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.40 s&w versus .45 acp

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    .40 s&w versus .45 acp

    I am torn between these two calibers. How much difference is there in recoil between these two? From what I have read there's not much difference in price, but most say they like the recoil of the .45 better. What's your thoughts on this?

    #2
    40 is more "snappy" to me than the 45. I prefer 40 in a subcompact platform, but 45 in mid and full size platforms. If torn between the 2, try and shoot both prior to making your decision. With that being said, 45acp gets the overall nod

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      #3
      I agree that "snappy" is the right term for the difference between a .40 and a .45, but it's not so different that it makes a huge difference. I personally like the .45 better, but that's just a personal preference.

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        #4
        The only advantage I've seen is lately...

        Lots of people own a 45.. Less own a 40.

        40 ammo sets on the shelf longer in a craze, than 45.. And is therefore easier to find. As a matter of fact I've started looking at buying a glock 27, or Springfield xd subcompact 40... If anyone is looking to get rid of one PM me, so I can start buying the 40 ammo I see.

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          #5
          Personally I prefer the .45 but there is nothing wrong with the .40. All comes down to personal preference. Good luck to ya.

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            #6
            Recently went with the XDs .45

            I think ammo on the shelf is a local market issue. There are places here still selling handgun rounds by the case in .45 and .40 (only recently found this spot)

            .40 just doesn't seem as smooth to me. The .45 is kinda a push rather than a snap. For me its easier to get back on target for the second shot. They are all the same for the first round..

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              #7
              When i first started shooting i shot a 40 and 45 and 45 was a lot easier to control for me

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                #8
                As a defense round, both will get the job done. Ammo prices are close to same. Mag capacity is higher in 40. The 40 is snappier than the 45 but not bad. I've shot several 1000 rounds of 40 over the years and prefer it for competitive shooting. 45 is a 100yr old round that still is relevant today. Gotta love that.

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                  #9
                  Both rounds are great, I personally have both and cant tell you a favorite. Shoot both side by side.

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                    #10
                    I shoot a 45. Because they don't make a 46.

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                      #11
                      I sold my last 40 today.... 45 and 9 for me...

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                        #12
                        The .40 has more energy than a .45, what you have to look at is the round you are going to shoot and what you want to do with it. You can get some 105gr .40 that cruise at 1,450fps. Not much recoil in that and more capacity than a .45ACP.

                        With that in mind a similar load can be acquired in a .45 that shoots a 150gr that cruises at 1,450fps also. Being a light bullet the recoil will be low where most .45 are 230gr. Keep that in mind carrying a loaded magazine of 230gr vs 105gr. The weight does become an issue for comfort.

                        Again, depends on what you want. Look at Hornady's ballistic charts. It gloves a nice comparison off all calibers so you can see the energy of each caliber with different loads.

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                          #13
                          I love my sig 40 but my next will be a STI 45.

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                            #14
                            Originally posted by dclifton View Post
                            I shoot a 45. Because they don't make a 46.
                            Haha x2!!! The first pistol I really shot on a regular basis was a buddy of mines sig p226 .40 I wasn't really a fan of it and it seemed "snappy" like the previous posts said. I then shot another buddies 1911 in .45 and loved it. Of course those are two completely different pistols so its comparing apples to oranges. My first pistol was an XD45 tactical and I still love it! Now I have started to shoot pistols a lot more and I have come to like the .40 now that I have became a better shot. I almost pulled the trigger on a glock 22 to add to the stable a few weeks back but I decided on a 9mm for 3 gun instead.

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                              #15
                              One thing that nobody is mentioning is the choice of weapon these rounds are fired in. I've fired several thousand rounds of both, I prefer my .45, BUT I've only shot them in a limited number of guns. In .40, I've shot a G27, a Springfield XD and a Smith 4006 (aluminum framed midsized gun). In .45, I've only fired it from the 1911 platform. For me, the recoil of the .45 was always easier to manage, but keep in mind that it's also coming from a longer barreled, heavier gun, whereas the .40's were all lightweight, 4" guns. Not only does weight of the weapon play a part, the actual design of the weapon does as well. For example, a Glock, from my experience is easier to handle than the Springfield due to the grip angle and more importantly, height of the bore above the hand. The higher the barrel is above the hand, the more "leverage" it has, so the more muzzle flip you will notice. Think about it, you're holding a baseball bat in one hand, with the barrel of the bat pointing up. If someone pushes on the grip area, closer to your hand, you can resist the push, but if they push with the same force at the tip of the bat, they have leverage and you won't be able to resist them. Overall, you really can't go wrong with either caliber, but I prefer .45, call it nostalgia or whatever you want, but a .45 1911 was the first handgun I was ever able to repeatedly hit a man sized target in center mass with, at 100 yards. Again, a lot of that may have to do with the better trigger and balance of a steel frame 1911 as opposed to a polymer striker fired Glock, but it just spoke to me, and I've carried a 1911 pattern pistol ever since.

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