Gotta start by saying that I use and enjoy several handgun cartridges. I could get by with any of several, but NOT COUNTING THE 22 LR, my absolute favorite to shoot, is the 44 Special.

I think a great deal of the 45 colt, and the 45 acp. I am getting to know the 454 Casull, and will always have a soft spot for the 38 special. I can see the economy of the 9mm and I have a relationship with the 10mm that will always be there with me, but for pure utility and enjoyment, I could get by with a 44 special and never look back.

Funny though, if you load a 240 grain swc to 850 fps and compare it to a 230 grain at 850, you are comparing red delicious to golden delicious. (apples to apples, so to speak)

If you had to pick your favorite, and again, discounting the 22 LR, what would you pick?

how the fugg can you discount the 22?

O.K.....22 mag

44 special

.45 Auto.

In hindsight, I should have typed, "Your favorite CENTERFIRE handgun cartridge".

Hell, everybody loves the 22LR.

44 mag, no wait 357 mag, no wait ah, hell i dont know.

45 Colt.

10mm.

Hah, I was the first to say it.

38 Special. I shoot in j frame smiths, d frame colts, and a smith combat masterpiece. I do not hunt with a handgun much anymore and the 38 is accurate, economical, adequate for my self defense needs in central MN (not a crime hotbed) and best of all, I am not crawling all over the ground picking up empties.

Dean

45 Colt

44 magnum. It can be whatever you want it to be, from a light 44 special that is as easy to shoot as a 38 special up to a full blown heavy bullet azz kicker. Especially if you are a handloader.

There are a few others that will fill the same niche, but the 44 Magnum is my favorite.

It is hard to pick between the 45 Colt and the 44 Special.

Favorite is not the same as first choice, right? First choice is .44 magnum. I can do anything I want done with it though I may have to get real close.

Emotional favorite ... for sheer fun it would be hard to pick between the .32 H&R mag in a single six and the .357 maxi in a 14" contender.

Tom

Hard to say because my favorite caliber changes depending on my favorite gun at the time.

.45 ACP. The runner up is .38 special because it can be loaded mild to .357 level.

I go back and forth between 44 Mag and 45 Colt. But I probably use the 44 Mag the most.

easy 44 magnum

This summer it has been the 38 special. I managed to score 2 pounds of Bullseye this spring and it has kept me shootin.

My goal this summer was to become real familiar with my S&W 66 21/2 inch.

A weekly "therapy" session and many rounds down range it is amazing what a relatively newbie can accomplish.

12 gauge cartridges are no longer safe...

.357 Magnum hands down in its wide variety of loads, from full power to the .38 Special levels.

The .45 Colt and the .44 Magnum are tied for a fairly close second but if I had to relinquish all handgun calibers but one the .357 would be the last to go (except a .22 LR, of course ).

I like the .45 Colt because of it's size and it doesn't kick!

.45 Colt.... S&W Mountain Gun... Ultra Dot.... carried in a chest pack.... 280 grain cast bullets at about 950 fps...

The majority of the slugs end up in a 3 ft diameter chunk of white pine out in the back yard... the plan is to keep shooting it for a year or so then split it... burn it down in a campfire and reclaim the lead to recast....

Loaded to this pressure I'm thing the 1000 Starline brass will out last me so... 3 Cents for a primer.... have not done the math but I'm thinking only a few Cents for powder....so ballpark about the same cost as .22 ammo.... all that just makes me smile

My favorite cartridges are the 45 Colt loaded to +P standards and the 45 ACP loaded to +P levels or Super levels. They are my most used cartridges.

Revolver: .41 Magnum

Semi-auto: .38 Super

Easy choice.... 45 Colt for me!

10mm, followed closely by the 45 Colt

The grand old 45 Colt.

This subject/question is rather interesting. After 3 pages i haven't seen the 9mm or 40. Plenty of "obsolete" cartridges though.

I know popular does not always equate to favorite.

You know, I have never really liked the 40 S&W. I've never found one that was particularly accurate, but admittedly I have fired it mostly in Glocks and the occasional Smith and Wesson. For it's intended purpose though, it works well.

