The 40 S&W is a relatively recent pistol cartridge with a fairly rich history. In the 1980s the FBI looked for a replacement for the cartridges of the time. The available cartridges were not as strong, ballistically, as they wanted.
Proving this, was a shootout that took place between the FBI and some bad guys in 1986 that showed just how weak the ammo they were using at the time was. Agents died during that shootout, which led to the search.
There were many options available and some wanted 9mm Luger, while others wanted 45 ACP. The feds were looking for something with specific ballistics, in the caliber of .40.
First, the FBI settled on the Jeff Cooper’s tried and true 10mm Auto. The 10mm was a beast of a cartridge that was capable of propelling a 180 grain projectile at 1,300 feet per second.
The 10mm showed much better performance and ballistics over the 9mm Parabellum round, but it came at a price. Many of the agents were unable to accurately shoot the 10mm due to the associated recoil of the fast-moving cartridge.
The FBI went back to the drawing board and determined what they’d need from a cartridge in terms of terminal ballistics and shootability. S&W was already in partnership with Winchester working on a shortened 40 caliber cartridge.
The parent case was the 10mm Auto, and the result was a projectile of the same size traveling a little slower, at about 900 to 1,000 feet per second. The recoil, while still stout for some, was much more manageable.
And because the case was shorter, it was easier for people with smaller hands to shoot it, because the pistols would ultimately have a narrower grip circumference.
The cartridge officially debuted in 1990 and would eventually be adopted by the feds for service by using Glock’s pistols. Though I’d be remiss if I didn’t state that they eventually (as in 5 or 6 years ago as of this writing) moved to 9mm as ballistics improved.
The 40 S&W is a decent performer in terms of a self-defense pistol round. It may not be the best seller, which keeps prices for it higher than any would like, but it is a good self-defense option.
40 S&W Ballistics:
The following ballistics chart is for a 165 grain Federal HST hollow point tested out of a 4 inch barrel and a 25 yard zero–
| Muzzle | 25 YDS | 50 YDS | |
| Velocity (FPS) | 1,010 | 980 | 954 |
| Energy (FT/LB) | 408 | 384 | 364 |
| Drop (Inches) | / | 0 | -1.4 |
This next 40 Smith & Wesson ballistics chart is for a 180 Grain Federal American Eagle training load tested out of a 4 inch barrel and a 25 yard zero–
| Muzzle | 25 YDS | 50 YDS | |
| Velocity (FPS) | 1,000 | 972 | 946 |
| Energy (FT/LB) | 400 | 377 | 358 |
| Drop (Inches) | / | 0 | -1.4 |
This last 40 S&W ballistics table is for Hornady 175 grain FlexLock Critical Duty tested out of a 4 inch barrel and a 25 yard zero–
| Muzzle | 25 YDS | 50 YDS | |
| Velocity (FPS) | 1,010 | 977 | 948 |
| Energy (FT/LB) | 396 | 371 | 350 |
| Drop (Inches) | / | 0 | -.8 |
Conclusion:
The 40S&W has had a rich history in its short life, and while many would say that it’s dead, it’s still in service in police departments and found in citizen defensive pistols around the country.
I compare the 9mm to the 40 S&W, here. Or, you could just skip to our big pistol ballistics chart page, that shows dozens of different calibers.
