What do you "Carry"?

[Jamie C.]

Oh...but how's the .40 S&W load compare to a 38 or 9mm?

Nothing I ever shot with a .40 ever got back up.

Seriously though, the .40 is considered to be much better than either the .38 or 9mm by some, though it's a lot closer to the 9mm than the standard-velocity .38 loads.

Both the .38 and 9mm seem to be just slightly more accurate in my experience though, but not by much. And recoil is a little... sharper?... with the .40. Nothing uncontrollable or uncomfortable, but more evident than with either of the others.

The worst down side to the .40 is ammo price. It's a bit more expensive than the others, at least around here. ( I used to reload for mine. )

[Jamie C.]

JamieC is your Springfield a 9mm? If it is, I understand the reasoning behind it. 9mm is about the cheapest center fire pistol ammo you can buy. Military surplus is great for driving down the price! I bought a varmint rifle in 223 for that same reason, cheap practicing.

Bobkat... sorry I missed this for so long.

I don't have a Springfield at the moment. I do want one of the EMPs though, in 9mm.

One of the guns I do have is an early '60s Browning Hi-Power, which is a 9mm.

I really like the 9mm. It's accurate, cheap, and works as well as any handgun caliber will, if you carry the right load, and put the holes where they need to be. And that's all I ask of any firearm or caliber.

[SeanMTX]

FN makes a good firearm. They have very good rifles and rather good shotguns. (Same factory that the Belgium Brownings are made, and those are the desired flavor of Browning, which in itself is a great shotgun).

Anywho, that price is pretty good too. Most of what I've seen is in the $550 range. Is it new or used?

Also, check out Bud's Guns for outstanding deals on firearms.
Guns for Sale

Take a look at some of the earlier posts in this thread on bullet energy, but the short answer is the .40 is a more powerful round than both the .38 and 9mm...by far hotter than the .38.

.40 is a good round and I've been very pleased with the ones I've shot in this caliber.

Lastly, don't worry about polymer guns. A little known fact is that HK came out with the VP70 in 1970 that was the world's first polymer handgun. Manufacturers have pretty much perfected the platform in the 39 years since then. Don't worry about how much they can take. I like them for carry since they're a lot lighter than a full steel pistol.

VP70

[NCDave]

Thanks Sean. that's the type of input I was looking for, unlike Jamie!

[dwayneb236]

Kimber Ultra carry... The one in my avator actually....

On duty is a Glock 21

Both .45

[Jamie C.]

Dave... I got just two words for ya, and they ain't "Merry Christmas".

[NCDave]

LMAO......Good one!

[cjp91068]

One designed for a really tough steak... 'cause that point looks to be reinforced enough to go through a car door without much trouble at all.

It's a semi-custom knife by knifemaker Bud Nealy (Pennsylvania) - about $300 for it.

It compliments my Cold Steel Master Tanto knife.

[rustygunner]

Anyone have an opinion on this:
GunsAmerica - FNH USA FNP-40 (.40 S&W) - FNH - Fabrique Nationale (FN) Pistols > Other Semi-auto - Guns For Sale & Gun Auctions B"H

Hey Dave, They have a couple of these at a local gun shop. I was just in there yesterday actually and was eyeing them. Seemed like a good deal for the price... $469 if I remember correctly. Case+ 2 mags. Polymer frame doesn't bother me one bit. I had my doubts in the 1980's, but I have since found they hold up as well as or better than anything else. The polymer really soaks up recoil as well.

[keyda81]

I haven't carried on my bike yet, since I got my permit after riding season was over. But I do carry a Taurus PT92. I'd prefer something smaller to carry on the bike. I want to get a Bersa .380. Small and easy to conceal.

[bobkat]

Kimber Ultra carry... The one in my avator actually....

On duty is a Glock 21

Both .45

Love the Kimber it is a sweet piece! It is like you took a colt 1911 and did a total custom make over. Soap bar smooth and with all the bells and whistles. I have nothing against a 9mm but I carry 45s also. Two Colts, one is a 1911 officers model and the other is a 1991 A1 Commando with ivory grips. I also carry a Kershaw Speed Bump knife. I don't carry the gun that much but I always carry my knife.

I also have a 900 Classic LT. and I have an idea for a new thread!

[keyda81]

Love the Kimber it is a sweet piece! It is like you took a colt 1911 and did a total custom make over. Soap bar smooth and with all the bells and whistles. I have nothing against a 9mm but I carry 45s also. Two Colts, one is a 1911 officers model and the other is a 1991 A1 Commando with ivory grips. I also carry a Kershaw Speed Bump knife. I don't carry the gun that much but I always carry my knife.

I also have a 900 Classic LT. and I have an idea for a new thread!

My 92 has the mother of pearl grips, it's a real purty gun! I seem to prefer stainless over blued on some models too. I love the look of 1911's. Hubby has three of them. He actually managed to get two stainless steel ones with consecutive serial numbers. They stay in the case and he refuses to fire them.

[RampRat]

The 40 Short and Weak was a made up caliber to fill a non issue position between the 9mm and the .45. The 40 Short and weak does nothing spectacular & you would be better off with either a 9mm or a .45auto.

