Best 40S&W pistol….

[88E30M50]

Another sweet shooter is an early all steel compact with a heavy 40P slide. It feels like an SP01 Compact and is about as soft of a shooter as the full size SP01 is.

 

[63PGP]

Couple more USP's milled by ZR Tactical

 

[kaveman]

I love the .40 but I want it in a duty size pistol and for shooting, prefer a steel frame. Alloy second. Polymer last, but there are still some good ones. I drank heavily at the LEO trade-in trough when agencies bought the 9mm Kool-aid for the second time and offloaded their .40s cheap. And I'm a sucker for DAO pistols so I stacked them deep. I long ago lost track of how many .40s I have and even how many of each particular model, but here are my favorites:

#1 with a bullet is the S&W 4046, stainless frame/slide DAO. Same gun in 9mm is a 5946 and it's also my favorite 9mm. 4043/4044 are the same .40 gun with alloy frame(stainless finish/blue finish)and those have a reputation of being pretty well beaten by the pounding of the .40 but a clean gun will last a long time. The steel frame will last forever and is much nicer to shoot,......so I stick with the 4046 and keep the others in a box. Back in the good old days the 4046 was one of the cheapest trade-ins out there, being too heavy to carry, .40S&W and DAO, and usually could be had for under $250. GREAT shooting gun!

I've also got several each of the 4053 and 4053TSW which are two totally different guns. The 4053 is a compact single-stack on a .45 frame and the 4053TSW is a compact double-stack basically on a 9mm frame. Both are alloy and I find the 4053 grip too small, but both shoot okay. Some guys like to hotrod the 4053 and rechamber to 10mm since it's one of the few .40s on a .45 length frame, but I don't even care for it in .40 myself. 4046, or if you want a dingus on your slide SA/DA then 4006.

Next best shooter is the Beretta 8040D Cougar. It's a big burly .40 on an alloy frame, but has a rotating barrel lockup so is real pleasant to shoot. D signifies DAO. Also good is the PX4. It's got a poly frame but also has the rotating barrel so is a gentle shooter. My only gripe with the PX4 is that it's 'ugly' and the grip is poly, kinda slippery, and can't be easily upgraded. I've got mine planned for a tungsten carbide grip job whenever I get around to it.

And sticking with Beretta again, the 96D. Another great gun.

I've got Glocks and hate them. Much better is the M&P, the bigger, the better. I just had slides milled and dots attached to a pair of 1.0 police trades, but the 2.0 are much improved guns. I've got a 5" CORE Pro Series I really like. Of all the poly frames, the M&P would probably be my first choice.

 

[FNparabellum]

ZR Tactical in Noblesville did mine. View attachment 234701

Now that is fancy

 

[BigRed3588]

I don’t much care for .40 but shot my fair share as a contractor for a LEA. If I HAD to choose, I’d probably go with the P229. The other models I tried just didn’t feel like they were built for the round.

 

[00Buck]

Smith and Wesson model 610. Very accurate with 10mm or 40 S&W. When/if the 40 S&W makes it’s final stand and falls into the history books. You still have a 10 mm. Now don’t think I’m saying a 610 is a good concealed carry option but for hunting, target shooting, woods walking, night stand and versatility it’s hard to beat if you love the 40 S&W.

On a side note I always related the 40 S&W to the 41 Magnum. Both are excellent cartridges and have their place. The only complaint I have is I can only shoot 41 Magnum out of my model 57.

 

[Good on paper]

PT Honcho gets my nod as the best .40

 

[Basher]

Smith and Wesson model 610. Very accurate with 10mm or 40 S&W. When/if the 40 S&W makes it’s final stand and falls into the history books. You still have a 10 mm. Now don’t think I’m saying a 610 is a good concealed carry option but for hunting, target shooting, woods walking, night stand and versatility it’s hard to beat if you love the 40 S&W.

On a side note I always related the 40 S&W to the 41 Magnum. Both are excellent cartridges and have their place. The only complaint I have is I can only shoot 41 Magnum out of my model 57.

I think it’ll be a long time before the .40S&W ever fades into the history books. It may not be quite as popular, but it’s still one of the “big three” calibers for service pistols, having more of a foothold than the 10mm (which is still around with a loyal following as well).

 

[88E30M50]

I took the G23 out today and put a box of .40 through it. It was like the old days with it, being very easy to shoot well. I’d been shooting it with the 9mm conversion barrel and spring lately due to ammo costs. I was getting the same odd feel to it that I used to get when I tried to like G19s. For some reason, I just don’t care for Glock 9mms but the .40s work well for me.

But, the P229 is still my favorite .40 though

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

 

[Hawkj]

I had a Glock 23 along with a .357 sig barrel also. Great gun and easy to conceal. I put a reduced trigger asssembly in it with night sights. Never had any issues with it. Sold it and got into 1911s.

 

[grillak]

i took g23, the 4006, and the p320 (had just put a wilson grip yesterday morning) to the range yesterday. love the 4006. i should've been shooting this all along.

still not a fan of glock... more like undecided at this point. but the g23 may grow on me

found a eaa witness in .40 at the pawnshop. wonder finish. i put it in layaway (can't get caught short with the gbabies christmas toys again). from my limited research i think it is the T95 combat.

i wish they would have had another sig...any sig...

 

[DadSmith]

i took g23, the 4006, and the p320 (had just put a wilson grip yesterday morning) to the range yesterday. love the 4006. i should've been shooting this all along.

still not a fan of glock... more like undecided at this point. but the g23 may grow on me

found a eaa witness in .40 at the pawnshop. wonder finish. i put it in layaway (can't get caught short with the gbabies christmas toys again). from my limited research i think it is the T95 combat.

i wish they would have had another sig...any sig...

When are you going to step up to the 40 Cooper?

 

[sparkyfender]

HK USP Compact
Sig 239

 

[grillak]

When are you going to step up to the 40 Cooper?

huh?...what's the 40 cooper? something i need to buy?

hey!!! you're that guy my therapists warned me about

 

[DadSmith]

huh?...what's the 40 cooper? something i need to buy?

hey!!! you're that guy my therapists warned me about

I call the 10mm a 40 Cooper after Jeff Cooper.

 

[edporch]

In case anybody's interested, I just posted an Ad in the Classifieds for a P229 .357 Sig.

WTS: - SOLD!!!! Sig Sauer P229 DAK .357 Sig Excellent- Condition

SOLD!!!!!!! Sig Sauer P229 DAK .357 Sig Excellent- Condition (PLEASE DON'T BUMP AD, PM ME INSTEAD) - Model: P229 - Made: Sigarms Inc. Exeter-NH-USA - Semi-Automatic DAK - Caliber: .357 Sig (Also .40SW by JUST swapping barrel) - Serial# AAU0181x - 12 + 1 Shot Capacity - 2 Magazines - Night...

www.indianagunowners.com

 

[Noble Sniper]

Picked up a very nice P229 today…. In 357 SIG but a barrel change to 40 will happen soon enough. Also won a S&W 4006TSW CHP …. I consider these the pinnacle of the 4006.

 

[1775usmarine]

Picked up a very nice P229 today…. In 357 SIG but a barrel change to 40 will happen soon enough. Also won a S&W 4006TSW CHP …. I consider these the pinnacle of the 4006.

I got mine from Copper Custom for 375 hand picked with 3 mags a few years back before prices went up.

 

[edporch]

Picked up a very nice P229 today…. In 357 SIG but a barrel change to 40 will happen soon enough. Also won a S&W 4006TSW CHP …. I consider these the pinnacle of the 4006.

Nice 4006