Which .40 for carry?

[Redcoat3340]

I'm thinking of another .40 to add to my carry rotation. I have a SW99 compact in .40 but would like another so....
I'm thinking of a S&W Shield M1 in 40 that a fella is asking $300 including a CrimsonTrace laser and decent holster (have the Shield EZs in 9 and 380) but am wondering what other folks might recommend, carry, or think would be a good carry gun. (Note: this is a local sale so just a modest FFL fee and no 10% WA state tax or $30 in shiping from dealer/gunbroker.)
I'm not big on Glock. I've tried 'em about six times and we just don't get along.
I like hammer fired and should never have sold my 4013 and would like to find an affordable to me CS40...but I've had good luck with previous Shields so I'm considering the offer.
Comments? Suggestions?

 

[JR24]

With that bit of extra recoil from the .40 I’d prefer a little more meat in my hand, so the shield and other thin guns aren’t my jam for that.

Since you like hammers, personally I’d look at a Beretta PX4 subcompact or HK P2000 SK.

 

[PistoleroWadcutterGANG]

Just had a friend message me about the FN FNS 40L's police turn ins going on. A bit big for carry I get but under 4 bills seems like a nice catch.

 

[Anchorite]

P226/229. CDNN has some in stock now. Might not be your budget, but Sig might just be the best hammered 40 out there. YMMV.

 

[Buzznrose]

I prefer Glocks, but if you want hammer fired, an Sig or a CZ P07 (discontinued in 2018) would be my choice.

 

[Tallball]

I will actually carry my Kahrs.

If the OP will carry something larger, my Sig P229 in 40 caliber is one of my very favorite pistols. It has an aluminum frame and a hammer and a sweet, sweet trigger.

 

[wnycollector]

Another vote for the Sig P229. I own two, a DA/SA and a DAK. The DAK has become my cold weather CCW. With a good belt and holster, it's surprisingly easy to carry.

 

[sparkyfender]

There seems to be quite a few Sig 239s in .40 still in circulation.

 

[FL-NC]

I love my shield 9, but that gun in 40 would be quite the handful, for me at least.

 

[The Bushmaster]

If you don't mind the extra weight (All Steel)...Firestar M40. Recoil is quite manageable.

 

[Gun-Reck]

IF - carrying a .40, it's a Glock G23.4, as a high capacity alternative, with the same manual of arms and form factor as the EDC 6+1 G36 .45 ACP.

Not big on "rotation" as a fashion.

 

[WVRJ]

I bought a P226 a few weeks ago and it's a great pistol.The only down side is the weight.It is very solid feeling in the hand,and recoil isn't much of a problem.I also have an M&P 2.0 Performance Center pistol and it's lighter and I think I'm a little more accurate with it than the Sig.The S&W has a little better sights for target shooting and my scores are usually a tiny bit higher with the M&P.I shoot the BC-27 human shape target at 40 ,50 and 100 yards with a couple friends and I'm actually getting more used to the Sig,but I still don't shoot it as good as I should at 100 yards.For the ultimate carry 40 cal,I have a S&W Shorty 40 from the Performance Center.It's a 3.5 inch barrel compact pistol that is absurdly accurate with Remington Golden Saber ammo.It's got a 3 pound single action pull that's about like a good 1911 trigger.It's light and compact and with 180 grain HAP's,you gotta hang on to it.It's a SA-DA masterpiece in my eyes.

 

[citizenconn]

I would pick the EMP shown in the thread.

 

[tactikel]

I really like the Shield .40 at $300. I carry the 9mm version and it has served me well. At that price if you don’t fancy it you will lose little or nothing. I reload the .40 and have shot it a lot. I chose the 9mm but for $300 (with laser and holster) I’d jump on the .40.

 

[starling]

Hammer fired and Small... HMMMM. Taurus TH40 Compact are nice shooting pistols and one of Taurus good designs. Inexpensive as well ($300-$350). Might be worth reading up a little on them. Taurus can put out some glitchy duds sometimes but the TH series isnt one of them. Police in South America use them and the design has been around for a very long time with past models ...which were all solid as well. Probably one of if not the most "sleeper" pistol on the market although the 45s and 10mm have people looking now. The 9s and 40s have been around for a long time.

