Is .40 S&W Dead??

[rlongnt]

While I agree that disturbed media could have an impact on outcome, I see nothing indicating the order in which these were actually fired. It looks as though they simply listed them in order of penetration depth not necessarily order fired. I would think there would also be some anomalies in penetration order if they were listed by firing order even if most follow a deeper pattern due to the disturbed media.

One bet against this idea might be that most of the uber-reliable proven rounds like Gold-Dot and Golden Saber stayed exactly within FBI required depths. I would like to see some that didn't expand properly shot out of a 4" or 5" barrel to see if they work better. Hornady Critical Duty for instance is optimized for a duty weapon not CCW and states it on the box.

It does clearly show there are rounds that will get the job done nicely no matter what caliber weapon you have. This also represents a massive amount of work to compile.

 

[Eagle Eye]

fair enough!

 

[chazroh]

Must not be dead, I bought one today!!!

 

[Mitch Rapp]

I just bought a .40 cal barrel for my G32 357 sig so I can practice a bit cheaper and not worry about picking up brass. I reload 357 sig so the cheaper isn't a big deal, but at times I honestly just don't want to mess with collecting brass.

I love my 357 sig, but would feel just as well armed carrying a 9mm, and 9mm is what I recommend to people looking for a carry gun. 9mm is slightly more controllable than 40 or 357 sig.

Is the .40 dead? I would say no just based on the number of guns out there plus its use in competitions and the amount of departments that still use it.

However technology is reducing the performance gap between defensive ammo selections to the point that there is almost not a tangible difference. That being said there are some things that cannot be seen in ballistics gel. If a 9mm 124 and a 357 sig 124 grain bullet both penetrate 14 inches in gel, but one was going nearly 20% faster on impact, there has to a difference even if its not seen in the gel right? At the same time, if a larger diameter bullet that also weighs more also goes 14 inches in the gel, that doesn't mean its exactly the same as a 9mm does it?

The difference may be slight, maybe VERY slight, but some people carry a 9mm because it gives them an extra two rounds over a .40. I would say that is no different than carrying a .40 for the slight edge it may give in performance. What are the chances that 13 rounds won't be enough, but 15 will be? About the same as the chance that the .40 might not deflect when a 9 would, or penetrate slightly more or be just enough wider to clip an artery that a 9 would miss...

Bottom line is if you are counting on your favorite caliber to be the thing that wins a gunfight, and not your training, then you may be sorely disappointed.

P.S.... 357 sig rocks, man up already. Speed kills.

 

[tRidiot]

If a 9mm 124 and a 357 sig 124 grain bullet both penetrate 14 inches in gel, but one was going nearly 20% faster on impact, there has to a difference even if its not seen in the gel right?

If this is the case, there has to be some difference in the bullet. I would say the one traveling 20% faster maybe tumbled, maybe expanded more if it were a HP, etc. If you have 20% more speed, you have more kinetic energy, you are not going to get the same penetration without something else causing the change in results. Physics doesn't care what the case the fired the round looks like. Maybe the higher speed causes more expansion which causes it to slow down faster, delivering that higher kinetic energy into the same-length wound channel. Maybe something to do with the twist rate. Maybe higher speed causes it to tumble. I dunno.

 

[Mitch Rapp]

If this is the case, there has to be some difference in the bullet. I would say the one traveling 20% faster maybe tumbled, maybe expanded more if it were a HP, etc. If you have 20% more speed, you have more kinetic energy, you are not going to get the same penetration without something else causing the change in results. Physics doesn't care what the case the fired the round looks like. Maybe the higher speed causes more expansion which causes it to slow down faster, delivering that higher kinetic energy into the same-length wound channel. Maybe something to do with the twist rate. Maybe higher speed causes it to tumble. I dunno.

Exactly. You can't say there is no difference when the raw data shows that there is. The difference may be hard to see in gel, but it has to be there.

Sent from my SCH-R890 using Tapatalk

 

[JD8]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kLkpIljrNA

.357 sig is just nasty.....

 

[Pharr Shot]

I still have my M&P CORE and Shield in .40 and only if push came to shove would I get rid of them. I do need to get me another .40 though, I'm just broke as a joke right now.

Sent from my 0PM92 using Tapatalk

 

[TJay74]

I have all 3 major semi-auto calibers, I use each of them almost equally. I don't mind the .40, I just picked up a Sig P228 (M11-a1) and like it as well.

 

[n423]

Never owned a .40. Just never interested me. Seems to always be a lot of ammo around for the 40. Always had a 9mm or 45...