Favorite Caliber

[Chas.]

Besides .22, of what caliber do you put the most rounds down range. I have 3 rifles and 2 handguns in .45-70 so I shoot more of them than anything. .44 mag would be a close second, with .357 bringing up the rear. I also have shot my .45 GAP, but less than 50 rounds per year. I guess you could say that I "re-qualify" with it occasionally.

[tman]

Favorite caliber is the .356wcf. All the power i need out to 200yards or so in the model 94 platform. if i could buy discount ammo at the box stores, like the 3030, '06 and 308, i'd be in heaven

[cshold]

.73 cal. or 12-gauge

[2ndovc]

I'd say my 45-70s gets the most rounds fired followed by the .303 Brit.
Although my .35 Remington 336s seem to be chewing up an awful lot of ammunition lately.
.45acp after that. Then 9x19 and then the .44 Magnum.

Interesting question.
It has changed over the years. There was a time that I was shooting a couple thousand .38 Spls a year.


jb

[J Miller]

My favorite caliber = .45.
My favorite cartridge = .45 Colt

"The .45 Colt; first, foremost, and forever." - J Miller

I put more rounds of .45 Colt downrange per year than I do .22s per 10 years.

Joe

[Chuck 100 yd]

.30-30 followed closely by the .45 Colt.

The .357 mag. is a favorite also but below the above in the standings.

[Sixgun]

Handgun---44 Spl. followed closely by the 38-40

Rifle--38-55, followed closely by the 32-20, 25-20, 45-70, 30-30, 40-65, 32 Spl., 30-40, 40-82, 25-35, 32-40, 219 Zipper, 33 Win, 35 Win, '06.........oh Lordy, I'm addicted to 'em all! --------Sixgun

[jdad]

90% of my range time is 22 caliber, but............

my favorite centerfire rifle caliber is the 32-20
and
my favorite centerfire handgun caliber is the .357 magnum.

[Marvin S]

Kind of a 32 freak I guess, 32SW 32Mag 32-20 and 32-40.

[86er]

I shoot hundreds of 30WCF, 303 Brit and 35 Rem every year because I reload inexpensive ammo for them and the rifles are fun to shoot. None of them are my favorite caliber.

[Thunder50]

308 is the most shot, but I think favorite is 357max.

[rjohns94]

.54 round ball.

[Beaker]

12 guage then 30 WCF.

[spaceman spiff]

45 auto, many, many thousands followed by .30-30, couple of thousand. neither my fav.
That would be .38-55

spaceman

[CowboyTutt]

Well, thats a doozy of a question. I'm a wee bit particular about my guns and cartridges as Old Savage would tell you and none of them are common. I guess I gravitate to the UNcommon cartridges. I suspect I shoot more 454 Casull than anything else out of a revolver or levergun, but I adore the 43 Mauser out of my old friend "3120" (a 71/84 Mauser built in 1888) and the 358 Winchester and 303 Brit and of course 45 Colt. But I have to say, the one cartridge I own that when I shoot it, it just amazes me with what it can do, is my CZ550 in 375 H&H Ackley. Even with the 350 grain boat-tail bullet I'm using, the bullet gets there so fast, shoots so flat, has so much energy even at very long range, and is so accurate even with iron sights it blows my mind every time I take it out. Its sort of like having a pet tiger in your closet. You KNOW you have a tiger in your closet, you KNOW what she's capable of quite well, but every time you let her out you still go "Holy Moly!!!!" She never ceases to amaze you! This cartridge can do anything required on the planet with the right bullet and do it well. With the premium recoil pad and merc tube, its not even that bad to shoot. Big slow push. Here's a pic of my handload with the 350 grain Sierra Match King BT bullet from Graff's next to a dummy round of the 454 Casull for perspective. Looks like a pint sized IBCM missile and it stays supersonic to well past 1500 yards at sea level! -Tutt

[TedH]

Handguns would be a virtual tie between 45acp and 357 Mag. Rifles would be 45-70 with 30-30 a close second.

[Griff]

Besides .22, of what caliber do you put the most rounds down range. I have 3 rifles and 2 handguns in .45-70 so I shoot more of them than anything. .44 mag would be a close second, with .357 bringing up the rear. I also have shot my .45 GAP, but less than 50 rounds per year. I guess you could say that I "re-qualify" with it occasionally.

I must admit that I am conflicted on your query.

My favorite caliber is .30-30.

The one I sling the most lead downrange from is .45Colt.

[Mescalero]

.45 ACP

[GoatGuy]

Handgun - .45 acp, however recently the 9mm seems to be getting quite a bit more attention.

Long gun - my 20 ga seems to be getting more of my time than my 12.

