Is 40 S&W dead or not?

I have about 4 handguns in 40s&w. Moved away from 40s&w because of the rising cost of ammo... Will sell them all eventually..

I still want a USP in .40 so it's not completely dead.

I have a Ruger SR 40. It is my night stand gun. Its accurate and well made. I can't think of another plastic framed gun I would trade it for. I've had it for years and its never FTF.

It's going to be around for many years to come.

I have two 40 caliber handguns that I do not shoot much, but would never get rid of. The reason is because during the last ammo shortage, you could always find 40 S&W ammo on the shelves, but not 9mm or 45 ACP.

It does not hurt to have variety.

If you try to sell a 40 today, you will lose a lot of money. They are selling them cheap, lots of Police trade ins out there I have 2 40's and i'm keeping them.
sure ammo will cost more in the future, but not big deal and like someone said, a sub compact in 40 is not fun. I like my 40's in all metal full size guns like the P226/229, my Ruger P944 &Carbines are best imo

I don't think .40 S&W is "dead" in the sense that the demand is withered to the point where it won't sell. However, it probably makes more sense for a manufacturer to chamber new models in 9mm, and if they offer an alternatives to 9mm that it be a new cartridge. I think a new cartridge would probably sell more guns than .40 S&W.

So what would sell more? Glock G22 Gen 5 or Hornady introduces "9.5mm Creedmoor" and Glock chambers a G60 in 9.5 while Sig offers a P247 in the latest and greatest?

Somebody bought all those police trade-ins. Those somebodies will need to buy ammo for them. The recent rush back to 9mm has been the reason I’ve picked up a few 40 guns at great prices. I had avoided it for years because I didn’t want to deal with the hassle of another caliber.

As long as they are still selling 40 ammo at Walmart I’m not too worried.

Elkins45 said:

Somebody bought all those police trade-ins. Those somebodies will need to buy ammo for them. The recent rush back to 9mm has been the reason I’ve picked up a few 40 guns at great prices. I had avoided it for years because I didn’t want to deal with the hassle of another caliber.

As long as they are still selling 40 ammo at Walmart I’m not too worried.

Click to expand...

Same here... Trade-ins and even brand new pistols chambered in 40 are practically being given away. I've seen the 9mm versions of the same gun selling for as much as $200 more than the 40s&w version... That has prompted me to puchase a few pistols in that caliber...

Then I went to Wal-Mart and seen that a box of 40 cost twice as much or more than 9mm. I could shoot twice as much at the range for less. A cost difference that'll add up very quickly more than deleting any of the initial cost savings of the pistol. Add that to the fact that you really don't get that much more performance from a 40 vs a 9mm, I'm personally thinking about sell off all my 40s extept for my Sig P239. I like and prefer the caliber, but not the cost of ammo which I foresee becoming even more expensive as time marches on.

What I liked best about the plateform is that it was versatile. You could shoot both 9mm and 357sig through it. I just wish it was more popular, and ammo was cheaper...

Styx said:

Same here... Trade-ins and even brand new pistols chambered in 40 are practically being given away. I've seen the 9mm versions of the same gun selling for as much as $200 more than the 40s&w version... That has prompted me to puchase a few pistols in that caliber...

Then I went to Wal-Mart and seen that a box of 40 cost twice as much or more than 9mm. I could shoot twice as much at the range for less. A cost difference that'll add up very quickly more than deleting any of the initial cost savings of the pistol. Add that to the fact that you really don't get that much more performance from a 40 vs a 9mm, I'm personally thinking about sell off all my 40s extept for my Sig P239. I like and prefer the caliber, but not the cost of ammo which I foresee becoming even more expensive as time marches on.

What I liked best about the plateform is that it was versatile. You could shoot both 9mm and 357sig through it. I just wish it was more popular, and ammo was cheaper...

Click to expand...

