What Grain .40 Caliber You Carry?

[Ricochet]

Just wanted to get a ballpark figure of what fellow members carry in their .40 caliber pistols for personal defense.

Usually, the big debate is over 165 vs. 180 grain.
I prefer the 165gr JHP's because of greater velocity. But I recently was speaking with someone who said that the 180 packs more "punch".

Would like to hear your thoughts on that as well.

Also, whats the real difference between Sub-Sonic and Super Sonic ammo besides speed?

I have often read here on the forums many members really dislike carrying sub sonic ammo?

[JTokash]

I don't have a .40 Cal, but if you're talking only in terms of energy then the 155 grain has the most, just beating out the 200 grain by a few ft-lb. (I had to look this up since I don't have first hand experience with this caliber.)

My major in college was physics, so I've studied projectile motion a lot due to my love of target shooting. The energy scales directly with the weight of the bullet, but the energy scales as the square of the velocity... so a slightly lighter, but faster moving projectile will have more energy.

This is the whole argument (or so I was told) as to why the US Military switched to the 5.56... lighter, faster, more energy... that and it has less recoil and you can carry more ammo compared to the 7.62.

Myself, I like the 7.62 so go figure. LOL!

[F16vipers]

I would have to believe in a real life situation the difference between the 165 and 180 would be almost unnoticed. I've put quite a few of each through my Glock 23. The 180s usually have slightly more recoil. As far as I'm aware most police depts that used .40 carried the 180 grain bullet. As far as accuracy I didn't notice any real difference between the two.

One thing to keep in mind...while a lighter bullet will have more velocity and energy a heavier bullet should still penetrate farther into the target.

[markheck1]

I carry 135 Cor-Bon DPX, they have to be light because of the HUGE hole in the end of them.......
not sure that the weight will matter as much as a quality bullet....

[vetter3006]

I have 165 grain federal hydra shoks.

[jhbenson4]

I have 165 grain federal hydra shoks.

Ditto.

I only tried 180's and 165's and just settled on the 165.

[biggs88]

I would have to believe in a real life situation the difference between the 165 and 180 would be almost unnoticed. I've put quite a few of each through my Glock 23. The 180s usually have slightly more recoil. As far as I'm aware most police depts that used .40 carried the 180 grain bullet. As far as accuracy I didn't notice any real difference between the two.

One thing to keep in mind...while a lighter bullet will have more velocity and energy a heavier bullet should still penetrate farther into the target.

I have shot nearly every major brand of FMJ and JHP ammo in 165 and 180 grain.

Hands Down I find the 180 grain rounds to have less recoil and to be less "snappy".

I now target shoot with 180, and carry 180 for that reason.

[CHEMICAL]

I don't have a .40 Cal, but if you're talking only in terms of energy then the 155 grain has the most,

You sure about that?

[JTokash]

7.62 still has more energy than 5.56, despite 5.56 going roughly 300-400 FPS faster.

You sure about that?

Like I said in my first post - I had to look this up since I don't have first hand experience with a .40 Cal, so I'm just going off of info from the web.

[EvoRich]

I don't have a .40 Cal, but if you're talking only in terms of energy then the 155 grain has the most, just beating out the 200 grain by a few ft-lb. (I had to look this up since I don't have first hand experience with this caliber.)

My major in college was physics, so I've studied projectile motion a lot due to my love of target shooting. The energy scales directly with the weight of the bullet, but the energy scales as the square of the velocity... so a slightly lighter, but faster moving projectile will have more energy.

This is the whole argument (or so I was told) as to why the US Military switched to the 5.56... lighter, faster, more energy... that and it has less recoil and you can carry more ammo compared to the 7.62.

Myself, I like the 7.62 so go figure. LOL!

7.62 still has more energy than 5.56, despite 5.56 going roughly 300-400 FPS faster.