Popularity of the 40 S&W?

lrrifleman

lrrifleman

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I am contemplating the purchase of another handgun, and the proliferation of 40 S&Ws has caught my eye. What concerns me is the fact that Law Enforcement seems to be jumping off the 40 bandwagon and returning to the 9mm. Factory 40 ammo seems to be available and lower in price.

What is the opinion of the forum members ... does the forty seem to have a future or is it on the path to obsolescence? I would also ask, why is law enforcement abandoning the forty?

Thanks in advance for your assistance!
 
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A few months ago I saw the light up sign at the local gun store saying ‘we will buy your used gun’. On lunch break I stopped in to inquire what they’d give me for my .40 shield that I’ve carried for several years. He answered very quickly saying he’d buy anything but that [.40]

He went on to say that the popularity is dropping like a rock due in part, as you stated, that law enforcement is jumping off the bandwagon.

I inquired at another store and pretty much got the same story. So I’m going to keep my .40’s and buy some dies and components so that I can reload until the .40 s&w becomes an ‘obsolete’ cartridge of yesteryear


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The 40sw caliber is still very popular with Law Enforcement departments.
With John Q buyer,,,not so much.
You see, the 40 kicks harder, more muzzle rise,etc.
Some of the Departments find it easier to qualify with the 9mm.
The 40sw is here to stay, as it does a great job in putting down the object it hits. In Law Enforcement, it sometimes is You vs the Bad Guy.
 
Depending on which .40 you select you can also have the option of converting to 9mm. I used to do it when I owned an M&P40 simply by swapping barrels and magazines (the .40S&W mag wouldn't always chamber the last round of 9mm but worked otherwise). I still do it with my Beretta M96 by simply swapping barrels. The 40.S&W is still one of the three most popular semi auto cartridges (at least based on what we used to sell at the store).
 
As I have said before, and will say again, I think the demise of the .40 is greatly exaggerated.

Many law enforcement agencies follow what the FBI does (not that doing so is always the best policy). I would wager that if the FBI decided to go to .45 ACP, many agencies (mine included) would fall all over themselves trying to change to .45 ACP.

I would use my agency as an example. We carried .45 ACP forever. We just changed to 9mm.....why? Well, when you ask "The FBI has all kinds of testing/data to show that's the best round for law enforcement".

Use your own judgment. .40 is a solid performer by anyone's measure. I have to laugh when I hear people talk about how "snappy" .40 is or "it wears out pistols faster". Give me a break. I would wager 1 in 1000 or even 1 in 10,000 people shoot enough to ever wear out ANY gun.

I say go for it. I have always felt well armed with any .40 pistol I've ever carried. Don't let the internet carry you away with the "I've heards".
 
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Are cartridges that are known as snappy deemed snappy due to the higher bullet velocity with lighter bullets causing higher slide velocities, or something else? Are cartridges deemed "snappy" tamed by shooting heavier weight bullets at lower velocities?
 
In my experience, a heavier bullet at a lower velocity does feel less snappy.

There is nothing really wrong with the 40 S&W, it does provide a caliber with more umph in a 9mm sized weapon. I think the extra umph is what hinders those who are less tolerant of recoil from being able to qualify with the 40. I'd wager they would not qualify with a 45 ACP either.
 
My opinion is that the .40 S&W will be popular with anyone who wants a little bit more muzzle energy than the 9mm, and less muzzle energy than the fully loaded 10mm, and more magazine capacity than the .45acp+P, and a smaller gun than 10mm/45, too.

The reason why the .40 S@W became so popular is that it occupies the middle of the common sense power spectrum, and in an efficient manner, to boot. That is, it sits in the middle of the reasonable muzzle energy range, in a compact cartridge size, because it is not loaded to year 1900 pressure levels.
 
No doubt that the popularity with civilian owners is dropping off quickly. In the shop I work in , I'd say 1 in 3 sales of carry guns were in 40 S&W about 2 years back. Now it's more like 1 in 10. Consequently we are stocking less in 40 S&W and giving less for them in trade. LE aside, seems folks have figured out that the 9mm ( and even 45 to some degree) is much easier to shoot well for the average /newbie shooter.

