vox rationis
New member
I agree, I think that was just a bit of anti .40 wishful thinking
Which calibers have been gaining and which have been waning?
- Thread starter Playboypenguin
- Start date
I agree, I think that was just a bit of anti .40 wishful thinking
I also agree. The .40 continues to grow in popularity. Look for it to make inroads into more and more government contracts.
"In fact, the Coast Guard in the last 3 or 4 years became the 1st branch of the military to issue .40 as the standard service cartridge."
I predict it will not remain the only one.
"In fact, the Coast Guard in the last 3 or 4 years became the 1st branch of the military to issue .40 as the standard service cartridge."
I predict it will not remain the only one.
ActivShootr
New member
I too, think the .40s&w is gaining a little. In fact, a local PD is switching from 10mm to .40 because of ammo availability and cost.
Ya think?Son Of Vlad Tepes wrote:
I agree, I think that was just a bit of anti .40 wishful thinking
Don't know about the rest of the world, but most guys I know are mostly shooting 9mm for competition, but mostly carrying .40 S&W or .45 ACP for SD most times. (Note there are a lot of "most"s in there. Of course there are exceptions.) Haven't really been keeping track, but, last I was, seemed most LE around here was carrying .40 S&W. (Main exception being my county's Sheriff's Dept.) Doesn't look to me like the .40 S&W is going away anytime soon.
I'm full time LEO. 40 S&W is now pretty much the standard police caliber now amonst the agencies I work with, 40 or so different departments.
BUT...our local sheriff changed from 40 S&W to 45ACP after one of his deputies had to shoot a deranged person that had taken away another deputy's gun. The 40 did not get the job done as well as the sherrif liked, so they "upgraded".
After the sheriff's dept changed from the Glock 40 to the Sig 220, their average handgun qualification scores went down, according to the head firearms instructor.
BUT...our local sheriff changed from 40 S&W to 45ACP after one of his deputies had to shoot a deranged person that had taken away another deputy's gun. The 40 did not get the job done as well as the sherrif liked, so they "upgraded".
After the sheriff's dept changed from the Glock 40 to the Sig 220, their average handgun qualification scores went down, according to the head firearms instructor.
Father Time
New member
My local PD has .40 cal glocks on their hips...
Lots if diffrent ammo in .40 at my local stores and shops...
A .40 in my nightstand...
Id say its popular
Lots if diffrent ammo in .40 at my local stores and shops...
A .40 in my nightstand...
Id say its popular
Shane Tuttle
Staff
NRAhab said:
I'd definitely have to jump on the bandwagon with NRAhab and state the .40SW has gained popularity.
To provide an example as PBP would want, the Springfield EMP came out in the .40SW not too long after the 9mm version. Their XDm, IIRC, came out in .40SW first, then the 9mm. Either way, if the .40SW was waning, why would a company put out products that was chambered in .40SW in it's early stages?
Cartridges going downhill? Arguably, the .357Sig has lost some steam. I personally hope it's temporary. I'd like to get a gun chambered in it and play with reloading recipes.
The .45GAP isn't going downhill....it went base-jumping.
The .45ACP has been waning a bit, but isn't going anywhere. I'm speculating based on ammo cost and more people are spending money on pocket pistols recently.
LightningJoe
New member
I would think that any centerfire smaller than .380 is waning due to the Kel-Tec .380 and its knock-offs.
How things will go from now on may be different from the previous 15 years due to the credit crunch/global financial decline. With less money sloshing around, some of the less common calibers may become unsupportable (the .327 Magnum and similar great ideas).
How things will go from now on may be different from the previous 15 years due to the credit crunch/global financial decline. With less money sloshing around, some of the less common calibers may become unsupportable (the .327 Magnum and similar great ideas).
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vox rationis
New member
OK, here's one that is waning so bad that it never even got started: The .327 Federal Magnum! Talk about a solution to a non-existent problem? Was there a huge vacuum for a .32 caliber magnum?!
Or am I wrong?
Or am I wrong?
ActivShootr
New member
I agree. I think the .41 will always be around in some way.
By the way, S&W still offers the caliber in their models 57,58, and 357.
Over the lifecycle of a particular round, most will peak and then start to die off. At which time a magazine writer will pull out his trusty example, let loose a few rounds, and extol about its benefits to which the reading public will respond and start the trend back up again.
The most popular rounds of late have been the really esoteric wildcat stuff. Instant prowess will be gained by the pseudo gamemaster who pulls out a Roberts and lets go of a few rounds at the local range.
The most popular rounds of late have been the really esoteric wildcat stuff. Instant prowess will be gained by the pseudo gamemaster who pulls out a Roberts and lets go of a few rounds at the local range.
