What's the best .40 pistol, regardless of price???

silver-bullet · July 31, 2005, 10:25 AM

I'm in the market for a top-quality .40 S&W pistol, and I have $1,000 to spend. This is probably going to be my last purchase for awhile, so It's gotta be good. I've narrowed it down (more or less) to the Sig p229 or the H&K USP full-size. The two things I prize above all else in making this decision are: 1) Reliability, meaning the ability to go "bang" every time I pull the trigger. 2) Durability, meaning the ability to hold up in the long-term. I'm talking tens of thousands of rounds here. I'm open to all suggestions, EXCEPT the Glock. I've owned Glocks in the past, and think they are phenomenal weapons, BUT I'm just not comfortable with the grip. That's a personal thing, so Glock fans take note: I'm not bashing the gun. Okay, that's it. Let her rip!

kirkcdl · July 31, 2005, 11:20 AM

I think I'd give a long look at the Para Ordnance P-16 LDA,also...
But...if I had $1K to spend,I'd buy a Steyr M40(about $450 or so) just for range time,and a Kahr K40 for CCW(about $550 or so).If you do look at the Steyr,check out the grip first if you can,kinda like a Glock,but I don't like Glocks grip either,and I love my Steyr.Kinda the same,but different,you know?Good luck with whatever you choose...

Duxman · July 31, 2005, 11:28 AM

Many of my friends have HK's - they are fine weapons. A little big for my purposes (CC): I prefer the Walther P99. Awesome accuracy. Reliability and Ergonomics second to none....

Handy · July 31, 2005, 12:50 PM

Of those two, I would not expect the alloy framed 229 to last as long as the HK. Polymer and forged steel frames are just better for durability than alloy.

Other than that, I'd be inclined to take a good look at S&W's 4006TSW. This all forged steel pistol has been revamped from previous 4006s to have a longer in battery time to control .40 pressures and reduce recoil/battering. I would think this would be another good bet for a gun really built to withstand alot of .40 use.

IM_Lugger · July 31, 2005, 01:09 PM

Why not a Sig p226 or Beretta 96fs?

Eric Larsen · July 31, 2005, 01:28 PM

CZ 75 B, Sig 229 and a zillion other guns. Just look around and get a good idea of what you want........
Shoot well.

silver-bullet · July 31, 2005, 01:35 PM

Excellent suggestions so far (I hadn't even thought of S&W, thanks Handy). Let me narrow it down just a bit. I would prefer something a little lighter than the full-size CZ, and something a little more compact than the Sig p226. So far I still like the Sig 229 and HK USP. But I remain open to suggestion....

XavierBreath · July 31, 2005, 01:46 PM

What is your definition of "best"? Most durable? Most reliable? Most accurate? Most likely to draw attention? Easiest to conceal? Best is different things for different people.

silver-bullet · July 31, 2005, 01:50 PM

Xavier, as stated in my opening: 1) Reliability 2) Durability. In that order. Other things will come into play of course: how the gun feels, accuracy, single/double action, etc. BUT, my personal definition of "best" centers around the two criteria stated at the outset.

XavierBreath · July 31, 2005, 01:54 PM

Duh...........

OK,
HK USP. Your choice, full size or compact.

JMag · July 31, 2005, 02:01 PM

I'm not a .40 fan...but, I'd take a long, hard look at HK's P2000 before I settled in on a USP.

Stiletto · July 31, 2005, 03:37 PM

P2000: also known as "USP Compact version 2.0" (more or less). I want one.

kymasabe · July 31, 2005, 04:18 PM

.40 cal...easy answer. H&K all the way. Buy it, love it, don't look back.

Peter M. Eick · July 31, 2005, 06:03 PM

Springfield P9 IPSC Ultra in 40.

Nice long slide, custom ported, tuned trigger from the factory, nice weight, excellent reliability. What more can you ask for?

To bad they have not made them in about a dozen years....

K_Frame_Fan · July 31, 2005, 06:12 PM

Browning Hi-Power .40 cal

R1145 · July 31, 2005, 06:39 PM

The real answer is...it doesn't matter. Pick one you like and shoot it lots.

My department issues the S&W 4006.

It's a big hunk o' American stainless steel. I'm OK with it. Well engineered, after 40+ years of working the bugs out of Smith autos. Rugged, almost shooter-proof. Mine is very reliable. I'd add tritium sights.

Weird though, that lots of departments use Smiths but they don't seem that popular commercially.

Politics aside, what gives? The trigger is a bit heavy, but other than that, I've got no complaints.

