I'm just gonna say it... .40 recoil isn't bad at all.

[Fishbed77]

I had no idea this pistol was chambered in .40SW.

[CWKahrFan]

...none that I can feel between 45 and 40...

This is where I'm at... To me they're so similar (in all respects) I don't favor one over the other, but prefer them both to 9 for SD.

[Guv]

A 40 has to have more recoil than a 9, it also delivers a larger/heavier bullet on target at higher velocity. To some that is important, others not so, make your choice.

[Cheapshooter]

Get a shot timer and get back with us.

For what?

I shoot a threat stopping, center mass group @ 7 yards with all of them.

Just don't think I would want to take the time to set a timer in a SD situation, and I don't compete in matches.

[mavracer]

Oh there's a timer set in every SD situation, only when your times up there's you're out of the competition forever

[iblearning]

I can get my Springfield XDS 45 and my smaller 9mm semi's back on target quicker than my SW Shield 40. The 40 definitely has more recoil. Would different grips on the 40 help?

[Crankgrinder]

I read and heard and heard so much about 40 I couldn't stand it no more. Ammo for my 9s and 45 has been so scarce (and got more expensive) and quality 40 hp has been everywhere and I couldn't take that no more so I decided to put one on layaway with the lgs. Ill decide for myself pretty soon.

[Dragline45]

Ammo for my 9s and 45 has been so scarce (and got more expensive) and quality 40 hp has been everywhere and I couldn't take that no more so I decided to put one on layaway with the lgs. Ill decide for myself pretty soon.

I haven't had a problem finding 9mm for the past year and a half. Just today at Walmart they had 50rd boxes of Federal 9mm for $9.99 a box no limit.

[Malcolm Reynolds]

Fishbed77: Nice!

And yeah, I've also noticed that .40 is the easiest of the major handgun calibers to find in my area. But I hear that's not true everywhere.

[Micahweeks]

I don't know. Recoil for me has always been more about the gun than the caliber. I can shoot 44 mag all day, but my wife's old PT140? I've nicknamed it the Torquemeister. I can't hold on to it, and it wants to twist in my hand when I shoot it. I don't pay attention to reports on recoil. I just make sure I can get a full grip. If it can fill my hand, I can probably handle it.

[Dragline45]

I don't know. Recoil for me has always been more about the gun than the caliber.

That absolutely plays a huge part in it, but when you compare the same gun in 9mm and .40 Like a Glock 19 and 22 or especially smaller guns like a Shield in .40 or 9mm the difference in caliber becomes much more prevalent. Like I mentioned before I don't have a problem with the recoil of the .40, but I will always shoot the same gun in 9mm that much better in strings of rapid fire. Given that when stopping threats the 9mm has been shown to be just as effective as the .40, it just makes sense to me to stick with 9mm.

[mavracer]

That absolutely plays a huge part in it, but when you compare the same gun in 9mm and .40 Like a Glock 19 and 22 or especially smaller guns like a Shield in .40 or 9mm the difference in caliber becomes much more prevalent. Like I mentioned before I don't have a problem with the recoil of the .40, but I will always shoot the same gun in 9mm that much better in strings of rapid fire.

While it's always going to be easier to shoot a 9mm I find that in heavier full size guns there isn't much difference as I'm pretty much limited by the speed, but when you start talking a sub 30 oz compact recoil of the 40 will very much become a factor in how fast it can be shot accuratly.

[NWCP]

My HK USPf 40 is pleasant to shoot. Now my USP compact 40 does have a bit of muzzle flip, but nothing unmanageable. I prefer 40S&W in a full size handgun myself. I have a great Matt Del Fatti IWB forward cant holster making it a comfortable carry piece.

[jr24]

I don't know. Recoil for me has always been more about the gun than the caliber.

I tend to agree with that. I tried XD, Sig, M&P, Ruger and perhaps another auto in .40 S&W and didn't like it.. at all. Dumped em. Won a Glock 23 in a raffle and finally found a gun that I like .40 in. So that one's a keeper.

I still prefer .45 ACP though.

[ligonierbill]

In general, I agree with the OP, but...my wife simply refuses to shoot the Glock 23. She will shoot the M&P 9. Guess what's in the nightstand. Also, there are a bunch of pretty good small pistols out there, most in 9x19, but some in both calibers. My PF-9 is pretty "lively". If it were chambered in .40 S&W, it would be a challenge to shoot follow up rounds, I think. But the Glock is fine.

I'll add a couple thoughts. First, we seem to get hung up on recoil. Novices, I understand (my wife), but until you get crazy with heavy rounds or small pistols (Rohrbaugh anyone?), it's a matter of practicing with your gun. Second, I still fail to grasp the "caliber war" mentality. I shoot 9x19 and .40 S&W and 357 Sig and 9 other handgun calibers. Which one is "best"? It's a question I don't bother with.

[Snyper]

A 40 has to have more recoil than a 9, it also delivers a larger/heavier bullet on target at higher velocity. To some that is important, others not so, make your choice.

Maybe, maybe not

In one sense, that's correct, in that the more powerful load will produce more "recoil", but what matters is "FELT recoil" so the weight of the gun becomes part of the formula

It's very possible for a lightweight 9mm weapon to have more "felt recoil" than a heavier 40 cal.

