Description
The .40 Smith & Wesson is a leading cartridge among law enforcement organizations in America and is often seen as a compromise between the capacity of the 9mm and the power of the .45. It is also popular among civilians for personal protection and sport shooting.
The .40 S&W cartridge was developed with two specific goals in mind – to have more stopping power than the 9mm Parabellum and better handling and manageability than the .45 ACP. With these goals in mind, a team comprised of technicians from Smith & Wesson and Winchester built the .40 S&W cartridge.
The final result from the Smith & Wesson/Winchester team was a rimless, 10x22mm round that housed a .40-inch (10mm) lead bullet weighing between 105 to 200 grain (gr). It’s considered a middle ground ammunition, one that holds enough stopping power to be effective for home defense and concealed carry, and is still manageable to shoot and handle the recoil – even for those with smaller frames.
In its standard round, the .40 S&W casing measures .85 inch long and .424 inch at its base. It’s loaded to an average pressure of 35,000 psi, compared to the 37,500 psi of the standard 10mm cartridge.
In addition to its traditional name, the .40 S&W is also referred to as: .40 Cal, .40 Cal S&W, .40 Auto, 10x22mm, and 10mm Kurz.
Development of the .40 S&W
Smith & Wesson and Winchester introduced .40 Cal bullets in 1990, just six months after the Federal Bureau of Investigation requested the development of ammunition with the stopping power of the .45 ACP, but with the ease of use of the 9mm.
A few years before, the FBI switched to the 10mm cartridge after determining 9mm handguns – which agents had carried for years – were no longer effective in a modern gunfight.
In 1986, eight FBI agents and two bank robbers were involved in what has become known as the Miami Shootout in which FBI agents had to rely on their .38 Special revolvers. Both criminals were killed, as were two agents. Five other agents were shot and injured. The lack of stopping power, the limited ammunition supply, and the difficulty of quickly and efficiently reloading revolvers led the FBI to seek out an ammunition cartridge that was more effective and lethal.
They opted for the 10mm cartridge and the S&W 1076 Auto. While significantly more powerful, the 10mm soon proved itself too difficult for many agents to control when firing, mostly due to its combination of harsh recoil and large grip size.
The FBI continued its search for a cartridge with less recoil that fit in existing 9mm frames and with the amount of penetration required by its agents. In 1990, the Smith & Wesson and Winchester .40 Cal ammo met these requirements. This new round took the FBI’s standard 10mm cartridge and shortened the casing, lowered the recoil, and replaced the large primer with a small primer similar to what’s seen in a 9mm.
The FBI adopted it (briefly) and the caliber was enthusiastically embraced by law enforcement communities around the country. Police forces in Canada and Australia also adopted the .40 S&W and many still use the cartridge today.
Soon, civilians followed, offering their own endorsement of the .40 caliber bullet.
What Is .40 Ammo Good For?
A strong feature of .40 caliber ammo is that it’s a middle-ground cartridge. Although some consider it a compromise between the .45 ACP and the 9mm, others see it as a useful round on its own.
A .40 Cal round has more muzzle energy and down-range energy than a 9mm, although the same sized pistol in 9mm may hold more rounds since the cartridge is smaller. A pistol chambered in .40 S&W holds more rounds than it could with the .45 ACP, but the muzzle energy of the .45 is considerably higher than that of .40 caliber ammunition.
The .40 S&W strikes the right balance between muzzle energies and magazine capacity and has been approved by exhaustive testing on the part of the FBI and many other agencies – which has resulted in the widespread adoption of the .40 S&W among the police community. It’s also worth noting that the .40 S&W has been adopted by the U.S. Coast Guard as its primary issue sidearm.
The .40 S&W As a Self-Defense Cartridge
The .40 S&W is also popular with civilians. A wide variety of options exist for bullet weight and design (if a manufacturer produces a new line of self-defense firearms, they typically offer it in .40 caliber).
Civilians appreciate the same benefits of the caliber that made it so popular with law enforcement: magazine capacity, muzzle energy, and limited recoil. With the accuracy of a 9mm, and improved manageability over the .45, it’s no wonder the .40 S&W has become popular for home defense and concealed carry – as seen in the number of pistols chambered in .40 S&W in compact and subcompact sizes.
Defensive .40 S&W ammunition is offered by several manufacturers – including Federal, Hornady, and Magtech, just to name a few. Good quality .40 S&W jacketed hollow point (JHP) ammo may even create hydrostatic shock in a human target, causing vast damage throughout the body, not just where the bullet impacts.
