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Common calibers
The amount of available calibers can often be confusing and overwhelming to new shooters; as such, this article aims to do a quick overview of the capabilities of various common handgun and rifle calibers (in ascending order of size, rather than power) to compare their uses and utility.
Handgun Rounds
.17 HMR
.17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire is an extremely accurate low-caliber cartridge developed from the .22 WMR, intended to have a very high velocity and subsequently flat trajectory through a powerful propellant load and a very light bullet. It's quite similar to various "wildcat" cartridges: custom cartridges made by reloaders to try and push the limits of their ammo. While more expensive than other small calibers like .22LR, .17 HMR has the advantages of greater accuracy, longer range, greater power and a flatter trajectory. The round has been quite successful and sells well, with virtually every reputable firearms seller maintaining a healthy stock.
The similar .17 HM2 (Hornady Mach 2) is a smaller, cheaper round based on the .22LR casing; most .22LR firearms can be converted to .17 HM2 through a barrel change, though this ammo is often twice as expensive.
.22 Short
While .22 Short is an ancient cartridge (first produced in 1857, making it older than the Civil War), it remains in use as a quiet round for recreational shooters. Many commercial loads are subsonic, allowing for them to be safely fired without ear protection. The round is still produced in a wide variety despite .22LR taking over in popularity, and can also be found in supersonic target and hunting loads. Hollow-point .22 Short rounds are quite good for hunting, though the small caliber obviously makes them disappointing for self-defense. No rifles chambered for .22 Short are currently in production.
.22 Long
Like .22 Short, .22 Long has been overtaken in popularity by .22LR. This cartridge dates back to 1871, making it the second-oldest rimfire cartridge still in production. .22 Long is (no pun intended) long since believed to be obsolete, with relatively few manufacturers continuing to produce it. Compared to the .22LR that is quickly killing it off, the .22 Long has similar performance in handguns, but has such low inertia that it is greatly outperformed by .22LR in rifle barrels.
.22LR
.22 Long Rifle is quite simply the most popular, common cartridge in the world. In production since 1887, .22LR is manufactured in such massive amounts for such a low cost that a box of over 500 rounds can be had for as low as $20. A massive variety of rifles and pistols are manufactured in this cartridge, and it is easily the cheapest. Of course, this all comes at a price: .22LR is not especially powerful, and contrary to the popular myth often repeated from the Zombie Survival Guide the round rarely actually ricochets inside the skull. While excellent for small game, .22LR rounds will rarely stop an advancing or attacking enemy quickly. That's not to say the wounds won't be fatal; many a misguided youth has carelessly fired off the "weak" rounds and fatally injured a friend or bystander, but the chance of dropping an enemy immediately with one or two shots is very small.
.22 WMR
.22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire is nowhere near as cheap or prolific as .22LR, it has the advantage of power. This tiny magnum cartridge packs a hell of a punch, with the small size and low recoil allowing for even handguns to pack as much as 30 rounds to a magazine. Under 50 yards, small game like prairie dogs and squirrels will be essentially obliterated by the force of the impact, and it's no slouch in self-defense. While other calibers like 9mm or .45 ACP may be more powerful and cheaper, they rarely offer the same small size and high capacity as .22 WMR.
5.7x28mm
This odd-looking round, developed from the 5.56mm NATO round used in many modern assault rifles, is unique in that it was developed specifically for piercing body armor. As part of the NATO trials to develop a personal defense weapon (PDW) that could penetrate Communist Bloc armor, Fabrique Nationale of Belgium developed this pointed round and several weapons to go with it. 5.7mm certainly does all it claims to do, with armor-piercing rounds penetrating Level IIIA Kevlar that normally protects against the massive .44 Magnum round. FN currently does not sell the armor-piercing round to civilians due to the danger they present against police officers, and as such most civilian interest in the cartridge is in the flat trajectory that aids with accurate shooting. The actual terminal performance (i.e. killing power) against unarmored targets is still hotly debated, however.
