THE BEST CALIBER

[JimT]

My preferred carry caliber is .45 ACP with .357 Magnum being the next preferred. These two are what I carry the absolute most. I have carried a 9mm at times and a .38 Special at other times. I never felt “under-armed” but I have to admit I felt better carrying the .357 or the .45 ACP.

And I know intellectually that is ridiculous. I have never met anyone who didn't mind if someone shot them with a .22 Long Rifle! And I know of situations that were taken care of with good results for the good guys, where a .22 Long Rifle was used. I have killed good sized Mule Deer with a .22 Long Rifle bullet fired from a Ruger Single Six pistol. Do I prefer to hunt with it? Of course not. But if you keep your wits about you, you can make it work.

The same with self-defense. When I was where it was not legal to be armed I once carried a Beretta Jetfire .25 ACP. It was better than only having regrets to carry around. I shot it enough that I knew I could make it work.

BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO BE SHOT WITH ANYTHING!

Well … there is always the exception, but thank God they are very rare.

I have a good friend who took on 3 gunmen with a 5 shot .38 Special Taurus. The gunmen had AK47's and hand grenades and were killing people in the church he attended. He fired 3 shots, hit one of the bad guys and they all ran from the building. He ran to the door and fired 2 more shots as they jumped into a waiting car. The police got the guy he shot when his “friends” dropped him at a hospital.

Now what he did was crazy. Take on men with machine guns and grenades! They killed 12 people and wounded 50-some before he stopped them. With a .38 Special snubby revolver.

Those of us who shoot a lot like to debate calibers. And it is fun as long as egos don't get in the way. But the truth of the matter is, a person who is a decent shot and who can keep calm enough under pressure to make the shots count can make almost any caliber work.

There have been a few times when I carried a .22 Long Rifle pistol. But I still prefer the .357 or the .45 ACP.

[OldWin]

Exact same for me. The 45acp in a 1911 or Commander has been my preference for as long as I can remember. Next is a good 4" DA .357.
In the past, I carried a .38 a fair amount when it was hot out. I still do on occasion, but much less often.
Back in the day, I wouldn't have packed a 9mm if you paid me. Honestly, nowadays I carry one a lot. More than I care to admit. When I go to work, I keep a Glock 19 in the truck (I don't want to leave my Colt LWC in the truck). I've also switched from the .38 Detective Special in the hot weather to the Glock in appendix carry. I am in the process of replacing it with a Springfield Ronin LWC, but also in 9mm. The Glock is also my nightstand pistol, but mostly because of the light rail.
Now, when I'm heading out for a day with the wife, or to do whatever, I'm still toting my Colt LWC in .45. In these cooler months, I also carry a 4" Python or a 4" Smith model 66 quite often too.

[Sixgun]

Well Jim…..I know a guy who told me he would run from a guy who had a .22! ……..

I feel fine with a 38 Smith 642 with a speed loader. …….but I can head shoot a person from the hip……but there’s little to no crime to speak of here. Anytime I travel more than about 10 miles I put a 10” Colt M4 with a binary trigger along with a half dozen 30 round P mags in the back seat of the Jeep plus my 38 in my pocket and usually a 1911 in the cup holder.

But you have to keep in mind that criminals don’t think like a normal person does and most likely does not know the difference between a .22 and a 45…..they are wound up on crank, coke, alcohol and are desperate hombres. They need to be scared of something big like a 45 or a 357.

Life’s a gamble and I don’t want to waste any more of it than I have to worrying whether I need something bigger than a 38. Probably the reason why I seldom drive more than 10 miles from home….

And your buddy with the Taurus…..he fired all five shots without a mechanical issue?…. He has some big ones and is a man of righteousness against a mob of animals attacking innocents in a church.——-006

[JimT]

When I met him and his family in Cape Town, South Africa, the first thing his wife said to me was, "Jim. Did Charl tell you about his latest gunfight?"

He was carrying a 9mm autoloader by that time.

[Bill in Oregon]

Some say carrying a single action is asking for trouble. I've been tempted though.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I routinely carry a SAA this time of year. I think it might be bad if someone else asked for trouble.

The .45 Colt is my favorite followed closely by the .44 Special.

Though they are my favorites, I kinda think that the .357/.38 Special is the “best” handgun chambering.

