[GunFighter45ACP]

Just for conversations sake, I offer this:

40S&W is now the preferred LEO caliber with no realistic change in sight. The US Military is ever increasing the # of units using 45acp & if they ever get back to selecting a new service pistol it looks like it will be a .45. In my area (& from some of the other posts I've seen), .40 is regularly in stock, 9mm is not, & the price of 40 is better than 9mm. All things being equal, .40 generally outperforms 9mm in terminal ballistics testing, or at least that's what most impressions seem to be.

I'm talking strictly for the US market, what could all of this mean?

 

[pupcuss27]

Hey GunFighter45ACP,

Not sure where your shopping for ammo bro, but practice Federal 9MM 115gr can be had in all of our Chinamarts ( Walmart ) for $9.47 for a box of 50. (limit 6 a visit)

Also the Brown truck just delivered Hornaday Critical Defense 9MM 115 gr FTX I'd brought for $19.95 per 25 Cartridges from Sinclair Company in Fort Wayne, IN.

PUP :dunno:

 

[Dreamaster]

Just for conversations sake, I offer this:

40S&W is now the preferred LEO caliber with no realistic change in sight. The US Military is ever increasing the # of units using 45acp & if they ever get back to selecting a new service pistol it looks like it will be a .45. In my area (& from some of the other posts I've seen), .40 is regularly in stock, 9mm is not, & the price of 40 is better than 9mm. All things being equal, .40 generally outperforms 9mm in terminal ballistics testing, or at least that's what most impressions seem to be.

I'm talking strictly for the US market, what could all of this mean?

9mm is "never in stock" is because of GREATER demand, not less. They put out 10-20 100pack 9mm boxes at Wal-Mart here and they are gone the next day. The .40 100packs can last up to a week.

 

[rwillis]

9mm is "never in stock" is because of GREATER demand, not less. They put out 10-20 100pack 9mm boxes at Wal-Mart here and they are gone the next day. The .40 100packs can last up to a week.

same here where i live

 

[hotpig]

You have it backwards. The reason that 40 ammo is available is it is NOT as popular as 9mm or 45.

I do not fret when my inventory of 40 gets low. Running out of 9mm and 45 on the other hand is devastating to business.

 

[itstime]

What they said. 9 is here to stay. I shoot it by far the best then 45

 

[GunFighter45ACP]

True, all good points. I'm finding .40 at about $3 less a box than 9mm (not that I'm complaining), & 9mm is hardly available. Whether that's because 9mm is more popular & sells out faster, or for any other reason, I'm just saying it's harder to find 9mm on the shelves, which is where I'd think most new shooters will look. If the gun manufacturers cater to the LEO community, & the public follows the LEOs, then there should be an ever increasing # of .40 pistols on the market, or for sale on the cheap as police trade ins.

If you already own a 9mm, I don't think they will become less popular, BUT if you're a
1st time shooter or gun owner, it seems like it might be easier to get your hands on a .40.

 

[VT RAIDER]

9mm is "never in stock" is because of GREATER demand, not less. They put out 10-20 100pack 9mm boxes at Wal-Mart here and they are gone the next day. The .40 100packs can last up to a week.

And the boxes of .40 cost about $6 more per box at least with the WWB...

I think it is nice to have both and get ammo for what is available...

 

[cowboy1964]

I seriously have NEVER seen .40 less than 9mm. EVER ANYWHERE. If you have a link to somewhere online that sells it for less please let us know. We're talking FMJ, not JHPs. gun-deals.com has a very accurate listing of prices for each caliber. Check it out. Yes it's possible someone locally could find .40 for less once in awhile. That does 99.99% of the people reading this no good!

The decline of 9mm in LE really means nothing to the US market overall. When the NY PD switches from 9mm then THAT will be something.

 

[TheBooger]

I think the most telling stat for new shooters would be the most popular caliber of new gun purchases. I would wager it is 9mm by a fair amount. I think it is still the most popular caliber for new firearm and ammo purchases. I don't think it will ever go away.

 

[thegriz18]

I absolutely LOVE .40 S&W. I think it is a great round. Better than 9mm, in many ways. However, with the recent developments in the past 10 years with bullet and propellant technology, I think that the 9mm is right up there on the top of the list in the performance category.