.25 ACP
.25 ACP is a round that really only exists because of its reliability; it's actually slightly less powerful than .22LR and more expensive, but the centerfire design (with a separate primer in the center of the cartridge base) is believed to be more reliable, and so it stays. The round is quite weak, only loaded into tiny, cheap pocket pistols. On the positive side, many very cheap "Saturday Night Special" pistols are chambered in this round, making it a good choice for people who need immediate protection when they have only $100 or less to their name.
7.62x38mmR
This bewildering round is designed for a very specific weapon: the Russian M1895 Nagant revolver. This revolver was designed to provide a full gas seal around the cylinder in a vain attempt to provide extra power: the cylinder moves forward as the hammer is cocked, with the unusual cartridge case (extending past the bullet) assisting in this seal. The common target rounds have comparable power to .32 ACP, a rather anemic round rarely seen outside of small pocket pistols today, and while relatively inexpensive is not easy to find outside of online suppliers as only two companies continue to manufacture it. Military surplus ammo is more powerful, however, making it an acceptable self-defense cartridge.
7.62x25mm Tokarev
Don't let the relatively low caliber fool you: 7.62mm Tokarev is not a cartridge to be trifled with. Designed as a more powerful version of the 7.63mm Mauser round of the famous Mauser C96 handgun, the Tokarev round has a supersonic velocity and was known for excellent penetration, making it more than adequate for self-defense purposes. Keep in mind that while 7.63mm Mauser ammunition can be fired in Tokarev weapons, the Tokarev ammo is too powerful for Mausers. Unfortunately, while this round was once cheap the stocks are beginning to dry up and the price is steadily rising.
.32 ACP
Also referred to as 7.65mm Browning, the .32 Automatic Colt Pistol was introduced in 1899 by famed firearms manufacturer Fabrique Nationale and became a hit in Europe; many military and police handguns, including the famous Walther PP, were chambered in this small round. As compact and light as it is, the round has marginal stopping power and short range, relegating it to pocket pistols today. While modern manufacturers are attempting to develop more powerful loads, it still remains only adequate for personal protection; actual combat is a dangerous affair.
9x19mm Parabellum
When Georg Luger first developed this cartridge for his Luger P08 handgun as a more powerful alternative to the old 7.65mm round, he could have never guessed that it would become the modern world's most popular combat handgun cartridge. With a power greater than the smaller .32 and .380 rounds used in most of Europe and a lighter recoil and report than the famous .45 ACP, the round has become what virtually everyone refers to when they mention a "9mm". The relatively low cost and wide availability make it an excellent chambering for a handgun.
.380 ACP
Known by many names, mostly variants on "9mm Short" (Kurz, Corto, etc.), .380 ACP was one of the most popular calibers for Europe during World War II. While too low in power to make an effective service pistol round, it performs well as a backup gun for emergencies and is extremely popular today for shooters who want a small self-defense gun with low recoil and report. The round remains popular in Europe to the point where Glock produces a Europe-only model of their handgun in .380 for countries where more powerful calibers are not permitted for civilian ownership.
.38 Special
The quintessential weapon of the hard-nosed detective is a snubnose revolver in .38 Special, and for good reason: until the advent of high-capacity 9x19mm pistols (the "Wonder Nines"), .38 Special was the most popular caliber for American law enforcement. At low velocities the round tumbles upon impact, allowing for wounds far in excess of the size of the bullet. While not as common today with the explosive popularity of 9mm Parabellum, .38 Special is a fine round for shooters who need a revolver with relatively low recoil and report that can still hit like a brick.
.357 Magnum
At the time of its introduction in 1934, the .357 Magnum was the most powerful handgun cartridge in the world. It was designed as a direct successor to the .38 Super Auto round that had barely enough power to penetrate car doors and bulletproof vests used by gangsters of the time; the magnum round was meant to surpass that and ensure a takedown. Despite the heavy recoil, noise, and muzzle blast (as well as the relatively high cost) of the powerful round, it maintains a huge popularity among revolver shooters and along with the .38 Special it was a fairly popular police round. .357 revolvers can also chamber .38 Special rounds (the magnum round is NOT suitable for use in revolvers designed only for the .38, however), giving added versatility and ammo choices to the shooter. When loaded with a hollow-point bullet, a .357 round will take down any assailant in short time.
