Why so much .40S&W still available?

[Chris L.]

Most LGS and big box stores in my area seem to have shelves and shelves full of .40S&W, but no .22LR, 9MM, .223, etc. I've also seen .40S&W mags available at places while mostly every other caliber was gone.

I'm not the only one who has noticed this. I've talked to other people on forums form other parts of the country and they've noticed the same thing.

My question is why so much .40 ammo still available? Is it because so many LEO's use it, is it because it's an unpopular cartridge to shoot? Or is it because ignorant people have been duped into a 9mm, 7.62, 5.56 NATO only mindset?

I remember being told that all my guns should be 9mm, .223, NATO, etc. because they are the most common types and would be the most easily available during a crisis. HA! HA! I've seen first hand what happens when a "crisis" comes around... the first thing people do is buy up all that stuff so none is available and all that is left is .40S&W, 30-06, 30/30, 357Mag etc.

One thing I've learned is I need to have at least one .40S&W gun in my arsenal, which is what started getting me to look into an M&P .40.

 

[Culina]

If you want to buy once fired brass, 40 S&W brass is easy to find and cheap to. Maybe because its the new 38Special. Just like 60 is the new 40

 

[richeyo2]

Maybe people just don't like .40's in your area, IDK because around me it's gone too!

I'm not the biggest .40 fan myself, but I do own a couple. Still prefer a 9mm or .45acp myself.

 

[dcxplant]

I consider it lucky for me! I really like the .40

 

[speedyquad]

i have not been able to find alot of it. i did pick uo another 50 rounds of speer lawman yesterday. it was the stores last box. 24.99 on the price tag. they had about 8 boxes of winchester left. the wife has me on a short leash since i just bought the 40c last week. the lgs where i bought the 40c had quite a few boxes of 40 left, all off name brands i had never heard of and priced at around $35 for a box of 50. it stayed with them...lol

 

[desi2358]

40's just don't seem to be as popular with the general public as the 9 is. Many police use it so production is certainly high but that doesn't always translate into sales commercially. When I used to do a lot of gunshows selling ammo, 40 did better in some regions than others but it was still always the last auto-pistol caliber we would run out of when things got busy.

 

[jack the toad]

Prolly cause 40 short & weak is inferior round to 9mm.
Seriously, I have no idea, maybe 40 isn't a big seller where you're at.
Seems the 40 around here is almost as scarce as anything else.

 

[MichiganScott]

9mm handguns have been made since the early 1900's as have .45's. The .40 was developed in 1989 or '90. It's simple math that there are far fewer .40's around.

Few rifle cartridges of any caliber are available in quantity. The ammo companies turn out far fewer rifle rounds than pistol. Try finding any odd ball calibers at Walmart.

 

[GianniG83]

Hmm. Maybe I should wait for the XDs .40 to be released. Seems like it would be the perfect caliber for that small of a handgun. Plus I usually see .40 more available than 9mm or .45 in my area too. I was also told to either buy a 9mm or .45.

 

[model70hunter]

I bought 3 boxes of Federal 40 S&W at wally world today. They had been out, must have stocked up last night. I bought 2 boxes of Tula 45 acp also. 17.95 for the 45 and 18.95 for the 40. I have about, well quite a few in 40. No 22 LR there.

 

[RdrChRy]

Everytime I leave the house I stop at least at Wally World, often other places too to check on ammo. Always lots of .40 in stock even when the rest of the shelves are bare. I might have to get a .40 myself.

 

[fyimo]

Wow, I wished I lived where you live because here the 40 S&W goes as fast as the rest where I live. I like 40 S&W and I think it's a great round and I reload all my ammo and 40 S&W brass is fairly easy to come by. The cost differential between 9mm and 40 S&W is very small because you use the same primer, the powder charge is close to the same and the bullets only cost slightly more. To me the 40 S&W is a better choice then the 9mm when you look at the cost being almost the same for a more powerful round.

 

[dcxplant]

40 reloads really well, as easy a .45, 9mm is harder for me-the components are so small! ;-)

I think .40 got a rep for being not very accurate (it is for me�&#56846 and that it does have a snappy, not particularly heavy, but snappy recoil.

Follow ups take more practice.

Who knows, maybe it's because it's a young caliber��

 

[fyimo]

40 reloads really well, as easy a .45, 9mm is harder for me-the components are so small! ;-)

I think .40 got a rep for being not very accurate (it is for me�&#56846 and that it does have a snappy, not particularly heavy, but snappy recoil.

Follow ups take more practice.

Who knows, maybe it's because it's a young caliber��

Funny you said that as I find the 9mm harder to reload then both the 45 ACP and 40 S&W. I agree it's because the 9mm is so small so it's slightly more difficult to relaod.

 

[dcxplant]

lol, as I was sorting brass the other night, several times a .40 case was stuck inside a .45 case and a 9mm case was stuck inside the .40 all together like a triple-decker brass Dagwood sandwich.

I thought, boy ain't that 9mm cute!

 

[ladyT]

I hope the 40 cal continues to be overlooked but it wont remain that way much longer.



This mornings ammo purchase of 1 box ,a max of 3 calibers at Academy
Paid $0.45 for XM193F
Paid $0.28 for Lawman 9mm
Paid $0.40 for Remington 40cal

 

[timloomis]

I havnt seen any 40 sw around here for WEEKS. Only place that I know that has some is a lgs, and they only have hornady critical defense/duty.

 

[Vegetaman]

Yeah, plenty of .38 special and .45 acp and .40 s&w on the shelves here. The .45 ACP is $5 cheaper per box than either of the others, to boot!

 

[LimaCharlie]

The LGS around here have .40 S&W ammo and handguns in stock. They also have a few high end 1911s and .45 ACP ammo in stock. They are pretty much out of everything else including double-action revolvers.

 

[Chris L.]

I hope the 40 cal continues to be overlooked but it wont remain that way much longer.

My feelings exactly. I want to get in the game and stock up before that's gone too.

Gander Mountain has the M&P .40S&W (15+1, no thumb safety) right now on sale for $499. It is very tempting to say the least.