Top 5 handgun calibers of 20th Century

If one goes by the number of firearms manufactured for a specific caliber, the results are as follows:

1) 9 MM
2) 45 ACP
3) .380
4) 357 magnum
5) 38 special
 
In time order:
38 super (38 auto)-1929 (1900)
45ACP-1905
357 mag-1935
10mm then 40S&W-1983 and 1990
475 Linebaugh-1999 for factory loads
That just about uses the full time line.
 
Not in priority order:
> .45 ACP -- set and retains the standard as the "big, slow" handgun round .... proven by time and adversity to be a measure of "man stopping" effectiveness
> 9mm -- established the standard as the "small, fast" automatic pistol round
> .38 Special -- most widely used handgun round for defensive and law enforcement purposes throughout most of the century
> .357 mag -- most widely used, high pressure/high velocity law enforcement round during the mid-century period
> .40 S&W -- new century's standard for defensive, target and law enforcement use [among the "new laods", I personally prefer the 10mm and the .357 Sig; however, I suspect there is a LOT more .40 S&W fired than the combination of those two excellent rounds]


[This message has been edited by RWK (edited December 17, 1999).]
 
DUDE,

.32acp? whoa...

Off hand I cannot even think of a handgun chambered in the .32acp "mouse" caliber. Don't mean any disrespect, everyone is entitled to there opinion. However, I am interested, as I'm sure others are on TFL, on how you ascertain the .32 acp as the handgun caliber of the century?

THATS WHAT?
 
In order (from my perspective):

1. .45 ACP (without a doubt)
2. .357 magnum
3. 9mm
4. .44 magnum
5. .40 S&W

Of the 5, the best all-around cartridge? I would submit that it's the .357 magnum.
 
Maybe not the best, but certainly influential - the .38 Special. (The .357 Magnum is an elongated .38 Special.)

And the .32ACP may be a "mouse gun" but a .32 Browning was used to kill the Archduke Ferdinand in 1914 and that was certainly an influential shot.

Jim
 
Archduke Ferdinands assassination was the one event attributed to the outbreak of WWI...

Thanks for the history refesher course...
But I still cannot see how the .32ACP?; Can remotely be considered the pistol cartridge of the century. Someone help me see the light on this one.
 
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