.357 SIG
This unusual round was developed with a specific plan in mind: to provide the performance of a .357 Magnum in a semi-automatic with the high capacity of a .40 caliber pistol. The bottlenecked cartridge is based on the .40 S&W, allowing for the barrel and sometimes recoil spring to be changed to switch your pistol between the calibers. While not all .40 caliber pistols are suitable for the increase in power, many are and this easy change has allowed the round to grow in popularity among shooters. It has also become a popular police round due to the power, with such a large force as the New York State Police making it their standard service round. The bottleneck shape also assists in feeding and has been reported by police to be extremely effective in incapacitating both attacking dogs and criminals alike. The cost is also rather average compared to other rounds, making it economically viable.
.38 Super
While quite uncommon compared to many other pistol rounds and lagging behind in sales, the .38 Super maintains a strict loyalty among pistol match competitors and is a dominator in the IPSC competitions. The round is based off the relatively rare .38 ACP cartridge, but with a greater velocity that allowed it to pierce the car doors and bulletproof vests that had protected gangsters in the 20s and 30s. As it was designed for the Colt 1911 platform, many .38 Super pistols are 1911s. Restrictions on civilian use of military cartridges makes it very popular in Latin America, and the high velocity allows for great power with lower recoil than .45 ACP.
9x18mm Makarov
While uncommon in the West, this cartridge has gained more popularity with the growing surplus of Makarov PM handguns; it was the standard service round of the Soviet Union and its satellite countries after World War II, making it very common in these areas along with the somewhat similar .380 ACP. While ballistically inferior to the Western 9x19mm Parabellum round, 9mm Makarov is the most powerful round that can safely be used in a simple blowback pistol. The ammunition developed for the Makarov PMM pistol, 9x18mm PMM, has a higher chamber pressure for greater power but cannot be safely used in the older guns.
.40 S&W
One of the newer calibers on the market (only 21 years old at the time of writing), .40 S&W was developed jointly by two big names in American firearms: Winchester and Smith & Wesson. Intended to recreate the performance of lower loads of the 10mm Auto rejected by the FBI, the .40 S&W is designed as a manageable, powerful round for medium-frame semi-automatic pistols. The cartridge has gained huge popularity alongside the more famous 9mm Parabellum and .45 ACP, and is now a big contender on the market. It has also been a major player in law enforcement markets, and is one of the most common American handgun calibers among police officers (often loaded into a Glock).
10mm Auto
The story of the 10mm round is one of a round that reached high and almost made it to the top. After a disastrous shootout in 1986 in Miami, the FBI decided that they needed to switch to a semi-automatic handgun with great power. The 10mm Auto round was developed and accepted for a short time, but the large size of the handguns and recoil meant that the FBI deemed it excessive; it would soon be made into the less powerful .40 S&W cartridge listed above. The round is still produced and Glock continues to produce the Glock 20 and Glock 29 subcompact in the caliber. While the round does have greater muzzle blast and recoil than .40 S&W or .45 ACP, it also has excellent power and is a good self-defense round for people who don't mind the feel.
.44 Magnum
Developed from the .44 Special (which can be fired in weapons chambered for this round), the .44 Magnum is a beast of a cartridge made famous by Dirty Harry in his "Do ya feel lucky?" speech. While no longer the "most powerful handgun in the world", it can certainly reduce a head to mulch as Harry promised. The recoil and muzzle blast of this round is greater than some shooters can comfortably handle, but it's a very accurate magnum round and can take down even Cape Buffalo and elephants with proper shot placement. Anyone staring down the barrel of a .44 Magnum has a right to be scared.
.45 GAP
The .45 Glock Automatic Pistol is a controversial cartridge developed by Glock to replicate the power of .45 ACP in a smaller package. While the round has been derided and insulted as "pointless", the advantages of smaller guns and larger magazine capacities cannot be denied and some loads are even more powerful than some .45 ACP loads. The biggest disadvantage to the round is cost, as it is more expensive than .45 ACP; it's simply cheaper to buy the older round.
