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Are we still using 40 s&w?

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Are we still using 40 s&w? I remember everyone raving about this round back in the day, but 9mm came back. I'm wondering how many of us are still using this round on a regular bases? I have a whole bunch of 40 s&w rounds, but no 40 s&w in my line up, might have to get one back in the herd this year. 

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CBP is transitioning to 9mm... namely the 19 (pissed that BP is given the option for the 47). We have 9mm ammo (147 grain Ranger), but only the two people down at the academy now will have the guns before October.

So... we still have .40 H&K P2000 LEMs. I don’t mind it, but I don’t carry it except for while on duty.

Don’t mind .40... but rather 9mm or .45.

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I carried a 40 duty gun for 12 yrs. First was a S&W 4053 , then USP 40 Compact. I had a P229 in 40 and a M&P Compact in 40. My agency switched to 9mm in 2012. I was never a 40 fan. I always liked 9mm and 45 better. Now I only have a glock 23 upper rto throw on my 19 frame so I can shoot 40's oonce in a while. I also have a Browing Hi Power in 40 which I never shoot.

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For duty purposes, as Screwball stated, CBP transitioned to the Glock 19. I was issued mine last week, & believe me, I will never miss that P 2000 with the LEM trigger.  I now actually carry off duty with the Glock 19 & 2 reloads As far as personally owned guns, I still own a Glock 23 a 3rd generation,  Sig 229 DA/SA & a FN FNX 40. I am definitely going to be keeping all 3 of them, as I have quite a lot of 40 ammo I was given over the years of carrying the P 2000. I still like to go to the local indoor range & shoot all 3 of these guns periodically.   

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Yes, even now more than ever.  The price has come down to almost the same price as 9mm.  Also, it technically is better than 9mm.  Albeit minimally.  And now with 9mm being gobbled up (along with 223/556) another caliber in your arsenal is a good thing.  Just like having another defensive rifle caliber that is NOT in 223/556.  So, buy a 40 S&W police trade-in Glock/S&W on the cheap and stock up on ammo.

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The only time I say to avoid 40S&W is in sub compacts or micro guns.  They are not pleasant to shoot.  But in duty sized firearms, the 40 is an excellent option. 

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I use .40 S&W for IDPA Revolver Division / ESR Subdivision...

Retired this S&W Model 646...

Mod-646a.jpg

 

And now use a Ruger Match Champion...

Ruger-MC.jpg

I don't really care for the .40 S&W as a semi-auto cartridge, but like it in a revolver. I've been using Federal Syn Tech ammo with the 205 grain bullet.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

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Surplus Glock 23 w/ a 9mm conversion barrel and 2,200 rounds of 9mm and about 400 rounds of .40 S&W and flawless!

Options!   .40S&W isn't going anywhere.  It is a cycle.  Perhaps .40 S&W will develop a less powerful cartridge... subsonic?  LOL but a bigger bullet than 9mm?   The significant cost of .40 S&W above 9mm would lead someone to .45 ACP, instead.   .45 ACP has a more rolling recoil, instead of the sharp, straight back recoil of .45.  

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.40 used to be my go to round. When you are shooting handloads, it is a VERY versatile cartridge.

But it's not going to be my primary caliber anymore. 3 gun rewards 9mm, and the peer pressure and component costs finally got to me. A few more 9mm guns will be going into the safe. 

I don't think .40 will be going away, but with most PDs switching to 9mm, 9mm once fired brass has been getting cheaper, and .40 has not. 

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10 hours ago, Underdog said:

Surplus Glock 23 w/ a 9mm conversion barrel and 2,200 rounds of 9mm and about 400 rounds of .40 S&W and flawless!

Options!   .40S&W isn't going anywhere.  It is a cycle.  Perhaps .40 S&W will develop a less powerful cartridge... subsonic?  LOL but a bigger bullet than 9mm?   The significant cost of .40 S&W above 9mm would lead someone to .45 ACP, instead.   .45 ACP has a more rolling recoil, instead of the sharp, straight back recoil of .45.  

There is no longer a significant cost from 40 to 9.  Those days are over.  But, when going up to 45acp the distance is greater.

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On 3/17/2020 at 9:06 PM, Ray Ray said:

And now with 9mm being gobbled up (along with 223/556) another caliber in your arsenal is a good thing.  Just like having another defensive rifle caliber that is NOT in 223/556. 

