Looking for advice. I am trying to decide between the 9mm or the .40. I bought a Kimber Ultra CDP some years ago and had problems that were ultimately attributed to the short action. I got rid of it shortly after that. Granted, that was a .45, but it totally turned me off to small action guns until now. I am willing to give the Springfield EMP a try but am conflicted about which caliber to get. On the one hand the .40 is a more effective caliber, but is it less reliable than the 9mm? With the latest self-defense rounds (Hornady Critical Defense for instance) is it worth it to go with the .40 caliber? Or to put it another way, if I go with the .40, am I sacrificing reliability? I am not concerned about the difference in weight. Thank you.
Springfield EMP 9mm vs. .40
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First off welcome to the forum.
As to reliability between .40 and 9mm, I don't think you'll find one more reliable than the other. I do think that a .40, because of the nature of the recoil, may cause more trouble if you have a tendency to limp wrist your weapon.
My wife and I both have CZ RAMI's. Mine is .40 cal, hers is 9mm. I can shoot both with no problems encountered, she will have FTF/FTE problems with my .40 consistently. Can only attribute it to my holding it more firmly than she does.
As to reliability between .40 and 9mm, I don't think you'll find one more reliable than the other. I do think that a .40, because of the nature of the recoil, may cause more trouble if you have a tendency to limp wrist your weapon.
My wife and I both have CZ RAMI's. Mine is .40 cal, hers is 9mm. I can shoot both with no problems encountered, she will have FTF/FTE problems with my .40 consistently. Can only attribute it to my holding it more firmly than she does.
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Welcome aboard my fellow Houstonian :wave:
As to the question, why do you feel the .40 is any less reliable? I have not seen any ballistic info show accuracy issues. I have heard of a few people having trouble with their weapons, but from reading just this forum, it runs the gamut of calibers.
I'm kind of in the same boat as you. I am trying to decide between the .40 and the .45 cal in the S&W M&P.
Good luck. Im sure the members here will give you good food for thought.
As to the question, why do you feel the .40 is any less reliable? I have not seen any ballistic info show accuracy issues. I have heard of a few people having trouble with their weapons, but from reading just this forum, it runs the gamut of calibers.
I'm kind of in the same boat as you. I am trying to decide between the .40 and the .45 cal in the S&W M&P.
Good luck. Im sure the members here will give you good food for thought.
I should have made myself more clear on the reliability issue. I understand that the way Springfield got the EMP that small, was by scaling down the dimensions of a 1911 from the original .45 size to 9mm, rather than keeping everything the same size except the barrel. I perhaps incorrectly assumed that putting a bigger caliber in the scaled down EMP (which was designed for 9mm) would create more feeding/reliability issues. That's the crux of my problem. I'd much rather the .40 firepower but not at the expense of reliability.
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I think the reliability of the .40 vs 9mm in the EMP design is a non-issue. Springfield clearly did their homework on the EMP and gained experience with the 9mm first before launching the .40 version.
My knee-jerk comment is that .40 S+W is a handful in a compact pistol, but I handle my Kahr K40 just fine and the EMP is ever-so-slightly larger and 3 ounces heavier than the K40. Add in the higher capacity, and I think it's an ideal package.
My knee-jerk comment is that .40 S+W is a handful in a compact pistol, but I handle my Kahr K40 just fine and the EMP is ever-so-slightly larger and 3 ounces heavier than the K40. Add in the higher capacity, and I think it's an ideal package.
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I vote 9mm
The .40 has a steel frame vs alloy and is heavier. The lighter the better if you plan on CCW.
The .40 has a steel frame vs alloy and is heavier. The lighter the better if you plan on CCW.
Owning both the EMP 40 and EMP 9 mm, they're both very reliable and feed round nose and hollow points without any problems. EMP 40 is heavier, with a slide that is more difficult to rack due to spring tension. What is sorely lacking in the EMP line is front strap checkering to assist with improved recoil handling. I have placed Hogue grips on the 9 mm and the feel is markedly improved.
They are small guns, so you should definitely personally handle them before purchase.
With the correct holster and belt, either would be an excellent choice for conceal carry.
They are small guns, so you should definitely personally handle them before purchase.
With the correct holster and belt, either would be an excellent choice for conceal carry.
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Good point. After paying $1,000 or so for the gun, I would be looking for cheap ammo too.....:yup:
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