Speaking of the 9mm, I remember an article by Duane Thomas, probably 20 plus years ago, where he proclaimed the 9mm the finest semi-automatic handgun cartridge ever. I scoffed, but the older I get, the more appreciation I have for the cartridge. I definitely believe that advances in powder and bullet manufacturing have helped the 9mm.

After reading through everyone's responses this morning, I realize that I failed to articulate the question I had in mind.

To bring it to a finer point, I should have asked "What centerfire handgun cartridge do you enjoy shooting the most?"

It is possible that the individual posters would have the same response, but maybe not.

If I had to pick between the 44 special and the 45 colt, I'd go with the Colt. But, if I can have both, you'll see me with the 44 special quite often.

357

Tough one.

Large bore? .45LC. It does it all.
Mid bore? .357. It does it all in that category.
Small bore? .32H&R. It does it all in that category and punches well above it's weight.

In semi-autos, I'll take a .45ACP in a 1911, a 9x19 in a BHP, or a 10mm in a Delta.

Forced to start all over with just one? I'd take a GP100 converted to 10mm and moon clips and cover just about all the bases.

45 Colt to answer the first version of your question and the same answer to the second version, I guess.

Even with the 22 in the mix, today it would be hard to do that due to the guilt one feels shooting them up when they are so expensive...not that all the other stuff isn't expensive too but...Also, most semi-auto 22's will jam even if they are good ones. Of course, I'm not shooting the 45 Colt in a semi-auto anyway but again...

Counting up, I think I've got 5 guns laying around here chambered for 45 Colt right now.

Forced to choose, I think I get the most satisfaction out of dropping the big 'ol 240 grain SWCs into my S&W 629. I used to use a lot of .44 special cases, but after wearing them all out, I now use .44 mag brass. Stocked up on 1,000 of Starline brass, so technically, the answer would be... .44 magnum.

I shoot them at .44 Special velocity most of the time, using 7.5 grains of Unique, but I'm almost out of it and have a can of Universal to try next.

I guess I get the satisfaction partly between the "thunk" it makes dropping it in the chambers, the mild recoil when shooting it, the resulting big holes in the target, and knowing I can always ramp up the power whenever I feel like it.

The 41 mag is high on my list as well.

45 ACP followed by the .357.

I guess I did not get the memo they were no longer in fashion. LOL

.44 magnum

45 Colt followed closely by the 44 Special.

.45 acp and the .357 mag. I like them both equally!

.45 ACP (out of a full size 1911).

Tough choice between my 38 spl.s and .44 spls.. I usually have one of each in the truck.. They are both mag. revolvers, but the spl. loads do all I need done in my country..

Same as before - .357 Magnum.

Even with all of the .44 Magnums, .41 Magnums, .45 Colts, .45 Autos and .44 Specials - a few dozen in total - I generally settled on a certain power and especially recoil level for most all shooting, with comparatively few rounds of the above fired at absolute full power. The .357 in a medium sized revolver gives a comfortable recoil level at a higher velocity than the others for a bit flatter shooting. Plus, as a bullet caster, it throws just a bit less lead away with each shot so it's a bit more economical in that regard. I've never been a big game handgun hunter so it gave all the power I've ever needed.

While I've probably had three times as many .44 Magnum revolvers as .357's, I've probably shot three times as many .357 rounds as all the others put together. I figure that's because the .357 got it right the first time. A K or L frame Smith or a Ruger Blackhawk or GP-100 makes a good packing gun and is just right for that chambering.

45acp/45 AR... Have a couple of semi-autos, But my absolute favorite is my S&W 625.

acp level, +P, 45 Super, and nearly 45 Rowland level out of the 625. Then add in the handiness of full moon clips. Kind of a do it all.

Jerry

Probably .38 SPL. out of Model 10's.

I realize that it's a rather boring choice,...but there's so many good cast bullets and propellants to choose from,...and the Model 10 digests all of them so well, that I have to pick a Model 10 firing .38 Specials.

A gas checked 180 grain LBT WFN on top of enough 2400 to make it burn clean and hit point of aim at 40 feet it a fine thing,...as is a 160 grain plain base cast bullet, LBT WFN, over 6 grains of Unique.

