Why .40?

[Bawanna]

45 arduous? I gotta look up arduous. I'm thinking its like hard or difficult. Blasphemy.

[b4uqzme]

^^^ not if you got a CM/PM45...

We've drifted off into a caliber debate but it sounds like a lot of us agree with the OP...bigger guns = bigger calibers and 9mm for the subcompacts.

[leftysixty]

I carry a small .40 because I can't get a .45 that small!

[Stingray]

I have 11 different handgun calibers I could potentially carry but I currently carry a PM9 and have a Glock 19 as my home protection handgun. The ammo landscape has changed drastically over the last 5 decades, and the availability of inexpensive practice ammo combined with changing bullet techology and caliber effectiveness constantly drives and changes my preferences over time. 38 special used to be the cheapest practice ammo in the 80s and 90s, and there was extremely cheap 9mm and 223 military surplus, often from overseas, flooding the market in the 90s ( a little of which is still in my safe today). All of the major revolver calibers were easily available and there was cheap practice ammo like Blazer aluminum case everywhere. I loved shooting 44s back in the 80s. Even 380 was plentiful and cheap, and I carried a PPK/S for most of the 90s. It was the biggest I could comfortably conceal. I even carried a Beretta 25 through the 80s and some of the 90s.

But 9mm didn't really come into its own until the last 5 years or so, give or take a couple, with HST and Ranger T bullet technologies that can perform through barriers and still both expand and penetrate. That, and the flood of sub compact, pocketable 9mm semi-autos, changed the landscape for me and I recently switched from my HK 40 to my Glock 19 for nightstand duty to keep things consistent. I like to practice a lot and 9 is cheaper than 40 where I buy usually. Besides, I can accurately shoot 9 a little faster than 40 and 45, and a triple tap with a 9 makes a bigger combined hole than a double tap with a 40 or a single tap with a 45

[HAP1978]

I've always preferred .40's and .45's. I've never had an issue with the .40 and my groups are pretty good at 7-10 yards and I'm not an expert by any means, a lot of it is probably due the straight shootin Kahr pistol. Since I started shooting Kahr's my aim has improved dramatically.

.40's do make bigger holes than the 9mm's.

[TheTman]

I went with a CM45, over a CM40. I have 9mm, .40's, 45's semi's, and 38/357 and 44 special and Magnum revolvers. I think the .40 will do about anything a .45 will, but the ammo always seem to run higher than .45. Since Kahr gives you no extra capacity in .40, over the .45, and that is my semi-auto caliber of choice, I went with the CM45.
Plus there is something about shooting the .40 in light weight guns that seem to me makes it snappier than a .45. I prefer my .40's in full size metal framed pistols. Like the Beretta Cougar.

For some reason (economical I think), the larger city I live near, dropped the .40, and went back to 9mm. Officers got their choice of a Glock or S&W M&P. 60% went with the M&P, 40% with the Glock.

[kwh]

I know of one instance where a jogger was killed by two Rottweilers. Walking, jogging in my neighborhood, I am much more likely to be attacked by a large dog than a B.G. I prefer to carry a larger caliber, heavier bullet, for for quadrupeds. A .40 S&W is compromise of size, weight, and capacity.

[AJBert]

Pretty simple in my mind:

Smaller than a .45 and larger than a 9mm.

Variety is the spice of life!

[Pointblank]

The more powerful the round, the more consistent practice it requires and the less likely you are to make a disabling hit under stress. A .32 in the CNS beats a .40 in the shoulder.

[Bill K]

The more powerful the round, the more consistent practice it requires and the less likely you are to make a disabling hit under stress. A .32 in the CNS beats a .40 in the shoulder.

That applies to rapid follow up shots not the first shot, right?

Also, wouldn't the ammo gun combination make a difference? Faster and more accurate double taps from a full size 1911 shooting 180 grain vs. say my PM9 with 124 +P?

[Bawanna]

That applies to rapid follow up shots not the first shot, right?

Also, wouldn't the ammo gun combination make a difference? Faster and more accurate double taps from a full size 1911 shooting 180 grain vs. say my PM9 with 124 +P?

I believe this is true, course with a 45 you generally don't need double taps, unless of course you miss the first shot.

[Alfonse]

I believe this is true, course with a 45 you generally don't need double taps, unless of course you miss the first shot.

I thought you were talking about 12 gauge there for a minute.

[OldLincoln]

My son got a 40 to fit with the department. It shot okay for me but with more snap than the 45. I've shot the 357 but one mag and my hand hurt too bad to shoot more and when my hand hurts I'm not that accurate. My PM9 shot okay but I couldn't ever get comfortable with the grip even with various covers. It would twist and I had a time with followups. Because of my grip issue (kid accident tore out some thumb tendons) I switched to a G30SF which fits my hand like molded for it. I find the 45 is more comfortable to shoot with less snap, just more of a push. So for me it's comfort and accuracy with comparable concealment.

[Bawanna]

Old Lincoln, you made my day just making this post! I been thinking about you lately, wondering how you and yours are getting along.

I agree on all counts about the 45 push rather than jolt.

I've mentioned it before but I went to a Winchester ammo seminar at our local prison range where they train and our department also uses the range for training as well. They had a petite female corrections officer shooting 9 and 40 and then a guy shooting the 45.

It lasted several hours and while there were probably 40 or 50 people there, most weren't all that interested. I was right next to the shooters and looking over the gel test up close.
Anyhow after a time I asked why they were shooting the way they were, her on the 9 and 40 and the guy on the 45. She admitted that she felt the 45 was too much!

Being the shy introverted guy that I am I told the guy with the 45 to switch so she would shoot the 45 telling her that if she was ok with hot 40 rounds from all manufacturers she'd have no issue with that 45.

She walked away with a totally different outlook on 45's that day, still warms the cockles or me heart. Well it would if I had a heart that is, guess it's one of them figures of speech as it were.

[OldLincoln]

Bawanna... thanks for the howdy. We're getting along pretty well. I always wondered how my grandfolks got along just hanging in and resolved to do it differently but life deals the cards and we play the hand we have. That said we have laughs and do pretty well in our way. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods and you grab a couple smiles along the way. Sorry for the woodsy talk, been spending my days reading Louis L'Amour.