Ammo question...9mm and .40

jdtoyou · May 18, 2008, 08:06 AM

I'm new to the forum but I've been reading for a couple weeks. I'm going to be picking up my first pistol in a while and originally wanted to go with a .40 ( as the gun will be CCW). My brother in law made a comment about the ammo costs. So, can you guys tell me, for range ammo how much more expensive is the .40 vs the 9mm? I'm not too concerned with self defense ammo as I won't be shooting that nearly as much but would like to put 200-500 rounds through the gun a week at the range. Thanks for any insights! Glad to be here

WESHOOT2 · May 18, 2008, 08:15 AM

9x19 ammo costs less.

How much does it matter?
Rich? Doesn't matter.

Not rich? Gonna matter if you want to shoot.

It matters to me, because I shoot enough to wish I were rich.
But I don't buy any, I buy components and make my own.
9x19 components cost less, too.

(I cover my bases with handguns chambered for most all cartridges).

WESHOOT2 · May 18, 2008, 08:16 AM

So I have this 9x19 1911 and this 40 S&W 1911; guess which got sent to the pistolsmith?

jdtoyou · May 18, 2008, 08:27 AM

So, at the popular places where forum member purchase range ammo (not sure where those are yet)...

How much for 100 rounds of 9mm?
How much for 100 rounds of .40?

Looking for an idea as to how much more .40 costs.

WESHOOT2 · May 18, 2008, 08:35 AM

www.grafs.com
www.wideners.com
www.midwayusa.com

and here: www.georgia-arms.com

joegator · May 18, 2008, 08:14 PM

At Walmart a box of 100 rounds of 40 cal in Winchester white box is $26 and change.

The same ammo in 9mm is $18 and change.

45 acp, .380, 38 special are all $30 a box of 100.

If you spend a lot of time at the range 9mm is the least expensive centerfire ammo. That's why I always bring a coupe of 22s with me.

Boris Bush · May 18, 2008, 08:25 PM

If I were to have shot 40 WWB as much as I have the 9mm WWB since I first started shooting it, I would have spent $400.00 more for the 40 over the 9mm...........

On just that one particular brand.

The Meatman · May 18, 2008, 08:30 PM

I just bought 2 boxes of 50 in 9mm for $7.49 a piece. The same cartridge in .40 costs $14.95 for 50. I shoot about once a month, 100-200 rounds in my 9mm and until I get my reloading equipment my .357 stays in the gun cabinet.

jdtoyou · May 18, 2008, 09:10 PM

Thanks guys. That's what I'm looking for.

I was thinking about 200 rounds a week at the range. So, over the course of a year it would be about an $800 difference at today's costs.

Hmmm....

predecessor · May 18, 2008, 09:35 PM

Quote:

45 acp, .380, 38 special are all $30 a box of 100.

Like gas, for some reason, prices definitely vary on ammo. Where I'm at, .380 ACP is second only to 9MM in affordability. For me, ammo cost was definitely one of the major reasons I chose 9MM for my centerfire range platform over .40 S&W. Another reason was availability. If the world turns upside down it's going to be easier to find ammo for the firearm chambered in 9MM. History and collectability was another. There aren't any handguns chambered in .40 S&W that aren't chambered in 9MM (as far as I know). But the 9MM has a long, rich history and provides intriguing collector firearms that aren't available to a .40 shooter.

jdtoyou · May 18, 2008, 09:54 PM

I'm strictly buying for self defense (CCW) so the issue is cost to become and maintain proficiency. History and collectability are not factors for me right now.

I have not shot a SA pistol in 15 years but I shot a G23 and P239 today and shot both farily well. The 9mm was easier to fire quickly and accurately. With more pratice with a .40 I think I would be able to fire that just as quickly with the same or better accuracy.

predecessor · May 18, 2008, 10:36 PM

Quote:

With more pratice with a .40 I think I would be able to fire that just as quickly with the same or better accuracy.

Many LEOs like the .40 S&W because they have the time and free ammo to do this.

If you have the time and extra money it takes to do that and feel like the extra size and energy behind the .40 S&W is needed than it's a fine choice.

chris in va · May 18, 2008, 11:03 PM

Bought a 50rd box of FMJ 9mm at WalMart for $10. They were out of the 100rd boxes.

Here's the thing. If you KNOW you'll be shooting a lot, get something in 45 and reload. I guess you can reload 40, but not sure if it's worth the cost savings after all the equipment you have to buy.

