This is a retarded post. I shoot .40 S&W and I can tell you that these rounds are effective. Period! Maybe your thinking of 9mm? The .40 has more knock down power than .380 and 9mm. Its much faster than .45ACP and the .40 compares to the 9mm in speed/velocity. Although its not 45ACP, it will still stop someone in their tracks. Add my crimson trace laser grips and I can put all my rounds at center mass or just one in the head. Go buy a .40 and then tell me what you think. I think you'll answer your own questions after shooting one.
Quoting: SigSauer 936378 I've got them all and I've done extensive research. In power ratings of actual ft/lb delivery you have, from lowest to highest:
.380
9mm
38spl
45acp
40s&w
357mag
Now, delivery is the problem. I'd much rather have a 9mm with good hollow cavity projectiles than a 45acp with fmj projectiles.
Though the above list is gives you the order of raw ft/lbs, the delivery of those ft/lbs depends very much on the projectile.
Bigger, slower, less fragile and more narrow projectiles deliver their energy slower (as in punching holes and penetrating things).
Lighter, faster, more fragile and wider projectiles deliver their energy more instantaneously.
You have to consider all of those things and remember that 9mm/38spl/357mag/380 stuff is all .355 to .358 in diameter. 40 cal is .400 and 45acp is .454
I've engineered several 9mm and 357 magnum rounds that make 45 stuff look wimpy. I can't do the same with 45acp stuff because of the limitations of the cartridge and firearms. I haven't done the engineering with 40s&w.
The fact is if someone would use a very light bullet with a very heavy powder charge and send a hollow point projectile out the barrel very fast, it really doesn't matter how big the hole is.
I've done the same with .223/5.56 ammo. Very light bullet. Heavy powder charge, yet, the bullet is only .224 and weights less than one fourth of what a 45 acp bullet weighs, yet, they are part of my engineered YDGUFT rounds. (You Don't Get Up From These...)
I've done extensive tests with 45acp. I am not impressed.. AT ALL. 40s&w is so-so. I like 9mm for its compactness but decent power. My preference is 44magnum. 1600ft lbs of RAW FUCKING POWER. With 180gr hollow points and 27gr of 2400 they are YDGUFT in a very massive way. They'll penetrate a lot because of their raw power yet when they hit viscous material they litterally DETONATE.
If you're going to argue about power and this and that, just stop the bullshit. 44 magnum is common enough and reasonably priced. But, in a building or enclosed space, you better have some type of hearing protection or you're going to be deaf. ...which is another advantage of 9mm.
Its all about the situation.
