.40 s&w versus .45 acp

[wsteffen]

Both will stop an intruder with a well placed shot. Round capacity isn't a consideration unless you expect a major invasion. The 45 WILL NOT end up in your neighbors house after going through someone like the 40. Both the 9 and the 40 are terrible self defense rounds because of their penetration. If I'm going up against a hog, I'll take the 40. For home defense, NOTHING beats a 45.

[Artos]

Being a 1911 guy since I started buying pistols, I am biased towards 45 and the 38 super. However, so many le are now shooting 40, I simply must own a new LW 40 commander...sti is taking care of this itch. Kinda weird being loaded up with 40 and no gun to shoot it. I also need to fix my 10mm want.

[Shane]

Both will stop an intruder with a well placed shot. Round capacity isn't a consideration unless you expect a major invasion. The 45 WILL NOT end up in your neighbors house after going through someone like the 40. Both the 9 and the 40 are terrible self defense rounds because of their penetration. If I'm going up against a hog, I'll take the 40. For home defense, NOTHING beats a 45.

Yeah, it probably does just boil down to whatever you like to shoot the most, judging from this.

[Z7_Matt]

I like the comparison chart,

[Loneaggie]

Love my .40 SW. Both with get the job done. I like the higher capacity mags, and the higher velocities for HP performance. The 40 SW (aka the 40 short and wimpy) is just a wimpified 10mm.... and I don't think there's any question what a 10mm will do if you can handle the recoil.

[Loneaggie]

Both will stop an intruder with a well placed shot. Round capacity isn't a consideration unless you expect a major invasion. The 45 WILL NOT end up in your neighbors house after going through someone like the 40. Both the 9 and the 40 are terrible self defense rounds because of their penetration. If I'm going up against a hog, I'll take the 40. For home defense, NOTHING beats a 45.

Penetration has a ton more to do with bullet performance than the calibers being discussed. The 9mm +P Corbon DPX round out of my Beretta gets optimal penetration (roughly 8" of tissue) and expands extremely reliably even through thick clothing while having near perfect weight retention. The same round is also available for a 45ACP. If you put a FMJ in a 45 and a DPX in my 9mm and shoot both into sheetrock that FMJ is gonna go quite a bit further. When it comes to dealing with over penetration and terminal ballistics its all about that hollow point and how well it performs.

And carrying capacity.... it always matters. I highly recommend some of Massad Ayoob's material on the subject. Remember usually the one who fires last wins....

[txpitdog]

First some anecdotal information....

I think the reason many folks feel that the 40 is too snappy is because it is more power packed into a 9mm sized gun. The 45 is always on a bigger frame or has a bigger heavier slide. Pethaps if the 40 were offered in a 9mm frame with a little heavier slide, it would have a different reputation.

I sold a revolver to a retired cop once, and while we were talking, he told me over the course of his career at HPD, he'd shot criminals with 9mm, 40, and 45 all using Gold Dots. All of them stopped the criminal, but the 45 was the only one that also made them sit down.

I like 45 because it is effective even with ball ammo in the standard pressure loading. Ballistic gelatin tests exaggerate the minor differences between the 3 cartridges, but the Federal 230gr +P HST is pretty dang hard to argue against.

The 9mm is just about perfect for the average citizen with no particular interest or enjoyment of firearms. It is easy to become proficient with it, and in a simply operated firearm such as the Glock 19, one can have a very sensible yet powerful self defense tool without getting all wacky about it.

The 45 started out great and just seems to get better. The plain ol ball ammo in a 1911 is quite formidable, but with high tech ammo in a Glock 21, it is amazing how much improved it becomes.

The 40 is like the 270. Gay as hell and used by people who want to say they are too big a man for a smaller caliber but aren't man enough to step up to something serious. (oh come on, that's funny stuff there. It's Friday people!)

Truthfully, 99.99% of people who carry or keep a handgun for self defense do not practice or train enough to develop their skill to the point that any noticeable reduction in time could be measured between the first and subsequent accurate shots due to recoil differences. 9mm may have lower recoil that SHOULD allow one to place a quicker accurate follow up shot, but 9999 out of 10,000 that make that claim don't have the actual skill or marksmanship to make it matter. Just make the first one count regardless of which caliber it is.



And now, some scientific info to help sort through the personal preferences and hearsay about each round.



And this one was already posted in an edited version to withhold the truth

[txpitdog]

Remember usually the one who fires last wins....

...the one who scores the first solid hit usually wins

[iamntxhunter]

Try shooting a 40 cal Beretta PX4 Storm. You might like it.

[lesson 101]

I own a .40 and .45 but I have to say I carry my .40 everywhere and the .45 stay at the house.

[Boomerang]

10mm doesn't have much recoil in a G20. Must have been some sissy shooting 10mm before.

[CrossTimbers]

I have a .40 S&W and love it.