Re: Talk me out of switching from 9mm to .40

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I gave up .40. I hated trying to separate .40 from 10mm. For defensive carry, 9mm is pretty much as effective as .40 or .45; in addition, it's far cheaper.

These days I honestly don't bother reloading for 9mm. The cost of ammo is cheap enough that I just shoot factory rounds. .40 is a very clever round, sure, but I don't find that it offers substantial benefits over 9mm and reloadability isn't improved significantly.

(.22 TCM - 9x19 - .357 Mag - 10mm - .45 ACP - .44 Mag - 7.62x39 - .308 Winchester - 7.62x54R - 12ga)

Re: Talk me out of switching from 9mm to .40

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I started out with .40 S&W and have migrated to 9mm. I developed a pretty good load in time that is reasonably modulated from the snappiness that many folks experience with .40 S&W. If you are a competitive action shooter the .40 seems to be an alternative to the .45ACP for some.

At times I look casually at CZ .40 steel frame pistols, since I sold my G22. But I think I'd like to simplify and keep my handgun loading to 9mm and .357/.38 spl.

If you decide to make the switch PM me for a good deal on dies, bullets, and brass.

:beer2:
Bleeding Heart Liberal with Second Amendment Benefits.
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Re: Talk me out of switching from 9mm to .40

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brandonsmash wrote:I gave up .40. I hated trying to separate .40 from 10mm. For defensive carry, 9mm is pretty much as effective as .40 or .45; in addition, it's far cheaper.
Higher round capacity too. In some cases 12 vs. 18 in a mag. You could argue quantity vs. quality but I'll always take more bullets and less reloading over stopping power.
LGC Texas - Vice President

Re: Talk me out of switching from 9mm to .40

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mahkagari wrote:I'm shopping for a .40 subcompact. I'll admit that a big reason for not wanting 9mm is being so fed up with headspace issues and tiny brass and picky OAL. But the reality is that I'll face all those problems with .40 and "free" brass is not as plentiful as in 9mm.

So, is .40 reloading less of a pain? Or is it a whole other world of problems?
There are a few things to consider you may have already considered. All rimless straight wall cases have the potential to have the same headspace problems. .40 has a pretty bad muzzle snap, I don't know about the 9mm +p but the standard 9 is easier to re-acquire targets. Re-loading, keep in mind that the smaller the case capacity the more sensitive it is to small variances in powder charge.

Have you considered 45 ACP? They tend to push straight back when you shoot making re-acquiring targets much faster, not sure what the short barrel will do for muzzle rise. Glock and Springfield both make nice Subs. I'd lean towards the Springfield XD line as it has better recoil control.

Re: Talk me out of switching from 9mm to .40

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9mm costs less than .40. Accuracy is more important than caliber. Accuracy is a function of practice. Cost limits practice. Unless you are a cop with an ammo budget, 9mm will provide more fun and better accuracy over time.
Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.
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Re: Talk me out of switching from 9mm to .40

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The most important SD attributes for me are accuracy and reacquiring the target after each shot. The lower recoil of the 9mm enhances performance in both those attributes because of it lower weight and recoil. With the ammo available today for 9mm it has all that is needed to incapacitate and stop an attack. There is a reason the FBI went from 40 to 9 and the military want from 45 to 9. Simple answer: accuracy.

Re: Talk me out of switching from 9mm to .40

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TheViking wrote:Only worth it if you're going for .40 Long...


A.k.a. 10mm Auto :-D
This, I only shoot .40 because of competition and because I can load it long to mitigate the snappiness. Otherwise, 9 is cheap whether it's for practice or competition and you can get 9mm in a variety of loads. The self defense loads such as Speer Gold Dot or Federal HST perform excellently and are easier to shoot in my Shield compared to the Glock 23 I used to carry.

Re: Talk me out of switching from 9mm to .40

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Marlene wrote:I've seen secondhand that 40 is definitely not easier to load and may well be harder with some guns' chamber weirdness. Also, nearly all .40s are 9mm guns with less chamber wall thickness to resist a loading error that results in elevated pressure.

I had a Glock 40 blow up in my hand once. A 9 with the same reloading error would have been fine.
Yikes!
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