Decisions, Decisions - 9mm or .40?

Thanks guys. All of you have brought up the same sorts of thoughts I have had in making this choice. One more question...does anybody know if the factory M&P barrels in .357 Sig are actually available anywhere? I've seen them advertised for less than $100 but always out of stock.

I used to like that caliber accuracy-wise for a limited amount of shooting, and if I could find a drop in barrel for a reasonable price, that .40 would look more appealing, since I could turn it easily into a 3 caliber pistol and shoot 9mm, .40 and .357 Sig.

By the way, my distributor has a few of those .40's at that low price. They say they cannot move them due to caliber. I guess that might tell me something. Unfortunately for many people, they say you have to have a badge (active or retired) to get that price.
 
I always wanted an M&P Pro. I found a used one at the LGS but it was a .40 I bought it anyway and then ordered the StormLake 9mm conversion barrel and magazine for it. Very glad I did. I really do not like the .40 but I can use it if I want the to fire the 40 cal for some reason. But as far as I can see it is a 9mm now that say's M&P40 on the slide. I will probably never fire the 40 again. Just not accurate with the OEM barrel.
 
I'm one who actually likes night sights which I understand is on the 9mm so I would go with that. BTW, I disagree with whoever said the bigger the caliber the better, there have been dozens of reports to refute that idea. The FBI had been the main proponent of the .40 and now has switched back to 9mm. Since I've purchased my 9mm 5" Pro and Shield, I hardly shoot anything else, ammo is cheaper and the Pro is one of the most accurate weapons I own. I had thought about a gun in the .40 but since I have a .45 and .357s, I realy didn't see any point in purchasing one. BTW, I buy my 9mm ammo (124gr.) in bulk from Freedom Munitions and it only costs me about .21 per shot, much less than most retail .40 ammo. But good luck with your choice, it's hard to go wrong either way. Regards, Elliot45
 
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I have .22, .45, 9mm and .40 handguns. All have their purpose and roles. My Shield is in .40 because they don't make a .45. I'm old school and believe that a bigger hole is better if you miss the critical areas to immediately stop a threat. I don't have numbers, real world experience or anything like that to support my choices. Just personal preference.
 
Own more than one9mm just bought a m p 40c. I have to tell ya here in Florida the 9 mm vs 40mm . You can buy 9 and 40 rounds for less than a dollar difference.
 
A .40 will always recoil more than a 9mm in the same size gun because it is a more powerful caliber. But, in a full size pistol it really isn't bad. I've been using .40 S&W since the early 90's, first in a Glock 22 then a 23, and now in my Pro Series and my Shield. If you shop online sources the price doesn't tend to be that much different than 9mm unless you are getting military surplus or something.

I say get the .40 unless you just want a less powerful caliber.
 
I say get the 9mm unless you want a less controllable caliber.


Unless you train to only shoot every target once and only once, everyone is faster with follow up shots with the 9mm, and the more shots you dispense, the more precious time you're wasting with the 40.
 
I recommend getting Shield .40 and a drop in 9mm barrel. Then you get two calibers of your choice. Not much difference in recoil between them.
 
What good is a 40 barrel collecting dust and a ccw with erratic ejection patterns because you paid extra just to convert?
If you're the kind to think using reloads or modifying a gun would look bad in court, a conversion barrel is right up there with those slightly possible concerns.
 
I'm a moron, so I keep things simple for me. All my handguns are chambered in 9mm (or 22lr for "trainers"). Long rifles are in .223 (or 22lr for "plinkers"). Shotguns are all 12ga. Well...that is if they hadn't all fallen in the lake during my last outing... ;):D
 
I had been keeping my choices in handguns simple, sticking with 9mm or .45 ACP. I also have one .22LR. I recently acquired my second M&P, a 40C. It's my first .40 S&W and I am pleased with my latest addition. I have a Storm Lake conversion barrel on order and a 9mm magazine for the range.
 
