How and why (your favorite caliber) - Page 2

disseminator · February 17, 2018, 01:09 PM

45 Caliber for me.

lee n. field · February 17, 2018, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MINSH101

How did you come to love your favorite caliber? Why is it your favorite?

This question is asked because we all have a story to tell. I'm curious as to how folks gained exposure to their favorite caliber. Was it the military? Or a family member long gone?

My favorite is the .357 magnum. My uncle Levi was a deputy in Louisiana and one time, in the early to mid 70's, he came to visit my dad. He asked me to grab something from his suitcase and there it was...a beautiful snub nose revolver in .357 magnum. During his visit he emptied it and let me hold it. That began a love affair that I carry to this day. The reason why it's remains my favorite is its stopping power and versatility in ammo selection.

Thanks for sharing

Don't really have a favorite. 9, .40, .45 ACP, I carry them all. Rarely, anymore, .38 Special in a snubby.

moosemike · February 19, 2018, 04:41 PM

9mm Luger

Sevens · February 19, 2018, 07:54 PM

I cannot pick one, but my tale is one of growth... and how I have come to love many.

My formative years were spent reading Jeff Cooper in the late 80's so naturally... I was a card carrying 9mm HATER! Fast forward 30 years and I now own more handguns in 9mm than in any other single chambering. I obviously love it and as a hobbyist handloader, I love that not only are my own loads fantastic in my pistols, but 9mm brass grows on trees and I never have to worry about losing brass that my guns have strewn to hell & back.

.38 Special has always held a special place for me but what is noteworthy is just -HOW- much more I have latched on to this old standby in just the last five years -- let me explain!

My first ever metallic cartridge handloads were .38 Special and I figured I'd always love the round... for 25 years I did and then I got a Coonan Classic and overnight, I had a whole new platform for the round. Shortly after that, I found a lightly used but awe-inspiring custom PPC revolver built on a 1956 S&W K-38. And with that, I had another new place to shoot this old favorite. As if those two additions to my ".38 Special arsenal" weren't enough... at the ripe old age of fortysomething... my world changed forever as I bought my first S&W Model 52. I hate to use an overused line but if you aren't hands-on familiar with a S&W 52 then you may seriously have no real idea of what these pistols are like. In any case, WOW, .38 Special again and again! This past summer I added a Ruger 77/357 for steel plate fun... typically running .357 but had to laugh at finding another way to burn through .38 Special!

Anyway, that's a tale of two favorites and I have more favorites also.

T. O'Heir · February 20, 2018, 02:04 PM

It ain't the cartridge. It's the pistol or revolver.
"..."nine sillymeter"..." Is Cooper. Remember him? The bone head who thought armies would buy into a bolt action rifle with a scope in the wrong place for "scouts" in the age of select fire, 5.56mm, battle rifles.

peterg7 · February 20, 2018, 03:14 PM

I separate favorite cartridge by purpose, for CC definitely .380acp, for everything else handgun .45acp.45Colt

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Brit · February 25, 2018, 03:15 AM

I visited Col. Cooper, on his ranch, a few years ago, my Son was 18, and the same height as Jeff, 6'2"?

Fine Gentleman. He put his arm around my Sons shoulder, just prior to us leaving. "Your Dad is a fine fellow, except for his penchant for that pipsqueak cartridge, the 9mm" I was carrying a Glock 17 at the time.

One thing we did agree on, always shoot twice, the double tap.

johnwilliamson062 · February 25, 2018, 09:23 AM

9mm.
It gets the job done for less money and less hassle(finding) with less recoil and less noise.

lockedcj7 · February 25, 2018, 10:17 AM

I don't have one favorite cartridge but I have favorite gun/cartridge combinations. I love the .45 acp and my favorite launcher is my Remington Rand. I tend to like guns that are big-for-caliber since I have large hands and they're easier to get a grip on.

My stepfather was the only family member I had who was really into handguns and his Ruger Single-six was the gun I got to shoot most. I bought its twin as soon as I was old enough and it's a gun I'll never part with.

