.40 S & W

40 S&W Ammo

The 40 S&W cartridge was developed by Smith & Wesson and Winchester, and debuted in January of 1990, as a law enforcement cartridge that would duplicate the ballistics of the, then current, 10MM FBI “lite” load, but in a much smaller weapons platform, (the same as 9MM) that typical agents with smaller hands could control better.

The FBI had adopted the S&W model 1076 in 10MM, following the studies done by the Firearms Training Unit in the aftermath of the 1986 Miami Shootout. The 10MM drove a 180 grain bullet at 1200 FPS and was determined by the FTU to be the most effective LE cartridge available in 1988. Problems started to crop up quickly during the weapons transition, with complaints including: too much recoil, too much muzzle blast and grip frame too large.

John Hall, of the FTU, undertook to develop a lower velocity round that still out performed the other two platforms tested, the 9MM and the 45 ACP. He determined that a Sierra 180 grain hollow point bullet at 950 FPS would meet or surpass all other rounds tested. The FBI then contracted Federal Ammunition to load the now extinct, FBI “Lite” 10MM load to match the specifications indicated by the FTU.

At this point, the Smith & Wesson product development team realized that they could produce a shorter cartridge with the same bullet diameter as the 10MM, which would lend itself to the current 9MM platforms in production. A star is born as the saying goes! Of course, the fact that Smith & Wesson named the cartridge, did not give them exclusive rights to chamber it. In fact, the Austrian firm of Glock was able to produce guns chambered in 40 S&W and have them on the shelf at the same time or even a little before S&W did!

That was 26 years ago. The 40 S&W has now been chambered by every serious gun company although most have shortened the name to simply 40, or 40 Cal, preferring not to stamp the “S&W” logo on their own pistols. Today, this cartridge is one of the most popular in the entire world of handguns, and the handguns themselves have firmly established a place with worldwide pistol enthusiasts. Especially in law enforcement, this cartridge is perceived as a 9MM sized weapon with the potential for stopping an armed perpetrator with the same authority as the timeless 45 ACP.

Whatever your desired vessel of implementation, Georgia Arms has all the outstanding, high quality, tried and true 40 S&W ammunition you need, at prices you want! For new or reloaded ammo that you can trust, visit Georgia Arms online or at our showroom in Villa Rica, GA. We ship our ammo nationwide!

Every potential 40 S&W cartridge from Georgia Arms goes through an extensive multi-point inspection procedure before we even consider using it as actual ammunition! So you know if we spend that much time and effort on the casing, our manufacturing and remanufacturing processes are some of the most quality controlled methods in the entire Southeast. Heck, we’d put our 40 caliber ammo up against any other new or remanufacturers cartridges. We stand behind our products, and we stand behind the rights of all Americans to legally own and use firearms within the limits of the law. Try Georgia Arms today! You won’t be disappointed!

Georgia Arms Ammo - 100% Unconditional Quality Assurance Guarantee

For nearly 40 years, Georgia Arms has been manufacturing high-quality, American-made ammunition. But as proud as we are of our new and remanufactured ammo, we realize that we would be nothing without our most loyal and committed customers, just like you! And because of your commitment to Georgia Arms, we are returning the favor in our commitment to you!

Georgia Arms’ factory-loaded ammunition is made using modern, sophisticated, fully- automated equipment that ensures the highest quality control standards possible. We carry an absolutely unconditional quality-assurance guarantee on ALL of our manufactured products. That means if you aren’t totally satisfied with your purchase, you’re entitled to a full refund, or equal exchange for any product we make. We don’t know about you, but to us, that sounds like just about the best guarantee in the ammunition industry! Our knowledgeable staff is happy to answer any questions that you might have concerning our products, or any special ammo concerns or questions that you may have. And as always, Georgia Arms’ motto is “High-Quality Ammo, Manufactured by Shooters, for Shooters.”