40 vs 45

Here’s my argument for .40 I’m a big fan of .357 Sig and with that I’m a barrel change away from .40 Just picked up a P229 in .40 and my new barrel should be here in the next few days. It gives me more flexibility in what I shoot with a minimum investment. And you can go from one to the other and expect a high degree of reliability.
 
compared to rifle cartridges, I see all the major handgun cartridges to be nearly the same. For carry and HD I use exclusively 9mm, but .40 and .357 Sig are great options especially when there’s an ammo crunch and 9mm demand spikes. nowadays .40 is barely more expensive or the same as 9mm.

last summer I acquired a G22 gen 5 which, by virtue of heavier slide, is a sweet shooter. unfortunately it’s not compatible w all my G17/G22 holsters. I’m still kicking myself for selling the USP in .40. That was a winner.

see even 9mm fans can enjoy .40 too! life as an ammosexual.
 
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When I was younger, and reloading components were cheap, I had all the major handgun rounds. Now, I'm down to 2, 9mm and 10mm. Handguns are not man stoppers, they are to help you get to a rifle.
 
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92G said:
I’m still kicking myself for selling the USP in .40. That was a winner.
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Same here. My USP40 is one of only two guns I ever regretted selling. Such a sweet shooter, but man oh man, that big, blocky grip was just a little too big for my little girl hands 🙁
 
AR10ShooterinNC said:
When I was younger, I reloading components were cheap, I had all the major handgun rounds. Now, I'm down to 2, 9mm and 10mm. Handguns are not man stoppers, they are to help you get to a rifle.
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Handguns are portable, allowing you to allows be armed and survive a surprise attack at close quarters.

CD
 
I once read an article several years ago that hit on the fact that the majority of folks killed in a gun fight were only hit once or twice. Most gun fights are exchanges of fire between two to 4 people. In a very high percentage of those fights one or more shooters fired 5-14 rds, meaning that capacity and caliber choice means nothing. Shot placement is key to surviving not the velocity or diameter of the bullet.
I have over forty years shooting the 1911 chambered in 45ACP so I’m quite proficient with this weapon. When I raise the 1911 I know what to expect from the recoil to where the bullet will impact. I’m confident that I’ll not need 17 rds of hyper fast ammo and my 7-8 rds of 230 grain ball will be sufficient. And if it isn’t my heirs will inherit a nice collection of firearms.
 
AR10ShooterinNC said:
When I was younger, I reloading components were cheap, I had all the major handgun rounds. Now, I'm down to 2, 9mm and 10mm. Handguns are not man stoppers, they are to help you get to a rifle.
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I get where you are trying to go with this, but let's dispel this myth right now. I have seen too many breathless and pulseless bodies who were made that way with everything from .22 to .45. To my knowledge I have not seen anyone shot by 10mm or the larger caliber hunting-type rounds.
 
Chuckman said:
I get where you are trying to go with this, but let's dispel this myth right now. I have seen too many breathless and pulseless bodies who were made that way with everything from .22 to .45. To my knowledge I have not seen anyone shot by 10mm or the larger caliber hunting-type rounds.
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Your right, I'm not saying handguns don't kill. But, if I'm going out to kill I would much rather have a rifle. I have seen many reports on the killing power of modern handgun rounds (9mm, 40, 45, 38/357) they are all about equal. We carry handguns because they are lighter in weight and easier to hide. In all reality, I would much rather be able to carry an AR-15 with a 10.5 barrel.
 
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AR10ShooterinNC said:
Your right, I'm saying handguns don't kill. But, if I'm going out to kill I would much rather have a rifle. I have seen many reports on the killing power of modern handgun rounds (9mm, 40, 45, 38/357) they are all about equal. We carry handguns because they are lighter in weight and easier to hide. In all reality, I would much rather be able to carry an AR-15 with a 10.5 barrel.
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Yeah, no doubt. A .22 rifle will have better terminal ballistics than a .22 handgun, much less the difference between a .308 and a .45. The military application of pistol (and LE as far as I know) is the pistol is defensive, and only when you can't use a rifle, or have to fight your way to a rifle.
 
