9mm vs 40 Cal

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 8/23/2018 | D Willow

[w1n1]

Talks about which is the better caliber between the 9mm and 40 caliber for self-defense is an on-going thing In the past the conventional wisdom has held that a typical handgun velocities, bigger bullets are better. Its always best to view both of these rounds (9mm vs 40 cal pistol rounds) objectively. Many LE agencies across the U.S. are following the FBI suit when they switched to the 9mm. Even though not used by the FBI, the .40 cartridge still thrivea and will continue for many years to come.

.40 S&W Background
First came out in 1990, the .40 S&W is one of the newer cartridges on the block.
The FBI sought out Smith & Wesson and Winchester to come up with an effective round to replace the 9mm and .38 Special.
The FBI decision for this change was due to the infamous FBI Miami shootout in 1986 which took the life of two agents and injured five other.

Comparing the 9mm and the .40 S&W
The biggest advantage the 9mm has over the .40 S&W is the handling.
The big gripe of the .40 caliber is its kick.
In fact, some people downright dislike the .40 S&W because they feel it's underpowered for the amount of recoil the cartridge produces. Big bark but no bite.
Recoil on the 40 S&W can range from kind of snappy with a full sized pistol to downright annoying with a compact. Small guns like the Glock 27 will often drift out of that perfect grip after a few shots and require readjustment.
9mm is downright pleasant to shoot, even in small, lightweight guns. Rarely would anyone describe the recoil effects on 9mm as harsh. 9mm also has a wide variety of loads designed for lowered recoil for those who are super recoil sensitive. Read the rest of the 9mm vs 40 cal here.

[OldSmaj]

Why argue?

.45 ACP in a Light Weight Defender will solve all your problems.

Problem solved.

[EURASLEEP]

.454 Casull or go home.

[Boomer]

The one you have on you when you need it the most.

[Boomer]

The handgun round is underpowered so it’s all about bullet placement on the bad guy’s nose.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

Nahh i'll keep my S&W 29 it's good enough for my pops ! works for me !

[teeman8r]

yes bullet placement is all that matters.

double tap when necessary.

[Delta 21]

There have been no watershed ammo/weapon design innovations in the personal defense market since 1934 that would make me switch what I carry.

[infool7]

9mm is great for capacity but .40 is a modern round that combines the best of both 45auto and 9mm. .40 firearms are already designed for the higher preasures and there is no such thing as .40++ or +p the round is as hot as it gets.

7

[Bryanw92]

>>The one you have on you when you need it the most.
>>The handgun round is underpowered so it’s all about bullet placement on the bad guy’s nose.

And that’s the winner of the argument!

The .380 Bodyguard in my pocket beats my .88 Magnum (it shoots through schools*) in the gun safe.

*Its from a movie. No need for anyone to get their panties in a wad.

[SJSAMPLE]

Most .40SW platforms are just reworked 9mm platforms. The greater recoil of the .40SW puts a higher beating on frames, especially polymer frames that dominate the market. There are significantly increased instances of frame cracking and barrel KaBooms! with .40SW firearms.

I switched from .40SW (Glock 23 and 22) back to 9mm (Glock 19) because I liked the handling, capacity and reloading ease of the 9mm. Busting bulges in .40SW cases was an extra step I didn’t care for.

[unread]

Of late, I have become a fan of PCC’s. Pistol caliber carbines... I like’um.. :)

[TexasGunLover]

.45 ACP in a Light Weight Defender

Absurd, .45 ACP is pathetic versus my .44 mags.

No one cares about getting shot by a 9mm or .40S&W... it's like a pin prick (if you believe that, you need your head examined!)

Let's all remember the lowly .22LR kills more people than other calibers each year in the US... not that I'd carry it...

The best caliber is the one you have with you when you need it, versus not having one.

[eastexsteve]

I used to be a 9mm and 45 ACP fan, and I still am in many ways. But, several years ago, I came by a Glock 23 in 40 S&W. That gun grew on me. It doesn’t hold as many rounds as the 9mm version, but it holds more than my 1911’s (12 + 1 in the pipe.) And, because of it’s size and weight, it’s much easier to carry and “hide” in my vehicles.

When it comes to stopping power, I measure it on living animals like deer. It’s my personal experience, but with a 45 ACP, deer go down with one shot, just about anywhere you hit them. But, it’s the same with the 40 S&W. However, with the 9mm, it’s a coin toss.

Remember, more penetration may not necessarily be a good thing. If a bullet goes all the way through a target and keeps going, then it didn’t deliver all of it’s energy into that target.

[FreedomPoster]

Browning Hi-Power?

[Roman_War_Criminal]

I always get a chuckle out of caliber wars.
There’s plenty of stories out there where guys getting hit with multiple 45 rounds and just keep on going, same with 9mm.

Then there’s the one-stop shot with both. And plenty of one-shot kills with the .22LR as you wisely said.

[yarddog]

Both are good rounds.

I slightly prefer the 9mm, mainly because of availability and a very slight capacity increase. The .40 is not exactly hard to find tho.

I can’t tell the difference in recoil.

[Dusty Road]

Don’t know about the other poster but I have several browning Hi-Powers in a variety of calibers.

30 Luger
9 mm
40 S&W
357 SIG
The 357 SIG was built off of a 40 by NOVAC, interchangeable from 40 to 357 with a barrel and spring change.

[Dusty Road]

I have pistols in just about every caliber out there but I still seem to always end up carrying a 9 mm. My 239 SIG has been riding with me for about 20 years. I’ll throw another in the glove box from time to time just to put a few rounds through them but the little SIG is always there. Never been a fan of striker fired pistols but the little 365 SIG sure seems to be getting allot of good reviews. I’m afraid that if I ever shoot one I’ll own one.

[RetiredArmy]

I have a Glock .40 cal. I have fired most of these handguns over my 60 plus years of shooting. I personally believe my .40 cal has more stopping power than any 9mm I ever owned. It kicks much like the 1911 .45’s I’ve ever fired.