40 S&W, 9mm or 45

7028 Views 21 Replies 19 Participants Last post by Puffy, Sep 2, 2006

Jester

Discussion Starter · Jul 28, 2006

Ok, I don't want a pissing contest. I am just interested in who shoots 9mm, 40, or 45, and why

Personally I got an xd40 before the 45 came out. I wanted to reload. I didn't want to worry about mil crimped brass.

As it works out I'm glad I chose the 40 cause it has enough power to shoot major, and has/had more rounds than the available 45acp.

I didn't go for the 45 cause of mag capacity. (I would have if the xd45 or M&P had been out)

I didn't go 9mm because I just never had a good taste in my mouth for the 9mm. After doing personal research from the ammo mfr's I learned that the differences are minimal(but they are there).

Hindsight I would be happy with all three. 9mm cause its cheaper to reload and shoot, 45 cause its the grandaddy of auto calibers.

As it sits I like my M&P 40 just fine.

Whats your story?

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1 - 20 of 22 Posts

Buckshot

· #2 · Jul 28, 2006

The reason I went with 40 is way back when the Clinton gun ban was still in effect, you couldn't buy a new handgun with a mag capacity over 10 rounds. If I was gonna be limited to 10 rounds, I'd rather have 10 rounds of 40 vs 10 rounds of 9mm.

I decided to stay on that track with the M&P.

targetsup

· #3 · Jul 28, 2006

I use the 40S&W and the .45ACP. 40 is a good solid round, and the .45 you can just use FMJ rounds and they will put anybody down. Never liked the 9mm, even though the 9mm ammo has come along way since the 80's. But you will never see a 9mm in my holster.

swingset

· #4 · Jul 28, 2006

I'm still a 9mm fan.

Some of the newer loadings in +P+ are quite effective, as good as 357Sig in some weights, and having 18 of them in a gun that recoils very mildly to me makes a very good package.

Also, plinking ammo is uber-cheap...so are reloading components.

mcone

· #5 · Jul 28, 2006

Over a year ago I switched from 9mm to .40S&W because I felt that it was a slightly better round for self-defense. Also, I could get carry more rounds in a mag than in most .45 ACP pistols. (Now there's the likes of the XD 45 - which has changed all of that.)

If my main goal were competition (race gun), I might have switched back to 9mm as it was easier to control than the .40. But I'm more concerned with stopping threats.

I know of individuals that carry the little .380 ACP. I suppose some even carry .22. I never ridicule a person who carries something. To me any caliber is better than zero caliber.

-Mike

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armdav8r

· #6 · Jul 28, 2006

Started pistol shooting with a Walther PPK that my dad 'borrowed' from a German officer in Belgium during WWII.

Next up was a US Army Colt 1911 in .45 issued to me in Vietnam (helicopter pilot). Damn thing sounded like a soup can full of rocks when I shook it. Supplemented it with a CAR 15 ASAP.

HK USP Compact (LEM trigger) in .40 S&W is an issued duty weapon. VERY reliable and pretty damned accurate for it's size. The .40 is a snappy round in this configuration though.

Never wanted a 9mm till the day I put my hands around a M&P. My credit card hit the counter about the same time the gun did. Great gun to teach my wife with using the removeable backstraps.

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raz-0

· #7 · Jul 28, 2006

Do i shoot 9mm, 40, or 45?

yes.

mad212

· #8 · Jul 28, 2006

.40 was the first gun i bought, i have had 3 of them now and one nine that i bought for my gf to shoot with me at the range.

but i have almost all the hand round sized guns.

ben2112

· #9 · Jul 28, 2006

The first pistol I ever bought was a S&W 4006 back in 1995.. Loved it and the stopping power was really good.. Now I have 2 40cal pistols with one being the M&P40.. I want a M&P 45..

Ben

KEN N

· #10 · Jul 28, 2006

I was looking to buy a new gun for target practice and CCW

I fell in love with the M&P and at the time it only came in .40

thats why I shoot .40

Fred

· #11 · Aug 1, 2006

My introduction to .40 caliber was a used Kahr K40 I bought a few years ago. Almost as easy to conceal as a 9mm, it became my preferred carry gun. Harder to control than a 9, but much better stopping power. When the M&P came out, I bought it in .40 for its stopping power. It's my bedroom gun.

Fred

DANO

· #12 · Aug 2, 2006

I'm waiting for the data that supports the statement that the .40 has more "Stopping Power" than the 9mm.

Jester

Discussion Starter · #13 · Aug 2, 2006

DANO said:
I'm waiting for the data that supports the statement that the .40 has more "Stopping Power" than the 9mm.

Ever hear the saying there's no replacement for displacement...

mathmatically it would. more vel, more weight=more ft/lbs of energy.

Check out federals site on the hydrashok compare a standard grain 9mm vs a standard 40 vs a 45.

It may be minimal, but its there.

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riverrat27

· #14 · Aug 3, 2006

I like the 9mm for less exspensive target practice. Purchased the MP40 for a CCW. Certainly there will be other barrels available for it later on (9mm-357sig). Love my 45 SW1911, it's just for play. I must be crazy, I enjoy shooting all of them.

akr

· #15 · Aug 25, 2006

Get a .22 for target practice and really save. They have some nice semi autos for $210.

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Jhp147

· #16 · Aug 25, 2006

.45 mostly because...I can see the holes in the IDPA target more easily than 9mm holes...and the PD issues a little of it to me for practice with my work gun. 9mm less but more in the future because I wanted an M&P and 9 is cheaper to shoot (and I can get a little of that from the PD too) and easier to teach with than .40.

IAShooter

· #17 · Aug 26, 2006

.45 cal is my preferred caliber to shoot. Makes a BIG hole and has moderate recoil. You can also get a lot of reloads out of the brass.

I have had several different handguns in .40 cal also and I do like the cartridge. Powerful cartridge and more mag capacity than a 45.

The sunset of the mag capacity ban was just one of the reasons I bought the M&P. "My way of thumbing my nose to the liberals." Another reason for the M&P purchase was the grip angle, same as a 1911. It just points naturally for me also.

IAShooter

akr

· #18 · Aug 28, 2006

I like all 3 of them. They all have their place.

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zzrguy

· #19 · Aug 28, 2006

I like all three of them also.

I like the 9mm because it is cheaper to shoot, and I use a Glock 34 (9mm)

in IDPA.

I bought a Glock 23 (.40) to carry a little earlier this year, also have

G19 to practice with.

I also have a Kimber in the .45 ACP that I also shoot in IDPA, I also

have a Glock 21 but it almost too big for my hands.

I bought the M&P in 9mm b/c I like the grip angle and it fit my hand

good, if it performs good and Ilike to shoot it, I mmight trade my G23

on a M&P .40

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MrApathy

· #20 · Aug 28, 2006

I like all 3 calibers. I bought 40sw back during the clinton ban on mags. I also bought 9mm cause its cheap to shoot.

dont own 45acp pistol yet cause it has not been made to my satisfaction.

only 45acp I will buy will either be a Steyr or S&W M&P. am tempted with 1911's but they are a pita lots of different models and specs.

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