Anyone still .40 S&W?

[Defaultmp3]

To me there are no disadvantages having .40 s&w. Occasionally I can pick up .40 bullets really cheap for the obvious reason. I am in California so am limited to 10 rounds. More rounds in 9mm doesn't help. The thicker barrel profile opens door to multiple conversion barrels. In a real pinch, I can even fire 9mm directly in a single shot manner.

The recoil... I can load whatever recoil I like. Haven't bought any loaded ammo for long time. 9mm with similar ballistic performance? Does it require +p loads? Nothing wrong with 9mm. It is my first pistol caliber some 30 years ago. Back then it was laughed at as a pea shooter. I still load and shoot 9mm plenty.

You can load the ammo to whatever recoil you like, but then does the projectile go fast enough to have proper expansion for the selected bullet, particularly through barriers?

Modern 9mm Para duty ammunition can be quite soft shooting and still meet all FBI penetration standards even after barriers; there is no need for +P 9mm to get that kind of performance. For example, using the FBI Test Protocol through laminated glass, Gold Dot 124 gr penetrated 12.65", Gold Dot 124 gr +P penetrated 14.95", Gold Dot 147 gr penetrated 12.90", Gold Dot 165 gr penetrated 12.80", and Gold Dot 180 gr penetrated 12.75". Gold Dot 124 gr +P had the least amount of final expansion at 0.543", while Gold Dot 180 gr had the most at 0.612", which is 0.069"/1.7526 mm difference in diameter.

[Ron3]

In 9x19, if you choose one the better JHP's offers the minimum level of Police / military service performance from a pistol with @4 inch barrel or longer. A +p load can help.

If I'm carrying a gun the size of a "Compact" or larger I want a bullet that hits harder / makes bigger / deeper holes than just the minimum the FBI said was okay in 1988 so they could blame a bullet when they had a bad day.

For CC, I don't care a 9mm gun of the same size holds 2 more rounds when it already has 12, 14, or 15 rds of .40.

I don't care 9mm offers slightly faster split times when I can fire .40 or .45 at appropriate speeds already.

And I don't care .40 & .45 cost more. I'll pay and I reload them.

The truth is organizations (and people) choose 9x19 because it's the cheapest choice. It also helps those organizations save money on training time getting people up to thier minimum standards.

None of that applies to me.

[Defaultmp3]

I don't care 9mm offers slightly faster split times when I can fire .40 or .45 at appropriate speeds already.

What's your split time difference between 9mm Para and .40 S&W for two hits on the T box or the A zone on the head of an IPSC at 3 yards? A 7 yards? What about doing it SHO? WHO?

I've heard a lot of people say that they're just as fast, or almost as fast, with .40 S&W or .45 ACP compared to 9mm Para. That can often be true on the flat range, when you're not fatigued. Throw in being tired, being sweaty, being injured, and all of that typically goes out the window.

Consider that even the top tier CT units in the USA all switched to 9mm, when their funding and training tempo would definitely allow them to continue to use other calibers.

[Ron3]

What's your split time difference between 9mm Para and .40 S&W for two hits on the T box or the A zone on the head of an IPSC at 3 yards? A 7 yards? What about doing it SHO? WHO?

I've heard a lot of people say that they're just as fast, or almost as fast, with .40 S&W or .45 ACP compared to 9mm Para. That can often be true on the flat range, when you're not fatigued. Throw in being tired, being sweaty, being injured, and all of that typically goes out the window.

No difference to not enough to make a difference.

But we shouldn't be shooting that fast. About .25-.35s splits is about how fast we should shoot if we want to account for every bullet we send and not be pulling the trigger after the threat has ended.

If I'm trying to pace myself to 3 or 4 shots a second (at the appropriate distance) I should do it with the most powerful gun I achieve that with.

[markm]

To me there are no disadvantages having .40 s&w.

For sure. I have my 9mm pistols too, but after shooting the old 40 this weekend, I'm feeling the 40 a little again. I was frightened that shooting a bunch of 9mm over the last year (especially in some creme puffs like the Staccato which I love), I was going to have totally wrecked my pistol shooting ability.

I even rocked my Iraqgunz modded Safariland 1/2 thigh rig.

[202]

I sold the 40 cal handguns years ago. It’s a good caliber, but with 9mm and 45 acp, I didn’t see the need to keep them.

[titsonritz]

I got rid of it along with 45acp and 10mm, if I need to bump up in power range from 9mm I go straight to 44 mag.

[ViniVidivici]

I only ever used W231 & Titegroup for it, always happy with the loads.

Had a nice hot 155gr XTP load for it. Have to look at my data when I get home, I THINK it was 5.7gr Titegroup.

[ViniVidivici]

I will say that everything DefaultMP3 said was spot on, and saved me alot of typing.

Encompasses the reasons I went back to 9mm after 2 decades.

My scores are better, I'm faster, and greater capacity of ammo. Every edge I can get matters.

[markm]

My scores are better, I'm faster, and greater capacity of ammo. Every edge I can get matters.

You have to be faster and have more rounds is what I'm seeing time and time again in these body cam vids. The cops are making up for a lack of caliber with volume of fire. I'm sure many of the wounds are eventually fatal injuries, but the small caliber is buying time for the bad guy.

Maybe if we had as many body cam vids in the 40 cal days it would be the same. I don't know. But I do see that 9mm is like that bad dream you have where your punches don't hurt your attacker.