.40 for duty and competition

[Artemas]

"You can use any gun you want... it just has to be .40 caliber"

I have the prospect of a part time local LE job coming up around October. While I am very happy with being able to use a personal gun, I have never owned or shot a .40 before. I seem to do half decent with Glock 17/21 and was figuring on getting a duo of Gen4 22's and assuming at least one will need to be replaced here and there.

Or, would I be better off to take my time now and learn a gun more suitable to the forty? M&P?, P30?, Sig?

(honestly I just need someone to talk me out of getting a P30...or not:cool:)

[ffhounddog]

Well you can probally get a P30 in 40 on the used market for the price of a Glock. Doc says a M&P 40 is hard to beat. I agree try a M&P40 at least its still striker fired.

[Jeep]

Depending on whether you like striker-fired or hammer fired guns, I'd recommend the M&P 40 (which is the softest-shooting .40 I've fired) or the SIG 229 (which is also pretty soft shooting even with the relatively high bore axis).

[Sal Picante]

Magazine carriers and holster for Glock 9's generally also work for Glock 40's (as long as the barrel lengths are the same...)

If you know the manual of arms with a Glock and do alright with it, why not just stick to it?

[Artemas]

Magazine carriers and holster for Glock 9's generally also work for Glock 40's (as long as the barrel lengths are the same...)

If you know the manual of arms with a Glock and do alright with it, why not just stick to it?

That is my current thought and the 22 would be compatible with all my comp gear. I just have not heard much good about .40 Glocks.


The M&Ps are also an option (right now however, they're on my crap list)

[SLG]

I love my Gen4 G22's. Not so much the previous versions. We have a lot of them, and they work very well with our ammo. 180/1000.

[JBP55]

Magazine carriers and holster for Glock 9's generally also work for Glock 40's (as long as the barrel lengths are the same...)

If you know the manual of arms with a Glock and do alright with it, why not just stick to it?


This.

[Artemas]

I love my Gen4 G22's. Not so much the previous versions. We have a lot of them, and they work very well with our ammo. 180/1000.
As far as Glocks go this is what I am looking to hear.

Not that I will have much say, but out of curiosity what ammo do you use?

[Chuck Haggard]

If it were me I'd try to end up with two gen 4 G22s and a G17, or G34, for high volume training and/or shooting competition.

[BehindBlueI's]

Depending on whether you like striker-fired or hammer fired guns, I'd recommend the M&P 40 (which is the softest-shooting .40 I've fired) or the SIG 229 (which is also pretty soft shooting even with the relatively high bore axis).

I'd second that, with the addition that Glock works fine if that's what you're into. The Glock 22 just never felt right to me. I'd try to shoot one before I bought if that's an option.

You say you've shot a Glock before but you don't way what you currently carry or what you're most comfortable with. There are a *ton* of good options on the market.

Sig P229 is a great carry gun. It shoots like a larger gun, handles recoil fine, has excellent after market support and holster options, etc. If you are willing to go with a DA/SA or DAK trigger, I'd strongly lean this way. If you want striker fired, take a hard look at the Sig P320. IMO, a much better gun out of the box than Glock or M&P. If you can have trigger work done (APEX kit or the like) the M&P becomes more attractive but bone stock the P320 trigger smashes the other similar offerings.

Also note you can get special pricing from Sig, Glock, Ruger, S&W, FN, and probably others once you get your LEO credentials. If its an option, you can save some $$$ to wait and buy "blue line".

[Gio]

I would go with a gen4 G22 for duty and a gen4 G22 or G35 for competition in USPSA limited division.

You can add +5 mag extensions, a frame weight on the rail (weaponlight) and a magwell if you want. Factory .40 is right around major power factor, so no need to reload unless you are already setup for it.

[Nephrology]

Presuming you are already invested in the Glock platform, I would buy a pair of Gen4 G22s. LEO pricing has them new with 3 mags at just above $400.

[psalms144.1]

Not that money should drive anything, in a perfect world, but the Glock and M&Ps are the same price (+/- $1) - $398.20 for the Gen4 G22, $399 for the M&P.

If you're already shooting/competing with a 9mm Glock, and don't want to change platforms, the G22 makes sense. If you're looking to switch to something new, I'll trust the advice of others who say the M&P is soft shooting. My personal experience is that the "softness" of the recoil has a lot more to do with ammunition choice than platform (the M&P40 I had was nearly as obnoxious shooting our stupidly over-loaded 155 JHP than my G23)...

