Best manufactorers for each major caliber

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TennJed

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Ok, this is for fun and opinion only. List what companies are best overall for each of the major calibers. Who makes the best. Since few of us have shot every gun ever made, some of the list will be experience and some research/internet lore. Do not get too caught up in criteria, you decide and feel free to share why. If I left a caliber out, forgive me and add it to yours.

.22lr Ruger (no contest here. SA & DA revolvers and legendary autos)
.38sp S&W (their pocket snubbies are the benchmark)
.357mag Ruger (beat out S&W because they have quality SA & DA)
.44mag S&W (the original and best)
45colt Ruger (sorry Colt, but The Blackhawk, Vaquero, AND Redhawk!!)
380acp Taurus(yes Taurus, they have pocket, double stack poly, all metal, and a revolver.
9mm Sig Sauer (never owned one, but based off their rep.)
40S&W Glock (see sig comment)
45acp S&W (here me out before you laugh. 3rd gen 45xx series, M&P, and quality 1911....and revolvers!
 
Why would you assert that 357 rugers beat the snot out of s&w but the even stronger 44's (by comparison) don't?


Ant this is the problem w these threads. Some humorlessness yahoo like me takes em too seriously
 
R.W.Dale said:
Why would you assert that 357 rugers beat the snot out of s&w but the even stronger 44's (by comparison) don't?


Ant this is the problem w these threads. Some humorlessness yahoo like me takes em too seriously
Click to expand...
The 44mag just doesn't feel right to me in a SA, so I take that out of the criteria (opinion). So DA vs DA, I give the push to Smith. They have an impressive line up of 44mag
 
.22 - Several European manufacturers make .22 autos that beat out anything produced by American manufacturers. The S&W M41 is superior to anything made by Ruger. And Freedom Arms makes what may be the most accurate .22 revolver ever produced.

.38 Spec. - S&W made great ones. Not so much anymore, though their carry revolvers are pretty good these days. USFA makes a pretty darn good SAA in .38 Special and I'd probably take that over anything else available new today.

.357 Mag - "Ruger (beat out S&W because they have quality SA & DA)" sounds about right to me, though again, the Freedom Arms guns are hard to beat. And the Smith M27 has to be seen as the standard bearer here - unless you prefer a Registered Magnum...

.44 Mag - Again, old S&Ws were great. Most of the newer ones aren't, at least for the price. I'd probably have to choose Ruger here, although they are a bit rough out of the box. And again, Freedom Arms makes the best SA revolvers ever seen.

.45 Colt - Have to go with Ruger here. The Bisley Blackhawk is the standard. Honorable mention to USFA, though - if you want a SAA, no one has ever done it better, Colt included.

.380 ACP, 9mm, .40 S&W - no opinion, except to say that the Sig P210 is a pretty impressive 9mm handgun.

.45 ACP - I'd take an S&W revolver in this caliber any day.
 
.22 - Several European manufacturers make .22 autos that beat out anything produced by American manufacturers. The S&W M41 is superior to anything made by Ruger. And Freedom Arms makes what may be the most accurate .22 revolver ever produced.
Click to expand...

It depends upon use, does it not? I can see your comments for target guns, but when I'm squirrel hunting, I'd rather have my Mk2 with 2x scope or my TC contender .22 target barrel with 2x optic than any of your target guns. For pocket back up, nothing in the caliber beats an NAA IMHO. :D


Ooooh, though, the Glock guys are gonna be PISSED. :D
 
List what companies are best overall for each of the major calibers. Who makes the best.
40S&W Glock (see sig comment)
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I think .40S&W is a relatively weak link in the Glock line-up. While I would be willing to bet the Glock "kaboom" issue is way over blown on the internet, nearly every Glock "kaboom" you read about is a .40S&W. The Gen 4 Glocks are basically here to get the G22 to work properly with a light attached. The adjustable back straps and larger mag release are only there since they already were changing the frame to fix problems with the G22 and rail mounted lights.

From Hilton Yam's 10-8 Performance blog
http://10-8performance.blogspot.com/2012/04/glock-vs-m-why-i-shoot-m.html

the M&P was designed for the .40, with steel chassis for increased rigidity and none of the durability or function issues of the Glock 22. Oddly, the 9mm was shoehorned into the M&P platform rather than the reverse which is true for Glock, and it is therefore the weakest model of the M&P.
Click to expand...

I think Glock's strength is really with their 9MM line-up of pistols.
 
Interesting

I pretty much agree with TennJed.

Cept maybe the .40, Springfield takes it for me with the XD,XDm, XDm compact. Much more in the way of versatility and choice.

Then again you could make the same point with Ruger in 44 as you did with the 357.

But still, personal preference reigns supreme.
 
Pyro said:
This thread will be full of opinions.
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Yes it will as I pointed out in my opening post The point is to share opinions and knowledge. I have already heard something I was not aware of about the glock kabooms, being primarily from the 40 s&w.

All in fun and part of the purpose of a message board is to share opinions. Feel free to participate
 
I'll Play!

.22lr - Gotta go with Ruger, great SA, great autos
.38sp - Colt, legendary service revolvers anyone?
.357 - Colt, same as above + Python :)
.44 - S&W 29, Classic!
45colt - Colt SAA
380acp - Walther PPK (just a pet favorite of mine)
9mm - Browning Hi Power
40S&W - HK USP (yes, I'm biased)
45acp - Colt 1911A1
 
I must be hard headed but most, no make that all, of my double action revolvers are built by S&W. I have tried nearly all the others and can not find an action that equals the pull of the S&W on the competition line. Rugers are gritty and the guns themselves are heavy. Colt actions are to cumbersome for me to work on. Dan Wesson revolvers are great but too heavy. Taurus, less said the better.

