This was my big decision...9mm or .40? I ended up choosing the .40 for several reasons:

A) Recoil does not bother me. It does affect aiming for following shots, but all that does is prompt me to practice more than I would with a 9mm.

2) Simply put, it's bigger. If a .45 is bigger than a .40, a .40 is bigger than a 9mm. Even if it's just a little bit, it's still there. You could start with a .22, then say, "well a .25 is just a bit bigger." Then you consider a slightly bigger round, and keep going, well then you hit .45. In other words, a slight increase in bullet diameter counts for something. If it didn't, several increases put together wouldn't count for anything.

D) This is a pretty lame reason, but EVERYONE goes out and gets a 9mm so they can say, "yeah I got me a NINE." I am a non-conformist, so therefore I like having something different. Flame all you want for that one.

16) You can rebarrel for a smaller size, but not larger size. I could change to a 9mm configuration in the .40 if I ever felt the need, but you can't do it the other way around.

X19) I find it a lot easier to count in sets of eight rather than ten. It's kind of hard to explain, but I'm very musically inclined, and in most music you count in fours, as most measures have four counts. So since I was barely able to walk and surrounded by music, I learned to count in multiples of four. It's engraved in my skull. Yes, I can count to ten. But I prefer to count in multiples of four, and I like to keep track of how many rounds I have in the magazine. I don't like relying on the slide locking back to let me know I'm empty.

258) Not a reason for choosing the .40, but a reason for appreciating it. The front diagonal portion of the slide on the 9mm has an indentation before it reaches the end, where the .40 does not. I didn't notice it 'til after I got the .40, but personally I think the P99 is way more attractive with the slide diagonal staying flat all the way to the muzzle.

[QUOTE=fivehourfrenzy

D) This is a pretty lame reason, but EVERYONE goes out and gets a 9mm so they can say, "yeah I got me a NINE." I am a non-conformist, so therefore I like having something different. Flame all you want for that one.
[/QUOTE]


fivefourfrenzy:

Respectfully I don't think anyone really cares which caliber you prefer, and doubt seriously if anyone is going to "flame you" for preferring the 40cal..

I think on this Walther forum we are all Walther lovers, so the only criteria you have to have to make us happy is wanting a Walther in general, and for Shipwreck (hope I can speak for him) and myself the Walther P99/AS in particular.

I personally prefer the 9mm round, not because I think it's a "better" round that a 40cal round of the same type, but because I like to shoot my pistols a lot, and 9mm is cheaper than 40cal.

I don't feel undergunned with 15+1 rounds of 9mm CorBon so my need for adequate firepower is satisfied.. You prefer the 40cal, a reasonable preference. and that's why the pistol is manufactured in both calibers anyway..

Best Wishes,

J.Pomeroy

I'd agree with all of that. The increased price of ammunition for the .40 didn't outweight the advantages, at least not for me. I think the biggest deciding factor is shooting comfort, and for some people, the .40 has too much recoil to shoot comfortably and enjoyably. To each his own.

fivehourdrenzy,

I noticed your tat is a 9mm while you prefer the 40S&W.

I too prefer the 40 in a full size P99, but the 9mm in the P99c. Love them both, and I do not feel the recoil is that different.


.

Originally Posted by Martini13

fivehourdrenzy,

I noticed your tat is a 9mm while you prefer the 40S&W.

I too prefer the 40 in a full size P99, but the 9mm in the P99c. Love them both, and I do not feel the recoil is that different.


.

Yup, so now I got both! I had the tattoo done in the 9mm versus the .40 so I could yank my shirt up and show people my 9. But for the real thing, I chose the .40. I put 300 165gr rounds through it today. I could barely hold a pen when I was done.

Originally Posted by fivehourfrenzy

... I could barely hold a pen when I was done.

Well, I always heard the pen is mightier that the sword.

Originally Posted by James NM

Well, I always heard the pen is mightier that the sword.

"Thanks to me, they were right!" ~Q from Goldeneye

Originally Posted by James NM

Well, I always heard the pen is mightier that the sword.

Unless you're in a sword fight.

(RIP Eric Ching)