ChicagoTex · May 19, 2008, 12:21 AM

prices at my local Walmart are in line with Joegator, though in .40 I can get CCI BlazerBrass for $12.50/50 (or $25 even, a little less than his $26 and change)
100 rounds of Winchester White Box are $18/100

Do yourself a favor and don't buy your practice ammo at the gun shop, I wound up paying $17/50 on 200 rounds of .40 because I was in a hurry.
For those of you keeping score, I could've saved $18 in one day just by going to Wal-Mart for my ammo instead.

With all that said, at 200 rounds a week you really ought to be handloading, then what caliber you shoot becomes negligeble cost-wise (bearing in mind raw material costs what it costs and bigger cartridges will be a little bit more).
However, be forewarned that life has a tendency to get in the way and if you're like me and, I think most of us, you'll discover you shoot an awful lot less than you'd like (I wanted to get on a weekly shooting schedule, but truth be told I'm lucky to get in 200 rounds a month.)
At my rate, the realistic difference between 9mm and .40 isn't much of a big deal.

ZippZ · May 19, 2008, 01:26 AM

My suggestion is to buy a 9mm and a .22lr buckmark or Mark2. 9mm costs $18 for 100, but .22LR costs $18 for 500. Fire half 9mm and half .22 and you'll pay off the gun in less than a year and still get good training.

WESHOOT2 · May 19, 2008, 05:42 AM

Reloading always reduces the ammo cost.

Keltyke · May 19, 2008, 06:22 AM

Buy the caliber you want to carry and shoot. If you're happy with the gun, the cost won't matter to you. If you're unhappy with it, the ammo can be free and you still won't like shooting it.

I have both a 9mm and a .40 S&W. Academy Sports has Remington/UMC in both 9mm and .40 S&W in 250 round bulk packaging. You'll have to check their website for the prices. I've been very pleased with the Remington for practice. I use Corbon for the "real stuff".

DWARREN123 · May 19, 2008, 07:16 AM

I have picked the 40 S&W and shoot it a lot. The only way to shoot a lot cheaply is to reload. Pick what you like and go with it.

Boris Bush · May 19, 2008, 08:56 AM

Reloading takes away from shooting time. believe it or not folks, 9mm is still cheaper to shoot today than it was in 1995. I looked into reloading again and realized the savings for reloading 9mm is not worth my time and my time is worth alot. Even more now that I have a family. The difference in reloading 9mm and buying new ammo is about a dollar (a box). Selling your brass makes reloading even more inane if you shoot the 9mm........

jdtoyou · May 19, 2008, 10:16 AM

Thanks for the replies guys!

Boris, you make a great point. My job keeps me VERY busy and I have a family with 2 small kids so the little free time I have is very valuable and I'd rather spend it shooting.

So if what some are saying is true and I might not get to the range for my 200 rounds per week, then getting the .40 might not make that much of a difference. If I only got to the range for 400 rounds per month instead of 800, the difference in annual cost is only $400.

Good points all!

BurkGlocker · May 19, 2008, 10:47 AM

And on the reloading point, you have to think about the initial costs of all of the reloading equiptment (assuming that you don't have it already). My initial cost for a RCBS Rockchucker reloading set was close to $300 including tax, but that was even before I bought the dies, powder and componenets, but in the long run, reloading has saved me beaucoup bucks. Reload on Friday night, shoot all day Saturday. Probably the best investment I have ever made.

carguychris · May 19, 2008, 10:58 AM

Quote:

...9mm is still cheaper to shoot today than it was in 1995. I looked into reloading again and realized the savings for reloading 9mm is not worth my time and my time is worth alot... The difference in reloading 9mm and buying new ammo is about a dollar (a box).

+1. I've got a local supplier that sells Wolf steel-case 115gr FMJ for $8.50/box ($0.17/round). IMHO at this price, handloading makes no sense; I have better things to do with my time!

Another thing to think about re: handloading for a semi-auto is (a) it's a pain to recover and sort brass and (b) you'll never recover all of it.

Wuchak · May 19, 2008, 12:10 PM

When choosing your gun consider a model that has a .22 conversion kit available for it. They run in the $200 range and are available for CZ's, Glock, 1911's, and an XD version is supposed to be on the way.

The practical difference between good SD ammo 9mm and a .40 is negligible. I like them both but I bought the 9mm because of ammo costs.

ChicagoTex · May 19, 2008, 04:18 PM

Quote:

When choosing your gun consider a model that has a .22 conversion kit available for it. They run in the $200 range and are available for CZ's, Glock, 1911's, and an XD version is supposed to be on the way.

Don't forget the Beretta 92 Conversion kit!

