Iconic handguns by caliber

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By "iconic" I assumed the OP meant which gun first came to mind, not necessarily which ones might have been owned or shot by the correspondents.

The most iconic .22 caliber handgun I can think of the the Iver Johnson Sealed Eight or similar revolvers. These most often advertised in Boys Life and similar peridicals. As the the .45 Colt, the old Colt SAA is the only natural choice. As to the small pistol calibers, the Colt Pocket Model of 1903~1908, with nickel plating and pearl grips. And of course the natural choices for the 9mm and .45 ACP are the Luger P08 and the Colt M1911. The .357 Magnum was characterized by a 3 1/2" S&W .357 Magnum. The .40 S&W and .44 Magnum are too new really be called "ioconic." As for the .38 Special, I remember far more Colt Official Police Models than I do S&W revolvers, local thing maybe.

Such are my thoughts.

Bob Wright
 
.22lr - Ruger MK
.25acp - Baby Browning
.32acp - ?
.380 - Walther PPK
9mm - Luger/BHP
.357 magnum - Colt Python
.38 Special - S&W Model 10
.40 S&W - ?
.45acp - 1911
.45 Colt - Colt SAA
.44 magnum - S&W M29
 
.22 LR - Ruger Mark II
25 acp - Baby Browning
32 acp - Walther PPK
.380 Walther PPK
9mm - Luger P-08
.357 magnum - SW Model 27 (and predecessors)
.38 spl - Model 10 (and predecessors)
.40 SW - none
.45 acp - Colt Government model(s)
.45 Colt - Colt SAA
.44 magnum - SW Model 29
 
.22lr - Ruger MKII

.25acp - Browning pocket Pistol (don't remember model)

.32acp - Walther PPK

.380 - Ruger LCP

9mm - Glock 19 / Hi Power / Luger tie

.357 magnum - Ruger GP100

.38 Special - Smith and Wesson Model 10

.40 S&W - Honestly nothing jumps to mind, maybe a USP?

.45acp - 1911

.45 Colt - Colt SAA

.44 magnum - Smith and Wesson 29.
 
.22lr -- S&W Model 41
.25acp -- Baby Browning
.32acp -- Walther PP/PPK
.380 -- Beretta 84
9mm -- Browning Hi-Power
.357 magnum -- Colt Python
.38 Special -- Colt Official Police
.40 S&W -- Sig P229, I guess...? USP? Who cares?
.45acp -- M1911
.45 Colt -- Colt SAA
.44 magnum -- S&W Model 29

Others:

10mm -- Bren Ten
.41 Mag. -- S&W Model 57
 
I'll play. In many cases I have two...

.22lr - S&W model 18 or High Standard Victor
.25acp - Baby Browning
.32acp - FN 1922
.380 - Sig 230/232
9mm - Browning Hi-Power, Beretta 92 or Glock 17/19
.357 magnum - Colt Python
.38 Special - S&W K-38 Combat Masterpiece
.40 S&W - Sig 229
.45acp - 1911
.45 Colt - Colt SAA
.44 magnum - S&W model 29

Other
10mm - Colt Delta Elite
 
.22lr - My dads Hi-Standard Sentinel revolver from 1960 that I inherited
.25acp - Baby Browning
.32acp - Walther PPK
.380 - Ruger LCP
9mm - Beretta 92FS
.357 Magnum - Colt Python
.38 Special - any of the myriad of snub nose revolvers but mainly the S&W 36
.40 S&W - Glock 22
.45acp - 1911 of course
.45 Colt - Colt SAA
.44 Magnum - Honestly "Dirty Harry" pops into my head before the S&W model 29
 
Nice! I like lists.
let's see now, what gun do I associate each caliber with?

.22 LR Beretta Model 87
.25 ACP Browning .25 (Baby Browning)
.32 ACP Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless or Beretta Model 70 (Tie)
.380 ACP Beretta Model 85 FS
9mm Glock 17 or Browning P35 Hi Power (Tie)
.38 Sup. Colt Commander
.357 Mag Smith & Wesson Model 66
.38 Spl. Smith & Wesson Model 36
.40 S&W Sig Sauer P229
10mm Colt Delta Elite
.45 ACP Colt 1911
.45 God Colt Single Action Army
.44 Mag Smith & Wesson Model 29

Took the liberty to add a couple that I kept thinking of as I was writing this.
 
.22lr - Ruger MKII
.25acp - Beretta 21
.32acp -Seecamp
.380 - Walther PPK
9mm - Beretta 92 (well, maybe a Browning Hi-Power)
.357 magnum - SW Model 19
.38 Special - SW Model 60
.40 S&W - Glock 23
.45acp - Colt 1911
.45 Colt - Colt SAA
.44 magnum SW Model 29

Addendum:
38 Super - Colt 1911
10mm - Colt Delta Elite
 
Not necessarily what I think is the best gun in each caliber, just the first ones that come to mind:

.22LR- Ruger Mk. II
.25 ACP- Colt 1908 vest pocket
.32 ACP- Walther PP
.380 ACP- Beretta Model 70
9x19mm- Walther P38
.357 Magnum- S&W Model 27
.38 Special- Colt Detective Special
.40 S&W- Glock 22
.45 ACP- Colt Gov't Model
.45 Long Colt- Colt Single Action Army
.44 Magnum- S&W Model 29

A few others not on the OP's list

.22 Short- Beretta 950 Minx
.32 S&W- Iver Johnson Safety automatic hammerless
.32 S&W Long- S&W .32 Regulation Police
.32 H&R Magnum- Ruger SP101
10mm- Dan Wesson Razorback
.357 Sig- Sig P229
.38 Super- Colt Gov't Model
.44 Special- S&W Model 24
.30 Luger- Swiss M1900 Luger
9mm Largo- Astra 400
.38 S&W- Webley Mk. IV
.41 Magnum- S&W Model 58
.454 Casull- Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan
.44-40- Remington Model 1875
 
