WisBorn
Contributing Member
So what is your favorite revolver cartridge? And Why?
Votes for Other please note it in comments.
Votes for Other please note it in comments.
Favorite Revolver Cartridge
- Thread starter WisBorn
- Start date
ontarget
Member
I voted 45 Colt.
Reasons are, easy to reload at any power level that most mortals care to shoot, and very capable of defense against any foe I may encounter in the hills or in the city.
Good choice for most North American big game.
Pretty much a do-it-all cartridge.
And let's not forget the 150 year track record.
And we must add that sprinkle of nostalgia as well.
Reasons are, easy to reload at any power level that most mortals care to shoot, and very capable of defense against any foe I may encounter in the hills or in the city.
Good choice for most North American big game.
Pretty much a do-it-all cartridge.
And let's not forget the 150 year track record.
And we must add that sprinkle of nostalgia as well.
.38 Special
Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2006
- Messages
- 7,368
.44 Special for me. It's not actually "better" than any other big bore cartridge, and could be said to be objectively worse than things like the .44 Magnum, .45 Colt, etc. in that those cartridges can match the .44 Special, but the .44 Special can't hope to match the bigger cartridges. I just don't generally need magnum horsepower these days, and prefer a lighter gun that still makes big holes in paper.
Mostly, though, I just like the history of the cartridge, and its association with so many of our old famous shooters and writers.
Mostly, though, I just like the history of the cartridge, and its association with so many of our old famous shooters and writers.
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dredd
Member
I chose 45 Colt. I almost chose "other" for 44-40, but I shoot my 45 a lot more right now.
I have a 44-40 Vaquero. It is not a tack driver, but it is so much fun to load for and shoot.
I have a 44-40 Vaquero. It is not a tack driver, but it is so much fun to load for and shoot.
WrongHanded
Member
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2017
- Messages
- 4,771
These days, it's the .357 Magnum. A controllable level of power in a handy size of gun.
.45Coltguy
Member
.45 Colt. For all the reasons above. Revolver or rifle, doesn't matter.
.308 Norma
Member
I voted .44 Special too, and pretty much for the same exact reasons .38 Special said in his post. I guess it's kind of ironic that I don't actually have a .44 Special right now. As I've said in other posts though, I've had a stainless Ruger Blackhawk "Bisley" .44 Special on order since the middle of December. I'm still hoping.
Edited to add: as an avid handloader, I can load a .44 Special "up" to levels where a cylinder full will make my 75-year-old, tendonitis filled right elbow scold me for a week afterwards. But I can't load my Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 Magnum "down" to make it as small as the Ruger Blackhawk .44 Special I have on order.
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Vern Humphrey
Member
.45 Colt. I have two, a Ruger Blackhawk and a Colt New Service. I tend to run my loads around 1,000 fps with 250-255 grain cast bullets.
J-Bar
Member
Other. .22LR
Wonderfully accurate, absence of recoil and report make it a great choice for new shooters, cheap caliber (relatively) especially for non-reloaders, to learn trigger control and accurate shooting techniques. Every range session begins and ends with a .22.
Some folks must agree because a lot of .22 revolvers get sold.
Wonderfully accurate, absence of recoil and report make it a great choice for new shooters, cheap caliber (relatively) especially for non-reloaders, to learn trigger control and accurate shooting techniques. Every range session begins and ends with a .22.
Some folks must agree because a lot of .22 revolvers get sold.
Pat Riot
Contributing Member
I had to think long and hard on this one. I voted .38 Special, but went back and forth between .45 Colt, .357 Magnum and .38 Special. What it came down to for me is which round I have had the most fun shooting and reloading.
THEN I went back and changed my vote to .45 Colt.
I love .38 Special and .357, but .45 Colt puts a huge grin on my face every time I shoot it.
THEN I went back and changed my vote to .45 Colt.
I love .38 Special and .357, but .45 Colt puts a huge grin on my face every time I shoot it.
Vern Humphrey
Member
I always say there are only 3 useful handgun cartridges:
1. .22LR. Everyone needs a .22 pistol. If you don't know why, ask your mother.
2. .45 ACP for defensive carry -- especially in the pistol that was designed for it, the M1911.
3. .45 Colt, for everything eles.
Honorable mention -- .38 Special in pocket-sized revolvers.
earlthegoat2
Member
Right now 45 Colt.
Might be 44 Mag or 454 Casull or 480!Ruger anytime though.
Might be 44 Mag or 454 Casull or 480!Ruger anytime though.
bangswitch
Member
I chose .357 Magnum, mainly because the most guns in my collection are chambered for it. As for reloading and shooting, it's a toss-up between .41 Magnum and .45 Colt.
In my opinion, the 44 Special was introduced to obsolete the 44 Russian cartridge and the pistols chambered in 44 Russian. Factory velocities were the same, a 246 grain bullet at 770 fps. Based on what I have read, the 44 Russian was the superior target cartridge, with published one hole groups and extremely tight extreme velocity spreads and standard deviations. The ES's and SD's published in print are what I expect for rifle cartridges, not pistol cartridges.
That being said, when reloaded with Unique, I can push a 240 grain bullet easily at 850 fps to 1000 fps, depending on the charge, and the pistol.
