is the 9mm gonna be the death of the 40 short?

fiver

Well-Known Member
like the question say's.
I have some thoughts on the idea, but i'd like to hear what everyone else has.
 

Will

Well-Known Member
I personally believe it’s already happened. I have traded all my 40 cal pistols for 9mm. Most of the gun shops I tried to trade with wouldn’t even talk when you mentioned 40. They claimed they couldn’t hardly move them, and by the looks of the shelves they were not lying.

In my opinion the 9mm is the perfect blend of recoil, capacity, and stopping power. Using the 9mm allows you carry the same size firearm while getting more capacity.

My main reason for doing this switch over was consolidation of calibers. Now I’m able to load ammo cans of plinking ammo for one caliber and do it using less lead and powder.

By the way you probably opened up a can of worms here. This tends to turn into a sensitive subject with some.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
I've never heard of a 40 short. Never heard of a 40 long either. It appears Cartridges of the World, 12th edition, hasn't either. They list 40 S&W only.
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
If you only trust non-expanding bullets, the .40 S&W is the way to go by handloading. The flat point 200 grain at 800 f/s will solve all your problems, unless you are in the military or a cop. I don't own either, as I have .45 ACP 240 grain SWC's at 800 f/s. FWIW, Ric
 

358156 hp

At large, whereabouts unknown.
How can this be, Ric? The 9mm cool kids claim the 45 acp will even bounce off of bunny rabbits!
 

Jr.

New Member
All I know is I have both 9mm and 45 acp they both serve their intended purpose and both have advantages and disadvantages, but overall it seems to me that the 10mm is what is overtaking the 40 s&w in popularity. I only know 1 person with a 40 and he bought it because the local police department uses it, so at the range he can get free once fired brass.
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
I spend 28 years as a firefighter/medic through 2 major drug wars. I have treated 100+ gun shot wounds. Without through and though penatration you only have FBI models.
 

uncle jimbo

Well-Known Member
I may be wrong about this, but doesn't the FBI and a lot of local police departments use the 40 S&W. If this is the case, I would think that the round will be around for some time. The 9mm has been around for a long time and is not going away. But I think in time the 40 S&W will drop out to most shooters and as long as the U.S. military and NATO are using it, it will be popular and readily available.
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
The short and weak never made an appearance in my home. The 9mm does good work for my wife and daughter and saves on lead. The 45 does the real work for me.
Personally I have taken a real shine to the 624 I got from Rick. Always was a revolver guy at heart.
 

Ian

Notorious member
They all essentially suck until you get to somewhere around 200-250 grains at 1500+ fps.

The reality of that finally trumping all the hype, the world of handgun users have figured out that they might as well use 9mm because the advent of civilian defensive 9mm ammunition that actually is good for something leveled the playing field, FMJ TC ain't so bad after all, ball practice ammo is still dirt cheap, they don't kick as much, and hold more. Kind of a "no brainer" for anyone or any organization needing an effective sidearm.

I've always liked the .45 ACP and the 1911, maybe I read too much Col. Cooper when I was a kid. So I made that my IDPA caliber of choice, and have always counted on it for SD. Later on that decision saved my life, or at least I believe 100% that it did, and belief makes all the difference sometimes.
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
well yeah the 40 short.... and weak.
I still get a chuckle about the 38-40 being so looked down on for 100 years yet it is the equivalent of the 40+p in a revolver and the 10mm in a carbine.

anyway I bring up the death of the 40 [and give a nod to the 10mm finally gaining some popularity]
but.aha.but.
the FBI will be going back to the 9mm because they found it is equal to the 40 but with more bangs in the handle, and less recoil.
they also managed to talk glock into completely [re]designing the pistol that was perfect the first time:rofl:into a somehow better pistol.

so for those of you that ,missed the 80's and 90's gun magazines, your gonna get a chance to [re]live the 9mm versus the 45 debates of 30 years back.
 

creosote

Well-Known Member
At least we finally got to see Joe mantegna shoot the new glock w/o wearing those stupid girly man (I just had my nails done) gloves. :oops:
 

Will

Well-Known Member
I think with any pistol caliber it’s been proven that unless vital organs are directly hit wounds are not going to be fatal.

The biggest factor is being able to put accurate rounds on target regardless of caliber.

There is a good YouTube video that I can’t find at the moment where a doctor is going through the effects of gunshot wounds. He specifically mentions how things drastically change when you get up around 2000 FPS in rifle rounds and introduce static shock.

I really like the 357 sig I just constantly worry about that short bearing surface of brass making contact with the bullet. On the other hand you have a tapered rounds that almost has to feed reliably coupled with high velocity.

I don’t remember many arguing the lethality of the 357 magnum shooting 125gr bullets 1450 FPS.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
I've used a 9mm- a lot. I don't own one, don't plan to. I (my wife) does own a 40 S+W. I don't feel she, or myself, would be better off with a 9mm. If I want smaller in a pistol, I have a 380.
 

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
I own six firearms chambered in 9 mm, more than any other caliber......so I guess you could say I'm enamored with it's attributes. The 38/357 comes in second place. I've never owed a 40 S&W or 45 ACP, nor do I have any intentions of. The .380 doesn't even warrant a thought.

I share Will's take on the matter, in the second post of this thread...............
 

USSR

Finger Lakes Region of NY
The military's and most of the PD's adoption of the 9mm will be the death knell of the 40 S&W. American sportsmen are like lemmings when it comes to things like this.

Don