.40 cal pistol demand on the decline?

[drdarrin@sbcglobal.net]

Demand on the decline? Maybe. Some of those used guns are police tradins. I doubt, however, that it's is losing its popularity.

From what I can tell, 40 brass is usually cheaper than any other. That means someone is shooting a bunch of it. I know I have twice as much of it as any other single cartridge.

I think the 40 will be around for a good long time. I know my wife and I both enjoy shooting it.

[fullrearview]

I thought I was going to be getting away from .40

Then I got hooked on USPSA.

[maylebox]

I've got 9's and 45's in semi auto. I had a chance to buy a 40 cal for a really good deal recently and passed. I just couldn't justify needing a caliber in between the two. That said, I accidentally have picked up a bunch of 40 cal brass at the range and when I get enough I'll be forced to buy one Also I shot my brothers 40 cal duty glock today at the range and my groups were actually a bit tighter than those I shot with my own guns. Go figure.

[crufflers]

Makes that P95 even more attractive. Wish I had a stainless slide model though.

I have the blued P95 DC and my uncle has the same gun with the stainless slide which I have shot many times as well... yeah it does look pretty cool in stainless.

[GW]

40 isn't fading away anytime soon.
it is a well established and effective cartridge. You want fading cartridges look at .357 Sig or .45 GAP

[MCM]

Its a combination of marketing and several agencies wanting to switch back from 40 to 9mm for "certain" employees. (As its a bit easier to shoot)
And the 9mm and 45 folks just eat it up.
Both ways gun Co.'s make money selling more guns.
Until they decide to reverse it.
Food for thought.

[Barang]

Freedommunitions 40 is about the same and sometimes cheaper than their 9 mm pricing. Around $0.23 per rd.

The reason why I buy from them. Their .40 price doesn't break the bank!

Wow, wasn't expecting this much of a response, but good discussion, good info. I personally haven't shot a .40 yet but due to the current availability, price and ammo, I'm going to have to go rent a few models and try em out. I've also read that .40 is snappy in general but shoots softer in CZs and Sigs...a metal vs polymer difference maybe?

Sold my polymers and went all metal. Bought stainless p226 & regular one, and p229.
P229 feels softer compare to p226 and I love it.

[floogy]

40 isn't fading away anytime soon.
it is a well established and effective cartridge. You want fading cartridges look at .357 Sig or .45 GAP

357 Sig was never that popular, but I don't see it as fading. It can't fade too much because it wasn't popular in the first place. 45 GAP, yeah... Fading. It doesn't offer anything new except higher price ammo. At least 357 Sig has some pretty impressive performance in a 9mm size gun.

I have a couple 40s because they offer a bit more power and the price for ammo isn't much more than 9mm (if you know where to look). I may bring more 9mm pistols into the fold though.

40 does have a higher percentage of one shot stops though. I know, the endless 9/40 debate. I'm not that opinionated about either one, but the 40 is a larger bullet moving at the same speed as a 9. Simple physics and a bigger hole will give you a bit of an edge. Especially in CA where you'll never get more than 10 rounds in your gun anyway, the 40 has an advantage. If I could put a +2 floorplate on a Glock 17 and have 19+1 in a free state, the 9mm might end up with an edge. But here, you get 10, no matter what caliber.

[Sunday]

40 S@W is a homeland defense round. Homeland defense sounds so NAZI like.

[echoThreeOneSix]

since I bought my glock 23 I have not wanted another .40. I enjoy shooting my glock 23 I just don't want another .40

[gun toting monkeyboy]

Probably because most shooters are waking up to the idea that bullet technology has made the difference in effectiveness between 9 and 40 negligible.

^This^

Yes, .40 caliber bullets have gotten better too. But most people prefer to have more bullets available to them in a magazine (assuming it is legal in their area). And most people prefer the lighter recoil of the 9mm. Add to that the fact that 9mm guns tend to last longer because of the lowered levels of battering the frame takes, and you can see why many police departments, and shooters in general, are going back to 9mm handguns. The newer bullets negate the difference between the tow in terms of performance. Yes, .40, with the newer bullets is more effective, but given their druthers, most people will still go with the 9mm because it is easier to shoot well.

All that being said, I have several .40 caliber pistols that I picked up recently. I bought them for two reasons. First, because they can be changed to 9mm with nothing more than a barrel swap. Something that can't be done in 9mm pistol. Second, because I have learned, going through these panics the last 6 years or so, that it is VERY useful to have the ability to use different kinds of ammunition. 9mm sells out as soon as it hits the shelves in most places around here. .40 S&W, on the other hand, is often on the shelves for months after the panic begins. Having a gun that can use it is always a plus in my book. It may not be as pleasant or cheap to shoot as a 9mm, but a gun without ammo is just a club.

-Mb