Boris Bush · May 19, 2008, 08:31 PM

carguychris

I typicaly stay away from wolf but bought a bunch a few years ago. The 600 rounds I shot were dirty and less snappy than the WWB I shoot endlessly. What I did notice was spectacular accuracy. I still do not shoot it but if I were to pickup a box or two I know despite its extra dirt, it shoots very well...........

May 18, 2008, 08:06 AM	#1
jdtoyou Member Join Date: May 17, 2008 Location: N. Virginia Posts: 86	Ammo question...9mm and .40 I'm new to the forum but I've been reading for a couple weeks. I'm going to be picking up my first pistol in a while and originally wanted to go with a .40 ( as the gun will be CCW). My brother in law made a comment about the ammo costs. So, can you guys tell me, for range ammo how much more expensive is the .40 vs the 9mm? I'm not too concerned with self defense ammo as I won't be shooting that nearly as much but would like to put 200-500 rounds through the gun a week at the range. Thanks for any insights! Glad to be here

May 18, 2008, 08:15 AM	#2
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	owning vs shooting 9x19 ammo costs less. How much does it matter? Rich? Doesn't matter. Not rich? Gonna matter if you want to shoot. It matters to me, because I shoot enough to wish I were rich. But I don't buy any, I buy components and make my own. 9x19 components cost less, too. (I cover my bases with handguns chambered for most all cartridges). __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

May 18, 2008, 08:16 AM	#3
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	rephrase So I have this 9x19 1911 and this 40 S&W 1911; guess which got sent to the pistolsmith? __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

May 18, 2008, 08:35 AM	#5
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	places to compare (first call yer WalMart) www.grafs.com www.wideners.com www.midwayusa.com and here: www.georgia-arms.com __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

May 18, 2008, 08:30 PM	#8
The Meatman Senior Member Join Date: May 11, 2008 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 157	I just bought 2 boxes of 50 in 9mm for $7.49 a piece. The same cartridge in .40 costs $14.95 for 50. I shoot about once a month, 100-200 rounds in my 9mm and until I get my reloading equipment my .357 stays in the gun cabinet. __________________ D.A.V. - N.R.A. - U.S. Army Vet Navy/Army Dad. If you won't stand behind our service members, stand in front of them. "Are you guys ready? Let's Roll" Todd Beamer, Flight 93.

May 18, 2008, 08:27 AM	#4
jdtoyou Member Join Date: May 17, 2008 Location: N. Virginia Posts: 86	So, at the popular places where forum member purchase range ammo (not sure where those are yet)... How much for 100 rounds of 9mm? How much for 100 rounds of .40? Looking for an idea as to how much more .40 costs.

May 18, 2008, 08:14 PM	#6
joegator Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 2008 Location: Florida Posts: 537	At Walmart a box of 100 rounds of 40 cal in Winchester white box is $26 and change. The same ammo in 9mm is $18 and change. 45 acp, .380, 38 special are all $30 a box of 100. If you spend a lot of time at the range 9mm is the least expensive centerfire ammo. That's why I always bring a coupe of 22s with me.

May 18, 2008, 08:25 PM	#7
Boris Bush Junior member Join Date: September 7, 2007 Posts: 921	If I were to have shot 40 WWB as much as I have the 9mm WWB since I first started shooting it, I would have spent $400.00 more for the 40 over the 9mm........... On just that one particular brand.

May 18, 2008, 09:10 PM	#9
jdtoyou Member Join Date: May 17, 2008 Location: N. Virginia Posts: 86	Thanks guys. That's what I'm looking for. I was thinking about 200 rounds a week at the range. So, over the course of a year it would be about an $800 difference at today's costs. Hmmm....

May 18, 2008, 09:54 PM	#11
jdtoyou Member Join Date: May 17, 2008 Location: N. Virginia Posts: 86	I'm strictly buying for self defense (CCW) so the issue is cost to become and maintain proficiency. History and collectability are not factors for me right now. I have not shot a SA pistol in 15 years but I shot a G23 and P239 today and shot both farily well. The 9mm was easier to fire quickly and accurately. With more pratice with a .40 I think I would be able to fire that just as quickly with the same or better accuracy.

May 18, 2008, 11:03 PM	#13
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	Bought a 50rd box of FMJ 9mm at WalMart for $10. They were out of the 100rd boxes. Here's the thing. If you KNOW you'll be shooting a lot, get something in 45 and reload. I guess you can reload 40, but not sure if it's worth the cost savings after all the equipment you have to buy.