I reload and cast my own bullets. The difference in ammo cost is so small as to be unnoticeable for reloaded ammo. And oddly enough the good defensive ammo is actually cheaper from some sources because of the high demand for 9mm. From a couple of big ammo sellers you can buy top tier defensive JHP in 40 cheaper by the case than 9mm. I don't know that it will be that way forever but it's the case now.

Elkins45 said:

I reload and cast my own bullets. The difference in ammo cost is so small as to be unnoticeable for reloaded ammo. And oddly enough the good defensive ammo is actually cheaper from some sources because of the high demand for 9mm. From a couple of big ammo sellers you can buy top tier defensive JHP in 40 cheaper by the case than 9mm. I don't know that it will be that way forever but it's the case now.

Click to expand...

I need to get into reloading... I guess it makes sense if you reload.

Styx said:

I need to get into reloading... I guess it makes sense if you reload.

Click to expand...

It’s really the best option during ammo shortages and it’s a fun hobby if you like to tinker.

I don’t worry about stocking up on most ammo. Just components.

Recently when everyone was swapping from 40 to 9mm, I purchased boxes of 500 cheaper than 9mm, locally it runs about 10 or 20$ more per 500. I think it is easier to reload than 9mm, bullets are easier to handle. Reloading cost are about the same. Mags seems not be on sale as much as 9's. My local sheriff office carries Sig 40's and LGS carries bulk and sd ammo
I like my 40's both M&Ps and SD's and own multiples of each and will purchase more, they both handle the same. My wife likes shooting them but prefers carrying a compact 9.

I have pretty much narrowed down my carry guns to three options: pocket carry, summer IWB and winter IWB. The three guns I picked are a Kahr PM9, Kahr P9 and CZ P-07. I own the 9mm and 40 S&W versions of each under the hypothesis that it’s twice as likely I can find quality factory defensive ammo in a shortage situation. If 40 is what remains on the shelves then I want to be able to use it.

What was the availability of 38 special during the Sandy Hook banic? I’m curious if people bought all of it, considering how many old Colts and Smiths are stuck in dresser drawers and stuffed into pants pockets.

I'm not going to abandon the .40. Like Elkins45 I cast and reload for it so my ammo cost is about $6.00 per hundred. It's a good cartridge, nothing has changed that. The 9mm and .45 ACP also have their place in my battery.

I think it's more of an annoyance than anything. Went to a well-stocked and reputed gun store that I used to always frequent, and they literally had zero boxes of .40 ammo. I've stepped away from the shooting scene for the past couple years, due to lots of moves/changing jobs, etc. but thought I had walked into a bad joke or twilight zone.

They said, matter of factly, they don't have any as if I had been living in a cave somewhere. Personally, I'm unphased either way- I like the .40, but my Glock 23 is the only .40 I have, and I own the Lonewolf 9mm conversion barrel for that.

That's when you tell the owner "no problem, I'll just spend my ammo money online".
Ruger must not think 40 is dead, since they are going to the trouble of bringing out their PCC carbine in 40.

Tater&Egg said:

I think it's more of an annoyance than anything. Went to a well-stocked and reputed gun store that I used to always frequent, and they literally had zero boxes of .40 ammo. I've stepped away from the shooting scene for the past couple years, due to lots of moves/changing jobs, etc. but thought I had walked into a bad joke or twilight zone.

They said, matter of factly, they don't have any as if I had been living in a cave somewhere. Personally, I'm unphased either way- I like the .40, but my Glock 23 is the only .40 I have, and I own the Lonewolf 9mm conversion barrel for that.

Click to expand...

It may not be as popular in new firearms as it used to be, but it is far from dead.

Tallball said:

"Funny you started this thread. I have been looking at police trade in 40 cals at Aim Surplus. They have Gen 3s and Gen 4s for the same $299."

That is ridiculously cheap for a solid service pistol that was (probably) barely ever shot. Mine had holster wear but the insides were nearly pristine. It's not often you find a deal that good, IMHO.

