What's your favorite caliber?

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brutus51 said:
Interested to hear from other folks on their favorite.
As for me, it's tough to put them in order of preference as each has it's own niche.
Based on what I shoot the most:
1. .22 long rifle
2. 45 ACP
3. .357 Special/ Mag.
4. .45 Colt.
5. 44 Special/ Mag.
6. 38 Super
7. 10mm
8. 9mm
9. 380ACP
Wow that was really tough and subject to change at any moment.
Also made me realize how many calibers I've been missing out on.:uhoh:
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My take is:

1. .22 long rifle -- everybody needs a .22 pistol. Cheap to shoot, and can be used for target competition and small game.
2. 45 ACP -- Especially in the gun designed for it, the M1911
3. .357 Special/ Mag. -- .38 Special for snub-nosed revolvers
4. .45 Colt. The best outdoors caliber, bar none
 
.22tcm
Fast flat accurate and cheap.
.38 special would be a close second if I could still afford it. Really like 9mm but .22tcm has more muzzle energy, less recoil, and is still a hair cheaper than steel case 9mm so I probably won't get back into 9mm for a while.
 
Here are mine and they are all shot on a regular basis, The exception is .22 long rifle, I re-load all my ammo and .22 is the only thing I cant reload.
On a typical range session I usually fire 100 38s, 50 45 ACP and 45 Colt, Then its time for a break and then usually 50 rds of 357, 50 rounds 9mm and 50 380. That's a typical 3 hour ranges session and very occasionally I might shoot a box of 22. I do this 2 or 3 times a month during the summer and several times during the winter when we get a warmer day.
Can you tell I love reloading as much as shooting!!


1,38 Special.
2, 45ACP,
3, 45 Colt,
4, .357
5, 9mm,
6,380 ACP
7, .22 Long Rifle
 
gnappi said:
Generally any caliber that starts with a 4, the exceptions being .357 mag and .357 Sig.
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Jeez, how can I forget the .38 super. With the super and the .357 Sig casting 139 grain bullets gets me 12 / 15 more bullets per pound of lead instead of 180 gn .40's or 200 gn .45's ... Not a lot but 12-15 more every time I do furnace / pot maintenance adds up :)
 
1. .22lr to warm up with it or plink for cheap
2. .357 because I can warm up practicing with the .38 or can try using it for hunting.
3. 6.5 x 55 because it's a good round, good ballistics, tolerable recoil. My rifle is accurate. Why do I need a 6.5 Creedmore?
4. .40 s&w because my most accurate handgun is a .40 and I can convert it to a .357 Sig easily
5. .280 Rem. I don't own a rifle chambered for this but think it's under appreciated and about as good as a 7 Rem Mag
 
.22LR by far for it's versatility. Plinking, more serious bench rest, some hunting/pest control, defense is a pinch, and all done inexpensively. That said 9mm for long range time & defense, .357 and .45 for confident self defense. So my favorite depends on the need. I respect the .40 and .380 have both but go to less often.
 
First post!

Favorite handgun calibers

1. .32 ACP
2. .32 Magnum
3. .25 ACP
4. .45 ACP
5. .44 Russian

Honorable mention to 9x19, .32 S&W Long, .327 Fed. Magnum, .38 Special, and .357 magnum. They just arent in my top 5.
 
^^ Interesting selection, see your partial to the small bores. I've never shot 5 out of the 10 you listed, better re-think my bucket list.:uhoh:
 
.22lr by a long shot. It's cheap, low recoil, and did I mention cheap with low recoil?
9mm. Also cheap. Also fairly low recoil.
.38 special. See above. Can be used in .357 magnum guns.
 
brutus51 said:
^^ Interesting selection, see your partial to the small bores. I've never shot 5 out of the 10 you listed, better re-think my bucket list.:uhoh:
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I carry .32 acp, .32 Mag, and .25 acp. Reload .32 S&W Long, .25 acp, and just got .32 Mag cases to load.

Also load .44 Russian and recently added .45 acp.
 
bannockburn said:
In some kind of order:

1) .22LR- I never get tired or bored with shooting this round.
2) 9mm.- My favorite centerfire cartridge. Have more guns with this one than any other.
3) .45 ACP- This was the one I was raised on, primarily in a 1911.
4) .45 Colt- I think no collection is complete without a single action revolver for this cartridge.
5/6) .44 Special and .38 Super.- Too close to call with these two. Love them both but for different reasons.
7) .380 ACP- The perfect choice for a pocket size semi-auto.
8) .38 Special- Got to love it in any S&W K and J frame.
9) .357 Magnum- Never had much need for this cartridge but really like the guns I have it chambered in.
10) .41 Magnum- Had two excellent S&Ws for this round. Still haven't found their replacements yet.
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About the Swiss Watch, I have a Swiss Pocket Watch, never sold outside of Switzerland, made only on SPECIAL Order and only sold to the very wealthy, has a 23K gold case. Jeweler offered me $$$$$ for it, never told him what I paid for it. Gap in case allows lint or other debris to get inside plugging up mechanism. Can't fill gap, hinge for top, can't use it so keep it in safety deposit box in bank with other expensive items. My SD carry gun?? Colt Combat Elite .45 ACP, add on muzzle brake, Wilson 8 Rd mag filled with Winchester 230 grn JHP, HANDLOADED halfway between mild and max. It's a STOPPER!!!!
 
bullseye308 said:
Definitely 9mm for me. I love it in my Glock 17, 2 Springfield Range Officers, and an AR-9. By far the most rounds reloaded here are 9mm cast and coated. A long distant second is 357 in a 6” GP-100, then 223 in a bolt and an AR, then tied for last is .22 in 3 guns and 38 in a Smith mod 67 4”.

I sold all the 30 cal and 12ga because my shoulders are falling apart and the 20ga needs to be shot sometime soon.
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My shoulders were doing likewise, so I started taking bio-identical testosterone ( it makes your bones absorb calcium ) and anything edible containing calcium, everything I have studyed calcium supplements ARE NOT absorbed by the body, instead it collects in arteries and large -small blood vessels. I did NOT want to give up shooting my 338, 416, 458, 450 Ackley Magnums, so it worked for me, still shooting all at age 83. HOWEVER, our bodies are all different, would it work for you ????
 
black mamba said:
As a handloader and handgun hunter, the 44 magnum is hands down the most useful and versatile caliber around. From mild to wild, it will do it all, and do it all accurately and economically.
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Hear ye, Hear ye, could not agree more, can load like a mild load in .44 Special or mild load in 44 Magnum ( just under hot in 44 special ). I use Keith 429421 240 grain over 22.5 grains Aliant 2400!! Anyone else work up from BELOW!!! Does everything within reason SUPERBLY in my S&W M29, even better in my RUGER 44 Super Blackhawk 12" barrel.
 
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