Recommend a .40 S&W handgun

[flycbyrd]

I have exactly one .40 S&W handgun, so I can't compare apples to apples. I very much like the Browning Hi-Power I do have, though. It kicks a bit more than I think a .40 should (given the comparatively mild recoil in my .45 ACP), but the Browning is a good 10-round mag performer. Accurate to 25 yards. As with all Hi-powers I've come across, the hammer is a bit tight if you try to **** it with your thumb. It's also a bit slimmer than a Glock.

My two cents.

a 40 s&w kicks real good because of the pressure building up in
it so much to push the bullet out with a high velocity. if your gun
is a small compact and lite then it will kick more then a heavier one
in the same caliber.yours probably kicks about like mine..

 

[flycbyrd]

I want to interject here that, for me, handguns can be enjoyable, fun. Going out to the range and going through several boxes of cartridges in several different guns is both challenging and relaxing. I admit that there can certainly be different characteristics that one would look for in a handgun depending on whether they plan to use it in that way, or strictly for protection.
That is why I mentioned the 45ACP. I am very familiar with 1911s, so that familiarity makes them like an old friend that I can take out and get to perform in a predictable manner. And for that reason I enjoy them most.
If I were to be heading out the door expecting a firefight, I would probably grab the Sig P229 for its higher capacity and certain reliability. But it would be a hard choice since I would just take fewer, more selective shots with the 45.
If I were to go back into Grizzly country at altitude, I would take the 44mag revolver.
And to have fun, shoot all day, and improve your technique, the BuckMark is hard to beat.

who doesnt like to shoot guns at the range or in there backyard;

but i do wonder something how you can love the 1911 most?, that is unless you never conceal it or you do and you are really fat....

if by your statement of heading out the door expecting a firefight you mean
carrying a concealed gun in case it could happen; i would want to take the one gun im most familiar with not the one with the most rounds; 5 shots 5 hits is better then 10 shots 5 hits.

if by your statement you mean that your heading out the door to defend yourself on your property; i can honestly tell you it wouldnt be my choice to take any 3 of my pistols... i would want a 6.5 grendel tactical with a red dot sight and a back up mag already loaded..

if it where in home protection i would take my fully loaded glock cocked in ready inside my waistband as my back up weapon. and a 10 or 12 gauge tactical shot gun loaded with 3 inch magnum birdshot(7,7 1/2, 0r 8) or my favorite squirrel shot ( 6), nothing that contained under 20 pellets. and fitted with a ghost bead.

 

[penates]

Your selection depends on whether you want a plinker, a competition gun, home defense, or all of the above. Assuming that you are not in a state that restricts magazine capacity I would go with the Glock model 22. The glock series of pistols are ubiquitous and as such are very easy to find magazines, parts, holsters, etc. They also allow you to enter the GSSF (Glock Shooting Sports Federation) competitions which are a good way to get your feet wet in shooting sports competitions. They are also caveman easy to repair. You can also find law enforcement trade in pistols in the 375 to 425 dollar range. FWIW I carry a different sidearm at my agency but the Glock is a perfectly adequate choice, also I would not recommend a bullet weight lighter than 155 grain in the 40S&W cartridge as the OAL is a bit short and there tends to be feeding problems in that bullet weight. 155 to 180 grain loads tend to have the pressure curve and OAL to provide more reliable feeding.

 

[flycbyrd]

I got my Glock 27 with night sights brand new in the box with its extra mag and etc for only $440 and yes im sure it was new and yes it was a steal for that price I know i got lucky.

 

[blary54]

I own a Glock 35 and a Springfield XD both are great but I shoot the xd alot more because its a 9mm and alot cheaper to shoot.

 

[Deltaboy]

I love and carry my Sigma 40 VE and it goes bang every time.

 

[americanarmsdealer]

CZ75. Goes bang every time, and you can't beet the ergonomics with any double stack pistol on the market!

 

[40boy]

Of the 6 you listed, my choice would be the Glock 22.
Simple to operate. Stone cold reliable. Easy to shoot.

Others you may want to consider are SIG 226 or 229, Beretta 96 and HK USP.
The SIG 229 would be my personal preference.

 

[trumpetchris]

I've got a S&W sigma. Super reliable, inexpensive, similar feel (although heavier trigger) as the the glock. Great gun for the money (300 +tax).

 

[jlanger]

I own a Glock 35 and a Springfield XD both are great but I shoot the xd alot more because its a 9mm and alot cheaper to shoot.

