Redleg

I am very new to 40 cal. I fired it for the first time yesterday after range testing my new SR40c. I had heard numerous things about 40 cal., most of them bad, i.e. the recoil is sharp and jarring, hard to get good groups, etc. On the other hand 40 cal. is said to be an ideal defense round from a terminal effects standpoint -- much of the punch of a 10 cal. while recoil more akin to 9mm. At least that is some of what you read.

My own limited experience (one shoot only) was that 40 Cal. was a fairly friendly caliber to shoot. Less "muzzle flip" than 9mm; felt more like a .45 round.

I was wondering if there is anyone on this forum who has both an SR9/9c and an SR40 or 40c. How do the recoil and control compare? My personal observation was that the SR40c was pretty easy to shoot and handled recoil superlatively well, especially for such a small pistol.

Marine Division Two

My experience is with the Glock 19 9mm & Glock 23 40S&W,I shoot the 9mm a lot more than the 40 because of cost,recoil,for knockdown power the 40 holds up better,but thats why we are trained to double tap with the 9mm,JMO

chrislind2

After 25 years of not being able to afford guns, the first one I bought was a Ruger P94 .40 caliber. That is a fairly heavy gun so I actually fell in love with the caliber. Many years and many guns later I purchased a few smaller guns in .40 and for the most part I prefer 9mm, although I now carry a Beretta Storm sub-compact in a .40. So I do not dislike .40, I reload .40, but it is no longer one of my favorite calibers. My daughter and I like to take our .38 revolvers to the range, she only shoots revolvers. I enjoy shooting .38 specials in my GP100, probably my favorite gun to shoot at the range and .38 maybe my favorite caliber.

bwinters

The recoil on the 40 sw is a quick recoil so it is sometimes perceived of as heavy. If shot in a pistol of the size of the glock 23 or larger recoil is quite controllable for many. My youngest daughter was 5 ft and 110 lbs and I taught her to shoot a glock 23 with no problems. many Police depts have officers that small and they regularly qualify at 25 yards with glock 23 or smaller 40s.

Obo2

i just got an sr40c, the sr's are supposedly some of the lightest recoiling 40s.

that said I am struggling with the vertical spread of my groups still.

I only have about 200 rounds on it so I am sure I will improve with practice but the vert spread when i shoot my friends glock 9mm is far less

YMMV enjoy the piece

Irish Fan

I bought the sr40, cause I previously had a p94dc. I love the new sr series, lighter weight and thinner grip. If u keep the well of ur hand riding high on the grip it's a smooth recoil, the least of most if not all 40 cal on the market. So last month I bought the sr9c more for shooting with out emptying ur wallet cause of the cost dif in bullets. And it shoots superbly. And the compact is great for ccw. Loaded with hornady critical duty 135g +p.

TMD

If you reload try using Unique or Power Pistol for the .40. For me at least using a slower burning powder makes the recoil feel softer.

RockDoctor

Felt recoil is a subjective thing. Assuming the shooting of a particular brand of .40, grip, arm and shoulder position and stance will influence absorption of recoil. I've shot several different .40 pistols from the small Kahr to an STI double stack 1911. My typical carry pistol is the Glock 23 and I often practice with it. I am aware of the recoil as I am in my SR1911 .45, but it doesn't distract me from nice accuracy with either one. Saying that, i have osteoarthritis that is rarely affected by either caliber. A .44magnum... That's another story.

grandpabear

I have both the SR 40 and the SR9c. I love them both. I really don't see a big dif. in recoil. Obviously the .40 has a little more but in my opinion it's minute. The dif. that I notice most is the trigger. The 9c is awesome. The .40 shoots great, I just have to concentrate more. I love them both and think they are a great combo.

refugeepj

own an SR9 and an SR40, carry the 40. both outstanding weapons and fun to shoot. don't pay much attention to recoil.

Irish Fan

You have the same combo ss40 ful size and the nitride sr9c. And I shoot my one a week 50 - 190 rds thru the .40, and 100 to 200 thru my sr9c. I love these 2 guns

Sportdog7

I own a SR-40 and my shooting friend has a small Kel Tec 9mm and in comparison the SR-40 is a easier to handle his 9 jolts you after each shot and makes recovery for a second well placed shot difficult! After shooting both guns the SR-40 is much easier shooter with better stopping power IMO.

Rxdoc

Next to .357mag., .40 cal. is my favorite caliber. Great ballistics, stopping power, easy to control, and easy to find. Before getting my Ruger KLCR .357mag, I carried a flawless shooting Taurus PT740 Slim. That's the other thing, functions well in almost every pistol made. Must be all the dynamics of the caliber rolling into a fabulous shooting machine. Just enjoy your choice, snappy, but with proper grip and recoil control, you'll really love it. And BTW, Ruger says it all!

Lead Slanger

Me too! .40 S&W is my favorite semi-auto defense caliber. When just slingin' lead at the range, I like the 9mm. Not because of recoil, but because it's cheaper. The .40's recoil doesn't bother me at all.

Sbh87

I had an M&P in 40and wasn't crazy about it. My Beretta 96 is much better in 40. Only reason I got the M&P was I moved from CT to MA before I was 21 so I didn't take the Beretta with me due to age. Once I figured out the 96 was compliant in MA my dad shipped it up through an FFL in CT. Much happier now with the beretta. I have since parted ways with the M&P. Anyway the 40 is a good self defense round. Not the cheapest for range use so I limit how much I bring it.