If You had to Choose Just One Caliber...

.45

 

You know whats amazing?

At least half the people here, including me, BTW prefer a cartridge designed over 100 years ago.

 

LOL... what's the saying? "They don't make em like they used to"

You want to really get old school? I prefer my home to be made of brick...talk about a luddite!

 

Pain to get the loader tuned in, yes.

 

Of the half doz hand guns I own the sweetest shooting is my S&W 22 Masterpiece. While not as powerful as the 2 357s I also fiddle w/, it feels really well balanced. For target I prefer the S&W 22 & my Ruger bull barrel Mark II 22.

 

.45

 

45ACP

 

.45

 

XD 9

Cheap Ammo, reliable shooter, how much knock down power is needed in a self defense situation. A shot to the chest puts anyone down with any of those calipers. I never liked shooting .38. Most are too small and beat up the palm of my hand, .40 and .45 ammo is too expensive for my taste.

J

 

Growing up we all thought the .45ACP was an old man's gun.

All those stupid old WWII vets thought they were good while at the same time saying you couldn't hit a barn with a service pistol.

So we all thought 9mm was the best because it was all European and different and the old guys didn't think much of them.

And we all thought the Browning High Power was just the mutt's nut despite the fact that the triggers sucked and they were any thing but High Power.

Imagine.

And then I bought my first Gold Cup.

Oh my.

All the sudden I'm a pistol shooter.

The first group I shot at 50 feet was a ragged hole. with a new gun. Oh my.

My second Gold Cup was so accurate I started taking it deer hunting. With strong accurate handloads, just the thing. Perfect for a still full side shot up to 35 yards; about like a bow.

I do love the .45ACP.

 

when it comes to guns i always listen to the people who have actually used them for what they are for the most part intended for, killing people...

 

Pretty effective if you're ever attacked by a row of bowling pins!

 

In this workin' class town.... being attacked by bowling pins is a real possibility!

 

Which I don't.

.223

Powerful, versatile and accurate.

Addressing the self defense arena in urban areas or suburbia, frangables will prevent passthroughs inside of drywall homes while still maintaining its lethal trauma when it comes into contact of badguys.

If this is a pistol related question, then I would absolutely agree with the majority. .45ACP.
But I would prefer .223

 

50AE! LOVE that round in my Desert Eagle! Great gun and round. If you don't hit them w/ the bullet the concussion will probably kill them and if that does not do it certainly catching them on fire w/ the flame out the barrel will have an impact! LOL!

Seriously though, I too like 9mm and 45 because you can find ammo ANYWHERE! Don't like the recoil on the 40SW round (or at least not in the gun I was shooting...H&K P7M10) but I have heard good things about the 357Sig round...

James