[B5Dan]

Originally Posted by towboater

I like the 9 due to its lo cost. I like to practice with what I carry. I'd have a hard time shooting the 10 as much. I see money flying out the barrel. lol

Yeah... Well, it's not cheap, but the Armscor stuff is great for plinking. It can be had online for around $21/box of 50, and it's relatively "warm" for bulk stuff. Last box was about 1100fps and 610 lb/ft force at the muzzle. You can expect to pay $30 a box for nice stuff, but that's not too much more than other calibers. Buffalo bore has some expensive 10mm, but they really exaggerate the performance. People regularly report 100fps less at the muzzle than was advertised...

[hardluk1]

I carry a small 9mm and my wife has 9mm and I have a 40 for home defence also. It would be nice if you could shoot 2 pistol alike in both calibers to see what you think. If there is a spouse and children in the house be sure they can handle what ever you buy too.. There is not enough difference between a 45, 40 or 9mm to matter when it comes killing someone. Get what you can shoot well and afford to shoot. A 20 or 12 ga shotgun also works well for home defence on people or coyotes and can cost less.

[danf_fl]

This is my opinion only:

I would rather hit with a .22 than miss with a .45.
Choose what caliber works best for you.
While I like anything that starts with the number "4" (.40, .41, .45), I am comfortable hitting with the smaller calibers. And yes, there are times when the smaller calibers come in more handy than large.

[RickM]

Check out the video in this thread for a doctors take on calibers

http://www.firearmstalk.com/forums/f14/dr-speaks-about-gunshot-wounds-70125/

[RickM]

duplicated whoops

[B5Dan]

It's a great video, but I can't help but think that the caliber question is and always will be a urination contest to see "who's thing is bigger"... Oh well. Mine is... Lol!

[g23shooter]

Sig and Glock both have conversion barrels for there most popular .40 cal. I am sure there are others that also have conversion barrels also, maybe Ruger is one of them.. It would be very easy and inexpensive to buy a conversion barrel for $100-$150 and practice and plink on 9mm without the additional cost of shooting a .40 all the time. In SA, Tx. The difference in Wally worlds ammo in .40 and 9 mm is about $5-$6 per box. Shooting 20 boxes of 9mm would be $100 saved to help offset a conversion barrel.

[JigSawer40]

I have both full sized 9mm and 40sw. The 40sw is certainly more powerful but that depends on what ammo you use. The 9mm have a good selection of potent ammo whether they're standard, +P or +P+. The 40sw have standard and +P.

My 40sw doesn't kick much harder than my 9mm as they're both snappy, both being high pressure rounds. I like 'em both.

As always, go with what you're comfortable with.

[B5Dan]

Ballistically the .40 S&W is light years beyond the 9mm, especially with the hot stuff, but as the post above me stated, there is no shortage of amazing 9mm ammo. The best thing really is to try both, for a box or two at least, and go from there

[KalashnikovJosh]

.40 S&W has some very good traits to it,yes,and it is much newer then 9mm para.

Personally I really like its a good cartridge,but NOT in something really small and light.

.40 runs at the same operating pressures as 9 para,and with bigger bullets,it makes quite a bit more recoil.

But this is just me- I'm willing to freely admit that I would not be as able to use a P40 as well as a P11.