Why are so many people switching away from the .40cal pistols?

[Leo]

When I started any serious pistol purchase was a Revolver or a 1911. The majority of 9mm were imported junky stuff, old war stuff (from the side that lost) or a Browning High Power for the more eccentric. I was a late comer to the .40 S&W. Most of the early offerings were glocks with serious design defects. Urban legion was it was because of the round having super high pressure. Once other makes were available, the .40 round no longer was difficult to handle. I bought a couple of metal framed .40 pistols to get a major power factor round and the extra capacity. They have never given me a moments problem.

I have found that from a reloading point of view, the .40 can be just a versatile as about any round out there. From 135 grain powder puff target loads to 180 grain max velocity, the round performs fine. It is my opinion that if the original 1911 was chambered for .40 S&W, we would consider it America's classic round. For a reloader, the price of reloading 9mm, .40, .38spl, or .45acp is essentially the same.

In an equal comparison, like maybe Winchester Ranger 9mm vs. Winchester Ranger .40 S&W, the .40 is still more. Does the average shooter need the extra? That could be debated. The round itself has no defect. For a shooter that does not have the need or desire for the additional muzzle energy, the additional cost is pretty significant. That is the only real drawback I can see.

 

[88E30M50]

Might be that once in a while the FBI gets something right.

The reduced recoil of the 9mm typically results in improved proficiency for most shooters. Advancements in bullet technology allow the 9mm to reach acceptable performance standards which it used to struggle to attain.

Might just be that simple.

I'm still into .40 and prefer it or .45 for winter carry. That said, I think Phylodog is pretty much spot on. The 9mm has gotten better and is now good enough. Couple that with the lower costs and improved scores seen when departments move in that direction, and it makes a lot of sense for large agency's to move down to a 9mm standard. With a 9mm pistol, you gain control and capacity. I may stray from .40 eventually, but for now, I like the .40 for HD and winter carry.

BTW, every handgun caliber is a compromise. In some ways, .40 is the non-compromise caliber when compared to .45 or 9mm. 9mm gives up barrier penetration capability for control and capacity. .45 gives up capacity for barrier performance and control. The .40 sits between the two and gives up very little of any measure in the right gun. But, carry what you shoot best and don't worry about what others think when it comes to caliber debates. Choosing a caliber is like choosing a spouse. What makes sense to one person may be a terrible fit for another.

 

[gregkl]

BTW, every handgun caliber is a compromise.

And when you think of the power of a handgun, some seem like they pack a punch because they are in a small package. Ever shoot a .44 magnum cartridge out of a hunting rifle? Pretty tame.

Not that I would be happy getting shot with anything.

 

[TKDMaster10]

9mm is cheaper and nowadays does almost the exact same thing a .40 does.

 

[awames76]

I went with 9 because of cost of ammo as im new to hand guns, wife was thinking of a 380 i said get a 9 so we only have one kind. And 380 are alot more expensive.

 

[WebSnyper]

/thread.

I started with 40 in the early 90s because it was slightly hotter than a 45, I could get a couple more rounds in the gun, and it had a flatter trajectory than a 45. It was like a 45, only better.

I have since seen the light of the new tech and ditched my 40s.

(well, except my Colt45 and Olde English 1800 )

Pretty much my path. I started with 357 magnum revolvers, went to 45, decided gun size was a bit of an issue, went to .40, and decided I shoot 9mm better. Stayed Glock for everything post the revolver era, and consolidated calibers each time.

Did IMPD not just switch to the "Gen 5" Glocks the FBI is getting (because Glock screwed over Sig like they did Smith and Wesson over the 40 again)

And I believe ISP uses Sig P227's in 45

Just curious, how did Glock screw over Sig or S&W? I'm guessing something to do with the 357 Sig and the 40 S&W rounds?

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Seems like there are a ton of LE trade-in .40cals on the market cheap. Many departments switching from .40 back to 9mm and/or .45 ACP. Am I missing something?

Lots of good answers already. A certain amount of faddish-ness, advancement in bullet technology, lower cost, easier to shoot, and easier on equipment. Unless you work around cars a lot, there's not a strong argument for the .40 any longer, although institutional testing still tends to show that .40 retains it's edge in that arena.

Really, it's splitting hairs. What one does slightly better, the other does slightly worse. Key on slightly. The differences are fairly minute.

Longevity? Sure, but very very very few people shoot enough to wear a gun out. If you're honestly going to put 10s of thousands of rounds through a gun, legitimate concern. If you're not, non-issue.

