40sw or 9mm

[TheshooterG21]

In personal opinion would you rather have more power with 40sw or less power more rounds with 9mm?.Thanks

[Raise]

I have read so much on this the past few days. As far as caliber size, the differences seem to be so debatable with supporters and refuters on both sides. There have been so many stories that support each caliber over the other...so many that you shouldnt feel underarmed with a 9mm...nor should you feel like you have a "1-shot ends all" with a 40 caliber. Velocities and energy are similar between the two as well. The one conclusion I have come to in the past 72 hours of reading until my head hurts is: choose the caliber and gun you can shoot most comfortable and effectively...as shot placement is where its at.

That being said, I decided to stick with the 9mm because: 1) ammo is much cheaper 2) ability to shoot quicker and more accurately due to the milder recoil 3) there are some nasty self defense rounds made for the 9mm (not that there arent for the 40 caliber, but it sure helps make the 0mm a more effective defense round

[TheshooterG21]

Thanks but if you had to say in your preference 13rds of 9mm or 12rds 40sw

[Raise]

hmm...

[Raise]

I would have to say more rounds with the 9mm...

for ammo cost alone :barf:

[NWCP]

Which round do you shoot better? Round count and hole size don't make a hoot in a holler if you can't what you're aiming at.

[TheshooterG21]

I havent fired the sig p229 in 9mm but i have fired various 9mm and it varies in weight and size for the recoil but which one would you say if you had 12rd 40sw or 13rd 9mm

[onesiphorus]

rent a 9mm and a .40. See which one you can put the greatest number of rounds on target in the shortest period of time. I quite a few long term packers that are going back to the 9mm because of quick recovery to make the next shot.

[J.Netto]

The 9mm is better because the cops use it.

Seriously?

[srt 10 jimbo]

Most of the cops down here use the .40 sw

[Hank D.]

I'm so glad that they came out with the S&W40 round so now we won't all hear about Is 9MM better than 45ACP I wonder just how many people on this blog remember just why they came out with the S&W40 round In the first place. Around 1986 the FBI had this shootout with two armared car robbers In Florida that were well armed and could shoot pretty well, if memory serves me, I think 2 agants were KIA and 3 baddly wounded??? They, the FBI issue gun at that time was the 357mag. and they could have checked out some heavier fire power if they wanted to. I hear that most of the agents had 38 specials in there revolvers because they didn't like the recoil from the mag. round? I think that the two bad guys had Ruger ranch rifels or like In 223, some 45 & 9MM autos and tell a 357 Mag or two, This Is from memory folks, I didn't look this up, I will after I finish this. now after the shootout the press ask the FBI how come they did so badly and that so many well trained agents were killed and wonded and that's how & when they started looking for the new round had come about, the 10MM and the S&W40. I have always called It the CYA round!!! Now I will say it again this is from memory and I'm not stating this as fact!!! I will go back and take a look at the news clippings from that time for what they say and what they don't say when I'm finished here. When nothing happens for a long time people tend to get sloppy and they forget the rules, I have been juilty of this myself, I have scars and holes In me now to prove what I say, I'm not beatting my chest here, just stating fact. And the old saying still holds true
" Bad things happen to good people " I only wish that my spelling was as goood as my memory??? and I wonder about that some times, What?!!! Semper fi to all, Hank D.

[MosinM38]

Your choice.

But I'd pick the .40. Ball ammo is only marginally more expensive than 9MM around here (around $3.50 a box) and in my opinion, if you want a self-defence round, it beats the 9MM by a fair shot.

9MM is good as well, loaded with good bullets, but overall, the .40 trumps it.

[Steeler Fan]

I just recently went to all 9mm, except for my wife's .38. I feel comfortable enough with the power it provides (as well as my own skills), plus it is a lot easier to find and typically cheaper for target practice.

[lonewolf2810]

(Thanks but if you had to say in your preference 13rds of 9mm or 12rds 40sw)


For the 1 round difference 40sw is my choice. Besides what are the odds you will use every round in your magazine and I always have a second one at the ready. It still remains a personal choice to which weapon you carry and are comfortable with.

[Tophe]

1 round difference making your decision is just all static noise. A typical SD situation should take about 3 shots most. If you have to take down two guys, 4-6 rounds.....If theres more than that,most likely you shouldnt be there in the first place.

