Why .40?

[steel1212]

I'm looking to get a new gun and I see a lot of shooting sport shooters shooting .40. Is it just a personal preferance or is it actually superior to 9mm/.45. The reason I'm asking is that I don't currently have a SSP legal gun. I already load for 9mm/.45acp/.38/.357 so whats one more caliber right? Anyway, I was looking at getting another glock, had G17s sold them both, wish I hadn't but if I get another glock it will either be a 17 or a 22. I could always shoot well with my 17s though.

[BigDave]

In USPSA Limited Division (IPSC Standard), .400" is minimum diameter for Major scoring. .354-.399" dia bullets score Minor. So, for Major, you're basically left with 40 S&W, 10mm and 45 ACP (perhaps 45 GAP now, but don't quote me). Other than scoring, magazine capacity is the other consideration. With 140mm S_I mags you're looking at 19-21 rds (depending on parts and tuning) with 40 S&W, where with 45 ACP you're looking more like 14-17 rds (maybe 1 more?).

Accuracy? With USPSA/IPSC, 40 S&W doesn't give up anything to 45 ACP in this department. IDPA would be no different. Most off the shelf guns shoot <4" @ 25 yds and custom cuts that well in half as long as the ammo is decent.

[D.Hayden]

In Limited: Capacity, and it makes major.

I think it's the most rounds, still to make major in a standard 140MM (max length) magazine

Added... Dave beat me to it..

Edited July 6, 2006 by BerKim

[JFD]

Staying with the Limited division theme, but Glock specific:

Makes Major PF and still holds 20+1 (19 reloadable) with mag extensions

Is so much cheaper to load than the .45 - I'm getting brass for something like $15/1K and bullets from precision Delta are $74/1K delivered.

You can download to Minor for Production or load to Major for Limited. With the 9mm you're stuck with Minor only even if it's cheap to load. The .45 is too expensive and doesn't offer the capacity for Limited.

[steel1212]

So basically if I'm only shooting IDPA, for now, I should go with the 9mm as I already load it? In IPSC it just boils down to a few more rounds over .45 and makes major scoring over 9mm/38 super but that would be fore limited right as open you can use any caliber above 9mm as long as it makes PF?

If its glock .45 isn't even a choice as I just don't like the feel of them. It would be .40 or 9mm. I'm getting the idea that it comes back to IPSC with the reason so many people shoot .40, for major and more rounds.

Edited July 6, 2006 by steel1212

[Flexmoney]

Get the G17 (or a G34).

It works for IDPA's SSP Division...

...and...

...it works works for USPSA (IPSC) Production Division.

Capacity isn't an issue in either (both are capped at 10+1)

[Rob Boudrie]

Ore more factor in the 40 S&W vs 45 equation:

40 S&W brass is among the cheapest brass to buy one fired surplus. With a bit of looking, you can get 40 S&W brass for less than the cost of primers and not ever worry about picking it up.

[JFD]

9mm gives you less options. Unless you shoot Production ONLY, then you'd be stuck with Minor scoring in Limited and Limited-10 if you wanted to give those a try.

I don't think it matters for IDPA that much as you could still shoot the G17 in SSP or ESP.

Loading both major and minor .40 loads, you could easily be competitive in SSP, ESP, Production, Limited, and Limited 10. With the 9mm you would be good to go in SSP, ESP, and Production. While you could shoot it in other divisions, you'd have no choice between major and minor scoring.

Of course having choices isn't always a good thing I'm still debating the major/minor question for my Limited G35 I've got both loaded, can shoot both well, but haven't run side-by-side comparisons to see if minor loads will be an advantage or a handicap for me. I'm thinking handicap, but time will tell.

[AustinMike]

Anyway, I was looking at getting another glock, had G17s sold them both, wish I hadn't but if I get another glock it will either be a 17 or a 22.

If you're gonna by a Glock, let me recommend Summit Gun Broker. I bought a G17 and G22 from him last year. They're factory rebuilds and I paid $365 each with 3 mags. They work like new and still have Glock's lifetime warranty. I recently got a used police trade-in G23 for home & carry from him and it's also a great gun. He's done me right on 3 transactions now and saved me some cash over buying new. No affiliation, kick-backs, etc., just a satisfied customer. I understand he is going to be on vacation for most of July, FYI.

Edited July 6, 2006 by AustinMike

[gino_aki]

+1 on the cheap brass...if you have any kind of rapport with the local PD you can even get brass for FREE!

[jeffham222]

Just recently got a G-22. Love it. Was shooting an HK .40USP Fullsize--too expensive to upgrade, screw that, went with a winner... Just too much after market support and cheaper parts for Glock NOT to convert.

.40 is one of the best all-around cartridges in my opinion, the perfect combo of 9mm and .45. I wouldn't buy a 10mm, it's basically a magnum .40, plus too expensive for ammo. But I reload, so I get my ammo for around $5/100 now...

Anybody correct me if I am wrong...

[Steve Moneypenny]

Actually I am planning to get a 40 to shoot IDPA with.. why you might ask.... i'll tell you... the stupid idpa targets have enough space to put a full bullet diameter hit ON card board but NOT break the perf with 9mm.. not so much so with a 40. This cost me a Mike at IDPA nationals on an almost muzzle distance target... i left it because i saw a diameter on target. ... DOH.. wrong sport.

9mm is a little cheaper in most cases though.

[Joe4d]

As stated .40 makes bigger holes, and yes it does matter, I lost a 200+ second match by 2 seconds by scoring a down 5 with a 9mm in the same manner as above poster. In my hands a .40 loaded to around 135pf feels much softer than 9mm loaded to same or Winchester White Box factory. As a Sport try allmost anything shooter the .40 is the most versitile round It is the only way to go. You can easily load 135pf for IDPA or Production, 170 for Limited 190pf for bowling pins and not be handicapped in any way in fact have the best caliber for the job. You can except a slight round count disadvantage and shoot open. You can join the "9mm Light and fast vs .45 Slow and heavy debate by saying gee my gun will do both depending on choosing bullets from 135-200 gr.

[Brazos SC Shooter]

Here is something else to think about.

Do you have CCL? I went with .40 for many of the reasons already mentioned.

1. Load light for SSP and Production

2. Load up heavier to make major for Limited and Limited 10

3. My HK USP fullsize is both my competition gun in SSP and Production and my carry gun for the outside world. This gives me additional trigger time behind the weapon that I would use should the need arise.

It is really tough to beat the flexibility this round offers. IMO, YMMV.

[big_kahuna]

If you're gonna by a Glock, let me recommend Summit Gun Broker. I bought a G17 and G22 from him last year. They're factory rebuilds and I paid $365 each with 3 mags. They work like new and still have Glock's lifetime warranty. I recently got a used police trade-in G23 for home & carry from him and it's also a great gun. He's done me right on 3 transactions now and saved me some cash over buying new. No affiliation, kick-backs, etc., just a satisfied customer. I understand he is going to be on vacation for most of July, FYI.

+ a zillion. Summit gun broker rocks. Bought my kid a factory-refurb'd G22 for $405 out the door including DROS and shipping. Looked like a factory-fresh NIB gun except for the slide lock lever. Replaced the slide lock lever for a few bucks and the guns looks and performs like a new gun.