I've seen several comments on this thread about the FBI switching back to 9mm. I recently traded in my only .40 on a S&W9 Shield. I rarely shot the .40 due to the excessive trigger pull on it, even after having a trigger job done on it. Love the Shield and it is my choice for carry. In Guns & Ammo's August edition, there is an article by Patrick Sweeney entitled "He's Dead, Jim" about the demise of the .40 caliber for the 9mm. It is the best argument I have seen in a while. It won't dissuade those who like .40s but it does make sense to those opting for 9mm. This is a link to the article:
"He's dead, Jim.". - Free Online Library
 
I was going to stay out of this but . . . Get a .40

.40 S&W is ballistically far superior to 9mm.

There is no way that 'modern' 9mm even holds a candle to .40 S&W. Not even close. The same bullets are available in 9mm and 10mm diameter so there is no advantage in bullet design. If two bullets are exactly the same design except one is larger diameter, heavier, and faster, it will be obviously more effective. There are so many people quoting the same pile of misinformation it's mind boggling. Any 'test' can be set up to favor one outcome or another and that's all it is. Bigger, heavier, faster gives better terminal ballistic performance.

The standard difference in magazine capacity between 9mm and .40S&W is two rounds. If a situation exists where two rounds is going to make a difference, a pistol is not the correct primary firearm to be employed in that environment.

As far as standard sights vs. night sights, it all depends on personal preference. A good rail mounted tactical light pretty much negates any advantage of night sights and allows the shooter to positively identify the target with a very bright light.

Just my $0.02
 
MattO said:
Why not buy the .40 and then buy a storm lake barrel in 9mm and have the best of both worlds for about the same money.


Matt
Click to expand...

I did this a few year back. M&P 40 & storm lake 9mm barrel (for occasional plinking) with extra mags for both calibers. Really pleased. Though I shoot a lot more 40s than 9s. If I was limited to one, I will pick the 40 every time. For me it does it all.
 
Abflyboy said:
I was going to stay out of this but . . . Get a .40

.40 S&W is ballistically far superior to 9mm.

There is no way that 'modern' 9mm even holds a candle to .40 S&W. Not even close. The same bullets are available in 9mm and 10mm diameter so there is no advantage in bullet design. If two bullets are exactly the same design except one is larger diameter, heavier, and faster, it will be obviously more effective. There are so many people quoting the same pile of misinformation it's mind boggling. Any 'test' can be set up to favor one outcome or another and that's all it is. Bigger, heavier, faster gives better terminal ballistic performance.

The standard difference in magazine capacity between 9mm and .40S&W is two rounds. If a situation exists where two rounds is going to make a difference, a pistol is not the correct primary firearm to be employed in that environment.

As far as standard sights vs. night sights, it all depends on personal preference. A good rail mounted tactical light pretty much negates any advantage of night sights and allows the shooter to positively identify the target with a very bright light.

Just my $0.02
Click to expand...

There isn't a practical difference in the terminal ballistic effectiveness between a 9mm & .40, I hate to break it to you. If you want more stopping power, get s quality AR with a barrier blind load.
 
Ironic how a rant about misinformation contains soooo much misinformation. Holding my tongue to prevent hurt feelings.
 
State Farm (French model) commercial: "Yeah. They can't put anything on the Internet that isn't true."
 
I like using the biggest caliber I can handle in the gun of choice.

There is no replacement for displacement, and the same goes for caliber. No matter how small the edge, it is an edge. In the loads that can equal 40 in performance, you'd be looking at an expansion dependent load that kicks more than a standard 9mm. Technology cannot defeat simple physics.

The only thing that has changed, is essentially an admission from the FBI that they'd rather have more rounds because they don't shoot that well and many can't handle the 40S&W. That would not be my criteria. Many folks cite the FBI "data," but there is none in their official document. It's more of a decree than anything else. Look up "FBI 10mm Notes" for their last published meaningful piece.

