.40S&W Why the haters?

In comparison to both 9mm and .45ACP, the .40 S&W is:
1. More expensive
2. Louder
3. Has a snappier recoil
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I'm sorry, but I disagree.

1. No way .40 is more expensive than .45. .40 is usualy AT LEAST 25% cheaper than .45, usually 30-50%. It also seems to be more easily available then both 9mm and .45 because local law enforcement agencies use it in their issued weapons.

2. Show me some data that says .40 is louder than both 9mm and .45. Most .40 loads are subsonic, so I highly doubt they're louder than 9mm. Either way, there probably isn't much audible difference between the 3, especially if you give all of them a 5" 1911 type barrel.

3. Put .40 S&W in a gun that weighs the the same as a typical .45 and the .40 is no worse.

I'm a fan of the .40 Strong & Wonderful, and except for .22lr, all my semi-auto handguns are chambered in it. In my opinion, it combines the best elements of the 9mm and .45 ACP.

Most of the hating comes from 1911 loving .45 fanbois who like to brow beat everyone with a false sense of superiority. I wouldn't worry too much about them. .40 Strong & Wonderful for eveyone :D
 
I have always liked my HK USP Compact in the .40 S&W. Compromise was the word for me as well, I didn't care for the lack of knockdown power that the 9mm has (comparatively speaking) but I liked the increased mag capacity that the .40 had over the .45.
I shoot the HK USP Compact .40 well and it feels nice to me. It works for me and I am happy with it.
Inevitably, what it comes down to is that I am the most important person to me when it comes to shooting my gun. As it should be for everyone else. Whatever works best for you and your needs is what you should go with.
 
*Sigh*

I knew I just should have avoided this thread.
I posted honest answers for why I personally don't like the cartridge. Now the fans are hating the hater.

Yes, .45 is more $$ than .40 now, but prior to the past couple of years WWB .40 was more expensive than either 9mm or .45

I have never measured the decibels, but the .40 is a very high pressure cartridge. Every person I have ever shot with agrees with me that .40 is louder. If you can show me data that say that .40 is not louder than the other two, then I will concede the point. Until then, I will maintain that it is louder.

The same high pressure that gives you a fast bullet and a loud bang also give a sharp pulse of recoil. I have fired HK, Sig, Glock etc. guns of similar size but differing calibers and the .40 is always snappier than the 9 or 45. The 9 is a small quick pop, the 45 is a bigger slower push, and the 40 is a bigger snap. It has less push than 45 but more snap than 9.

You can agree with me or not. Those are my impressions or the cartridge. If you like it, then by all means enjoy it.
 
I like 40 S&W. It's derided as a compromise but IMO it's a good compromise. More rounds in the mag than 45acp. Harder hitting than 9mm. What's not to like. I have a Sigma 40ve and a 4046 third generation Smith and Wesson on the way. I have four or five 9's and will eventually have more 40 caliber weapons. I like them.
 
Most of the hating comes from 1911 loving .45 fanbois
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Now that you've mentioned it, most of the .40 s&w complaints do come from 1911 lovers. I wouldn't go so far as to use the word "fanboi", since it can be construed as combative or insulting. Especially on this board. But I have noticed that at anyrate.

Just to beat off the dogs.... I like the 1911's myself. I'm just not a major ballistics or caliber specific nut.
 
".40S&W Why the haters?"

Because it fills the basic need that some people have to hate something, anything, they can while allowing them to posture, gesticulate, thump their chests, and spout "knowingly"?
 
I see there is a love hate relationship going on here.Either you hate it or you love it,i'm on the love side my self.


Isn't there about as much recoil say in a .357 or even a snubbie .38.Come now shouldn't recoil be reserved for say the .44 mag and up.

Just say what i say,i love this round and i don't like that one.Personally i'm not fond of the .45 or 9mm,and yep i've shot both and more.Though i will have to admit until recently i have been in love with the .40,till i bought my .357 sig.:eek:
 
It has a snappy/heavy recoil? Guess I didn’t notice that with my 0.40S&W full size, steel frame, 38 pound, Baby Eagle.
 
Now that you've mentioned it, most of the .40 s&w complaints do come from 1911 lovers. I wouldn't go so far as to use the word "fanboi", since it can be construed as combative or insulting. Especially on this board. But I have noticed that at anyrate.

