What is your favorite caliber for your self defense revolver.

Only one vote allowed, so pick your favorite / most frequently used.

A lot depends if it is for carry or at the house.

Some are ok with 38 oz. of weight on them, while others like 16 oz. if possible........... Recoil and blast also come into play.

Only reason I voted for the .357 is that it can also shoot the 38 special if needed......... but they start out at around 21 oz. so a good setup is needed for all day carry.

The new plastic pistols are also worth looking into.

I like the .38 special +P because it is reasonably effective, is fairly easy to get and not godawful expensive and is usable in a wide variety of arms. I have carried it concealed in a Colt DS and a Model 64 3" with no complaints.

Usually have a m60, loaded with .357 Gold Dot 135 gr. Short Barrel near. Once in a great while might have a 45 acp 3" Kimber, or a 9mm LC9.

Urban carry: .357 magnum
Woods carry: .44 magnum

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U.S. Navy - U.S. Army, ret

My vote goes to .38 Special +P. In the right loadings, it's more than adequate for self-defense purposes and, for me, strikes the perfect balance between "power" and controllability in a snub nosed revolver.

I had the privilege of shooting a CA Bulldog once, so I imagine the same argument could be made for .44 Special, but while the experience was not as unpleasant as I had expected, my follow-up shots were a bit slower than what I could normally manage with a J-frame or Colt DS.

The 9mm is my favorite defense cartridge but you did say revolver so my vote was for the 38+P. I've standardized on Speer 135gr Gold Dots for my J frames. Just easier to have one ammo no matter which one I'm carrying.

You can have your cake and eat it too, so long as you don't mind dealing with moonclips.

I chose 357 as that is what I generally carry, however I probably shoot more 38's than any other 3 combined, (followed closely by 45 Auto).

It's .38 special for me.

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Keep on Chooglin'

Even though I have a .357 I shoot rounds that are close to a .38 special +P out of it. Now in semi pistols, 9mm all the way.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

my preference = .38 special DEWC....

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There's nowt so queer as folk

I have lots of revolvers in several calibers but the only one I actually
carry concealed is a lightweight J frame so 38 spl is it.

A 3 inch 66,65 or 60...........

+P.38 in town.............

.357 in the country.................

Excellent thread.

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Take your time, fast. J.Hughes

The .45 Colt has the advantage of historical success. With big and heavy lead bullets, it has been on the job since 1873.

I am assuming it is of self defense against people???

I go with Speer Gold Dot LE 135 grain HP 38+p's in my 640 Pro.

Attached Images

640 pro 003 - Copy.jpg (76.0 KB, 33 views)

I carry a Colt Commander .45 most of the time but do carry my Model 642 with 38+P ammo at times.

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Riding, Shooting, and Truth

Yeah, but some folks aren't getting the "only one" part.

.44 Special if I can only have one.

Guess I'll have to open carry or pay an arm & leg for a 696.

.38 special, I like old and dependable things. You can ask my wife.

She just said..............."old"...........


Sorry........................

38+P

Because it is the only revolver I have


For Now

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1442108533.914294.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1442108602.548582.jpg
This is my everyday carry. 629 fixed sight custom made kydex iwb holster.

99% of the time while carrying it will be a Colt Commander .38 Super. But when carrying a revolver for protection against 2-Legged Vermin it would be the Supers ballistic twin, a 3" .357 Magnum. Both run a 124/125 grain bullet at 1350-1400 fps.

Have had a lot of co-workers have to defend themselves with said load and nary a complaint from any of them...

Bob

.44 Special in a Charter Bulldog.

Failing that, .38 +P in a 36.

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What would Jim Cirillo do?

I've tried quite a few different types of handguns for carry, and the snubnose revolver is just perfect for me. It hides so well and carries so light and easy. .38 special is about the lowest on the totem pole that makes me feel "right" about the caliber in such a small gun. I voted for +p because I think, in a snub, it just needs that extra oomph to go from marginal, to acceptable.

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Israel Has The Right To Exist.

Often I carry a Colt Single Action Army in .45 Colt. Yes, I make my own ammo. I've killed a lot of game with it. But never used it in a gunfight....so far.

There was a time it was nothing but 357 MAG. After I met " Mr. Artharitis ", I had to switch to 38+P.

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Two Handguns every day

I love my 2" S&W Model 60 in 357 mag. The trigger pull is sweet. My other favorite is my 1971 9mm Browning HI-Power made in Belgium. My HI-Power make me a better shot than I really am able.

I'd rather have this:
20150312_105428 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr
20150312_105343 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr

But this will be with me a little more often (in backup mode):
20150319_090636 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr
20150319_090809 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr

Isn't 38 special and 38 special+p the same caliber?

I voted for .38+P because I carry that in my EDC (Colt DS), more often than not. But when I carry my 2.5" 19-5, I don't neuter it!

The revolver would probably be a 357 Mag but I would use 38 special, +P HP if I had them. I saw to much time working as a as a EMT in a east bay city that that had shooting almost every week to worry about fancy ammo. From what I saw something like RNL or hardball 9mm works fine. IMHO Where you hit them is far more important than what you hit them with. I would use a Glock 19 though. My wheel guns are to nice to take outside when it is raining. Nobody cares when a gen 4 Glock gets dropped.

Who's the wiseguy who picked .38 S&W?

No .38 CTG option?

.455 Eley was unavailable

"Why do you carry a .476?"

"'Cuz they don't make a .477."

After 45 years, she knows not to pay serious attention to me, she knows I'm harmless.

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Just a shooter

The venerable .38 spl took top honours, even though it was split into .38 spl and .38 spl +p! Controllable and accurate, coupled with easy to carry makes perfect sense.