What I would NOT do is continue to train/carry/compete with a Glock 9mm and switch to a different platform for "part time" work - either get the Gen4 G22, or switch your "main" pistol to a M&P 9mm

Regards,

Kevin

[JTQ]

I'm not a Glock guy, but I often wonder how much effort you have to put in to make sure you don't confuse your G19 mags with your G23 mags, or your G17 with your G22. The mags and guns look so much alike, I think I'd be kind of concerned about sticking a .40 mag in a 9MM gun, especially if I had a bunch of mags.

I'd be inclined to go with an M&P if I was picking a different caliber. There is no way to confuse an M&P mag with a Glock mag.

[Kyle Reese]

I'm not a Glock guy, but I often wonder how much effort you have to put in to make sure you don't confuse your G19 mags with your G23 mags, or your G17 with your G22. The mags and guns look so much alike, I think I'd be kind of concerned about sticking a .40 mag in a 9MM gun, especially if I had a bunch of mags.

I'd be inclined to go with an M&P if I was picking a different caliber. There is no way to confuse an M&P mag with a Glock mag.
You could always mark your mags, or employ different colored base plates according to caliber.

[DocGKR]

Yes indeed, or even use different color mags to differentiate caliber...


"What I would NOT do is continue to train/carry/compete with a Glock 9mm and switch to a different platform for "part time" work - either get the Gen4 G22, or switch your "main" pistol to a M&P 9mm"

This.

[45dotACP]

Sig makes a very nice .40 in the 229 and as an added benefit, it was made with the .40 cartridge in mind. The Glock 22 is still a G17 with a different top end. Whether or not that will cause you problems, I wouldn't know. But for me, I have had good luck with the G35.

[JBP55]

I use completely different range bags for different caliber pistols of the same make. I once had a .45 bag, a .40 bag and a 9mm bag for Glocks. I now have a 9mm Glock bag, a 9mm HK bag and a .40 Glock bag. The .40 Glock bag will be retired as soon as I get rid of my last like new Gen 4 G22 with an optional KKM .40 barrel.

[Father of 3]

Budsgunshop has unissued police trades for $399 with 3 mags and nightsights. Buy two for what you'd pay for the P30 and shoot the piss out of them.

[LockedBreech]

Sig makes a very nice .40 in the 229 and as an added benefit, it was made with the .40 cartridge in mind. The Glock 22 is still a G17 with a different top end. Whether or not that will cause you problems, I wouldn't know. But for me, I have had good luck with the G35.

I like the 229 a lot, but certainly after 4 generations the G22 is a properly "designed around the .40" handgun.

Or I'm wrong. Which is always a solid possibility.

[psalms144.1]

You could always mark your mags, or employ different colored base plates according to caliber.When I was running both the G19 and G23, all my G23 mags wore Vicker's magazine bases - could differentiate even in the dark by feel.

Now that the 23 is benched, not an issue anymore...

[BehindBlueI's]

I like the 229 a lot, but certainly after 4 generations the G22 is a properly "designed around the .40" handgun.

Or I'm wrong. Which is always a solid possibility.

The G22 does have some issues which other Glocks seem to never suffer from. My dept quickly ditched Gen 3s because they didn't run right with a tac light on the rail. Glock swapped our mags, didn't help. After some "we'll take our toys and go home" negotiating we switched to Gen 4s. Ours have been flawless, but there are some other departments to the south of us that had the same issues with Gen 4s.

My own Gen 3 would hang up about once every 3 mags. I was not limp wristing, not using bad ammo, etc and never had the issue with my Gen 2 (no light, of course) or my Gen 4. It ran fine with no light. Obviously there is something wrong with the design that pops up now and then, and apparently whatever it is Glock can't figure it out either.

[Artemas]

It sounds like the gen 4 solved most of the issues with the G22.


Just for curiosity sake how does the .40 P226 do compared to the P229?

[jnc36rcpd]

Does the department mandate .40 pistols? If you're comfortable with the Glock 17 and 21, I'd be inclined to choose one of them.

[BehindBlueI's]

It sounds like the gen 4 solved most of the issues with the G22.


Just for curiosity sake how does the .40 P226 do compared to the P229?

I think the rate of pistols with "the problem" is significantly less. Whatever "the problem is" even Glock couldn't tell us. If you get one that runs fine, it'll run fine forever. If you get one with "the problem" it'll have "the problem" forever. From what I heard, Glock really worked with our armorers to try to figure it out, to their credit. They never said we were doing something wrong or it was the ammo or ignored it in the slightest.

