M&P 9mm VS M&P 40 S&W

[M4CARBINE556]

Hey guys, I'm seriously considering buying a S&W M&P handgun soon, do you think I should buy a 9mm or 40 S&W? It will be used for plinking at the range and possibly home defense, Ive shot a 40 cal before which I really liked, but never a 9mm. I like that the 9mm holds 2 extra rounds and that ammo is cheaper, but I'm afraid that it might be boring to shoot compared to the 40, any thoughts? Thanks

[dirt_diver]

It seems like boring is a good thing, i.e. boringly reliable/predictable/accurate/etc...

[kmrtnsn]

I recommend that you go over to ammunitiontogo.com and Palmetto State Armory and weigh the cost of "boring".

[SWATcop556]

If it is going to be used solely for range use/HD then the 9mm will be more than adequate. Cost of ammo will be cheaper which means the cost of training will be less. I have a M&P9FS that is a training gun and also doubles as HD.

I carry the M&P40FS at work for the ballistic performance when encountering intermediate barriers like vehicles and auto glass. This is really the only reason I do not carry the 9mm although the 9mm will perform.

Unless you are going to be encountering intermediate barriers the 9mm is fine. When carrying off duty, where the chances of a shooting will be person on person, I carry the 9mm FS or a M&P9C.

Also my dept. pays for th 40 cal ammo. If I was footing the bill for the ammo I would carry the 9mm.

"Boring" should not even enter into the equation.

[RogerinTPA]

If all you are doing is cranking off rounds aimlessly, shooting in general can be boring. Can you boringly and consistently put rounds through the same hole or fist sized groups from 3 to 25 yards? I can't yet, but I'm getting there and that's what the 9mm allows me to do on a regular basis, save money and practice. I enjoy shooting both calibers but I shoot 800-1000 rounds a month in pistol alone, and the 9mm allows me to continue to train at that level.

[Entropy]

Either one will be an excellent pistol. 9mm is "slightly" cheaper to practice with, so if you shoot large amounts of ammo at the range it can equate to some savings. However, the difference is about $.20-.$25 per shot for 9mm, and about $.25-$.30 per shot for .40S&W. Defensive ammo is almost identical in price.

Personally, I prefer to use .40S&W. The M&P .40 is one of the best .40S&W pistols ever made, and there are benefits to using it over the 9mm in defensive situations. Plus, most Federal agencies use .40S&W so there will be lots of contract overrun ammo available for many decades to come.

[WillBrink]

I'm afraid that it might be boring to shoot compared to the 40, any thoughts? Thanks

How do you define boring in this context?

[variablebinary]

I will never buy another .40, I am not a fan of how it shoots, irrespective of platform.

I prefer 9mm, and in the M&P 9mm is one smooth shooter.

And shooting should never be boring. If it is, you aren't pushing your skills to the limit.

[Urabus23]

I have both and they're both fun to shoot. I'd say go with whichever caliber you shoot best if you try a 9. For self defense, both calibers will do the job as long as you have quality ammo.

[gsxr-fan]

With the 40 M&P platform, you also have the option of shooting either the 357 SIG or 9mm w/drop in barrels and mags. Just say'n.....