Should I buy a .40 cal. or a 9mm?

Question

Im trying to make a decision between a set of pistols. Given that all other variable are equal, should I buy the 9mm or the .40?
Additional info: I shoot MAYBE once every 3 or 4 months (because I don't have a gun yet) and I shoot a 9mm for rent at the range. I can shoot it fairly well and perform police style shooting exercises including double tap, and double tap and one to the head at 7 - 15 yards with a reliable, on target grouping. I also have 2 boxes of 9mm ammo currently in anticipation of shooting another 9 mm that my friend owns. It will be a home defence weapon.
I plan on making my weapon a CCW in June.

Answer 1

I am a police officer, and I carry a .40 on duty.



I don't think it offers that much more over the 9. In fact if I had my way, I would carry a .45. But the bean counters like the .40. The fact of the matter is that the 9 is not that much different than the .40.



Yes the .40 is 1 mm larger, but consider that the 9 is lighter, makes for a lighter gun, and is more economical to shoot.



Both kill just fine WITH A GOOD SHOT PLACEMENT. That means practice. Also the smallest of guns can be found in 9mm, and .380. If you want to carry it maybe the 9 is the way to go.



I however carry a 1911 .45 off duty, and love it. It is not a high capacity gun, and is heavy, but that is what works for me. The point I want to make is that you need to buy what works for you.



I will say that I do teach firearms and have found that striker fired guns like a glock are far easier to master than a double action gun. I prefer a single action auto, but it came with YEARS of training and practice. Look into a Glock, or Sprinfield Armory XD. I have never fired a Sig 250, but hear it has a great trigger, and Sig is a great out of the box battle pistol.



It seems you already are leaning toward 9mm. If 1 mm larger gives you a warm fuzzy feeling, then have it. I think that they are so similar, that either will be fine.



Good Luck

Answer 2

People say the 9 doesn't have enough stopping power...



Try stepping in front of one and then saying that. Also, you can get +p or 147 grain hollowpoints and greater capacity. Either gun in steady hands will kill you dead. .40 or 9. Either gun in the hands of an idiot will get outshot by a ninja with a throwing star.



Know what caliber is involved in the most murders in the U.S. every single year? .22LR



Either round is cool, but don't NOT get the 9 because you think it won't stop someone trying to hurt you.



Also, generally speaking, the 9mm can be smaller and/or have a greater capacity. Sometimes significantly smaller/greater... but if you live in a mag restricted state or want to ccw a brick, the slightly stronger .40cal might be a better option depending on your body geometry and size/strength.



Guns like the smith and wesson model 3913, single stack 9's of high quality and true aim, are great little concealed carry pistols. If you're going to be IWB concealed carrying, or carrying in warm weather, a single stack 9 with serious defense rounds is a good option that is also cheaper at the range. I wouldn't want to get hit with a 147g hollowpoint going 1000fps. It might go 1140fps in .40 cal, which means it will be a tad bit less accurate because of the sonic boom when leaving the muzzle and the trans-sonic deceleration after 20ish yards... so yes it will have a little more punch which is why a lot of cops who get free ammo carry, but if cash is a consideration and you want to master a certain gun, it will be cheaper to do so with a 9mm. Like I said, the Ninja with the throwing star will put it in the novice's neck before he draws his hand cannon.

Answer 3

If you're more familiar with a 9mm, I'd say go for it. I have a 9mm myself. Cheaper, more available ammo is a big factor, and you can fit a lot more 9mm rounds in a clip. It's all up to you though, shoot em both, see what you like best.



I myself prefer .357mag and .45 ACP for home defense/cc, but if you're set on a 9mm or .40, go with the 9mm. Somebody said recoil is not much worse with a .40, but also, stopping power is not much greater. Then again, if you aren't going to take it to the range, maybe the .40 won't be a bad idea.

Answer 4

The pros of the 9mm is that it's an military issue cartridge all over the world, including the US, and so is widely available in mil-spec surplus. That means that you can buy a hundred military loads for the cost of 20 carry loads. The 40 S&W is a much better cartridge, but is not issued to regular troops anywhere that I know, so you'll pay top dollar for ammo. A carbine like that should have tons of ammo on-hand, just in case... The 9mm is the smart choice.

Answer 5

Ok to answer your question fairly we'll have to look into a few things. First off how much recoil can you tolerate and still keep your accuracy. If you can rent a 40 smith and wesson and try it out I would before you buy one. I would personally get the 40 over the 9mm for personal protection if you can be accurate with it. The simple reason is the 9mm has a 92% 1 stop shot rate with the best premium ammunition. That means that 92% of the time with the proper ammunition a shot to the chest will stop someone. The 40 smith and wesson on the other hand has a 96% 1 stop shot rate. I want someone to drop immediately when I shoot them the first time. I personally would go for the higher 1 shot stop rate.

Answer 6

Hard to say, I just came into that situation a yesterday when I bought a taurus P111 pro. I finally opted for the 9 MM because of the extra rounds. I plan on using it as a concealed carry in a few months.



.40 offers extra power, but the 9mm is a more common round.