SauerGrapes · February 25, 2018, 09:12 PM

I've really become fond of the 38spl. Probably because I like revolvers. 1911 and the 45acp would be my 2nd. Only because I like 1911s'.

Bob Wright · February 25, 2018, 09:44 PM

When I was a youngster I read a lot by Elmer Keith. I had a Colt New Service in .45 Colt, and soon it had been reborn as a .44 Special. By the time I got my custom .44 Special built, the .44 Magnum had been introduced. I made do with the .44 Special until I could get my first .44 Magnum, a Ruger Super Blackhawk.

I had handloaded the .44 Special for a number of years, so I was never intimidated by the .44 Magnum. With the .44 Magnum I began to make shots at distances never before tried with the .44 Special. Its long range power and accuracy sold me on the Magnum and I became enthralled with them. While I still have a great deal of respect for both the .44 Special and .45 Colt, the .44 Magnum Super Blackhawk holds a special place in my heart.

Bob Wright

Trevor · March 14, 2018, 01:56 AM

9mm Luger because it is easy on my hands. Larger calibers hurt too much now. A Glock 17 is great for using the 9x19.

stinkeypete · March 14, 2018, 11:22 AM

No. 1 is .22. I learned to shoot with my grandpa’s H&R .22 Special. These were acquired for the Pennsylvania State Troopers as they were cheaper to practice with than .38s. That’s what I was told fifty years ago, anyhow. We always shot .22 shorts in that gun. My dad let the gun go in his divorce.

Many years later, I found another one and bought it. Now I know why we only shot .22 short... the cylinder doesn’t have a lock up! It just spins close to the barrel and don’t let it spin backwards from it’s advancing direction and it’ll be fine. Sort of.

Then I started shooting in a pistol league. My pistol smith recommended a baikal IZH and that was a great big tack driver. He also made me a custom from a Norinco copy of a TT Olympia. That would be the very last pistol I would ever part with.

Looking for a field pistol for rabbit hunting, I tried a little S&W air light, but it was not a good experience. Even after being returned to the factory to fix the barrel that was on so croooked the sights didn’t have enough travel to compensate for, it just would not group for me. My Norinco grouped better than my 10-22 from sandbags. really.

Light, small, accurate, quiet... yep. .22 for me.

Next choice? .45. .45 cap, .45 Colt, .454 Casull. Heavy, big, accurate, hand held thunder roaring hand cannons.

I guess I like the extremes.

SIGSHR · March 14, 2018, 01:12 PM

At present, 22LR. Cheap ammo, encourage practice which I sure need. Learned to shoot a hand gun firing a 22, Bullseye.
All arounder-357 Magnum. I also like the 41 Magnum despite its limited selection of guns , bullets, etc.

SaxonPig · March 14, 2018, 03:50 PM

I can never name a favorite anything. I like them all. But...maybe the 38 Special for handgun shooting. Powerful enough to feel like I did something when I pulled the trigger but not punishing. Well, except for a small frame alloy revolver.

Hanshi · March 14, 2018, 04:31 PM

Difficult question to answer. So I'll answer with the two calibers I reload most. The .38spl tied with the .45acp. I have more than one .38spl revolver and more than one 1911 chambered for the .45acp. I also have one treasured revolver chambered for the .45acp. I reload both by the thousands, mostly target level loads. Lead bullets rule in both. In the .45acp it's the 200 grain swc. The .45acp reloads run around 800 fps to maybe 850 fps. The hollow base wadcutter or the flat base wadcutter at 700 fps to 730 fps.

Both calibers/reloads are very accurate, gentle on the hands and economical. They work splendidly on small game, targets and tin cans.

In The Ten Ring · March 15, 2018, 06:54 AM

Nothing. Most of my shooting is dry fire.

I don't think I have a favorite caliber.....my defensive armament is spread out from 9mm Parabellum, to .38 Special, to .45 ACP, depending on what time of year and what clothes I'll be wearing.

At one time 6.5 x 55 mm was my hands-down favorite.