I saw a stainless Beretta 92 in .40 once. Very good looking weapon. I'd still get a Glock 23, personally.

.357SIG · July 31, 2005, 07:10 PM

Of all the .40s out there, the two you listed were designed from the ground up as .40s, not scaled-up 9mms. You should do fine with either a USP or SIG P229. I'd probably grab the USP because of C&L ability.

Gixerman1000 · July 31, 2005, 09:24 PM

I own a few in 40sw

1. Beretta 96FS
2. Glock G22
3. HK USP40 Stainless
4. Sig P229
5. S&W SW99
6. S&W 4004
7. SpringField XD40 4” Stainless
8. Steyr M40

all have been great pistols that I would more than trust to get the job done but If I had to pick just one it would be the USP40 or the P229

Half-Price Assassin · July 31, 2005, 09:29 PM

the HK USP 40 is a full size gun with a 4.25 inch barrel, the Sig P229 is a more compact gun for CCW. i like HK pistols, but if you want a CCW get the Sig. the two you picked are great weapons, between the two there is no clear winner, so no matter what you pick, it will be a good chioce.

kgpcr · July 31, 2005, 09:40 PM

I own alot of handguns and i would not trade any of them for my XD. I love mine. its dependable 3500 rounds and not one problem. Its also very accurate and is easy to care for. No more Glocks for me....

treeprof · July 31, 2005, 10:26 PM

When the Ohio State Police were looking for a new pistol (.40 or .45 in DAO) in 1998, the top four finishers were the SIG 226 (an 860 score w/4 malfs in 12k rounds), the SIG 229 (838, 5 malfs) the HK USP (685, 14 malfs) and the G22 (661, 13 malfs). The .40 S&W Sigma (6th) barely beat the S&W 4053TSW (7th). Among those guns that did not successfully finish the tests were the SIG 220, S&W 4043, Glock 30, USP45C, S&W 4586 and Ruger P94. 10 examples of each gun were tested initially, w/2 of those selected for more extended (3k each) testing.

Edit: the HK USP40C was tested, but I do not know its fate. It was not a top finisher, tho.

Skeetin'870 · July 31, 2005, 10:30 PM

XD 40 easy to clean good ergonmics safe and reliable as hell

pbghguy · July 31, 2005, 11:56 PM

The only two .40 cal I have any real experience with are the Glock 22 and Sig 229. I shot the glock all through the academy and while it performed superbly I just couldn't get used to the brick-like grip (I know, I know). My 229 is fantastic though. It is the sigle most reliable gun I have ever fired. Thousands upon thousands of rounds and never a single malfunction. It sights easily and patterns within 3'' at 50'. Stripping it is easier than almost any gun I have ever seen (especially glock). And as someone reffered to in another thread it does not require a triger pull to strip. The only thing I would ever change about it is the single/double trigger pull, but like anything, with practice it can be overcome. Like I said these are the only two I have experience with so can't say anything about the HK, but if you do go with the Sig you will be nothing but happy.

Good luck.

Lycanthrope · August 1, 2005, 12:11 AM

Forget 10's of thousands of rounds....start talking hundreds of thousands.....

STI/SVI.

DHart · August 1, 2005, 03:59 AM

There is NO "best".

My first and only choice would be Browning Hi-Power forty. Got two of them and after Don Williams trigger jobs, they are two of the finest fighting semi-autos I've ever known.

July 31, 2005, 10:25 AM	#1
silver-bullet Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2005 Posts: 515	What's the best .40 pistol, regardless of price??? I'm in the market for a top-quality .40 S&W pistol, and I have $1,000 to spend. This is probably going to be my last purchase for awhile, so It's gotta be good. I've narrowed it down (more or less) to the Sig p229 or the H&K USP full-size. The two things I prize above all else in making this decision are: 1) Reliability, meaning the ability to go "bang" every time I pull the trigger. 2) Durability, meaning the ability to hold up in the long-term. I'm talking tens of thousands of rounds here. I'm open to all suggestions, EXCEPT the Glock. I've owned Glocks in the past, and think they are phenomenal weapons, BUT I'm just not comfortable with the grip. That's a personal thing, so Glock fans take note: I'm not bashing the gun. Okay, that's it. Let her rip!

