.40 S&W Caliber Revolver? No Need For Moon "Clips" From Charter Arms

[billt]

Ruger did a similar thing years ago with 9 mm. They used a wire spring arrangement. Gun didn't sell. Pecos

If I'm not mistaken Federal tried some years back to put a rim on the 9 MM cartridge, and called it the 9 MM Federal, in an attempt to be able to shoot it in a revolver. I forget who made the revolver, but it flopped. I don't understand the gun companies sometimes. Ruger also had the .327 Federal "Magnum" and the .480 Ruger which was nothing more than a shortened .475 Linebaugh.

I never was attracted to the .40 S&W because I looked at it as a sort of backward development. In 1935 in an effort to give police a more powerful cartridge, Smith & Wesson lengthened the .38 Special, and in the process gave us the .357 Magnum. At the time it was the most powerful handgun cartridge made. Then, because evidently cops have trouble with powerful guns these days, they turned around and took the 10 MM and shortened it to give us the less powerful .40 S&W. So now you get twice the recoil of a 9 MM with about a 20% increase in muzzle energy. Not to mention it's about $4.00 to $7.00 a box more. If I want an auto pistol more powerful than a 9 MM I'll grab a .45 ACP and be done with it. If there is a need for more than that, I'll go with a 10 MM in a Glock.

[Solus]

If I'm not mistaken Federal tried some years back to put a rim on the 9 MM cartridge, and called it the 9 MM Federal, in an attempt to be able to shoot it in a revolver. I forget who made the revolver, but it flopped. I don't understand the gun companies sometimes. Ruger also had the .327 Federal "Magnum" and the .480 Ruger which was nothing more than a shortened .475 Linebaugh.

I never was attracted to the .40 S&W because I looked at it as a sort of backward development. In 1935 in an effort to give police a more powerful cartridge, Smith & Wesson lengthened the .38 Special, and in the process gave us the .357 Magnum. At the time it was the most powerful handgun cartridge made. Then, because evidently cops have trouble with powerful guns these days, they turned around and took the 10 MM and shortened it to give us the less powerful .40 S&W. So now you get twice the recoil of a 9 MM with about a 20% increase in muzzle energy. Not to mention it's about $4.00 to $7.00 a box more. If I want an auto pistol more powerful than a 9 MM I'll grab a .45 ACP and be done with it. If there is a need for more than that, I'll go with a 10 MM in a Glock.

I don't think that is quite true.  I was following the FBI ballistics tests closely at the time and what I heard then agrees with the information at this link:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.40_S%26W

The reason for the reduced load in the 10mm is that they found a 10mm loaded with a 170-180rg bullet at 900=1000 fps gave the ballistic performance that was required to meet the tests developed for performance measurement.

While it did have reduced recoil, that was not the reason it was downloaded.  

It was then that S&W realized that instead of using a downloaded 10mm case with a lot of empty capacity, they could achieve the same performance with a case sized to fit a 9mm frame.  

True, it has more recoil than the 9mm, but then the 9mm did not meet the performance requirements.

Vast improvements in bullet design have changed the performance characteristics of the calibers involved and allow some of the ones that failed the test to now pass.

I would prefer to carry my Glock 21 all the time...but it's size sometimes precludes that.  I could carry my 1911 to reduce the size, but then I'd also reduce the capacity AND increase the weight to where it becomes more of an issue.

Instead, I carry a Glock 23.  I get a more compact gun with the same capacity and nearly the same ballistic performance as the .45 ACP.

I don't see any reason to step down to a 9mm where I get the same capacity with a bit reduced performance in the same size/weight gun.  

I guess economics might be a reason, but if you reload that is mitigated somewhat.  I don't reload my carry ammo...mainly because I can't get the components...Barnes and Hornady don't offer the same bullets as components....   but then I don't have to shoot my carry ammo past reliability tests.  I can reload a round nose or plated bullet of the same weight to the same velocity and get a round that gives an equivalent "feel" for practice.

[Timothy]

Back to the OP!

It's a good cartridge in an inexpensive revolver made by an American company manufactured in the United States!

Charter backs their firearms with a Lifetime Warranty!  Any questions?

[billt]

Vast improvements in bullet design have changed the performance characteristics of the calibers involved and allow some of the ones that failed the test to now pass.

That is the key. +P 9 MM high performance defense ammo on the market today gives up nothing to the .40 S&W in defensive performance. The 10 MM is meant to be what it is, a round that all but duplicates .357 Magnum performance in an auto pistol. The FBI did little but make a glorified .38 Special +P out of it, which is what they were trying to get away from in the first place.

[tombogan03884]

Back to the OP!

It's a good cartridge in an inexpensive revolver made by an American company manufactured in the United States!

Charter backs their firearms with a Lifetime Warranty!  Any questions?

One of my supervisors at T/C once told me, "I don't care if it's right as long as we make the delivery date. We can always replace it later."
I think of that every time I hear some one bragging about their "Life time Warranty".

[Sponsor]

[Timothy]

One of my supervisors at T/C once told me, "I don't care if it's right as long as we make the delivery date. We can always replace it later."
I think of that every time I hear some one bragging about their "Life time Warranty".

So, you worked for an asshole once too?

Imagine that.....

I have a bunch of stuff that has "Lifetime" warranties.  My Swiss Army knife has been back to the factory service center three times.  My Dads Zippo he bought in boot camp in 1938 has been repaired as well as have several other Zippos in my collection.

I've yet to have to send any firearm in for service but I'd bet Ruger would do fine by me in that regard.  Para I don't know anymore since they've changed hands a few times now.  My Remington is 43 years old and never need anything more than a cleaning.

[billt]

My Remington is 43 years old and never need anything more than a cleaning.

I have a few 700's that are about that old, and have have needed nothing but a cleaning and lube as well.

[ellis4538]

Hopefully Para will be good since they have been acquired by the same group that owns Remington.

Richard