.40 vs .45

Mark · Sep 16, 2006

I saw some pistols today. There was a Sig 229 in .40 and Sig 220 in .45 and there were the hammer and hammerless models. The hammerless or DAK had a hard trigger and the one with the hammer had a softer trigger.
I don't know which to get. Any suggestions?

The .40 has the edge in knockdown power in TKO factor over the .45
Don't they make P+ ammo for the .40?
Which is a better choice?

Also there were the H&K in .40 but the handle was real rough and I did not like the others.
I was looking for the Para Ordnace DA's but did not have any, if you look at the website, they got some beautiful DA's in .40 and .45, even high capacity rounds. I got to call them on Monday and see who the dealer may be.
Mark

JD338 · Sep 17, 2006

Mark,

What is your intended purpose for the handgun?
The advantage of not having to cock or snag a hammer in a quick draw life threating situation can outweigh the heavier trigger pull.
High capacity models are nice but someone with smaller hands may have more dificulity gripping and shoooting it.

The 40 is a great round but the larger 45 can't be ignored. Regardless of what "paper" ballistics say (KE, TKO, etc), a bigger heavier bullet will hit harger and stop a bad situation with authority.
An example would be a snowball fight. Would you rather be hit with light fluffy snow or wet heavy snow?

Just a few things to consider....

JD338

Guy Miner · Sep 25, 2006

They're both very good self-defense cartridges.

Plenty of people have been killed real dead with each. I'd comfortably recommend either one for self-defense. My police department offers a choice between the .40 and the .45 for our officers. There's a pretty even split between the two cartridges. I often hear that the recoil of the .40 is too "snappy" while the .45 is more of a "push."

The .40 was built to pack big-time stopping power into a compact semi-auto, and it's worked out real well. Most folks can handle a double-stack .40 cal just fine, the same can't be said for the double-stack .45 cal Glocks and HK's.

That said, I carry a .45, because tradition dies hard, a 1911 of course.

Semper Fi, Guy

FOTIS · Sep 27, 2006

45 all the way man.

No 40 Short & Weak for me.

ChrisG19 · Oct 7, 2006

Get the one that feels best in your hand. As for 40 vs. 45, flip a coin. When loaded with quality ammo the differences are academic at best.

There are only 5 cartridges that can be officially +P per SAMMI:

38 Special
38 Super
9mm Luger
45 ACP
257 Roberts

Don't forget, shot placement is what counts above all else.

Bruce Mc · Oct 12, 2006

Mark, I'd second the opinions of the 45 over the 40. But there really isn't much difference. If I was to actually think about buying a SIG I would have to think about the .357 Sig. A much more versatile round. As far as the different configurations go, a lot depends on what its use is going to be and how it will be carried. If you want a tuck in the pants type gun then go with the double action only, no hammer to catch on clothing. If you're going to carry it in a holster or use it for shooting in the field, go with the standard dual action with the hammer. The DA only would be a real pain if you're going to use the pistol for informal target or some small game hunting. Being able to cock the hammer and have a crisp light single action pull would be much better. SIGs are quality pistols and well worth the cash, but I'm a hopeless 1911 fan.

Bigwheels · Oct 24, 2006

I would go with the 45.I've carried both,& seen first hand the stopping power of the 45 vs. the 40.It boils down to the old addage,"If you want to hit something harder,use a bigger hammer."I can't say anything about the brand of pistol.I carry a Springfield Armory 1911A1.

fredj338 · Dec 24, 2006

I have chosen the .45acp as my ccw & the 40s&w for HD but it's primarily the pistol that you should be deciding on, not the caliber. All pistol rounds from 9mm-45acp, w/ good JHP ammo, provide pretty much the same results w/ center of mass hits. The larger calibers may have an edge when the shots are less than well placed, but nothing is 100%.

old #7 · Dec 24, 2006

JD338 wrote

The advantage of not having to cock or snag a hammer in a quick draw life threating situation can outweigh the heavier trigger pull.

+1.
I have a beretta 9000s in 40 that was my ccw for a while. The 40 is a bit snappy especially with a short barrel as Guy said.
I currently carry a kimber 1911 in 45.
1911's are single action but I like the feel in my hand and they point very naturally for me. While my Beretta 9000s is a great double action hand gun it just doesn't feel as natural in my hand as the 1911"s.

ChrisG19 hit the nail on the head,