.40 S&W vs .45 ACP - Price, Recoil & Ballistics Compared

Side-by-side price comparison with live market data

Current Prices

Metric.40 S&W.45 ACP
Lowest Price$0.260/rd$0.350/rd
Midpoint (per product)$0.660/rd$1.05/rd
Range / practice midpoint$0.396/rd$0.500/rd
Defensive / premium midpoint$1.05/rd$1.20/rd
Highest Price$3.03/rd$3.70/rd
Products Tracked431398
Retailers1817

Prices reflect 30-day observed in-stock data across tracked online retailers. Updated daily.

.40 S&W

Observed 30-day price distribution

IronScout provides observed price and availability data for .40 S&W ammo prices ammunition across tracked online retailers. Data reflects historical price observations and does not include purchase recommendations.

Observed 30-Day Price Range (Per Round): median: 0.660, lowest: 0.260, highest: 3.030, sample size: 11948.

Lowest observed price in the trailing 7-day window: 0.260.

Prices last updated October 6, 2026 · 431 listings tracked across 18 retailers · 31 days with data in the 30-day window

How we calculate this

SQL PERCENTILE_CONT over daily-best per-product-per-day observed in-stock prices

  • Daily-best is MIN(price_per_round) per (caliber, product, UTC day).
  • Only in-stock observations included.
  • Coverage varies by retailer and source.

.45 ACP

Observed 30-day price distribution

IronScout provides observed price and availability data for .45 ACP ammo prices ammunition across tracked online retailers. Data reflects historical price observations and does not include purchase recommendations.

Observed 30-Day Price Range (Per Round): median: 1.048, lowest: 0.350, highest: 3.697, sample size: 10600.

Lowest observed price in the trailing 7-day window: 0.350.

Prices last updated October 6, 2026 · 398 listings tracked across 17 retailers · 31 days with data in the 30-day window

How we calculate this

SQL PERCENTILE_CONT over daily-best per-product-per-day observed in-stock prices

  • Daily-best is MIN(price_per_round) per (caliber, product, UTC day).
  • Only in-stock observations included.
  • Coverage varies by retailer and source.
Search .40 S&W by cost per roundSearch .45 ACP by cost per round

Frequently Asked Questions

Is .40 S&W or .45 ACP cheaper?
.40 S&W currently starts at $0.26/rd (per-product midpoint $0.66/rd). .45 ACP starts at $0.35/rd (per-product midpoint $1.05/rd). Prices are observed across tracked online retailers and updated daily.
Should I choose .40 S&W or .45 ACP?
The choice between .40 S&W and .45 ACP depends on your firearm, intended use, and budget. IronScout provides pricing and availability data to help inform your decision — not recommendations. Compare current prices for both calibers on IronScout.

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