[OldWin]

I too occasionally carry a 4.75" Colt SAA .45. Is it necessarily my best choice on the mean streets of an 8k person metropolis?
Maybe not. But it sure is fun and satisfying.

[Sixgun]

I carry the same gun all of the time. The other guns are extras in case of a road shutdown in the event of a catastrophe……that’s what the M-4 is for………when it comes to stress, I don’t want to be fiddling around looking for a trigger or the proper grip..DAO

I have 3 of those hammerless Smiths strategically placed around here.

[marlinman93]

My favorite carry caliber is .45 ACP, but honestly I carry a compact Kahr 9mm most the time. Used to be my S&W Model 60 in .38 Special, and even with just 5 shots I didn't worry.
I've often carried my little Walther .22LR too if I was doing something where I wanted a small gun, and outdoors fishing or hiking. I love that gun, and it's extremely reliable.

[Grizz]

.
There Ya go !
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Best Caliper.png

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[Bill in Oregon]

Six, the former Marine I worked with in New Mexico kept an AR binary pistol and multiple magazines in his truck too, and so did his wife-- also military -- especially when they had to go to El Paso. He also carried unspecified "party favors." I believe you pulled a pin and threw the party favor ...

[Walt]

Good one, Grizz!

[Scott Tschirhart]

Oh, the “best” is not what I carry most of the time.

My SIG 365 beat up gun is almost always on my person. Not because it’s chambered for the “best” cartridge but because it’s the most consistently easy to shoot small gun I’ve ever owned.

These groups are from different times over the last year or so.

But I freely admit that I would rather have a shotgun in my hands when the ball drops.

[Griff]

I bought a Combat Commander in 1976, 45ACP. It got stolen in 1980, and replaced a few weeks later with an 80 Series. The Sheriff's department armorer fixed it to be a proper 1911 action and ramped the action so it would reliably feed 200 grain HPs... We weren't allowed to carry semi-autos unless in an plain clothes or undercover assignment. Although we couldn't carry a backup on our person, what we carried in our posse box was open. I carried this CC. And wore it when I began working background investigations. Until 1989 we were only allowed to carry a 38Spl revolver with +P ammo and 18 rounds on our person.

I recently had it refinished after nearly 50 years of service.

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And added a little sparkle, along with upgraded sights.

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My next favorite are my 1851s... 2nd Gen Colts.

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No one's offered to be my target with them either... (forgive the trio of Patersons that snuck in that picture)!

[Ysabel Kid]

Now what he did was crazy. Take on men with machine guns and grenades! They killed 12 people and wounded 50-some before he stopped them. With a .38 Special snubby revolver.

He stepped up to stop animals from killing the flock. Brave... and lucky, but that is a good combination.

I will never stop loving shooting the lil' ol' .22. First cartridge I ever shot, and probably will be the last. I really like a lot of calibers, but don't feel the need to add more, regardless of how interesting the round sounds. Too many to feed. More often than not I slip a little .38 Special derringer into my pocket for quick errands. Why? It's better than nothing and... no one wants to be shot with anything! (I'm stealing that, Jim )

[jeepnik]

I'm pretty fickle on what I carry. It might be a single action auto, double action only auto, whatever you call a glock action, a single action revolver or a double action revolver. I prefer calibers that start with four, .45 acp, .45 colt, .44 S&W magnum, .44 spl or .41 S&W magnum (no, I don't own any .40 short and weak). Of those combinations I most frequently carry a 1911 of one size or another in .45 acp. Over the years folks have ask why I carry a 1911 instead of a wonder 9 or a glock (which I sometimes do). My answer is always the same. I know the .45 acp from a 1911 works.

[Walt]

Griff, nice collection of old Colts...thanks for the pictures!

[JimT]

I've never worried about carrying a single action sixgun. That is what I mostly shoot. I can run it without thinking about it. Years ago I took a class with Clint Smith teaching about carrying a single action revolver for defense that was very good. He carried a single action sixgun for a year before he began teaching about carrying one. It was a good class and I learned some new things.

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This modified old model Ruger .357 was my everyday gun for a long time.

[Bill in Oregon]

Jim, I'd love to see or hear a summary of Clint's single action for defense class. I had no idea.
Griff, you can post pictures of Pattersons all day long as far as I am concerned. They might be awkward, but they are historic and they are simply fascinating and I love the things.

[AJMD429]

.
"... But the truth of the matter is, a person who is a decent shot and who can keep calm enough under pressure to make the shots count can make almost any caliber work..."