Yep!

an unusual question here--but if i understand it right you possibly framed it as "favorite to shoot".

the venerable 9 mm.

I did ask favorite to shoot.

Somebody had to be first to mention the 9mm.

I'd have to say 45 Colt mainly because that's mostly all I've shot for the past 15-20 years. However, I haven't been shooting it as much lately - been fiddling with a 357, 44 spl, a couple of 45 acp's, and a 454 Casull. I'm really liking the 44 spl...

I gotta say, after thinking on this since yesterday...and it's now today...my official favorite handgun cartridge depends on which day it is. I'm glad there are 7 days in a week.

To me, it's a matter of picking the gun and the cartriage. Odviously, you have to be shooting the cartriage in something.
Then it comes down to what you use a handgun for.
With all of that in mind, I do more types of shooting, hunting and carrying concealed with the .45 ACP in a 1911 or a SIG 220 than anything else.
If open carry in the field were what I did the most of, it would be the .44 Magnum in a Smith 29.
I've carried, shot targets and hunted with a wide variety of handgun cartriages. The 5.7 FN, the .256 Winchester Magnum, some 9mm's, the .38 Special, the .357 Magnum, the 10mm, the 41 Magnum, the .44 Magnum and the .45 ACP. Except for the single shot .256, just about any of them will work for most handgun chores. But the .45 ACP, in a quality 1911 is the one I enjoy the most. E

I hear you - almost posted "single action: 45 Colt, double action: 44 spl, auto: 45 acp...

38spl, 357, 9mm, 45acp-- hell I like them all

.41 Magnum, by far.

357 remington maximum
God Bless Elgin T. Gates!

hands down 45 ACP for me has been and still continues to be the most consistently accurate round.

45 Colt.
but almost no experience with 45acp...yet

I shoot most of what is out there (32 H&R Mag to the 500 Linebaugh) but would have to say the 44 Mag is my single pick. Whilst I own many this one in particular would likely top the list.

That a fine looking .44. What are the details and who did the work?

Screw that! If someone told me I had to pick one I'd shoot the sumbitch with a .40 or .38 or .41 or... Oh, never mind,

My votes as well.

Revolver: .41 mag

Auto: 10 mm

I love my 41 but I would have to pick the 357 mag as my top pick due to the fact it comes in a revolver small enough I can CCW but also one large enough I can hunt with.

I love the 25NAA.

.44 Special. Fairly easy to hand load (not touchy), accurate, with enough power for anything I will encounter

44 MAG

.44 Special.




Travis

45 Colt in a large frame gun; 44 Special in a mid-frame gun; 32 H&R in a small frame.

Well I own lots of 45ACPs

But

I love the 45 Colt and 480Ruger

Really

Snake

My favorite is the 9mm Parabellum.

Semi.....45 ACP
Revolver.....45 Colt

Favorite to shoot would be 9mm in a semi.

When I have the time, I like to shoot a lot and the 9mm is easy to do so and relatively cheap.

I really like the 44 special, but view the 44 mag as more of a good thing as it can be anything, mild to wild.

I'd have to pick a revolver cartridge as I don't like chasing brass. But then the idea of only one cartridge... It would be between 38 special, 357 M, 41 M, 44 special or 44 M.
And I'm sorry but that is the smallest list I can come up with, can't narrow it down to less than that.

.45 Colt.

For versatility, it can't be beat- use low-velocity, mild loads for Cowboy action shooting, moderate loads for target and even big game up to deer, and loaded hot and with a wide variety of bullets for even larger game, such as moose, elk, bears, etc.

Another plus is the ability to use those loads in rifles, such as Win. mod. 94, for all of the above activities. There are other cartridges and calibers that are versatile, but IMO, none as much so as the .45 Colt.

.45 Colt

Barring the .22 rimfires, I'd chose .45 acp in a 1911, or the .38 special in a Smith model 15...

If I was to decide on one handgun forever make it a 1911 .45 acp...