So except for the folowing, I choose S&W.

45 long Colt, as much as I like my 25-5, I give the nod to Colt Model P

9mm again as much as I relied on my M39-2 and 3913, the nod goes to the P-08 or the HiPower.

I don't shoot the 40, 380 or the 32 ACP so have no opinion.

I will say, I have not bought a new S&W revolver in over thirty years, so I am basing my opinion on "old" friends.
 
Oh why not?

.22lr - Colt. The Woodsman still hasn't been beaten. HS came closest. Ruger only wins on price.
.38sp - S&W M&P aka Model 10. 'Nuff said.
.357mag - S&W - Model 13. 'Nuff said.
.44mag S&W
.45colt Ruger - Blackhawk or Redhawk...
.380acp - Walther - I'm old school.
9mm - Glock
40S&W - Glock - probably. Still a solution looking for a problem.
45acp - Colt. If you're going to bother, get the real thing.
 
22lr Ruger (no contest here. SA & DA revolvers and legendary autos)
.38sp S&W (their pocket snubbies are the benchmark)
.357mag Ruger (beat out S&W because they have quality SA & DA)
.44mag S&W (the original and best)
45colt Ruger (sorry Colt, but The Blackhawk, Vaquero, AND Redhawk!!)
380acp Taurus(yes Taurus, they have pocket, double stack poly, all metal, and a revolver.
9mm Sig Sauer (never owned one, but based off their rep.)
40S&W Glock (see sig comment)
45acp S&W (here me out before you laugh. 3rd gen 45xx series, M&P, and quality 1911....and revolvers!
Click to expand...

OK, I'll play

.22 Ruger? not even close - Colt, S&W 41 and K17/22, Hi Standard, Hammerli
.38 - tie between S&W and Colt
.357 - Korth with all the rest in second
.44 - S&W N frame
45 Colt - Freedom Arms
.380 - Walther PPK, Mauser HSc
9MM - Browning HP, Luger, Walther P38, Rohrbaugh - tied for first, all the major new players in second
40 S&W - SIG
45 ACP - Colt for autos, S&W for revolvers - tied, Wilson, Baer, etc in close second
 
Opinions are bullet proof.

9mm is my caliber of choice. I'll say Walther, on the strength of the P99, PPQ, and PPS. All three of these models are respected as reliable, (easy to be-) accurate (-with) pistols.
 
22lr S&W41
38sp S&W 15-4
357 mag S&S 686/ Colt Python
44mag S&W 629
45 colt S&W Mountain Gun/ Colt New Frontier
9mm CZ75B
40sw , Iuse 40 long 10MM, Clark custom Delta Elite
45ACP S&W revolverJM, , Kimber 1911,

These are a few of my favorite weapons, and the best of my accunulation
 
My version of "best" is very opinionated, because I determine the quality by whether or not the gun has what features I want, so long as it is accurate enough and reliable (which most modern guns are). As such, my choice would be the same for each autoloading cartridge, and nonexistant for revolvers.
 
Um, the Glock 40's are essentially identical to the 9's aside from caliber as are most sig models so how would the best 9 and 40 be different?
 
JustinJ said:
Um, the Glock 40's are essentially identical to the 9's aside from caliber as are most sig models so how would the best 9 and 40 be different?
Click to expand...

Sig makes a match elite 1911 in 9mm. Glock does not. Also (and I may be wrong) doesn't sig offer a few pocket type pistols in 9 that they do not offer in 40.

My understanding would be Sig has a larger and well rounded 9mm offering that Glock can't match top to bottom
 
Last edited:
My turn I suppose:

.22lr - I'd take my Benelli M95E Atlanta over any Ruger. But I have equal respect for a Model 41.
.38sp - life's too short to have to look at and shoot a snubbie. But I'll defer to experts for a 4-5" model.
.357mag - Here we go. I'm not a Glock homie. Don't even own one. But Glock 33.
.44mag - S&W (Yep, agree with the OP)
45colt - no knowledge. No opinion.
380acp - I don't think a Taurus should ever be on this list. Sig gets the square.
9mm - I AM an H&K homie but I'd take a Glock 19. Extra credit goes to an H&K P7M8 for style points.
40S&W - Glock (yep, another Glock. Not a .40 lover so don't have an opinion on model)
45acp - And Glock again!
Extra credit:
10MM - wait for it, wait for it... Glock 20.
B


TennJed said:
Ok, this is for fun and opinion only. List what companies are best overall for each of the major calibers. Who makes the best. Since few of us have shot every gun ever made, some of the list will be experience and some research/internet lore. Do not get too caught up in criteria, you decide and feel free to share why. If I left a caliber out, forgive me and add it to yours.

.22lr Ruger (no contest here. SA & DA revolvers and legendary autos)
.38sp S&W (their pocket snubbies are the benchmark)
.357mag Ruger (beat out S&W because they have quality SA & DA)
.44mag S&W (the original and best)
45colt Ruger (sorry Colt, but The Blackhawk, Vaquero, AND Redhawk!!)
380acp Taurus(yes Taurus, they have pocket, double stack poly, all metal, and a revolver.
9mm Sig Sauer (never owned one, but based off their rep.)
40S&W Glock (see sig comment)
45acp S&W (here me out before you laugh. 3rd gen 45xx series, M&P, and quality 1911....and revolvers!
Click to expand...
 
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