9mm vs. .40 cal

[The Ninja]

P227.

Depends on context.

Anyone have any idea what round they're going to be issued with those? I did a quick search but didn't come up with anything.

 

[rugertoter]

Anyone know why a lot of agencies were quick to hop on-board the .40 cal when it came out, but now are switching back to 9mm?

Well, although I am a fan of the .40 S&W, I am also a fan of the 9mm Luger. To answer your question, I would say the cost of 9mm versus .40 could be one factor. Another factor is that the average police qualification scores are a little better with the 9mm versus the .40 S&W. But one also has to take into account the 9mm is not the 9mm of even a decade ago. The ammo has gotten better in terminal performance than what it used to be. JMHO.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Anyone have any idea what round they're going to be issued with those? I did a quick search but didn't come up with anything.

They've had them for a while. No idea what they are issued for ammo.

 

[Vamptepes]

I like the 357 Sig. The gel tests show an impressive channel with a 125 gr bullet @ 1319 fps. My 125 gr Gold Dot loads chrony @ 1500 fps and I'd really like to see what they would do to that gel.

 

[maxipum]

I agree with the guy in the video if you can't kill it with a 9mm or 45 then you need a rifle.

 

[RMC]

I still like my 380

 

[Amishman44]

My theory is that even LEO's like to have a new gun/caliber every now and then too. We in the public sector aren't stuck carrying the same 'ol gun everyday, so why should they? The 357 wheel guns they carried back in the goog old days made holes in ****, then the 9mm made holes, then the .40 made holes and then back to the 9mm for for a hole reunion. I'd love to see hole technology take us back to the 38 specials, now that's back when holes were holes.

Science and technology were introduced into bullet manufacturing and they figured how to get .40 (or better) performance out of a 9mm...........plus ya usually get a couple extra bullets in the mag.

I agree...and while it's true, one only really 'needs' a good .39+P 5-shot revolver for home / personal defense...but yet the .45 still makes a bigger hole!

IMO...I like da .45!

 

[Bfish]

I still like my 380

Oh boy, here we go! And I think the 9mm vs. 40 is bad.. Then you start talking about if a .380 for self defense and the room starts spinning!

 

[sharpetop]

They've had them for a while. No idea what they are issued for ammo.

I believe 230gr Gold Dots.

 

[ModernGunner]

Interesting. Lots of responses how much 9mm performance has improved, while implying that .40 cal. hasn't also benefited from the same improvements in bullet technology. The difference between the two likely still exists, due to improvements in both.

There's a good chance that, keeping budgets at the same or increased levels aside, changing to 9mm may be something as simple as increasing hit probability among the average LEO shooter.

While many LEO's are avid firearms fans, many others are not and view training and qualification as something of a 'chore'. And, as with any group, some just aren't as good marksmen as others. The departments probably find that 9mm enables a higher number of LEO's to qualify with less effort.

Makes sense, really. In a shooting scenario, every round is accountable, and whether a .500 magnum or 9mm, misses accomplish nothing beyond potential collateral damage or injury. So, pick a round which, on the average, the hit ratio is highest.

 

[nwigunner]

Im assuming they went back to 9mm because of price and with modern loads you can achieve great ballistics.

 

[RND]

They've had them for a while. No idea what they are issued for ammo.

FEDERAL HST +p

 

[Paul30]

40 seemed to come out around the assault weapon ban which also banned magazine capacity over 10 rounds. Buyers at the time thought that 10 rounds of 40 was better than 10 rounds of 9mm or 7 rounds of 45 at the time. Times change, the AWB is dead, bullet tech has gotten better. I recall the 10 round 40 caliber Beretta worked great in the 9mm Beretta with 15 rounds. The nice thing about the 40 is you only need an extra barrel to shoot 357 sig. Sure you could buy it in 357 to begin with, but if you already own the gun a barrel is a cheap upgrade. Any of these calibers will work fine if your shot placement is good. In today's new crime environment where you not only have to defend yourself against a criminal, but his 50 criminal buddies I am leaning towards higher capacity. I may need more rounds per attacker, but I may also have several attackers if things go south quickly. I would rather have 30 rounds of 9mm than fewer rounds of anything else.

 

[HoughMade]

Hey my apologies for not sending a pm, because i dont have 50 posts yet. I was wondering about your five-seven.

Dude....don't go down this road again.

No end-running the 50 post rule.

Just get your 50 quality posts and then have at it.

 

[Ballstater98]

This thread reminds me of the Yeager video being still relevant as a conversation piece.

 

[palerider0485]

ive never been a big 40 cal fan. but im not a 40 cal hater either. i have seen the james yeager video and i dont know if a 40 really wares out your gun faster then a 9mm or 45 because i dont shot enough to really ware out a gun. well i guess my 1911's need tweeked out of the box then after brake in need a lil tweeking again... but my glocks and sigs just shoot out of the box and past 5000 rounds. i like a 9mm and as the balistic chart obove showed, there really isnt that big of a difference between the two.

 

[bmiley1963]

I read it was because of ballistics, performance and availability.

 

[Cygnus]

Hey my apologies for not sending a pm, because i dont have 50 posts yet. I was wondering about your five-seven.

Dude....don't go down this road again.

No end-running the 50 post rule.

Just get your 50 quality posts and then have at it.

Dude I will sell you one really cheap. You just have to drive to my place to pick it up.......(or stay there and post a bit more. The one above won't count. Or send in the $20)