A former Old Model Super Blackhawk that I had Alan Harton tweak by fitting a Bisley grip frame (that took an azzload of fine TIG work to maintain the radius) and necessary weld up of the hammer slot, trigger spring revisions, leaned the original hammer, cut the barrel to 5 1/2", fluted the cylinder, custom fab'd front sight base and blade and a full polish and blue. Grips are by him as well in a dark hard as nutz walnut.

1) .45acp



2) 38 Smith & Wesson



I'm pretty close to positive I'll be the only one touting this caliber, but it's my trail gun. Super fun to shoot, relatively quiet. (Less sharp than a 22LR), Makes a big ole splash when shooting at turtles, and blows mud clods to kingdom come!



It's inexpensive to reload for.



Leading has never been an issue.



...and after-market grips dress it up nicely!



[img]http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x472/davidmc116/Pistols/DSCN0958.jpg[/img]



DMc

.45 ACP
.357 Mag

As do I. Add the 32H&R mag to that list and that would be my top 3.

Dialed in the 480 2 weeks ago after switching scopes.. I'm outta handloads. Was hitting 4" steel @ 50yds consistently......

41 mag mod 57 always

Tough choice between 45acp in a 1911 and 38spcl in a k frame size gun for joy to shoot. For hunting though I'd go 44mag every time

41 mag

Revolvers from 24 ounces to 56 ounces

165's at 700 fps

210's from 700 fps to 1400 fps

And when I get to casting this winter, I have a mould for a 255 gr which should prove quite interesting.

Just can't pick one so....
SA - 45LC
Semi - 45ACP

.45 Colt - single action and overall my favorite cartridge.

.45 Super - semi auto, it shoots .45 ACP and can be loaded to 460 Rowland ballistics if you've got a comp on it, and everything in between.

My Blackhawk convertible shoots them all!

38-40 in a Colt, SAA or Bisley...

I am also a fan of the 38 WCF. Of the three I own this one is likely on top.

Ditto.

If I owned that Bisley, it'd go in the casket with me. Gorgeous gun in a very special cartridge.

I own four S&W .357 Magnums. An M60 and three N Frames. I use hand cast wadcutters and semi wadcutters for edible small game, 125 grain JHPs for social use and 180 grain JSPs for deer. These are my best all-round guns.

For range shooting I like the .45 ACP and the 9mm a little more, because the latter uses less powder and lead.

For deer I use the .44 Spl., .44 Magnum and .45 Colt Interchangeably, with a slight nod to the Ruger .44 Spl. Flat Top as being handiest.

Limited to one cartridge it would likely be the .38spl/.357 magnum.

I also like the .38 Special. It's cheap and fun to shoot, superbly accurate and goes well in a small concealed-carry handgun. It's now my go-to handgun caliber.
Bob

S&W 68 in .38 Special; I use it in NRA Distinguished Revolver matches and the Harry Reeves match at Perry. It wears a factory-installed Patridge front sight, polished trigger face and an LAPD Armory-tuned action.


My usual carry gun, for the last 30 years or so. Loaded with 135 grain Gold Dots.


My LAPD-issued 67. It still wears the Pachmayrs I bought for it when I was in the Academy in '84. It now pulls duty as the house and range gun. The wife and kids were all trained on this one, with wadcutters. It's leaning against my old Hoyt duty holster.

I see you like Pachmayr grips. I like them, too, for shooting, but not for carrying. They tend to stick to clothing.

I never had that problem, but I usually carry IWB in the appendix position, under a T-shirt. After a lot of use, Pachmayrs become kind of slick when the rubber wears down.

I used to carry this one a lot in cold weather (in LA that's about 50 degrees). It worked under a light jacket.
Bob




I do like Pachmayrs, but I have a few wood stocks around.

Wow, picking a single favorite handgun cartridge??? I don�t think I can do it.

The first that comes to mind is the .45 ACP. My .45 would probably be the last gun I ever turned loose of.
But then I like the .38 Super so much.
And the .44 Special
Oh and .45 Colt, how can that not be on a favorite list
And .41 magnum
And the auto version of the .41 mag, 10mm auto
And how can you possibly live without a .22lr handgun? Can�t be done.
And 9mm, these days it�s just so damn practical

I give up, I can�t pick.

