[mbrittb00]

Originally Posted by pico

Buy the Glock .40 then you can take it down to a 9 mm with a conversion barrel if .40 is too much for you. Or else you will be here debating this until the mods close the thread.

Can't stand the grip on the Glocks. Wrong angle (at least for my hand).

Originally Posted by CDW4ME

Any advancements to a 9mm HP would also apply to a 40
9mm typically recoils less and holds a round or two more

True, but at some point you reach the point of diminishing returns.

Originally Posted by CDW4ME

40 hits harder

I don't think that this point can be argued. But is the extra oomph of the .40 worth one (or two) less shots per mag, and the extra recoil (i.e. slower follow up shot).

Originally Posted by Constantine

Shot. Placement. Is. King.

9, 40, 45, 38, 380, 357mag/sig, 10, you name it. Shot placement. That's all. Shot placement.

. . .

Oh. Did I mention shop placement?

If that is really true, then why doesn't everyone shoot .17 cal pistols for personal defense.

Originally Posted by Constantine

Ugh. And I doubt you shoot both equally well. You may think you do. But one is easier. Don't believe me? Remove the ease of element from the equation. Cool calm and collect at a range. Try under stress and see how well you do with the "equally" matched idea you have going on.

You may be right about that. Recently I've shot the S&W Shield in both .40 cal and 9mm. Unfortunatlly my test firings were 5 days apart and I shot the .40 first (actually the first time I had ever shot a pistol), I performed adequatly well with both. It felt like I shot the 9 better, but the conditions were quite differnt (.40 was an outdoor range on a calm day, first time I had shot a pistol, the 9 was an indoor range after I had put over 100 rounds downrange with different pistols several days earlier).

Originally Posted by slappy

As many have said, shot placement, shot placement, shot placement. I often switch up between .40S&W, .380, .32ACP and .22WMR as a carry weapon and I guarantee you that I can put you in the ground with any of them. Shoot what you like and learn to shoot it well and don't worry about what someone else thinks is best.

I guess my concern is that being a new shooter, in the unfortunate cirsumstance that I would need to use my pistol, I don't want to run into a situation where the caliber of my weapon isn't sufficient to "do the job", but I also don't want to run into the situatoin where "one more round" would be needed.

Originally Posted by dean1818

The Sheild in 40 seems to soak up the extra recoil of the round

Interesting to note, since that is the weapon I am mostly likely going to get (if I can find one). Have you had the opportunity to shot both (the 9 and the .40) side by side?

Originally Posted by LouisianaAviator

"stopping power" (really not the right term when it comes to pistol rounds) with proper, high quality self defense ammunition. I see no need for .40

Maybe leathality would be a better term. The rest of your post is kinda my real question. Is the 9mm round (using the right high qualify ammunition) sufficient to "get the job done".