What are your Ten Best Pistol Cartridges, and Rifle Cartridges.

[W.R.Buchanan]

This topic should bring out the opinionated among us. But I think we will see some standard answers.

In no particular order.

Pistol:
.22LR
.38 Special
.357 Magnum
9MM Luger
.40S&W
.41 Magnum
.44 Special
.44 Magnum
.45 LC
.45 ACP

Rifle:
.22LR
.223/5.56x45
.243 Win
.270 Win
7x57 Mauser
7mm Rem Mag.
.308 Win
.30-06 Govt.
.375 H&H Magnum
.45-70 Govt.

Obviously there will be others but this is a good place to start.

Do tell us what you think and why.

Randy

[BruceB]

Ten cartridges for each of both long and short guns is FAR too many.

If you want some OPINIONS, try asking for one or two from each category. Twenty in total is more calibers than many people even OWN, let alone "favor".

.30'06 and .416 Rigby

.357 and .45ACP

..... try those for size.

[Jupiter7]

I kinda wanna insert lyrics from Hank Williams jr.'s "a country boy will survive".

" my old 45"
"30.06 and a 4 wheel drive, a country boy can survive".

The rest are just filler/fluff until I shoot my .45 and ought-six.

[btroj]

I don't own 10 of Each.

Give me a 32-20, 45-70, and 375 H&H and I can be happy for rifles.

A 9 mm, 357, 44 mag, and 45 ACP are fine for pistol.

A 45 Colt would be nice in both.

[dverna]

Rifle,

.22
5.56
.30/30
.308
.300 Win Mag
.357

Pistol
.22
.357
9mm
.40 S&W
.45 ACP

[Bigslug]

Ten for each? Heck, I can fudgingly roll with ten TOTAL:

.22S/L/LR - cheap (at least it used to be) and adaptable to a wide variety of loadings and applications.

.357 Magnum - also very adaptable. Considering the history, I tend to regard it and the .38 Special as the same round. In keeping with this thread's search for a "short list", I would consider it as one of the ideal short range / low noise rifle rounds, eliminating a lot of the smaller rifle rounds from contention.

.45ACP - where the .22 and .38 are incredibly versatile, the .45ACP/1911 combo is probably the best uni-tasker at what a handgun is really for.

9x19mm - This is the almost-as-effective uni-tasker that everyone who can't handle a .45 can shoot. It is the machete to the .45ACP's lightsaber.

.44 Magnum - as with the .357, I consider this and the older Special to be essentially the same. Hugely versatile. I was debating placement of the .45Colt/.454 Casull combo in here, but given the choice, I'd probably prefer the non-crew-served nature and higher SD/BC per unit of weight on the .44. It's all the handgun I care to shoot. Also in the running for a short-range/low noise rifle round.

.30-06 - There is a vast pool of cartridges in the space between where the 6mm's end and the .375's begin. If pushed, I could take a .30-06 and not feel the loss of the rest all that much.

.243 Win and 6mm Rem - Once you rectify the early rate-of-twist problem, I prefer the Remington due to cubic inches, but honestly don't have a huge preference. Anything less is pure varmint, anything more is deer-plus. These are the real bridge between the two.

.375 H&H - I dislike the fact that it has a belt, but you can't argue the history or results. The only round I would even slightly consider bumping the .30-06 for on a "choose one rifle" debate.

.416 Rigby - the crumpling power of the big .45's, with the trajectory of a .30-06, no belt, and a sharp shoulder before sharp shoulders were cool - what's not to like there?

.45-70 - it crosses the gap between black powder and smokeless without batting an eye, delivers incredible accuracy with the right load, and in the right guns, can be loaded anywhere from "nuthin" to "Nagasaki". The best word for this one is "timeless".

Honorable mentions:

Twelve gauge shotgun - what other system allows you to go from mourning dove to Cape buffalo with an ammo change?