I hear that all the time, but I have never once personally experienced that. Hogue's are even more grabby than Pachmayr's and I haven't had a problem with Hogues. My J frame wears a Hogue "boot" style grip and is even pocket carried, never hangs up.

And as time goes on, hand oils smooth out and slick up the surface of the rubber grips, making it less and less of an issue.

Personally, I'll always take a nice custom wood grip over rubber, but I find rubber completely acceptable if I don't have the wood. In the field it's hard to beat the durability of rubber. That's why my S&W 617 still wears the original Hogue rubber grips, because I used to squirrel hunt so much with the 617. And the J frame...the rubber makes it much more pleasant to shoot (not that it's ever pleasant), and they're all but indestructable, so they fit my needs quite well.

But all my other handguns wear either wood, elephant ivory, or CTC Laser grips.

What about a CZ52 in 7.62 x 25.
We are talking penetration and the fastest velocity up until the 357 magnum came along.

45 Colt

.38 Spcl +P bump

45 ACP but I've not owned one in a while.

Currently really dig my 45 Colt.

I can't believe how many wrong answers appear on this thread.



Travis

Sorry - have only owned 9mm, 38 Super, 45 ACP and 45 Colt.

Only currently own 9mm and 45 Colt. Of the 2 - the colt wins hands down. 9mm is so boring.

Would LOVE to have a Super again but then I'd need a Dillon to go with it. More cheddar than I can afford to lay....

how is this to be determined? the one I shoot the most? 9mm. The one I stock the most live ammo for? .22lr. the one I carry the most? 356 TSW. The one I'd want for shtf? 356 TsW, but have a spare barrel for 9x19. Shtf, handgun use better be really rare, cause everyone will have a fighting rifle (if they've survived more than a week or 2) A handgun vs a fighting rifle is a bad, bad place to be. Just ask the 7 Feds that Platt killed or wounded with his Mini-14, after he had been wounded and could only use one arm.

I asked the Fed's that Platt killed /wounded and they all, to a man, were carrying the 356 TiddieS n'Waffles.....

I have one old wool vest with some kind of fleece liner, that tends to drag on Hogue rubber grips. I noticed one day long ago that the grips were actually wearing a spot in the liner. My first reaction was to switch to wood grips - which worked. But since that time, I have also found that most other clothing I wear doesn't have that problem. Now, I use rubber grips where I like them, and don't have a problem. So - one could switch grips or change clothing. Or switch the carry method.


Favorite handgun cartridge? Are you nuts?

dunno about rubber grips for revolvers, but I wore loose 2 different pachamayhrs rubber "front straps" for 1911s, in 6 months of draw practice. They got so sloppy that I had no choice but to cut off the front part and stipple the frames of my .22 and .45 gov't models.

so your source of gun info is the guys who MISSED Platt completely 60x or so, at 5 yds and less? :-) That sounds about right.

I could narrow it down to 2. One for the revolver.

No shock to the regulars here, the .44 mag suits my needs perfectly, for rodents to big game.

The .45 ACP would be my top choice for semi auto needs.

That being said, I recognize the immense practicality of the 9mm for social and professional use.

But if forced to just two, the .44 mag and .45 ACP would work for me quite well.

I could do the same with .45acp and .357 (since I haven't owned a big bore centerfire revolver for years), but there's this little problem of the .22lr that I wouldn't want to give up. And I'm sure I would like a .44mag as much or more than my Ruger SS - but wouldn't care to give that up and see no need to. So, no.......I can't pick even two favorites.

I can pick a least favorite though. Of the handguns I've owned or borrowed, the cartridge I'd least likely spend my own money on is the .40s&w.

44 magnum

If I lived where the game, dangerous or not, got over 1000 pounds it would be the 45 Colt in guns capable of handling Ruger-only loads.
http://www.thesixgunjournal.net/the-45-colt-140-years-of-success/

But for all other uses, I prefer the 45 auto and in guns that can handle the 45 Super, you are pretty well set for about anything.