.45 ACP
The famous round developed specifically for the US Army as a manstopper against tribal warriors, the .45 ACP is one of the most popular handgun rounds among special forces, police, security, and civilians alike; the switchover to 9x19mm in the 1980s is still an extremely controversial and divided subject today. Made famous by the Colt M1911 handgun, the .45 ACP is a powerhouse; despite the relatively low velocity (often subsonic), the large round hits with enough force to put down an enemy quickly. Its reputation is well-deserved.
.454 Casull
A beastly magnum round that displaced the .44 Magnum from its "most powerful" throne, the .454 Casull is an extraordinarily powerful round developed from .45 Colt and famously chambered in the Taurus Raging Bull. The chamber pressures are so high that it actually requires a small rifle primer rather than a large pistol primer, and the round has found use in wilderness defense against bears and similar predatory animals. This round is generally seen as excessive for use against human assailants, but it will certainly not fail to put them down.
.45 Long Colt
Often just referred to as the .45 Colt, this old round (developed in 1872) is a powerful revolver round famously used in the Colt Single Action Army revolver. Today the round is considered a magnum-level handgun hunting round, and it is still manufactured in fairly large quantities. The renewed interest in Cowboy Action Shooting has made both the SAA and its famous cartridge a common sight. Most standard factory loads are roughly on par with .45 ACP, but it can be made on par with the .44 Magnum.
.50 AE
The famous chambering of the Desert Eagle handgun, .50 Action Express is a target shooting and hunting round that almost seems excessive. The round is far in excess of what is required for self-defense or even military usage, but it finds use in handgun hunting and defense against predatory animals. It's also quite expensive, making the purchase of it somewhat questionable when cheaper rounds (and guns) that are completely suitable for the same task already exist.
.500 S&W Magnum
Developed by Cor-Bon for Smith & Wesson's X-Frame revolvers, this round is quite simply the most powerful commercial handgun round in existence. Meant for taking down large game, the guns (and their cost) are almost as big as the recoil and muzzle blast: more than one shooter has nearly been brained by the recoil. The power and recoil of the cartridge and the sheer size of the S&W Model 500 revolver make it far more practical to beat an assailant to death with the gun than shoot him. The popularity is mostly due to the prestige of owning the most powerful handgun in the world.
Handgun Rounds
.17 HMR
.17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire is an extremely accurate low-caliber cartridge developed from the .22 WMR, intended to have a very high velocity and subsequently flat trajectory through a powerful propellant load and a very light bullet. It's quite similar to various "wildcat" cartridges: custom cartridges made by reloaders to try and push the limits of their ammo. While more expensive than other small calibers like .22LR, .17 HMR has the advantages of greater accuracy, longer range, greater power and a flatter trajectory. The round has been quite successful and sells well, with virtually every reputable firearms seller maintaining a healthy stock.The similar .17 HM2 (Hornady Mach 2) is a smaller, cheaper round based on the .22LR casing; most .22LR firearms can be converted to .17 HM2 through a barrel change, though this ammo is often twice as expensive.
