There has recently been a decline in the popularity of 40 caliber pistols. This is mainly due to its durability over long periods of time. There are also improvements that have been made to the bullet design, which improves the muzzle energy.
The 40 caliber pistols have more recoil, but less space for ammo because of its larger cartridge. You can choose a .40 cal pistol. And the .40 that is designed to take 9mm can tackle higher chamber pressure and bolt thrust.
Moreover, the .40 pistols frames that can manage 10mm-Auto don’t wear out as fast but are a rare find. This article will help you find better alternatives and answer your question, “Do 40 cal pistols wear out faster?”
Why Can’t Pistols Handle .40?
The handgun frames usually aren’t strong enough to handle .40 cal, as they are merely 9mm guns that feature a different ejector to change the hole at the end of the slide to set a larger barrel inside.
And the 9mm is much more effective with the improvements that have been made recently by the manufacturers, which not only improves the muzzle velocity and giving the Glocks more energy to work with.
Improvements in bolt thrust, chamber pressure, and bullet design make the 40 calibers almost obsolete in the market. These pistols are only meant to take .40 cal under certain modifications, which is usually temporary. So, pistols do easily wear out under .40 cal cartridges, especially if you’re shooting full rounds.
Which Guns Can Handle .40?
The MMP line was specifically designed around 40 caliber cartridge, and even their 9mm is just .40 that has fewer features. And the original Steyr Guns, Beretta 92, and the Browning hi-power were designed to handle .40 cartridges. These were made specifically for the cartridge in question.
It’s best to invest in guns specifically made to serve the .40 cal even though these are rather rare and uncommon nowadays. There are manufacturers that have recently come out with newer models and modifications that can handle that kind of power.
But remember to keep the disadvantages in mind, as some of these models have lowered its recoil quality to fit the cartridge. So if you’re still adamant about using .40, then it’s best to do your research and invest in a gun that has a frame built for specifically .40 cal cartridges.
Can the .40 Caliber Be Replaced?
Innovative developments in the bullet design might just cause the .40 cal to be obsolete in the market. The new 9mm bullets have shown incredible improved performance, the same improvements can be made to .40 cal, but it may not have similar results.
The Bureau and the several police departments have already switched to 9mm, as it features greater ammo load, less bullet recoil, and a similar weight. It is also significantly more cost-effective than the .40 cal.
So, .40 cal pistols can easily be replaced, and the process has already begun in some states as it’s now clear that pistol frames can’t handle the power of the .40 cal cartridges. With the 9mm, smaller agents can easily qualify as you can shoot more rounds into a significantly lightweight pistol, and it’s rather easier to control.
Are Handguns Actually Effective?
For longer rounds, handguns certainly aren’t as effective as people make it out to be. Some of the most popular defensive calibers in the market aren’t that much different from the others.
The probability of targeting and stopping your opponent per hit is certainly less effective than having more ammo available, which is usually a problem for any handguns.
However, the .45 pistols are much more common nowadays, as you can only shoot about 10 rounds of 9mm. But if you can double-stack, then the trade-off is much easier as you can instead fire 10 rounds of .45 in one go.
Follow Our Guideline to Learn of the Decline of .40 Cal Pistols!
The common .40 cal cartridges were never manufactured to be able to be tackled by an ordinary handgun, as it was merely a hack to save on recoil and chamber pressure in minutes.
And although this Glock has been used over multiple decades, proper testing by the Bureau has explained exactly why it can damage your firearm. So, with the 9mm much more readily available, it’s best to do your research before you choose a 40 pistol without a designated cartridge.