Recommendations for a 40 cal

[jeffreybehr]

I love my S&W M&P 40s.. The M&P's ovoid-cross-section grip is much more comfortable for my hand than the squarish-cross-section Glocks, and I don't like SA/DA pistols with hammers, etc.. The M&Ps are available with or without a thumb safety, which I have come to like.. Altho my current EDC piece is without one...

...the new one arriving Monday, a version M2.0, has one.. $600 RR; I paid $530 (plus shipping but no salestax) for mine.

https://www.smith-wesson.com/firearms/mp-40-m20-0

[JHC]

Round is too short.

9s are running. ???

[BehindBlueI's]

You could not pay me to own a .40 Glock.

Same. Whenever someone recommends one I do the RCA dog head cock.

[Chuck Whitlock]

In a hammer fired gun, I'd look at the P226 or P229, closely followed by any HK. You can find ugly but gently used LE trade in 226/229s for under $400 pretty much anywhere. HKs are going to go twice that, or darned near.

In strikers, the only .40 I'd look at is the M&P full size. I've owned and sold any number of Glocks in .40, and find them marginal at just about everything. If you HAVE to get a Glock in .40, I'd go with the G22, and no smaller.

I keep looking at the police trade-in 3rd-gen S&Ws that keep popping up from time to time.

But then I think of how much it'll cost to get in a number of extra mags (10 round limit) and think... nah.

https://www.gunbroker.com/All/search...ds=s%26w%20tsw

As an adamant hater of the .40 S&W round, I will say that, in my experience, ammunition selection plays almost as big a part in "comfort" of the caliber as platform. We're issued P229Rs, and even in that "designed for the round, heavy metal framed" pistol, our 155gr JHP ammo is NOT fun to shoot. I've fired "duty" level 180gr ammo through a friend's G23, and it's MUCH more pleasant. The "mid load" 165s are almost as mild as 9mms, and, in heavy guns built for .40, are an absolute pussy cat to shoot.

What he said.

[HCM]

9s are running. ???

9s are running better than they used to but they will never run as well as 45, 38 super, etc. the 9mm has a slight taper which aids feeding.

[JBP55]

The new improved Gen 5 G22 or Gen 5 G35 available October 2020.

[pangloss]

I've been thinking of getting another .40 caliber pistol for years, but that's on permanent hold now. My two front runners were the P30 and Glock 35. I really like my P30 in 9mm and holster compatibility would be a plus. For Glock, I still have a few G22 mags from when I owned a Gen3 G22, and I have at least one holster that would fit a G35. I'm curious about the USP, but logistically it doesn't make as much sense for me as the P30. If I were determined to buy a .40 caliber tomorrow, I'd look at the Beretta APX. Those pistols were so under priced before the panic that they still seem like a decent buy if you can find one.

[HCM]

The new improved Gen 5 G22 or Gen 5 G35 available October 2020.

MOS versions ?

[BigT]

The new improved Gen 5 G22 or Gen 5 G35 available October 2020.

Maybe...

[Bucky]

Getting 1911s in .40 to run reliably is a challenge. Uncommon guns are uncommon for a reason.

9s are running better than they used to but they will never run as well as 45, 38 super, etc. the 9mm has a slight taper which aids feeding.

I respectfully disagree. The 1911 was not designed for a tapered cartridge. The .45 is straight walled, as is the .38 super. My .40 1911 runs great, and I don’t have to worry about the slide lock nose dive after a too aggressive reload like I do in my 9mms.