9mm vs .40sw what to carry

[JD8]

Most pistols models I can think of will be the same size between 9/40. So holster availability shouldn’t be an issue. Sure .40 is a bit more expensive than 9mm, but it’s far from cost prohibitive. For every person that’s “dumped” their .40 there’s been another guy to pick them up, so I wouldn’t be worried about being able to find ammo for the foreseeable future either. Well no more than any other caliber at the moment. I’m not trying to sway you either way, 9,.40,.45 all work just fine!

I'm in this camp here.

I'll add this.... most .40 platforms are more versatile than 9mm ones. They are a barrel swap away from 9mm or .357sig. It's not going away. I remember boys talking about 10mm being dead, only to watch it become popular again. All that being said, IMO, most of the best carry platforms that are compact, are in 9mm.

 

[Glock 'em down]

Like many, I retired my .40S&W gen2 Glock 22, and started carrying a 9mm. However, I still believe in the law of physics that says bigger bullets make bigger holes, so I'm also a huge fan of the .45ACP.

Most people prefer the lower recoil and the higher capacity that the 9mm brings to the table, but a wise old man told me once that if you can't hit your target with positive results in just 4 or 5 rounds, you don't need more ammo, you need more training and practice.

 

[snafu21]

Carry the most powerful that you can reliably fire. I personally love .40 and 10mm pistols and 9mm for a PCC. It's just what feels right and you're good with.

 

[twotonevert]

Shoot both, and carry the one that you can hit with. Personally I understand a bigger hole and stopping power etc, but it comes down to what you can reliably hit with. If its a 9mm, great, if you can reliably hit with the .40, so be it. Shooting a larger caliber and not hitting is worse than shooting a smaller caliber and hitting your target.

 

[El Pablo]

I don’t care, I have 9mm, 40, 45, 10mm, 357 and 44 mag that I carry for one reason or another.

What I take depends on circumstances.

 

[bigred1]

Just pick any of them and practice practice practice.

 

[Tanis143]

You can do what I did and by the same model in both calibers. When just tooling around town I carry my .40, when I go to downtown Tulsa or a neighborhood I'm not familiar with, .40 + spare mag. When I go out of town I carry my 9mm and a spare mag. 6 more rounds is 6 more rounds. I carry just plain jane JHP (Remington Train + Protect JHP in both calibers). Just make sure to practice with whichever caliber AND ammo selection. Remember that different brands of ammo have different flight characteristics.

 

[Jbc]

You can do what I did and by the same model in both calibers. When just tooling around town I carry my .40, when I go to downtown Tulsa or a neighborhood I'm not familiar with, .40 + spare mag. When I go out of town I carry my 9mm and a spare mag. 6 more rounds is 6 more rounds. I carry just plain jane JHP (Remington Train + Protect JHP in both calibers). Just make sure to practice with whichever caliber AND ammo selection. Remember that different brands of ammo have different flight characteristics.

Haha see I've been living in north tulsa. My wife is from here. That's why I've started carrying more and why I was thinking the increased capacity might be nice. I do carry with a round chambered and an extra mag on my .40 as of now. I'm really leaning towards getting a m&p m2 PC core but I'm not sure if I want the 40 or 9mm. I'll probably go with the 40 though. I do like it and hit good with it. If the wife falls in love with the platform I'll have a good reason to get it in 9mm too.

 

[Fyrtwuck]

The caliber popularity seems to depend on the current issue of the Feds and the Military. The Miami FBI shootout of 1986 told law enforcement that they were outgunned. After this, the 10mm was born and became issue to Federal Agents. It didn’t take long to realize that the pistol was too large and the round was too powerful and agents were not qualifying on the range.

Then the .40 S&W was created and LE jumped all over it. At the same time the military dropped the .38 for the USAF and the .45 for the other services and adopted the Beretta 92.

Years later, the Feds decided to drop the 40 for the 9 supposedly because of advances in bullet design that made the 9 equal in performance to the 40 while at the same time increasing round capacity.

Bullet performance is important, but I see bullet placement as more important. I’ve seen victims shot with a variety of calibers and survive. The ones that are deceased on the scene were shot in the head or in locations that caused a lot of immediate damage to vital organs with heavy blood loss.

 

[$ure$h0t]

I personally own a 40 and a 45.

I conceal my 40 cause it's smaller framed and my 45 is open carried in a level 3 retention holster just in case someone's feeling froggy

IF the day comes when I'm forced to use a firearm in defense of myself, family, or a 3rd party.. I don't want any doubt in whether the individual is getting up, cause I'm not shooting to wound or maim.

All ammo is expensive right now and I refuse to let ppr dictate my personal safety.

I shoot both frequently and I am, very proficient in both.

Shoot what's comfortable for you but do not let price per round decide whether you go home or the other person does..

Just my two cents.