01/29/2026
Why Law Enforcement Walked Away from .40 S&W and Went Back to 9mm
Over the last decade, law enforcement agencies across the country have largely moved away from the .40 S&W and returned to the 9mm — and it wasn’t a step backward.
Advancements in modern duty ammunition closed the terminal performance gap that once favored .40, while the 9mm delivered clear advantages where it matters most:
• Reduced recoil and faster follow-up shots
• Higher magazine capacity
• Better qualification scores across agencies
• Less wear on fi****ms
• Lower ammunition costs for training
The result? Officers shooting more accurately, more consistently, and with greater confidence under stress.
Caliber debates will always exist, but real-world data, officer performance, and modern ballistics drove this shift — not trends or marketing.
Which caliber do you prefer and why?