Rifle - 22lr, hands down

[Kansas Ed]

38-40. But I am really hooked on all of my 40 calibers....38-40, .405, 40-82, 40-72, 10mm, .40SW.

Now the most fun is a tie between the low wall .22 Hornet, or the Low wall .25-20 SS

Ed

[BenT]

Favorite - it changes . Last few years it's 32 H&R for handguns

Rifles 38-55 , but my Marlin in 32-20 is a close second.

[AJMD429]

Aside from the .22 LR and 12 gauge shotgun, I think in theory I'd like a 'minimum' battery of

• .35 caliber - .38 Spl CCW handgun, .357 Mag Farm handgun & Carbine, .35 Remington Rifle
  
  .45 caliber - .45 Colt CCW handgun, .454 Casull Farm handgun & Carbine, .460 S&W Rifle

Unfortunately, not all the above items are available in the configuration or price-range I'd like, so my "favorite" caliber is the .44 caliber:

• .44 Special Charter Arms Bulldog CCW Handgun
  .44 Magnum Ruger Redhawk Field Handgun
  .44 Magnum Marlin 1894 Carbine
  .444 Marlin XLR Rifle

Add a pointy-bullet long-range bolt-gun, and what else do you need...?

. . .well, maybe a .223 bullpup, a 50 BMG, a 204 Ruger, and . . .

[CowboyTutt]

Hey Doc, I was going to say, where did you find that 460 rifle as I really wanted one! Too funny.

-Tutt

[2X22]

No doubt.

Rifle--.44 mag

Pisol--.44 mag/sp

2x22

[Sarge]

Thirty-Eight-Forty Rimless

[Martini450]

My interests range too much to claim a favorite, but when I want to enjoy shooting for the sake of shooting, I always end up reaching for my Uberti '73 in 44-40. Spent this afternoon at the range with three rifles, and while I enjoyed all of them, the most fun was picking off clay pigeons at a hundred yards on the berm with my 44-40. Truly an underrated round for plinking.

[firefuzz]

With three rifles and five pistols in .357 I'd probably have to say it's my favorite "everyday" cartridge. I probably shoot more 9mm, 12ga, and .223 every year just because those are the common caliber's I use in teaching. Overall favorite rifle cartridge would probably be the .30-'06.

Rob

[txpete]

lever 375 win

handgun 44mag/special

bolt action hunting 375 ouch & ouch

bolt action milsurp 762X54R

semi auto milsurp 30/06,7.62

[Borregos]

Most lead downrange in order:
44 Mag
30-30
22 Hornet
357 Mag
22 LR
7mm TCU
44-40
444 Marlin
45-70
7mm BR

Favourite cartridge though is the 30-30

[damienph]

I shoot and load 14 cartridges in handguns and 15 in rifles, plus handguns and rifles in 22LR and shotguns in 12G and .410.

The most fired in handguns this past year would be 45 ACP, 30 Carbine (Blackhawk), 30 Herret (Contender), and 38 Special.

The most fired in rifles this past year would be 223 Rem, 22 Hornet, 303 Brit, and 375 Win.

Even though I didn't shoot it much this past year, my favorite handgun cartridge is 357 Magnum.

Same for my favorite rifle cartridge; 30-06 Springfield.

But I shoot more 22 LR than anything else.

[trapper45]

Besides .22, .45 Long Colt, rifle and pistol.

[Cimarron]

If you set the .22 aside, when I first started reloading I shot a lot of .38/.357 in both pistol and rifle. I had an old 3 screw Ruger Blackhawk and a Marlin lever gun. I wish I still had that Ruger. Later on I put a lot of rounds through my Colt Python. Hands down, probably the best revolver I ever owned. Then I moved on to the .45 ACP and .45 Colt. Some but not many rounds through my great uncle's WWI 1911 that he carried in France. Had a nice AMT Hardballer and a S&W Model 25 with both .45 Colt and .45 ACP cylinders. Then there is the .30-06 which I shot alot. At some point in the early '80's I discovered Black Powder Cartridge guns. Shot .50-2 1/2" Sharps, .50-70 Govt. .45-70 Govt. as well as .44 WCF. My latest fascination is a Cimarron/Uberti Centennial Rifle in .45-75 WCF. It's hard to pick but it seems, both in rifle and pistol/revolver, I now like the .45!

[dbateman]

45colt , because big heavy lead kill's stuff

[COSteve]

Rifle: .223 closely followed by .357mag
Pistol: 40s&w closely followed by 10mm and 45acp

Since I got my leverguns early last year the have become my most fun rifles.

[SFRanger7GP]

Rifle: 45-70 with 30-06 coming a close second.

Handgun: 44 special with 45 colt and 44 magnum tied for close second.