.32 Auto, .380 ACP - back in the day before we went hollowpoint/high-velocity/hydrostatic crazy, it was understood that penetration to the vitals would do the trick. We kinda/sorta re-learned this after the 1986 Miami shootout, but Roy Weatherby's poo-stain on the landscape of our psyche remains hard to wash away. You don't need SHAZAM to solve the problem - just a way to get to the Tootsie Roll center of the Tootsiepop.

The .455 and .38/200 Webleys - I like these because it's hard to find the same degree of purity of purpose elsewhere. They're even more of a uni-tasker than the .45ACP/1911. The Brits didn't give a fig for flat trajectory or competition accuracy, and consequently, the Webleys don't even pretend to be anything but an extremely durable way to shoot a hostile enemy in the face from ten yards away. They're a spade that no marketing department ever tried to label as a screwdriver.

[Green Frog]

I come down on the side of those who can't imagine needing 20 different cartridges, for both long guns and handguns I would put forward the 22 LR and 32-20/32 WCF, Exclusively for rifles I would add 25 SS, 243, 30-06, 32-40 and 45-70. Exclusively for handguns, it's 32 S&WL through 327 FM, 38/357, 44 Spl/Mag and 45 ACP. That's my story and I'm sticking to it (until I think of another neat cartridge I want to play with! )

Froggie

[DeanWinchester]

9mm 45 colt .223 & 35 remington and 308 Winchester.
Pretty much all I own. Few other toys but I figure there ain't much I can't get done with those.

[roverboy]

The OP selected some good calibers. I own and shoot several myself. I really like
.38 Spl
.357 Mag.
.30 Carbine
.223
.308
.30-06
7.62x54r
8mm Mauser
I don't shoot .22lr much anymore. I've not shot .22 much in about 10 years. A 50 rd. box will last me several years.

[shooter93]

All depends on parameters. If you load your own...have lots of brass, bullets, primers etc. then it boils down to what you like and what you shooting at. If it's a SHTF deal then it's 9mm. 40 s and w, 45 acp, 223 and 308 is what will be lying around the most (3 of those calibers I don't own at all and only have a 308 because I bought an M1A....lol). 22 lr is always good....if you can find and afford them.

[whelenshooter]

.243 Win is my favorite. Somebody earlier said it (& 6mm)was a true bridge between varmint and deer. Yes sir. But if I had to live with one cartridge only it'd be the 308 Win. For cast shooting in rifle I like the 35 Rem. Then there's the 7x57 '93 my Dad sporterized many years ago and did a great job, unlike many you see.

For pistol 45 acp and 'long' colt fill the bill and for lighter carry a 380.

No 35 Whelen 'cause I sold it...don't ask. It was stupidity.

David

[kenyerian]

7 TCU, 357, 454, 45/70 22 hornet. These are all I need.

[MT Gianni]

RIfle: 22 lr, 357, 357 Max, 30-30, 308, 30-06, 358, 35 Whelen, 243, 280 Rem
Handgun: 32 Long, 32 H&R, 38 special, 40 S&W, 44 special, 44 mag, 45 ACP, 45 LC, 7 TCU, 30-30

[runfiverun]

this is gonna be tough.
handgun rounds I favor, and shoot the most:
30 carbine,9mm, 357,375 super, 41mag,44special and 44mag, 45 acp, 45 colt, 445 super mag.
most of these made the top 10 cut because I have lever guns in the corresponding caliber
which makes the round count go up a lot.
rifles top 10.
223,220 swift, 257 bob,7 Ackley, 8 mauser, 358 win, 25-20, 7.65 argie, 25-06, and 308.
I had to think about the top 10 rifles for a minute and switch a few calibers in and out based on volume of shooting.
there are a few that just missed the cut like the7.5 swiss, 303 brit,30-40 krag, 7.7X58, and the 45/70.
and some got added in because I have 2-3-4 rifles in that caliber.

[robertbank]

OK

Rifle

.22LR Europe/Canada
30-30 US
303 Br Canada
30-06 US
38spl.,357Mag Brazil
44 Mag Brazil
9MM Carbine Italy

Handgun

22LR US, Czech
38Spl/357mag US, Italy
9MM US, Italy, Czech,
40 S&W US
45 Colt US, Italy
45 ACP China

I have one of each on the rifles and several of each on the handguns.