Charlie98 · March 15, 2018, 11:22 AM

.41 Magnum

It was the first centerfire pistol I ever shot, and evolved into a 30 year love affair with it and the firearms chambered in it. I probably have more .41's than any other caliber I maintain, including the .22LR. It's a bit challenging... finding components and data to handload, although more components have become available lately, which is nice. It's unusual... it's not a .357 or a .44... and more than once I've been told I must be mistaken, there's no '.41'

Now, if you are talking the pistol itself... I love my big .41 revolvers, but nothing takes the place of a .45 1911.

CastleBravo · March 15, 2018, 12:41 PM

.45 ACP fired from a 5" 1911, 230gr @ 850 fps, give or take.

I just find it satisfying to shoot in a way that nothing else quite is. Thump, thump, thump.

gwpercle · March 15, 2018, 06:50 PM

38 Special !
Decades of NRA Bullseye target shooting and a dedicated model 64 S&W built for Bullseye Shooting by Clark Custom Guns , and mounted with a red dot sight .
2.8 grains of Bullseye powder under a 148 grain cast wadcutter ...Sweet !
Accurate with the nicest trigger pull , shooting tiny groups just puts a smile on my face....just thinking about shooting it makes me smile.
I'm smiling,
Gary

kymasabe · March 15, 2018, 10:50 PM

I've had dozens of handguns over the years, in a multitude of calibers, but I keep coming back to the 9mm. To me, it just feels right. Just enough recoil without having too much, cheap to buy, easy to reload, all around good choice for defense. Yup, 9mm is my #1 favorite. And, .38 special is a close second.

jetinteriorguy · March 16, 2018, 05:12 AM

For me it's also .41 Mag. As a hand loader it's extremely versatile and can go from mild to wild. I've been shooting it for a little over 30 years in my revolvers and also in my Henry BBS for the last couple years. It takes care of business. But, as I get older and my hands are more beat up I'm really loving the .357 Mag just as much and actually shoot it more due to the lesser recoil and its versatility to shoot .38 Special as well. I also have this in a Henry BBS and love it. Funny thing about the Henry's, every time I let my friends a shoot them they fall in love with them and comment on how easy they are to shoot. It's great fun to show up next to all the AR's and semi auto pistols with Levers and revolvers and see people's reactions to my targets. Don't get me wrong, I shoot AR's and semi auto pistols a lot as well but it's nice to have a change of pace from time to time.

Spooky 1 · March 19, 2018, 09:31 AM

For me it would be the 9mm, it was the first caliber in any handgun I shot. It was my dad's and I bugged hem to death to shoot that pistol. It was freakishly accurate with Federal 9BP & 9BPLE in my pop's hands but with me at the age of 8 the only thing I remember what it was so cool to be shooting my dad's pistol. From the age of 8 to around 17 my dad and myself shot the snot outta that Browning, I really wish I had that BHP now. Anyway that is what infected me with the 9mm bug.

Dufus · March 19, 2018, 12:40 PM

I don't really have a favorite as I like them all from 22 LR up to the 500S&W, but I tend to shoot a lot more 22 LR in handguns than the others.

Don Fischer · March 19, 2018, 01:40 PM

My favorite now is my mod 16 32 long. Only shoot cast in it and it is a hoot to shoot. Have a 38/44 and it's a really nice gun only drawback is it's heavy. It to only get's cast bullet's. Not really a handgun crazy guy but the one's I do like, I really like. I cannot imagine being in a situation where I was hunting and ran into some bad thing I had to shoot and throwing down a rifle to use a handgun! :-) I also can't imagine shooting a bunny with a CF rifle other than maybe a Hornet with cast bullet's! One of my handgun's would be the choice for that. Of course if I ran into a man eater of some kind I would not throw down my 32 long and pull out my knife! :-)

February 19, 2018, 04:41 PM	#28
moosemike Senior Member Join Date: July 4, 2009 Location: Lebanon PA Posts: 535	9mm Luger __________________ et cognoscetis veritatem et veritas liberabit vos