Someone who has shot a LOT is always a more formidable adversary, no matter what cartridge their firearm uses.

As for my 'carry preference' - a semiauto drum-fed 12-gauge - "...but I mostly just leave it at home cuz it's too bulky..."

[JimT]

Jim, I'd love to see or hear a summary of Clint's single action for defense class. I had no idea.
Griff, you can post pictures of Pattersons all day long as far as I am concerned. They might be awkward, but they are historic and they are simply fascinating and I love the things.

He covered same basic stuff that he does with any revolver class ... keeping your focus on the target while reloading .. stuffing a round or two in during the middle of shooting if need be ... firing while moving ... practice practice practice practice until it's unconscious when you do it ... etc.

Here's an older article from him
https://gunsmagazine.com/guns/handguns/true-grit-2/

[Scott Tschirhart]

Jim, I'd love to see or hear a summary of Clint's single action for defense class. I had no idea.
Griff, you can post pictures of Pattersons all day long as far as I am concerned. They might be awkward, but they are historic and they are simply fascinating and I love the things.

He covered same basic stuff that he does with any revolver class ... keeping your focus on the target while reloading .. stuffing a round or two in during the middle of shooting if need be ... firing while moving ... practice practice practice practice until it's unconscious when you do it ... etc.

Here's an older article from him
https://gunsmagazine.com/guns/handguns/true-grit-2/

I’ve been through this same training. It’s not a lot different from the basic pistol courses at Gunsite or Thunder Ranch, but there is a lot of emphasis on how you run the gun and manage your ammunition.

I can run a single action well with either hand and probably in my sleep. But I shoot more rounds through single action revolvers than any other firearm and have done so for a long while now.

[TraderVic]

Good article Jim, the author certainly makes some excellent points.

[Bill in Oregon]

Yes. Thanks for the link, Jim. I always feel my time is well spent reading Clint's stuff.

[Bill in Oregon]

Clint mentioned two holsters for SA concealed carry: the Milt Sparks Summer Special and the "Suspender Holster" for reasons I can identify with: "As I’ve gotten older, my butt goes away and there isn’t anything to hold my pants up, so suspenders work."
Cruising around the Net there seem to be a lot of guys who believe the width and shape of the SA would make it impossible to carry comfortably IWB.

[JimT]

Clint mentioned two holsters for SA concealed carry: the Milt Sparks Summer Special and the "Suspender Holster" for reasons I can identify with: "As I’ve gotten older, my butt goes away and there isn’t anything to hold my pants up, so suspenders work."
Cruising around the Net there seem to be a lot of guys who believe the width and shape of the SA would make it impossible to carry comfortably IWB.

I have carried the single action quite comfortably. Not sure what they mean. For some it's the weight. For others the cylinder as it is not like a flat gun. But you can learn to carry them quite well if you work a bit at it.

[TraderVic]

I'm still breaking in a new Simply Rugged pancake holster (OWB) and prefer wearing it crossdraw for more comfort (so far anyway).
Reducing carbs and my waist would certainly help for either side

[Grizz]

when I got 'here' a decade ago I bought an xd9 and an xd45 for companions. when the original Ruger LCP got fixed up I got one for super-concealed carry after reading about the criminal who tried to steal a man's phone. The man told 27%er to leave him alone and the terrorist returned pointing an LCP at the man, fired one round thru the bottom of the sternum that severed the man's spine, and who was dead by the time he hit the pavement, and the killer got the phone he wanted. About 36 cents at the time.

shortly after that someone shot someone else with 4 rounds from an LCP. This guy fell wounded and bled out. The coroner stated that the first bullet was the one that killed him. This was at maybe a 10 foot separation, IDK.

I don't feel disarmed with the baby ruger, but there are places and times and circumstances when I have all three. I picked up someone at the airport one night and handed the loaded 9 mm to him, "JIC" I said. I sat on the 45 and drove with the 38 in hand . . . a reasonable level of preparedness when dealing with the level and frequency of violent crime committed on those streets.

I admire those who are packing single actions, I'm just not qualified to be able to protect my passengers with the SAA.

grizz

[Scott Tschirhart]

This holster is very comfortable.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Here’s one for the Freedom Arms 97 in elephant hide.

