Good Morning, Tim Hughes,
I agree with everything you've posted. Were I to hunt with a handgun, I'd go with a 10MM before a .40 S&W.
I'm old school retired. I began my career carrying a .38 Special revolver, then a 9MM, then a .40 S&W, and finally a .45 Auto. My favorite was the gun: a Sig P-229 in .40 S&W. I have had to have put thousands of rounds through that thing without a single malfunction. It was lightweight, very easy to carry, and I felt thoroughly secure carrying it. When out admin decided on H&K USP .45, I was good until I actually trained with one. I believe it held 12 rounds in a huge double-stack mag. It weighed just over a ton as confirmed by CA's Department of Weights and Measures. (Why do we in our state have a department for every conceivable thing?)
How's CA's wine country living? One of these days I might alter my commitment to never hunting CA again. If I do, I'll be heading up your way for a huge black tail. Years ago, I attended a training course with a cop from Humboldt County. He had offered to take me on a black tail hunt. For some reason, I couldn't go. He did tell me that he always had fun doing the sheriff's marijuana eradication shindig.
I hope you have 3 @ 50. If you do, don't allow it to be negotiated for something else. Younger cops are tempted by what they're promised now not realizing what they have to give up to get it.
BTW, LA passed a standard cap mag ordinance ban that originally applied to cops. I've called LAPD's Firearms Unit. A cop there told me that it has been amended to exclude CPC 25450. That's good info to know. I don't go into LA unless I can't get out of it. Traffic alone will kill me before bangers will. The I-5, 405, 110, 101 Freeways are really long parking lots. I rarely carry now, but I'll always take my retirement credentials and a handgun if I can't avoid going into LA.