I regularly push a 255 lead at 850 fps in the 45 LC, and there are "N frame" appropriate loads that will push the same at 1000 fps.
When handloaded, there is little practical difference between the 44 Special and 45 LColt, and I can't tell a difference in accuracy when the chamber throats of a 45 LC pistol are 0.452". Those older 45 LC's with 0.455 to 0.458" will never shoot well with commercial cast bullets. There is however something fun about shooting a 45 LC, and that has to be why I like it so much.
That being said, when reloaded with Unique, I can push a 240 grain bullet easily at 850 fps to 1000 fps, depending on the charge, and the pistol.
I regularly push a 255 lead at 850 fps in the 45 LC, and there are "N frame" appropriate loads that will push the same at 1000 fps.
When handloaded, there is little practical difference between the 44 Special and 45 LColt, and I can't tell a difference in accuracy when the chamber throats of a 45 LC pistol are 0.452". Those older 45 LC's with 0.455 to 0.458" will never shoot well with commercial cast bullets. There is however something fun about shooting a 45 LC, and that has to be why I like it so much.
rwilky78
Member
I voted 357 Magnum but i'm torn between .38 Special, 357 Mag, and 45 Colt. Have them all and enjoy them equally.
UncleEd
Member
.38 Special, adequate power if not spectacular
and easily controlled by the majority of shooters.
Greatest number of revolver choices (which includes
those which can chamber .357 though one needn't
load .357) with small to medium/large framed
models in an unending variety of weights.
Because of second point, it's the most likely firearm
caliber to be carried in the greatest variety of
scenarios throughout a lifetime.
Reasonable and manageable cost in factory or
hand loading.
Ammo availability usually adequate.
Most likely to serve a shooter from earliest years to
very senior years. See point three.
If this question were for auto calibers, then it would
be the .38's brother, the 9mm. And one might
reasonably expect a .38 shooter to be comfortable
with a 9mm firearm model.
All the other revolver calibers might reasonably be
seen as niche/specialty use for a given time in
life or a situation.
and easily controlled by the majority of shooters.
Greatest number of revolver choices (which includes
those which can chamber .357 though one needn't
load .357) with small to medium/large framed
models in an unending variety of weights.
Because of second point, it's the most likely firearm
caliber to be carried in the greatest variety of
scenarios throughout a lifetime.
Reasonable and manageable cost in factory or
hand loading.
Ammo availability usually adequate.
Most likely to serve a shooter from earliest years to
very senior years. See point three.
If this question were for auto calibers, then it would
be the .38's brother, the 9mm. And one might
reasonably expect a .38 shooter to be comfortable
with a 9mm firearm model.
All the other revolver calibers might reasonably be
seen as niche/specialty use for a given time in
life or a situation.
adcoch1
Member
My first revolver was a 44 mag, and I've never fallen out of love with it... Had several different 44 mags, and lots of other revolver cartridges are useful, but 44 is my love.
Obturation
Member
45 colt is the daddy but 454 is the king. We all know the 460 & 500 are more powerful but the heft of the revolvers capable of firing those cartridges is significantly more.
I would have voted for the 45 colt but I don't agree with "ruger" or "modern" or whatever type loads. That's why 454 exists , it's a safety thing and prevents old classics from becoming imbeded in human flesh by folks who think they know something.
I shoot lots of 45 colt, easily a couple thousand a year but I shoot just as much or more 454. I'm not always doing the full pressure thing but my typical loads are around 44 mag power and I don't have any concern about them finding the wrong chamber .
There is a point where handguns no longer cut it and a rifle is needed , in my opinion that point is the 454 casull. If I need more I'll grab my trusty 45-70 and know that big heavy will do what I need (as long as the need isn't too far away
)
Not much on earth you can't cleanly kill with the 454. Same can be said for others but for me 454 is the most versatile and has such a great selection of bullets and all the power anyone normal will ever need.
I would have voted for the 45 colt but I don't agree with "ruger" or "modern" or whatever type loads. That's why 454 exists , it's a safety thing and prevents old classics from becoming imbeded in human flesh by folks who think they know something.
I shoot lots of 45 colt, easily a couple thousand a year but I shoot just as much or more 454. I'm not always doing the full pressure thing but my typical loads are around 44 mag power and I don't have any concern about them finding the wrong chamber .
There is a point where handguns no longer cut it and a rifle is needed , in my opinion that point is the 454 casull. If I need more I'll grab my trusty 45-70 and know that big heavy will do what I need (as long as the need isn't too far away
)Not much on earth you can't cleanly kill with the 454. Same can be said for others but for me 454 is the most versatile and has such a great selection of bullets and all the power anyone normal will ever need.
Driftwood Johnson
Member
45 Colt.
This is why:
This is why:
.308 Norma
Member
All very good points!
I don't think I've been without at least one .22LR revolver since I was 17 or 18 years old, and that will be 60 years ago in just a few more years. .22LR revolvers are just plane useful AND fun as far as I'm concerned, and I'm not sure I've ever had what you're calling a "range session."
mcb
Member
How do you forget all the rimless cartridges. 380 ACP, 9mm, 38 Super, 40S&W, 10mm, 45 ACP?
Moonclips Rule!
Moonclips Rule!