My daily carry is a Sig 239 in 357sig as I really like the 9mm on steroids since it mimicks the 125gr 357mag cartridge and we all know that's the #1 manstopper of all times with the .45aut a close 2nd

Pulled all the stuff out of my pockets and took this picture a couple days ago when we were home for the night.

[sharky1381]

I don't know your expertise and I certainly don't claim to have any myself, but what little I have read over the years about the .40 all seems to be contrary to your post. The popularity of the caliber with a growing number of agencies also seems to indicate it is superior to others. Granted any weapon system is a compromise but the .40 seems to be one of the best available for law enforcement purposes. Higher magazine capacity and velocity with easier handling caracteristics than the .45, greater bullet weight and energy transmission than the 9mm. I am not a real gun buff and have to admit I have never heard of the .357Sig until reading this thread. It sounds like a good choice but I would guess it will probably remain in the background kind of like the 10mm and the .44 Bulldog. It probably does not offer enough of an increase in performance to warrant transition by departments that would have to purchase hundreds of new weapons to replace perfectly functional .40s. Most departments will want a major performance gain before they will commit to such an expense.
My own agency has transitioned a number of times since I was hired. I started with the S&W model 59 9mm and FMJ ammunition which I carried for several years before we reverted to the S&W 686 revolver loaded with .38+P Hydroshock ammo. A few years later they issued the Sig Sauer P226 in 9mm with hollow point ammo. Finally, when the Glock .40s came out, we were issued the model 22 which remains the current issue. Once again I recognize that agencies must consider many issues such as liability factors if rounds over penetrate and hit unintended victims through walls, the ease of use by females and smaller men who only practice to the level required and of course economics. There are many fine handguns that are not suited to average people who will not even take it out of the holster for months at a time and only fire it a few times after purchase. These people will not be able to take advantage of the quality offered by a custom match quality 1911 and would probably shoot rather poorly since it is too much pistol for them. They need to think about a less sophisticated, easier to handle weapon they are going to be more likely to hit a target with.

[airforce1]

I still like my Kimber Pro Carry .45ACP
I only practice once a week.
For the "homies"
..."They need to think about a less sophisticated, easier to handle weapon they are going to be more likely to hit a target with."
I'm thinking an aluminum baseball bat would be an economical choice and they would not be likely to shoot themselves in the foot...
An LEO saved his life in a recent attack when a perp disarmed him and was beating the HE!! out of him because he had an ankle holster with a .38 in it.
Pumped 3 shots into the guy, killed him. The LEO got a weeks vacation during the investigation. Cool.
Local idiot got involved in a standoff with LOTS of "coppers", lots of shooting, one LEO took a shot to the knee (ouch), but is ok. The perp popped the squad cars, the guys finally ventilated him. Fun item, the paper said the perp's cause of death was being investigated. Ya gotta love it!
"Actually, you CAN fix stupid!"

[sharky1381]

Indeed, many people should not even consider packing a piece. They are more likely to have it taken away and used against them than they are to stop an assailant.

[Jamie C.]

Folks, let's not turn this into a "Caliber Wars" thread. I've already been through 20 or 30 years of that crap, and it's pointless. Everybody has their favorite, and nobody has ever had their mind changed by someone else any way.

Besides, I'll bet you can't find the first person ( who isn't suicidal ) that would be willing to stand up in front of someone an let them fire even one .22 short at them.

The fact is, if it shoots a bullet and makes a hole, somebody out there can probably get good service out of it... and likely does.

[NCDave]

Hey Dave, They have a couple of these at a local gun shop. I was just in there yesterday actually and was eyeing them. Seemed like a good deal for the price... $469 if I remember correctly. Case+ 2 mags. Polymer frame doesn't bother me one bit. I had my doubts in the 1980's, but I have since found they hold up as well as or better than anything else. The polymer really soaks up recoil as well.

Yeah...I'm planning to get to Bass Pro Shop this weekend and take a look at them there.

[NCDave]

Folks, let's not turn this into a "Caliber Wars" thread. I've already been through 20 or 30 years of that crap, and it's pointless. Everybody has their favorite, and nobody has ever had their mind changed by someone else any way.

Besides, I'll bet you can't find the first person ( who isn't suicidal ) that would be willing to stand up in front of someone an let them fire even one .22 short at them.

The fact is, if it shoots a bullet and makes a hole, somebody out there can probably get good service out of it... and likely does.

Jamie,
I didn't read anything into the threads above, but admitedly, I haven't read through the entire thread. As a novice, I like hearing the guys opinions on the various sizes and types of weapons. Yes, it's kind of like telling someone which motorcycle they should buy, but at least we're hearing some good points about them.

You can shoot me with a 22 short if you'd like. but you have to do it at 1000 yards!

[rustygunner]

Indeed, many people should not even consider packing a piece. They are more likely to have it taken away and used against them than they are to stop an assailant.

The Kellermann-Reay study from which this myth originated has been completely debunked.
To produce the misleading ratio from the study, the only defensive or protective uses of firearms that were counted were those in which criminals were killed by would-be crime victims. This is the most serious of the study's flaws, since fatal shootings of criminals occur in only a fraction of 1% of protective firearm uses nationwide.

I agree with the first part of your statement, but not the reasoning behind it.