Popular .40 S&W Pistols
.40 S&W ammo has become so popular among law enforcement, the military, and civilians that firearm manufacturers now make a plethora of handguns chambered for the cartridge. These pistols often feature a standard double-stack magazine, and most full-sized semi-automatics chambered to .40 S&W hold around 16 rounds per magazine.
Here are seven of the most popular .40 Cal pistols:
Sig Sauer P226
Designed for the U.S. military, the Sig Sauer P226 is a full-sized semi-automatic pistol that looks like a traditional 1911. It’s used by armed forces throughout the world and comes in a range of variations, including an Elite and Legion. As a full-sized .40 S&W, most magazines hold a minimum of 15 rounds.
Smith & Wesson M&P 40 M2.0
The Smith & Wesson M&P 40 M2.0 brings a full-sized striker-fired pistol to law enforcement and military personnel across the U.S. It’s durable and comfortable, with ergonomics that allow for an all-day training. The M2.0 comes with interchangeable grips and three 15-round cartridges.
Beretta PX4 Compact Carry
Falling between a full-sized pistol and a subcompact, the Beretta PX4 Compact Carry offers shooters a solid firearm that’s easy to conceal. This hammer-fired handgun features a rotary barrel system that reduces recoil, making the .40 S&W easily manageable. It holds a 12-round magazine, has a solid grip, and an ambidextrous slide stop, as well as a reversible magazine release, making it a great choice for left-handed shooters.
Walther PPQ M2
For those who favor a striker-fire pistol, the Walther PPQ M2 .40 S&W offers the quality and craftsmanship expected of a Walther firearm with an elegant and ergonomic design. This lightweight pistol weighs in at 25 ounces empty, hosts an 11-round magazine, and features a smooth, 5.6-pound trigger pull. It’s available with the standard 4.2-inch barrel or the easier-to-handle 5 inch.
Glock 27
The Glock 27 is the company’s subcompact semi-automatic pistol chambered to .40 S&W. It shoots like a Glock should shoot: accurate, smooth, and precise. If the 9-round magazine seems a little light on cartridges, swap it out for a full-sized magazine designed for the Glock 22 or Glock 23. The company also offers the pistol – a Glock 27 Gen 4, which features a customizable grip and dual recoil spring.
Kahr PM40
The Kahr PM40 offers shooters a thin profile subcompact that is perfect for pocket carry. This striker-fired semi-auto pistol measures only 5.5 inches long and less than an inch wide. The standard magazine holds five rounds and the Kahr PM40 comes with a longer magazine that acts as a grip extension, making the handgun 6+1.
Charter Arms Pitbull
The only revolver on the list, the Charter Arms Pitbull .40 S&W provides a 5-shot cylinder and weighs in at only 20 ounces. With a patented dual coil spring assembly in the extractor, Charter Arms solve the problem of loading and unloading rimless ammo in a wheel gun. The 2.3-inch barrel may seem like it leaves a lot to recoil, but the full-sized rubber grip makes the revolver easy to control.
.40 S&W Ballistics and Ammo Types
The .40 S&W cartridge comes in a variety of loads and bullets, most of which can be found in bulk .40 caliber ammo. Some of the most popular ammo for .40 caliber handguns include:
Full metal jacket (FMJ): .40 S&W FMJ bullets feature a lead bullet encased in a harder metal to help the projectile keep its shape as it travels toward its target; the FMJ is the most common target shooting round in most calibers
Total metal jacket (TMJ): A .40 S&W TMJ bullet is made of lead and fully covered in a harder metal, where an FMJ is exposed at the base of the bullet (inside the casing); TMJ ammo limits lead exposure to shooters and is required by some indoor ranges
Jacketed hollow point (JHP): JHP bullets are wrapped in a metal encasement, but leave a hollow point in the lead to help with expansion, wound size, and stopping power; .40 S&W JHP ammo is often used in self-defense and duty rounds
Brass enclosed base (BEB): BEB bullets are completely enclosed in brass, limiting lead exposure when shooting; many of these are specially designed for enclosed shooting ranges and include a non-toxic primer
Complete metal jacket (CMJ): Similar to TMJ bullets, CMJ features fully encapsulated lead, limiting exposure; they also have less smoke release
Frangible: Often used when over-penetration is a concern, frangible bullets are made from copper powder and shatter on impact; these bullets not only protect bystanders they also eliminate the risk of the ricochet to the shooter
When it comes to ballistics, the .40 S&W holds its own and offers a full range of options. On average, the cartridge specs are as follows:
Height: 0.85 inches
Width: 0.424 inches
Speed: 1,074 fps
Energy: 423 ft•lbf
Bullet weight: 165 gr
Recoil: 0.74
.40 S&W vs. 10mm
When it comes to comparisons, the .40 S&W is most often associated with the 10mm. After all, they share the same bullet size, but they use different pistol primers. The 40 S&W has a small pistol primer, whereas the 10mm has a large pistol primer. Where the 10mm’s shell measures .992 inch in length, the .40 S&W measures .85 inch. In width, there’s only a fraction of a difference, with the larger shell measuring .425 inch and the smaller .424 inch.