Just to beat off the dogs.... I like the 1911's myself. I'm just not a major ballistics or caliber specific nut.
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Hey I respect the 1911 too. In fact, I would like to own one eventually.....in .40 S&W :D
 
My only problem is that, for the .40S&W to function to specifications, it has to be loaded to the ragged edge of its upper pressure limit. Hence, the KABOOMS in guns without fully-supported barrels. The 9mm and .45ACP don't have to be loaded to that extreme pressure to function well....and have far fewer KABOOMS...

serf 'rett said:
Guess I didn’t notice that with my 0.40S&W full size, steel frame, 38 pound, Baby Eagle.
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That must make your SmartCarry a bit uncomfortable.... :D
 
40/45 Both Good

I like the .40, I like the .45. I have several pistols that shoot .40 cal and have never had a problem. I also like to shoot the .45, not necesarrily a 1911. I really don't understand the rancor on either side.:confused:
 
I love the .40. My XD40 was one of the most accurate stock handguns I've ever owned. But I got tired of maintaining ammo in another caliber just for one gun so I sold it. Great gun though.
 
Well I never let fear nor common sense stop me from doing what I believe in, I have been on the 40S&W bandwagon since day one. I bought one of the first bunch of Smith's to hit my local shop and have bought many since and all were and have been good to excellent guns. I can honestly say I never bought a 40cal pistol that malfunctioned, wish I could say that about other calibers. I realize it has to do with Q/C and design, and I have been very lucky considering how many I have bought.


The forty is not the holy grail of calibers or the magic round. The forty offers between a 9mm and a 45acp with a little more power than the 9mm and usually more capacity than the 45acp. Also right now 40 ammo has been the only one available at my local Walmart out of 380,9mm,40S&W and 45acp. The available 40 has been 180gr FMJ Federal only. I have not heard anyone in my area say anything bad about the 40S&W round, matter of fact the guns chambered in forty sell as well if not better than the 9mm guns.
 
Always interesting to get other peoples ideas and preferences just to weight what they have to say. However, when it comes to personal protection and my CCW, I go with what makes me feel good, not the other guy. No offense you "other guys." I too, value your ideas and insights and I have indeed learned a lot from these forums.

If one does what he does to please his family and friends, he becomes merely a reflection of them and his own self gets lost. I hold my ground and would respectfully say, do what feels right for you. I have weapons of almost every caliber and I am very partial to the .45 ACP as you may have read in some of my prior posts that I prefer to have my gun go BOOM instead of pop. I have a H & K USP Compact LEM chambered in .40 S&W. I love that gun for protection. It carries a powerful wallop and the capacity for firepower is 13+1. If I can't stop the threat with that, then I am in dire need of an AR-15 which means I am where I shouldn't have been in the first place. So yes, I will use a .40 caliber weapon and back that up with my model 36 Glock. It's a win, win combination.
 
I like the .40

I have a Sig 229 with a .357 and .40 bbl. Great shooter, great fun.

I carry a Kahr PM40 which is easily concealed and packs a punch. Personally I have no issues with recoil up to hot .44 mag loads, which are also fun, just in lower quantities.

I enjoy reloading the .40. Works great with Power Pistol.
 
recoil

This recoil issue is interesting.
I have fired 9mm, .38 Super, .40 S&W, 10mm and .45 out of 1911 pattern pistols and in all the cases thought the recoil actually wasn't too bad at all, I have been pleasantly surprised about how moderate the recoil is. Particularly actually with the .45, that had a very nice "push" rather than a "snap".
Interestingly, my major power IPSIC gun in .38 Super has been the snappiest of the lot. Significantly more than the .40S&W that I have fired as it happens, although it is very hard to know to what extent that is due to variables of handloading.
The one place I did notice the whole snappy recoil thing where I sat up and took notice though was in shooting a tupperware gun. As it happens it was a Glock in 9mm. I have nothing against Glocks, I enjoyed shooting it and was pleased with its accuracy too (albeit the trigger was a bit hard to love).
But after reading a lot from people about how this round is more snappy that another, and from my experience, I have started to wonder whether it is less about the round and more about the gun.
My experience was that - in a 1911 pattern gun - after the .45 round, the .40S&W was the nicest softest to shoot.

The caveat I will add to this is that I AM talking about custom guns that were used for IPSIC.
 
When I began shooting there was no such thing as the S&W .40. In semi-autos, you had to choose between .9mm or .45 acp, or semi-exotics like the .38 super.

I like the .40 because it has a lot of power and works in the guns I prefer, like the Walther PPS and P99, XDm, etc. And I love a round with recoil - it give me a sense of security.

But I REALLY love a .44 revolver with a 240 grain bullet traveling at 900 FPS.
 
I knew I just should have avoided this thread.
I posted honest answers for why I personally don't like the cartridge. Now the fans are hating the hater.
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Maybe because you posted a falsehood that the .40SW was more expensive than the .45ACP. You asserted yourself of this notion without any other clarification. All I see is fellow members challenging your statement.

Yes, .45 is more $$ than .40 now, but prior to the past couple of years WWB .40 was more expensive than either 9mm or .45
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And if you would have stated this fromt the get-go, then your false statement probably wouldn't have been challenged.
 
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