40 vs 45

Hakaman · Post by **Hakaman** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 1:38 pm

Why do some people choose 40sw over 45acp for SD ?
I would think one would go with the "larger" round
that has less pressure build up?
Haka

Downeaster · Post by **Downeaster** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 3:20 pm

I understand your question, and not to be a wisenheimer, but why do people choose Ford over Chevy?

Ballistics are quite similar so a lot of it is that 40 or 10mm is the flavor of the week and sexier than that ancient old .45ACP. 40 is available in a lot of the newer polymer firearms which are lighter, cooler, etc. etc., probably more so than .45acp, tho I'm not sure about that.

About the only real difference that I can detect is that hi-cap doublestack 40's are a LOT more common than hi-cap .45ACP.

I don't see capacity as an issue, personally. I can pretty much hit what I aim at with 7 rounds as readily as I can with 15...

I'm with you, Boo-Boo, I'll stick with the .45 I have a couple, I have a couple of 5 gallon buckets full of brass and all the necessary components. It ain't broke, I got no urge to fix it.

montveil · Post by **montveil** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 3:51 pm

iF YOU CAN'T STOP A THREAT WITH 7 HITS FROM A 45, A LARGER MAGAZINE PROBABLY WON'T HELP..
IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT ONLY THE FIRST HIT COUNTS.

Hakaman · Post by **Hakaman** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 3:52 pm

Ballistics are quite similar so a lot of it is that 40 or 10mm is the flavor of the week and sexier than that ancient old .45ACP

XDM 45 vs XDM 40 (according to the "XDM Talk" forum):

Now my real feelings, I find the 40S&W to be a wanta be cartridge created to try to get the stopping power of the 10mm in a smaller framed gun to fit Federal agents with smaller hands. In doing so they created a high speed round, which when used with quality hollow point bullets doesn't quite meet the performance of the 45acp. This high speed however does deliver a very snappy recoil that is much more annoying than the 45acp. My suggestion is get the XD45 Tactical and spend the extra money on a trigger job and you will be much more satisfied.

greener · Post by **greener** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 7:55 pm

Don't want to start the "caliber wars" but the .40 is viewed to be better than the 9mm, almost as good as the .45 and the gun holds more rounds. Might be a wanna be, but if I were a LEO, I'd be better satisfied with a .40. The .40 compacts seem to be pretty nice. Several years ago I was tossing a coin between 9mm and .40. Decided on the 9mm. I think a .40 would have been better. But since I druther have a .45 and like the .357, I doubt I'll buy a .40.

Medicine Hat · Post by **Medicine Hat** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 7:58 pm

I won my XD .40 in a raffle 3 years ago. I like it, have no complaints about either the gun or the caliber.
IF I had gone out to buy one (spend money) I would have bought a .45 ACP in 1911 configuration.
and been pleased with that too.

bgreenea3 · Post by **bgreenea3** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 8:57 pm

I have a couple 40's they are a nice round. a good comprimise between light and fast and heavy and not so fast. you get the capacity of a 9mm and close to the stopping power of the 45. the 40 fits in a smaller grip frame than the 45.

personally I like them both 40 is a good stopper and so is the 45. in a two shootings we've had at my dept the 40 has performed very well even though both went through barriers before they went into the bad guy.

40 is chaper to shoot too.

lucam · Post by **lucam** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 9:59 pm

My father's department had two shootings in the last year. They both were long standoffs, the good guys had time to get the long guns, the bag guy decided to shoot..

Both bad guys got one or both 12 gauge slugs and .223 in the head and chest.

Well, while this doesn't count much(they've never had duty experience). The dept carries 40 S&W. From my understanding, it goes through car doors better. And both shooting happened at over 30 yards(the second at 80) and through a car windows/doors. The 40 S&W would have been my choice for such an event(if I couldn't have an M4) At that range I would like as much capacity as possible in a handgun too.

Now, a cop's work is different than personal concealed self-defense. I'd carry a 45. The range of SD is probably going to be close. VERY CLOSE. You're not pulling over a bank robber and waiting for backup.

blue68f100 · Post by **blue68f100** » Thu Dec 16, 2010 10:26 pm

When I was looking for a SD gun I opted for the 9mm due to size, ammo cost over the 40. Even though I reload, the 9 is cheaper to shoot, and I like to shoot. With the modern ammo it will serve most for SD. I do think the 9mm may be too light for some application (law enforcement). In that case my choice would be 45 or 357sig if I needed to shoot through barriers.

While the 45 is the choice for most, the 40 is a nice in between round, but has a snappier recoil when compaired to the 45 or 9mm. But if you really need more power and rounds just go with the 357sig. More penetration than the larger rounds and the power/vel of the 357mag.

smokey · Post by **smokey** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 5:42 am

I found a pistol I wanted and it was not offered in 45 caliber but was made in 40 caliber. I bought it and like it a lot. I have a 45 as well and also like that one. They are both good rounds.

Post by **Bullseye** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 7:21 am

I don't concern myself with the caliber much. While I have many .45's, I carry the .40 due to the compact size of that particular pistol.

R,
Bullseye

U-turnwilly · Post by **U-turnwilly** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 5:06 pm

Part of the rational for developing the .40 S&W was getting a .40 cal. bullet into a 9mm platform. I believe that it was shortly after the FBI adopted the 10mm and found that some folks had a difficult time with the size of the S&W pistol (mod.1006 I think) and needed to find somthing smaller.

While I have a large frame CZ75 in .40 S&W I usally opt for a smaller pistol for it. If I going to pick up a 1911 it will be my 10mm or one of my 45 acp.s
Bill

greener · Post by **greener** » Fri Dec 17, 2010 5:34 pm

From the standpoint of ammo availability, I'd take .40 over 10mm. Went to 5 gunshops in Anchorage with my son-in-law looking for 10mm. When you said "I'd like a box of 10mm" the owners would answer "So Would I." I found and bought .45 Win Mag, but we couldn't find 10mm. His Delta Elite is very nice, but you can't find ammo for it.

U-turnwilly · Post by **U-turnwilly** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 11:37 am

I really enjoy the 2 10mm pistols that I own but I have alway reloaded for most of my ammo needs.

Willy

greener · Post by **greener** » Sat Dec 18, 2010 3:02 pm

U-turnwilly wrote:I really enjoy the 2 10mm pistols that I own but I have alway reloaded for most of my ammo needs.

Willy

That's been one of my excuses for buying centerfire handguns, I can reload. Lately, it seems to be the only way to do much shooting with the less common or harder to find ammo.

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