Top 5 handgun calibers of 20th Century

[lucky085]

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

 

[Bryan Whited]

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.

 

[Lavan]

.22 Jet
.256 Win Mag
.30 Luger
.30 Dardick
.38 S&W

Aw,c'mon, SOMEBODY hadda do it.

 

[RWK]

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]

1.32ACP.
2.9mm.
3.40S&W.
4.10mm.
5.45ACP.

AND THATS THAT.

 

[jimmy]

1. .45 ACP.
2. .357 Magnum.
3. 9mm Luger.
4. .380 ACP.
5. .44 Special.

 

[James Montes]

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?

 

[NuclearGlock]

20th Century:
1. 9mm pbm
2. .45 acp
3. .40 sw
4. .357 mag
5. 9mm kurtz

19th Century:
1. .22 lr
2. .38 spcl
3. .45 colt
4. ???

 

[Bob Locke]

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.

 

[James K]

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

 

[James Montes]

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.

 

[DUDE]

THE WALTHER PPK IN 32ACP DDDDDDDDDDDDDD.

 

[James Montes]

It must be a "JAMES BOND" thing...