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Which would you choose?

  • .40 S&W

    Votes: 17 33.3%
  • .45 ACP

    Votes: 34 66.7%
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.40 S&W vs .45 ACP - Which is a better all-purpose SD cartridge?

11K views 117 replies 41 participants last post by  Smokewagon 
#1 ·
So I've been looking into getting a new carry gun for Winter Carry lately, which has sort of expanded into a search for more of an All-Purpose Self-defense cartridge due to a variety of factors, but I'll spare you the details. Right now I've pretty well narrowed it down to .40 S&W and .45 ACP. I know a lot of folks will argue that 9mm Luger is every bit as good as either the .40 S&W or .45 ACP, but I'm just not interested in 9mm Luger, so you do you and let me be me.

Alright, so moving on... I know that there are arguments for both .40 S&W and .45 ACP, like capacity, cost of ammo, energy, durability, etc. I've seen them all made, and to be honest it has kind of left my head spinning. So what I decided to do is poll you guys here on TaurusArmed.net because honestly you seem like the most level-headed, and I'm not pulling a Arnold Schwarzenegger in Jingle All the Way here, I don't have this same thread running on multiple forums telling everyone "Yor mah numbah one customah!" nor do I intend to do such a thing later on. I value your opinion and I'd be interested in reading any arguments to back up your opinions for or against one or the other, (unless it's for 9mm) even if it's long-winded. I have plenty of time since I don't plan on getting a new gun until around December, so take your time, speak your mind, and don't be afraid to make multiple posts on the subject should you think of something more to say.

Between the two cartridges (.40 S&W and .45 ACP) which would you choose?
 
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#5 ·
If you currently don't own either, get the .45. I could live without .40 easier than I could live without .45. Momentum is king, and 230 grains has got more of it. In fact, only .357 is superior to .45 ACP as a do-it-all round.
 
#6 ·
I think they will both get the job done just fine. Find a gun that fits you, your carry style, and feels right. What ever the caliber is, that is the gun I would go with. Personally I like the PT-145, 10+1 rounds of 230gr .45acp. The gun feels right in my hand, the recoil is a gentle push back, and I can stay on target with it very quickly and easily. It just shoots naturally for me.
 
#8 ·
I'm torn...I also like both cartridges. If you don't want to go 10mm, then it's a coin toss, realistically. You may or may not get a couple more rounds (depending on which firearm you decided to go with) with .40S&W and both can deliver impressive terminal ballistic performance - either 180gn JHP at over 1100fps (40S&W) or a 185gn JHP at 1200fps (.45ACP) will definitely get the job done.

I voted for .40S&W just to be contrary...and because I like my Beretta PX4 sub-compact...
 
#10 ·
Until recently, my two EDCs (carried OWB) included 9mm and 45 along with a 380 residing in my back pocket. Now it's just .40 cal IWB and my 380 in the pocket.

For years, a good friend and shooting buddy who is a retired LEO, always asked me when I was going to step up to a .40 cal insisting that I'd really like it. Last month I decided to give one a try. I saw a Kahr CM40 advertised for $230, bought it and hit the range. Without getting to in-depth, I'll just say that this little Kahr is fantastic, and after a few times at the range, I shoot it as well or better than the other calibers. It's 7oz lighter than my 45, and only 5oz lighter than my 9, but carried IAW it's much more comfortable than either.
 
#11 ·
Firstest with the mostest so .45 if you can hit with it. but lead on target, what can you carry, round capacity... That's not always the largest caliber.
.40cal is the largest caliber i can shoot fast multiple rounds accurately, without fatigue. Now I'll carry a .45 1911 or .357 revolver but after a reload rapid fire accuracy goes down compared to me shooting my 9mm or .40 high caps.
Lead on target is the name of the game.
 
#12 ·
I carry both (but only in a bag on the way to/from the range). The poll was 3-.40 to 4-.45 and I had a chance to even it up, but I didn't--I went with the .45. My .40 is a PT740 which is super concealable, so if you're wanting more easily concealed, I'd go with a small .40. However, it sure packs a punch when you shoot it and my .45 (24/7 G2c) is a little easier on the hand. It's like many of the guys said above, go what works for you. The .45 is an American classic and won't ever be wrong!
 