I agree. I have a CX4 in .40, and I like it better than the 223. Hope that .40 doesn't go away. And compared to getting hit with a 115gr 9mm, I would think the 180gr .40 flat nose who have a little bit bigger impact.

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I use to carry a Glock 27 and switched to a 43 (9mm)
I also use to shoot a full size Glock 22 and converted over to a P80 (9mm)

so for me no.. 40 is a good round and as Ray said you could argue its "better" than 9mm.. the main reason I switched is because 9mm in a polymer gun has a lot less snap than 40 in a polymer gun.. so I can get more shots on target faster and move between targets faster with 9mm.. so the slight reduction in ballistic performance is outweighed by the functional difference of 9mm for me at least.. 

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I prefer 9mm for the subjective effects - I can shoot 9mm just a little bit faster and more accurately than .40 SW. couple that with the fact that on the terminal side, ballistically,  there is no real difference between the two anymore.

The only time the .40 S&W may outperform the 9mm is shooting though barriers - specifically auto glass and thin metal.

I have converted most of my .40 pistols to 9mm. I still have a couple though.

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As @High Exposure and @vladtepes said, recoil is definitely a determining factor in the 9mm vs 40S&W debate.  What gets me is the same clowns that shit on 40S&W also love 10mm.  Which is basically a 40S&W +P in most factory loadings and 40S&W almost +P in the rest.  

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18 hours ago, Ray Ray said:

As @High Exposure and @vladtepes said, recoil is definitely a determining factor in the 9mm vs 40S&W debate.  What gets me is the same clowns that shit on 40S&W also love 10mm.  Which is basically a 40S&W +P in most factory loadings and 40S&W almost +P in the rest.  

I am not a gun collector.. I don't have a whole lot of guns.. maybe like 8 or 9.. I only choose things based on function... because of that my handguns would never be 10mm or 45.. or anything like that.. 

9mm
low recoil
high mag capacity
fast follow up shots
performance that will stop most threats
caliber compatibility with some of my small PDW type guns (I have an EVO and an AK9) 

so for me pistols are going to be 9mm... I am not even considering other rounds.. I don't see any value. for me personally at least..

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I picked up aa carbine in 40 not long ago.  The SW but I forget the model name.  Anyway, I already had a Berretta 9 in both pistol and carbine, which makes it easier to manage stock because they take the same magazine.  I figured the 40 might be a change of pace, but found out tooo late that extra magazines are very difficult to find, so I sort of abandoned that path.  The licensing process is such a pain in the ass, I would likely settle on a 45 if I was inclined to go through it again.

 

Edit:  Maybe it isn't a SW...I cant recall the maker.

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I‘ll still shoot .40 in a limited capacity, but have converted my Glock .40s pistols to 9mm. 
 

The only dedicated .40 pistol I’ll shoot is my USP Compact, which can’t readily be converted to 9mm anyway. 

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6 hours ago, vladtepes said:

I am not a gun collector.. I don't have a whole lot of guns.. maybe like 8 or 9.. I only choose things based on function... because of that my handguns would never be 10mm or 45.. or anything like that.. 

9mm
low recoil
high mag capacity
fast follow up shots
performance that will stop most threats
caliber compatibility with some of my small PDW type guns (I have an EVO and an AK9) 

so for me pistols are going to be 9mm... I am not even considering other rounds.. I don't see any value. for me personally at least..

You should consider another pistol caliber to supplement your existing arsenal.  If, for whatever reason, 9mm is all but gone you are stuck with 9mm.  A 45acp or 40S&W (even 357 Sig) pistol and spare magazines with at least 500 rounds is an excellent back up plan.  

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8 hours ago, Ray Ray said:

You should consider another pistol caliber to supplement your existing arsenal.  If, for whatever reason, 9mm is all but gone you are stuck with 9mm.  A 45acp or 40S&W (even 357 Sig) pistol and spare magazines with at least 500 rounds is an excellent back up plan.  

I still have the 40 S&W barrel and mags for the Glock.... but if 9mm "disappears" there are other problems.. LOL

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I like .40 when I have time to reload for competition. With a 180gn bullet and a slowish powder the recoil impulse is very low. 

I overheard a comment at one match where I was shooting my Glock 35 where a guy said "he needs to go to Chrono" meaning the gun was moving so little he didn't think I was making the required power factor. I had already been to Chrono and passed.

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