More Pricey is the Beretta PX4 40S&W compact. Nice compact 40s that dont get a lot of attention these days. Pretty rare that people dont like them unless they have some sort of a irrational fear towards slide mounted safeties.... or safeties in general.

Hammer fired kind of limits you a little bit these days because people are in love with strikers (I prefer Hammer fired as well). My smallest 40s are more midsize pistols. Theres sig of course as people have mentioned.

Honestly if you really like the Smith 3rd gen 4013 that much I would just tell you to get another one. It is a carry gun afterall so you might as well carry what you know you will like instead of trying to find something that can measure up to it.

 

[.455_Hunter]

I like the P239 in .40 S&W. Lots of power is a small package. Hogue grips work wonders on this platform.

 

[bangswitch]

I love .40S&W, but the only two I have are no longer made. If you can find either one, I highly recommend them.

I had a Ruger SR40c a while back, also a great pistol for concealed carry.

 

[Blue Jays]

You could always find a nice gently-used Heckler & Koch P7M10 model.
Not truly a hammer-fired pistol in the classic sense of the word, yet quite different.
A rather historical victim of police brutality named Hans Gruber liked that pistol.

 

[tommy.duncan]

P226/229. CDNN has some in stock now. Might not be your budget, but Sig might just be the best hammered 40 out there.

+1 On the P226/P229.
I am a big boy and I can hide a P226 no problem, but I carry a P229 in 40 if I know I will be sitting for some time.

 

[ms6852]

If your friend is selling his .40 with a Crimson Trace laser for $300 I would still buy it even if you are undecided. You can easily sell both items and make a profit.

 

[cfullgraf]

For a while, I had a Springfield P9C chambered in 40 S&W. It was a nice compact 40 S&W pistol but it would damage the slide stop on recoil over time. I kept a spare slide stop on hand at all times. I traded the P9C for in part a Colt 1911 chambered n 38 Super.

Currently, I have a full size 1911 SIG chambered in 40 S&W as well as an S&W MP40 S&W. Both are easy to shoot but nit as concealable as the Springfield P9C.

I'm a 1911 junkie and use an H&K P30SK for my self defense.

 

[commygun]

Kahr K-40 is my favorite IWB carry. Not a lot of capacity but a quality all-metal pistol that can still be found at very reasonable prices.

 

[JEBruns]

I'm thinking of another .40 to add to my carry rotation. I have a SW99 compact in .40 but would like another so....
I'm thinking of a S&W Shield M1 in 40 that a fella is asking $300 including a CrimsonTrace laser and decent holster (have the Shield EZs in 9 and 380) but am wondering what other folks might recommend, carry, or think would be a good carry gun. (Note: this is a local sale so just a modest FFL fee and no 10% WA state tax or $30 in shiping from dealer/gunbroker.)

I owned one of those. Reliable, but quite a bit of felt recoil. IMO, that's just too small of a gun for .40.

I'm also in the market for a .40, but it will be a Sig P229. The P229 is my EDC in 9mm, so I want the same footprint when I gun-up for trips to the mountains.

 

[Tallball]

For carry and a hammer, the CZ variants are my preference. I have a compact-sized polymer 9 that's very nice to carry. I'm assuming there are 40 caliber versions in the compact size. I have a full-sized polymer CZ variant in 40 S&W, and it's a great shooter.

 

[golden]

I would want a full sized pistol in .40.

I carried a .40 S&W, as a duty gun for about 21 years, but now, I no longer want the recoil. I will keep my BERETTA 96D Brigadier and 96D Vertec, as they are large enough and heavy enough to soak up a lot of the recoil. I also own a STOEGER 8040, which is a Turkish made clone of the BERETTA 8040. It is an excellent pistol, but the last time I shot it, I really noticed the recoil. I shot it well enough, but an 8000 pistol (the same gun in 9m.m.) shot better for me. I will probably sell the 8040 and just keep the 8000 instead.

The SIG 229 is a nice, well made pistol in .40 S&W and a bit more compact than the 8040 as is has a shorter grip. I had one, but the BERETTA'S had smoother triggers and shot more accurately for me.

Jim