#14 ·
I went with the .40 for a simple reason: You can probably catch a sale on LEO turn ins at some gun dealers. I also like the .40 for its basic size and fire power over the .45. It is a caliber and gun that I have kind of acquired a new interest in, and am finding that I like it a little more than a similar sized 9mm. Maybe just me, but I just never caught on to the .45acp round.
 
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#19 ·
In my area, .40 S&W is apparently more popular than it is elsewhere, and it appears that both State and local Law Enforcement is still using .40 S&W, ergo I haven't seen any local sales on Police Trade-in .40s. I still honestly regret my decisions to pass of the fantastic sale of unissued Detroit PD M&P40s with 3 magazines and night sights a few years ago, not to mention the subsequent sale/rebate on the M&P45 Shield which would have only cost me $150 after rebate. I doubt that I'll see deals that good again anytime soon, but I hold out hope that some good deals will come this year around the Holiday Season.

@Stuz92
As much as I would love to own a 1911, I'm currently seeking a moderately priced carry gun and the 1911 tends to be too expensive and too heavy for that role.
 
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#15 ·
check ballistics101.com. They've got some decent charts for comparison of different ammo brands. The .45ACP generally comes out ahead of the .40S&W with similar weight bullets and decent loads (Double-Tap/Buffalo Bore/Cor-Bon) but not by any tremendous margin. Generally the heavier bullet at decent velocities provides good energy at the business end.
 
#16 ·
I voted 45 ACP. I currently own 3 pistols chambered for 40 S&W; I own 6 pistols chambered for 45 ACP. I have a gun safe filled with 40 S&W which likely last forever as I rarely shoot the 40. Two of my three 40s have been converted to 357 SIG and another bought outright in 357 SIG because I’m more accurate with that flatter trajectory round.

So - 45 since I have more guns and magazines for it than any other.
 
#17 ·
If i wanted maybe cheaper practice rounds and maybe a couple extra rnds in the Mag.(depending on the firearm), I'd go 40 otherwise 45.

Thanks to the designs of hollowpoints these days i don't think there's enough difference in these rounds to matter.

If you can shoot both in the firearms your interested in , and then decide.

I grew up with the 45, learned to shoot with a 1911, if you go with the 45 i'd suggest getting a 1911 , they are great to shoot , plus you can customized it as you wish. I'll most likely never own a 40, kinda stuck with 9mm, .380 and 45 in my semi-autos.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Yeah a bit morbid, but where they got hit and how many times they were shot, most likely mattered more than the caliber, but with out this info we will never know. Also how long before they got EMT'S to them.
 
#20 ·
Lots of great impute offered in the previous post, so I will offer a bit of a different angle for you to consider. I own more .40sw firearms than I do .45ACP. In part because I like the recoil feel of the.40sw round. I say recoil, but in truth it is more of a snap to the wrist.

But also because depending on the manufacture of your firearm choice with the availability of conversion barrels you can inexpensively change a .40sw firearm to either 9mm or a .357Sig capability. Most conversion barrels run in the $130-$150 price range. The firearms use the same magazine for both the .40 and 357Sig round. Most will require the swap over to a 9mm magazine to shoot the 9mm cartridge, but not all so. Glock is one of the most versatile when it comes to conversion barrel swaps. The SW MP is also very adaptable when it comes to conversion barrels...or at least they were back when I equipped my to do so.

So why did I answer more along the conversion capabilities of the .40sw? Back a few years ago there was an extreme ammunition shortage with people lining up looking for the more popular caliber of rounds. Conversion barrels not only offer you the ability to fire different calibers of ammunition, but to also use the same firearm in shopping for 3 different calibers of ammunition in the event that we ever (and we will) face another ammunition shortage.

Some of the .45ACP firearms can be converted to fire 10mm, but these conversion barrels are more likely to be found only for GLOCK pistols. Rule of thumb on conversion barrels is that they can be ordered to fire smaller calibers of ammunition than what the firearms was intended to fire, not larger.

I'll be interested to hear which caliber you choose to go with.
 
#27 ·
I've always been preferential to the 45 acp for just about everything - self defense, home defense, target practice, everything. I don't even own a 40 cal but I think I'm going to buy a full sized one here soon just so I can play around with it and maybe even start reloading for it. I always thought it was kinda odd that there was no +P designation for the caliber, but I guess the +P would be the 10mm. :D I've never been able to get away from the 45 caliber thing, you look at that muzzle end of the barrel and I can imagine it looks like you could park a truck up there, when you're staring down it from so close.

