Which Calibers/Handguns Are Your Favorites?

BBarn

New member
Many have strong preferences regarding handgun calibers and guns. I'm somewhat flexible in that regard, having several I enjoy. How about stating your preferences (and why)? Let's resist the temptation to discuss why we may not like the preferences of others.

Lately I've been enjoying a 4 5/8” New Vaquero in 357. I find it a nice combination of size and performance. Another favorite of mine is the 1911 in 45 Auto. Have managed to keep one flavor or another of those for many years. And a Glock 21 I have shoots better than average for me, even with my smaller hands.

Another one that I enjoy is a 5 1/2” Bisley Blackhawk in 45 Colt. I prefer the Bisley grip over the standard single action grip when the loads heat up. I've also been working with a Bisley Super in 454, working up slowly so as to not develop a flinch.

Been thinking about a 10mm, which I've never owned. My main reservation is that I don't really need one (which rarely stops me), and I would rather not add yet another caliber (I reload what I shoot almost exclusively).
 
I love shooting my Browning Buckmark and my Kel-Tec PMR 30, I also love shooting my 357 revolvers, and my 1911's it is difficult to decide, it is like deciding between the Swedish bikini models or Victoria's Angels. It is a toss up.
 
I am very fond of the 10mm and the .41 Magnum in my 6 shot S&W revolvers. I do not shoot them the most, but those are my favorites.
 
I'm pretty boring. My favorite caliber are 9 mm for its combination of ease of shooting and effectiveness. I shoot a fair amount of .380, too, because I have a pocket pistol in that caliber, and then I had to buy a Beretta 84 just because. I have a couple of other calibers that get shot a lot less. I use less .22LR than I used to back when it was plentiful and cheap, but its use is increasing as those factors correct.

As for favorite pistol, a 92FS is probably my favorite pistol to handle and shoot, with the 84 not far behind. I shoot a Glock as well as anything, though, even though it is far less satisfying.
 
My favorites would be .22lr and .44mag. Just few things more fun to me than plinking outdoors with a .22 and then letting yourself know your alive with a .44mag.
 
I love shooting my NAA MiniMaster with .22 LR. I bring it at least once a week, sit on a chair and shoot off the bench and hit plates at 50 yards repeatedly. For such a small gun to be able to reach out that far is great.

I like my .40 Glocks, they don't have much more recoil than 9mm, but they throw bigger projectiles.

Anything in .45 Colt and .32 S&W/H&R.

The only handgun that I don't like shooting is a Cobray derringer in .410. The recoil is stout with .410, but in .45 Colt it's fun.
 
5.7mm Johnson (a/k/a 22 Spitfire). Pushes a 40 grain bullet out at 2800 fps with essentially no perceived recoil from a modified M1 Carbine.
 
I really enjoy 22lr and 9mm. I frequently shoot my 6.5" heritage RR and my friends S&W Victory. 22lr is so easy to shoot and the cheapest ammo one can purchase. I like 9mm for it's variety, availability, and well rounded nature. In 9mm, I usually shoot my SAR K2P, which is a fantastic low cost double stack 9, or, occasionally, my friends Beretta 92. 9mm and 22lr are also budget friendly which is important to me.
 
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My favorite right now is a Tanfoglio Witness Limited Pro in 10mm. Though with the Witness Hunter here now I feel the LimPro may fall to second place.
 
My favorite is a 357 Magnum in either of my Ruger revolvers.
Next on the list is the 357 Maximum. It is awesome in either the Contender or the Seville.
After that is the 45 Colt. There is no finer round when fired from a Ruger BlackHawk.
I am warming up to the 9mm in my CZ 75B but it is too new to be more than a range toy. I have to get more familiar with it before it goes on the favorite list. I got it for three gun and once I get to know it that is where it will be used.
 
I'm a S&W wheelgun man, and I like magnums. I have a little m36 snubby, a 4" 19-3, 6" 19-3, 6" 28-2, 4" 29-2, 6.5" 629 Classic and a 5" 460V. I don't mean to cop out, but they are all my favorites. Most of my carrying time is in the woods hunting and I carry each of the magnums, just depends on what I feel like taking with me out for a walk. My m36 38spl is what I use for CC.

The 460 is definitely the most dramatic and fun to shoot as well as reload...something about dropping 48gr of H110 in a case, lol.

Hard to pick a favorite among them.
 
I really enjoy shooting .45 ACP out of my Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special. It is such a sweet shooting gun with an amazing trigger. It is absurdly accurate and the heavy weight really takes recoil. Big booms really don't excite me. While I have some very accurate .22 LRs .22 LR doesn't do much for me either.
 
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I'm fairly flexible. I thoroughly enjoy shooting my Glock 21sf. I like to set up clay pigeons on a hill 50 to 75 yards away and see how many shots it takes to hit em. I also like shooting pocket guns. Particularly my old 25 Lorcin (I know, junk, but whatever) until it fell apart.

But my absolute favorite is my 4" GP100 357. I enjoy loading for it, packing it, shooting it, and whatever else you can think of. It's in my pickup whenever I'm in it and usually within reach whenever I'm in the garage working or on my hip when I'm out in the hills or on the boat. Other than daily concealed carry it's my companion. That might have got a bit long winded but there ya go.
 
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