.22 Short
While .22 Short is an ancient cartridge (first produced in 1857, making it older than the Civil War), it remains in use as a quiet round for recreational shooters. Many commercial loads are subsonic, allowing for them to be safely fired without ear protection. The round is still produced in a wide variety despite .22LR taking over in popularity, and can also be found in supersonic target and hunting loads. Hollow-point .22 Short rounds are quite good for hunting, though the small caliber obviously makes them disappointing for self-defense. No rifles chambered for .22 Short are currently in production..22 Long
Like .22 Short, .22 Long has been overtaken in popularity by .22LR. This cartridge dates back to 1871, making it the second-oldest rimfire cartridge still in production. .22 Long is (no pun intended) long since believed to be obsolete, with relatively few manufacturers continuing to produce it. Compared to the .22LR that is quickly killing it off, the .22 Long has similar performance in handguns, but has such low inertia that it is greatly outperformed by .22LR in rifle barrels..22LR
.22 Long Rifle is quite simply the most popular, common cartridge in the world. In production since 1887, .22LR is manufactured in such massive amounts for such a low cost that a box of over 500 rounds can be had for as low as $20. A massive variety of rifles and pistols are manufactured in this cartridge, and it is easily the cheapest. Of course, this all comes at a price: .22LR is not especially powerful, and contrary to the popular myth often repeated from the Zombie Survival Guide the round rarely actually ricochets inside the skull. While excellent for small game, .22LR rounds will rarely stop an advancing or attacking enemy quickly. That's not to say the wounds won't be fatal; many a misguided youth has carelessly fired off the "weak" rounds and fatally injured a friend or bystander, but the chance of dropping an enemy immediately with one or two shots is very small..22 WMR
.22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire is nowhere near as cheap or prolific as .22LR, it has the advantage of power. This tiny magnum cartridge packs a hell of a punch, with the small size and low recoil allowing for even handguns to pack as much as 30 rounds to a magazine. Under 50 yards, small game like prairie dogs and squirrels will be essentially obliterated by the force of the impact, and it's no slouch in self-defense. While other calibers like 9mm or .45 ACP may be more powerful and cheaper, they rarely offer the same small size and high capacity as .22 WMR.5.7x28mm
This odd-looking round, developed from the 5.56mm NATO round used in many modern assault rifles, is unique in that it was developed specifically for piercing body armor. As part of the NATO trials to develop a personal defense weapon (PDW) that could penetrate Communist Bloc armor, Fabrique Nationale of Belgium developed this pointed round and several weapons to go with it. 5.7mm certainly does all it claims to do, with armor-piercing rounds penetrating Level IIIA Kevlar that normally protects against the massive .44 Magnum round. FN currently does not sell the armor-piercing round to civilians due to the danger they present against police officers, and as such most civilian interest in the cartridge is in the flat trajectory that aids with accurate shooting. The actual terminal performance (i.e. killing power) against unarmored targets is still hotly debated, however.
.25 ACP
.25 ACP is a round that really only exists because of its reliability; it's actually slightly less powerful than .22LR and more expensive, but the centerfire design (with a separate primer in the center of the cartridge base) is believed to be more reliable, and so it stays. The round is quite weak, only loaded into tiny, cheap pocket pistols. On the positive side, many very cheap "Saturday Night Special" pistols are chambered in this round, making it a good choice for people who need immediate protection when they have only $100 or less to their name.7.62x38mmR
This bewildering round is designed for a very specific weapon: the Russian M1895 Nagant revolver. This revolver was designed to provide a full gas seal around the cylinder in a vain attempt to provide extra power: the cylinder moves forward as the hammer is cocked, with the unusual cartridge case (extending past the bullet) assisting in this seal. The common target rounds have comparable power to .32 ACP, a rather anemic round rarely seen outside of small pocket pistols today, and while relatively inexpensive is not easy to find outside of online suppliers as only two companies continue to manufacture it. Military surplus ammo is more powerful, however, making it an acceptable self-defense cartridge.
7.62x25mm Tokarev