Listed the countries of origin.

My SAA from Italy and my GP 100 are my two favourite revolvers.
My M&P and CZ pistols along with my Norinco based 1911's are hard to leave at home as well.

I have a few other rifles but none are really my favourite. Time to thin the herd.

Take Care

Bob

[tonyjones]

.38 Special, .44 Special, .45 ACP/Auto Rim, .222 Remington, .30-06, .375 H&H, 12 Ga. That's 7 total and includes a shotgun. With these I can accomplish anything I need or may want to do with a gun. With a .375 H&H I have taken more head of medium and large game (up to and including white rhino) than I have with all other cartridges I've used combined. With 220 grain Woodleigh solids I can do with a .30-06 everything I can do with with a .375 H&H, though not necessarily legally. The .222 Remington can replace the the .22 RF's and will work on deer with the right bullet and is legal for such where I live. I would not consider going without a shotgun as I shoot birds and clays a LOT! The hand gun rounds I've listed are my favorites for plinking, target shooting, self defense and my choices in .44 and .45 are fine for deer and feral hogs. For me a hand gun is often a matter of convenience as it leaves my hands free to work on fence, operate a camera, etc.

Best regards,

Tony

[Harter66]

Wow 10 cartridges for 3 platforms.

30-06'
7x57
222
By default
308
223

38
357
45 Colts

by default
9mm
40 S&W

12ga (2 3/4 is all I've ever needed)
20ga (it makes a fair starter)
16ga because its different.

And
1 day a 45 Cowboy/Schoffield/Colts/(460) S&W ,410 2 1/2 & 3'' in 1 gun.
Preferably a 336 but a tricked out Savage might do.

My whys are pretty straight forward . 38/357 and 45 have carbines and revolvers and if you can't do it w/an 06',357 and a 12ga your probably in some alternate dimension.....

[Biggs300]

I too don't own 10 of each but here is what I have, although I probably would not consider all of them the "best".

Pistol/Revolver
- 45/45ACP (w/moon clips), 410 Shot Shell (S&W Governor) (one of my best)
- 38 Special
- 9mm
- 380
- 40 S&W

Rifle I like BIG and slow projectiles
- 223
- 25-06
- 30-30
- 300 Win Mag (one of my best)
- 358 Win (my best; I like everything about this cartridge)
- 9.3x62 Mauser (one of my best)
- 45-70 Gov't (Still working on a hunting load and could be one of my best)

[RobS]

My thoughts and not that I own them all but are "more common"

Handgun: (only 8)
45 Auto
45 Colt
44 Magnum
40 S&W
357 Magnum
38 Special
9mm
22 LR

Rifle: (14 total)
45-70
45 Colt
44 Magnum
375 H&H
358 Winchester Magnum
357 Magnum
300 Magnum
30-06
308
30/30
270
243
Rem 223
22 LR

[TXGunNut]

Pretty sure I don't own ten chamberings of each because I tend to avoid adding new cartridges. Top three in each category is the same; 22lr, 32-20 and 45 Colt. Make that four if you count the 35 Rem Contender but I tend to consider it a short rifle. Same goes for the 223/5.56. Rounding out the list for handguns is the 45 acp, 380 and 38/357. I don't reload for the 38/357 anymore and never did load the 380 so not sure I should list them. Rifle list is where my interest lies these days, beside the five mentioned above I've tinkered with the 30WCF, 30-06, 32WS, 35 Rem, 35 Whelen, 375 Win and 45-70 and enjoyed every one of them.
I'm set up to load for the 44spl/44mag and even have a Contender barrel but I don't have any interest in it. I'm set up to load for several more cartridges but they're just taking up space; doubt I'll ever load for the 22-250, 9mm, 40/10mm or 357 Sig again.
Interesting, list was longer than I thought.