Last Updated January 25th 2024
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Winners at a Glance
After all these years, the trusty Glock 22 is still the best 40S&W pistol to carry on the daily.
This LEO favorite is still riding high, but there are options and we have shown you just a few of the best 40S&W handguns on the market here.
| Image | Product | Detail | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Glock 22 Gen 5 |
| Price |
 | S&W M&P40 |
| Price |
 | Beretta 96A1 |
| Price |
 | Glock 27 |
| Price |
 | Taurus G2C |
| Price |
Intro
40 S&W is far from a dead caliber, even though both 9mm and the perennial favorite 45 ACP are more popular in the sales charts.
There are still plenty of Law Enforcement Officers and people that know about guns that still carry a 40 S&W. For them it is the perfect compromise, more stopping power than 9mm Luger and more capacity and less recoil than 45 ACP..
There’s still a solid market for 40 S&W semi automatic pistols, and it could still be the best round for you at home.
So what are the best 40 S&W pistols on sale in 2024?
1. Glock 22 Gen 5
- Price: $539.99
- Barrel length: 4.49 inch
- Weight: 1.6lb
- Capacity: 15+1
Overall Winner
| Price | Performance | Reliability | Capacity | Style |
| 4/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 |
The Glock 22 Gen 5 is a semi auto pistol that is standard issue for lots of law enforcement agencies around the country.
It offers most of the ease of use of the ubiquitous Glock 17 9mm, with the serious additional stopping power that goes with a 40 S&W semi automatic pistol.
The flush fitting magazine offers 15 rounds, but you can get extended magazines with up to 22 rounds of ammo that hits that bit harder than 9mm.
We have the Glock 22 Gen 5 now, which comes with a better trigger, stippling, the nDLC coated Glock marksman barrel and other performance tweaks. It also comes without the finger grooves that a lot of you plain hated in the Gen 4 pistols.
The Gen 5 Glock MOS is also optics ready, so you can screw your red dot sights to the optic plat. Red dot sights are increasingly popular on handguns and the Glock MOS system is typically simple, brilliant engineering.
Functionally you ‘ve seen all this before in the 9mm Glock 19, Glock 21 45 ACP and the Glock 20 10mm. But this gun has more stopping power than the 9mm, and more usability than the 45 ACP and 10mm Auto models.
For some of you, and plenty of Law Enforcement Agencies, that makes the Glock 22 40 S&W perfect defensive firearm.
If you want to use the gun for everyday carry, you might want to check out the Glock 23 compact pistol. The Glock 23 compact 40 S&W pistol gets a shorter barrel and grip frame, so it’s easier to conceal, but the full size pistol has more pros than cons.
This is the best gun here for home defense if you’re a new shooter, or if you value simplicity and reliability above all else.
2. Smith & Wesson M&P40
- Price: $535.99
- Barrel length: 4 inch
- Weight: 1.6lb
- Capacity: 13+1
A Close Second Place
| Price | Performance | Reliability | Capacity | Style |
| 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 |
The Smith & Wesson M&P semi auto pistol is arguably the best concealed carry pistol chambered in 40 S&W ammo. If you don’t love Glocks, for many and varied reasons, then this could be the one.
Now it’s a polymer frame pistol, reinforced with an extended stainless steel frame to cope with the additional forces of the best 40 S&W ammo.
Lots of people love the 18 degree grip angle on these compact 40 S&W semi automatic pistols. And the detail work and slide serrations are both instantly recognizable and hugely effective on the whole Smith and Wesson M&P line.
The smaller Smith and Wesson M&P Shield is a great concealed carry pistol, too, but the larger compact S&W handgun is the chosen duty pistol of cops around the nation, and other government agencies still use them too. If you don’t like the Glock grip angle, this striker fired pistol might be the best gun for you.
3. Beretta 96A1
- Price: $749.99
- Barrel: 4.9 inch
- Weight: 2.2lb
- Capacity: 12+1
Best All Metal Handgun
| Price | Performance | Reliability | Capacity | Style |
| 2/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 4.5/5 |
The Beretta 92FS is one of the most famous and top rated handguns of all time. And this is just the bigger caliber version of the full size pistol legend.
The 92 was launched in 1975 and became the official US military sidearm in 1986. The Beretta 96A1 40 S&W semi auto pistol was launched in 1994 when the Federal Assault Weapons ban introduced strict limits on magazine capacity.
With just 10 bullets, the idea was that a larger caliber bullet would get the job done just as well.
The end result is a full size metal pistol with a Double Action/Single Action trigger. Just like the 9mm it comes with the open slide that basically eliminates stovepiping and it was and is an exceptionally reliable handgun.
Of course the longer barrel and additional weight of the metal frame on the Beretta 96A1 also helps with recoil reduction. That means you can group shots more effectively and your follow up shots can be faster and more accurate.
It’s the best gun if you like all metal handguns, and you don’t mind paying the weight penalty.
4. Glock 27
- Price: $539.99
- Barrel: 3.4 inch
- Weight: 1.4lb
- Capacity: 9+1
Best for Concealed Carry
| Price | Performance | Reliability | Capacity | Style |
| 3.5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 3/5 | 2.5/5 |
The Glock 27 is the subcompact pistol and the best 40 S&W pistol for concealed carry.
The diminutive concealed carry pistol is designed to slip in to an IWB holster, or a shoulder holster. It can even serve as a backup gun and pocket pistol.
