[OrlandoDriver]

I am Curious and i'm not bashing a particular caliber just want to know,What is the particular fascination with the 40 caliber? The way i see it just about same cost of a 45 i understand it is a high pressure round causing it to be snappy also hear about the muzzle flip. Now keep in mind i have not fired a 40 before 22,25,32,38,380,9mm,45acp these are the handgun calibers im familiar with.

Just curious about why the particular preference and opinions on the round???

 

[Sangster]

for most I imagine it's a good compromise between the penetration of a 9mm and the brute force of a .45.

 

[Paladin]

for most I imagine it's a good compromise between the penetration of a 9mm and the brute force of a .45.

The stooping power is close to the .45 while the capacity is close to the 9mm.

It is a good compromise between the two.

 

[Mac45]

What Paladin said.

Plus the FBI didn't like the performance of the 9mm, the 10mm was just too powerful and, let's face it, the .45acp is like, Grandpa's cartridge. The 40 S&W is way cooler.

Personally, I have always regarded the .40 S&W as an answer without a question. The 40 S&W approximates a tried and true battle cartridge that had proven itself for 75 years before the .40 even existed; the .45acp. Modern hi-cap handguns now offer as many rounds in a weapon chambered for .45acp as they do for one chambered for .40S&W. And the .45 is 10% larger, in diameter than the .40 before it expands. So, between the two, it is largely a matter of taste.

 

[SGB]

The stooping power.

Stooping Power .............opcorn

 

[Uechi]

My Glock 23 holds one ( 1 ) 40 S&W in the chamber and thirteen ( 13 ) in the magazine. That's 14 bullets while a 45 will give you what somewhere between 8 and 11? Of course shot placement is what's most important but I'm comfortable with the philosophy of the more bullets the better. As stated before better than 9mm and almost as good as a 45acp.

 

[OrlandoDriver]

so if i read correctly its like for stopping power,capacity? Does that just sum it up? Im gonna have to rent one well if at all possible and try it and see what it feels like I like the feel of the 9mm well as for capacity yep has that stopping power im sure i put a few in someone they will go down,love the feel of the 45 man that give me a rush,but im gonna give the 40 a shot no pun intended lol lets see.

 

[J T]

More stopping power than a 9mm, more capacity and cheaper ammo than a .45. It may be an answer without a question, but it's a pretty good answer nevertheless.

I shot my concealed weapons class with a rented Glock 27, my first experience with a small, lightweight pistol chambered in .40. I already had a Hi-Power in .40, but figured it might be a bit big to conceal. I ended up buying a G27, then later a G23 for a house gun (fitted with a Streamlight TLR-1).

 

[Paladin]

Stooping Power .............opcorn

Yes, dang spelling checker.

Actually when I was in the academy back in the '70s we were instructed to gut shoot the bad guys if they were shooting at you. A man hit in the gut will bend over (stoop) and pull his shots low.

Never got the chance to test that for real.

 

[Red Dawg]

Same as most have already said. Capacity of a 9mm, 9mm platform, it adds almost 50 percent more energy over the 9 mm Parabellum, and almost the same amount of stopping power as the .45.

 

[Mac45]

Actually my XD-45 has a standard 13 round magazine. And I have a couple of 12 round mags for my 1911. Then there are the BUL M5, the Para-Ordinance and several other manufacturrs producing .45acp pistols in 13-16 cartridge capacities. I would argue for a .40 S&W over the 9mm for bullet size and power. But, given the increased magazine capacity available in .45acp, I really see no advantage of a .40 S&W over the .45acp. As to ammunition cost, how much is your life worth? As I said, the difference in performance being slight, the choice of .40 S&W or .45acp rests largely with personal preference.

 

[BobL]

I've posted about this before, but Federal Premium gives away a cool little ballistics program on their website. It has only their brands of ammo, but combined with penetration tests in gelatin you can find online, it's pretty interesting.

In any caliber, the smaller ammo is hotter at self defense distances, under 10 yards. So comparing the lightest Hydra Shock JHP in 40S&W vs 45 ACP, for example, the 40 is about 200 feet per second faster out of the muzzle, and hits harder out to 15 yards. Even going for heavier bullets, the standard 230 grain 45 ACP is still slower and doesn't hit as hard as a 155 grain 40S&W out to 30 yards.

I'm familiar with the argument that you don't hunt elephants with 22 cal bullets going mach 5, you use big, slow bullets. But the penetration data I've seen shows that 45 and 40 are pretty comparable. And, btw, the Federal ballistics program says the 45 GAP (Glock Automatic Pistol) is much hotter than the 45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol). The 45GAP round doesn't seem to be widely used.

I don't think either 40S&W or 45 ACP would be pleasant experience. I certainly don't see how 40 could be a solution in search of problem.

I think the selection comes down to other things. Other people have commented on getting a couple of rounds more in 40 than 45. I find 40S&W is relatively available even during this shortage, compared to some of the other calibers we read about.



FWIW,
BobL

 

[J T]

...
As to ammunition cost, how much is your life worth?.
...

It's actually worth quite a bit...so being able to afford more ammo to keep myself proficient seems to be a win-win situation to me.