40 S&W Compacts: Taurus, Kahr, S&W, Springfield, & SIG

Despite a noticeable drop in popularity and sales, the 40 S&W handgun is far from being a dead issue. Quite a few shooters realize that the 40 is just the bridge between the 45 and 9mm that it was meant to be. The 40 hits hard and enjoys an excellent reputation in police service. Wound ballistics are excellent. The 40 may be shoehorned into a 9mm-size frame. The single downside seems to be increased recoil over the 9mm and a loss in capacity that amounts to a cartridge or two compared to the 9mm. Let’s look at some of the options in a carry gun in this caliber. We chose subcompact handguns for review, with an emphasis on concealed carry, which would emphasize both the recoil and capacity drawbacks. After a thorough test, we found five good handguns, including one we like the best.