Because the casing is smaller, the .40 S&W cartridge holds less powder, which equals less power. With the 10mm, the muzzle energy comes in around 546 ft•lbf, while the .40 measures at 423 ft•lbf. For recoil, the 10mm displayed .96 relative recoil (rr) and the .40 S&W, .74rr.
So what does all this mean?
It means that both cartridges offer a significant impact and punch, the 10mm a little more so than the .40 S&W. It means that for self defense and concealed carry, if a shooter can handle the recoil, either ammo works sufficiently.
If a shooter isn’t sensitive to recoil and wants a handgun caliber that can stop a mountain lion or other medium- to large-sized predator, the 10mm is definitely the better option. In the same manner, if the shooter is a 120-pound woman with limited handgun experience, hand her the .40 S&W.
Regardless of its conception, the .40 S&W has proven itself to be a cartridge worth carrying. From its initial design for the FBI through its years of service with the armed forces, the .40 S&W has the necessary power, velocity, and lethal force to handle the needs of law enforcement, the military, and thousands of armed civilians. It provides protection, defense, and plenty of recreation shooting for people across the country who enjoy using it as .40 Cal practice ammo.
FAQ
What is 40 S&W ammo?
The .40 S&W cartridge was specially designed as a bridge between the 9mm and .45 ACP after a new bullet round was requested by the FBI. Created and designed by a team that included both Smith & Wesson and Winchester, the final product demonstrated more stopping power than the 9mm and more manageability than the .45 ACP. The cartridge is a rimless shell that houses a .40 inch (10mm) bullet that weighs between 105 and 200 grain (gr) and is loaded to an average pressure of 35,000 pounds per square inch (psi). It’s also referred to as .40 Cal S&W, .40 Cal, .40 Auto, 10x22mm, and 40 Kurz.
What does 40 Caliber S&W mean?
The term .40 Caliber S&W refers to the .40 S&W cartridge, which features a .40 caliber bullet. This cartridge was released in 1990 and was created by a collaboration between Smith & Wesson and Winchester after the FBI requested a handgun bullet that had more stopping power than a 9mm, but less recoil than a .45 ACP. The result was the .40 S&W, a 10mm (.40-inch) bullet housed in a rimless casing that’s .85-inch long. Its most common usages include law enforcement and as a personal defense round.
What is the best .40 Caliber ammo for self-defense?
The .40 S&W cartridge is a popular cartridge for self-defense. It has effective stopping power, as well as a limited recoil, powerful muzzle energy, and a higher magazine capacity than the .45 ACP or 10mm cartridges. Firearms chambered in .40 S&W are also easier to carry concealed than the larger self-defense pistols. Self-defense rounds are available from many manufacturers like Hornady, Magtech, and Federal and are often jacketed hollow point (JHP) rounds. These types of bullets have greater stopping power than a traditional full metal jacket (FMJ) and are also less likely to over-penetrate a target, a concern in many self-defense situations.
What is more powerful, 9mm or 40 S&W?
The .40 S&W is a more powerful cartridge than the 9mm Parabellum. It has a larger bullet (.40 inch vs. .380 inch), and when comparing the same brand and design, the .40 S&W round generally penetrates deeper and has a greater expansion, giving it more stopping power (while this is generally true, there are some situations in which the 9mm may penetrate deeper). Although the .40 S&W is more powerful, it does have more recoil (although not as much as the .45 ACP) and is often described as “snappy.”
Why does 40 S&W have a flat nose?
The flat nose of the .40 S&W cartridge is technically called a meplat and is designed to impact the bullet’s ballistics and wounding capability. Much like jacketed hollow points
