Pros and cons of 40SW

PAT -

It's a matter of being in the right place at the right time. If you found new FML magazines at $99, you did well. Commercial sources are drying up quickly, and they are demanding a premium price. Probably, if you are living where you have access to major gunshows, it will be easier, but the prices will still be inflated. I just don't see paying $100+ for a $15 magazine.

But probably I just don't see a real need for them. They are nice to have, but I am comfortable enough with ten not to bother. I guess growing up with six or eight helps there--high capacity magazines were never a real a priority for me when they were readily available. I still hung on to my revolvers, single stack nines and Government Models (and I still carry a spare magazine so "I won't have to go home with a empty pistol"). The only real driving factor, to be honest, is that if I have room for them I want them.

For $300, I can buy a lot of practice ammo--including enough premiun carry stuff to get a real feel for how it works in my pistol.
 
Oops!!!!!! I didn't t know about all capital letters.
.40 SW pros and contras
contras
expensive, hard recoil, high chamber pressures, mediocre accuracy, difficult to reload, breaks slides and frames too often.
pros
energy

--355sigfan, of course the 357 sig ¨smokes¨, 38 super auto, so the .44 magnum, .50 action express, .454 casull, etc. But, are they controllable in rapid fire? Do you really need such firepower in a handgun?
Who said: bullet placement, no bullet PERFORMANCE, is the key to stopping power?
:cool:
 
Juan -

In the US, .40 S&W is not all that much more expensive than 9 mm. We can buy 9 mm practice ammo (147-grain FMJ) for the same price we can .40 S&W practice ammo (180-FMJ). Both are $80 for 500 rounds. In the premium stuff, the .40 costs 75 cents more per 50 than the 9 mm. Cost is not a factor.

I would have to go back a check for sure, but I believe it has the same or close to the same SAAMI specs as 9 mm +P. As to it being hard handguns that depends. If you have one of the models designed for the .40 like the Sig P229, it will probably outlast you with good maintenance (clean it, swap the spring occassionally, etc.) In some of the 9 mm "conversions" extra wear and tear may be a factor (but again, probably less than you would experience shooting a steady diet of 9 mm +P+s).

In terms of accuracy, the same applies in that it can be as accurate as any other round in pistols designed for it (again, the P229). I do think the round as a whole had some "teething problems" with resulting less than stellar accuracy when it was introduced, but I believe the ammo makers have perfected the round. I was shooting a P99 about six weeks ago, and it was as accurate as any handgun I have ever shot (and I have shot some very accurate handguns).

It is a straight-walled pistol case. It is no harder to load than any other handgun ammunition (you may have it confused with the 357 Sig which is a "bottle-necked" round and requires a little more work). Probably the major drawback to reloading the .40 is have to check your brass very carefully (particularly if you are reloading ammo that might have been shot originally in a Glock), but to be honest, you should always carefully check all your brass regardless of calibre.

Of all the rounds you were comparing (357 Sig, .44 Magnum, .50 AE, etc.). The only one that has a primary self-defence role is the 357 Sig (though of course, they can all be used with the .38 Super and .44 Magnum being at least somewhat popular in that role). Though it is a little "sanppy" (lot of muzzle flip), depending on the load, the .40 can be a real pussy cat to shoot. The 357 Sig while a littler snappier is not terribly hard to master. The only real argument with the 357 Sig is why bother? --It doesn't really do anything other rounds don't do as good or better (and cheaper). But it is nice to have choices.
 
I have a Glock 23 and love it. I like the .40 cal. That being said, from everything I've been able to ascertain, it is a round which is reportedly capable of quickly generating excessive pressures, particularly with 180 gr. bullets.

ref: http://greent.com/40Page/ scroll down and click on "Why you shouldn't use 180 grain bullets."

Nonetheless, I don't intend to get rid of mine.

I think any caliber in the range from 9x18 through .45ACP is an acceptable self-defense caliber, (in some cases, larger or smaller can do the job too). It is largely a matter of personal preference. Also, get a caliber you can control and feel comfortable with in a firearm which is good solid quality, reliable, accurate, which fits your hand, and with which you are happy.

-10CFR
 
Paul, this is easy! Get your NOSE out of the spec sheets and go shoot two identical pistols in the two calibers. Switch back and forth 10 shots at a time.

Myself, I was "sold" on the .40 on paper & thought it was between a 9mm and 45. Turns out I get shy of it real quick and the more I shoot the bigger my groups. If you leave the 40 out of the quest & choose between 45 and 9mm you will make a much quicker decision.

I found the .40 to have way more muzzle flash, louder & a very "snappy" recoil that made me get jumpy shooting it. Officer size S&W.
My first shooting of a full size 45 about the same time & was told I shot better than anyone my friend had ever taken shooting. I out shot him and he has many years in IPSC, etc. So, a 45 is NOT too much for a beginner. Also, my 12yr old neighbor was shooting at close range with his Walther PP 32auto and the group looked like a shotgun pattern. I handed him my 45 and he had a VERY tight group. Very!

I shot ParaOrdnance same guns in .45, .40, .357sig race gun at the same range visit. The 357 had a red dot scope and porting. The muzzle flash and noise made it as bad as the 40!!!!

Get off the dumb charts and buy a 9mm in a quality gun. Get medium size/weight for concealed or real big for target practice.
Make sure you are VERY happy with the trigger before buying.

ps: I'm somewhat a beginner, sorry if I sound like a "know it all".
 
Sometimes the gun you're interested in can play a part in your decision.

For those of us living in Kali, there are no mags >10 rounds. If you want a full-size SIG you can choose a P226 (9mm or .40/.357) or a P220 (.45). You are forced to choose between:

10+1 rounds of 9mm,
10+1 rounds of .40/.357
or 7-8+1 rounds of .45.

Because the P226 fits me like a glove and had the better trigger and grip angle than the P220, the choice was made (for me). Plus, the extra 2-3 rounds didn't hurt either.

Ultimately, I chose the 10 rounds of .40 over 10 rounds of 9mm.
 
TCW, My 8+1 Kimber frequently sports a 10+1 magazine. Looks & works fine! I have two 8rd mags and two 10rd mags.
 
355sigfan, of course the 357 sig ¨smokes¨, 38 super auto, so the .44 magnum, .50 action express, .454 casull, etc. But, are they controllable in rapid fire? Do you really need such firepower in a handgun?

For me I feel that the 357 sig is a good cartridge that I can shoot very accurately and quickly. The 454 44 and 50 have thier place too in the out doors. My 5 shot 45 colt is almost as powerfull as a 454 and its my companion in bear country.
PAT
 
Mattew,

The aftermarket 10-round mags for the SIG P220s have been proven to be unreliable.

Unreliable=unacceptable.
 
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