There is really very little difference in comparable loads, and what one "feels" is very subjective, with lots of variables besides the pure physics

[Guv]

Talking about similar guns. As for the 40 I have noticed more recoil difference between light bullet and heavy bullet loads than between heavy bullet 40's and all 9mm loads.

[LockedBreech]

I completely agree with the original poster. It baffles me that .357 Magnum in revolvers is such a beloved caliber and .40 is so reviled when .357 is less pleasant to shoot.

I choose .40 and will continue to choose .40. Like many, many debates over things on the Internet, small differences are repeated ad nauseum until they only roughly reflect reality.

I think platform matters a lot. As a previous poster noted, "recoil" in pure physics terms is not the same as felt recoil, which varies widely by shooter and platform. My brother's Kahr PM9 is much, MUCH nicer to shoot than my LCP .380, despite being more powerful and not much bigger.

[Dragline45]

Originally Posted by LockedBreech

I completely agree with the original poster. It baffles me that .357 Magnum in revolvers is such a beloved caliber and .40 is so reviled when .357 is less pleasant to shoot.

But in smaller revolvers you will find just as many people recommending dropping down to .38 special over the .357 for many of the same reasons you see people recommending the 9mm over the .40.

Personally I am not a fan of the .357 no matter what size gun. If I am going to carry a snub it will be a .38, if I am going for a full size revolver I see no reason not to go large bore, especially with the option of .44 special if you don't want full tilt magnum loads.

[jmr40]

Get a shot timer and get back with us.

This is part of the problem. The guys playing the shooting games are influencing decisions made about guns used for self defense. Many of the games rules have no real relationship to real world shooting needs.

In some of range games being able to shoot 5 rounds .5 seconds faster and hit tiny targets can mean the difference between winning and 2nd place. Not sure that is relevant in the real world.

In other games being able to knock a bowling pin or steel plate over is deemed important. Being able to do that has no correlation to how effective the bullet is when it hits a human or animal.

I also believe we all reach a level of tolerance when it comes to recoil. With me it is 357 magnum. Anything with less recoil such as 38, 9mm, 40, 45 or 10mm all feel about the same to me. I notice 357 as being a step up, but from standard size revolvers don't find it objectionable. I could see where many others could see 9mm as their upper limit of comfort and 40 being just too much.

[Dragline45]

In other games being able to knock a bowling pin or steel plate over is deemed important. Being able to do that has no correlation to how effective the bullet is when it hits a human or animal.

Spot on, I can throw grapefruits at steel plates and bowling pins and knock them over easier than most handgun rounds, that doesn't make a grapefruit lethal.

[JJNA]

Obviously there are many factors to perceived recoil such as caliber, mechanism, grip design, report level, subjective conditions and perception, etc.

For me, 40S&W in a similar gun seems to recoil only marginally more than 9mm Luger, which is to say, it is a pleasant amount of recoil - enough to know that the gun fired, but not punishing even after a couple of hundreds of rounds. I shoot 9mm more only because the ammo is cheaper and more plentiful.

I feel the 45 ACP recoil much more. It has a noticeably greater muzzle jump and the report seems to have more oomph. I'm somewhat noise-sensitive, so perhaps that affects my perception. Also, I've only shot 45 ACPs in a 1911 design and the grip just doesn't work for me. I've been told that a curved mainspring housing and a shorter trigger might change my view (and perhaps a flatter, more recessed grip safety; all the guns that fit me well have smooth curved back straps and a short trigger reach).

In terms of physical discomfort, worse than shooting 9mmP/40S&W/45ACP for me is shooting a fixed barrel/straight blowback .380 ACP. Very snappy on the palm (starts to wear me down after a couple of hundreds of rounds). I've never shot a locked breach .380 ACP, so I am hoping to find a Glock 42 soon to find out. I've been told that it's pretty mild and enjoyable even compared to full size 9mm Luger guns like Browning High Power/CZ-75/Glock 19/Sig P226.

[Guv]

I had an 84 Beretta (380) that seemed to recoil more than my 92 Beretta. Also try an AMT backup in 380, no fun at all!

[mavracer]

In some of range games being able to shoot 5 rounds .5 seconds faster and hit tiny targets can mean the difference between winning and 2nd place. Not sure that is relevant in the real world.

Well you may not be sure what's relevant, I can tell you that shooting slower and less accurate isn't a good thing.

Anything with less recoil such as 38, 9mm, 40, 45 or 10mm all feel about the same to me.

Of course you refuse to actually quantify this

Spot on, I can throw grapefruits at steel plates and bowling pins and knock them over easier than most handgun rounds, that doesn't make a grapefruit lethal.

Yes but if your gonna say you can knock them over just as fast with grapefruit as you can with watermelon but don't actually know how fast you can do it with either, is still suspect to me.

[45_auto]

Originally Posted by jmr40, post #21

My Glock 20 loaded with hot Double Tap 10mm ammo is more comfortable to shoot than my 1911's with standard 230 gr hardball

Originally Posted by jmr40, post #45

Anything with less recoil such as 38, 9mm, 40, 45 or 10mm all feel about the same to me.

What made you change your mind between those two posts?