The future of the 40 S&W and Kahr

[Banshee365]

I have posted this before so I will keep it short. A few years ago then ATK brought a few hundreds of pounds of Gelatin and a variety of their ammo into our range and after showing us their new rounds and advising us they can now produce a 9mm round that does everything a 40cal does and at a much lower cost to agencies. At the end of their demonstration, they basically declared the 40 cal to be on life support.
Reflecting back on why there is a 40 cal in the first place, their prediction seems to have come true. At our range, 40 cal brass is rarely found on our floor anymore.

Since when does gel tell the story of a rounds performance in real world conditions? I think the decline of 40 is mostly based on the hype and rhetoric spread around inside the community. Someone reads that 40 sucks online and goes to the gun store refusing to buy anything chambered in 40 based off of that. Compound that times millions of people.

[dao]

I confirmed with a Kahr employee on the phone today that Kahr will begin discontinuing models chambered in 40 S&W soon. This really bums me out as my first Kahr and primary carry piece is a PM40 that I love dearly. I still believe in the effectiveness of the 40 S&W regardless of the FBI going back to 9mm. Anyone knows there are FAR more factors that weigh into a decision like that than ballistic performance. But the FBI did move back to 9mm and, just like that, the 40 S&W is a garbage round. Thank you YouTube and internet. The market totally sucks for guns chambered in it now and it's only getting worse.

I was not given a reason why they're discontinuing the cartridge, but I'm sure it's due to low sales. You can't make products that you don't sell.

I wonder how this will effect parts availability down the road. Even though I believe carrying the 40 S&W over 9mm is better for me, as I shoot both equally well, I have to wonder if it's time to start moving away from the cartridge myself simply for market reasons. Perhaps that MK9 at my LGS for $450 would be a better long term carry gun for me.

RIP Kahr 40 S&W's.

Since when does gel tell the story of a rounds performance in real world conditions? I think the decline of 40 is mostly based on the hype and rhetoric spread around inside the community. Someone reads that 40 sucks online and goes to the gun store refusing to buy anything chambered in 40 based off of that. Compound that times millions of people.

Did you intend to prove your own point?

edit: September 2018 edition of American Rifleman reports a $16m order by the FBI to Winchester for .40S&W ammunition, because the transition over to 9mm will be a gradual process.

When you consider the number of .40 handguns in circulation, even if ALL production stopped tomorrow it would be years and years before the need for .40 cartridges decreased significantly. Same with the supply of such. Cries of the death of the cartridge are very premature. In the meantime those who have, value, and enjoy their guns chambered in that caliber have nothing to be concerned about.

[Bawanna]

Parts for the 40 kahrs I would not think would be an issue for quite some time. Many are interchangeable with the 9's.
Most seldom need parts anyhow and there really aren't that many.
Wolff will no doubt continue to provide springs so myself I'm not terribly concerned.

[MMyers1970]

I confirmed with a Kahr employee on the phone today that Kahr will begin discontinuing models chambered in 40 S&W soon. This really bums me out as my first Kahr and primary carry piece is a PM40 that I love dearly. I still believe in the effectiveness of the 40 S&W regardless of the FBI going back to 9mm. Anyone knows there are FAR more factors that weigh into a decision like that than ballistic performance. But the FBI did move back to 9mm and, just like that, the 40 S&W is a garbage round. Thank you YouTube and internet. The market totally sucks for guns chambered in it now and it's only getting worse.

I was not given a reason why they're discontinuing the cartridge, but I'm sure it's due to low sales. You can't make products that you don't sell.

I wonder how this will effect parts availability down the road. Even though I believe carrying the 40 S&W over 9mm is better for me, as I shoot both equally well, I have to wonder if it's time to start moving away from the cartridge myself simply for market reasons. Perhaps that MK9 at my LGS for $450 would be a better long term carry gun for me.

RIP Kahr 40 S&W's.

There are some really good deals to be had in .40 handguns lately. I've seen police trade in P229s for under $400. Glocks of all sorts for as low as $299. That means a lot of people will be buying their first handgun, and it will be a .40. I suspect an interest will exist for along time to come.