Why has the 40S&W fallen out of favor as of late?

[RidgeRunner]

I have to wonder why the 40S&W has fallen out of favor to most folks? I see them for sale with little to no interest and just bump bump bump.
I have a sig 226 in .40 and really like it, I admit I'm not much of a numbers and research person, so I ask why no interest? Ammo cost? it's not too bad, Mag capacity? not too different than a 9mm. Power? or a combination of everything?
I'd like to hear your theory or reasons. Thanks

 

[ccc]

I have a G23 and first thing I did was buy a .9mm barrel for it. Just never been a fan. I like I now have the opportunity to fire multiple calibers but never been a .40 fan.

 

[elkhunter136]

I have a SIg Sauer 229 with 40cal and 357sig.
Love me some 40cal.
I'm as clueless as you sir on this.

Sent from my 100071485 using Tapatalk

 

[reel_crazy]

most likely from the early 40 slow&weak depictions i.e. a watered down 10mm...

 

[G-rat]

the great caliber debate is over. ALL handgun calibers are pretty bad but .40 has a much snappier recoil impulse. as usual when the FBI switched over to 9mm, so did most police departments. when that happens, civilians seem to think the fed bois and LEOs are some kind of experts and they tend to follow trends. 9mm is cheaper usually, widely available, guns generally hold more boolits and the recoil is less. just my 2 cents tho as i'm no expert either... i'l wait for @Rebel_Rider1969 to start with the .45acp is better, 2 world wars comments any second...

 

[RidgeRunner]

I have a G23 and first thing I did was buy a .9mm barrel for it. Just never been a fan. I like I now have the opportunity to fire multiple calibers but never been a .40 fan.

But do you have a reason? or just don't like it???

 

[RidgeRunner]

most likely from the early 40 slow&weak depictions i.e. a watered down 10mm...

But the 10mm while a fine chambering is a bit snappy, and I find the 40 not too bad, and pretty accurate as well.

 

[Baddog 0302]

As G-Rat pointed out , As the FBI goes , so do most LEO Depts. And economics plays a part as far as the LEO Depts go.

 

[F4E Phantom]

Are we talking about the civilian or LE?
I have a S&W 4006, dont shoot it that much only because plinking ammo is more expensive.
Also I’ve read the modern 9mm HP will get the job done

 

[5lima30ret]

Actually what's available on the State bid for guns and ammo is often more of a driving factor for local agencies. Back in the late 90's Glock was offering trade-in deals to agencies with 9mm's mainly to get "pre-ban" magazines for resale at a higher profit.

The agency I retired from switched over to .40's in early 1995 because of several shootings where barriers (vehicles) were involved. (The 9mm failed to adequately penetrate barriers.) In those instances,I can attest from first hand experience .40 is better than 9mm. YMMV!

 

[Grits1/5]

I think .40 became popular because 9mm used to be widely criticized for lack of stopping power. Partially because 9mm ball isn’t a great stopper, and 9mm defensive rounds weren’t as advanced as they are now. But the stopping power of 9mm defensive loads has gotten much better in the last 20 years, so 9mm is a very respectable round now.

I like .40 just fine, but I fired thousands of rounds of it because I was an instructor and the Glock 22 was our service weapon. It isn’t as smooth of a recoil impulse as 9mm. In running drills, a 9mm glock 17 was always faster, although by a marginal amount.
If it was the same price, I would buy a 9mm over a .40, but I wouldn’t trade in a .40, just to get the same thing in 9mm.
.40 is a great caliber, but it doesn’t offer a significant advantage over current 9mm rounds.
It’s snappier than a 9mm but not as bad as .357 sig. I hated every gun I shot in that caliber, lol.

 

[Hand Cannon]

I find the caliber wars to be ridiculous. Carry what you like and what works for you in my opinion. But for sure, .40 really has fallen off a cliff in popularity. I have seen gun articles in the past few years pointing out that the 40 is a dead round. Whatever. And because of that, if you don't mind shooting a 40 then it is a great time to pick one up

 

[rkflorey]

After seeing autopsies and reports from both 9mm and 40 S&W it all came down to cost. They are both efficient at what they do but 40 cost about 20-40 % depending on supply and the recoil differences already brought up made training a little more difficult.

 

[Bowhntr6pt]

Yep... cost coupled with improved bullet designs means the 9mm holds it's own against other chamberings.

I personally like the .40 S&W and have seen what it does in defense shootings.

Glad folks are moving away from it, that means more brass, bullets, and ammo if/when I need it.

 

[BluesBrother]

I think the main reason is that the military and LE across the country have gone back to 9 MM from .40 S&W. The reason is probably varied. This has already been brought up. But it might be as simple as weight. Wasn't weight one of the big contributing factors for going to the 5.56X45 from the .308? So says the few anecdotal accounts I've read on al gore amazing internet. There's not a lot of terminal difference between 9. 40, 45. However 30 Super Carry, 380 ACP, 22 Mag. 38 Spl would also work. I think Federal HST makes ammo in all of these last mentioned.

 

[boatbum101]

All said & done aint much difference twixt the lot of 'em . So many things about a handgun are totally subjective . Carry what you feel confident in that you can make rapid repeatable hits until threat neutralized . Times have changed what I felt comfortable with 50 yrs ago aint the best choice now days . Magnum revolvers & 1911 while fine weapons leave something to be desired when facing multiple armed opponents . Rarely is there only 1 or 2 to deal with & if things continue mob rule will be the order of the day .

 

[RidgeRunner]

Yea, I kind of get it for the range, cost effective to shoot 9's, I wasn't trying to start a "which is better debate" just wondering why nobody seems interested in buying them anymore. I guess it is all reasons combined. Too expensive for the range, too heavy to carry and less rounds for similar results. I admit I never set out to buy the 3 I have, they happened upon me at a great deal. I keep my sig 226 as a bump in the night gun, it is way too big to carry. I really only have my pair of Glock 22's because nobody would buy it when I tried to sell it. LOL I will say I find myself to be a bit more accurate with the 40 than the 9mm , I don't know why.

 

[PINELOG]

Might have been the gun , but was once issue a Beretta 40 cal as a duty weapon. And it was the least accurate handgun I ever used . It did not group , it patterned. Lol

 

[ccc]

But do you have a reason? or just don't like it???

GRAT said it perfectly

 

[tros6t]

It’s like fads really! Things come and they go! 10mm fell out a few years back but now it’s hot again! Go research tests between 40cal and 10mm factory ammo! Many are almost identical. Some less powerful and a few more powerful! And while it is true, there is a lot of good 9mm ammo today, there’s also a lot of good 40 cal ammo! I have both! Actually, I have almost every cal but carry a 9! Why? Because it’s sooo much better! Bahahah j/k