKED & ANSWERED YOURSELF.

I bought my Sig 239 stainless in 40 cal cuz that was the deal on the table. Too big/heavy for my pocket yes. Do I think the same things at times, YES. Yet I keep remembering that S/D guns should be comforting, NOT comfortable, & with the right load it outshoots my 226 & 220, go figure. I still recommend the 239 in 9mm a lot for CC though. 8+1 9mm that can fit in a pocket with no safety, what's not to like?

 

[oldRoger]

I bought a 1006 as soon as I could find one (1990) and a 1076 a few years later. I never could see any reason to downsize to 40. A 200grain bullet travelling at 1200 fps will settle most problems that I can think of that do not require a rifle.

I do have one 40; a PD4040 which I bought because it was a good deal and fits my 3913 holster. It sees very little use and I have never shot anything in it but commercial ammunition.

I have an unfortunate prejudice against the 9mm, it is a common prejudice for men my age since the only 9mm ammunition we ever saw was 115gr ball back in the day, and it was not a very effective SD load. In fact not much better as a target load.
Bullet designs have improved for 9mm but of course they have done so for other larger calibers as well.

So I guess I will stick to the bigger stuff for SD, call it the privileges of old age.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

No, I don't think I should have gotten a nine. I look at my 40 (only one left) and say "dang I wish it was another 10mm!".

Love the 10mm. Great round.

 

[gm272gs]

The only time I like shooting 10mm is when I'm shooting the Delta Elite. Like many say, I find .40 S&W a little too "snappy" in a smaller gun (the Glock 27 is a handful, in my opinion).