Best Pistol Caliber

[355sigfan]

Sorry, tactical expert, firearms instructor. Your conclusion and advice is off base on this one. The guy was on SWAT with me, we trained a lot together, and he is a very good shooter. I've been on numerous call outs with him. Seen him in some very tense situations. He's a cool operator.
Here's the situation. It was just after 2 AM. The way the traffic stop went down, wrong way driver, so they were parked with the front of the squad facing the front of the BG's car. He was looking into the headlights of the stopped vehicle. The guy was shooting from between the door frame and the open door. What by friend was shooting at was where he thought the BG was probably located behind the cover. Try it and then tell us exactly what you see looking into headlights. Tell me just how much "front sight" you can pick up.
Also, I don't know if you've ever been in a shoot out and shot at. I have. I can tell you that on each occasion it's been nothing like punching holes in paper.

No offense was meant like I said but the facts speak for themselves. 9 rounds fired 1 hit. Thats about a 12% hit ratio.
I was not there I don't know the conditions and he did live score one for the good guys. My point that capacity is not a huge factor in most situations. I am glad your friend lived to tell the tale.
Pat

 

[miko]

.357/38Sp +p revolver, .40 semi-auto for self-defence pistols.

miko

 

[isp2605]

No offense was meant like I said but the facts speak for themselves. 9 rounds fired 1 hit. Thats about a 12% hit ratio.

Read again and you'll see that the one rd that did hit him was after going thru cover. Shooting against a person who is behind cover, who is moving, looking into headlights, 2 AM, and taking incoming fire. The books, video games, and internet commandos all make it sound easy.

 

[Marshall]

The one in your hand for the job.

 

[lawson]

my personal favorites are .357 magnum, .38 special, and .45 Long Colt.

 

[kennyboy]

I'll throw my hat into the ring....

10 mm

Can be loaded as powerful as a .357 mag or as light as you like. Get a S&W 1076 and 610 for an auto/revolver pair. You can even shoot .40 S&W out of the 610.

I always say the 10mm is a .40 on steroids lol. The 10mm was decommissioned by the FBI because it did not merely stop criminals who were shot, but usually killed them. What I'm saying is that for killing, the 10mm is more effective than the .45ACP, but the power is offset by ammo cost, recoil, and high chamber pressure which strains the gun.

 

[JohnKSa]

The 10mm was dropped by the FBI due to a somewhat complicated chain of events, but excessive lethality of the round played exactly zero part in that process. And while 10mm chamber pressure is higher than the .45ACP, it's not so high that a well designed gun will be "strained" by it.

 

[Srigs]

Here are what I choose!

1. 40 S&W as HD and SHTF cal
2. 9mm for carry and backup HD and SHTF
3. 32 or 38 as last resort gun BUG
4. 22LR better than a stick

 

[DHart]

There is no "best" caliber... just a number of very good choices, depending....

Depending on your needs and requirements in size of gun, 9mm, .40, .45acp, .357, .44 mag are all wonderful calibers.

In a full size auto pistol, I love .45 acp, but REALLY LOVE 10MM!!! For defense use, a 10mm 175 gr. Winchester Silvertip going 1300 fps from a full size 1911 (like a Colt Delta Elite or Dan Wesson Razorback) is a very effective and comfortable defense load for a pistol! If you don't have a TEN yet, you have no idea what a great caliber you're missing out on... you should definitely consider getting one!

 

[wanderinwalker]

In my honest opinion, I would vote the 10mm auto. .357 magnum power in a large capacity automatic handgun package. Great for just about anything. It's not a .44 mag, but then again you really don't NEED that much gun.

What do ya mean I don't NEED no stinkin' .44 Magnum? Yer puny little 10mm is a girl's gun next to a REAL cartridge! j/k, in case you hadn't guessed.

I will vote .44 Magnum as most versatile, if you can deal with the size of the pistols and are a reloader. If a non-reloader, than a .357 Magnum or even a 10mm Auto would likely be an improvement, as both are far easier to carry and softer on shooters, even at full-power levels.

FWIW, I rarely load my .44 Magnums to full-power levels for plinking. I tend to reserve the big flame throwers for entertaining guests at the range or carrying in the woods. Or sometimes just to put a big, maniacal grin on my face! One of my friends once saw me shoot a couple cylinders of full-house mags and asked, "Is that fun." To which I replied, "In the same way running down cute, furry, defenseless animals with my car is fun."

 

[DHart]

wanderinwalker... I like .44 mag also, when watered down a bit... I never shoot full-house .44 mag loads... much preferring a loading somewhere between .44 special and full house .44 mag. In such a loading, there is plenty of power, but also comfortable shooting which isn't hard on the gun nor on the shooter. If I were in bear country, yes, I would carry full house loads, but otherwise, not need for me.

Typically, I lean toward the 1911 platform (though I have a bunch of wonderful revos), and lately, the 10mm Delta Elite has really captured my attention and appreciation. What an awesome, effective, and easy to shoot caliber 10mm is! And to be able to have it in a Colt 1911 is a dream come true for me.

 

[kennyboy]

The 10mm was dropped by the FBI due to a somewhat complicated chain of events, but excessive lethality of the round played exactly zero part in that process. And while 10mm chamber pressure is higher than the .45ACP, it's not so high that a well designed gun will be "strained" by it.

I received my information from www.wikipedia.org. I did not research everything thoroughly i.e. just stumbled upon it on wikipedia. Also, when I said, "strained" I conveying the idea that the 10mm puts more stress on a gun than a .45ACP, not meaning that the gun's performance, etc. will decline tremendously or at a rate too much greater than a .45ACP. That's all.

