m&p40- Everyone loves it here so I’ll take their word for it since this is a pretty knowledgeable group. i Had an m&pC and was not impressed but I imagine the full size is another animal
Sig P229- formally owned 3. In my experience it was built around the 40 and had the weight to handle it. Too bad sig has supposed issues my best shooting buddy just got a P229 Elite and I have to say it has been awesome for the first 600-800 rnds. Many would agree the 228 in 9mm was even better.
HK USP- the first 40s&w gun right?
HK P30/P2000- own both and P2000sk is also nice.
Glock 22/23- formally owned: 2nd gen G22, 3rd gem G23. The 23 was a beast (like the 19) 13 for carry 15 and some extra grip for HD.
I also have owned a beretta 96, and a Waltier PPS in 40 and thought it was a nice little powerhouse…i looked in to the walther P99 but decided to pass and always wanted to try the BHP in either 9 or 40.
Your memory serves you right. Glock was the first to market with the .40 Smith and Wesson. Im sure there were some execs at S&W who felt like this :shout: when it happened.
if i had to go 40 cal it would either be a USP/p30/p2000 or a smith m&p 40…
those are some of the few pistols truly designed for the cartridge… Seems a lot of 40’s are just bored out 9mm’s… perhaps that’s why 40 gets a rep as a “snappy” unpleasant to shoot round…
i can’t comment on the sig, but given recent sig quality… i’d have to pass.
I would say the Gen4 G22/G23 is a better .40 platform than the previous Gen’s. On the Gen4 G23 (now has just over 1k rounds on it), recoil has some snap taken out of it, and the new texture/slightly smaller frame really works for me. Being a former owner of a Gen3 G22 and having opportunities to shoot a Gen2 and Gen3 G23 frequently, I do think the Gen4 Glock .40’s rachet up Glock .40 performance a bit. I prefer the handling of the Gen4 G23 to the M&P40 that I also own.
Having owned the Sig 229 DAK, M&P 40, both gen 3 and 4 of the G22 & 23 i can summarize this way: 229 is or seems heaviest and because of that handles the 40 S&W best in terms of recoil but difficult trigger compared to the others. The M&P; best ergos and handles recoil very well but trigger is odd in its original configuration. Glock; handles recoil well (in the Gen4 iteration) and best trigger of the group.
I know everyone loves the m&p but the only way I will ever own one is if it’s free. My brother and our academy classmate had nothing but problems with them. My brother sents his back to s&w, he shot it and had 1 malfunction out of 100 rounds since getting back. Both have since switched to glocks with zero malfunctions. As a duty or edc I will never trust a m&p. I carry a XD on and off duty but may switch to a gen 4 glock 22.
You have just let an experiment with an N of 1 cause you to loose faith in a platform that has demonstrated a track record of reliability when tested in large numbers.
Although I can’t comment too much about the .40 due to my limited experience, I wish to chime in none the less.
I had a Sig P229 for a while but didn’t like it much. I felt it was to heavy for what it was. I have a USP Compact and it’s ok. Much better than the P229. But I really love my P2000. Some day I’d like to try an M&P but for now it looks like I should throw a 4006 into the collection!
It has not demonstrated a track record of reliability in front of my eyes. I’ve seen the weapons fail over and over right next to me at the range, not some screen name posting on the internet. Even if it was an N of 1, it’s my life that is on the line. Being a LEO my chances of being in a shooting is ten fold greater than that of average Joe ccw’er. I refuse to put my life in the hands of something that I have seen fail numerous times, but that’s me.
I have to agree, the .40S&W HK P2000 is one of my favorite pistols and it is superb .40 pistol.
The M&P40 is my top choice for a .40 pistol.
Would love to get my hands on the new CHP S&W 4006 with the integral rail.
This is the reason I chose the M&P in 40. And when I decide on a Glock, it will be a 9mm. This logic holds true for a lot of other things: the AR was designed to be DI, the 1911 in .45, etc.
I carry the HK USPc in .40 and the HK P2000SK as a BUG or PC weapon. Love them both. Would like the P30 in .40S&W instead of the USPc for the updated ergos but I have a limited list to work from.
Although reliable and durable for its day, except for nostalgia or if issued by your agency, there is no longer any reason to use a 4006 as it is a difficult to service, unergonomic, low mag capacity, heavy pistol that has been far surpassed by the M&P40.
The 4006 was the first gun I was ever issued. I hated it when I carried it but I wish I would have bought it when I had the chance. I always shot great with it but there are much better options now.