Best cartridge?

[TIMETRIPPER]

If I could only have one, it'd be the 22 Long Rifle.

I agree with Larry. Chambered in all kinds of guns. Fun and easy to shoot. Accurate enough to get all sorts of jobs done. Ammo is cheap, easy to find and doesn't take up space. We all know what carrying 50 rounds of .38 special feels like, or 20 rounds of 30-06. A 50 rd box of .22 fits easily in a shirt pocket. I can teach my grand daughter to shoot a .22 and she'd have fun. Can't say the same for most center fire cartridges. I'm not saying that the .22 is perfect for any situation but, if push came to shove, or if I could take only one gun with me, in most situations I could make do with a 22.
John

 

[arkdweller22]

Since I reload: 10MM.
It can be fired out of a revolver (610, 310).
It can be fired from a high cap pistol (15+1 in a Glock 20 or EAA Witness)
It can be fired from a compact pistol.
It can be fired from a carbine.
You can load mouse farts all the way up to nuclear loads that begin treading .44 mag territory.

Just my humble opinion.

 

[Krusr]

Only one?

357 Mag

 

[Lenny_D]

Although I shoot alot of lead from my 357s It's got to be the 44 mag. There is darn near nothing that it can't do!

 

[jdh]

I would say 16" for a naval gun but it is not a self contained cartridge.

Next would be 357 magnum but it is limited to revolvers. (Yes I know about the various 357 mag autos. A Desert Eagle is not exactly a belt gun for everyday carry.)

SO, my vote goes to the 10mm. Load it down to a light 40 S&W level or up to near 41 magnum. You can find it in a revolver, auto-loading pistol or a carbine.

 

[tomthacker]

Only one?

357 Mag

Totally agree.

 

[Skunkhome]

There is no such thing.

 

[Skunkhome]

Although I shoot alot of lead from my 357s It's got to be the 44 mag. There is darn near nothing that it can't do!

You can't conceal an 8 shooter in your shirt pocket or carry 1,000 rounds in a bug out bag.

 

[AzRedleg]

I have to agree with you. The .44 Magnum will pretty much do it all if you really had to use only one cartridge. Good for plinking and up to larger game if you had to. Works well in pistol and rifle alike and really comes alive in a carbine, usually picking up an extra 400 FPS over a typical pistol.

Luckily, I don't have to pick because there are a ton of really great cartridges.

 

[k53]

My choice would be the .357 Mag, my students usually ask me if I could only have one gun, what would it be. I always tell them a 4" revolver in .357. Less moving parts never jam and over built, and the versatility of the .38/.357 for ammo.

Thats very true, and kind of tilts me over to that side of the fence from 45acp. Bolth the 45, and the 357 can be loaded light for pratice, training, and small game use, or heavy for larger game, and defence. Bolth a 3 or 4" revolver, or a 1911 can be worn, and carryed, and the rounds dont take up that much packing room for a "bug out" situation.. [the 357 being tall but skinny.. the 45 fat... but farly short.. ] As for rifle... Id have to go 30-06. When you add handloading to the mix, it just does it all.. Easy to work with, can down load it to light loads, or load it to shoot through brick walls!

 

[FloridaFlier]

As has been pointed out, the OP asked for a cartridge, not a caliber.

I would pick the .38 special. I can load it quite hot. It is at least adequate in a self-defense role, and although my heavier revolvers might like the .357 or .44 specials, my J-frames are not happy with the .357's so there ya are.

.38 Special