what would you consider the 4 most popular pistol/rifle calibers?

[brentn]

used today in north america.


You can only name 4 of each type for each action, pistol and rifle. To keep things a bit more narrow here, if the cartridge was designed for a rifle, its a rifle cartridge even though its used in a pistol. For example, .22LR for a handgun would not be considered a popuar pistol caliber, but a rifle caliber.

So for pistol you can name 4 of the most common rimmed and rimmless pistol calibers it would be

rimmed-pistol
.357 magnum
.44 magnum
.38 special
???

rimless-pistol
9mm luger
45acp
40S&W
???

rimmed-rifle
30-30WCF
45-70 Government
.22LR
???

rimless-rifle
30-06 springfield
.308 winchester
.223 remington
7.62X39 russian

Just a neat idea to try and narrow down the most popular cartridges used today, post up what you think, post up what you disagree with etc. The rules can change, if we can all agree, and then you can go back and edit your post if you want.

Brent

btw, lets try not to argue or discuss cartridge effectiveness, its irrelevant, just keep its popularity in context

 

[1911 guy]

Rifle would be .22 rimfire, .30-"06, .30-30 and .223 with other common rounds following closely

Rimless handguns would be 9mm, .45acp, .40 S&W, .380, other chamberings running hard now due to the expansion in CCW laws driving the pistol market up considerably.

Rimmed handguns would be .38Spcl, .357, with everything else trailing badly.

All my opinion, of course.

 

[lee n. field]

rimmed-pistol
.357 magnum
.44 magnum
.38 special
???

.22LR, of course.

rimmed-rifle
30-30WCF
45-70 Government
.22LR
???

7.62x54

 

[brentn]

Forgot about the mosin ammunition, I agree with that.

 

[ColinthePilot]

Rimmed Pistol:
.357 Mag
.38 Special
.22LR
???
(I don't shoot revolvers)

Non rimmed Pistol:
.380ACP
9mm Luger
.40 S&W
.45ACP

Rimmed Rifle:
.22LR
7.62X54R
???
???

Non Rimmed Rifle
.308
30.06
7.62X39
.223/5.56

 

[benEzra]

Used today?

For rimless rifle, #1 is .223 Remington per industry stats; I would imagine 7.62x39mm is #2 and .308 is #3. Not sure about #4.

 

[mbt2001]

.22LR / 9mm / 38 / 45

(.22) 7.62x39 / .223 / .308 / .30-06

 

[mp510]

rimmed-pistol
.38 special
.357 mag
.44 special
.45 colt

rimless-pistol
9mm luger
45acp
.32 Auto
.25 Auto

rimmed-rifle
.22 LR
.30-30
7.62x54
.303


rimless-rifle
30-06 springfield
.308 winchester
.223 remington
7.62X39 russian

 

[Erik]

Is anyone aware of an industry outlet for the annual production of ammunition by caliber, type, and quantities?

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I'll add a 5th caliber:

.22 LR -- most useful of all.

Rimmed pistol cartridge -- .357 Mag
Rimless pistol cartridge -- .45 ACP

Rimmed rifle cartridge -- .30-30
Rimless rifle cartridge -- .30-06

 

[tradja]

For rimless rifle, #1 is .223 Remington per industry stats

Is there published information about the number of rounds per chambering sold annually in the US? That would be an interesting set of data, especially when examined over time.

It would also very definitively answer the popularity question (well, aside from reloading...)

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Is there published information about the number of rounds per chambering sold annually in the US?

There is data from two sources -- one from ammunition companies, and the other from reloading component manufacturers on the dies they sell.

The interaction between the two is complex -- for example, people who shoot a lot usually don't buy factory ammo, they load their own.

And people who load their own may use the same dies for many years.

 

[batmann]

.44 Mag
.357 Mag
.38 Spl
.45 Col
.45 ACP
9MM
.380
.32 ACP
.30-30
.30/06
.308
.22 LR

 

[tradja]

There is data from two sources -- one from ammunition companies, and the other from reloading component manufacturers on the dies they sell.

Hmmm...is this information published online? At least the factory-ammo numbers?

 

[T.R.]

I don't know much about the populated states like NY and PA or what the hunters there go with most often.

Out here this is what sells the most: (no particular order)

- 30-06
- 270
- 243
- 30-30
- 308
- 7mm Rem. MAG
- 300 Win. MAG
- 223
- 22-250
- 22 LR & 22 MAG

TR

 

[Catherine]

I think that it would be this for the most popular:

22LR - Handgun and Rifle

38Special or 357Magnum - Handgun and Rifle

30-30 - Rifle

(A shotgun caliber? 12 gauge?)

45ACP - Pistol

You only wanted 4 named... what is the correct answer? Is there a list for the MOST popular ones?

~~~~~

When I FIRST started to buy my OWN firearms - I wanted calibers that would work with 2 or more firearms. MOST of them were handguns and a few were rifles.

9mm for my Glock and a rifle that I was debating about down the road.

22LR - several firearms

357Magnum - 38Special Plus P for Two plus more firearms - my own and my late husband's firearms.

45 Colt aka long colt - I do not own a 45ACP firearm. The 45Colt was for my Ruger S/A Revolver and a Lever Action Rifle.

44 Special and 44 Magnum for my S&W Model 29 - gift.

I have a Marlin 336SS now in 30 -30. Lever action! Grin. YOU know that I adore S/A revolvers and lever action rifles!

~~~~~

If you added my husband's calibers it would be 45ACP, 45Colt, 357Magnum, other handgun, rifle and shotgun calibers. My groom aka husband has a nice Bushmaster that I bought for him as a gift so you could add .223 caliber to that too! I think that you need a 45-70 on here too... that nice MARLIN lever action rifle! He owns them too!

Interesting on what the top 4 or 6 would be! You may need the TOP TEN list too! So many choices - so little time! Grin.

Sincerely,

Catherine

 

[Catherine]

Is there a good data source for the answer to this question?

A link or website?

Thanks!

Catherine

 

[TAB]

pistol

22
38/357
9mm
45acp

rifle
22
30-06
270
223


atleat in the us.

 

[possum]

handgun i would say
9mm
.38spl
.45acp
.40

rifle
.223/5.56
.30-06
.308
30-30

 

[freakshow10mm]

38/357
44
454

9
40
45
10mm

223
30-06
308
30-30

 

[Sato Ord]

What I consider to be the most popular calibers are the ones most people use.

What I consider to be the best calibers to own for pistols and long guns is a different matter.

I wont' get into it because it's pretty much the same as any other one-size-fits-all question. There's no such thing and if you ask nine people for their opinion you will most likely get at least ten different answers.

 

[Auburn1992]

Pistol:
-9mm
-45 ACP
-.357 mag
-.38 spl

Rifle:
-30/30
-30-06
-223
-243 (or 308)

 

[Indifferent]

22
223
357
9

12

 

[3rd Generation American]

Anything that goes BANG.
Most fun .22.
What I like is just about all the modern sizes for handguns, 9mm, .38, .357, .40mm, .45, .44mag.
I don't shoot rifles much so ?????????

 

[RP88]

gonna guess here on the most used:

rifle:
30-30
30-06
22LR
.223/5.56
--7.62x39, .270, and .308 as close runner-ups

pistol:
9mm
.40
.45acp
.357 magnum