Don't let the relatively low caliber fool you: 7.62mm Tokarev is not a cartridge to be trifled with. Designed as a more powerful version of the 7.63mm Mauser round of the famous Mauser C96 handgun, the Tokarev round has a supersonic velocity and was known for excellent penetration, making it more than adequate for self-defense purposes. Keep in mind that while 7.63mm Mauser ammunition can be fired in Tokarev weapons, the Tokarev ammo is too powerful for Mausers. Unfortunately, while this round was once cheap the stocks are beginning to dry up and the price is steadily rising..32 ACP
Also referred to as 7.65mm Browning, the .32 Automatic Colt Pistol was introduced in 1899 by famed firearms manufacturer Fabrique Nationale and became a hit in Europe; many military and police handguns, including the famous Walther PP, were chambered in this small round. As compact and light as it is, the round has marginal stopping power and short range, relegating it to pocket pistols today. While modern manufacturers are attempting to develop more powerful loads, it still remains only adequate for personal protection; actual combat is a dangerous affair.9x19mm Parabellum
When Georg Luger first developed this cartridge for his Luger P08 handgun as a more powerful alternative to the old 7.65mm round, he could have never guessed that it would become the modern world's most popular combat handgun cartridge. With a power greater than the smaller .32 and .380 rounds used in most of Europe and a lighter recoil and report than the famous .45 ACP, the round has become what virtually everyone refers to when they mention a "9mm". The relatively low cost and wide availability make it an excellent chambering for a handgun..380 ACP
Known by many names, mostly variants on "9mm Short" (Kurz, Corto, etc.), .380 ACP was one of the most popular calibers for Europe during World War II. While too low in power to make an effective service pistol round, it performs well as a backup gun for emergencies and is extremely popular today for shooters who want a small self-defense gun with low recoil and report. The round remains popular in Europe to the point where Glock produces a Europe-only model of their handgun in .380 for countries where more powerful calibers are not permitted for civilian ownership..38 Special
The quintessential weapon of the hard-nosed detective is a snubnose revolver in .38 Special, and for good reason: until the advent of high-capacity 9x19mm pistols (the "Wonder Nines"), .38 Special was the most popular caliber for American law enforcement. At low velocities the round tumbles upon impact, allowing for wounds far in excess of the size of the bullet. While not as common today with the explosive popularity of 9mm Parabellum, .38 Special is a fine round for shooters who need a revolver with relatively low recoil and report that can still hit like a brick..357 Magnum
At the time of its introduction in 1934, the .357 Magnum was the most powerful handgun cartridge in the world. It was designed as a direct successor to the .38 Super Auto round that had barely enough power to penetrate car doors and bulletproof vests used by gangsters of the time; the magnum round was meant to surpass that and ensure a takedown. Despite the heavy recoil, noise, and muzzle blast (as well as the relatively high cost) of the powerful round, it maintains a huge popularity among revolver shooters and along with the .38 Special it was a fairly popular police round. .357 revolvers can also chamber .38 Special rounds (the magnum round is NOT suitable for use in revolvers designed only for the .38, however), giving added versatility and ammo choices to the shooter. When loaded with a hollow-point bullet, a .357 round will take down any assailant in short time..357 SIG
This unusual round was developed with a specific plan in mind: to provide the performance of a .357 Magnum in a semi-automatic with the high capacity of a .40 caliber pistol. The bottlenecked cartridge is based on the .40 S&W, allowing for the barrel and sometimes recoil spring to be changed to switch your pistol between the calibers. While not all .40 caliber pistols are suitable for the increase in power, many are and this easy change has allowed the round to grow in popularity among shooters. It has also become a popular police round due to the power, with such a large force as the New York State Police making it their standard service round. The bottleneck shape also assists in feeding and has been reported by police to be extremely effective in incapacitating both attacking dogs and criminals alike. The cost is also rather average compared to other rounds, making it economically viable..38 Super
While quite uncommon compared to many other pistol rounds and lagging behind in sales, the .38 Super maintains a strict loyalty among pistol match competitors and is a dominator in the IPSC competitions. The round is based off the relatively rare .38 ACP cartridge, but with a greater velocity that allowed it to pierce the car doors and bulletproof vests that had protected gangsters in the 20s and 30s. As it was designed for the Colt 1911 platform, many .38 Super pistols are 1911s. Restrictions on civilian use of military cartridges makes it very popular in Latin America, and the high velocity allows for great power with lower recoil than .45 ACP.
