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New Concealed Pistol Question

5,300 Views | 45 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by 91AggieLawyer
AGGies0311
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I'm going to buy an M&P Shield..... but what caliber? 9mm or .40 Cal?
BCO07
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AG
9mm all day. Cheaper ammo, easier to find, effective as anything else when using modern expandable rounds. I have a 40 and shoot it for fun from time to time, but it rarely gets carried unless I'm feeling bad for it.
Daddy-O5
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9mm. I just got one, took it to the range last weekend and love it.

I got mine for $239.99 after rebate, excellent time to get one.

I would assume most are in the same boat, but I need the extended mag to shoot and it fits my hand extremely well. A lot less control with the standard mag.
Dr. Faustus
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9mm, no question.

The issue with 9mm was over-penetration and unreliable expansion. You had to play the mag capacity vs. stopping power game. That's why a ton of Federal and local LEO entities moved to the .40 as standard issue 15-20 years ago.

The newer-generation HPs get much more reliable expansion than in the past, so you're going to get extremely similar terminal ballistics between 9mm and .40. The results were enough to convince the FBI to move back to 9mm as standard issue. Other Fed agencies are following suit from what I understand.

The question then becomes, "If I can get nearly identical terminal ballistics between 9mm and .40 and my 9mm holds 2-3 more rounds than my .40 in the same handgun platform AND my 9mm has less recoil than my .40, why would I EVER carry a .40 over a 9mm?"

Buy the 9mm. Load it with Winchester Ranger T-Series, Hornady Critical Duty/Defense, or Speer Gold Dot G2s. Pew pew pew all day.
AGGies0311
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Yeah $75 rebate puts it at $314.99 at Academy
Daddy-O5
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Smith & Wesson M&P9 Shield 9mm Centerfire Pistol with Thumb Safety

Sign up for newsletters from this site and you won't regret it. They run deals occasionally that can't be beat. I got the Shield 9mm and a Bodyguard .380 from them recently.

My buddy took the AR556 Ruger deal they ran and had Academy match+5%. They have since changed their price match policy to "local sales" (in the Houston area at least). I tried to get them to match this deal but they wouldn't.
Naveronski
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OP, where are you?

I have a 9mm Shield that I'm interested in selling.
AGGies0311
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College Station
Love Gun
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They make them in 45 now, too
AGGies0311
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But is there really an advantage to having the 45 over the 9mm
RAMF 95
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For what it's worth. I bought a shield a while back. I had the .40. I just buried it in my gun case and switched to a Walther PPS Gen 2 which is a 9mm.

The S&W is not great in my mind. I put about 1000 rounds thru it and the slide release was still absolutely brutal. At SHOT I spent some time with S&W and the few guy I discussed it with said they get the complaint constantly.

I carry the Walther every day and it is smooth as silk. Only better handgun outside of my 1911 is the H&K VP9 in my humble opinion.
RAMF 95
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Oh and if you want a .40 shield I will sell you mine and give you a deal on it.
Love Gun
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2/7Marine0311 said:

But is there really an advantage to having the 45 over the 9mm

Not really. Just thought you'd like to know they make them in 45 now too. I had one and traded it for a LC9S 9mm.
Naveronski
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2/7Marine0311 said:

College Station

I'm in Dallas.

You looking at used guns, or new only?
GSS
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2/7Marine0311 said:

But is there really an advantage to having the 45 over the 9mm

At the very least. 0.096" size larger hole...
NRA Life
TSRA Life
addickstrapper
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AG
This place is an echo chamber. Go rent/borrow/shoot lots of different guns and calibers and then buy the one you like best and that works best for you.
FIDO*98*
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ad*****trapper said:

This place is an echo chamber. Go rent/borrow/shoot lots of different guns and calibers and then buy the one you like best and that works best for you.



The OP didn't ask about opinions on the best single stack 9mm (Glock 43). He said he is buying a Shield and was interested in opinions on caliber only. You don't need to go shoot a 9mm and a .40 to tell someone the 9mm is going to shoot better.
addickstrapper
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SORRY.

Go shoot the 9 and the 40 and buy the one YOU like.
jobu93
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I too am a new Shield owner.

I went with the 9 for a couple of reasons, not getting the 45:
1). The 9 is a lighter pistol and a bit thinner
2. Holds more ammo
3. My follow up shots with the 9 are faster and more accurate
4. Cheaper to shoot.

If you can find one reasonably priced, and I mean sub 300 after rebate it's a nice shooter. I don't think the stock trigger is THAT bad.

*It did put my quest to consolidate calibers into a losing proposition.


Now, I'm not exactly sure what holster I'd like to use for carry. I'm thinking the Desantis Sof Tuck for IWB but I'm not sure what I want for OWB when I have shirts that are untucked. I'm also wondering how often I would be wearing IWB as opposed to OWB. OWB seems like it'd be a hell of a lot more comfortable.
CTGilley
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If you get a good holster IWB is super comfortable with a single stack. I have the shield in 45 mentioned above and it is my EDC.
BenderRodriguez
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ad*****trapper said:

This place is an echo chamber. Go rent/borrow/shoot lots of different guns and calibers and then buy the one you like best and that works best for you.

Not really.

OP asked for information about 9 vs 40 for his new gun. All that was mentioned to him are the things that our tax dollars found for the FBI: Effectiveness is the same, accuracy and speed is better, cost is cheaper, etc when you look at 9mm vs 40.

That's not an echo chamber, that's sharing relevant data. If you happen to be a fan of 40 and dislike recent ballistics research, that doesn't make people sharing that information an "echo chamber".




addickstrapper
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You are proving my point by repeating what those on this board having been touting, which may very well be backed up by FBI research. I have both calibers. I am giving my opinion that I think it is best for an individual to go experience the different calibers for his or her self and then make a choice based upon their own personal observations and not off of what people tell them.