February 19, 2018, 07:54 PM	#29
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	I cannot pick one, but my tale is one of growth... and how I have come to love many. My formative years were spent reading Jeff Cooper in the late 80's so naturally... I was a card carrying 9mm HATER! Fast forward 30 years and I now own more handguns in 9mm than in any other single chambering. I obviously love it and as a hobbyist handloader, I love that not only are my own loads fantastic in my pistols, but 9mm brass grows on trees and I never have to worry about losing brass that my guns have strewn to hell & back. .38 Special has always held a special place for me but what is noteworthy is just -HOW- much more I have latched on to this old standby in just the last five years -- let me explain! My first ever metallic cartridge handloads were .38 Special and I figured I'd always love the round... for 25 years I did and then I got a Coonan Classic and overnight, I had a whole new platform for the round. Shortly after that, I found a lightly used but awe-inspiring custom PPC revolver built on a 1956 S&W K-38. And with that, I had another new place to shoot this old favorite. As if those two additions to my ".38 Special arsenal" weren't enough... at the ripe old age of fortysomething... my world changed forever as I bought my first S&W Model 52. I hate to use an overused line but if you aren't hands-on familiar with a S&W 52 then you may seriously have no real idea of what these pistols are like. In any case, WOW, .38 Special again and again! This past summer I added a Ruger 77/357 for steel plate fun... typically running .357 but had to laugh at finding another way to burn through .38 Special! Anyway, that's a tale of two favorites and I have more favorites also. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

February 20, 2018, 02:04 PM	#30
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	It ain't the cartridge. It's the pistol or revolver. "..."nine sillymeter"..." Is Cooper. Remember him? The bone head who thought armies would buy into a bolt action rifle with a scope in the wrong place for "scouts" in the age of select fire, 5.56mm, battle rifles. __________________ Spelling and grammar count!

February 25, 2018, 10:17 AM	#34
lockedcj7 Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2007 Posts: 1,215	I don't have one favorite cartridge but I have favorite gun/cartridge combinations. I love the .45 acp and my favorite launcher is my Remington Rand. I tend to like guns that are big-for-caliber since I have large hands and they're easier to get a grip on. My stepfather was the only family member I had who was really into handguns and his Ruger Single-six was the gun I got to shoot most. I bought its twin as soon as I was old enough and it's a gun I'll never part with. __________________ To a much greater extent than most mechanical devices, firearms are terribly unforgiving of any overconfidence, complacency or negligence.

February 25, 2018, 09:12 PM	#35
SauerGrapes Senior Member Join Date: March 22, 2009 Location: S.E.PA. Posts: 920	I've really become fond of the 38spl. Probably because I like revolvers. 1911 and the 45acp would be my 2nd. Only because I like 1911s'. __________________ NRA member, DCF&S member, PAFOA member, USPSA member, NSCA member R.I.P.____Murphy

February 17, 2018, 01:09 PM	#26
disseminator Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 2016 Location: Minnesota Posts: 960	45 Caliber for me.

February 20, 2018, 03:14 PM	#31
peterg7 Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2017 Posts: 316	I separate favorite cartridge by purpose, for CC definitely .380acp, for everything else handgun .45acp.45Colt Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

February 25, 2018, 03:15 AM	#32
Brit Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2005 Location: Orlando FL Posts: 1,934	I visited Col. Cooper, on his ranch, a few years ago, my Son was 18, and the same height as Jeff, 6'2"? Fine Gentleman. He put his arm around my Sons shoulder, just prior to us leaving. "Your Dad is a fine fellow, except for his penchant for that pipsqueak cartridge, the 9mm" I was carrying a Glock 17 at the time. One thing we did agree on, always shoot twice, the double tap.

February 25, 2018, 09:23 AM	#33
johnwilliamson062 Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2008 Posts: 9,995	9mm. It gets the job done for less money and less hassle(finding) with less recoil and less noise.

February 25, 2018, 09:44 PM	#36
Bob Wright Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2012 Location: Memphis, Tennessee Posts: 2,989	When I was a youngster I read a lot by Elmer Keith. I had a Colt New Service in .45 Colt, and soon it had been reborn as a .44 Special. By the time I got my custom .44 Special built, the .44 Magnum had been introduced. I made do with the .44 Special until I could get my first .44 Magnum, a Ruger Super Blackhawk. I had handloaded the .44 Special for a number of years, so I was never intimidated by the .44 Magnum. With the .44 Magnum I began to make shots at distances never before tried with the .44 Special. Its long range power and accuracy sold me on the Magnum and I became enthralled with them. While I still have a great deal of respect for both the .44 Special and .45 Colt, the .44 Magnum Super Blackhawk holds a special place in my heart. Bob Wright __________________ Time spent at the reloading bench is an investment in contentment.

