[Hondo 60]

OK, ArchAngelCD thought this would be a good poll question.

I voted first, & think it's far & away .22lr.

[Ehtereon11B]

If basing off worldwide sale/use then the 9mm is the most popular. .22LR is the most common caliber with roughly 6 billion rounds made a year. But that is because there are far more rifles that shoot .22LR than pistols.

[1SOW]

Worlwide--just pistols: I'd say 9mm Luger is the most popular: Military, LEOs, civilians.

.22"LR" pistol, is also likely high on the list worldwide. The pistol growth due in part to competition.
As "just" the caliber's popularity, I'd pick .22LR when you add in RIFLES.

Ammunition cost and availability contribute to my picks.

Ehtereon, you type faster than I do. :-) You didn't vote.

[blarby]

Ok, I'll bite.

So, define popular :

Most used, or most desired - I think which definition is pertinent.....

Popular :

1: of or relating to the general public

2: suitable to the majority: as
a : adapted to or indicative of the understanding and taste of the majority <a popular history of the war>
b : suited to the means of the majority : inexpensive <sold at popular prices>

3: frequently encountered or widely accepted <a popular theory>

[Ala Dan]

.22 lr

[Ehtereon11B]

Ehtereon, you type faster than I do. :-) You didn't vote.


I did vote. I was the 2 count on 9mm Luger :p

[jwrowland77]

9mm Luger by far.

[bikerdoc]

22 because my conversion kits make it possible.:)

[helotaxi]

I know way more people that own a 9mm handgun or two, or three, than a .22 handgun. If you look in my safe, you'll see 4 9mms for a single .22.

But if you look in my ammo stash you'll see around 3k rounds of .22 and only about 1k of 9mm; but I have to caveat that with the fact that I have a .22 rifle as well.

So are we talking guns or ammo?

[1911 guy]

Caliber overall? .22LR. Handgun? I'd have to agree that it's very likely the 9mm.

[Certaindeaf]

I think its been the most popular handgun cartridge since like 1903 or so.

[JLDickmon]

.22 LR

just because it's not popular HERE doesn't mean it's not popular worldwide.

[helotaxi]

Think of all the Browning Hi-powers floating around Africa...not to mention the P-38s and all the rest. In many places where guns are legal but heavily regulated, guys don't waste the single handgun their government so graciously allows them to own on a .22lr. Spain is an odd duck in that military caliber firearms are banned, but they still adapted a 9mm cartridge to get around that.

I wonder, worldwide, what percentage of civilian owned firearms, and handguns in particular, are in the US? I would argue that in the rest of the world, there are probably orders of magnitude more military and police handguns than civilian. By far the most common/popular military and police cartridge worldwide is the 9mm.

That really leaves us with using the US as the benchmark. I think that if you talked to a "normal" gunstore, they probably sell more Glocks in 9mm than .22lr handguns in total.

[MtnCreek]

Just using me as an example. Several 9mm's, next is .38sp, .357mag, 40sw & .45acp tied, .22lr (two), then .45colt & .32long (one ea). That reminds me, I need to get a .44mag one of these days. 9mm is shot more than anything, with .40 and .45 and .357 ~ tied for a distant 2nd. I haven't shot a .22 pistol in about a yr.

[Hondo 60]

So, define popular :

How about most round expended?

[oneounceload]

Most folks think worldwide that civilians have access to the 9x19 - they do not. Most countries do not allow civilians to possess guns or ammo that are used by the military. There is a lot more .22 used than anything else as it is the cheapest thing going

[mdi]

22 LR. But I think more choices are needed; a lot of .32 Autos still floating around Europe as well as .380 (9mm Short, etc). Both cheaper than 9X19, which is important in a lot of countries. Lots of .45 ACP floating around too.

My .22s out number 9mm by at least 2 to 1... In my gun cabinet; .22 lr - 4, .22 Mag. - 1, 25 ACP - 1, 380 Auto, - 1, .38 Special - 3, .357 Mag. - 2, .44 Mag. - 4, .45 ACP - 2.

[CraigC]

I know way more people that own a 9mm handgun or two, or three, than a .22 handgun. If you look in my safe, you'll see 4 9mms for a single .22.

But if you look in my ammo stash you'll see around 3k rounds of .22 and only about 1k of 9mm; but I have to caveat that with the fact that I have a .22 rifle as well.
By contrast, I know no one who doesn't own at least a handful of .22 pistols. I can only count two 9mm's. Personally, I have an even dozen .22 pistols along with over 12,000rds of ammo (not a stash, just my supply) and ZERO 9mm's. So what does one shooter really tell you?

[RandyP]

Most expended would of course be the .22, far and away - most common would be the 9mm (also the least expensive centerfire to shoot)

I have 3 .22LR handguns, 2 9mm's, 2 .380's and then one each of 3 other calibers.

[rcmodel]

I agree the most popular worldwide has to be the .22 RF and the 9mm Luger.

As for the most popular reloading caliber?
RCBS puts out an annual dies sales list occasionally.

RCBS Top Dies Sales - 2009

#1 .223 Remington
#2 .45 ACP
#3 9mm Luger
#4 .40 S&W
#5 .308 Winchester
#6 .30-06
#7 .357 Magnum/.38 Special (roll crimp)
#8 .243 Winchester
#9 .270 Winchester
#10 .22-250 Remington
#11 .44 Magnum/.44 Special
#12 .300 Winchester Magnum
#13 7mm Remington Magnum
#14 .45 Colt
#15 .223 Remington (small base)
#16 .30-30 Winchester
#17 .204 Ruger
#18 .25-06 Remington
#19 .380 Auto
#20 7mm-08 Remington
#21 .45-70
#22 .300 Winchester Short Magnum
#23 .270 Winchester Short Magnum
#24 .357 Magnum/.38 Special (taper crimp die)
#25 .300 Remington Ultra Magnum

I haven't seen a more recent list, but I would be surprised if the .380 ACP hasn't move up quite a bit.

rc

[4895]

I voted for the 9mm but understand the 40 S&W is closing the gap very quickly. It seems that I have more range brass in 40 caliber than anything else.

[Hondo 60]

rcmodel's list doesn't surprise me much.
#s 1-7 don't surprise me at all.
I figured 223, 9mm & 45 acp would be very near the top.

I am a bit surprised by #s 8 & 9.
I can't say as I know anyone who has a
#8 .243 Winchester or a
#9 .270 Winchester.

[rcmodel]

Must be regional.

I don't know anyone who has a .300 RUM, or a .270 or .300 WSM.

Here in Kansas, standard old .270 Win's, and .243 Win's have been riding in farmer's & rancher's pick-up's since I was old enough to notice them.

rc

[TFL]

45 ACP then .22lr

[CZ57]

.22 LR overall with 9mm being the most popular centerfire worldwide. ;)

[blue32]

/ not a handgun cartridge

[Twiki357]

I guess that I'm an oddball. I voted 38 Special. But, I don't think the choices are actually comparable because 9mm is primarily semi-auto and 38 Special is revolver, while 22LR is semi-auto, revolver and rifle. Kinda apples and oranges.

Personally; 22LR = 1, 22Mag = 1, 9mm = 2, and 38Special/357 Magnum = 9.

[accrhodes]

45 ACP for me

[WoodchuckAssassin]

I'm a .45 guy myself, but since the 38 special also works in 357 magnums, I'd say that it would be the most popular. The .22 is most certainly the most popular rifle round, but I'm not sure if it would be the most popular handgun round.