[Bill in Oregon]

That's some fine leather you are using there Scott, especially that last Barranti. I've had an elephant hide wallet now for at least a dozen years. Talk about wearing like iron.

[Scott Tschirhart]

That's some fine leather you are using there Scott, especially that last Barranti. I've had an elephant hide wallet now for at least a dozen years. Talk about wearing like iron.

I have holsters from Doc, but these are all Simply Rugged. Rob sent me a matching belt because my old belt was getting too long. Nice rig.

[Bill in Oregon]

Scott, my mistake, thinking the Gunsite eagle was Barranti. But apparently both Doc and Simply Rugged will use the stamp when asked. Imagine my astonishment when I realized that Doc is about a half hour from Sweetwater. Interesting that S.D. Myres himself was on the Sweetwater school board and served as mayor before the big downtown fire that burned his shop and prompted him to relocate to El Paso.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Doc is one of my favorite people.

[ollogger]

Scott, that is some fine guns & leather!

Most likely i carry a sp 101 in 357 more often, across the road from me now there is about 80 bulls
they have been out a few times lately so the 454 gets packed around, maybe im a bit spooky when the
bulls are over there


Brad

[GunnyMack]

Grizz, your JIC reminds me of a guy I knew who got turned around, into East St Louis and as he was figuring out how to get out of there he had a G22 in his lap and his Galil 308 muzzle out the window- he wasn't taking any chances!

And to answer the question The Best Caliber
Is the one you have when things go bad!

[Grizz]

Grizz, your JIC reminds me of a guy I knew who got turned around, into East St Louis and as he was figuring out how to get out of there he had a G22 in his lap and his Galil 308 muzzle out the window- he wasn't taking any chances!

And to answer the question The Best Caliber
Is the one you have when things go bad!

Thanks! The difficulty is deciding what size hole to produce. I ALWAYS have the gps running in case I wind up going on a wild goose chase in the middle of the night looking for a coffee shop. Betty Sue, or whatever its name is, is constantly nagging me to get me back to the gas station on the interstate. AND keeps me out of dead ends and on thru streets . . .

I shouldn't joke I suppose, I have never shot anybody or at anybody, and i pray i never have to make that decision, but there are circumstances where i could have to. I did run a stoned addict off my place in Berserkeley with a 30-30 barrel firmly planted in his paunch. I also induced a would-be thief to flee when I caught him leaning over my fence trying to pick up a starter motor when I racked a round into the carbine. I was in the attic window and had the best possible field of fire. I never saw a late 40's stock truck lay down that much rubber on the egress. Like they said, nobody wants to be shot.

Those were the straws that signaled it was time to escape from kalifornia..... There should be a song that covers that, but can't think of it.

It's hard to believe that we even need to have these conversations. Can't wait for the owner to come back ! ! !

[JimT]

circumstances where i could have to. I did run a stoned addict off Those were the straws that signaled it was time to escape from kalifornia..... There should be a song that covers that, but can't think of it.

There is a song!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwJlKw56l30

[Walt]

Jim, you are a resourceful man!

[piller]

I am not a fan of 9mm, but therr ase sone light slim ones which hide well for me. Never been in a gunfight as a civilian, so I don't have any personal experience to use. I need to look for a good holster for my Smith & Walther P99 compact. It is 40S&W, and puts all 50 in the dark circle at 15 yards.

[Grizz]

circumstances where i could have to. I did run a stoned addict off Those were the straws that signaled it was time to escape from kalifornia..... There should be a song that covers that, but can't think of it.

There is a song!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwJlKw56l30

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[Bryan Austin]

The best Caliber would be the .44" followed by the .45"

[450 Fuller]

The original question involved the 44 SPL vs 9mm. If you do not need to penetrate anything much (auto glass, car doors, etc.) the 44 hands down. Otherwise
its the 9mm with almost SMG-Anglia hot ammunition.
For potential bear problems in the North woods, I carry a 450 Alaskan M-71 pre-war Winchester...then a warm loaded SA Ruger BH with 300 gr bullets in 45 Colt.

The problem in our changing but sometimes violent society is...a potential for multiple targets or a target rich environment. As a combat VN veteran and retired Federal agent,
I prefer the 1911 with multiple magazines backed up by something like a HK 91 or even an M-1 Garand. Slow reloading is an uncomfortable option if the opposition
has all the modern advantages. Plan for the worst and carry enough to handle it...

