For bullseye competition, plinking and small game hunting, I like the .38 Special and .45 ACP rounds. As a reloader, for those uses, I use lead bullets and small charges of fast-burning handgun powders for 20,000 PSI pressures or lower. I don't need high velocities for those uses, and the relatively low pressures mean that my brass lasts and lasts. The taper crimp that .45 ACP loads require means that my .45 ACP brass outlasts my .38 Special brass, partly offsetting the higher cost of .45 lead bullets. It's a small thing, but every little bit of savings helps. As a retiree on a fixed income, low costs make my recreational handgun shooting possible.
