Caliber preference: Do you find yourself liking larger or smaller calibers? - Page 2

B.L.E. · December 6, 2012, 10:51 PM

Small bores, you can shoot them all day without feeling like you were in a saloon brawl afterwards.
And, you still have most of your money.

johnwilliamson062 · December 7, 2012, 12:09 AM

Smaller faster. Much easier to shoot so accuracy goes up a bit.

jmortimer · December 7, 2012, 12:30 AM

"You like little freight trains?"

yes, if they weigh 500 to 700 plus grains and are traveling from 1,000 to 1,200 fps and are .730 caliber +/-

Buzzcook · December 7, 2012, 12:32 AM

In handguns I like big slow bullets. 250/230gr .45colt/acp at about 850fps.

For hunting if it's legal to hunt with and doesn't make me go ouch, it's fine.

Over all though I have a great fondness for .22lr.

Single Six · December 7, 2012, 01:55 AM

For cheap, monthly practice: .22 LR. For SD/HD: I'm partial to the .45 [sometimes ACP, sometimes Colt]. I do on occasion switch to a .357 revolver for those duties, but by and large....well, I'll take a "large".

couillon · December 7, 2012, 03:20 AM

The older I get the more I like smaller calibers and less recoil. Down to a 6.5x55 for deer hunting now. And I have myself looking at lighter weight rifles that I currently have as well.

**Bud Helms** · December 7, 2012, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Magnumitis is rampant.

No more than laseritis.

Strafer Gott · December 7, 2012, 10:57 AM

It seems I have this thing for 255 gr RNFP. 44 Colt, 45 colt, whatever. I even like them in rifle, and I cherish my infamous Taurus pump tomato stake in .45 Colt.

hogdogs · December 7, 2012, 11:10 AM

I do not own anything I feel is too punishing to shoot all day during practice and proficiency drills...

I am so glad we have had smart folks in the gun industry that have never failed to provide me with a platform and round that is comfortable enough to shoot a bunch yet lethal enough for the task I will use it on...

I settled into .22lr (obviously) for my rimfire...
20 gauge satisfies my shotgun uses...

When I fill my need for a "small" centerfire it will be a .223 or .243...

The last need I will fill is "large" centerfire and it will be a .30-06 on a fairly heavy platform to mitigate what I consider nearly excessive recoil potential (ever shot a .30-06 in a lightweight single shot configuration

)

The proliferation of the .40 auto cartridge had me just giddy... A little bigger than the 9mm which I considered just barely big enough and a little smaller than the .45acp which few argue is plenty big but size limits capacity...

Brent

Warrior1256 · December 7, 2012, 11:15 AM

For CC I carry the largest caliber that I can effectively conceal.

thelonelychild · December 7, 2012, 12:05 PM

I guess i belive in smaller because i think people get this mindset that they need huge guns to take down animals or people when reality is a semi automatic .22 lr can easily take down your average intruder with a few shots to center mass just my 2 cents

Rifleman1952 · December 8, 2012, 07:56 AM

.17 HMR for groundhogs and rifled slugs for deer. It just depends on the situation. I like them all; have never been an "either/or" guy. If finances and my wife would allow it, I would have many more firearms in various calibers than I possesses now. I love to shoot my S&W M&P 22lr pistol, but would also love to have a .44 magnum in my collection. When it comes to firearms, diversity is a beautiful thing.

Sparks1957 · December 8, 2012, 08:34 AM

Years ago, I liked revolvers and lots of recoil... so I gravitated toward S&W revolvers in .357mag and .44mag.

These days, I prefer less recoil and semiautos... so I own .380acp, 9mm, and .45acp pistols.... more comfortable for me to shoot.

Pond, James Pond · December 8, 2012, 02:01 PM

My two favourites are poles apart:
.22LR and .44Mag!!

Old Grump · December 8, 2012, 02:55 PM

Quote:

My two favourites are poles apart:
.22LR and .44Mag!!

And for rifles there is 22LR to .348
And for shotguns there is .410 to 10 gauge

Love them all but 22 still gets shot the most.

Conn. Trooper · December 8, 2012, 03:28 PM

When ammo prices go up, I love my 9mm.

Since I just got issued a new .45, I have been buying that lately. Ouch, expensive to shoot.

Double J · December 12, 2012, 10:09 AM

For deer I use the .54 because I can't afford to let a wounded deer hop a fence and get onto ground that's off limits. Nothing worse than seeing your prize laying ten feet away an can't go get it.
But for general use, I prefer the less kicking calibers like the .222 Rem.,.223 Rem, or the .30-30 Win.

December 7, 2012, 01:55 AM	#30
Single Six Senior Member Join Date: January 31, 2010 Location: N.C. Posts: 1,522	For cheap, monthly practice: .22 LR. For SD/HD: I'm partial to the .45 [sometimes ACP, sometimes Colt]. I do on occasion switch to a .357 revolver for those duties, but by and large....well, I'll take a "large". __________________ Seen on a bumper sticker: "Exercise. Eat right. Take vitamins. Die anyway."