9mm is going to become more and more popular than any other round on the market. With the surge in states that have shall issue CCW, and states like Arizona about to go to a non permit system, the demand for CCW pistols will sky rocket. Many people will want a small pistol that is easy to shoot and easy to carry. I predict that we see a surge in 9mm, .380, .38 Special, and .32 ACP/H&R/Federal ammunition and firearms in the next few years.

 

[fredj338]

I don't worry about ammo availability & woudl never use that to choose my SD/HD pistol. As noted, 9mm is probably right up there w/ the 45acp for popularity. The LEO market uses a lot of 40 but the civ market, not so much. The 9mm will be around as long as the 45acp, maybe longer than the 40. It offers bang for the buck, easy to learn to shoot well, easier for newbs & undedicated to stay proficient with, it's not going anywhere soon.

 

[unit1069]

Just for conversations sake, ...

The ballistics and shooting characteristics of 9mm almost guarantee that the caliber will continue to be as popular in the foreseeable future as it has been for the past 100 years.

I'm just guessing, but with the advent of highly effective JHP self-defense ammunition I wouldn't be surprised if the caliber's popularity has increased since the better ammo was introduced.

 

[voyager4520]

9mm has gone up in price because it's in high demand, and that's the same reason it's not on the shelves, everyone's buying it.

If the ammunition manufacturers care to keep up with civilian 9mm demand, 9mm will remain too economical to go anywhere anytime soon. The big problem is that manufacturers don't see a reason to increase the supply of 9mm when they can sell it for the same price as .40 with their current supply, plus they're busy enough making cartridges for government contracts so they don't wanna re-tool for civilian production of 9mm more often than they absolutely have to.(also a big reason for .380 shortage)

.40 and .357SIG are certainly gaining popularity especially with increased government contracts for both, but 9mm isn't going anywhere.

 

[Retseh]

Based on that logic the .38 Special should also be long since dead since the military and police dropped it in favor of auto pistol calibers.

Not quite so, is it.

 

[DEADEYEGUY]

The .40 did not go over as well with civilians as with LEO's. The 9mm is still the most popular civilian centerfire cartridge by sales even in the U.S.. With the better JHP's they will do the job just fine. No arguement. Don't bother. On the street the Winchester Rangers, Gold Dots, and Federal HST's are putting bad guys down as well as any of their bigger brothers. All with more rounds, less muzzle blast/flash and recoil. As far as the armed forces go I've spoken with several of the vets that have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Contrary to what the gun rags say the ones I've spoken with like the 9mm. Several have bought Beretta's as their own carry pieces.
One of the guys at the range was a tanker. His sargent got out to do something and ran into 3 Iraqi's armed with AK's. He dropped all with well placed rounds from his Beretta. No ball ammo is great. Including .45. Hell no handgun is a great stopper. But a light recoiling weapon that's easy to shoot and has lots of rounds will work if you do your part. Since the newer JHP's have come out more people are going back to 9mm's. It's hardly dead. And again if used right it will do the job.

 

[N/Apower]

The 9mm is here to stay.

 

[bogey3737]

In my area (& from some of the other posts I've seen), .40 is regularly in stock, 9mm is not...

Super Bowl 50-yd-line tickets are virtually impossible to find, but I was able to get into a high school game every Friday night last Fall. Is this the beginning of the end of the NFL?

 

[Cody Jarrett]

Many people prefer the 9mm because they don't have to sell the farm to buy it. I bought a G26 recently even though I already had a G17. I don't reload and surely can't shoot as often if I'm burning up .40 and .45 cal.

 

[coal]

Just for conversations sake, I offer this:

40S&W is now the preferred LEO caliber with no realistic change in sight. = True

The US Military is ever increasing the # of units using 45acp & if they ever get back to selecting a new service pistol it looks like it will be a .45. = Not true, because it's not known, which means this is opinon.

In my area (& from some of the other posts I've seen), .40 is regularly in stock, 9mm is not = True, because 9mm is MORE popular.

& the price of 40 is better than 9mm. = Not true pretty much everywhere else and/or will corrected itself when 9mm demand is met.

All things being equal, .40 generally outperforms 9mm in terminal ballistics testing, or at least that's what most impressions seem to be. = Correct, slightly but real and measurable since a heavier bullet at the same velocity would perform "better". However, there's FAR more toconsider than just that slight difference: Citizen: Caliber Acedemic?.

I'm talking strictly for the US market, what could all of this mean? = Nothing.

I think you mix fact, opinion and incorrect information to form your arguement. Thoughts in blue above.