It's loaded weaker because there's almost no space between the 180 grain bullets and the powder. Any more powder and you have a dangerous pressure spike.It isn't- Ballistics wise its "sufficient" - I was more poking fun at the design progeny of the cartridge.... it's one of the few intentionally designed to be weaker. There's a reason there's no +P .40....
-Mike
The .40 was made to reduce the size of the cartridge so it could fit in smaller frame pistols, but be equal in recoil and power to the downloaded FBI 10mm. All the manufacturer's wanted was to put the hot new .40 in the same frames as their 9mm. If they made a properly sized frame just for .40, they could probably up the power and pressures a bit.
The industry doesn't care to cater to what could be or innovate, they just make what sells. The industry could make a killing with a tiny 5 shot .32 revolver that's in between the size of the North American Arms mini revolvers and a J frame, but that requires too much investment. Even tho 50% of all women who carry a gun would buy that tiny .32 revolver.