Is .40 S&W suddenly uncool?

[Wiggity]

Is it just my perception or does it seem like a lot of guys have been/are dumping their .40's in the trading post in favor of sticking with 9mm and/or 45?

I can't argue with the logic, just wondered if its just guys wanting focus on .mil cartridges. I also know several cops that started out with .40 because it was pretty new at the time, they've since gone with 45's. I attribute that to them being older and wiser and not feeling like they need the added capacity of a 9mm or .40...

Anyone one else notice this? Maybe I am just confused because the mountains are on the wrong side since I moved?

This statement is completely and utterly stupid.


Choosing a lower capacity, more expensive, heavier recoiling cartridge that has absolutely no advantage over 9mm or .40 in terms of wounding ballistics has NOTHING to do with being older and wiser.

[ray1970]

I darn near picked up another .40 four years ago. When you couldn't find any 9mm or .45 ACP on the shelves because of the big election scare there was plenty of .40 S&W to be found.

[NightCat]

I stopped shooting .40 about 6 months ago, and I really dont miss it at all.

I found that .40 was a very snappy round and while the recoil and reaction of my weapon was very Linear with 9mm and with 45 just slightly more powerful than 9mm, that my .40 was a parabolic upwards arc and the force slopped up very hard and was not an ideal caliber for me to shoot due to a that and the cost of .40 being that much higher than 9mm.

The Cost, the Recoil and the Availability ( I was having issues finding .40 for a while) is why I switched to 9mm, and 9 is just as good as a defensive round.

I cant stand the "oh well your little 9 wont stop anything compared to my .45", it's a bunch of crap, especially when you ask the guy what he has and he says a .38 spc.....NEWS FLASH DUMB ASS!!! 9mm and .38spc carry the same energy and defensive power.

>_<

*rant over*/

[fitz19d]

As far as popularity in competition I was lead to believe that it was because they can be loaded to just barely meet the power factor requirements for some competition but can also be loaded light for recoil management in non high power.

Also personally always hated this round. Yeah sure with practice/training you can over come it and get used to is same as anything else. I think it made more sense when .45 standard was 7 rounds, 9mm was 15. These days most double wides are 12-14 in .45 and 17-20 in 9mm. So splitting the capacity these days doesn't give you that 5-6 round advantage anymore. Always found .45 far more pleasant to shoot too, lower pressure so more case longevity for reloaders.

Recently TTAG had this post, ignore the video really and just go through comments. Like 80% feel the same way.
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/201...ager-40s-suck/

[SA Friday]

Fitz, I think, hit on why some don't like 40 S&W. It was designed with modern metallurgy in the guns. The 9mm Luger and 45 ACP were designed during a different era and the metallurgy just wouldn't take the pressure. The 40 cal has a higher SAAMI spec for chamber pressure. With the fast burning powders used in pistol calibers, this translates to a fast, sharp recoil impulse. Comparatively, my basic target rounds in 9mm, 40, and 45 take about a grain less in 9mm and about a half a grain more in 40 than 45 with the same powders with 147, 180, and 230 gr bullets respectively.

It doesn't bother me and I own and shoot all three, but I know many who don't like the snappier 40 cal recoil.

[Mazin]

Fitz, I think, hit on why some don't like 40 S&W. It was designed with modern metallurgy in the guns. The 9mm Luger and 45 ACP were designed during a different era and the metallurgy just wouldn't take the pressure. The 40 cal has a higher SAAMI spec for chamber pressure. With the fast burning powders used in pistol calibers, this translates to a fast, sharp recoil impulse. Comparatively, my basic target rounds in 9mm, 40, and 45 take about a grain less in 9mm and about a half a grain more in 40 than 45 with the same powders with 147, 180, and 230 gr bullets respectively.

It doesn't bother me and I own and shoot all three, but I know many who don't like the snappier 40 cal recoil.

BRAVO!
Very well put and spot on

My next question would be how far have you pulled shots. why I ask is because more pressure = higher velocity= flatter trajectory correct? Hence you should be able to have some tight groups shooting at longer distance than say the 45 acp.

[SA Friday]

BRAVO!
Very well put and spot on

My next question would be how far have you pulled shots. why I ask is because more pressure = higher velocity= flatter trajectory correct? Hence you should be able to have some tight groups shooting at longer distance than say the 45 acp.

I've shot all three out to 100 yds on an 18" steel plate. They are all iffy at that distance. I do know one guy that custom builds 45 ACPs for long distance shooting and has put 4 out of 6 on an 18" plate at 400 yards. Then again I've seen a guy shoot a G19 out to a couple of hundred yards too.

Personally, when I start shooting at targets where the flatness of the trajectory comes into play, it better be for a competition. A real life shooting, I'm running away and finding a rifle.

[BuffCyclist]

I LOVE my Glock 23! Its my EDC and is what I recently taught my fiancee how to shoot with.

While I don't have comparisons for longer range shots in other calibers, I recently had to take a recertification/refresher course for my CCL (stupid NM law) and my instructor asked if I had done any long range shooting with my Glock 23. I hadn't, so he took me out to 50yds with a paper target and had me take my time shooting through a full mag. When we went to check out the target up close, I was shocked to see how tightly grouped they were, if I recall they were all within a 4-6" diameter circle. Granted, they weren't in the center of the target, they were to the left of the target which could be accounted for by either the wind (blowing at me from my right) or from my sights not being properly dialed in. All I can say is that my G23 is more accurate than I had expected and it was kind of a thrill to shoot at 50yds for accuracy, I might have to take it out to 75yds and see how I can do (and compare it with a 9mm conversion barrel).

Regarding recoil, I love the recoil of .40s&w. When I shot my BIL's RIA 1911, the recoil was much more than I was expecting and completely different. Not painful so much as difficult for me to control and get quick follow up shots. With my Glock 23 I can easily empty a mag on a target without having to recover from the recoil after each shot.

[Mazin]

I've shot all three out to 100 yds on an 18" steel plate. They are all iffy at that distance. I do know one guy that custom builds 45 ACPs for long distance shooting and has put 4 out of 6 on an 18" plate at 400 yards. Then again I've seen a guy shoot a G19 out to a couple of hundred yards too.

Personally, when I start shooting at targets where the flatness of the trajectory comes into play, it better be for a competition. A real life shooting, I'm running away and finding a rifle.

Yea wasn't thinking in a defensive environment just open shooting. Thanks for the info!

[sneakerd]

I have no interest in the .40 S&W. Never owned one and never will.