40 Hand Gun - Focus: The .40 was designed to give law enforcement a more powerful handgun than the 9mm.

Times are always changing, and that's certainly true of the gun world. The current trend we are seeing is a resurgence of the 9mm in place of the .40 S&W.

40 Hand Gun

40 Hand Gun

For example, the FBI recently switched from .40 S&W to 9mm Luger, specifically from the Glock 22 and 23 to the Glock 17 and 19. But ultimately they stuck with the 9mm when they chose the SIG Sauer M17 as their new service weapon. And law enforcement agencies across the country are trading in 9mm pistols for their .40 caliber pistols.

Glock G27 Gen4 40 S&w Sub Compact 9 Round Pistol

It's not difficult to understand why. Although the 9mm FMJ was a relatively underpowered drill, there are now many highly effective jacketed hollow point self-defense charges in the hands of civilians and law enforcement alike. As a result, the need for the .40 was greatly reduced, and in addition, the 9mm pistol took more bullets and recoiled more easily.

You see, the whole reason the .40 was developed was to give law enforcement a more powerful handgun than the 9mm. Yes, the .45 ACP came out, but even the .45 pistol had a very limited capacity. This is why the 10mm was developed, but when the round recoil became a bit too much for some, it was downsized to our current .40 S&W.

..why did we see the .40 pistol starting to replace the 9mm.

But at the same time, this shift away from .40 means that there is a surplus of .40 caliber pistols on the market today, many of which are below average. And just because the .40 caliber itself isn't as popular as it used to be, doesn't mean it's not a viable option for defense.

Two Black Semi Automatic Pistols A 9mm And A 40 Caliber On A White Background Stock Photo

In fact, .40 is the third most popular caliber today behind 9mm and .45 ACP and is still very easy to find. For these reasons, the .40 caliber handgun remains a viable option for self-defense or home defense, and again, the plethora of surplus guns and police trade-ins mean you have plenty of options at a great price.

Beretta Px4 Storm 40. Pistol.

The Px4 also deserves a spot on this list because the rotating barrel design helps reduce excessive recoil produced by heavier .40 caliber cartridges. The weapon is also safe to carry thanks to the double-action trigger and manual slide safety and, like the Beretta 92 series, serves as a decoy.

40 Hand Gun

The Px4 also features an ML-STD 1913 Picatinny rail and a set of handgun stocks.

Glock 27, Semi Automatic, .40 S&w, 3.42\

Curious about which Beretta Px4 pistol holds more ammo than a compact .40 pistol? It is the most popular police pistol of all time: the Glock 22 with a capacity of 15+1 rounds.

The Glock 22 holds a high place in the ranks of today's law enforcement agencies in America, and it certainly has a greater claim to fame than any other handgun currently available. The Gen 5 version was recently released and has a number of improved features such as different ergonomics and a flared magazine well to make reloading even easier.

Essentially, the Glock 22 is the same caliber as the Glock 17, only chambered in .40 instead of 9mm. A smaller variant of the Glock 22 in .40, called the Glock 23, has 13+1 rounds and is the same size as the Glock 19.

The Heckler & Koch USP is a pistol designed entirely for the .40 caliber. This is in direct contrast to many other pistols on the market that are chambered in .40 and built on the 9mm platform.

Springfield Armory 1911 A1 40 Sw 4in 9rd Pistol Pi9242l

Since the .40 caliber is a high-pressure cartridge, this means that a 9mm frame chambered in .40 will typically have a shorter service life than a 9mm bullet. However, because the HK USP is chambered in .40 caliber, it can still last a few thousand rounds before requiring component replacement.

That being said, the HK USP is a full-size pistol with 13 + 1 rounds of .40 in the magazine. The compact version is similar to the Glock 19, easier to conceal and holds 12+1 rounds.

The USP is a double-action single pistol with a frame-mounted safety and cocking lever. The safety can be activated without releasing the gun, allowing the pistol to be cocked and locked like a 1911 and the first shot fired in a nice and crisp single action.

40 Hand Gun

There are currently many surplus and law enforcement shops with the SIG Sauer P226 and P229 pistols in .40 S&W floating around on the market for as little as $300-$400, which is truly incredible value. These pistols may show some wear on the outside, but on the inside they have rarely been fired and are still in very good condition.

Accuracy X 2011 S&w .40 Caliber Pistol For Sale

Whether you choose a surplus SIG or a new one, you're going to get a quality pistol. Both the P226 and P229 hold 12+1 rounds with the factory magazine, and later high quality Mec-Gar magazines expand this capability to 13 or 14 rounds.

The P226 and P229 are double-action pistols without a manual safety. But there are also versions of this favored by law enforcement that use a lighter double action. These are known as DAK pistols and are among the surplus options that are available at great prices.

Like the HK USP, the Smith & Wesson M&P is built around .40 caliber, which is said to give it a longer service life than other .40 pistols.

A full-size .40 caliber M&P pistol holds 15+1 rounds, giving it the same firepower as a Glock 22.

Advertising Advertisement For Glock 9mm .40 S&w .45 10mm Pistol Gun Handgun

The M&P has proven to be a very reliable assault pistol that has also found its way into the dens of law enforcement officers across the United States. 2.0 M&Ps also have a very strong grip and are becoming a huge trend in pistols in the world today.

Walter pistols like the P99 and PPQ are among the most ergonomic pistols on the market today. The P99 itself is a very unique gift. Despite being an assault rifle, it is a double action/single action pistol.

The PPQ is a more traditional firing pin machine in that it has a very light and crisp single action trigger and is considered the best trigger of any pistol money can buy today.

40 Hand Gun

The P99 and PPQ also hold 11+1 or 12+1 rounds of .40 depending on which magazine you get. One thing to note is that they are very fond of being chambered in a 40 round so you need to be prepared for that and given plenty of practice so you can handle the recoil properly.

Want A .40 Caliber Pistol? There Are Your Best Options.

Any of these .40 caliber pistols would be a good choice for home defense, concealed carry, self-defense, or simple long-range use. Times are always changing, and that's certainly true of the gun world. The current trend we are seeing is a resurgence of the 9mm in place of the .40 S&W.

For example, the FBI recently switched from the .40 S&W to the 9mm Luger, specifically from the Glock 22 and 23 to the Glock 17 and 19. But they ultimately stuck with the 9mm when adopting the SIG Sauer M17 as their new service weapon chose. And police departments across the country sell their .40 caliber pistols for 9mm.

It's not difficult to understand why. Although the 9mm FMJ was a relatively underpowered drill era, today's civilian and law enforcement officers have on their hands a highly effective jacketed hollow point for self-defense. As a result, the need for the .40 was greatly reduced, and in addition, the 9mm pistol carried and had more bullets

Magnum 40 gun safe, 40 gun safe, 40 cal gun holster, 40 inch gun case, kodiak 40 gun safe, north 40 gun safes, winchester 40 gun safe, cannon 40 gun safe, browning 40 gun safe, 40 watt glue gun, 40 caliber gun holster, 40 gun