Inheriting my dad's Sig P226 has given me a new appreciation for the 9mm as well. I think with the right loads, you're very well armed with that caliber. I could see getting more 9mm guns sometime soon.

I've taken my 45acp 1911 Officer model to the front door when the doorbell rang at 1:00am, and I've also found myself reaching for my model 66 once or twice as well. I think a 40 cal would be about the same.
 
#32 ·
I've always been preferential to the 45 acp for just about everything - self defense, home defense, target practice, everything. I don't even own a 40 cal but I think I'm going to buy a full sized one here soon just so I can play around with it and maybe even start reloading for it. I always thought it was kinda odd that there was no +P designation for the caliber, but I guess the +P would be the 10mm. :D

No Plus P for quite a few calibers as they are already operating at high pressure.
the 45 acp is a quite low pressure round @ 21,000 PSI, even in Plus P the 45 acp is only a 23,000 PSI round.
by comparison the 10 MM operates @ 37,500 PSI, the 40 s & W @ 35,000 PSI, the 9 MM @ 35,000 PSI , the 38 Super (even before the plus P addition) operates @ 36,500 PSI..
so the 45 acp doesn't come close to any of these even in Plus P., those low pressure numbers are in running with 25 ACP and 380.
 
#28 ·
I do not have any .40's and have 9mm or .45's. I use to do gunsmithing work. .40 has been squeezed into 9mm framed pistols and it beats them to death. Most of the designs including the Glock have accelerated wear over 9mm, and guns in .45 are in designs scaled for it.

For SD, a reliable platform is the foundation, and cartridge is second. 1911, OSS, 625-8, and Witness are all scaled around a large frame for .45 ACP. Why do you think Law Enforcement dumping the .40? wear and cost are prime factors.

You can debate cartridges all you want, but since the introduction of the .40 S&W into 9mm frames, wear and tear has been a noticeable factor.

Maloy
 
#29 ·
Wow, lots of great information all around to take in here.

@jonrjen
That's actually a really good point. A .40 S&W pistol can be easily converted to 9mm Luger or .357 SIG at minimal cost, essentially making it like buying multiple firearms at once, and that's a value that I can really appreciate, so in a single post you've strongly swayed me in the direction of .40 S&W over .45 ACP.
Rest assured, whatever I ultimately choose, you'll hear about it as soon as I get my new gun, which will most likely be sometime are Christmas since that's when all the sales will be.

@maloy
It is to my understanding that the S&W M&P series was designed with the .40 S&W cartridge in-mind since it's their cartridge, which was at the time of the pistol's design, the leading duty cartridge of Law Enforcement agencies across the United States, so the M&P40 was built specifically for the .40 S&W and the M&P9 actually has the same slide and frame as the M&P40, it's just the barrel and springs that are different. (Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong about that.)
Also, I'm not really too concerned about wearing out the pistol since it's highly unlikely that I'll ever shoot it enough to do so, and even if I do, the M&P series is backed by S&W's Lifetime Service Policy.
 
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#30 ·
You certainly have gotten a lot of interesting replies.

The information and personal experiences are varied and cover a lot of very excellent points. And it comes down, I think, to just exactly what you, as the individual buying it, really want and find comfortable.

I have owned and shot extensively both calibers and (though I gave my last 40 to my son for his EDC) for the conditions you specify, I would opt for the 40. Felt (or more particularly, "perceived") recoil, ability to shoot it well, and the ease of carrying it would certainly be factors. Weight of a daily carry was significant to me for some while, and still is. Magazine capacity while at the same time maintaining a form factor that is conducive to concealed - or even open - carry is important to me. The size/weight/shape of the firearm has a significant bearing on ease of carry, draw, and presentation of the gun - and that is important to me too.

I haven't gotten into the caliber conversions, but that presents an appealing proposition. To have the ability to use alternate calibers that may be available when the primary choice is not may well become an important factor - -in a gun you are familiar and competent and well-practiced with.

You certainly cannot go wrong with a Smith & Wesson. There are many good guns on the market, and the months between now and the purchase date might well be spent trying the various choices at rental-ranges and with some shooting friends who have the pistols of your interest.
 
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