That said, they made millions of handguns chambered in 40 S&W so it will remain a well established caliber for many a year. I would not be worried about running out of ammo/components due to obsolescence in our lifetime.
 
40 pretty popular in competition circles due to its versatility and the rules sets of various games.
In USPSA can run in single stack major (45acp power level) or Minor (9mm level)
Limited is almost exclusively 40 major.
Production and IDPA games that have 10 round limits. 40 is loaded minor to run with the 9mm.
A 5" double stack 40 can be competitive in just about any autoloader game.
 
I never considered a handgun in 40 S&W. I used a 1911 45acp in the military and I can handle the recoil very well. Today I carry a S&W M&P 45. The magazine holds 10 rounds and surprisingly the recoil seems not as bad as in a 1911.
 
Since you posted this in the reloading section ... I had a couple of 40's but found too much Glocked brass. I'm a brass scavenger. If a person either didn't reload or had a fully supported chamber and only reloaded their own brass, there's not a thing wrong with the .40. Maybe a lot right given the fact that that the guns are often a bargain.
 
I have six handguns chambered in .40 S&W, all Sigs. Two P239’s, P250c, P250sc, SP2022, SP2340. I did convert one P239 to .357 Sig, and hope to find a .357 Sig barrel to convert the SP2340. The SP2022 is for my son. I carry the P250sc loaded with Underwood ammo around our place in the mountains.

In my area though, .40 S&W pistols gather dust as buyers lust for 9mm guns.

The .40 S&W cartridge is pretty much a ballistic twin to the old .38/40 Winchester; one of the most popular cartridges of it’s day, and still in use now. The cartridge is versatile and offered in a variety of guns; I believe it will survive.

The reason I bought the SP2340 and SP2022, used factory magazines for $1.31 each. My P250sc and the Winthrop holster I tote it in.
 

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AlHunt said:
Since you posted this in the reloading section ... I had a couple of 40's but found too much Glocked brass. I'm a brass scavenger. If a person either didn't reload or had a fully supported chamber and only reloaded their own brass, there's not a thing wrong with the .40. Maybe a lot right given the fact that that the guns are often a bargain.
Click to expand...

What do you mean by "Glocked brass"?
 
More Factors Involved

We tend to study the comparative merits of this or that cartridge in a vacuum. In law enforcement, other elements enter the equation such as recoil recovery, the ability of ALL members of the force to easily retract the slide, cartridge capacity, gun size, weight and suitability for off-duty use and the ease of meeting training standards, most often on a qualification course of some type.

At the risk of touching off yet another caliber war, it seems that there isn't much difference in so-called stopping power between most cartridges suitable for law enforcement assuming similar hits. This, together with the continuing improvement in terminal performance of modern ammunition, are factors in determining what cartridge is best for a department.

As for the average CCW, if you're competent with what you're carrying, by all means, continue carrying it. If it's too easy to find excuses not to fire a particular handgun in your carry arsenal, then you need to be honest with yourself regarding that gun's continued use.
 
When I retired my Sheriff's Office carried the model 4506. It had been recently issued to replace the model 645. Now they carry Glock pistols in .40 caliber. I think the city police do, as well. The .40 caliber was a compromise between a 9mm & a .45acp, as the .45 was more difficult for smaller stature female deputies. As a strong proponent of females in law enforcement, this just makes good sense to me. I continue to carry a .45acp and likely always will. I would certainly prefer a .40 over a 9mm if those were my only choices. The .40 round is not going away in my opinion. I am a user, not an expert in ballistics, however.
 
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Well it goes something like this:

The 45 ACP is the best but not enough rounds, so we are out gunned for "firefights"

The 38 special is to wimpy
The 357 is good but only holds 6 rounds

We are out gunned. so enter the high cap 9mm

But wait the 9mm is to wimpu we are outgunned again

Enter the 10 MM

Wow this is powerful but it is to much for the wimpy new recruits

Enter the scaled down 40 SW

Wow this is powerful and holds almost as much ammo as a 9mm and more than the 45 acp

Enter more wimpier recruits

Och this 40 SW is too strong

9mm bullets are now high tech so lets go back to the 9mm

The Military uses 9mm so it must be OK

And so the circle continues!:D
 
I keep 40 caliber ammo because of my Shorty Forty, 4040PD and 4054

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