Too many handgun calibers
- Thread starter UncleEd
- Start date
KevininPa
Member
KevininPa
Member
I'm sensing a joke here.
Vern Humphrey
Member
.22 grain? That's an awfully small bullet!!
LimaCharlie
Member.
I soundly reject the concept of "to many handgun calibers"!
Vern Humphrey
Member
Well, I'm a crochety, opinionated old bastard, and in my not-so-humble opinion, we could get along with just three handgun cartridges:
1. .22 Long Rifle. Everyone needs a .22 pistol. If you don't know why, ask your mother -- she'll tell you.
2. .45 ACP for self defense -- especially in the pistol that was designed for that cartridge, the M1911.
3. .45 Colt for general woods use and hunting game like deer.
Tcruse
Member
.380 is more useful to the civilian market than .40S&W.
I would drop all of the revolver ammo, but for me the revolver is not nearly as useful as the semi-automatic handguns.
For me the list would be: .380ACP (90g), 9mm (115,124g), .45ACP (230g)
For Long guns: 410, 20g, 12g, .223, .308
aaaaa
Member
I think we could live with that, but I do like .38 Special and .32 ACP too.
Vern Humphrey
Member
Well, if you have to carry a snubbie revolver, then .38 Special is the way to go. (Those who disagree are invited to buy the lightest, most concealable .357 then can find and shoot a whole box of full-charge .357s in a single session.)
Your post made me think of the small town I grew up in. We had one outdoor store in town and two auto parts chains that sold firearms and ammo. Fifty years ago there, practically every handgun for sale was some type of revolver, mostly 4 inch and 2 inch .38 specials, with a few .357s here and there. Rugers, Rossi's, Llamas, H&R, Smith and Wessons, and a few Colts, mostly Pythons, Troopers, and Detective Specials. There were a few inexpensive .25 autos and a few single-actions, mostly inexpensive imported .22s. Occasionally, I remember seeing a Colt or Llama .45 semi-auto here and there but ammunition always seemed to be higher for those than anything else. (I remember one Good Old Boy asking a man behind the counter if he'd have to "take out a loan to go shoot it much".) Looking back, I don't ever recall seeing one single 9mm for sale.
Forget ever seeing a .41 or .44 Magnum in my town, either. The Dirty Harry movies must have made demand high for them. I don't remember any Smith M29s or Ruger Super Blackhawks back then.
Pistol ammo? What'll it be? .38 or .357? You could find 9mm and .45 ACP ammo in one flavor only: traditional ball ammo. There might be one box of .41 mag here and there, a few 240 grain .44 mags, and some .25 ACP and.45 Colt in certain stores, not others. But it seemed like .38 was always there, everywhere: Lead Round Nose and 110 grain hollow points, even .38 S&W. Of course, there was always plenty of .22LR.
In the world I grew up in, your company would've been "right at home"!
Forget ever seeing a .41 or .44 Magnum in my town, either. The Dirty Harry movies must have made demand high for them. I don't remember any Smith M29s or Ruger Super Blackhawks back then.
Pistol ammo? What'll it be? .38 or .357? You could find 9mm and .45 ACP ammo in one flavor only: traditional ball ammo. There might be one box of .41 mag here and there, a few 240 grain .44 mags, and some .25 ACP and.45 Colt in certain stores, not others. But it seemed like .38 was always there, everywhere: Lead Round Nose and 110 grain hollow points, even .38 S&W. Of course, there was always plenty of .22LR.
In the world I grew up in, your company would've been "right at home"!
Brubz
Member
I just think it's funny that some guys here thought UncleEd was serious. Hey I've got some National Monuments I will sell you cheap. I have a great deal on the Grand Canyon on sale now!
Well ok, but I'm not thrilled about the location. What would you take to move it to California?
Brubz
Member
Sorry but the Grand Canyon doesn't meet California's environmental regulationsWell ok, but I'm not thrilled about the location. What would you take to move it to California?
Nope. Has to be 95 grain.
I will say I only shoot FMJ in my LCP, because JHP has a bit of a snag when chambering. I can actually feel the bullet hit the feed ramp.
Vern Humphrey
Member
You don't have enough. NOBODY has enough! Everybody put together doesn't have enough!Well ok, but I'm not thrilled about the location. What would you take to move it to California?
I'll stay in the Ozarks, thank you!
Necessary_Nutrient
Member
Don't need 9MM and .45 when 40 exists.
I'd say keep .44 Mag and add .480 Rug/460/500/454 for the big jobs. Can always run 44 special.
I'd say keep .44 Mag and add .480 Rug/460/500/454 for the big jobs. Can always run 44 special.
I, the anachronism, shoot far more revolvers than autos. Therefore, I proclaim myself president of the other six of my ilk and require the addition of 44 special, 38 S&W 200 lrn, and 45 Colt 255 SWC.
Otherwise we, all seven of us, will protest outside your manufacturing tiny garage.
Otherwise we, all seven of us, will protest outside your manufacturing tiny garage.
Vern Humphrey
Member
The Army adopted the 9mm about the time I retired. I was at Benning, and asked why? "Well, it's more modern."
When the Germans adopt the 9mm and when did the US adopt the .45?
Answer, 1908 and 1911.
When the Germans adopt the 9mm and when did the US adopt the .45?
Answer, 1908 and 1911.
Archie
Member
After all the reasoning the U. S. (not specifically the Army) adopted the 9x19mm round to comply with NATO compatibility requirements. This way, all of NATO uses the same ammunition in their handguns.
Has anyone else noticed NATO seems to be fading?
Has anyone else noticed NATO seems to be fading?
Necessary_Nutrient
Member
NATO is arming and funding a massively kinetic- and manifestly Justified- proxy war with the membership in near-lockstep so, I'd say, no.
As far as the 9mm being more modern, this is definitely the case with the M9 vs the 1911 and who doesn't like to be able to carry nearly twice the ammunition for the same weight? In that manner, it's similar to the .308/30.06 vs 5.56 with the exception that 9mm isn't underpowered compared to .45 when loaded to NATO specs.
As far as the 9mm being more modern, this is definitely the case with the M9 vs the 1911 and who doesn't like to be able to carry nearly twice the ammunition for the same weight? In that manner, it's similar to the .308/30.06 vs 5.56 with the exception that 9mm isn't underpowered compared to .45 when loaded to NATO specs.
Vern Humphrey
Member
[QUOTE="Necessary_Nutrient, post: 12602142, member: 266671 Who who doesn't like to be able to carry nearly twice the ammunition for the same weight? In that manner, it's similar to the .308/30.06 vs 5.56 with the exception that 9mm isn't underpowered compared to .45 when loaded to NATO specs.[/QUOTE]
So why not go to the .22 short for our service handgun?
So why not go to the .22 short for our service handgun?
TacticalJanitor
Member
You should've named the company Primary Edc Weapon Supply. I'd invest in PEWS.
There's a NATO spec load for .22 short?
Last edited:
Vern Humphrey
Member
There's a NATO spec load for .22 short?[/QUOTE]
Almost certainly -- it's used in International competition, isn't? And military forces sponsor firearms competitions.
But NATO spec is irrelevant -- it's effectiveness that counts.
Imagine a downed airman. What's he going to use his handgun for?
1. Signaling -- the .45 ACP will launch a bigger flare or tracer.
2. Hunting -- whatever he can find. The .45 ACP is a more effective shot round.
