40 Caliber Handgun - For decades the FBI claimed that the .40 Smith & Wesson was the optimal self-defense round. But the 9mm vs. .40S&W battle continues. (FBI photo)
But for those who have yet to get emotionally attached to a cartridge, let's talk about the 9mm Parabellum and the .40 Smith & Wesson.
40 Caliber Handgun
It is an oft-touted myth that the .40 S&W was developed for the FBI because the 9mm failed in the famous Miami shooting in 1986. However, the FBI's standard pistol at the time was a .38 Special revolver.
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FBI Director James Comey unveils a three-panel commemorative exhibit that tells the story of the 1986 Miami FBI Shootings. It was this firefight that spawned the .40S&W round and decades of debate about which round is better. (FBI photo)
9mm bullets were involved in this fire. And one reportedly stopped a breath away from the attacker's heart.
But after the Miami shooting, the FBI decided they needed to replace their revolvers with semi-automatic pistols. Semi-automatic pistols hold more rounds and are easier to reload.
And, since they were going to replace all the guns anyway, they thought they'd check out some new shots as well.
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The FBI has long considered the 9mm in its search for a new standard sidearm. However, the FBI also tested homemade 10mm ammunition by Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Firearms Training Unit, John Hall.
After these tests, the FBI decided they wanted something similar to a 10mm round, with slightly slower muzzle velocities than standard ammunition.
The FBI ended up using the .40 S&W for nearly 30 years before adopting the 9mm in 2015.
Both shots have been used by the military, other government agencies and civilian defenders. So it's hard to identify a clear winner here. Or is it?
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But a firearms and defensive tactics instructor at an Ohio police department once made a solid analysis of real-world shootings:
Since you cannot shoot 2.45 or 2.36 bullets, the numbers must be rounded up to the next whole bullet. Which means everyone (including .45 shooters) takes an average of 3 shots to get banned.
In fact, study author Greg Ellifritz concluded that the difference in wounding capacity between different handgun cartridges was negligible.
Just a few years ago, the FBI released a study that said the 9mm was the best bullet for its agents. (FBI photo)
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But Newton's third law exists. And it means that if a gun fires a bullet with enough energy to hit a person, the recoil will be strong enough to knock you down when you fire.
Wherever you go, the common wisdom is that shot placement is more important than the caliber you shoot.
Now, that doesn't mean caliber doesn't matter. Very small bullets may not penetrate the sternum or other bones.
And saying caliber is irrelevant means you could use a BB gun as long as you hit it in the right place.
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Caliber matters. But the emphasis on shot placement is a reminder that if you miss, you're essentially shooting a zero caliber bullet.
That's only a 5 cent difference. But it adds up. Over the course of 1000 rounds, you could pay about $80 more for your ammo if you shoot .40.
Regardless of your budget, you'll get more bang for your buck and therefore become more proficient with your pistol if you shoot 9mm, helping you with all of your shot placement.
Since the .40 S&W is essentially a short 10mm round, it has a higher burst pressure than the 9mm and .45 ACP.
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However, high-pressure rounds tend to produce a faster recoil impulse, which can be uncomfortable for some shooters. It can also be harder to shoot with one hand.
Can you improve your shooting skills enough to handle the recoil and shoot a .40 S&W really well? Absolutely.
But, if you spent equal training resources working to shoot the same pistol, chambered in 9mm, you would probably be faster and more accurate with the 9mm in the end. There is simply less recoil energy to absorb and control in a 9mm round.
Also, many manufacturers use the same frame in their 9mm and .40 S&W pistols. This causes longevity issues because the 9mm frame is not built to withstand the recoil force of a .40 caliber round.
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In the context of self-defense, reloading may be impossible. Therefore, it is better to reduce the chances that you need to fill.
The 9mm always has a larger magazine capacity than the .40 S&W, provided you are comparing two pistols of the same size. So, in almost any context, a 9mm pistol will allow you to outperform a .40 S&W.
Now, before everyone rushes to defend their beloved .40 caliber: there really is no need to defend yourself. The .40 S&W is a perfectly viable self-defense round.
It takes time and money to train to change your weapon. So if you're already set up to shoot .40 S&W, it might be more efficient and cheaper to stick with it, depending on how much you shoot.
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But if you shoot a lot and want to shoot better for less money, or if you plan to use a pistol for personal or home defense, pick up a 9mm pistol and shoot. You'll save time and money, without compromising on defensive performance.
GearScout contributor Jay Chambers is a professional freelance entrepreneur based in Austin, Texas. Having lived through many natural and more than a few man-made disasters (hi 2008), she believes that resilience and self-reliance are essential in this increasingly unpredictable world. That's why he started a business! Jay writes in the Minute Man Review.
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Times are always changing and that is certainly the case in the gun world. A current trend we are seeing now is the resurgence of 9mm in .40 S&W weight.
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For example, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently switched from the .40 S&W to the Luger 9mm, primarily from the Glock 22 and 23 to the Glock 17 and 19. The US military has seriously considered switching to the .40, but finally stuck with the 9mm when they chose the SIG Sauer M17 as their new service weapon. And police departments across the country are swapping out .40 caliber pistols for 9mm.
It's not hard to see why. Although the 9mm FMJ is a weak enough round to stop a man, today there are a variety of very effective hollowpoint self-defense loads available to civilians and law enforcement agencies. As a result, the need for .40 has been greatly reduced, and in addition, 9mm pistols carry more bullets and have lighter recoil.
You see, the reason the .40 was developed was to provide law enforcement with a more powerful handgun than the 9mm. Yes, the .45 ACP was out, but even the .45 pistols were very limited in capacity. This is why the 10mm was developed, but when the recoil created by the round was a little too much for some, it was shortened to the .40 S&W we have today.
The .40 S&W has performed well for many years and will continue to do so for many more, but as just discussed, the transition to a round that stops the power potential has increased significantly and with lighter and more controllable we have seen .40 pistols begin to replaced by 9mm.
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At the same time, however, this move away from .40 means that there is an abundance of surplus .40 caliber pistols on the market today, many of which are available at below average prices. And just because the .40 caliber itself isn't as popular as it once was, it's by no means a viable option for defense.
In fact, .40 is the third most popular caliber today, after 9mm and .45 ACP, and is still very easy to find. For these reasons, a .40 caliber pistol remains a more than viable choice for self-defense or home defense, and again, the abundance of surplus guns and police exchanges means you have plenty of options at budget prices.
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