It is 6.5 inches long, 1.0 inches wide, and 4.17 inches tall and comes with all the Gen 5 Glock goodies. On this model, there’s also a built in beavertail and interchangeable back straps to get the best purchase on your gun in a crisis situation.
When the time comes, the double stack magazine packs in 9 rounds of ammo. That’s just one less than you get in the 9mm G43x, but you also get sub compact 40 S&W pistol power.
5. Heckler & Koch USP 40
- Price: $1,029.99
- Barrel: 4 inch
- Weight: 1.7lb
- Capacity: 14+1
Best High End Compact Pistol
| Price | Performance | Reliability | Capacity | Style |
| 2/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
The HK USP is a favorite compact 40 S&W pistol for Law Enforcement and military personnel.
It isn’t such a big deal out in the civilian sector, but that’s because it can be hard to find and it just hasn’t got the same publicity as the other guns in the HK stable.
That’s a shame, because the Heckler & Koch USP 40 is a great semi automatic pistol and easily a match for the bigger names one the list.
Get one and prepare to be amazed. Like this guy.
6. Taurus G2C
- Price: $249.99
- Barrel: 3.2 inch
- Weight: 1.2lb
- Capacity: 10+1
Best Cheap 40S&W Pistol
| Price | Performance | Reliability | Capacity | Style |
| 5/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 |
The Taurus G2C is every bit as good as the 9mm Luger carry gun that we all know and love. In fact this little subcompact 40 S&W could be even better.
It packs in the same number of bullets and each one comes with a bigger impact that the 9mm version. Aside from that it’s the same budget friendly pistol with the quirky trigger, exceptional reliability and decent accuracy for a defensive gun.
7. Beretta PX4 Storm
- Price: $649.99
- Barrel: 4 inch
- Weight: 1.7lb
- Capacity: 14+1
A Great Duty Gun
| Price | Performance | Reliability | Capacity | Style |
| 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
The Beretta PX4 Storm 40 S&W pistol is available as a compact or subcompact handgun.
It’s a hammer fired pistol with a polymer frame. A manual safety on the slide brings some of the key features of the 92 series semi auto pistol to the world of lightweight handguns.
8. S&W SD40 VE
- Price: $371.99
- Barrel: 4 inch
- Weight: 1.4lb
- Capacity: 14+1
A Budget Contender
| Price | Performance | Reliability | Capacity | Style |
| 4/5 | 2.5/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 |
This is the lower budget entry level pistol from Smith & Wesson.
The S&W SD40 VE is a full-sized, polymer-framed pistol chambered in .40 S&W. It is a reliable and affordable pistol that is well-suited for self-defense or home defense.
This budget friendly semi auto pistol features a matte black finish, a stainless steel slide, and black polymer grips. It has a 3-inch barrel and a 14-round magazine capacity.
The trigger pull is smooth and consistent, and this striker fired handgun is easy to control, even with the 40 S&W cartridge.
9. Sig Sauer P320
- Price: $571.99
- Barrel: 3.9 inch
- Weight: 1.5lb
- Capacity: 13+1
A Great Compact
| Price | Performance | Reliability | Capacity | Style |
| 3.5/5 | 3.5/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 3.5/5 |
The Sig Sauer P320 is a tough gun to review right now.
It won the military contract and is one of the most popular guns in the United States. Functionally, it’s kind of brilliant, it feels great in the hand and it is easy to shoot.
You can order X-Ray3 Day/Night sights when you buy a gun online, or from the Sig parts & accessoriees store.
It’s a great gun in the making. But there are a growing number of of lawsuits over accidental discharges out there and they could become this gun’s legacy..
This was a better gun than the Gen 4 Glock, even with the occasional mishap. Now Glock has raised the game, and that’s a tougher battle.
So the Sig Sauer P320 Compact is still here, but it’s slipping down the order. Sig has shot itself in the foot with these issues, and a few cops.
Without them, the Sig P320 might have taken the Glock’s number one slot and become the default striker fired handgun. It has missed an opportunity here, and we might have to wait for the next model to see the true impact.
The Sig Sauer P226 9mm pistol is one of our favorites, too. So yeah, if you’re in the market for a 9mm, check out the Sig Sauer P226.
Where to Buy 40 S&W Ammo
If you want great deals on ammo for the best 40 S&W semi automatic pistols then you know not everybody sells them these days. Not all the stores that sell handgun ammo, rifle ammo, 9mm ammo, 45 ACP ammo etc, sell the best 40 S&W ammo.
For personal defense, you really need the best 40 S&W ammo. Full Metal Jacket is for target shooting at the range and practise. Hollow point technology has come a long way and the best 40 S&W ammo easily has the same terminal ballistics as older 45 ACP.
So as long as the jacketed hollow point 40 S&W ammo tech keeps moving forward. As long as the manufacturers keep doing the same work for 9mm and 45 ACP rounds, then the best 40 S&W ammo will still be a great option for personal defense rounds.
Look out for the Winchester Ranger, Hornady Critical Defense and Federal Premium Hydra Shok rounds. If you’re shopping for FMJ ammo for target practise, then look at the Remington Golden Saber
- Firearms Depot – The best 40 S&W ammo, handgun ammo and specialist personal defense rounds.
- Palmetto State Armory – Best 40 S&W ammo, bulk deals, daily deals on high quality hollow points.
- Sportsman’s Guide – Best 40 S&W ammo in bulk and daily deals. Hollow points & FMJ.