[Catshooter]

An interesting factoid for those carrying a roller.

John Correia has a You Tube channel (Active Self Protection) in which he analyses more that a thousand self defense shootings. He reports that he's seen only a few cases where someone involved in a gunfight has reloaded their piece, either roller or auto. But he's never seen one reload and then shoot again. The fight's over. They may not be sure the fight's over when they reload but it is and they don't shoot again.

He also notes that almost always with multiple attackers, as soon as the good guy starts shooting back, everybody starts running away.

[Streetstar]

Oh, the “best” is not what I carry most of the time.

Yep

My favorite chambering for a handgun is .357 and I shoot 10 to 1 .38’s through them it seems —- but have carried a SIG 238 (sigs version of the Colt Mustang baby 1911 380) for years now. Or sometimes a Glock 26 but the baby Glock is considerably chunkier than the Sig

This may change soon as I put a Smith 637 in layaway, which is similar to a 642 but with an exposed hammer — I hate layaway but a few new purchases over the winter plus having to pay for a new window (per one of my other threads) has left me cash strapped but when I saw that little Smith I had to put my name on it

[Streetstar]

Anytime I travel more than about 10 miles I put a 10” Colt M4 with a binary trigger along with a half dozen 30 round P mags in the back seat of the Jeep plus my 38 in my pocket and usually a 1911 in the cup holder.



And your buddy with the Taurus…..he fired all five shots without a mechanical issue?….

Six, that’s basically a full combat loadout - did you move to Baltimore?

Laughing at your Taurus comment. Had a .44 Spl snub that wouldn’t go 3 rounds Without binding the forcing cone. Had to have a gunsmith fix it for 40 bucks because back then he said Taurus would fix it for free but it might take me six months to get it back and it probably would not be fixed properly the first time. That was in about 1998, I hope they’ve gotten better since then

[Streetstar]

Anytime I travel more than about 10 miles I put a 10” Colt M4 with a binary trigger along with a half dozen 30 round P mags in the back seat of the Jeep plus my 38 in my pocket and usually a 1911 in the cup holder.



And your buddy with the Taurus…..he fired all five shots without a mechanical issue?….

Six, that’s basically a full combat loadout - did you move to Baltimore?

Laughing at your Taurus comment. Had a .44 Spl snub that wouldn’t go 3 rounds Without binding the forcing cone. Had to have a gunsmith fix it for 40 bucks because back then he said Taurus would fix it for free but it might take me six months to get it back and it probably would not be fixed properly the first time. That was in about 1998, I hope they’ve gotten better since then

[Sixgun]

Anytime I travel more than about 10 miles I put a 10” Colt M4 with a binary trigger along with a half dozen 30 round P mags in the back seat of the Jeep plus my 38 in my pocket and usually a 1911 in the cup holder.

Baltimore? Sheeeeeeettttt, I won’t drive within 25 miles of that jungle…..

Here’s my thinking on the M4 in the back seat of the Jeep……

I live in s.e.Pa with hoards of “animals” bunched up in pockets here and there……..Look at what happened during riots in the not so distant last……”they” will pull you out of a car with zero empathy.

We live in a very volatile world and big things can happen fast…..picture yourself 30 miles from home and suddenly something big happens….Americans are prone to over reacting and there’s one thing that will happen in a major crisis——-roads will be shut down. As “civilized” people we are only a breath away from turning into savages. That’s a given……

I no longer have the stamina to be engaged in a free for all and there’s nothing like a high capacity rifle that’s capable of head shots out to 500 meters by your side….. Mom (wife) can’t walk more than 50 yards without a need for rest….

A rifle along with the brains on how to use it will up the percentages of survival a lot…

Nobody is gonna pull me out of a vehicle and smash my head with a cinder block.

Go watch that movie “Black Hawk Down”……”they” are no different here. We’ve all seen it on the news.

An old saying, “It’s better to have it and not need it than it is to need it and not have it”———006

[JimT]

An old saying, “It’s better to have it and not need it than it is to need it and not have it”———006

FOR CERTAIN!

[Scott Tschirhart]

I live in s.e.Pa with hoards of “animals” bunched up in pockets here and there……..Look at what happened during riots in the not so distant last……”they” will pull you out of a car with zero empathy.


Go watch that movie “Black Hawk Down”……”they” are no different here. We’ve all seen it on the news.

I absolutely agree with this!