Published in American Handgunner magazine years ago-
Average of 1 shot kills from handguns; 0-15%
Average of 1 shot kills from rifles; 98-100%
 
Charlie said:
I do not think I would care much about this when choosing a handgun chambering. I doubt I will be trying to hit targets at 300 yards with my carry handgun very often.
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It is noticeable well before 300 yards and I am not mediocre so I don't limit my shooting activities with "carry gun" mentality. My carry gun is 9mm.
 
Friday said:
Published in American Handgunner magazine years ago-
Average of 1 shot kills from handguns; 0-15%
Average of 1 shot kills from rifles; 98-100%
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I am guessing that is a terrible misquote because one shot "stops" with a rifle are typically said to be in the 80% range. 2 shot stops with either rifle or pistol end up being nearly equal in the high 90s. Since you can't walk around with a rifle 99% of the time, the benefit you get in theory on the first shot is meaningless in practice.
 
I never bothered with 40 until I became a police officer.
Then I had to become proficient and comfortable with it.
That being said, I've shot both in IPSC/USPSA , three gun, and CQB matches.
On the 40, I always shot/shoot 180s, as that was my agencies load and I got alot of flack for it at pistol matches because I couldn't recover as fast between shots, but trigger time, is trigger time. And I was always about the middle of the pack time wise.
45 I carry since leaving the LEO community. Generally it's a 1918 1911 that King Sights worked over a LONG time ago, or my FNX-45.
The FN makes the capacity issue moot...
It holds double what the Colt holds, and the only round it won't feed is jacketed semi-wadcutters.
I see it as six one, half a dozen the other.
And all boils down to personal preference.

***EDITED TO ADD******

My usual carry these days is either a SIG P229, or an M&P 2.0 Compact. Both in 9mm.....
 
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Murtaugh said:
It is noticeable well before 300 yards and I am not mediocre so I don't limit my shooting activities with "carry gun" mentality. My carry gun is 9mm.
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I do not remember being called mediocre before. That is a new one.

This discussion seems to be centered around carry guns and gun game handguns. Long range shooting is not a use for which most carry guns are designed. Other handguns are designed for longer range hunting and longer range target shooting. How flat a chambering shoots would be more important in those applications. Defensive handgun use, however, is generally a fairly short range affair for which trajectory is of little importance.

Most shooters I know have interests in several shooting activities and have suitable firearms for those different activities.
 
Charlie said:
I do not remember being called mediocre before. That is a new one.

This discussion seems to be centered around carry guns and gun game handguns. Long range shooting is not a use for which most carry guns are designed. Other handguns are designed for longer range hunting and longer range target shooting. How flat a chambering shoots would be more important in those applications. Defensive handgun use, however, is generally a fairly short range affair for which trajectory is of little importance.

Most shooters I know have interests in several shooting activities and have suitable firearms for those different activities.
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All of that may be true in your mind. I don't limit myself in such a manner.
 
Murtaugh said:
All of that may be true in your mind. I don't limit myself in such a manner.
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I hardly limit myself to carry handguns. They are, in fact, a fairly small portion of my shooting interests. They are, however, the focus of this thread. I will be happy to discuss long range silhouette handguns, hunting handguns, Cowboy Shooting guns, Cowboy Quick Draw revolvers, 22 plinkers, cap and ball revolvers, and a variety of other firearms in another thread if you like.
 
Charlie said:
I hardly limit myself to carry handguns. They are, in fact, a fairly small portion of my shooting interests. They are, however, the focus of this thread. I will be happy to discuss long range silhouette handguns, hunting handguns, Cowboy Shooting guns, Cowboy Quick Draw revolvers, 22 plinkers, cap and ball revolvers, and a variety of other firearms in another thread if you like.
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I thought the calibers were the focus of the thread. They can be used in a large variety of guns that aren't typically "carry" guns.

You can talk to other people in other threads...I can't say I am interested in the things you are focused on.
 
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