Top 5 Handgun Cartridges

[Baba Louie]

Based on what I buy the most of and shoot the most in order highest to lowest:

.22 lr. By far my favorite and gets the most use
9mm. Relatively inexpensive to shoot, lots of choices good for HD, plinking, etc
.45 acp. I can't help but love this round and things that make it go bang.
.38 spl. I probably shoot 3X as much .38 as .357

The last selection is a tie between:
.45 Colt and .44spl/mag... probably due to the fact I own fewer of these two caliber handguns than the others... maybe only a half dozen or so combined... but it always puts a big caliber smile on the face to launch a few rounds downrange.

 

[lev83]

45 ACP
357 MAG
38 SPCL
44 MAG
22 LR

 

[Roadwild17]

.22lr
9mm
.45
.357mag/.38spl sombo
.44mag

 

[22-rimfire]

22LR, 357 mag, 40 S&W, 41 mag, 38spl; pretty much in the order of what I shoot the most.

 

[Working Man]

Looks like the .45 ACP is in all but 5. Those that just said 45 I'm counting as ACP.

Mine are 9mm, .40, .357, .45 ACP, .44 Mag. I shoot these the most and have
2 or more firearms chambered for them.

 

[hatterasurf]

1) .357/.38sp
2) 9mm
3) .45 ACP
4) .44 Mag
5) 5.7mm

 

[Nasty Jack]

I have a nice Smith Mod. 10 in 38 Spl. NOT chambered for .357 mag and so I got it cheap because the shop couldn't move a 38 Spl. 4" bbl. ported, trigger worked. It was somebody's IPSC gun.

Anyway, 38 Spl is easy to reload. No caliper needed. It's all eyeball. Lazer-Cast lead SWC in 158 gr. Hodgdon HS6. "Fun gun" and "plinker" -- but with +P ammo and JPH it serves for carry.

I've owned several 22 ca. I can't warm up to them. Match pistol, Ruger 10/22, even a Win. match grade target rifle. No poop, no noise, no recoil . . . which is half why I shoot.

I pretty much agree with the orig. list at the top:

38/357 -- one gun for that cal. I have several.

9mm -- NATO. Cheap ammo, and a couple Uzi carbines/pistols. I don't reload 9mm ammo. Too fussy.

44 Mag. -- I've seen 44 Spl brass, but never reloaded any.

45 ACP -- If it's loaded right. I like 185 gr. Rem. JHP loaded +P w/ Hodgdon HS6, but I load LRN and generic hardball 230 gr. is good too.

Skip over 380 ACP, but I'd add 32 ACP for a pocket carry.

 

[tnieto2004]

9mm (CHEAP AND FUN!)
.40 CAL
.38 special
.380 auto
.22lr