Preferred every day carry cartridge?

Preferred carry cartridge

  • 9mm

    Votes: 109 32.8%
  • 22LR

    Votes: 2 0.6%
  • 45 ACP

    Votes: 43 13.0%
  • 45 Long Colt

    Votes: 5 1.5%
  • 357 Magnum

    Votes: 28 8.4%
  • 38 Special

    Votes: 74 22.3%
  • 380 ACP

    Votes: 27 8.1%
  • 40 S&W

    Votes: 15 4.5%
  • 25 ACP

    Votes: 2 0.6%
  • Other

    Votes: 27 8.1%

  • Total voters
    332
I prefer the 40 mm, preferably in the M32, but this is frond upon by most, so I usually settle for something else from .22 to .45 cal. I'm not fixated on caliber, preferring reliability, shot placement, adequate penetration, ease of use, and ease of concealment - and lots of training.
 
Persuaded by all the hype (and considerable logic, 6 rounds, less recoil) around the Lipseys UC earlier this year I decided to jump on the .32 train a few months ago after carrying .38 SPL for 20 years+. I went with an LCR .327 over the S&W though. Ive owned a .38 and .22 LR LCR for over a decade with no problems whatsoever. The 327 has been equally reliable so far. With .32 S&W Long wadcutters its as much fun as the .22.
 
Persuaded by all the hype (and considerable logic, 6 rounds, less recoil) around the Lipseys UC earlier this year I decided to jump on the .32 train a few months ago after carrying .38 SPL for 20 years+. I went with an LCR .327 over the S&W though. Ive owned a .38 and .22 LR LCR for over a decade with no problems whatsoever. The 327 has been equally reliable so far. With .32 S&W Long wadcutters its as much fun as the .22.

That's awesome 😎 I've wondered how those things perform. I've heard mixed results on QC but those that good ones seem to really like them!
 
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I prefer to and do OWB carry my Sig P239 chambered in 357 Sig (8+1) during the cooler months, but pocket carry a Sig P365 in 9mm (12+1) during the warm months here in Florida.
 
For me, the size of the gun and ease of carrying are the important things for concealed carry.
Caliber is immaterial.
I only carry pocket guns. It may be a .380 for a few months, then a small S & W Air Weight 8-shot revolver in .22 LR for a few months, etc.
Occasionally I will carry a 5-shot .38 Special on the belt,'but not very often.
 
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I have and have carried .38, 357, .45 ACP, 9mm and most recently the new to me S&W 432UC. After carrying a revolver for the first 9 years in LE, I switched to carrying a semi auto, both a HP and a 1911. I carried a 1911 for years both on and off duty. I have now mostly gone to striker fired 9mm pistols and two J frames. I have a 649-2 and the new 432UC. I switch back and forth depending on what I am doing and where I am going.I don't much care for mouse guns for a number of reasons that I have stated in the past. When camping or hiking up on the Grand Mesa above my town, I often opt for a larger caliber revolver in a K or N frame.
 
45acp preferred, 9mm gets the nod more often. The Glock 26 rides pretty easy at 12:00. The 21 really wants to be OWB with a slight drop, but does OK at 12:00.
 
The 40 S&W gets the nod even though I often carry my 9mm model 3953 in the summer months. Fall, winter, and early spring months I like my Smith 4053, which is built on a metal .45 frame that tames recoil and makes it a tack driver.
 
No, really

Why the hate for the 9mm?

You mean the high and mighty .35acp?

I don't hate it but I can do so much better. Since I'm buying the next round....why settle?

"easy and cheap" isn't on my self defense menu. I don't have to award a city contract to the lowest bidder or qualify a class of recruits who can't shoot.....no plastic bullet squirters for me.

And besides, I already own a Beretta 92fs....is there another 9mm that matters?

This picture tells the story.
The bullet impact on the left is a 9mm and the strike on the right is .357SIG.
A Pic is worth a thousand words and this Pic says it all.

I also carry 40s&w, 45acp, and. 357 Magnum.

Now before you get your dander up.....I know all about how "modern 9mm" is almost as good as...(fill in the blank). Heck, I even own a Bond Arms derringer in 9mm....is there another 9mm that matters?

I also own and carry LOTs of .38spl S&W revolvers....better than a 9mm?

An old saying goes along the lines of "Comparison Kills Joy". It's true in a lot of things.
 

