40 s&w vs 9mm, 45acp

[BLK]

why 9mm and 45acp are more popular than 40s&w? I went online and walmart, they always sold out before the 40s&w?

[rsrocket1]

45ACP - used in plastic and 1911 pistols, very popular
9mm - people like the recoil (or lack of it) and bought into the "a good 9mm does as well as any 40" claims

40 S&W - more recoil than 9, more flip than 45ACP, especially compared to a heavy 1911 so it's less popular.

That leaves a lot more 40 S&W ammo around.

I reload and cast so I just walk by the ammo stands, shake my head and smile . But I do start to lust every time I go by an old sailboat sitting in a field and say "I wonder how much lead is in that keel?"

4,000+ rounds through my M&P40 last year. Hopefully I'll shoot more this year as long as I can find cheap lead.

[Claybone]

.40 is a specific round that was desgined to replace the late and great 10 mil, the purpose is to appeal to mostly LE. It has very good ballistics and maintains the high capacity round availability.

[rsrocket1]

^^^ That's why there's more of it compared to 9 & 45ACP

[stilly]

.40 is all over the place but 10mm is a ***** to find... I am lucky to pick up 50 shells a month at the range...

I am about to set my turret to load for .40 now though. (10mm actually).

.40 for mah sig and 10 for da glock...

[bruss01]

I like my .40's - then again, I don't shoot them in poly-frame, high bore axis pistols, and I don't shoot the high-velocity rounds.

My guns of choice are CZ 75b .40 (the full-size and the compact) which are steel frame guns. Also, inexplicably, my Ruger SR40c was treated with a secret sauce of some kind that magically absorbs recoil. Not really, but that's certainly what it seems like - this small pistol virtually defies the laws of physics somehow. Isaac Newton is rolling over in his grave, no doubt.

It may also help that I shoot 180 grain projectiles, exclusively. The light bullets are too zippy - which I believe accounts for the "snappy" recoil some people complain about in .40.

Frankly, I think .40 never caught on that much with civillian shooters despite widespread LEO popularity. Modern bullet designs ensure adequate performance out of nearly any caliber, so I'm convinced there will be a shift back to 9mm as the most popular round over all. I enjoy .45 acp and it has a storied reputation, but when we are talking modern bullet designs they are all comparable performers these days, and more rounds gets you more chances to hit something vital and end the fight. I'll be sticking with my .40's thank you very much, but it's increasingly more difficult for me to justify that to others based on any factual evidence other than my own stubborn nature.

[NorCalNative]

I enjoy .45 acp and it has a storied reputation, but when we are talking modern bullet designs they are all comparable performers these days, and more rounds gets you more chances to hit something vital and end the fight. I'll be sticking with my .40's thank you very much, but it's increasingly more difficult for me to justify that to others based on any factual evidence other than my own stubborn nature.

I agree until one enters the Twilight Zone of a 10 round mag. So maybe others do what I do...9mm for plinking and .45 for SD.

[bruss01]

I agree until one enters the Twilight Zone of a 10 round mag. So maybe others do what I do...9mm for plinking and .45 for SD.

I'd agree with you IF .45 acp were still superior in terminal ballistics to 9mm. As I stated, while at one time that was true, modern developments in bullet design have closed that gap. You're not going to find better than Hornady Critical Duty ammo, and both 9mm and .45 acp perform nearly identically. That being the case, a lighter, more controllable and more affordable cartridge makes for more accurate shooting, quicker follow-up, and cheaper practice. There may be a few 10 round .45's out there - in fact I own one of them, a CZ 97b - but most of them are 7-8 rounds capacity.

Don't get me wrong - I still love .45 acp and have one on my nightstand every night. But it's not superior to 9mm anymore if you're using the best modern ammo.

[CEDaytonaRydr]

I own pistols in all three calibers, so I can't really talk smack. They all have their up-side, and down-side. That being said, the pistol that's in my nightstand is a Glock 22 in 40 S&W but that's more because it's a Glock and less because it's chambered in 40.

[M27]

40 is also a younger round there by fewer weapons are chambered in 40.

45 acp designed 1904
9x19 designed 1902
40 S&W designed 1990

[damndave]

40 is just too snappy for me. Don't like it at all.

[rsrocket1]

I'm glad you all are able to explain why 40 is on the shelves longer than 9 and 45.

[ireload]

I believe that .40s&w came out in 94' or around that year so that particular caliber is fairly young compared to 9mm and 45acp that has a fair amount of followers already. I almost picked up a .40s&w pistol last year for a good price of $250 but someone beat me to it. I've fired that caliber before and my impression is a tad snappy but I got used to it right away.

[ElDub1950]

I started with 40 cal and it's still my primary. 300-400 rnds at the range through a Glock 27 & 23 doesn't bother me.

I've started shooting a lot more 9mm in the last couple of months due to costs, but I still prefer the .40.

[Lead Waster]

I bought a .40 because

1) I pick up a lot of .40 brass while scrounging brass...so much so, it made sense if I could actually use it
2) During ammo famines, .40 is more plentiful
3) I tried out a friends Glock23 and shot it surprisingly well...so well I bought my own G23.