I'd think the gun you'd shoot the most would be the one you'd be most comfortable with. That's my dilema also, 9mm is so much cheaper then .45 or .40. But I still worry about the knock down power (which I know is way over done)

 

[Hreafn]

when in doubt shoot them in the face

 

[82R100]

when in doubt shoot them in the face

Lovely advice.

And this answers the subject line how?

 

[ofelas]

who doesnt like to shoot guns at the range or in there backyard;

but i do wonder something how you can love the 1911 most?, that is unless you never conceal it or you do and you are really fat....
if by your statement of heading out the door expecting a firefight you mean
carrying a concealed gun in case it could happen; i would want to take the one gun im most familiar with not the one with the most rounds; 5 shots 5 hits is better then 10 shots 5 hits.

if by your statement you mean that your heading out the door to defend yourself on your property; i can honestly tell you it wouldnt be my choice to take any 3 of my pistols... i would want a 6.5 grendel tactical with a red dot sight and a back up mag already loaded..

if it where in home protection i would take my fully loaded glock cocked in ready inside my waistband as my back up weapon. and a 10 or 12 gauge tactical shot gun loaded with 3 inch magnum birdshot(7,7 1/2, 0r 8) or my favorite squirrel shot ( 6), nothing that contained under 20 pellets. and fitted with a ghost bead.

You have got to be kidding me...I am very athletic & have very low bodyfat, but I find the 1911 & most steel framed sidearms very easy to conceal in a well made high riding pancake or a good IWB. The slimness of the frame & single stack magazine makes this a winner for concealment. The CZ75 & FN-35 are similar in this regard. It's important to have a stable, snug riding, well made molded holster, whether horsehide, cowhide or kydex that does the job without being too thick & blocky.

 

[flycbyrd]

You have got to be kidding me...I am very athletic & have very low bodyfat, but I find the 1911 & most steel framed sidearms very easy to conceal in a well made high riding pancake or a good IWB. The slimness of the frame & single stack magazine makes this a winner for concealment. The CZ75 & FN-35 are similar in this regard. It's important to have a stable, snug riding, well made molded holster, whether horsehide, cowhide or kydex that does the job without being too thick & blocky.

Even with the low body fat, your athletic so is your body frame large? Not saying your fat. When you conceal the 1911 inside the waist; do you do it all day, including when your sitting down? I have a very stable inside the waist band holster for my glock, I just dont see how you can think that the service frames gun is comfortably concealed, especially if your sitting down alot all day. Another question are you putting the gun behind your back when your concealing? Thats the only way i could see it working, dont see how you could find it comfortable if your carrying IWB on the side and still have it concealed and be comfortable.

 

[timmy]

Went to the range the other day. Had a chance to shoot both a XDm and a G22. Both are standard frame pistols in 40s&w with 4.5" barrels. After firing 50 rounds through both of them I felt the Glock slightly felt better in my hand. Neither had issues with cycling rounds. My targets and groups ended up been almost equal with both pistols. The two things the XDm had going for it over the Glock were the extra bullets in the mag and the **** indicator on the back of the slide. Both things I could live with out for the right price. My decision came down to price. The range owner did me a solid and sold me the G22 for 460+tax, this included an extra mag, a Fobus Paddle Holsters and a Fobus Magazine Pouch. This brought the extras up the what is supplied with the stock XDm. The price for the XDm was 660+tax and the owner would not budge on that price for me. Now I just need to decide what to blow the 200 dollars I saved on. Thinking maybe a 40 to 9mm conversion barrel and some 9mm glock mags. I would say a laser or light, but IMO laser and lights just give some one a target to shoot back at.

 

[Snappy Lunch]

Congrats on your choice. I carry a G23 every day, and do not regret it one bit. Sounds like you got a good deal too.





Don't give up, Don't ever give up.
Jimmy V.

 

[Hansel]

But I still worry about the knock down power (which I know is way over done)

Knock down power eh? Well, how about we talk a little bit about how much kinetic energy each round produces?

9mm Luger loads produce anywhere from 430 (For special subsonic loads for use with suppressors) to 470 joules of energy at the muzzle for standard loads.
.45 ACP is 475 to 485 joules for standard loads.
.40 SW is 465 to 480 joules for standard loads.

Notice two things here. First, all three rounds produce about the same actual energy. Second, .40SW may be relatively new (And expensive), but 9mm and .45ACP have been sending goblins packing for over 100 years; both have withstood the test of time.

For comparison sake, let's look at some other common semi-auto pistol self defense rounds.