July 31, 2005, 01:09 PM	#5
IM_Lugger Senior Member Join Date: June 27, 2004 Posts: 2,011	Why not a Sig p226 or Beretta 96fs? __________________ "I feel the Beretta is a great character, it's so strong and elegant. The other guns look dumb to me." - John Woo

July 31, 2005, 01:28 PM	#6
Eric Larsen Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2001 Location: Bountiful....Ut. Posts: 3,226	CZ 75 B, Sig 229 and a zillion other guns. Just look around and get a good idea of what you want........ Shoot well. __________________ If they dont know you have a gun.....then I did alright! If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice......Rush

July 31, 2005, 01:46 PM	#8
XavierBreath Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2002 Location: North Louisiana Posts: 2,800	What is your definition of "best"? Most durable? Most reliable? Most accurate? Most likely to draw attention? Easiest to conceal? Best is different things for different people. __________________ Xavier's Blog

July 31, 2005, 01:54 PM	#10
XavierBreath Senior Member Join Date: December 6, 2002 Location: North Louisiana Posts: 2,800	Duh........... OK, HK USP. Your choice, full size or compact. __________________ Xavier's Blog

July 31, 2005, 11:20 AM	#2
kirkcdl Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2002 Location: Roseburg,ORYGUN Posts: 821	I think I'd give a long look at the Para Ordnance P-16 LDA,also... But...if I had $1K to spend,I'd buy a Steyr M40(about $450 or so) just for range time,and a Kahr K40 for CCW(about $550 or so).If you do look at the Steyr,check out the grip first if you can,kinda like a Glock,but I don't like Glocks grip either,and I love my Steyr.Kinda the same,but different,you know?Good luck with whatever you choose...

July 31, 2005, 11:28 AM	#3
Duxman Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2005 Location: VA Posts: 1,294	Many of my friends have HK's - they are fine weapons. A little big for my purposes (CC): I prefer the Walther P99. Awesome accuracy. Reliability and Ergonomics second to none....

July 31, 2005, 12:50 PM	#4
Handy Junior member Join Date: August 31, 2001 Posts: 8,785	Of those two, I would not expect the alloy framed 229 to last as long as the HK. Polymer and forged steel frames are just better for durability than alloy. Other than that, I'd be inclined to take a good look at S&W's 4006TSW. This all forged steel pistol has been revamped from previous 4006s to have a longer in battery time to control .40 pressures and reduce recoil/battering. I would think this would be another good bet for a gun really built to withstand alot of .40 use.

July 31, 2005, 01:35 PM	#7
silver-bullet Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2005 Posts: 515	Excellent suggestions so far (I hadn't even thought of S&W, thanks Handy). Let me narrow it down just a bit. I would prefer something a little lighter than the full-size CZ, and something a little more compact than the Sig p226. So far I still like the Sig 229 and HK USP. But I remain open to suggestion....

July 31, 2005, 01:50 PM	#9
silver-bullet Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2005 Posts: 515	Xavier, as stated in my opening: 1) Reliability 2) Durability. In that order. Other things will come into play of course: how the gun feels, accuracy, single/double action, etc. BUT, my personal definition of "best" centers around the two criteria stated at the outset.

July 31, 2005, 02:01 PM	#11
JMag Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2004 Posts: 284	I'm not a .40 fan...but, I'd take a long, hard look at HK's P2000 before I settled in on a USP.

July 31, 2005, 03:37 PM	#12
Stiletto Senior Member Join Date: March 9, 2005 Posts: 388	P2000: also known as "USP Compact version 2.0" (more or less). I want one.

July 31, 2005, 04:18 PM	#13
kymasabe Senior Member Join Date: June 10, 2005 Location: SW Florida Posts: 2,747	Money is no object... .40 cal...easy answer. H&K all the way. Buy it, love it, don't look back. __________________ God's creatures big and small, eat them one, eat them all.

July 31, 2005, 06:03 PM	#14
Peter M. Eick Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 1999 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 2,991	Springfield P9 IPSC Ultra in 40. Nice long slide, custom ported, tuned trigger from the factory, nice weight, excellent reliability. What more can you ask for? To bad they have not made them in about a dozen years.... __________________ 10mm and 357sig, the best things to come along since the 38 super!

July 31, 2005, 06:12 PM	#15
K_Frame_Fan Member Join Date: May 10, 2005 Location: Hattiesburg, Ms Posts: 28	Browning Hi-Power .40 cal

July 31, 2005, 06:39 PM	#16
R1145 Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 351	The real answer is...it doesn't matter. Pick one you like and shoot it lots. My department issues the S&W 4006. It's a big hunk o' American stainless steel. I'm OK with it. Well engineered, after 40+ years of working the bugs out of Smith autos. Rugged, almost shooter-proof. Mine is very reliable. I'd add tritium sights. Weird though, that lots of departments use Smiths but they don't seem that popular commercially. Politics aside, what gives? The trigger is a bit heavy, but other than that, I've got no complaints. I saw a stainless Beretta 92 in .40 once. Very good looking weapon. I'd still get a Glock 23, personally.