Click to expand...

My LGS is constantly selling G35, G22 and G23's for $299. I have thought about getting one because they are so cheap but I really have no use for a .40


It was the first handgun cartridge I ever shot, my uncles HK USP40, awful trigger, awful recoil. I didnt shoot it well, even though I was 9 or 10 years old I tried to shoot it many years later and again, I shot it terribly. It probably turned me off of HK's and .40's altogether.

9mm I have always been able to shoot well... I know if I spent some time shooting a .40 I would become proficient enough but really no need. 9mm is cheaper, more than adequate TB and a lil better in the capacity department... I do every now and then get the urge to shoot a .40.

What I find myself chuckling at is that fact in the safe next to me bedside is not only a .40 caliber pistol but a DA/SA .40 CALIBER PISTOL!!!!! THE HORROR OF IT ALL!! I think about this and all can think is geez I am such a Luddite.

Honestly I have a 9mm version as well I just have more rounds through the .40 and actually shoot it a bit better no magic caliber reason or anything beyond the round have a decent track record locally.

I own....a gun or three in a caliber or ten and even though I have the fewest chambered in .40 I like it. I honestly sort of came back to it as it was falling out of favor. Probably some kind of latent inner hipster thing, I dunno but hey multiple calibers, multiple options, variety in shooting. What’s not to love about that.

As has been said before start with a firearm that was designed around the cartridge and don’t believe the hype from the cheerleaders or the haters. With that in mind you might have some fun with it.

I can only speak for myself. I gave up on it years ago for .45, and just switched to 9mm.

Styx said:

I need to get into reloading... I guess it makes sense if you reload.

Click to expand...

Or buy in bulk.

https://www.sgammo.com/catalog/pistol-ammo-sale/40-cal-ammo?sort=round_low

If we ever see another magazine ban I suspect you will see people moving back toward 40. If you can only have 10 rounds they might as well be big ones.

I have a hypothesis that the rise of the 40 was assisted by the 94 AWB. The round had just been out for four years when suddenly there were no more new 15 round 9mm mags to buy. The market floooding by compact pistols happened at the same time, and they could only hold 10 regardless.

Elkins45 said:

If we ever see another magazine ban I suspect you will see people moving back toward 40. If you can only have 10 rounds they might as well be big ones.

I have a hypothesis that the rise of the 40 was assisted by the 94 AWB. The round had just been out for four years when suddenly there were no more new 15 round 9mm mags to buy. The market floooding by compact pistols happened at the same time, and they could only hold 10 regardless.

Click to expand...

I don't know about that. I think if the price drops, and/or L.E. or the military adopts the round, it'll come back in favor.. Most of the time you only loose one or two rounds of 40 in a mag vs a 9mm. Capacity has never been the main beef I've heard against 40 in my experience.. Price and recoil is the main complaint...

For me, I don't notice a recoil difference between the 9mm the 40s&W Shields, the Kahr MK9 and MK40, and Kahr K9 and K40 I've owned and fired back to back.. Just my opinion and I know someone will disagree, but I think a lot of the recoil complaints are overblown and are the result of a placebo effect...

StationOps said:

I'm thinking of expanding into another caliber and was checking 45 acp prices. On a whim I checked 40S&W. They are about the same. Is 40 S&W dead or not? Are the low prices from a glut on the market and as they get sold off, the ammo prices will go up?

I'm not concerned about stopping power, it'd just be a range toy.

Click to expand...

I've always loved the .40 and that's what I carry, I'm so used to it and comfortable with it, 3 of the 6 guns I've carried with any regularity have been .40's, so I'm still buying it for range and carry. I really like Glock 22s and 35s for range guns because they're so similar to my Glock 27 I carry.... If I carried a 9mm, I wouldn't buy a .40 for a range gun just to have variety, more likely what I'd do is get the equivalent gun in .40 and use the .40 for carry/defense and relegate the 9mm to range only duty.