.380 Auto (.380ACP) is about half as powerful, with 225 joules at the muzzle. Quite a few people out there, myself included, will tell you this is the bare minimum for self defense.
.32 Auto produces about 175 joules.
.25 Auto is a whopping 90 joules (Please stop shooting me, that stings!) of energy.

Notice that these three rounds are peanuts compared to 9mm, .45, or .40, BUT, they can still kill you plenty dead plenty quick! Stopping a threat with a pistol isn't about how much "knock down power" your round has, it's about putting holes in things that your target needs to survive. A hole in the heart, aorta, important pieces of the brain or central nervous system, or both lungs will stop most threats. The more rounds you fire, the better chances you have of scoring a fatal hit. 9mm or .45 are plenty powerful to do serious damage when scoring a hit on any one of those parts...

Just for the hell of it, lets look at some 'manly-man' pistol rounds next.

10mm Auto (Like a .40SW Magnum) can crank out 600 to 630 joules.
.357 Sig Auto produces a respectable 900 joules or so, and if you really wanted a pistol with "knock down power" I would recommend one of these over .40. If your ammo is going to be crazy expensive you might as well get some bang for your buck.

If you were serious about getting a pistol with lots of punch, you're really headed to revolver land. .357 Magnum cranks out 1000 to 1200 joules, that's almost as much as some rifles. .44 Magnum, with it's perhaps rightfully deserved reputation as a highly effective goblin-stopper, is in the ballpark of 1700 (!!) joules! That makes it roughly as powerful as a 5.56mm NATO round fired by the M-16! However, consider how likely you are to actually carry or practice with such a hand-cannon?

For the hell of it, let's look at some rifle rounds...

.223 is about 1750 joules of energy at the muzzle. Thats about as much energy as the .44 Magnum we talked about before, but because these rounds tumble and fragment, they inflict much more...Nasty...Wounds...

.308 can have over 3550 (!) joules of energy. That makes EVERYTHING else we talked about look like tiny little cocktail peanuts!

So, again, unless you plan to carry an M-14 battle rifle with you everywhere you go, forget about knockdown power in a defensive handgun. Get a 9mm or a .45. Both are effective, relatively affordable, and ammo is available and pretty cheap compared to some of the more exotic rounds. Then go spend the money you saved by going to the range and getting some practice so you can hit the target. Practice double taps, etc. A hit with a 9mm is worth a thousand misses with the death star laser.

Even with the low body fat, your athletic so is your body frame large? Not saying your fat. When you conceal the 1911 inside the waist; do you do it all day, including when your sitting down? I have a very stable inside the waist band holster for my glock, I just dont see how you can think that the service frames gun is comfortably concealed, especially if your sitting down alot all day. Another question are you putting the gun behind your back when your concealing? Thats the only way i could see it working, dont see how you could find it comfortable if your carrying IWB on the side and still have it concealed and be comfortable.

My Glock-17 is about the same size as a standard 1911, and I have no trouble keeping it hidden, and thats when carrying outside the waistband. I'm not fat, but I'm 6'6" and pretty big. What makes the difference is having a good holster that keeps the pistol tucked up close to your body and prevents the handle from sticking out. Having a nice cover garment helps too.

 

[Gravy]

I also have a G17 that I carry concealed. Never had a problem. It's not my full time carry but it's far from being hard to do. Don't really feel the need to explain "how I can carry a large gun comfortably" either. YMMV

 

[TheFlyingFrenchman]

Okay, so by the point in the threads life this has probably already been recommended. But +1 for the M&P. Also the XDm.

The M&P is definitely one of my favorite handguns. Got really great groupings from the start with it, feels really nice in your hand.

 

[flycbyrd]

My Glock-17 is about the same size as a standard 1911, and I have no trouble keeping it hidden, and thats when carrying outside the waistband. I'm not fat, but I'm 6'6" and pretty big. What makes the difference is having a good holster that keeps the pistol tucked up close to your body and prevents the handle from sticking out. Having a nice cover garment helps too.

Ok are you able to carry it iwb though comfortably? Im 5 11 and 190 lbs, muscular, not much a stomach, but very broad shoulders. I have a great iwb holster, a Bianchi. I can conceal my g27 all day with that holster, including when im driving. My other holster i was told was an amazing holster, i on the other hand do not care for it, its a fobus otb paddle holster. It doesnt feel bad when carrying with it but retrieving my gun from it is a battle in its own. Its the right holster for the gun, but the made it a little to snug, alot of people have this problem with the holster i have though. In fact one time i tried to draw with it and drew the whole holster and gun together.