Need some education on .40 cal

[ImaPoser]

I had the opportunity to represent a gentleman that shot a young kid committing a burglary. The bullet entered his upper back dead center and exited the front center of his chest, penetrating one of the t-shirts he was wearing but not the second t-shirt. The bullet was recovered between the 2 shirts. Weapon was a 9mm S&W, and the round was a Hydrashok. When I examined the bullet, the first milimeter or two was shaved off and the remainder of the cavity was packed with tissue, and the projectile did not deform at all. The kid ran over 100 yards after being shot.

Crap. That makes me want to rethink my CCW planning. I"m selling a Sig P229 in 9mm just because it's too bulky for me to carry concealed other than during the winter. I was going to stick with the 9, just go to a smaller frame, but may think about something bigger now. I like using the 9 due to it's availability, compatibility with other guns in the safe, and to match what the wife prefers to use as well, but I want stopping power. I've always figured +P ammo would do the job well enough.

[mikes280]

hard to beat a good old 45 acp for stoping power

[Chris]

If you miss a bone in an upper chest, every caliber is going to breeze through and not open up. From your solar plexus up, you're pretty much hollow outside of center mass. The identical shot from a 45ACP or a 7.62 would have probably had the same results.

And this is exactly why I continually urge people to acquire a short-barreled 12ga pump shotgun for home defense.

This is another issue- most civilian exchanges of fire occur at an average distance of 7 feet. Shooting someone running away from you is rare- and unnecessary unless they have your small child under their arm. The majority occur inside of the common residential home. The rest are face-to-face heated exchanges that escalate. Sit on your couch and imagine someone kicking in your kitchen door. Keep these things in mind when you start thinking about how you'll defend yourself. If you aren't practicing shooting short distances from a low-drawn position, crouching position, retreating or left handed, you're at a significant disadvantage. Putting holes in paper at 35 feet in a well-lit range while standing upright using a Weaver grip is only making you better at shooting at the range.

[Chris]

Crap. That makes me want to rethink my CCW planning. I"m selling a Sig P229 in 9mm just because it's too bulky for me to carry concealed other than during the winter. I was going to stick with the 9, just go to a smaller frame, but may think about something bigger now. I like using the 9 due to it's availability, compatibility with other guns in the safe, and to match what the wife prefers to use as well, but I want stopping power. I've always figured +P ammo would do the job well enough.

+P is only faster. It's the bullet. Try the Hornady TAP. It feeds well in just about everything and expands very efficiently.

There's nothing wrong with the 9mm if you have the shot-placement skill to use it.

One big problem with self-defense ammo is the hesitancy to practice with it. Most guys use WWB at the range, then put their good ammo in for the ride home. Understandable at upwards of $2 a round. But alot of auto pistols don't feed the exotic hollowpoints all that well. It's a bad time to find out you have a single-shot pistol in your belt when someone is shooting at you.

[gerritm]

hard to beat a good old 45 acp for stoping power

Plus 1,do you know why people carry a .45? Because there are no .46's.

The .40 is a very good round. Has great stopping power and is not difficult to shoot. As stated by Cluster the Winchester Ranger is a good PP round. That is what I have in my HK .40.My carry gun is a Kimber .45 compact Ultra Carry II loaded with Speer 185 grain HP's.

I agree with Chris on making sure you shoot your PP rounds at the range. The first HP rounds I bought for the Kimber did not feed well and were too big. I bought the Speers and I am going to the range today to try them.

[X-Rated30]

Up here, a bullet entering the back means a trip to prison (for the shooter, no matter the circumstances), no ifs, ands, or buts.

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Whatever - you need better lawyers. He is walking the streets a free man. Can't say the same for the dead kid's partner in the burglary.

[2112]

Whatever - you need better lawyers. He is walking the streets a free man. Can't say the same for the dead kid's partner in the burglary.

I don't understand why you took offense. I am just telling you what the politics and law say up here. Best lawyer around won't get you off if the bullet enters from behind because it is universally accepted here that you life is no longer in danger if the criminal is heading away from you. I am also not saying I agree with that completely.

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[X-Rated30]

I didn't take offense. Every case is different. For example, in the case I mentioned, the defendant was shooting at the other burglar who was coming at him. The kid was just in the line of fire. Trust me, a good lawyer makes all the difference.

[X-Rated30]

End of Hijack, LOL!

[2112]

I didn't take offense. Every case is different. For example, in the case I mentioned, the defendant was shooting at the other burglar who was coming at him. The kid was just in the line of fire. Trust me, a good lawyer makes all the difference.

Just curious where you practice? I am obviously not a lawyer, but I am 99% certain even in that circumstance, In Washington state, You aren't walking Scot free.

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[publius]

Sig makes a great gun and you won't go wrong with any of the calibers mentioned. I'm not a huge fan of the .40 or the .357 Sig just because they are answers to a nonexistant problem. 40 is covered by the 10mm and the .357 sig is covered by the .38 Super and +P+ 9mm. Good cartridges though. The .40 is just your 10mm with slightly less powder capacity, therefore not quite as powerful. Developed b/c law enforcement had problems dealing with the original 10mm loading. i like your choice of the Sig and the .40 is a good round so go for it. i forget if you can do this w/the Sig, but the .357Sig cartridge is simply the .40S&W case necked down to .357. You may be able to buy a .357 barrel for your .40 and vice versa. That is a big plus to these cartridges.