Answer 7

I do not care for the .40 at all myself. It has too much of a snappy recoil that bothers me at the range after a couple of rounds. I think the .45 is a smoother shooting round.



I would pick the 9mm. It is low recoil, low cost and I would definitely start going to the range at least once a month after you buy your gun. More if possible. 9mm ammo is about $20 for 100rounds at walmart. 40sw is about 6-10 bucks more.



But that is just based on my experience. Good luck and safe shooting

Answer 8

If you would like more information on the efficiency of the rounds go to the links below. There are some great photos in the second one that show dramatic similarities in most of the common handgun rounds.



As far as practicality, I think you've already put 9mm in your corner. With higher capacity, cheaper cost per shot, and excellent shooting profeiceintcy with it already; it's hard to understand why you would even consider the .40 unless you've bought into all the hype about. If that's the case, read the articles I posted, they are very informative. Even if you decide to go with the .40, you've still made as good a choice for a dedicated self defence load. Its just not as cheap to go have fun with as the 9mm is.



-Greg

Answer 9

In a full sized gun the .40 would be a better choice for a defense pistol. The 9MM has less felt recoil and shoots well in compact and sub-compact weapons. The 9MM is a bit cheaper round to purchase and shoot. Pick the gun you like, chances are it will be made in both calibers. Shoot them both and decide. No matter what caliber you have, shot placement is critical, so get what shoots best for you.

Answer 10

Why not rent both a 9mm and a .40 cal at the range and shoot them back to back? If possible, get guns from the same manufacturer so you can compare fit, feel and recoil.

If you can consistently hit the target you describe, either caliber will give you the results you are looking for.

Answer 11

Everyone pretty much said 9mm. There is a lot of hate for .40S&W. Even though it's more expensive unlike 9mm you can actually find it. My local wally world had I think 60-70 50 round boxes of 9mm. Gone in 3 hours. There is never a whole lot of .40S&W there either but I've never seen it not in stock. Not once during this ammo grab insanity.

Answer 12

The 9mm recoil is more user-friendly and the cost of ammunition is less than similar .40 S&W ammunition.



There are more types of pistols made to chamber 9mm, giving you more options.



Both the 9mm and the .40 S&W will be good choices for home defense and concealed carry purposes.



I prefer the 9mm.

Answer 13

If you like to shoot A Lot, get the 9mm, ammo is cheap. If you are after more power and don't shoot that much, get the .40

Answer 14

I have a Glock 19 that I bought,I really like it,I like the 9mm over the 40(I am not saying that it is more powerful or better it is just my personal choice).Rent a 9mm and 40 and shoot them both and see what fits you better,When you do rent them try to get the same gun like a Glock 17 and a Glock 22 or a 19 and a 23.Shoot them both and see what you like.

Answer 15

Buy 40 Cal Pistol

Answer 16

If it's your home defense weapon, the choice is simple. Get the .40!! Talk to any local policeman and see why they don't use 9mm anymore. Just not enough knock down power. The recoil is not much worse. Unfortunately someone breaking into your house or trying to attack you is often not in their right mind. If the dude is high on crack, they don't feel the pain like they otherwise would. They just keep on doing their thing.



Shoot the Beretta PX4 Storm in .40 if you can. The rotating barrel design really helps cut back on the recoil. I'd imagine a few other companies have come out with simliar technologies to reduce recoil, but this is the one I have experience with.

Answer 17

9mm may be cheaper.. but between military demands for it and the hoarding..try to find some.



Depends on your mindset... if you want a dedicated self defense pistol... I'd go .40 (or 45 ACP for that matter)



If you want a range toy that can pull double duty... any one of several 9mm pistols would be suitable... carry a premium duty load and shoot fmj for practice and fun. 9mm loaded with a good Hollow point will do it's job if you do yours.

Answer 18

The 357 Magnum has been tried, true, tested, and proven to be the Best no-nonsense Man Stopper using 125 grain jacketed hollow points for self-defense ammo.* You can also shoot 38's in a 357 Magnum.* You get two (2*) Handguns for the price of one.* Get a S&W Revolver with a 4 inch barrel with adjustable sights, new or used.* Or a Ruger.*

Answer 19

If you plan to shoot it a lot the 9 will be a better choice as the ammo is cheaper. Just remember it's more about placment, so practice practice practice!

Answer 20

Ammo for the 9mm should be cheaper and on sale once in awhile. The .40SW is a superior stopping cartridge. If you want to save money-9mm. If you want to save your life-40SW.

Answer 21

9MM...... It's got plenty of stopping power.... The ammo is less expensive.... I target shoot a lot so cheap ammo is a a plus.....

Answer 22

I myself like the .40.....but u should choose what u like. Dont let anybody make the decision for u.

Answer 23

Go with the 9mm...You do your job with shot placement, you will be fine.

Answer 24

.40 its scary i shot through 4 3/4 in plywood sheets

Answer 25

.40 cal



Much better terminal ballistics and with +P ammo can get near or better than .45 ballistics.

Answer 26

my vote is point four zero.

(.40 cal, incase you didn't get it)

Answer 27

the 9mm your doing fine ok thanks