What's your favorite caliber, and why?

[spencer rifle]

Cheap? .22LR
Effective? 9mm (in a P365XL macro), also reloads JHP for 12 cents a round
Favorite just because? 10mm, reloading pays off more here

 

[Zjhagens]

Ok, boomer.

Why one cop carries 145 rounds of ammo on the job

Before the call that changed Sergeant Timothy Gramins’ life forever, he typically carried 47 rounds of handgun ammunition on his person while on duty

www.police1.com

Great example. Ballistics are a very misunderstood topic, particularly in handguns.

Handgun rounds don’t have the velocity of rifle rounds obviously. This is why stopping power is such a myth. Bigger bullet does not equal bigger dead, as so many 45 aficionados claim.

In handguns, stopping a threat in their tracks requires shot placement in the central nervous system. Even then (see article) that’s sometimes not enough. More rounds is better. Faster, more accurate follow up shots is better. Shoot until the target is on the floor, the shoot some more. This “shoot him once because it’s a 45” stuff is nonsense.

Before anyone argues that plenty of people have died from non-CNS shots, yes. That’s why I specify “stop somebody in their tracks”. I don’t care if an attacker died 15 minutes later from blood loss after he already killed me.

Rifles are a little different due to their velocity and the more violent temporary wound channel it creates and its ability to do indirect damage.

 

[Route 45]

Favorite to shoot and favorite for practical purposes is different for me. I really enjoy shooting my M&P 10mm and 45 pistols. Also enjoy my P320 AXG 40. But for practical purposes, it's 9mm all day, every day.

9mm ammo is about a third or half the cost of 40 and 45 ammo, which means more stocking up and shooting for the same money. There is very little difference in terminal performance of common service handgun rounds with modern defensive ammo, particularly Federal HST. In FMJ form, 9mm typically penetrates better than 45 ACP, especially if you are using 124 grain NATO or Winchester M1152 ammo.

And if you like pistol caliber carbines or braced pistols, there are a lot more choices in 9mm than in other pistol calibers. A braced pistol with a 6" or so barrel makes a handy personal defense weapon, and many of them take Glock mags, which are probably the most common and affordable pistol magazines out there.

 

[keeph8n]

General use in a handgun: 9mm
Strictly range plinking: 22LR
Pure stopping power: 10mm

 

[dsol]

Personally, I love the .357 Magnum. If you handload, it can be a downloaded to a light 38 spl level with hardly any recoil or noise. A good 125 or 158 grain hollowpoint loaded to magnum levels will put the hurt on anything two legged. Heavier cast SWC can take almost any game found in the continental US.

A good stout revolver like a Ruger or S&W L or N frame can handle just about anything you handload (within reason) and the same rounds put through a lever action carbine will be downright brutal to anything they hit.

 

[92FSTech]

I don't think I have a favorite. The whole point of having different calibers is that some are better at certain things than others, and I like having a ton of variety to fill different needs or applications. I guess if for some stupid reason I could only have one I'd pick 9mm just due to it's low cost, utility, and the variety of platforms chambered in it. But I wouldn't be very happy about being limited like that.

 

[armalitesheepdog]

9mm for carry 10 mm for fun. I can load the 10mm as mild or wild as I wish
And .22lr is great too for plinking and kids

 

[Amishman44]

A 9 and .40 for me. Have a G3c is both calibers. Same frame, holster and mag pouch. I carry the .40 when I am somewhere there is a mag restriction, since its a 10 round mag. Otherwise I usually have the 9 on me.

I have S&W Shields in both 9mm and .40 S&W...preferring the .40 S&W for EDC, but have a 9mm for on Sunday's at church because that's what the majority of other safety team members carry, for the purpose of caliber compatibility.

 

[Amishman44]

9mm for carry 10 mm for fun. I can load the 10mm as mild or wild as I wish
And .22lr is great too for plinking and kids

Enough can't be said for good 'ole .22lr for plinking for fun, for target shooting, for safety training and drills, and can even be used for small game and home defense...at less cost, less recoil, and just for plain 'ole havin' fun!

 

[sairax]

I've been to the range a few times and shot 9mm, .45acp, 5.45mm, and 7.65mm. So far my favorite for feel was the 9mm in a CZ Scorpion 9mm. WOW did that feel like a little laser gun you could just dump without recoil. On the other hand, 7.65 feels really powerful and you can't ever say no to commie love haha. For handguns tho, .45 feels like a real cannon in your hands I'll tell you that

 

[jmil]

What handgun model do end up using for 9mm?

I have a few but right now I probably shoot my sig 365 the most

 

[flightsimmer]

I avoided 9mm for a long time but now I'm in to it fairly heavy.

I'm heavier into 10mm now though with both revolver and pistols as well as carbine. I mostly make my own ammo since I enjoy reloading and I cast my own bullets.

I think everyone likes 22lr, I know I do.

I have most of what I call standard handgun calibers I.E. .38, .380, 9mm, .357 Magnum, 10mm, 44Mag 45ACP, 45Colt. Did I forget any?

I have several rifle calibers as well as 12g and 20g shotgun, I think everyone does.

But I think my current favorite is the 10mm.

 

[gglass]

I tend to shoot more 9mm these days due to price, but that does not mean that it is my favorite.

If I had to choose a favorite, it would be the universally beloved .40 S&W.

 

[Zjhagens]

I tend to shoot more 9mm these days due to price, but that does not mean that it is my favorite.

If I had to choose a favorite, it would be the universally beloved .40 S&W.

View attachment 378270

This man evidently has a Time Machine as he lives in a decade where 40 is “universally beloved”

 

[gglass]

This man evidently has a Time Machine as he lives in a decade where 40 is “universally beloved”

 

[Brad69]

45GAP

I have over 4,000 rounds bought at .19 cents a round.

I have a G37 and G38 both old Florida HP pistols.

.45 has been a proven round since the old west we tried .38 didn’t work. Had to go back to .45 no complaints in four big wars.

 

[warren5421]

My favorite kid fun round is the .22. It is cheap to shoot and no recoil.

My favorite get down and dirty is the .44WCF known as the .44-40. But it don't come in an automatic that I know of! When a 200gr bullet hits something it makes a big hole and I shoot it better than a .45 Colt.

My favorite carry round is the 10mm loaded to max in an 1911. Carried the 1911 in .45 ACP for about 60 years. The 10 mm will push a .400 dia bullet through hard things an connect to what is behind it.

My favorite play gun is a Navy 1851 in .36 cal. To me the gun is just fun to shoot.

 

[yetti462]

After much consideration, I have to say 10mm. Very versatile, 2 legged bandits to bear, fun too. Shoot it in a revolver or 1911 or striker.

 

[ECS686]

I have 2 actually. 38 Special and 45 ACP
I have some 9mm’s and have used them for duty carry but currently run a 45 acp. I started out with a 38 and it’s like that first girlfriend

 

[bgcatty]

.45 acp because it is THE ordained caliber for a 1911 by none other than John Moses Browning. Bow down now!
.357 Magnum because it is the most versatile handgun caliber around.
.44 Magnum because Mr. Elmer Keith said so.

Yes I now this is a handgun thread but...

Favorite calibers-
.30-06 because you just can't live without a .30-06 in your collection.
Ok, maybe a 5.56/.223 when you just gotta have one.