Quote:
Originally Posted by Forte S+W
The only ammunition I can think of that is really completely out of production are things like Volcanic Rocketball, 7.62 Borchardt, 8mm Mars, or otherwise obscure stuff that never really caught on at all like Gyrojets or Dardick Trounds.
Otherwise, metallic cartridge ammunition of basically every cartridge that was ever popular, even if only for a very short time, is still in at least limited production. Heck, there are even specialty manufacturers of old black powder paper cartridges.
So it always amazes me when folks make comments that the .40 S&W cartridge will cease production altogether soon. Folks seem to think that because .40 S&W was only popular for about a decade and a half, that means only very few pistols were chambered in cartridge, but no, it was so insanely popular that millions and millions of pistols were in production during that time, and certain .40cal pistols such as the M&P40 and Glock 22/23 are still in production.
Besides, .45 Long Colt was really only popular with the Military/Law Enforcement for about 10 years, yet the cartridge is still in production today, as are various configurations of the Colt Single Action Army, so whose to say that it won't be the same for .40 S&W a century from now, with the cartridge as well as various reproductions of the Glock 22 still in production in the year 2121?
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.32, .38, .41 Rimfire and .44 Henry and .56-50 Spencer owners would disagree with you there. IDK when manufacturing of ammo in those calibers ended, but those were all popular black powder cartridges and I think .32 Rimfire was loaded with smokeless powder at some point.
But the reason the rimfires went away was more than likely because they weren't reloadable and centerfire ammo was more reliable. I don't think .40 S&W is going to go the way of rimfires or less popular centerfires.
I think 30 years from now there's probably going to be a resurgence of .40 because people will be into vintage early police semi autos like Gen 1 and Gen 2 Glocks, Ruger P series, S&W 5900's, and Beretta 92's and 96's.