 

[EddieCoyle]

I received my information from www.wikipedia.org. I did not research everything thoroughly i.e. just stumbled upon it on wikipedia. Also, when I said, "strained" I conveying the idea that the 10mm puts more stress on a gun than a .45ACP, not meaning that the gun's performance, etc. will decline tremendously or at a rate too much greater than a .45ACP. That's all.

My 12 year-old has updated Wikipedia (accurately I might add, but Wikipedia is not always accurate). If you get the right gun - in other words a gun designed for the 10mm (like a S&W 610, 1006, or 1076), you can consistently shoot ammo loaded so hot it that will flatten the primers and you'll be able to will the gun to your grandkids. So what if it puts more "stress" on a gun than .45? A .357 will put more stress on a gun than .38 SPL, but .357 guns are designed to take it. So are guns designed for 10 mm. Well, except the Bren Ten... I'm kidding. However, I truly believe that the Bren Ten's early problems helped to give the 10mm an underserved reputation as a gun wrecking caliber.

Since you're doing your research on Wikipedia rather than at the range I'll assume that you haven't fired a lot of 10mm. With current average factory loads or moderate handloads, the recoil is more than manageable, with impressive ballistics. With hot handloads or some of the somewhat-hard-to-find factory full-power ammo, it is an absolute tiger (but still manageable).

I don't mean to jump down your throat but you'll find us 10mm defenders to be a tenacious lot, especially when old incorrect sterotypes are thrown our way.

 

[MCgunner]

Best for WHAT? For squirrel hunting, the best pistol round by far, no comparison, is .22 long rifle. For self defense, it completely depends on your needs for concealment. For outdoors the 10mm is the best by far unless you want to carry a desert eagle. Now, you said "PISTOL" round, so I can't tell you some of my favorites like the .45 Colt because it's a revolver round, not a pistol round. The Desert Eagle is chambered in .357, .41 I think, and .44 mags, but it's the exception.

 

[JohnKSa]

I received my information from www.wikipedia.org.

Here is what the Wikipedia article on the 10mm says about why the FBI dropped the 10mm.

"As agents began having difficulty handling full-power 10mm loads, the FBI submitted a requirement for a reduced-recoil loading. This later became known as the "10 Lite", or "10mm FBI" load. Pistol reliability problems increased with this lighter load and Smith and Wesson saw this as an invitation to create something new: a shortened version of the 10mm. This new round was called the .40 Smith and Wesson."

"the 10mm Auto cartridge's recoil was disliked by FBI agents issued pistols in this caliber."

It says NOTHING about it being dropped because it "it did not merely stop criminals who were shot, but usually killed them".

As far as the gun durability issue, the Wikipedia article makes several mentions of problems. However, it also points to the main source of those problems:

"Instead of creating a new design expressly for use with the cartridge, early pistols chambered for the high-pressure 10mm Auto were based on low-pressure .45 ACP designs and, therefore, some of these early firearms exhibited accelerated wear and tear, leading to reliability and general functionality problems. "

And thus my comment: "while 10mm chamber pressure is higher than the .45ACP, it's not so high that a well designed gun will be "strained" by it."

 

[EddieCoyle]

Best for WHAT? For squirrel hunting, the best pistol round by far, no comparison, is .22 long rifle.

A 10mm has WAY better stopping power on a squirrel. Even a really big one.

 

[GoBrush]

Whatever you shoot well!

Stopping power does not mean diddly if you cannot hit your target. There is also something to be said for getting back on target for follow up shots.

If you can hit your target and control recoil 45ACP is a very very fine round.

 

[GoBrush]

Kennyboy:

I am not trying to be a smart %$$ but do you know what ACP stands for?

 

[Taurus 66]

It has been said here numerous times, "There is no best pistol caliber."

It's a matter of personal preference and opinion. The .357 mag in 158 makes a fast, heavy, hard hitting load, suitable for both pistols and rifles.

I like the following:

.38 Sp 158 gr
.357 Mag 158 gr
.44 Sp 200 gr

 

[michakav]

I have to say .357. It is a hell of a round and has proven itself in one shot stop tests. As stated a few times though, shot placement is what it is about. I would rather have 5 shots with a .22 than one with a .357 or .45.

 

[Zen21Tao]

In my honest opinion, I would vote the 10mm auto. .357 magnum power in a large capacity automatic handgun package. Great for just about anything. It's not a .44 mag, but then again you really don't NEED that much gun.

+1 for the 10mm. High power with large capacity.

 

[Boom-stick]

.44mag.

I got a 1/3 off my .44 pistol when I bought it, I was given my .44mag dies by one friend whilst another gave a Lee reloading press and scales, I picked up my powder measure for £1 at a show.

So in my mind .44 mag rules, I shoot for less $$$ down my club with a .44 then other guys do with air rifles?

 

[355sigfan]

[
"the 10mm Auto cartridge's recoil was disliked by FBI agents issued pistols in this caliber."

It says NOTHING about it being dropped because it "it did not merely stop criminals who were shot, but usually killed them".

it."[/QUOTE]


It does not usually kill them anymore than any other handgun caliber. In general most people shot with pistols live (75%) thanks to modern medicine and fast EMS responses. The 10mm is nothing special in the stopping power department. If that were the only issue I would rather have a 45
Pat

 

[MCgunner]

A 10mm has WAY better stopping power on a squirrel. Even a really big one.

So does a .458 Win Mag... Besides, I don't think you can get RWS ammunition in 10mm.

Hmm, I've got a .22 barrel and a .30-30 barrel for my Contender. Think maybe I need to start using the .30-30 on them critters? I'd hate to lose a big trophy 'cause my .22 didn't have enough stopping power...

 

[OVERLORD]

I don't know if anyone has noticed but in the painting "The Last Supper" Jesus is concealing a SA Ultra Compact V-10. If its good enough for Jesus it's good enough for me. My vote go's to the GOD blessed .45.