The Best Handgun Cartridge For You?

22rf: cheap and easy!

murf

p.s. my second favorite handgun cartridge is going to be 150 years young next year (45 long colt).

 

.357 MAG. In my Dan Wesson pistol pack with options for 2/4/6/8 inch barrels and a selection of various grips for concealed carry (small round butt) or target grips.

 

Toss up between the 9mm and the .357, but in the end, I'd go with the .357 for its versatility.

In heavy loadings it is a minimum hunting or excellent self defense round, in light loads, a great target or new shooter training round.

Because the majority of 9mm guns are semi-autos, they generally require a more potent load just to make the gun function, so not quite as versatile.

 

All of them, obviously
That whole question is like asking what's my favorite bacon.
I mean, really!

 

I second what Armored farmer wrote!

 

There are three worthwhile pistol cartridges:

1. The .22 Long Rifle. Everyone needs a .22 pistol. If you don't understand why, go ask your mother.

2. The .45 ACP, especially in the gun designed for it, the M1911. Ideal for concealed carry and defensive use.

3. The .45 Colt. I especially like it in the Colt New Service. It's a great woods and hunting gun.

 

38-40 +P+

The 38-40 fires a 40caliber 180gr bullet out of a case holding 39gr of water. Thats a slight bit more capacity than 44 mag, but it is neutered by a 12k psi limit. 44 mag runs up to 3 times that pressure. So then enters the 357/44 Bain and Davis. A 44 mag case necked down to 357, which propels a 160gr bullet at 2000 fps out of a 10" contender. That would be a heck of a round for hunting, if i didnt have a rifle and was stuck with just one pistol. But thats not a part of the criteria...

In all reality, 44 special works well for me. I carry a 5 shot 3" revolver in 44 spl every day. It can be downloaded for smaller vermin and can certainly take a deer at the right distances.

38 spl would be second, followed by 10mm

 

40 S&W .. 180gr bullets

 

Ditto with the 40 S&W.

 

10mm. Too versatile not to be the answer for me.

 

Well, I just can’t make a decision on this.

 

I’m with you. I have never been nor will I ever be monogunmous.

 

Does it shoot a 40 grain bullet or a 180 grain bullet? Ive never owned or shot a .38-40.

Stay safe.

 

44SPL

 

My favorite must be 22lr. I shoot it the most. But it has limited uses.

The one I shoot second most is 38 special, so I guess I would go with that.

 

first off I hate this dystopian world mostly because it would probably force me into the cartridge I don't love.
I'd have to go 40 S&W because I can have a pocket pistol, full size hi-cap and I can duplicate 10mm heavy bullet loads in a 1911 or revolver by loading to 1.250 OAL.

 

Mine is the 44-40, I have 7 guns in that caliber. Fun to load, easy to load, despite what "expert's" say, and fun to shoot. A close 2nd is the 45 Colt, then the 45ACP. Anything smaller is just too small for my big fat fingers to reload for.

 

Since my primary weapon for gun deer season is a handgun, 9mm would be low on my list. I'd rather have too much for CWC, than too little for hunting deer. I'd be torn between .357 and .44 if I had to make that choice, but I don't.......so I won't. I'm much more happy with a multitude of caliber choices in handguns. Don't really need to list the advantages of any.

 

Whenever I hear comments praising 9mm, I think about its attributes. It’s easy to shoot, not to much recoil. It’s cheap to purchase, with modern hollow points it could potentially be just as effective as a larger round. No doubt about it, it’s an effective round to chamber a gun in.

I often then go to my area and look at a 9mm HP I have on my shelf above my reloading bench, it’s next to an assortment of bullet samples I cast. I often compare it to a 44 special, since that’s what I carry.

44 special, 9mm, 44 special bullet (RCBS 44-250-K)

 

I used to carry a .45 ACP case in my pocket, along with a 9mm case, and I'd astonish the young troopies by putting the 9mm case INSIDE the .45 case.

 

41 mag time!

 

Man oh man, I have always wanted to try 41 magnum. Problem is lack of guns chambered in it. But a Blackhawk in 41 is something I always am keeping an eye out for.

 

Seems to be the most prevalent argument for .41 mag, is where it falls between the .357 and .44. Maybe if in the real world we were actually restricted to having "just one caliber", it would ring truer. I personally see no huge advantage of the .41 over the .357 as compared to what it lacks compared to the .44. While MHO is that the .44 is a better deer cartridge than .357, I have taken more deer with my .357 revolvers than with the .44s. What is also important to me, is how much more enjoyable my .357s are at the range when I want to shoot all day. This is what would make the choice difficult. But since I do not have to make that choice.......I don't.

This is no way means I have any problems with a .41. Just don't need a "in-between" caliber.