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Thread: Best all round caliber

  1. #1
    Senior Member norahc's Avatar
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    Best all round caliber

    What are your opinions on the best "ALL PURPOSE" caliber for each of the following and why? By all purpose, I mean defensive and offensive (like hunting and long range)?

    Revolver
    Semi-Auto
    Rifle
    Shotgun

    Personally, for a revolver, I think the .357 Magnum is the best all purpose round. Used by law enforcement for decades, we know it does well in defensive scenarios. It can be used to hunt with, so the offensive aspect is covered. Recoil is controllable, penetration is great, and .38 Special makes a great range round.

    For semi-auto, I've got to go with the 10mm as it was originally envisioned and loaded to. I know ammo availability is a big detraction for it, but that is slowly changing. Great defensive round, and outside of a zoo, there's not much on this continent that you can't defend yourself from with a 10mm. Offensively, it is another round that can be used for hunting, and it was designed so that it's ballistics at 50 yards were better than a .45ACP at the muzzle.

    For a rifle, I'd be hard pressed to find a better all purpose round than the .308/7.62 NATO. The ability to reach out and touch someone at several hundred yards while still being effective at close range, combined with ammo availability and choice makes this one hard to beat.

    For a shotgun, I don't see how there can be any choice but the classic 12ga. The versatility of this round is unparalleled. I'm not even going to bother discussing the defensive aspects of this since they are so widely recognized.

    What are your thoughts on this?
    "Some battles are fought for principle and some battles are fought for dollars. When you fight for principles you fight until hell freezes over and then you fight on the ice." - Spokane Councilman Steve Salvatori

  2. #2
    Senior Member Pedro3101's Avatar
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    For hunting and home defense where amount, cost, capacity and weight are not critical factors

    357 mag
    45 ACP
    7.62
    12g

  3. #3
    Senior Member GlassWolf's Avatar
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    .357 or .41 magnum
    9mm NATO
    .308 Win
    20 gauge (faster recovery, nearly the same terminal ballistics, and cheaper than 12)
    I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do. I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do.
    Robert A. Heinlein

  4. #4
    Senior Member Iwap_Evile's Avatar
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    357 Mag
    9MM
    .308
    12g

  5. #5
    Senior Member norahc's Avatar
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    I'm curious as to why the 9mm is being chosen. I realize it is a great defensive round, but it fails in the offensive category. Can those of you that chose it explain why?
    "Some battles are fought for principle and some battles are fought for dollars. When you fight for principles you fight until hell freezes over and then you fight on the ice." - Spokane Councilman Steve Salvatori

  6. #6
    Senior Member GlassWolf's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by norahc View Post
    I'm curious as to why the 9mm is being chosen. I realize it is a great defensive round, but it fails in the offensive category. Can those of you that chose it explain why?
    Explain why you think it fails? Firstly, a handgun is NOT an offensive weapon. It's called a sidearm for a reason. It's a secondary, or backup weapon if your primary/rifle fails, goes empty, or you need something for CQC. That said, the 9mm has nearly the same terminal ballistic stats as other handgun rounds, considering that on the scale of smallest handgun round to largest rifle round, the entirety of the handgun round realm is a small percentage of the graph compared to rifle rounds in velocity, penetration, and terminal ballistics. The 9mm has high magazine capacity, good stopping power with modern ammunition (read HP not ball ammo) good muzzle energy, velocity, and penetration, and, most importantly, it's the NATO standard, meaning you can find it in large quantities nearly anywhere in the world.

    That's my pitch. I have nothing against .45ACP, and grew up shooting that as well.. I just find it's shortcomings to be muzzle velocity and magazine capacity.
    Last edited by GlassWolf; 11-07-2012 at 01:52 PM.
    I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do. I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do.
    Robert A. Heinlein

  7. #7
    Senior Member norahc's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by GlassWolf View Post
    Explain why you think it fails? Firstly, a handgun is NOT an offensive weapon. It's called a sidearm for a reason. It's a secondary, or backup weapon if oyur primary/rifle fails, goes empty, or you need something for CQC. That said, the 9mm has nearly the same terminal ballistic stats as other handgun rounds, considering that on the scale of smallest handgun round to largest rifle round, the entirety of the handgun round realm is a small percentage of the graph compared to rifle rounds in velocity, penetration, and terminal ballistics. The 9mm has high magazine capacity, good stopping power with modern ammunition (read HP not ball ammo) good muzzle energy, velocity, and penetration, and, most importantly, it's the NATO standard, meaning you can find it in large quantities nearly anywhere in the world.

    That's my pitch. I have nothing against .45ACP, and grew up shooting that as well.. I just find it's shortcomings to be muzzle velocity and magazine capacity.
    But the criteria was for best all purpose caliber, including offensive capabilities for hunting. I'm not saying the 9mm fails in a defensive role, although it is not my preferred caliber.
    "Some battles are fought for principle and some battles are fought for dollars. When you fight for principles you fight until hell freezes over and then you fight on the ice." - Spokane Councilman Steve Salvatori

  8. #8
    Senior Member GlassWolf's Avatar
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    Then as I said, the 9mm is the best "all purpose" caliber because you have high magazine capacity, ample terminal ballistics, and the round is readily available world wide.
    I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do. I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do.
    Robert A. Heinlein

  9. #9
    Personally I'm a fan of the .44. Can be loaded light for target, shotshell for small game, or heavy for bears. It fires in all my revolvers and my next purchase will be a marlin 1894 rifle or similar ruger. I know it is not the most common caliber, but reloading is pretty easy. I like that my revolvers, derringer and rifles can all shoot the same ammo.

    Other than that I do keep a couple 9mm's and a couple 12 guages round out the long arms

  10. #10
    357 Mag
    45 ACP
    .308
    12g
    More guns, less crime

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