Penetration and expansion? Minute differences, assuming modern HP ammo. If I was stuck using ball for some reason, I could probably make a better case for the .40.

Cost? There's your real difference, particularly for the institutional buyer looking at the cost of hundreds of thousands of rounds. Big gains, there. For the guy who shoots a box every few weeks? Maybe not so much.

In the end, I'll shoot whatever my employer lets me practice with for free. That's now 9mm. If I have to roll my own, it's .45. Primarily because I like loading it more, bigger components are easier to handle, and I've loaded .45 since 2000 so my logistics are heavily geared toward .45 and revolver cartridges.

 

[Twangbanger]

Here's a .40 fan who is happy the "shiny object" people continue to trend away from the caliber (the bearded-tatted internet guys who gave them permission to sell their guns did me a favor). Bullets / brass / ammo seem to have decent availability, and it's a good general caliber that does what I need it to. I find it easier to reload, of late, than either 9mm or .45. I can load it up to Major or down to Minor power factor with equal ease, and my chamber-check failure rates with this round are lower than for other calibers. I was never too excited about reloading the tapered case of 9mms, and the .45 small / large primer situation has made that caliber more problematic lately, too. The 40 is straight-walled, only uses small primers, and is only seriously used in North America, so I haven't found a problem with brass variation from a plethora of factories around the world like in other calibers.

I also suspect that with the increased popularity of concealed carry, people are finding they can't hit *** with their small guns. I'm hoping/assuming new shooters are finding practice is more important than what caliber you carry, accuracy is king, and if they can't do it with a 9, they have no business looking for anything bigger. Purely speculation though.

Either that...or they're all chasing the shiny object the other direction and switching to 10mm...

 

[Amishman44]

The .40 is a dead, obsolete caliber. Just kidding.

With the advancements in bullet technology, the 9mm does everything the .40 does but with less recoil, meaning faster follow up shots, higher capacity and cheaper on the tax payers.

The .40 also appears to be a bit 'harsher' on the polymer pistol frames...with more cracking and fracturing of the frames at the stress points.

Although I personally prefer the .45 acp caliber, I still prefer the .40 over the 9mm and won't be selling either of my .40's any time soon!

 

[BehindBlueI's]

the .45 small / large primer situation has made that caliber more problematic lately, too.

Whoever came up with that idea needs punched in the giblets. Repeatedly.

 

[markiemark]

I'm the owner of a few .40s and plan to be for awhile. I have all the reloading supplies needed and found some good recipes to compromise speed vs energy. I think there is quite a bit of flexibility especially if you hand load for the round. I don't think it's fallen out of favoritism but doesn't fall into the current trend of micro pistols.

 

[Birds Away]

Gun owners, like everyone else, are pretty fickle.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Gun owners, like everyone else, are pretty fickle.

Well, we didn't use to be. Then we were. Then we weren't again. Then we were.

 

[rugertoter]

I don't own any .40's anymore, but there was a time when I did. You have to admit though, it is a fairly powerful pistol round that carries good muzzle energy.

 

[Mgderf]

I am of the mindset that variety is the spice of life.
I only own 1 .40, but I like it a LOT, and I shoot it well.
Mine is a IWI "Baby Eagle" with a steel frame.
It's a great firearm, and the recoil is minimal with the heft of the frame and slide. Yes, it's a bit heavy, but I'll take the weight.
I just don't get along well with polymer frames. I've tried, they're just not my cup of tea.
I won't be getting rid of my .40 anytime soon.

 

[seldon14]

I still have a .40 and carry it in the winter. The same advancements in technology that improve the 9 and .45 also improve the fotay. I won't be parting with mine.

It doesn't really work that way though. If you need a 10 foot ladder, a 20 foot isn't going to be an "improvment."

 

[Leo]

I only own 1 .40, but I like it a LOT, and I shoot it well.
Mine is a IWI "Baby Eagle" with a steel frame.
It's a great firearm, and the recoil is minimal with the heft of the frame and slide.

Those are great pistols, you don't see a lot of them.

 

[blakeelee]

well 40 caliber glocks wear out quicker. they were built around the 9mm. Once they decided to make a 40 they just threw a bigger barrel in. A lot of departments are switching for that reason.

People also tend to shoot 9mm better. 40 is also pretty snappy for what it is. I feel like you dont get back in ballistics what you sacrifice in recoil.

Also, james yeager did a video that went viral. convinced a lot of people i guess.

 

[NKBJ]

.40 bore is like what Goldilocks said, "Just right!"

 

[Leo]

.40 bore is like what Goldilocks said, "Just right!"

+1