There are many arguments over what the best handgun caliber is. Depending on who you talk to, you're bound to hear conflicting opinions all across the board. The Handguns with high caliber vary wildly, as there are many different types of guns that use many different types of calibers.
If you are looking for the best ammunition, 357 magnum ammunition is always a solid choice. Of course, so is a 38 special ammunition. Bullet weight plays a big role in the final results, as does shot placement. In any event, you need to know what the finest handgun caliber is for different situations. Also, depending on your needs, you may want to check out the latest cutting edge 9mm and 10mm pistols, 44 mag revolvers, or even a top AR pistol on offer.
Today, we are going to explore some of these so you have a better understanding of the finest handgun ammunition to use when called for.
The Best Handgun Caliber for Your Concealed Carry Weapon?
By and large, 44 magnum, 9mm 40 S&W, or 38 SPL is going to be the best handgun for concealed carry. Any 9mm for that matter should serve you well in protecting yourself. The safety round you choose largely depends on the size of your owned gun.
If you are looking for concealed carry that is small and lightweight, 45 ACP and 40 S&W ammunition may not be the most ideal. For the best results, you should stick with a 9mm gun. It's important to remember that your skills as a shooter are going to come into play here, too.
If you are a new shooter, the 38 SPL is an excellent all-around caliber. Many beginners rely on this caliber to become familiar and comfortable with shooting. As such, you may want to seriously consider giving it a go if you're just starting out.
A wheeled gun chambered for 38 special will provide the compact pistol you are looking for in a concealed carry pistol. It should be noted, however, that you are going to give up some speed by opting for the 38 SPL.
You may want to stick with a semi-auto if this is important to you. You will get a better shot placement as a result and improve firearm's accuracy because you won't have to deal with recoil as much as you would with a revolver.
Depending on your shooting skills, a semi-auto may be your better option for this handgun caliber. Semi-autos are often favored among newer shooters. As such, you should consider this to be a good starting point.
More Power
If you want to ensure speed and stability, you can't go wrong with 9mm ammunition. If you're looking for slightly more power, 10mm auto is another solid choice. Moreover, check out the HK VP40 review if exceptional power is what you want. Just be aware that you're going to have to deal with more recoil than the 9mm ammunition.
You're getting a heck of a lot of power here, with great muzzle energy, to boot. 9mm calibers are good for beginners, while 10mm calibers are ideal for those who have had plenty of practice and are ready to graduate to something a bit more beastly. But there is a trade-off.
Each round may not deliver the accuracy you're used to in the 9mm, but you will definitely have the power you're looking for. It should be noted that 10mm was once used by military and law enforcement on a large scale.
Specifically, police departments and FBI agents relied on this round for their daily defense caliber. The problem was that they ultimately didn't believe them to shoot well, so they ditched them. Police departments ultimately went with the 9mm cartridge and never looked back.
Trading Down
In practice, I have to agree that shot placement with 10mm ammunition isn't the greatest in the world. I have much better luck with my 9mm handgun any day of the week. What's more, I really felt recoil in the 10mm calibers that weren't present with 9mm calibers.
So even though I would rather have a bit more power in my 9mm, I find that it's not really a necessity for what I use it for. With that being said, I could certainly see the need for higher calibers if I got into a gunfight.
Time will tell if we're going to be faced with such insurgency. But as it stands, smaller calibers serve me just fine.
Handgun Caliber for Survival
When it comes to protecting yourself and your loved ones, Glock 9mm and 45 ACP are probably going to be your best bet as the best handgun for survival. Not only does it have great power per round, but it's a great all-around defense caliber for various situations.
If you've got a bad guy on your tail, it's important to be properly armed. But firearms are only as good as the shooter. You need to be sure that you have good shot placement while you're on the move. Bad guys aren't going to stand still for you to pick them off.
As such, you need to have ample training under your belt for hitting moving targets. It won't matter much what kind of handgun you are using if you can't fire accordingly. Knowing how to shoot can very well save your life in a defense situation.
Your performance behind your handgun ensures that you are capable of using your handgun of choice efficiently and effectively.
The 357 SIG
It should be noted that 357 SIG ammunition is a fine choice if you aren't using a weapon with a barrel length of over 8 inches. I have found that shorter barrels are better for 357 calibers. If you're using a handgun that sports a short barrel, give 357 SIG ammunition a try.
The pistol calibers seem to deliver better performance in the right handgun, so you may need to experiment first to get a feel for how it's going to respond with your weapon of choice.
If there's an issue and you don't get the performance you were hoping for, I'd recommend sticking with the Glock 9mm or 45 ACP. Sure, you won't get the best performance in the Glock 9mm, but this Glock's power and accuracy are off the charts, in my opinion.
Handgun Calibers for Armed Self-Defense
The 357 Magnum
Alternatively, 357 magnum ammunition will do a fine job of scaring off a bad guy until the police officer arrives. 9mm and 357 magnums may not have the best stopping power, but you can be sure that it will put fear in anyone trying to cause trouble.
Whether you are using semi-automatic or otherwise, both the 357 magnums and 9mm make respectable defense ammo. Even though they aren't the biggest and the worst bullet on the block, personal protection rarely calls for full-size rounds.
What's more, you will find that these work well to accommodate follow-up shots. In the event that you are forced to fire more than one round, 9mm and 357 will make it easier to shoot a defensive round consistently.
Personal protection is often subjective to the shooter. The ammunition you decide to use depends a lot on your skill as a shooter and the situation you're in. Shooting the various rounds outlined above will take plenty of training to adequately handle each.
Larger calibers should be reserved for shooters who know their way around a gun, while beginners are safer sticking with shooting something with less recoil.
You may not get the stopping power you want right away, but it's better to get comfortable with lesser calibers before you try to jump straight to something that you can't safely control.
Wrap Up
Knowing the right calibers for self-defense, concealed carry, and survival will help you determine the best weapon for your needs. As mentioned numerous times before, though, you need to make sure that you can safely use these calibers before being thrust into a real-life situation.
Spend plenty of time at the range so that you can comfortably carry your handgun. This will ensure that you are able to use the correct caliber in any given scenario.
It takes patience and determination, but you will be a capable shooter after plenty of training with these calibers.