March 14, 2018, 01:56 AM	#37
Trevor Senior Member Join Date: February 6, 1999 Posts: 384	9mm Luger because it is easy on my hands. Larger calibers hurt too much now. A Glock 17 is great for using the 9x19.

March 14, 2018, 11:22 AM	#38
stinkeypete Senior Member Join Date: July 22, 2010 Location: Madison, Wisconsin Posts: 1,292	No. 1 is .22. I learned to shoot with my grandpa’s H&R .22 Special. These were acquired for the Pennsylvania State Troopers as they were cheaper to practice with than .38s. That’s what I was told fifty years ago, anyhow. We always shot .22 shorts in that gun. My dad let the gun go in his divorce. Many years later, I found another one and bought it. Now I know why we only shot .22 short... the cylinder doesn’t have a lock up! It just spins close to the barrel and don’t let it spin backwards from it’s advancing direction and it’ll be fine. Sort of. Then I started shooting in a pistol league. My pistol smith recommended a baikal IZH and that was a great big tack driver. He also made me a custom from a Norinco copy of a TT Olympia. That would be the very last pistol I would ever part with. Looking for a field pistol for rabbit hunting, I tried a little S&W air light, but it was not a good experience. Even after being returned to the factory to fix the barrel that was on so croooked the sights didn’t have enough travel to compensate for, it just would not group for me. My Norinco grouped better than my 10-22 from sandbags. really. Light, small, accurate, quiet... yep. .22 for me. Next choice? .45. .45 cap, .45 Colt, .454 Casull. Heavy, big, accurate, hand held thunder roaring hand cannons. I guess I like the extremes.

March 14, 2018, 01:12 PM	#39
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 4,700	At present, 22LR. Cheap ammo, encourage practice which I sure need. Learned to shoot a hand gun firing a 22, Bullseye. All arounder-357 Magnum. I also like the 41 Magnum despite its limited selection of guns , bullets, etc.

March 14, 2018, 03:50 PM	#40
SaxonPig Senior Member Join Date: April 24, 2006 Posts: 1,900	I can never name a favorite anything. I like them all. But...maybe the 38 Special for handgun shooting. Powerful enough to feel like I did something when I pulled the trigger but not punishing. Well, except for a small frame alloy revolver.

March 14, 2018, 04:31 PM	#41
Hanshi Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2017 Posts: 239	Difficult question to answer. So I'll answer with the two calibers I reload most. The .38spl tied with the .45acp. I have more than one .38spl revolver and more than one 1911 chambered for the .45acp. I also have one treasured revolver chambered for the .45acp. I reload both by the thousands, mostly target level loads. Lead bullets rule in both. In the .45acp it's the 200 grain swc. The .45acp reloads run around 800 fps to maybe 850 fps. The hollow base wadcutter or the flat base wadcutter at 700 fps to 730 fps. Both calibers/reloads are very accurate, gentle on the hands and economical. They work splendidly on small game, targets and tin cans. __________________ Young guys should hang out with old guys; old guys know stuff.

March 15, 2018, 06:54 AM	#42
In The Ten Ring Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2018 Posts: 380	Nothing. Most of my shooting is dry fire. I don't think I have a favorite caliber.....my defensive armament is spread out from 9mm Parabellum, to .38 Special, to .45 ACP, depending on what time of year and what clothes I'll be wearing. At one time 6.5 x 55 mm was my hands-down favorite.