[RIHMFIRE]

38-40

[AJMD429]

Hey Doc, I was going to say, where did you find that 460 rifle as I really wanted one! Too funny. -Tutt

Yeah, I keep hoping for a sound and strong levergun in .460, but the market isn't now in favor of 'heavy' 'rifle' type leverguns, as much as the 'carbine' ones. Ruger offers a .460 S&W in the No. 1 I think, but if I'm going to get a falling-block gun, I'd geta .416 Rigby for the same price. If I ever shoot anything needing more than one round of a .416, just assume it was a suicide or I thought the T.Rex looked hungry and just wanted to get its attention...

[rogn]

45 Colt; Ruger redhawk, S&W 25, Rossi 92; 7mmWSM 2 rifles with acouple of extra barrels.But theres so much to do with each caliber, that I can have a new favorite whenever I run into a new challenge.

[AJMD429]

But I have to say, the one cartridge I own that when I shoot it, it just amazes me with what it can do, is my CZ550 in 375 H&H Ackley. Even with the 350 grain boat-tail bullet I'm using, the bullet gets there so fast, shoots so flat, has so much energy even at very long range, and is so accurate even with iron sights it blows my mind every time I take it out.

Just curious - HOW fast...? How different than the 'plain' H&H or a .375 Ruger?

[2571]

.357 Elliott Express.

[jeepnik]

Boy, this is a tougher question than I originally thought. I first though 45-70, cuz this is a levergun forum, and it's my favorited levergun caliber. Then I thought no, I do shoot handguns more, so it must be a handgun caliber. But which one, because while I really, really prefer a good single action revolver in .45 colt, I do shoot 1911's in .45 acp more. Mostly because it's my carry round. But somebody mentioned shotguns. Well darned, for what I do, mostly upland game, I prefer the twenty over the twelve.

So, since you took the obvious choice .22 lr out of the equation, I sat and pondered the question. My final decision will have to be .45 acp. I do have it chambered in single action autos, double action autos, "safe" action autos, single action revolvers, double action revolvers, two shot derringers, and single shot handguns. I realized that I have it in just about every type of handgun action I can think off. And except for the .22 lr, nothing else is chambered in all the options.

So there you have it, a thoughtful answer to what should really be answered by whatever rolls off you tounge first. Then again.....

[Mike D.]

.45-90 W.C.F., in a rifle, I reckon. For a revolver it has to be .44 W.C.F.

[olyinaz]

I rotate through my stock just to keep it fun so honestly I can't pick a favorite. What get's shot, by far, the most however I can name because I have more of some guns in my stable than others so we grab for that ammo more frequently.

- .223 Rem./5.56 NATO
- 7.62x39 Soviet
- 8mm Mauser
- 7.62x54r Russian
- .45 Colt
- .45 ACP
- .357 S&W magnum
- .40 S&W
- 9mm Luger
- .22 rimfire (all flavors)
- 20 gauge (all flavors)

Cheers,
Oly

[CowboyTutt]

Doc said:

Just curious - HOW fast...?

Doc, I can get a 350 grain bullet, either Woodleigh protected point, or this 350 grain Matchking bullet right at 2500 fps. It takes about 95 grains of Ramshot Magnum to do it and not really doable in a "regular" 375 Ouch and Ouch as someone said (that was very funny by the way!) without a faster burning powder and way too high pressures (although I think I know of an internet writer who has done it but not in high ambient temps and not with his life on the line.) Compared to other calibers I use at 2000-2200 fps, it seems like the 375 bullet gets to the target instantly even at 400 yards (probably helped by the rediculous 746 BC of the Matchking bullet.) I can get 300 grain Barnes TSX's at 2700 fps which pretty well matches the 30-06 speed and trajectory but with near twice the bullet weight. -Tutt

[OldWin]

Rifle is hands down 38-40. I've got a smile the whole time I'm shooting it. Followed closely by 38-55 and 44-40. A lot of .308 but that's an M1A thing.
Handgun is 45ACP, 45Colt, .22lr.

[Ysabel Kid]

Tough one. I put more .22 rounds downrange than any else, but you eliminated that. Favorite, like Joe, is the .45 specifically in .45 Colt. If I could only have one, it would probably be the .357 Magnum, just from a flexibility standpoint.

[375hh1973]

.375 HH of course! Followed closely by .308 and 7mm STW.

[Streetstar]

I put more 5.56 Nato down range every year than all others combined. (darn black rifles)

Handguns i would have to say .45 ACP gets used more than any other .

Both of these calibers are from defensive type firearms and their use is equal parts training and fun shooting.


Sentimental favorite though is the .45 Colt (i have more firearms chambered for it than any other) and .30-.30.