May 19, 2008, 12:21 AM	#14
ChicagoTex Junior member Join Date: March 18, 2008 Location: DFW Metroplex Posts: 1,909	prices at my local Walmart are in line with Joegator, though in .40 I can get CCI BlazerBrass for $12.50/50 (or $25 even, a little less than his $26 and change) 100 rounds of Winchester White Box are $18/100 Do yourself a favor and don't buy your practice ammo at the gun shop, I wound up paying $17/50 on 200 rounds of .40 because I was in a hurry. For those of you keeping score, I could've saved $18 in one day just by going to Wal-Mart for my ammo instead. With all that said, at 200 rounds a week you really ought to be handloading, then what caliber you shoot becomes negligeble cost-wise (bearing in mind raw material costs what it costs and bigger cartridges will be a little bit more). However, be forewarned that life has a tendency to get in the way and if you're like me and, I think most of us, you'll discover you shoot an awful lot less than you'd like (I wanted to get on a weekly shooting schedule, but truth be told I'm lucky to get in 200 rounds a month.) At my rate, the realistic difference between 9mm and .40 isn't much of a big deal.

May 19, 2008, 01:26 AM	#15
ZippZ Member Join Date: November 28, 2005 Posts: 20	My suggestion is to buy a 9mm and a .22lr buckmark or Mark2. 9mm costs $18 for 100, but .22LR costs $18 for 500. Fire half 9mm and half .22 and you'll pay off the gun in less than a year and still get good training.

May 19, 2008, 05:42 AM	#16
WESHOOT2 Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 1999 Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country) Posts: 14,324	if you shoot Reloading always reduces the ammo cost. __________________ . "all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"

May 19, 2008, 06:22 AM	#17
Keltyke Junior member Join Date: April 6, 2008 Location: Spartanburg, SC Posts: 2,933	Buy the caliber you want to carry and shoot. If you're happy with the gun, the cost won't matter to you. If you're unhappy with it, the ammo can be free and you still won't like shooting it. I have both a 9mm and a .40 S&W. Academy Sports has Remington/UMC in both 9mm and .40 S&W in 250 round bulk packaging. You'll have to check their website for the prices. I've been very pleased with the Remington for practice. I use Corbon for the "real stuff".

May 19, 2008, 07:16 AM	#18
DWARREN123 Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2006 Location: BETWEEN TN & KY Posts: 1,758	I have picked the 40 S&W and shoot it a lot. The only way to shoot a lot cheaply is to reload. Pick what you like and go with it. __________________ Have a nice day!

May 19, 2008, 08:56 AM	#19
Boris Bush Junior member Join Date: September 7, 2007 Posts: 921	Reloading takes away from shooting time. believe it or not folks, 9mm is still cheaper to shoot today than it was in 1995. I looked into reloading again and realized the savings for reloading 9mm is not worth my time and my time is worth alot. Even more now that I have a family. The difference in reloading 9mm and buying new ammo is about a dollar (a box). Selling your brass makes reloading even more inane if you shoot the 9mm........

May 19, 2008, 10:16 AM	#20
jdtoyou Member Join Date: May 17, 2008 Location: N. Virginia Posts: 86	Thanks for the replies guys! Boris, you make a great point. My job keeps me VERY busy and I have a family with 2 small kids so the little free time I have is very valuable and I'd rather spend it shooting. So if what some are saying is true and I might not get to the range for my 200 rounds per week, then getting the .40 might not make that much of a difference. If I only got to the range for 400 rounds per month instead of 800, the difference in annual cost is only $400. Good points all!

May 19, 2008, 10:47 AM	#21
BurkGlocker Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2008 Location: Sheppard AFB, TX Posts: 568	And on the reloading point, you have to think about the initial costs of all of the reloading equiptment (assuming that you don't have it already). My initial cost for a RCBS Rockchucker reloading set was close to $300 including tax, but that was even before I bought the dies, powder and componenets, but in the long run, reloading has saved me beaucoup bucks. Reload on Friday night, shoot all day Saturday. Probably the best investment I have ever made.

May 19, 2008, 12:10 PM	#23
Wuchak Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2007 Location: Shawnee, KS Posts: 1,093	When choosing your gun consider a model that has a .22 conversion kit available for it. They run in the $200 range and are available for CZ's, Glock, 1911's, and an XD version is supposed to be on the way. The practical difference between good SD ammo 9mm and a .40 is negligible. I like them both but I bought the 9mm because of ammo costs.

May 19, 2008, 08:31 PM	#25
Boris Bush Junior member Join Date: September 7, 2007 Posts: 921	carguychris I typicaly stay away from wolf but bought a bunch a few years ago. The 600 rounds I shot were dirty and less snappy than the WWB I shoot endlessly. What I did notice was spectacular accuracy. I still do not shoot it but if I were to pickup a box or two I know despite its extra dirt, it shoots very well...........