Is the 40 done?

[Cosmodragoon]

Which is exactly the environment where the 10mm G29 & the .45acp G30 shine.

I've got friends and family in states with magazine restrictions. It definitely seems to promote larger caliber semi-autos. I don't know anyone who uses 10mm for normal EDC but I know a few people who have switched to .40 or .45 in those states. I've also seen a few people switch to revolvers.

Magazine restrictions change the carry choice equation for a lot of people. For me, I don't know... For guns small enough to keep under the limit anyway, I'm still going to choose 9mm because it is a small gun. For guns big enough to be comfortable shooting .40 S&W, I'm going to choose .40 anyway. Versus .45 acp, I'm going to choose .40 S&W in pretty much all cases, even if it means sacrificing down to a compliant magazine. If we got hit with something truly ridiculous like a 7-round limit, I'd probably just carry a revolver all the time.

 

[Nanuk]

I hope not.... I just bought another one.

 

[Bongo Boy]

All I know, or care about, is that I have enough 40SW brass and cast bullets to last me until about 2080, and it costs me about 0.05 a round to shoot, if that. One third the cost of .22LR just a few years back, so that's what I shot a lot of.

It is not one of my favorites to handload, though--a little small for my crude uncoordinated fingers. Now that I shoot far less than I once did, 40SW doesn't hold much advantage over anything else on the shelf, and 44 Mag is way more fun for me. A real melon-buster, that one. But when shooting IDPA, 40SW was a great choice for me--brass for next to nothing shipped to the door by the freight container, loaded up just enough to extract and eject--good times.

But, I sure am surprised the OP saw no handguns in that caliber. Very surprised. It's been many years since I've been to a show, but still, I'd have guessed that about 20% of all auto pistols would be 40SW. Guess I'm just not keeping up!

 

[mr bolo]

another thing to consider is firing without hearing protection, because thats how you will be using your pistol in a self defense situation

firing a full powered .40 or 10mm in a confined space is going to be deafening to the ears

 

[cslinger]

firing a full powered .40 or 10mm in a confined space is going to be deafening to the ears

Firing ANY martial level cartridge will be. Is there a difference between .357 magnum and 9mm. Absolutely. That said either is not pleasant and long term damaging to hearing.

No dog in the caliber fight per say but don’t think there will be a radical difference in sound signature as you hear it. You will damage your hearing. You will likely never hear the shots fired.

Again this goes for 9,40,45, etc. etc. etc.

I now return you to your regularly scheduled caliber debate.

 

[cslinger]

Paul Harrell is confirmation bias in YouTube form. Practically every comment is people thanking him for confirming what they already believed. Now maybe some other YouTubers are the same way but for say ballistics gel. I accept that. But I can't look at Paul Harrell as impartial, and while no one is truly impartial my impression from watching his videos is that he's very far from.

Like most things in life that aren’t carved in stone......I get a different vibe.

I actually get a vibe that he is most comfortable with a 9mm handgun. I get a vibe that if you looked in his nightstand you’d find a well worn Beretta 92.

That said there are actual ballistic differences in calibers. Do they matter in actual 2 legged threat self defense scenarios? Probably not, especially with modern ammo.

I do like the “meat target” because it does factor in some clothing and skin and bone etc. does it mean that a shooter MUST HAVE A .40/.45/.500 magnum etc.? Of course not.

Use what you shoot well, practice and use whatever gives you a mental benefit as well. 9mm, .40, .45 etc. they all have pros and cons and as I have always said at the end of the day........they are all crappy handgun calibers. Shoot well and shoot LOTS. Anything worth shooting is worth shooting again.....and again....and again. 9mm......40.......45.......357........44.......500 magnum etc.

 

[Forte S+W]

That's something that's always bothered me about people, this strange obsession with carrying "the best" cartridge as if such a thing actually exists and the subsequent argument that what they're carrying is objectively "the best" cartridge by exaggerating the weaknesses of other cartridges.

While Paul Harrell is by no means perfect and definitely has some biased behind some of his opinions, he still manages to remain impartial when comparing cartridges in most cases by ultimately leaving the decision of which is best up to the viewer, hence "You be the judge" practically becoming his catch-phrase.

Personally, in warm weather I carry a Ruger LCP in .380 ACP, in colder weather I carry a S&W SW40VE in .40 S&W, but make no claims that either is "the best" firearm/cartridge for anything in particular. I carry them because they work for me, best suiting my individual needs. The Ruger LCP was chosen because I needed something lightweight that I could carry all day, anywhere I went, in any weather, regardless of attire. The SW40VE was chosen because I happened upon one in my LGS for $199 in like new condition and it felt good in my hand. I was actually planning on buying a Ruger SR40c, but it would have cost me $349 and was only a couple ounces lighter in weight. Why .40 S&W over 9mm Luger? Because the supposedly astronomical price difference is between 6¢ to 11¢ per round locally and I feel more confident carrying a .40 than a 9mm due to the fact that the area I live in also includes some mid-size predatory animals which by all accounts are more susceptible to larger caliber bullets of heavier weight.