December 7, 2012, 11:10 AM	#34
hogdogs Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 31, 2007 Location: Western Florida panhandle Posts: 11,069	I do not own anything I feel is too punishing to shoot all day during practice and proficiency drills... I am so glad we have had smart folks in the gun industry that have never failed to provide me with a platform and round that is comfortable enough to shoot a bunch yet lethal enough for the task I will use it on... I settled into .22lr (obviously) for my rimfire... 20 gauge satisfies my shotgun uses... When I fill my need for a "small" centerfire it will be a .223 or .243... The last need I will fill is "large" centerfire and it will be a .30-06 on a fairly heavy platform to mitigate what I consider nearly excessive recoil potential (ever shot a .30-06 in a lightweight single shot configuration) The proliferation of the .40 auto cartridge had me just giddy... A little bigger than the 9mm which I considered just barely big enough and a little smaller than the .45acp which few argue is plenty big but size limits capacity... Brent

December 8, 2012, 02:01 PM	#39
Pond, James Pond Senior Member Join Date: July 12, 2011 Location: Top of the Baltic stack Posts: 6,079	My two favourites are poles apart: .22LR and .44Mag!! __________________ When the right to effective self-defence is denied, that right to self-defence which remains is essentially symbolic. Freedom: Please enjoy responsibly.

December 6, 2012, 10:51 PM	#26
B.L.E. Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2008 Location: Somewhere on the Southern shore of Lake Travis, TX Posts: 2,603	Small bores, you can shoot them all day without feeling like you were in a saloon brawl afterwards. And, you still have most of your money.

December 7, 2012, 12:09 AM	#27
johnwilliamson062 Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2008 Posts: 9,995	Smaller faster. Much easier to shoot so accuracy goes up a bit.

December 7, 2012, 12:30 AM	#28
jmortimer Junior member Join Date: January 24, 2010 Location: South West Riverside County California Posts: 2,763	"You like little freight trains?" yes, if they weigh 500 to 700 plus grains and are traveling from 1,000 to 1,200 fps and are .730 caliber +/-

December 7, 2012, 12:32 AM	#29
Buzzcook Senior Member Join Date: November 29, 2007 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 6,126	In handguns I like big slow bullets. 250/230gr .45colt/acp at about 850fps. For hunting if it's legal to hunt with and doesn't make me go ouch, it's fine. Over all though I have a great fondness for .22lr.

December 7, 2012, 03:20 AM	#31
couillon Member Join Date: August 3, 2012 Posts: 58	The older I get the more I like smaller calibers and less recoil. Down to a 6.5x55 for deer hunting now. And I have myself looking at lighter weight rifles that I currently have as well.

December 7, 2012, 10:57 AM	#33
Strafer Gott Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2011 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,315	It seems I have this thing for 255 gr RNFP. 44 Colt, 45 colt, whatever. I even like them in rifle, and I cherish my infamous Taurus pump tomato stake in .45 Colt.

December 7, 2012, 11:15 AM	#35
Warrior1256 Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2012 Location: Louisville, Ky. Posts: 156	For CC I carry the largest caliber that I can effectively conceal.

December 7, 2012, 12:05 PM	#36
thelonelychild Junior Member Join Date: November 2, 2012 Location: pa Posts: 11	I guess i belive in smaller because i think people get this mindset that they need huge guns to take down animals or people when reality is a semi automatic .22 lr can easily take down your average intruder with a few shots to center mass just my 2 cents

December 8, 2012, 07:56 AM	#37
Rifleman1952 Senior Member Join Date: September 1, 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 284	.17 HMR for groundhogs and rifled slugs for deer. It just depends on the situation. I like them all; have never been an "either/or" guy. If finances and my wife would allow it, I would have many more firearms in various calibers than I possesses now. I love to shoot my S&W M&P 22lr pistol, but would also love to have a .44 magnum in my collection. When it comes to firearms, diversity is a beautiful thing.

December 8, 2012, 08:34 AM	#38
Sparks1957 Senior Member Join Date: September 4, 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 1,552	Years ago, I liked revolvers and lots of recoil... so I gravitated toward S&W revolvers in .357mag and .44mag. These days, I prefer less recoil and semiautos... so I own .380acp, 9mm, and .45acp pistols.... more comfortable for me to shoot.

December 8, 2012, 03:28 PM	#41
Conn. Trooper Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 530	When ammo prices go up, I love my 9mm. Since I just got issued a new .45, I have been buying that lately. Ouch, expensive to shoot.

December 12, 2012, 10:09 AM	#42
Double J Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2007 Location: So. Illinois Posts: 547	For deer I use the .54 because I can't afford to let a wounded deer hop a fence and get onto ground that's off limits. Nothing worse than seeing your prize laying ten feet away an can't go get it. But for general use, I prefer the less kicking calibers like the .222 Rem.,.223 Rem, or the .30-30 Win.