One thing to consider would be regional preferences/differences. I live in a Midwest state. In my view I would say that .32 ACP and .40 S&W are both on the decline. Most shops here keep very little .32 ACP on hand as it does not sell and there seems to be little demand. I have also noticed that a few shops here have been sitting on some Kel Tec P 32's for sometime now while they are unable to keep any (pick a manufacturer) .380 in stock. As for .40 S&W I am finding Wal Mart, Sportman's Warehouse, Cabela's, private businesses and what not have a glut of inventory. They'll be completely, or nearly so, sold out of every other caliber but they will have plenty of .40 S&W on the shelf. My two favorite shops, both of which have been having trouble keeping any inventory since the election, are sitting on a lot of new and used .40 S&W caliber pistols while all other calibers fly right off the shelf as quick as they come in. Are my observations absolutes? No. This is what I am seeing.
goldfacade
New member
I agree that hte 40 isnt going anywhere. People who call it the "short n weak" are showing their bias. It isnt my favorite caliber but data points to all the service calibers being roughly equal.
I disagree with the 327 mag being useless, when i think about handgun hunting, personal defense, ammo availability, time tested and proven I naturally think if the 327 Fed.....never mind I never think of the 327
I disagree with the 327 mag being useless, when i think about handgun hunting, personal defense, ammo availability, time tested and proven I naturally think if the 327 Fed.....never mind I never think of the 327
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Speaking of the "waning" .40 (note - not waning) this is probably one of my favorite graphics of all time.
If you look at the wound cavity and penetration from the 180 grain .40, it's almost exactly the same as wound cavity from the 230 grain .45 ACP. And the lowly 9mm in 147 grain flavor had the deepest penetration of all the rounds tested.
If you look at the wound cavity and penetration from the 180 grain .40, it's almost exactly the same as wound cavity from the 230 grain .45 ACP. And the lowly 9mm in 147 grain flavor had the deepest penetration of all the rounds tested.
Mark Milton
Moderator
I have noticed the 10mm and the .41 magnum are getting popular again.
I think its because there is a certain faction of shooters who have been around the block , witnessed the elephant and realize what great ideas these rounds were when executed.
Also the whole "S&W don't make it no more" factor has come into play and now we find .41s and 10s going for a lions share on the used circuit....
I think the popularity with .380s and .38 snubs is just the CCW market broadening out. Some people who try to go the full size 1911 route for concealed carry soon find themselves looking longingly and lovingly at pocket pistols.
Anybody who is keen on the .40 short and wimpy has never witnessed the aftermath of a shooting with one.
In my area where we have had numerous one shot stops with .45, .44 spl, .357 and 9mm we have yet to witness a single .40 caliber stopping power success. This includes LEO shootings and shootings where civillians shot each other or themselves.
If you depend on this worthless caliber, you might find out the hard way that trendy can get you killed.
But if you just cannot abide the voice of reason and just have to be trendy, look into a steel framed .40 caliber instead of plastic. That way, after you have shot somebody 11 times and he is still fighting, you can have a heavy, blunt object to hit him with.
I think its because there is a certain faction of shooters who have been around the block , witnessed the elephant and realize what great ideas these rounds were when executed.
Also the whole "S&W don't make it no more" factor has come into play and now we find .41s and 10s going for a lions share on the used circuit....
I think the popularity with .380s and .38 snubs is just the CCW market broadening out. Some people who try to go the full size 1911 route for concealed carry soon find themselves looking longingly and lovingly at pocket pistols.
Anybody who is keen on the .40 short and wimpy has never witnessed the aftermath of a shooting with one.
In my area where we have had numerous one shot stops with .45, .44 spl, .357 and 9mm we have yet to witness a single .40 caliber stopping power success. This includes LEO shootings and shootings where civillians shot each other or themselves.
If you depend on this worthless caliber, you might find out the hard way that trendy can get you killed.
But if you just cannot abide the voice of reason and just have to be trendy, look into a steel framed .40 caliber instead of plastic. That way, after you have shot somebody 11 times and he is still fighting, you can have a heavy, blunt object to hit him with.
A good chunk of the country's population lives in states with magazine bans, which might explain it. If you can only have ten rounds, you might as well make them the most powerful rounds you can get.
IMO, .38 super is also a good caliber for those who live in states with magazine bans. I'm surprised that it didn't make a big comeback during the federal ban. There's little real world data on it's performance, but judging by the ballistics numbers, it should be as effective a stopper as the big three (.40 S&W, .45 ACP and .357 magnum.)