9x18mm Makarov
While uncommon in the West, this cartridge has gained more popularity with the growing surplus of Makarov PM handguns; it was the standard service round of the Soviet Union and its satellite countries after World War II, making it very common in these areas along with the somewhat similar .380 ACP. While ballistically inferior to the Western 9x19mm Parabellum round, 9mm Makarov is the most powerful round that can safely be used in a simple blowback pistol. The ammunition developed for the Makarov PMM pistol, 9x18mm PMM, has a higher chamber pressure for greater power but cannot be safely used in the older guns..40 S&W
One of the newer calibers on the market (only 21 years old at the time of writing), .40 S&W was developed jointly by two big names in American firearms: Winchester and Smith & Wesson. Intended to recreate the performance of lower loads of the 10mm Auto rejected by the FBI, the .40 S&W is designed as a manageable, powerful round for medium-frame semi-automatic pistols. The cartridge has gained huge popularity alongside the more famous 9mm Parabellum and .45 ACP, and is now a big contender on the market. It has also been a major player in law enforcement markets, and is one of the most common American handgun calibers among police officers (often loaded into a Glock).10mm Auto
The story of the 10mm round is one of a round that reached high and almost made it to the top. After a disastrous shootout in 1986 in Miami, the FBI decided that they needed to switch to a semi-automatic handgun with great power. The 10mm Auto round was developed and accepted for a short time, but the large size of the handguns and recoil meant that the FBI deemed it excessive; it would soon be made into the less powerful .40 S&W cartridge listed above. The round is still produced and Glock continues to produce the Glock 20 and Glock 29 subcompact in the caliber. While the round does have greater muzzle blast and recoil than .40 S&W or .45 ACP, it also has excellent power and is a good self-defense round for people who don't mind the feel..44 Magnum
Developed from the .44 Special (which can be fired in weapons chambered for this round), the .44 Magnum is a beast of a cartridge made famous by Dirty Harry in his "Do ya feel lucky?" speech. While no longer the "most powerful handgun in the world", it can certainly reduce a head to mulch as Harry promised. The recoil and muzzle blast of this round is greater than some shooters can comfortably handle, but it's a very accurate magnum round and can take down even Cape Buffalo and elephants with proper shot placement. Anyone staring down the barrel of a .44 Magnum has a right to be scared..45 GAP
The .45 Glock Automatic Pistol is a controversial cartridge developed by Glock to replicate the power of .45 ACP in a smaller package. While the round has been derided and insulted as "pointless", the advantages of smaller guns and larger magazine capacities cannot be denied and some loads are even more powerful than some .45 ACP loads. The biggest disadvantage to the round is cost, as it is more expensive than .45 ACP; it's simply cheaper to buy the older round..45 ACP
The famous round developed specifically for the US Army as a manstopper against tribal warriors, the .45 ACP is one of the most popular handgun rounds among special forces, police, security, and civilians alike; the switchover to 9x19mm in the 1980s is still an extremely controversial and divided subject today. Made famous by the Colt M1911 handgun, the .45 ACP is a powerhouse; despite the relatively low velocity (often subsonic), the large round hits with enough force to put down an enemy quickly. Its reputation is well-deserved..454 Casull
A beastly magnum round that displaced the .44 Magnum from its "most powerful" throne, the .454 Casull is an extraordinarily powerful round developed from .45 Colt and famously chambered in the Taurus Raging Bull. The chamber pressures are so high that it actually requires a small rifle primer rather than a large pistol primer, and the round has found use in wilderness defense against bears and similar predatory animals. This round is generally seen as excessive for use against human assailants, but it will certainly not fail to put them down..45 Long Colt
Often just referred to as the .45 Colt, this old round (developed in 1872) is a powerful revolver round famously used in the Colt Single Action Army revolver. Today the round is considered a magnum-level handgun hunting round, and it is still manufactured in fairly large quantities. The renewed interest in Cowboy Action Shooting has made both the SAA and its famous cartridge a common sight. Most standard factory loads are roughly on par with .45 ACP, but it can be made on par with the .44 Magnum.
.50 AE
The famous chambering of the Desert Eagle handgun, .50 Action Express is a target shooting and hunting round that almost seems excessive. The round is far in excess of what is required for self-defense or even military usage, but it finds use in handgun hunting and defense against predatory animals. It's also quite expensive, making the purchase of it somewhat questionable when cheaper rounds (and guns) that are completely suitable for the same task already exist..500 S&W Magnum
Developed by Cor-Bon for Smith & Wesson's X-Frame revolvers, this round is quite simply the most powerful commercial handgun round in existence. Meant for taking down large game, the guns (and their cost) are almost as big as the recoil and muzzle blast: more than one shooter has nearly been brained by the recoil. The power and recoil of the cartridge and the sheer size of the S&W Model 500 revolver make it far more practical to beat an assailant to death with the gun than shoot him. The popularity is mostly due to the prestige of owning the most powerful handgun in the world.
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