To each their own. To me 9mm is ideal in subcompacts and wasted on a service sized gun. With proper technique with the same size/model gun I don't notice much difference. Over a long range session 40 will be more fatiguing, but I don't intend to get into a 250 round gun battle.

.40S&W is not dead just because the FBI have fallen out of love with their own magic bullet. More training would overcome more issues than more or bigger bullets.

I personally enjoy shooting my 45's over either.

For those take everything a government agency tells you at face value, I feel for you. Make your own choice based in your own skill and comfort level.
 
i'm still relatively new to this all; a couple years experience does not make me a master of anything. But for me, both my "non-.22's" are 9mm (compact and full size MP's). And if i add a Shield, 9 as well.
I've shot larger calibers before, but i treat shooting as both training and as a hobby, and enjoy spending time at the range and not stopping when one box of ammo is done. So for me, keeping in the 9 is the most affordable for frequent shooting as well as defense. At this stage i see no reason to try other calibers.
My .02 only of course
 
.40 without a doubt. The only people I've met who don't like the .40 are people who can't shoot it well, and women. If you actually take the time to become competent with a .40, not only will you be just as accurate and just as quick with the .40 as you are with a 9mm, but you will be able to shoot nearly all semi automatic pistol rounds competently, excluding the 10mm only.

Bragging rights: All of my friends who own 9mm pistols can't shoot my .40 for s***, while I actually shoot their pistols better than they do. Something to think about...
 
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triggerb said:
.40 without a doubt. The only people I've met who don't like the .40 are people who can't shoot it well, and women. If you actually take the time to become competent with a .40, not only will you be just as accurate and just as quick with the .40 as you are with a 9mm, but you will be able to shoot nearly all semi automatic pistol rounds competently, excluding the 10mm only.

Bragging rights: All of my friends who own 9mm pistols can't shoot my .40 for s***, while I actually shoot their pistols better than they do. Something to think about...
Click to expand...

What advantages does the 40 round give you, in your estimation, that is lacking in a 9mm?
 
When I posed my original question, I was thinking more in terms of the value of having something lying around in .40 caliber in case there was another 9mm crunch, not so much which one might be superior from a ballistics standpoint. I'm fine with a good 9mm or a good .40 load from that angle, and I've got some .45's too if I want something big..

This also is probably not going to be my carry gun, but rather one of a number of "test beds" and training guns, so the night sights that come on the 9mm but not on the .40 I have access to are not a deal breaker either way.

If I order up the .40 gun, it's $75 cheaper, but that difference is eaten up in the first case of ammo. I found the Storm Lake 9mm barrel for the M&P for $130.00, and figure another $100 for three 9mm magazines, so total cost of a dual caliber option would be just over $600 with the pistol.

If i order up the 9mm, it's $455 with three mags and night sights, and no additional logistics in terms of stocking another caliber. I'm currently leaning toward ordering the Compact in 9mm with the night sights, because if I needed to sell it at some point, I think it would be easier to move.

I would then probably also get a couple of full length magazines with X-grips that would give me most of the "full-size" experience with which to judge how I like the M&P in the larger version. If I find that I really dig it, it could then easily become an EDC gun for me using the 12 rounder in the gun and a 17 rounder as a spare.

To further complicate my entry into the M&P world, I had a private seller last night offer me his M&P9L at what I thought was a really good price, and I almost bit, but it had been so heavily modified for competition that I felt it would not be representative of the M&P when purchased over the counter when used by a student, so I passed. It did feel great in the hand though.

Thanks to all for your input. I think I'm ordering the 9mm Compact today.
 
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triggerb said:
.40 without a doubt. The only people I've met who don't like the .40 are people who can't shoot it well, and women. If you actually take the time to become competent with a .40, not only will you be just as accurate and just as quick with the .40 as you are with a 9mm, but you will be able to shoot nearly all semi automatic pistol rounds competently, excluding the 10mm only.

