Competitive caliber

[miles71]

Ok, I have decided I want to get a new M&P. it's function in my collection will be in this order:
- range, competition ( if able to find them)
- home def.
- ccw

I don't see much difference in 40 and 9 and have been able to find 40 more easily lately. My question is what caliber you guys think would be better for this purchase. Is there any advantage to having 40 over 9 or vs versa?

Another wrinkle is my wife wants to start shooting and even trying competitions. Do we get one of each? Thanks

TD

 

[Yoshi]

You'll find the majority of opinions here will lean towards the 9mm, including myself. However, if you buy the .40, you can get a conversion barrel to use the 9mm. Why not have both?

 

[hvymax]

Do you want to shoot major or minor? 9mm=minor. 40+ + major. I like being able to switch between with mine.

 

[Bigpops]

For the BOTH of you to enjoy - 9mm.

 

[miles71]

Can you use a converted 40 to 9 for a division? Thought I read this wasn't allowed. TD

 

[aaron.foulk]

I like 9 for most things competitive. I actually prefer .38 special, but that's a different story. In the most populated divisions of IDPA and USPSA, SSP and Production respectively, 9mm is king due to low recoil and faster recovery from recoil. If you want to compete in USPSA Limited or Limited 10 divisions, the .40 will be a better choice, though 9 is still viable. It's worth noting that most regular uspsa shooters running .40 also reload for it to keep costs down and don't necessarily buy off the shelf ammo.

I also like 9mm with good ammo for HD and CCW. Mileage on this subject varies widely, so no further comment is prudent on this thread.

I don't hold conversion barrels in high regard. Perhaps it's because the only time I actually hear that someone is running one is when something goes wrong. IIRC a caliber conversion barrel will take an otherwise SSP gun and bump you into ESP in IDPA under the current rules and under the new rulebook effective in October. Not really a big deal.

The current ammo situation is not a good way to evaluate which caliber to pick. We're in a demand spike that makes everything screwy.Six months from now(crossing fingers), 9mm will likely become as available and will be cheaper than .40.

 

[lx1x]

what he ^^ said.

 

[photoracer]

I like 9 for most things competitive. I actually prefer .38 special, but that's a different story. In the most populated divisions of IDPA and USPSA, SSP and Production respectively, 9mm is king due to low recoil and faster recovery from recoil. If you want to compete in USPSA Limited or Limited 10 divisions, the .40 will be a better choice, though 9 is still viable. It's worth noting that most regular uspsa shooters running .40 also reload for it to keep costs down and don't necessarily buy off the shelf ammo.

I also like 9mm with good ammo for HD and CCW. Mileage on this subject varies widely, so no further comment is prudent on this thread.

I don't hold conversion barrels in high regard. Perhaps it's because the only time I actually hear that someone is running one is when something goes wrong. IIRC a caliber conversion barrel will take an otherwise SSP gun and bump you into ESP in IDPA under the current rules and under the new rulebook effective in October. Not really a big deal.

The current ammo situation is not a good way to evaluate which caliber to pick. We're in a demand spike that makes everything screwy.Six months from now(crossing fingers), 9mm will likely become as available and will be cheaper than .40.

Not sure about October but the conversion rule currently in effect is based on the model number or name. In the case of Glocks you can't put a barrel in a model number that was not available in that caliber. In the case of the HK USP or USP-C if that model was available in that caliber you can use a conversion barrel. So if you have a USP-C in 40/357Sig you can use a 9mm barrel because the model was available in 9mm. Sigs are like Glocks in most cases so you can't use a 9mm barrel in a P226 or P229 because they never sold those models that way.
As for competition it depends on what kind of matches you shoot. USPSA Limited is currently the realm of the .40 because everything smaller shoots minor. USPSA Production is still mainly 9mm. 3-gun except for Heavy Metal is the realm of the 9mm because there is no longer a major/minor distinction but the magazine size rules are still in effect so the 9mm has a big advantage in capacity over .40 when the mags are limited to 141mm in length. IDPA is the realm of the 10 rd mag so you want to get the .40 caliber version of whatever you want to shoot. All bets are off when you talk about Open divisions in USPSA or 3-gun. Any caliber making the major power factor and capable of cramming 30 rounds into a 171mm mag is what you want to use. Usually 38 Super, 9x23 (9mm Super comp), or now 9x19 Major. Also the realm of $3500 raceguns.

 

[miles71]

You guys have given me great information, but haven't made my decision any easier or less expensive . Maybe I'll use the money to just take my girlfriend on a nice weekend trip...............but then I'd have to take my wife on one too.

This is just as much fantasy as me being able to get all the guns I want.

Sounds like an m&p conversion can run in the 9 mm divisions since they make an m&p in both calibers


TD

 

[aaron.foulk]

We're not here to make decisions for you. Still gotta make those for yourself.

After reading the old rulebook, I saw the caliber conversion rule wasn't explicitly in there. So, here's a link to the official rules clarification on the IDPA forum that allows a the conversion of a .40 to 9mm.
http://idpaforum.yuku.com/topic/7141/Caliber-conversions#.Ud-Q5CrD_IU

It's a little different from Photoracer's post, but I could understand the confusion based on IDPA's preference for "standard configuration" guns and unclear as written old rulebook.

 

[hvymax]

You could get an EAA Witness with interchangeable slides. I could shoot minor/major. Stock to Unlimited just by swapping slides/mags.

 

[madmattmd]

I’ve run a Glock 20 with a KKM .40 S&W conversion barrel in IDPA without any function issues (several thousand rounds using stock 10mm magazines). IDPA rules meant that I had to shoot in ESP instead of SSP because Glock doesn’t offer their largest frame pistol in .40 S&W configuration.

Matt Guilfoyle
NRA Certified Firearms Instructor – Basic Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, PPITH, PPOTH and Refuse to Be A Victim
NRA Certified RSO
MD DNR Chief Hunter Safety Instructor
President, Carroll County Sportmans Association

 

[aaron.foulk]

One more update to the conversion barrel rules, then I'm off the dead horse.
Conversion barrels are not allowed in USPSA production division or IDPA SSP. The only time the conversion benefits you is in IDPA ESP. I think downloading the .40 cartridge to 130 power factor may be a better option if you choose .40.
Here's a good link to a Power Factor Show episode where he makes a case for 40 that covers the competitive divisions well and how to use 40 to best effect in those divisions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZx_xph6lEI&feature=player_embedded