Top 5 Handgun Cartridges

[gwalchmai]

What's your pick?

(No particular order)

.45 ACP
.38 Special
9mm Luger
.44 Magnum
.357 Magnum

Then again, that pretty much covers everything...

 

[Richard]

Lets see what I come up with and why. I am better off dealing with handguns and then calibers. My first love is an N frame 44; I would opt for a 4" S&W Model 29-2 and be able to shoot 44 Specials and 44 Magnums. My second love is a 4" S&W K frame; with this handgun I will be able to shoot 38 Specials and 357 Magnums. I cannot live without a 1911; my choice of caliber is 45acp and I would have a second 10mm slide fitted to it. I also love Browning High-Powers (BHP) and the BHP would be a 9mm version. My last handgun would be a 4" Ruger Standard Model.

After all this, my choices are the 44 Magnum, 357 Magnum, 45acp, 9mm, and 22LR. These five handguns would cover just about all my needs; the bonus rounds are the ones I love to shoot.

1)44 Magnum
2)357 Magnum
3)45acp
4)9mm
5)22LR



Regards,

Richard

 

[Ala Dan]

In Order

.45 ACP
.22 LR
.38 Special
9m/m Parabellum
.357 Magnum

 

[obxned]

The .45, 9mm, 38/357, and .22 have to be on the list.

The final one would be either .44 mag, .25, or.380.

 

[VARifleman]

9mm, .45, .22, .38, .357

 

[RevolvingCylinder]

.38spl/.44mag
.44spl/.44mag
.45 Colt
.45 ACP
9mm Luger

 

[1BLINDREF]

(1) .45acp
(2) 9mm
(3) .357 mag
(4) .40s&w
(5) .22LR
Let the .40s&w flamming begin

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

I would add the .40 S&W, but that would be six cartridges. It's not my favorite, but its popularity is undeniable.

 

[DMK]

From what I've seen shot around here (the first two being way ahead of the others):

9mm
45ACP
38 special
.40S&W
357 Magnum

Actually 22LR would beat them all by a long shot, but it's not a handgun round (twenty two long rifle).

 

[alucard0822]

.45acp 1911
.357mag 686
.38super 1911
.44mag 629
9mm M9

A good smith or a good 1911 are the true definition of perfection in a handgun, the M9 is constantly being bashed, but It's a good reliable shooter fairly accurate and always fun to shoot

 

[MachIVshooter]

Top 5 for what? Hunting? Defense? Plinking? Competitive shooting?

That's like asking top 5 automobiles without listing categories. A Ferrari is great for triple digit sprints on winding roads, but pretty useless for transporting a stack of lumber or getting the kids to school.

 

[SDC]

I'd say: 22 LR, 9mm, 45 Auto, 357 Mag, and 44 Mag.

 

[Geno]

I would say that SDC is right.

.22 LR
9mm Luger
.45 ACP
.357 Mag.
.44 Mag.

 

[ReadyontheRight]

In order:

.22lr
.45acp
.357 magnum
.44 magnum
.45acp again

 

[bakert]

I think for most people the top 5 best choice(s) would be these;
.22 LR, .38 Sp, 9MM, .357 mag, 45 ACP.
Regardless of what the more macho types tell you, the .44 mag is too much gun for many people, especially new shooters although I like it personally for many uses. I also favor the .45 Colt myself but it is not a good choice for everyone being in my opinion more of a handloader's caliber and loaded heavy in the right gun(s) can be a real stomper too.

 

[Black Majik]

Hmm.... what comes in a WWB Value pack? The most popular handgun rounds.

9mm
40 S&W
45 acp
.38 spl
.380 acp

 

[c1ogden]

Top 5

I'll go with .22, .38, .357, 9mm, .45. That covers all the bases. They are all widely available and available in many different loadings.

 

[cookekdjr]

My top five. YMMV, that's ok, this is my list:

1. 9mm. I hated this cartridge b/c of its poor performance with crappy ammo. But many of the best pistols you can buy are designed for this round, and there are hundreds of loadings for this round, from .380 power up to .357 SIG.

2. .380. Yeah, I know, its a wimpy round. But let's not forget who invented it (rhymes with "Browning"). Anyway, I love my SIG p232 and without this round that gun would not exist. There are a number of other nice defensive guns in this caliber, too. I just like it.

3. .45 ACP. 1911. SIG p220. Need I say more?

4. .40 S&W. Yeah, its recoil is snappy. But every new gun that's worth anything is chambered in this round. Why? B/c its one of the best manstoppers in history. Doesn't look great on paper, but it gets the job done as well as any cartridge there is.

5. 22lr. Shoot all day for $10. World-class accuracy. Great small-game gun.

Honorable mentions: .357, .38, and .44 special. The .357/.38 revovler is the most versatile chambering ever. A generation ago I would rank it #1. The .44 special; let's just say a shoot shooter that makes a big hole gets high marks from me any day.
-David

 

[Okiecruffler]

1. 357 mag
2. 22 LR
3. 45 acp
4. 308 winchester
5. 223 winchester
You didn't say "what" kinda of handgun

 

[Old 112]

My Top 5

45LC
45ACP
38spl

I know that is only 3. Mabe the 22 for practice and such. Old 112

 

[Checkman]

In no particular order.

.357 magnum
.45 acp
9mm Parabellum
.38 Special
.22 Long Rifle

 

[Redneck with a 40]

1) 40 S&W
2) 9mm
3) 45 ACP
4) 357 magnum
5) 44 magnum

 

[salthouse]

44 Mag
45 ACP
17 HMR
44 SPL
9mm

Gotta luv 17HMR!

 

[kjeff50cal]

From the view behind the gun counter:

.22lr
9mm
.38/.357 (I fudged )
.45 ACP
.40 S&W

 

[Smith357]

Top 6

.357 Magnum one in each chamber.