The .38 spl is a wholly inadequate as a service cartridge when using lead round nose bullets and has less oopmh than .357 magnum. .357 magnum is fantastic, but has fairly stiff recoil and of course a revolver only holds 6 rds, so you should go with the lesser recoil and higher capacity of 9mm Luger automatic. 9mm Luger is perfectly acceptable and has a good track record, except if you think it doesn't or it isn't manly or you use 147 gr ball, in which case the .40 Smith and Wesson is a good round combining larger diameter than 9mm Luger and more energy than .45 ACP with less recoil than a hot .45 ACP load. Of course if you're going to step up to .40 S&W from 9mm you might as well go to .45 ACP because it is larger than .40 S&W and has less snappy recoil and is more manly/patriotic; besides which contrary to what I just said the .40 S&W really the worst of .45 ACP and 9mm Luger, as it has higher recoil than 9mm Luger and smaller diameter than .45 ACP. But .45 ACP bullets don't go very fast and are overrated because what really matters is hydrostatic shock, which is where the .357 Sig comes in: less recoil than .40 S&W and .45 ACP and terminal ballistics like .357 Magnum. Of course, .357 Sig is kinda snappy and has intimidating flash and blast and is super-expensive so maybe 9mm Luger is a good choice for gentle recoil, low expense, and lower muzzle blast. But .40 S&W is better than 9mm and... [repeat ad infinitum]
” But .40 S&W is better than 9mm and... [repeat ad infinitum]”
I prefer the 10mm over the .40 S&W (.40 Short & Weak).
The .40 was developed from the 10mm FBI load, which was reduced from full power because some agents could not control the 10mm’s full power recoil.
The 10mm came about due to the analysis of the famous Miami shootout between the FBI and couple armored car robbers. The robbers killed four agents before they succumbed to their wounds, and the agents were mostly using 9mm autos at the time. One of the agents had a .38 snubnose and a shotgun too, I believe.
heh. I forgot I’d written that. I left 10mm Auto out because I was out of time (had to stop and go grab a friend from the airport) but I figured someone would throw it in for me... looks like someone did ;P