March 15, 2018, 11:22 AM	#43
Charlie98 Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2006 Location: Great state of Texas Posts: 1,077	.41 Magnum It was the first centerfire pistol I ever shot, and evolved into a 30 year love affair with it and the firearms chambered in it. I probably have more .41's than any other caliber I maintain, including the .22LR. It's a bit challenging... finding components and data to handload, although more components have become available lately, which is nice. It's unusual... it's not a .357 or a .44... and more than once I've been told I must be mistaken, there's no '.41' Now, if you are talking the pistol itself... I love my big .41 revolvers, but nothing takes the place of a .45 1911. __________________ _______________ "I have this pistol pointed at your heart!" "That is my least vulnerable spot."

March 15, 2018, 12:41 PM	#44
CastleBravo Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 1999 Posts: 2,144	.45 ACP fired from a 5" 1911, 230gr @ 850 fps, give or take. I just find it satisfying to shoot in a way that nothing else quite is. Thump, thump, thump.

March 15, 2018, 06:50 PM	#45
gwpercle Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2012 Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Posts: 1,752	38 Special ! Decades of NRA Bullseye target shooting and a dedicated model 64 S&W built for Bullseye Shooting by Clark Custom Guns , and mounted with a red dot sight . 2.8 grains of Bullseye powder under a 148 grain cast wadcutter ...Sweet ! Accurate with the nicest trigger pull , shooting tiny groups just puts a smile on my face....just thinking about shooting it makes me smile. I'm smiling, Gary

March 15, 2018, 10:50 PM	#46
kymasabe Senior Member Join Date: June 10, 2005 Location: SW Florida Posts: 2,747	I've had dozens of handguns over the years, in a multitude of calibers, but I keep coming back to the 9mm. To me, it just feels right. Just enough recoil without having too much, cheap to buy, easy to reload, all around good choice for defense. Yup, 9mm is my #1 favorite. And, .38 special is a close second. __________________ God's creatures big and small, eat them one, eat them all.

March 16, 2018, 05:12 AM	#47
jetinteriorguy Senior Member Join Date: April 28, 2013 Posts: 3,172	For me it's also .41 Mag. As a hand loader it's extremely versatile and can go from mild to wild. I've been shooting it for a little over 30 years in my revolvers and also in my Henry BBS for the last couple years. It takes care of business. But, as I get older and my hands are more beat up I'm really loving the .357 Mag just as much and actually shoot it more due to the lesser recoil and its versatility to shoot .38 Special as well. I also have this in a Henry BBS and love it. Funny thing about the Henry's, every time I let my friends a shoot them they fall in love with them and comment on how easy they are to shoot. It's great fun to show up next to all the AR's and semi auto pistols with Levers and revolvers and see people's reactions to my targets. Don't get me wrong, I shoot AR's and semi auto pistols a lot as well but it's nice to have a change of pace from time to time.

March 19, 2018, 09:31 AM	#48
Spooky 1 Junior Member Join Date: March 18, 2018 Location: Eastern North Carolina Posts: 6	For me it would be the 9mm, it was the first caliber in any handgun I shot. It was my dad's and I bugged hem to death to shoot that pistol. It was freakishly accurate with Federal 9BP & 9BPLE in my pop's hands but with me at the age of 8 the only thing I remember what it was so cool to be shooting my dad's pistol. From the age of 8 to around 17 my dad and myself shot the snot outta that Browning, I really wish I had that BHP now. Anyway that is what infected me with the 9mm bug.

March 19, 2018, 12:40 PM	#49
Dufus Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2014 Posts: 1,965	I don't really have a favorite as I like them all from 22 LR up to the 500S&W, but I tend to shoot a lot more 22 LR in handguns than the others.

March 19, 2018, 01:40 PM	#50
Don Fischer Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2017 Posts: 1,868	My favorite now is my mod 16 32 long. Only shoot cast in it and it is a hoot to shoot. Have a 38/44 and it's a really nice gun only drawback is it's heavy. It to only get's cast bullet's. Not really a handgun crazy guy but the one's I do like, I really like. I cannot imagine being in a situation where I was hunting and ran into some bad thing I had to shoot and throwing down a rifle to use a handgun! :-) I also can't imagine shooting a bunny with a CF rifle other than maybe a Hornet with cast bullet's! One of my handgun's would be the choice for that. Of course if I ran into a man eater of some kind I would not throw down my 32 long and pull out my knife! :-)