9mm vs. .40 s&w Which would you carry and why?

U

ultrastar

New member
I'm debating on which caliber to get. I use the Beretta M9 (9mm) at work and I own two 9mm pistols but I was thinking about going with the .40 s&w for my next gun. What are the pros and cons between the two.
 
Either is going to do about as well as the other in practical terms, but I would go with 9mm, mainly because I dont want the logistical problem of keeping another caliber of ammo around. 9mm ammo is also more available, and less expensive.

If you want something bigger than a 9mm, why not move all the way up to 45?
 
The .40 is a good cartridge, but I would rather just move up to the .45.

I've owned 3 .40's...a G27, HK USP Compact and a Sig P239. All were ok pistols and although the Glock was the smallest, it was the most accurate of the trio. Go figure.

I just don't care for the recoil characteristics of the .40. Plus I haven't found a .40 that will live up to my accuracy expectations quite yet.

Besides, every American should own a good ol .45 Auto!:D

Good Shooting
RED
 
I have both a 9mm and .40s&W in essentially the same frames, difference is 9mm is ploymer and 40S&W is alloy. With the exception of the frame material, all other features are identical.

Initially I had some problems coming to grips with the .40. After much practice, I have come to prefer it to the 9mm for shooting. Just personal bias.

Pros of the 9mm is a less recoil/muzzle flip, less expensive ammo and 15 round magazines are still available for it. Pros of the .40 is a harder hitting round, and it's perceived as a hair more macho.

I didn't pursue a .45 because energy expended on impact is almost identical as the .40, but ammo is more expensive for the .45. It's a good cartridge, but I just decided to go with the .40, mainly due to experiences with the .45 in the military.

You can't go wrong with any of the three calibers. If you can rent or borrow a .40 that you're interested in, then do so and evaluate it before buying. It does have a significantly sharper recoil/muzzle flip than the 9mm.
 
With a 9mm, you will be able to shoot more because the 9mm costs less, and you can get some good deals on surplus 9mm ammo.

If you practice more often, you will be a better shooter, and more likely to place your shots.

Shot placement is much more important than the power difference between 9mm and .40 S&W.
 
Its a trade off. The 40 has up to 25% more FPE than the hottest 9mm, thats alot! Capacity is usually reduced for the 40 over the 9mm, this is not really a big issue though. Ammo cost is a BIG difference...my 40 is usually twice the $ of the 9mm. Availability isnt an issue..you can get both.

Personally the 40 is my favorite CCW round. It has the best of the 9mm and the 45 acp. In my opinion maybe the best. Its close ballistically to the 357 SIG, bigger than the 9mm and faster than a 45. Makes sense to me..

Shoot well
 
When my 45ACP is cumbersome, I like my 40 !!!!

Never did care for the 9mm's for some reason, I know they are adequate, I just don't get excited by them though
 
I never liked the .40 round much until I got a Kahr MK40. The .40 round makes a lot of sense in a sub-compact sized pistol. You can get more power than a 9mm in a package much smaller than a .45.
 
Thanks all

I think I'll stick with the 9mm cause I'm not a big guy and when it comes to recoil (ability for good shot placement- double tap), ammo price, mag capcity (peace of mind) I guess you can't go wrong. Thanks again.
 
With a 9mm, you will be able to shoot more because the 9mm costs less, and you can get some good deals on surplus 9mm ammo.
Click to expand...

I think that's kind of a specious argument ... .40 is not significantly more expensive then 9mm. If the slight cost difference between .40 and 9mm is enough to cause you to shoot the .40 a lot less then you really need to look at a .22lr.

I like my .40 but if you are sensitive to recoil you're better off with the 9mm (actually I find the recoil of my .40 to be part of what I like about it :p ).
 
I prefer the 9mm and 45 acp over the 40 S&W. That said, in a 9 mm, I carry my 92 Centurion; in 45acp, I carry a USP45. Both tend to be a chore to conceal I must admit, but they are what I amost confident in ;)
I sold off my 40's a couple years ago...they included a G23, Para P-16 and a Beretta 96fs. Of the 3, I liked the Beretta the best. I sold them off to make the transition into the 45 acp guns I have & I learned not to like the 40 S&W round...just me :rolleyes:
Good luck
 
If you have 9mm already, I'd say don't add another ammo type to your closet..

When I looked to buy a gun, I bought the .40 because it's a compromise between the 9mm and the .45. It hits harder than the 9mm, but more compact than the .45.

BUT, the real reason was::

I wanted a .357Sig!! At the time, my gun of choice (Steyr) was not in a .357Sig (yet), nor could I afford to shoot that round. (I still can't) but when I either get more money or the round becomes really affordable, I will switch to the .357Sig. BUT, it's the fact that shooting a .40SW is more affordable, but I can switch and essentially have 2 guns in one, appeals to me.

I like the .357Sig for it's accuracy, consistancy, reliability of feed etc... and in a 125 grain, it's ballistically like a .357Mag. I have .357Mag revolvers, and I love to have consistancy of predictability in ballistics from all my pistols..
Albert
 
Preferring pocket holster carry over all other forms of toting a handgun around in the Atlanta heat, I prefer the 9mm because it normally fits into a smaller, lighter platform and is easier to handle quick shots. My son owns an H&K .40 USP compact and it is a handful to shoot quick patterns with. Normally, a 9mm gun can accommodate an extra round over the .40 because of the comparative size of the round. The 9mm ammo is cheaper, has more manufacturing choices and is available worldwide. My favorite 9mm round? Why, the CorBon 115 gr Plus-P JHP, of course. My next 9mm? A Kahr, hopefully a new polymer framed model based on the MK9.
 
Something else: many of today's .40's are nothing more than modified 9mm's. That is changing as new models come out.

I really can't see why the FBI didn't choose a .45. I predict you will see things shake out and the .357/.38, .45 and 9mm will remain.

The thing now is that too many big departments have the .40. By the way, what happened to the .357 Sig?
 
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