July 31, 2005, 07:10 PM	#17
.357SIG Senior Member Join Date: August 18, 1999 Posts: 1,023	Of all the .40s out there, the two you listed were designed from the ground up as .40s, not scaled-up 9mms. You should do fine with either a USP or SIG P229. I'd probably grab the USP because of C&L ability.

July 31, 2005, 09:24 PM	#18
Gixerman1000 Senior Member Join Date: June 22, 2005 Location: Eastern USA Posts: 338	I own a few in 40sw 1. Beretta 96FS 2. Glock G22 3. HK USP40 Stainless 4. Sig P229 5. S&W SW99 6. S&W 4004 7. SpringField XD40 4” Stainless 8. Steyr M40 all have been great pistols that I would more than trust to get the job done but If I had to pick just one it would be the USP40 or the P229

July 31, 2005, 09:29 PM	#19
Half-Price Assassin Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2005 Location: Oh Posts: 602	the HK USP 40 is a full size gun with a 4.25 inch barrel, the Sig P229 is a more compact gun for CCW. i like HK pistols, but if you want a CCW get the Sig. the two you picked are great weapons, between the two there is no clear winner, so no matter what you pick, it will be a good chioce. __________________ Bernhard Goetz Real American Hero HK Marketing Department's new slogan "HK. Because you suck. And we HATE you"

July 31, 2005, 09:40 PM	#20
kgpcr Senior Member Join Date: May 23, 2005 Posts: 955	Xd All The Way I own alot of handguns and i would not trade any of them for my XD. I love mine. its dependable 3500 rounds and not one problem. Its also very accurate and is easy to care for. No more Glocks for me....

July 31, 2005, 10:26 PM	#21
treeprof Senior Member Join Date: June 6, 2000 Posts: 587	When the Ohio State Police were looking for a new pistol (.40 or .45 in DAO) in 1998, the top four finishers were the SIG 226 (an 860 score w/4 malfs in 12k rounds), the SIG 229 (838, 5 malfs) the HK USP (685, 14 malfs) and the G22 (661, 13 malfs). The .40 S&W Sigma (6th) barely beat the S&W 4053TSW (7th). Among those guns that did not successfully finish the tests were the SIG 220, S&W 4043, Glock 30, USP45C, S&W 4586 and Ruger P94. 10 examples of each gun were tested initially, w/2 of those selected for more extended (3k each) testing. Edit: the HK USP40C was tested, but I do not know its fate. It was not a top finisher, tho.

July 31, 2005, 10:30 PM	#22
Skeetin'870 Senior Member Join Date: April 11, 2005 Location: Tulsa,Ok. Posts: 288	XD 40 easy to clean good ergonmics safe and reliable as hell __________________ Mental prep for skeet 1 Look for the Bird 2 Gun speed to target speed 3 Head on the gun 4 Follow Through

July 31, 2005, 11:56 PM	#23
pbghguy Junior Member Join Date: July 31, 2005 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 10	Sig all the way The only two .40 cal I have any real experience with are the Glock 22 and Sig 229. I shot the glock all through the academy and while it performed superbly I just couldn't get used to the brick-like grip (I know, I know). My 229 is fantastic though. It is the sigle most reliable gun I have ever fired. Thousands upon thousands of rounds and never a single malfunction. It sights easily and patterns within 3'' at 50'. Stripping it is easier than almost any gun I have ever seen (especially glock). And as someone reffered to in another thread it does not require a triger pull to strip. The only thing I would ever change about it is the single/double trigger pull, but like anything, with practice it can be overcome. Like I said these are the only two I have experience with so can't say anything about the HK, but if you do go with the Sig you will be nothing but happy. Good luck.

August 1, 2005, 12:11 AM	#24
Lycanthrope Senior Member Join Date: October 1, 2001 Location: PA Posts: 1,752	Forget 10's of thousands of rounds....start talking hundreds of thousands..... STI/SVI.

August 1, 2005, 03:59 AM	#25
DHart Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 591	There is NO "best". My first and only choice would be Browning Hi-Power forty. Got two of them and after Don Williams trigger jobs, they are two of the finest fighting semi-autos I've ever known.