.22lr S&W Mod 17
.25acp
.32acpWalther PP
.380Colt 1903 Hammerless
9mmS&W Mod 39-2
.357 magnumS&W 681
.38 SpecialS&W Mod 60
.40 S&W
.44 SpecialS&W 696
.45acp
.45 Colt
.44 magnum

:rolleyes:
 
22lr - Ruger MkII

.25acp - Meh :rolleyes:

.32acp - PPK

.380 - PPK

9mm - P38, P08, P7, 92FS, P210

.357 magnum - Model 27, Python

.38 Special - Colt Detective Special

.40 S&W -Meh, a bit young for this list and lacking in heritage, eh? :rolleyes:

.45acp - 1911 ad infinitum, Sig P220, HK45

.45 Colt - Colt SAA, Colt New Service, Ruger Blackhawk

.44 magnum - What else could it be? :) Well, do ya (know), punk?

BONUS ROUND:

10mm - Colt Delta Elite, Bren Ten
 
OP here. Results so far:

.22 lr -Ruger Mark, although that's counting Mk1, Mk2 and Mk3 combined.

.25acp - Baby Browning, easily, but Colt, Beretta and even Raven all collected votes.

.32 acp - James Bond's PPK edged out the Colt Pocket Model of 1903.

.380 acp - the PPK again won against a varied field.

9mm - the Luger was most associated with the cartridge which bears its name, but the BHP and 92FS made strong showings.

.357 Magnum - Dead heat between the Python and the S&W Model 27.

.38 Special - the old workhorse Model 10, (including the M & P).

.40 S&W - Glock 22 garnered a handful of votes, but more people declined to even pick a .40

.45 acp - No surprise here, as variations on the 1911 theme dominate this catagory.

.45 Colt - The SAA dominates here.

.44 magnum - the S&W Model 29, with several Dirty Harry references.

Thank you to those who added in other guns and calibers that I left out.
 
.22lr- S&W m63 (first real handgun I ever fired at about 8 years old. My grandfathers.

.25acp- Tiny little Auto-Pony. Don't know much about it

.32acp- Another Small Auto-Pony. Same as above

.380- Walther PPK/S

9mm- Luger

.357 magnum- Tie here, S&W m19 and m686

.38 Special- S&W m15

.40 S&W- S&W M&P

.45acp- Really?? 1911 of course!

.45 Colt- Colt Peacemaker

.44 magnum- Another tie, S&W m29, S&W m629 Classic
 
Tactical "Free-Association" (Apologies to Freud)

.22lr - Colt Woodsman
.25acp - Bauer
.32acp - Walther PP
.380acp - Mauser Hsc (Why the Mauser & not the Walther, I.d.n.k.)
9x19mm - P-08 Luger
.357 mag. - S&W M27
.38 Spl. - S&W M14 (K-38)
.40 S&W - Browning P-35
.45acp - M1911
.45 Colt - Colt Single-Action Army
.44 magnum - S&W M29
 
.22lr - Ruger MKII bull barrel
.25acp - Colt 1908 hammerless
.32acp - Walther PP
.380 - Seecamp
9mm - Too many
.357 magnum S&W 19
.38 Special - Colt Det. Special
.40 S&W - no opinion
.45acp - Colt 1911
.45 Colt - Ruger BH
.44 magnum - S&W 29
 
.22 = Colt Woodsman
.25 = Baby Browning
.32 = Walther PPK
.380 = Walther PPK
9mm = Browning Hi-Power (P-35)
.357 mag = S&W Registered Magnum (mod. 27)
.38 Spec = S&W M&P (mod. 10)
.40 S&W = Glock 23
.45 ACP = Colt 1911A1
.45 Colt = Colt SAA Peacemaker
.44 mag = S&W mod. 29
 
.22lr Ruger MKI
.25acp Colt 25 Auto
.32acp Kel Tec
.380 Colt Mustang
9mm Glock 17
.357 magnum Ruger GP 100
.38 Special Colt Detective Special
.40 S&W Glock 22
.45acp Colt Government Model
.45 Colt Colt SAA
.44 magnum Ruger Super Blackhawk

I may be a bit narrow minded and did not even know it until just now. Dang.
 
Iconic? Transcends the ages and such.

Let me see.

.22-Ruger Standard and its variants, then revisiting the earliest of S&W revolvers

.25-not horribly schooled in the caliber, would have to say the Colt/Browning vest pocket autos.

.32-Colt's Pocket Hammerless 1903. PPK, but still a distant second.

.380-I would have to think some more when I wasn't so tired. Personal preference would lead me to the 1908 Pocket Hammerless, though I feel that would be cheating. I do think the Beretta Cheetah series are the most graceful or elegant looking, history be damned. Just off the top of my sleepy head.

9mm-that's a big 'ol bucket to talk about filling. BHP, Glock 17/19, C96 Red 9, 92fs, CZ75, Luger, P38, the original 1911 Commander. The proliferation of the caliber makes this one pretty hard to nail down "most".

.40-honestly, I've never really cared for the caliber. Can't think of one that developed on it's own other than modified from another chambering.

.45 ACP-Colt's 1911(A1) Government Model, see comments below.

.45 Colt-1873 Single Action Army. Duh, the original is still the best. See above, viscious circle ensues.

.357 Magnum-S&W Registered Magnum, and all the subsequent N frame .357 brothers, cousins, and step-children.
 
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