Bragging rights: All of my friends who own 9mm pistols can't shoot my .40 for s***, while I actually shoot their pistols better than they do. Something to think about...
Click to expand...

In a way this exemplifies the reasons to go with the 9mm.
The attitude that shooting a 40 proficiently earns you some sort of merit badge is all well and good. Except there's otherwise no real benefit and many real downsides. If you value bragging rights and bravado over performance and preparedness, you're the kind of person that rides the 40 train. Nothing wrong with it, so long as you stop yourself from overstating misinformation in trying to convince another person it's a better choice.

If you actually take the time to become proficient with the 40? Well, that time would've made you even better on the 9. Anyone who claims you can be equally quick and accurate with the 9 or the 40 has no idea what the word "equally" means. People making such claims have never run drills on a timer. Not a single person on this planet will shoot a 40 as quickly and as accurately as a 9 from otherwise identical formats.
 
McE,

You've hit on a very good point there. When I was competing many years ago, before electronic timers became affordable and most of us didn't have them, I used to tell myself that I shot a .45 just as well as I shot my 9mm guns, and when the .40 came along, I said the same thing.

Funny how that timer, along with the holes in the target, tells the truth every time, isn't it?

Of course, back then, the situation changed a bit when the weenie loads we had then for the 9mm wouldn't take the steel down, and we had to shoot them more than once. :)

There's a world of difference nowadays between what you can buy over the counter in 9mm and what you could back then though. In my last years on patrol, I cheerfully carried a 9mm loaded with Gold Dot +P's and felt pretty well armed.

Triggerb,

There is another type of person who is not usually a .40 fan, even though they may shoot it well. That is the police department firearms trainer who has to qualify his cops once or twice a year when they have no interest in guns and they refuse to practice in between, when that trainer has the brass breathing down his neck to get everyone off the range and back on the street. I've been there and always felt that my men and women in that category would have been better served with a 9mm pistol. As the armorer, I was also not a huge fan of having to maintain our department's .40's.

Of course, none of this means that an individual cannot shoot the .40 well, or enjoy it. I say shoot what you like.
 
After all the agonizing over which caliber M&P to get, my supplier waved some brand new 9mm Shields with no manual safety in my face at $309 including shipping. I thought about it for around three seconds before ordering one. At that price I do not see how I can get hurt.

I may still get a higher capacity M&P as well. It depends on how much I like this little Shield. I'm intrigued by the size of this gun, even with the extended 8 round magazine in it. I remember when you had to carry a Model 39 to get 8+1 of 9mm.
 
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I'm looking to buy an M&P .40 too

Greetings, I too am looking at .40 vs 9mm do you mind sharing where one could buy .40 at the price you stated? Is this price available for others? Would love the link to check it out.
Thanks, Charlie
 
I'm still a huge fan of the .40 S&W. I bought a M&P Pro CORE, and a M&P Compact, in .40 S&W. I bought a Storm Lake 9mm conversion barrel for each, and a couple of mags in 9mm. One of the best deals in the industry.
 
OldCop876 said:
When I posed my original question, I was thinking more in terms of the value of having something lying around in .40 caliber in case there was another 9mm crunch, not so much which one might be superior from a ballistics standpoint. I'm fine with a good 9mm or a good .40 load from that angle, and I've got some .45's too if I want something big..

y.
Click to expand...

Well in that case...... to add to my first post in this thread #2 IIRC

About 2008/09 I owned several 9mms and a couple of .45s...... never could find a niche for the .40 in my lifestyle.........

LGS had an almost new Sig 229 with both .40 and .357 sig barrels and 6 magazines for around $500 out the door....... I grabbed it for just the reason you mentioned... in early 2013 all I could find was .40 and .357 sig......... then the .40 dissapeared...... the Sig lasted a few more weeks ....8-10........

My 9mm and .45 stashes were still ok...... but now I have a "smaller" stash of .40 and .357sig.
 
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