On the subject of shared mag well dimensions between the 9mm and 40 double stacks, we can safely assume S&W put the bump on the 40 mags to keep them out of the 9mm models.
Seems like a relatively cautious thing to do, although it's impossible to chamber a 40 in a 9mm barrel.
John
Had this happen
One year when FHP was doing one of the mass qualification days out at the range in Okeechobee we had one of the Majors step up to the firing line and draw his duty weapon (or so he thought), he proceeded to slingshot the slide only to have it stop before chambering a round. Fortunately I was the closet range officer and took the firearm out of his hands and we walked off the line and went into the little hut that was there.
When I walked up on him I know instantly what had happened.
When we transitioned from the Beretta 92 to the Beretta 96D Troopers were allowed to purchase their old duty weapon. This major had done that.
It turned out he was running late for the long drive (~2 hours) up to the range from his home in Plantation so when he pulled his firearm from the safe, he grabbed the 92, inserted a magazine and placed it in his holster.
On the firing line, the 40S&W ammunition would not enter the 9MM barrel. He was embarrassed but we were the only two that knew what actually happened and I kept it that way
I loaned him a 96D from one of the THI Sargents and proceeded to get him through all three of his qualification courses (duty weapon, backup weapon, shotgun).
That is the only incident that I recall us having. This Major was not a Gun Guy, so in a rush he made a mistake. Fortunately that mistake showed itself at qualification and not in the field. Though at this point in his service to the State he no longer personally responded to situations in the field and truthfully Troopers going into the field would have chambered a round of ammunition prior to holstering their sidearm for a day of field Duty
I was always more concerned about the ease with which several 9mm rounds could be jacked in to a 40 barrel before someone pulled the trigger. (KABLOOIE
)
I've never heard of that happening so I guess the good folks at S&W concluded that was not a problem, as evidenced by the fact that every one of my 40 and 9mm double stack pistols will accept either mag in their magwells (except for the 40 bump, of course).
John
It could not possibly go
"KABLOOIE "
While the extractor MIGHT hold the 9MM against the breech face so that the firing pin could hit the primer. Once it fired, the case would just split. Since the projectile and case can not seal the bore, pressure would drop so fast that the projectile would probably just fall out the front of the firearm
The barrel would contain the case split, recoil would not exist and the slide would not cycle. Some gas might vent out the ejection port, but not enough to matter
There would be no danger to the shooter
On a positive note.
During the magazine ban imposed by the
Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 it was not uncommon for 9MM pistol users to buy 10 round Restricted Capacity 40S&&W magazines for use in their 9MM firearms. Occasionally the follower had to be changed but in many cases they just worked and obviously they held more than 10 rounds
Many Millions of Americans used this method to circumvent Congress's Unconstitutional act of infringing on the
Second Amendment and get a magazine that was closer to standard capacity
I am sure that most of you know and it is no surprise for the rest of you to learn that the
Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 or more commonly called the
Assault Weapons Ban of 1994 was proposed by
Senator Chuck Shumer and pushed by President William Jefferson Clinton
I just do not understand how Shumer gets re-elected
