Fun Questions

[BullRunBear]

You're right, this is fun.

Most underrated: A tie between .38 special and .44 special, although the situation has improved the last few years.

Most overrated: The .44 magnum. (One exception is for knocking down steel targets at a distance. That's where the extra speed/power of the .44 magnum comes in handy.)

Jeff

 

[Mikey Idaho]

Underrated = .327 Mag
Overrated = .40 S&W or .45ACP

Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S III using Tapatalk 2

 

[Water-Man]

under-rated - .45 Colt

over-rated - .40 S&W

 

[bannockburn]

Under-rated- .38 Super and .44 Special

Over-rated- .40S&W and .44 Magnum

 

[USAF_Vet]

Under: .41 magnum

Over: .40 S&W

 

[jad0110]

Overrated: Tough to say, but I'll vote 45 ACP, and that is coming from someone who carries a .45 1911 sometimes. It's a solid cartridge, but if you hit the baddie in the thumb it won't rip his arm off and throw him back 50 feet.

Underrated: I'll agree with a prior poster, 22 LR and 38 Special in particular. The 38 looks weak on paper, but good loads still manage 12"+ of penetration and expansion, even in shorter barrels. .38 is my favorite SD handgun cartridge. Good performance, low recoil and easy follow ups (flyweight pocket blasters excepted).

As said previously, the 38 Special just isn't tacticool these days.

 

[336A]

Overrated: .40 S&W

Underrated: My pick is the forgotten yet very capable .41 magnum. It is much better than most give it credit.

 

[vicdotcom]

My Choices:

Under= .327 Fed

Over= .500 S&W

 

[RmB]

"blow your head clean off".

Yeah a lot of people praise the .44 mag because of power. It is powerful, but for any practical use or hunting I'd use a high velocity rifle round such as a 30-06 or a .270

 

[RmB]

Underrated: Definitely 9mm. While everyone knows that it WILL kill you, a lot of people act like it isn't powerful enough.

Overrated: .44 Magnum (In a handgun). While I own a Super Blackhawk in .44 mag, it is overrated. For hunting, why wouldn't you use a hugh velocity rifle round such as a .308 or .30-06?

 

[pendennis]

Underrated: .38 Super +P
Overrated: 9mm Parabellum, 9mm Kurz

 

[MarshallDodge]

Under- 22LR

Over- 45ACP. While I love the caliber and the 1911, There is nothing magical about it.

 

[el Godfather]

Would some one care to do a tally of over and under rated responses to this point?

 

[wlewisiii]

I put several boxes of .32 ACP through my Mauser HSc today. Far and away the most underrated round. I'd trust it over several other weapons I've been required to carry... (to include an Army M1911A1 or four that were all junk.)

Over rated, I'd go with .357 Magnum. I can do 99% of what it can do with a .38 Special +P and not have my hand hurting all week afterward if I do it from a snubby.

 

[56hawk]

Would some one care to do a tally of over and under rated responses to this point?

Some of the votes were a little hard to count, but here is what I came up with for the top votes:

Under Rated

22 LR - 8
327 Federal - 6
41 Magnum - 4

Over Rated

40 S&W - 13
45 ACP - 8
44 Magnum - 7

 

[horsemen61]

under an over

for me i think the 380 is overrated and the .41 mag is underrated

 

[Ky Larry]

Overrated- Any round bigger than a .44 Mag. If a .44 mag will kill a bear, a .500 S&W won't kill it more better deader.


Underrated- .357 S.I.G. I don't own anything chaimbered for this round but I wouldn't mind a Glock 33 in .357 S.I.G.

 

[captain awesome]

I think a better way to find what is over and underrated would be to ask what peoples top 3 favorite and least 3 favorite cartridges are, and why. The least favorites are likely to be the most underrated, and the favorites over rated. no cartridge is the be all end all magical one size fits all, and no cartridge is worthless either. They all have their place and purposes and if viewed in the correct light they all can shine.

That being said I think the more popular cartridges are over rated, just because of the sole fact that they are all over the place. Some people never venture out see what other cartridges are available. There are quite a few that unfortunately get overlooked by the masses, the situation is even worse in rifle cartridges.

 

[mooner]

Interesting...A number of responses stating 44 special as underrated and 44 mag as over rated. Similar responses with 38 special and 357 mag.

I love my 629. I love shooting 44 special level loads from it. I love having the capability to shoot the magnums from it too.

So a 44 magnum revolver can be both one of the most underrated and overrated weapons. I realize we are talking about calibers and not handguns per say, but....


10mm is overrated

38 special is underrated

 

[Doc3402]

Some people never venture out see what other cartridges are available. There are quite a few that unfortunately get overlooked by the masses, the situation is even worse in rifle cartridges.

Around here that has a lot to do with inventory control. If it doesn't sell, certain calibers of ammo won't be stocked. If you can't get ammo, why buy the gun? The prime example of that in this area is .357 Sig.

 

[thecarfarmer]

Underrated... .25 Auto. It gets even less love than the .22LR.

Overrated... defensive caliber JHP.

Don't get me wrong; I carry .45 ACP Winchester hollow points in my G21, because they are good quality ammo, made for self-defense. And I want to stack the deck as far in my favor as possible. But, I think I'm just picking up the last couple percent there as compared to a 9X19mm ball ammo - the other ninety-some percent of the equation relies on me being able to shoot, and shoot well.

IOW: software > hardware

Just my .02

-Bill

 

[shotgunjoel]

I think that the 357 mag is totally over rated. Unless you're using at least a 6 inch barrel all you really are getting is more muzzle blast.

For under rated I'd say 7.62 Tokarev. It doesn't get too much attention since it isn't chambered in any new designs and doesn't have any hollow point loadings, but it is a good performer.

 

[Nushif]

Underrated:
.44 Special, why? Because it combines a big ol' bore with shootability. And everything is more fun when it's bigger and can be done more often.

Overrated:
.40. Why? Because in every gun I have ever shot it has pushed as hard as a .45 and snapped as high as a 9x19. Without doing anything that much better.

 

[dvnv]

Interesting thread.
Suprised at the lack of love the 40 S&W gets...didn't know it was so highly touted as to be overrated.
Also suprised by the 44 mag being viewed so often as overrated...though, I guess there have been lots of claims made.

Overrated goes to the .22 lr, at least for handguns. It just doesn't have enough pop out of a 6" barrel to satisfy me except on the smallest of game. I like it plenty in a rifle.

Underrated: Hard to come up with one, maybe the 454...it gets slammed a fair amount, maybe more than it deserves.
dvnv

 

[ozo]

It's really interesting to see the .327 FedMag mentioned so many times.
I didn't know it had such a following....not from a standpoint of gun sales,
gun discontinuations, lack of available ammo....and loading data.
For me and MamaOzo it has become our absolute favorite round.
We shoot A LOT of .32 H&Rmags in sizes from a Blackhawk to GP, SP,
632, 327......because the load data has been around so long....and
have , only recently, started loading for the .327 fedmag because of
brass and data shortages.
I have been loading and shooting/hunting with my [almost] lifelong
favorite .357mag since 1970...and love it.....but this .327 is.....
awesome.
I don't know what the AmEagle and GoldDots are loaded with for
the .327 but if you think it's a wussie little round.....go shoot some.
I would really like to see a lot more talk going on about the .32H&R's
and the .327fedmag's from all the folks that seem to be in the closet
with them......just kiddin'....