I went with the 9. It was just my preference, and I loved the CZ P-01.

Also, do some searching on this forum. You are not the first one to ask this question, and you'll find that the debate doesnt end. Both will take down the BG.

[DasFriek]

i personally would base it off what the gun is used for.
alot of target and plinking work is best for the 9mm due to ammo costs,in ohio .40 is almost double what 9mm is for target loads.
if its just SD/HD and just put some rounds down range to verify its reliable and then put it up at home then id choose the .40

[(BH)]

The 9mm is better because the cops use it.

....wow.....

they are very different rounds that can be shot from a plethora of very different gun platforms. it depends on what fits you. thats the beauty of the wide selection of guns produced.

[TBT]

I chose the 9mm because I believe the practical difference in effectiveness between the two rounds are trivial. That being said, I went with more capacity, quicker follow up, and less expense.

[Skans]

I personally like having the extra capacity of the 9mm. Just a personal preference. When someone figure out how to squeeze 20 rounds of .40S&W into a full sized gun that I like, and make .40 as widely available as 9mm (used to be) I might perfer .40.

[Ricky]

A whole bunch of people have said that 9MM is more readily available and much cheaper than .40. I don't know where you guys shop. I've never had any trouble finding .40 and the in my experience the cost difference is marginal. would any of you care to give real examples of price difference or when you couldn't find .40 but the store had 9mm (not just on one isolated occasion either)
I will say to the original poster, I own a .40 and I have never shot anyone with it. I have however shot action pistol with it where other folks were using 9mm. My observation at the action pistol range was that knock down targets hit with a 9mm fall over with a bit less authority than those hit with .40 or .45. This may have didly squat to do with self defense but it's food for thought. I can shoot pretty fast with my .40 and a bigger, heavier bullet gets my vote.

[tmd11111]

Other then my .22's I don't think I've ever loaded more then 5 or 6 bullets at a time in any gun I've owned. If you need more then 2 or 3 for self defense then your either someplace you don't belong or you really need to spend more time at the range cause it sounds like you couldn't hit water if you fell out of a boat.

[Keltyke]

Pick the round you shoot best with. 9mm vs .40 S&W is virtually a toss-up - with a SLIGHT advantage to the .40 S&W. 9mm is smaller, usually faster, lighter bullet. .40 S&W is larger, usually slower, heavier bullet. From the gel tests I've seen, the wound channels don't have enough difference to really matter. Impact force from a heavier bullet? Doesn't matter, since the impact force can never be more the the actual recoil force. Check your physics. The movie scenes of a handgun knocking a man down or a shotgun blowing a guy back 10 feet just never happen in real life.

Given that, the extra capacity of comparable 9mm vs .40 S&W pistols might make the difference to me. My preferred carry weapon is a .40 10+1. I like "big bang" guns. I also carry a 9mm 13+1. Three more rounds - would that really make a difference since most people only shoot once or twice - MAYBE three times in 99.9% of gunfights?

[Skans]

I buy 9mm in bulk 1000 round lots. Believe me, it's a heck of a lot cheaper than 40 in bulk 1000 round lots. For practice I shoot the cheapest 9mm I can find - lately Wolf steel cased 9mm.

[Skans]

would that really make a difference since most people only shoot once or twice

When I practice and train with my 9mm I rarely take one shot at a time. I never understood why someone would only take one or two shots at a BG like you were shooting paper targets? My brain just doesn't think that way, nor do I want it to. I would continue a series of 2-3 round burst until the BG was completely motionless.

Like I've said before, you would be surprised how many shots you can get off when under stress.

[Keltyke]

I would continue a series of 2-3 round burst until the BG was completely motionless.

And you might very well be facing a murder charge. You shoot to stop the threat, not to kiill. If he's down, has dropped his weapon and is writhing in agony - and you continue shooting until he's "completely motionless" - well, I'll visit you in jail. In fact, I believe there was an incident like this recently and the jury crucified the shooter.

I buy 9mm in bulk 1000 round lots. Believe me, it's a heck of a lot cheaper than 40 in bulk 1000 round lots.

I don't choose my carry caliber based on cost. I choose it based on what works best for defense of my life.