I've never shot a P226 in .40, so I can't really say how it compares to the P229. I will say I've got a P229 in .40/.357 and in 9mm. The P229 fits my hands very well and the recoil is more pushing the whole gun back and up then flipping the muzzle up, if that makes sense. I don't know if I'm describing it right. Glock 22 to me feels like its trying to rotate in my hands. The P229 feels like it jumps up a bit and then settles right back down without that torque feel. I *know* one reason I shoot the Glock worse and start stringing left is I start holding it way too tight to try to counteract that feeling its trying to flip out of my hands. The 9mm is new to me and feels like a BB gun.

I can also say I carry a P220 as my duty weapon and EDC. The P220 is very similarly to the P226 other than the grip being slimmer for a single stack .45 vs a double stack .40. I've also shot the P227, double stack .45, a bit. I don't see much difference in terms of feel, sight acquisition, speed between shots, etc. between them. Like .03-.05 second differences in terms of first shot from the holster and split times. Based on that I would guess the P226 would be very similar.

[CSW]

It sounds like the gen 4 solved most of the issues with the G22.


Just for curiosity sake how does the .40 P226 do compared to the P229?

Question?

What the majority of the other officers carrying? If things turned to poo, I'd want interchangeability with the other officer's weaponry. Just sayin...

I'd say G22 for full size, or G23 for mid.

The "best" shooting .40 I own is the Walther P99.

[Up1911Fan]

Question?

What the majority of the other officers carrying? If things turned to poo, I'd want interchangeability with the other officer's weaponry. Just sayin...



This is way overrated in my opinion. If thing's turn bad, as you say, I want to have the gun I shoot the best and have the most confidence in.

[HCountyGuy]

If the Glock platform suits you, give the 22 or 23 a go. As others stated, I'm sure you have enough invested in Glock that swapping to another manufacturer could be a hassle to some extent.

But if you're so inclined as to stray, I throw my lot in with the P229 in 40, or the P320 if you want to keep with striker-fired. There's been evaluations of the Glocks in 40 S&W wearing/tearing faster. How well that holds for the new Gen 4's remains to be seen, but I believe that was one driving force behind the FBI going back to the 9mm.

The searches do say the P229 was built more for the 40 cartridge, whereas the Glocks were adapted. That's what they say, I'm not sure of how accurate it is.

Personally, I shoot a Glock 17 or 19 as if I were born with the gun in my hand. I don't quite perform as well with the 22/23 for whatever reason.

The 229 DAK I had, while I HATED the DAK trigger, I did fairly well with. Haven't shot a P320 in 40 yet, but have heard very favorable reviews.

[OneBravo]

I've carried the Glock 22/23 as duty guns. Between the two I prefer the 23. I'm retired now, but if I were given a choice of duty guns, I would choose the 35. It has been my absolute favorite Glock. I'm trying to break my CZ/1911 habit and go with Glocks exclusively for both IDPA/USPSA as well as carry. I've owned/own most model Glocks in 9/.40/.45 and have pretty much settled on the Glocks in .40. The 35 for competition, the 23/27 for carry, and the 22 for home duty. As the OP is accustomed to the platform, it would be great to have magazine interchangeability across the board. As far as logistics go, the Glock has one of the largest OEM and aftermarket support structures available. The M&P and XDM may have better ergonomics, but anyone who cares to can learn to shoot Glocks well. Most departments issue duty weapons and you carry what they choose. Not always to your liking, but often a good way to get experience on an unfamiliar platform. Good Luck!

[LockedBreech]

The G22 does have some issues which other Glocks seem to never suffer from. My dept quickly ditched Gen 3s because they didn't run right with a tac light on the rail. Glock swapped our mags, didn't help. After some "we'll take our toys and go home" negotiating we switched to Gen 4s. Ours have been flawless, but there are some other departments to the south of us that had the same issues with Gen 4s.

My own Gen 3 would hang up about once every 3 mags. I was not limp wristing, not using bad ammo, etc and never had the issue with my Gen 2 (no light, of course) or my Gen 4. It ran fine with no light. Obviously there is something wrong with the design that pops up now and then, and apparently whatever it is Glock can't figure it out either.

Yeah, my brother's agency is switching to Gen4 G22s because their Gen3s have started turning into jam-o-matics, including my brother's. Also seems to be the taclight-on-the-rail issue.

I own a police trade in G23 Gen 3. I swapped out about 8 parts - all new springs, locking block, and mags. I know that gun, in that gen, is fairly loathed, but I love the thing. It has been perfect so far. Picking up a G19 Gen 4 also, which may steal my affections from the 23.

I've only owned a Glock for a month or two, but in the two extended range sessions I've had with the 23 I have been heavily persuaded. I shot as well - a mite better actually - with my G23 on my first day shooting with it as I shoot with my Beretta 92FS and Beretta PX4 that I've had for years.