When speaking about the 40 S&W Auto cartridge these days, we’re reminded of that famous Samuel Clemens quote: “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” While you may think the 40 S&W is dead, it is very much alive. Albeit, it is not as popular as the 9mm is today. The irony is the 40 S&W became law enforcement’s darling when it debuted in early 1990 and nearly eclipsed the 9mm in popularity. The 9mm back then was considered an underpowered cartridge. The FBI geared up with the 40, and other law-enforcement agencies followed.

Smith & Wesson and Winchester designed the 40 S&W, which is basically a shortened 10mm Auto cartridge. As you will recall, the FBI was keen on the 10mm Auto until it was discovered the round had too much recoil, and agents found it difficult to control. So, the FBI had a reduced-velocity 10mm Auto round produced, and that was better until Smith & Wesson and Winchester suggested the same velocity and energy could be had in a medium-frame pistol instead of a large-frame pistol. Hence, the 40 S&W Auto was developed, and the S&W Model 4056 and the Glock G22 and G23 were the first pistols chambered in 40 S&W. By 2007, the pendulum was swinging back as the FBI changed from the 40 S&W to the 9mm due to advances in ballistic technology. So long 40 S&W, hello 9mm.

There still are a number of LE departments that use the 40 S&W, and what improved the 9mm also improved the 40 S&W, as well as other cartridges. Regardless, gone are the days of 9mm pistol introductions followed by the same pistol chambered in 40 S&W. In fact, there are fewer 40 S&W-chambered pistols these days. Still, we think the 40 S&W has a lot to recommend it for self defense, and three manufacturers apparently agree because we found three new pistols in 40 S&W: the Glock G23 Gen5, S&W M&P40 M2.0 Compact, and H&K P30. We also picked up a police trade-in SIG P239 to complete this quartet. We last evaluated the 40 S&W-chambered P239 in the November 2003 issue, in which it earned a “buy it” recommendation.

All of these 40-caliber pistols are similar in dimensions and barrel length. The P30 and P239 are hammer fired, and the G23 and M&P40 are striker fired. All feed off a double-stack magazine except for the P239, which uses a single-stack magazine. In general, the hammer-fired pistols were a bit more complicated to operate due to the additional controls. The decocking button on the SIG was initially confused with the slide stop, and that is due to user error and lack of training. Across the board, we feel the Glock and the S&W were simpler to handle and operate. What can we say, we like simple.

We chose these particular pistols since they represent a good variety of proven, reliable pistol designs. Our test checklist included reliability, accuracy, concealed carry, and ease of use. It had been a while since some of our testers fired a 40 S&W, but the snappy recoil of the round brought back memories. Yes, the 40 S&W is still alive, and kicking. A thin-grip pistol can produce more felt recoil in the palm of your hand, and we anticipated that as well as lots of muzzle flip.

How We Tested

Ammunition consisted of training and defense loads. For defense loads, we used Hornady Critical Defense with a 165-grain FTX bullet. For training, we used MagTechs loaded with a 180-grain FMJ-FLAT and a handload with a 155-grain JHP. These bullet weights are the sweet spot for the snappy 40 S&W.

With these rounds, we saw the wider-grip pistols transfer less felt recoil. We anticipated getting rapped in the palm with the P239, which wasn’t the case, but we do have other gripes about this pistol. The G23 offered a totally new 40-caliber shooting experience in the Gen5 variant. The P30 is a good hammer-fired pistol, but it’s more complicated to operate. The M2.0 variant of the M&P40 was a stellar shooter with good accuracy and good recoil management.

We fired the pistols for accuracy using a rest and cardboard targets at 25 yards. For speed work, we moved the targets in to 7 yards and fired many Bill Drills. We started with our gun at low ready and fired six rounds. We found with these guns that following the front sight was easy, so follow-up shots were quick. The average five-shot group for these pistols averaged 1.7 to 2.9 inches, good accuracy for a defense pistol. In the speed test, we found the H&K was a bit snappy with muzzle flip, while the SIG had flip but was more controllable. The S&W and Glock were the clear winners in the speed shooting, with much softer recoil.

