Fun 40S&W Pistol

[Slice]

During the last two big ammo shortages, many of us noticed that 9mm and 45ACP were nowhere to be found, but 40 S&W was usually on the shelf. I am pretty well stocked with reloading supplies for 9mm, but it is nice to have a gun where you can always find ammo for it regardless of the political environment.
With that in mind, I am looking for a do-it-all semi auto pistol in 40 S&W. it should be accurate, reliable and durable, but mostly it should be fun. It won’t come out of the safe too often, but when it does I want to enjoy shooting it. I welcome your suggestions…

Here are some super non-fun 40 pistols (from my experience only):
Glock 27
Glock 23
HK P30 (surprised at how snappy this was)
Beretta 96 (too bad. I am a Beretta da/sa fanboy)

I do have a few early leaders in my search:
PX4 - i truly love shooting my 9mm, but have not tried in 40.
M&P40 2.0 - I have been shooting my M&P9’s more than any other pistol, and they are my favorite of the striker guns.
And I regret having sold my old CZ P06. That was a great pistol. I don’t see them for sale very often though.

I recommend giving the HK VP40 a try. Fun to shoot and plenty accurate.

[Paul D]

This is my favorite Fun 40. It is heavy and the trigger is great.

[Crusader]

I would strong recommend the M&P 40 (original or 2.0 with a strong preference for the 5" variety if you can find one) or the H&K USP (fullsize or Compact...skip the P2000 in 40) with a LEM trigger.

Agree with the M&P, gun was designed with the 40 in mind. I’ve had two for a very long time. A 5” pro series and a Vickers 4”, both have APEX triggers. Great shooting 40’s that soak up the recoil nicely.

I will say this I’ve never been bothered by 40 recoil, spent a lot of time with them. Last duty gun was a Gen 4 22. But the softest shooting 40 I ever shot was a 22c, those compensated Glock 40’s are like shooting 9mm. The downside loud as hell, I’ve done quite a bit of low light shooting with them and it is one hell of a fireball blasting out of the top. But contrary to what’s posted on the internet it does not interfere with your front sight, the fireballs are directed away from it. But yeah loud a bright for sure.

[KevH]

Agree with the M&P, gun was designed with the 40 in mind. I’ve had two for a very long time. A 5” pro series and a Vickers 4”, both have APEX triggers. Great shooting 40’s that soak up the recoil nicely.

I will say this I’ve never been bothered by 40 recoil, spent a lot of time with them. Last duty gun was a Gen 4 22. But the softest shooting 40 I ever shot was a 22c, those compensated Glock 40’s are like shooting 9mm. The downside loud as hell, I’ve done quite a bit of low light shooting with them and it is one hell of a fireball blasting out of the top. But contrary to what’s posted on the internet it does not interfere with your front sight, the fireballs are directed away from it. But yeah loud a bright for sure.

I like the 22C as well, but dealt with so many Gen3 Glock 40 S&W shenanigans that I would never recommend one. The problem with any of them, the 22C included, is that they still use the same RSA as the 17 and instead relied on the frame to absorb recoil. Clamp on a light on that sucker and gun no worky.

If it were 1999 and I was working somewhere I had to carry a 40 S&W there is not a doubt in my mind it would be either a H&K USP or H&K USP Compact.

Now that Glock FINALLY seems to have cracked the code on 40 S&W pistols the caliber is essentially dead in LE.

[JonInWA]

HK P30L or VP40, or Gen5 Glock G23 are my recommendations. Best, Jon

[Crusader]

I like the 22C as well, but dealt with so many Gen3 Glock 40 S&W shenanigans that I would never recommend one. The problem with any of them, the 22C included, is that they still use the same RSA as the 17 and instead relied on the frame to absorb recoil. Clamp on a light on that sucker and gun no worky.

If it were 1999 and I was working somewhere I had to carry a 40 S&W there is not a doubt in my mind it would be either a H&K USP or H&K USP Compact.

Now that Glock FINALLY seems to have cracked the code on 40 S&W pistols the caliber is essentially dead in LE.

We found that the problem with the light and Gen 3 Glock 40s came down to cranking down on the light tension too much. We have a tendency to crank down on them to insure they are nice and tight, problems. But when you backed off and just mounted them firmly without cranking down, few if any problems. Of course it shouldn’t have mattered, but that was what we found out worked with them and lights our Gen 4’s didn’t have that problem.

[CSW]

Try a Browning Hi-Power in 40.
I've only shot mine about 5x, but it shoots like 5" 1911.

[fatdog]

As a long time .40 SW "clinger" I currently have all these (not for long as I am downsizing big time) and would rank them in this order in terms of fun to shoot

Glock 22 Gen 5
HK USP 40
P226
P229
Glock 23 Gen 5
PX4
HK USP/c
HK P2000

As cited, the Glock gen 5 .40's are completely different animals from all the previous versions because of the heavy slide. It and the new recoil assembly for gen 5 make a huge difference.

The G22 gen 5 tames even the hottest loads as does the full size USP

[Slalom.45]

If you are willing to spend a bit, you could likely get a nice .40 2011 used for a good price. Many people have moved out of Limited division in USPSA. Lots of higher end guns out there not being used.

[Vista461]

I have a 1.0 M&P .40 and it is way nicer to shoot than my Gen3 G22.
I used it for my duty gun until I changed departments Jan1 and now carry an issued Gen5 G17