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What is causing people to sell their .40 cal guns?

150K views 78 replies 68 participants last post by  jquinnett 
#1 ·
Lately, I have noticed a large number of used handguns for sale, chambered in .40 cal, in local gun stores. Glocks, Sig Sauers, Kahrs, Berettas and more are readily available. I also heard many police departments and the military are changing back to .45 cal.

I would appreciate if someone could confirm if this is a sign of issues affecting .40 cal ammo. Why are so many .40 cal users selling their handguns?

I know .40 cal ammo is not the best caliber for recoil sensitive shooters, but I think it is good for personal defense...

Any thoughts???
 
#2 ·
Doesn't make sense to me but, I have no prob picking up their leftovers. .40 is some of the only ammo I can find on a consistent basis at my local gun shops. Forget about 9mm and I still prefer to save my money when it comes to .45acp. .357 sig isn't a bad idea right now though.
 
#3 ·
I bought a 9mm because I thought it would be easier to dind than the .40. But I see more .40 than anything else. I wish I had one.
 
#4 ·
There's nothing wrong with the .40 caliber guns. I have a Springfield XD40 that is great.
A few tales have gone around that the .40 is just a glorified 9mm and they wear out faster.
That doesn't seem true based on the huge number of rounds people have fired through their .40 Glocks (and other brands).

I think a lot of folks may have bought a 1911 in the past year and decided to drop one caliber from their ammo needs.
If you have a 9mm and now you have a .45 you probably don't feel the need to keep the .40.

I'm also wondering if a few people got cold feet about keeping a semi-auto pistol while waiting to see what happens with the gun bans.
 
#51 ·
this what I did sold my 40 and got a sr1911
 
#6 · (Edited)
I can not speak for the masses but I can give you my insight.
I guess you can say I bought my .40SW for the wrong reasons and was not Happy with it from the beginning.

I bought a Beretta PX4 storm In .40SW because I wanted a lighter weight EDC with a higher capacity then my 1911 .45 and did not want a 9mm. I tried to like this caliber and plastic gun. I shot close to 2000 rounds through it. It was accurate and offered no problems at all. What I did notice the more I shot it was the following:
1-recoil is snappier then the .45acp taking longer for a follow up shot
2- .40 cal ammo around me is only 2 dollars a box of 50 cheaper then .45acp
3- the DA/SA trigger on the PX4 storm required a lot of practice time for me to get the hang of the long SA take up was causing me to pull my shots about 1 1/2" left of POA

Although I did not like it personally it was not a bad gun and had no issues I did not sell mine. I gifted it to my oldest son when he came home on Leave for Christmas if it would of been a bad gun I would of never put it in the hands of my oldest son.
 
#9 ·
Just bought my first used .40 today because ammo is easy to find and the price was right.
 
#10 ·
A .40S&W gun is next on my list due to my finding out that the easy availability of ammo and mags during a crisis. I know a lot of LEO's use .40's, and I heard that many of them want to switch back to 9mm due to lighter weight and more ammo capacity. That may be why you are seeing more of them in the shops.

On the other hand, I heard the Military is looking at .40S&W as a possible replacement for the 9mm so go figure. :confused:
 
#15 ·
I only wish that .40 ammo was available. I'd buy more in a heartbeat.
I've not seen any available on online vendors, and there's none on the shelves at local gun shops nor the big box stores.
In fact there is no ammo of any caliber, anywhere that I can access. Nothing!
 
#17 ·
I don't know, I have never shot or owned a .40 S&W. When I go to the big box gun store, the only new pistols on the wall are .40 S&Ws, .22LR, and high end 1911s. I have carried a .40 S&W magnum (Glock G20 - 10mm) with full power loads for over twenty years. Go big or stay home!
 
#18 ·
.40 Cal is, and always will be, a great calibre, no doubt about it.
IMO, .45 is just more popular.
 
#21 · (Edited)
I have not noticed a large number of 40's for sale in any of my several local GS anywhere here in NC. I really like the 40's I own and they are keepers for sure. In fact, My duty carry is a 40 cal and I have heard nothing about going to a more expensive caliber with less magazine capacity.

The magazine capacity of a 40 caliber pistol maybe a concern for residents Connecticut which maybe why you are seeing more 40's for sale than you normally would see. Especially with the unfortunate negative press from the drive by media firearms in general have received since Sandy Hook.

Just my SWAG based on Connecticut having strict gun laws.
 
#25 ·
I have an SR9c and a Glock 23 (.40sw). The glock is snappy in comparison to the SR9c but not as much as you would think. The LEO's I know carry 40's. Often police departments get funding to make purchases on a large scale. When they do, many of their used guns make it to the civilian market. I'm just guessing but perhaps, new year, new budgets, maybe many of these .40's are trades for new guns.
Recently my LGS had around 20 Glock 22's in their used cabinet for sale. They were police trade off's when the department switched to the S&W M&P's. Wish I grabbed one when I had the chance. They were selling for 325. Cant find one anywhere now. I reload all my handgun ammo so shopping for ammo isn't an issue for me.
 
#26 ·
I was in Cabels in Kansas City yesterday, and the had a lot of 40 caliber semi autos for sale (used). Noticed a lot of Sigs in particular. Very few used 9mm or 45s. They did have a new SR1911 that I wish I had bought, but the gun budget is refilling since the last purchase a week ago.
 
#27 ·
Love. .40S&W first pistol I bought. And actually its bark is worse than its recoil.
Bought it in 1991. NEVER A PROBLEM. Its a beefy frame over the 1911's but the 15+1 was why I bought instead of the .45

I have to go stop at my local shops and ask the to call when some come in. Ill pick up a few.
 
#29 ·
I have been scooping up any 40 I can find for the last couple of months. I love my 40 cal glock.
 
#30 ·
I changed the majority of my firearms over to .40 a year ago....mainly, because I like the caliber, and I don't have to buy different calibers all the time........my wife has an SR40, and I have a Beretta 96....we can both stick to the same caliber, makes things easier. A LGS near me, doesn't even like .40 too much, because they say customers would rather have .45, or 9mm.........better for me....
 
#31 ·
I haven't noticed many being for sale, but I haven't been out too much either. I have 3 of them and I like them and won't be getting rid of any.
 
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