We carried the Glock, H&K, and S&W in a Safariland GLS 575 IWB Pro Fit Compact holster ($68; Safariland.com), which is a multi-fit holster, meaning it can be used with a litany of guns. That said, because of the very nature of being multi-fit, it is slightly oversized. Fine by us. The holster shell is nylon and has a bit of flex and does not scratch the pistol’s finish. We like the Grip Locking System (GLS), which is a retention device. When drawing, your middle finger deactivates the lock. We found the retention device did not impede the draw, and we were able to draw quickly and smoothly. The 575 comes with two clips: an over-the-belt and under-the-belt. We thought the under-the-belt design could be thinner to reduce bulk. Other than that, this is a nice holster with the added value of a retention device. We plan on adding this holster to our EDC routine.

Here’s why we think the 40 S&W will be around for the foreseeable future and is better chambered in striker-fire designs.

Gun Tests Grade: A

$700

We’ve tested the G23 Gen3 and Gen4 variants and thought the Gen4 variant better allowed the user to control the recoil of 40 S&W. With the Gen5 variant, we think Glock has done an even better job mitigating recoil. From what we understand, the Gen5 G23 has a slightly larger slide and more slide mass to deal with the recoil from the 40 S&W. The G23 Gen4 weighs 23.81 ounces, while the G23 Gen5 weighs 26.67 ounces; that’s a 2.86-ounce difference between generations. From a user’s perspective, this means less felt recoil and bit more weight to conceal carry. Our testers saw a noticeable improvement in recoil management with the Gen5 G23.

In the hard case with the gun were three polymer 13-round magazines, a magazine loader, and four modular backstraps, two with beavertails. The backstraps are held in place with a tool used to swap out the straps. We appreciated that the tool was included with the gun. We mostly tested without any backstraps added. We like the modular backstrap, and our ham-fisted tester tried the large back strap with the beaver tail. It is simple to swap out backstraps.

From a cosmetic standpoint, the Gen5 G23 has a flat front gripstrap with plenty of texture. Gone are the finger grooves in the Gen3 and Gen4 variants. The slide now has front serrations, so performing a press check is easier with a sure grip. The slide muzzle is also chiseled and less blocky looking for easier holstering. Like Gen4 variants, this new Gen5 has the dual-spring recoil guide rod, which helps decrease felt recoil. Also new with Gen5 guns is an ambidextrous slide stop. Sights are standard Glock with a white-outline notch rear sight and a white-dot front sight. The slide has a new finish that offers increased protection against corrosion and scratching. We thought the finish was well executed.

The Gen5 guns also have a flared mag-well that creates a larger funnel for faster reloads. Inserting the tapered double-stack magazines was very smooth. Magazines also have an enlarged floor plate, making it easier to pull a magazine free if needed. But we had no need to pull out a magazine; they all free-falled with a push of the magazine button.

The new Marksman Barrel has sharper rifling for better accuracy.

The trigger pull was better than the typical Glock trigger we are accustomed to. There with a bit of take-up and a consistent 6-pound pull. We have become accustomed to Glock-style triggers, and while they are not crisp by any means, they are serviceable. Looking back at the data, we found the Glock had the second-best accuracy of the four guns.

When we went hot at the firing line, we were amazed at how well the Gen5 G23 tamed the snappy 40 S&W. Some of our testers were pleasantly surprised. We found the Glock shot right on. We covered the target with the front sight and proceeded to create holes that looked like they were made with a 40-caliber hole punch. We had no need to adjust sights. The most-accurate load was the Hornady Critical Defense 165-grain FTX, with a 1.65-inch five-shot group at 25 yards. The other loads were closer to 2.5 inches. The MagTech 180-grain FMJ-FLAT gave us a best group of 2.30 inches, and the handload with a 155-grain JHP was 2.71 inches. On average, we shot 2.5-inch groups across the ammo. Going to the speed test, we found the G23 Gen5 allowed us to get back on target fast. We think Glock got it right with the dual-spring recoil guide rod and the slide mass. The magazine release was large and very easy to manipulate with the shooting hand.

Our Team Said: The Glock worked flawlessly, had good accuracy, and helped us manage the snappy recoil from the 40 S&W. We think this pistol and this cartridge should definitely be considered by a person wanting an EDC pistol.

40 S&W Range Data

Value Guide: 40 S&W & 10MM Handgun Rankings