Also, the 9 is a great round I'm in no way trashing it...but maybe the FBI and other agencies, law enforcement and the like need people who don't shoot as often to be able to qualify and shoot with a more comfortable round. Typically those who shoot less do better with smaller caliber guns. Maybe they are not all getting as much range time as we would like to think they are. Just a thought.

Also, as for ammo availability, I believe that during our most recent ammo shortage the 9 was almost impossible to find. At least for me, but I wasn't in line at academy at 5 am to try to get some. I had no problem getting .40 and .45 however but that was just my experience.

As far as cheaper to shoot than .40, I usually find that typically for practice ammo it is a 2-3 cent difference per round so unless you shoot 10000 rounds or more per year it's not that big of deal imho. Which at that point if you can afford to shoot that much than what is a couple hundred bucks to you? But yeah ok, it is cheaper I'll give you that.

Does it recoil less, yes. Range time is needed for any caliber and gun to become proficient in my opinion. So to me that is a non factor.

To close Bender, a lot of the same things do get said here about the 9mm. I think it is a great round. I also like .40. So here's to trying to promote an alternative view and advise the op the go shoot both and decide for himself.

Martin Cash
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AG
Naveronski said:

OP, where are you?

I have a 9mm Shield that I'm interested in selling.
Price? How many rounds through it? Magazines?
Dr. Faustus
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AG

Quote:

Also, the 9 is a great round I'm in no way trashing it...but maybe the FBI and other agencies, law enforcement and the like need people who don't shoot as often to be able to qualify and shoot with a more comfortable round. Typically those who shoot less do better with smaller caliber guns. Maybe they are not all getting as much range time as we would like to think they are. Just a thought.


I can tell you from firsthand knowledge that the frequency at which agents have to qualify is not a decision point in the 9mm vs. .40 discussion (at least for the Feds). It's all about stopping power + mag capacity + felt recoil. .40 ties 9mm in the first and loses vs. 9mm in the other two. Can you out-train the snappiness of the .40 round and be as proficient with a .40 as you are with a 9mm? Sure. But why do it if you don't have to? It's introducing another variable that doesn't have to be there. Let me put it another way - even if 9mm had the same felt recoil as .40, the choice would STILL be 9mm due to it being a wash on the ballistics front and the higher mag capacity of the 9mm.

Additionally, agents will still be able to carry a .40 or .45 if they so desire. They just have to buy their own. There isn't a mandate that says everyone HAS to switch to 9mm. My comments are related to why standard issue is moving back to 9mm.


Quote:

Does it recoil less, yes. Range time is needed for any caliber and gun to become proficient in my opinion. So to me that is a non factor.


It's absolutely a factor. See my response to the first portion of your post.





All that being said, carry a .40 if that's what you like. However, everything you have expressed is personal opinion. I agree that the OP should shoot both and decide on which he likes better. But, what I have presented are facts, which is what the OP asked for. I'll bet a very large sum of money that anyone who doesn't have a ton of time behind a .40 will prefer shooting a 9mm over a .40 in the same handgun platform 99 times out of 100.
addickstrapper
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AG
You are right, it is my opinion and I don't see where the op specifically asked for so called facts over opinions. And my opinion will not change, go shoot and see for yourself what you like.




AGGies0311
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I have a Taurus PT92 (9mm) and Glock 23 (.40) I think the 9mm would be the best bet. I like the stopping power of the 40 but like the recoil of the 9
addickstrapper
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AG
You should get what you like to shoot.
Dr. Faustus
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I've shot them all (a ton), and I know what I like. I was on the .40 bandwagon for 10 years. These days though, there is literally no reason to carry a .40 over a 9mm unless you either a.) don't believe the ballistics data, or b.) you already have a .40 that you're comfortable with and you don't want to change calibers. OP is buying a new gun. So unless he already has a .40 and doesn't want to add another caliber to the safe, there's no reason to buy one. And yes, he should absolutely shoot both just to make sure he's not a weird anomaly who prefers the way the .40 feels over the 9mm the first time they shoot both.

You are akin to the F-150 buyer that won't consider the 3.6L Ecoboost and buys the 5.0L V8 solely because "It's a truck dammit! It should have a V8!"
addickstrapper
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AG
Actually you are wrong. I drive a 3.6 V6 based upon my needs and experiences. I also actually prefer the .45 based upon my needs and experiences.
AGGies0311
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You have a lot of experience shooting things with 45s?
Dr. Faustus
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Edit: Question answered.
addickstrapper
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I have not shot a person, which I know is what concealed carry is generally purposed for. But I have killed many animals of which many have been hogs. Hogs are tough sobs and it is just my humble opinion that the bigger the caliber, the bigger the hole and the more effective the weapon. That answer may not sit right with the ballistics numbers people but that is just what I have experienced. I can only deduce that the same may apply to self defense against a person. Again that is just me and my opinion. Which is why I conceal carry a .40 in the city (because there is no .45 subcompact I have found that I like) and carry a full size .45 when I am not. I prefer the .45 and would love to find a carry .45 that I like.
Dr. Faustus
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So you're saying you fall into Category A from my previous post. Opinion understood.
addickstrapper
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It just bothers you so much that I like something other than what you do. Have enjoyed sparring. But if you look back my true advice to the op and all that come onto the board wanting to know opinion on which caliber to get, I stand by the fact that you should go find out what you like for yourself. Not take other people's word for it. And if that brings you to a caliber that I don't carry or like then that is fine. The important thing is to go find out for yourself.

Bobby Ewing
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40 all the way. 9mm is for sissies who don't want to hurt their girly hands. What kind of ***** thinks a .40 cal pistol is too snappy anyways. Lol
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