Some say the .40 S&W is done, but many of us disagree. Dysfunctional vet thReaper carries a Glock 22 loaded with Federal .40 S&W 180 grain HST JHPs. After all, GLOCKs are nothing if not reliable and .40 has its benefits.

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29 COMMENTS

  1. dump the plastic Glock but keep the .40 😉
    I love my Beretta’s in .40 – Px4 compact and a 96A1 with .22 conversion barrel kit. The 96 is my hands down fav but the Px4 has grown on me, it will likely be the only and last plastic gun I’ll ever seek to own. Previously I had a Jericho 941 steel full frame in .40 and I am looking to add a CZ-75 to my .40 collection.

    • This is my carry.

      Actually, my next one will be a S&W m2.0 Compact with the 3.6″ in .40

      Not a fan of the beretta’s.

      I would also really like to get a CZ P10c, but the next gun I will be getting is a shotgun. I have two handguns, two rifles (one AR in 5.56, and one lever action 30/30), but no shotgun or SBR/AR Pistol… which are crucial to the line-up… right along with the SAW I keep dreaming about, that I just found out is legal in my new home state 😉 Sadly, just has to be registered.

      • To each their own 🙂
        I enjoy shooting the 40 more than the other calibers I have at this time but I can’t bring myself to get a plastic striker fired gun. I might be open to a Hudson in the future but not anytime soon. Unless something really changes I don’t plan on an MSR either, just can’t do it. For me long guns need to be metal and wood and handguns shouldn’t be plastic. Worst decision I made was to trade out my 303 a few years back and worst purchase was a Chiappa Rhino. Love the gun and way it shoots but have had to send it back twice for warranty work. Beretta and CZ scratch most handgun itches for now.

        • Go ahead and get that MSR. Every gun owner should have a Modern Musket. The AR-15 is a great rifle, a lot of fun to shoot and tinker with, and great for home-defense purposes.

          And I promise you, it won’t take away from your love of those blued-and-walnut firearms. After several range trips with just the new AR to dial it in and get proficient, I brought my trusty .30-30 out again, and let me tell you, it was a revelation (even though I technically already knew).

          It’s not a choice of one or the other. Embrace the power of *and*. 🙂

  2. The one handgun that fits my hand better than any other is the Glock 23.

    Fits it like a glove. Never should have sold it, but I did. Life happens.

    Then I discovered a week or so back that .40 S&W will chamber and fire in 10 mm Glock 20.

    Now what I want to know is, could I have dropped a 10 mm barrel and recoil spring in that Glock 23?

    Turn into one “Hard, pipe-hittin’ ” compact handgun?

    • The barrel would fit, not so much the magazine. Running 40 through an unmodified G20 is fine though.

      • You could run 40s through a 20 all day long. Not the other way around. The 23 wont hold up to a diet of full power 10s at all. Might be OKish for range 10s. The 23 is basically a 9mm frame etc.

    • Geoff,

      “could I have dropped a 10 mm barrel and recoil spring in that Glock 23?”

      No. As it is, stout .40 S&W loads tend to over-stress the frames of many handguns (almost all of which were designed for 9mm Luger recoil levels and corrupted for .40 S&W).

      The Glock model 20 has a larger, beefier (e.g. stronger) frame for a reason: stout 10mm loads generate even more recoil and abuse than .40 S&W.

      Unless you plan to shoot 10mm loads watered down to .40 S&W levels, I would not count on the frame of a Glock 23 surviving. And if you plan to shoot watered down 10mm loads, why not just shoot stock .40 S&W loads out of the stock Glock 23 barrel and recoil spring?

      • Your words seem wise. From some digging, the G20 has a wider, heavier slide than the G23.

        So, it’s wise not to run 10 mm through a G23…

        • Geoff, get the G29. It’s the 10mm in a subcompact. It will shoot 40’s.
          Just use G20 mags w/ the gap filler attachment to lengthen the grip if you want/need.
          I believe you can also use the longer G20 barrel in it. And it is convertible to a .45acp w/ just a barrel swap from a G30.

          Laser beam, I have the same setup. But my Sub2k is back to K-T for the third time.
          My new Ruger PCC9 is taking its place. I can run 9’s in my G22/23 mags (.40) with zero hiccups, just swap the Ruger mag well out for the included Glock insert. ZERO issues.
          And I’m betting on the future that Ruger comes out with caliber change barrels for the PCC. 10mm will be the one to get as I’m sure that it will handle the .40’s just fine.
          (As does the newer High Point Carbine in 10mm does.)

          And BTW- hate to admit this mistake on my part, but I recently was shooting multiple pistols off the table and discovered that my CZ SP-01 .40 cal mags will hold 9mm ammo and fire them just fine in my S&W M&P Pro 9. Couldn’t believe I screwed up like that, then repeated purposely for several more mags. Ran perfect; zero issues. Who knew¿!

  3. What kind of holster is he using? I need a new one and these posts would be more interesting and beneficial for us curious purchasers.

  4. At the last 3 training classes I took I was the only 40S&W in class. I don’t need to follow the herd, 25% more energy is a good thing.

  5. What amazed me with Glock, I had a hard time noticing the difference in perceived recoil with a gen 4 Glock 22 (.40SW) vs a gen 4 Glock 17 (9mm). That being said it takes a pocket carry .357 magnum, or a .44 magnum to impress me recoil wise so maybe I was not the best lab monkey for the “test”.

  6. .40 S&W Goldi Locks and the 3 bears 9, 357 and 45

  9. If the S&W .40 is going out of style, what is replacing it?

    Now that bullet manufacturers can employ computational fluid dynamics to design controlled expansion projectiles, the 9mm has become a more effective defensive handgun. Even the .380 can be reasonably effective with modern ammo.. Is this the trend?

    • James,

      Yes, people are opting for 9mm Luger over .40 S&W. They usually get one or two more rounds in a magazine of the same size, slightly less recoil, and only slightly inferior terminal ballistics with the best 9mm bullets available.

      Personally, I am sticking with .40 S&W as long as possible because I want HEAVY bullets for PENETRATION — and the .40 S&W cartridge’s enhanced ability to penetrate barriers and continue with substantial velocity without significant deflection.

    • 10mm!

      Here in MT, it’s universal. Bears, and human threats alike.

      I have one, but it’s no EDC gun. The best part about it, when there was that ammo shortage a couple years ago, 9mm was gone, almost everywhere, you could find .40 if you looked… but 10mm was still full on the shelf.

  10. Picked up a HK P2000 in 40 recently and I really like it (running a Neptune IWB)… The HK buffering system does a great job IMHO. I didn’t get the LEM version but did the tweaks found in an article here at TTAG and have to say it made a good double action trigger great. The single action is exceptional (your mileage may vary).

    Carry on and God Bless…

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