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For 100 years (give or take) the standard civilian/police round has been some form of .36 caliber, whether revolver or pistol. When guns and ammo in the most popular chambering are inexpensive and plentiful it's natural for many to gravitate towards them. The .40 S & W, as good as it is, was an anomaly - it may come back someday but not to the same degree as the 1990 - 2010 time frame.

Also nothing wrong with .44 Special, .45 ACP, just not inclined to carry one or anything smaller than .36. Choose one of those and practice a lot. :)
 
Experience has taught me if the gun doesn't carry easily ...
it doesn't go out the door with me .
Humans are Lazy by nature .
At my stage in life an Air-Weight J-Frame gets shoved in a pocket ...
The 1911 45 acp and the model 58 41 magnum get left at home.
38 Special I shoot well and feel confident with .
Another round I like is 22 WMR - Winchester Magnum Rimfire ...
I do not feel underguned with 7 rounds of 22 WMR in a J-Frame ...
Gary
 
I owned a beautiful Colt 1903 chambered in .32acp. It was from 1921 and the fit and finish was like a piece of jewelry. Then I learned that it wasn't drop safe. That meant that I had to stop carrying it. But not because it was "only" a .32acp.

I have a Kel-Tec P32 that is the perfect pajama or bathrobe carry. Not because it is "only" a .32acp but because it's small and lightweight.

As I hopefully continue to age I can see that my needs and wants are going to change too. I don't think I would choose a Beretta 21a BECAUSE it was only a .22lr. I can already (at 70) feel the effects of a day at the range with my .45acp 1911. My wrists and elbows bark at me. So, I consider practical things like the tip up barrel so no slide racking.
 
'Voted' .38SPL

'Preference' can be a variable thing, because the reason(s) may be based upon something factually relevant, or just someone's feelings. Kinda depends. ;)

In my case, for this poll, I chose .38SPL, Not because of any particular attribute of the caliber, but because I often choose to pocket-holster carry one or another of my S&W J-frames as retirement weapons. Sure, a couple of them are chambered in .357MAG (a caliber I've always liked), but I commonly carry .38SPL in them. It comes down to controllability, recovery and accuracy during rapid shot strings. Using +P, and sometimes standard pressure loads, simply offers me an advantage, overall.

Now, that's just because I mostly pocket-holster the snubs. if I were going to talk (vote) about the belt guns I've carried for a few decades, it would be 9mm, .40 S&W, .45ACP or .357MAG (larger revolvers). The choice would depend on the day, really meaning the size/weight of what I was going to choose to carry. Since I've carried all 4 of these calibers as issued weapons over the years, I find all of them practical and satisfactory. Just depends what i feel like toting around on any particular day. I've certainly put in the range time to have gone through many ten's of thousands with all of them.

Now, while we all likely have our 'favorites', when it comes right down to it, handguns are still the definition of a compromise when it comes to defensive use of firearms. Long guns (shotguns and rifles) are usually more capable and 'more effective' in many ways, but they aren't easily carried and concealed on a belt, let alone in a pocket holster. :p

I've said it before ... when I was carrying issued .357MAG, 9, .40 & .45 duty weapons, I never felt particularly 'well-armed'. Just armed. From my perspective, 'well-armed' began when I had the time to take the 870 from the rack in the veh, or in later days it would've been a rifle. Handguns were just ... convenient.

Different strokes for different folks, though. :)
 
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.380 is my choice. As mentioned above if it is a hassle to carry it won't be carried. Glock 42 is my primary and sometimes a Ruger LCP if I think the odds of using it are extremely remote. Despite the naysayers .380 95 gr FMJ will get the job done for the average person for SD who is not an LEO.
 
9mm in a SIG 365 platform.

XL or X with Holosun 507K on board when cover garment allows.

Standard 365 in a Mika when pocket carry is utilized.

On occasion a Glock 43 that was worked over by David Bowie at Bowie Tactical Concepts.

Always carry a spare mag. Not because 11 rounds shouldn't be enough but because of malfunction possibilities. Not that the 365 has had issues but why tempt fate.

Current round is Hornady Critical Duty 135 grain, standard velocity. Figure FBI went with Plus P version and I can use their data in justifying the choice.

The new G2 Gold Dot has promise as well but will see down the road.
 
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