Training & Small Game
Ideal for beginners, training, and recreational shooting with minimal recoil and low cost.
Known for its minimal recoil and low cost, the .22 LR is an ideal cartridge for training, recreational plinking, and introducing new shooters to firearms.
Historical Context
Introduced in 1887 by the J. Stevens Arms & Tool Company, the .22 LR is one of the oldest and most successful cartridges ever designed. Its longevity is a testament to its low cost, minimal noise, and approachable recoil, making it the default for first-time shooting experiences for over a century.
The Verdict: An Opinionated Take
The .22 LR is pure fun. It's the undisputed king of cheap practice and a fantastic tool for teaching fundamentals. While some advocate for it in self-defense, citing low recoil for rapid, accurate shots, its unreliable priming and feeble terminal ballistics make it a desperate last resort. Use it for training and plinking, not for protection.
| Ballistic Metrics | |
|---|---|
| Bullet Diameter | .223 inches |
| Typical Bullet Weight | 30-40 grains |
| Typical Muzzle Velocity | 1,080-1,640 fps |
| Typical Muzzle Energy | 100-200 ft-lbs |
Common Uses
- Beginner Training
- Small Game Hunting
- Recreational "Plinking"
Concealed Carry
Compact, lightweight options optimized for discreet carry with manageable recoil.
A popular choice for small, lightweight concealed carry pistols due to its compact size and manageable recoil.
Historical Context
Designed by John Moses Browning in 1908, the .380 ACP (or 9mm Short) was intended for simple, blowback-operated pocket pistols. It quickly became the "gentleman's" self-defense round in Europe and the US, epitomizing the small, discreet firearms of the early 20th century.
The Verdict: An Opinionated Take
The .380 is the king of the "mouse gun" and the baseline for viable self-defense. Modern hollow-points have made it far more effective, but physics is a harsh mistress; it's still an anemic performer compared to service calibers. In tiny pocket pistols, its "manageable recoil" becomes a surprisingly snappy affair. It's vastly better than nothing, but if you can comfortably carry and shoot a micro-9mm, you probably should.
| Ballistic Metrics | |
|---|---|
| Bullet Diameter | .355 inches |
| Typical Bullet Weight | 85-100 grains |
| Typical Muzzle Velocity | 900-1,050 fps |
| Typical Muzzle Energy | 170-220 ft-lbs |
Common Uses
- Deep Concealment / Pocket Carry
- Backup Handguns
- Recoil-Sensitive Shooters
Service & Defense
Standard law enforcement and military calibers offering balanced performance for duty and defense.
The world's most popular handgun caliber, offering a superb balance of magazine capacity , manageable recoil, and effective terminal performance.
Historical Context
Designed by Georg Luger in 1901 and adopted by the German Navy and Army, the 9x19mm Parabellum ("prepare for war") became the world's military standard. Its adoption by NATO after WWII cemented its global dominance, leading to unparalleled variety in firearms and ammunition.
The Verdict: An Opinionated Take
This is the default answer. The caliber wars of the last 40 years are largely over, and 9mm won. With modern hollow-point technology, it provides excellent stopping power while being cheap to practice with, easy to shoot, and offering high capacity. It's the vanilla ice cream of cartridges: not exotic, but universally liked and it gets the job done every time. Unless you have a very specific reason not to, you should probably choose 9mm.
| Ballistic Metrics | |
|---|---|
| Bullet Diameter | .355 inches |
| Typical Bullet Weight | 115-147 grains |
| Typical Muzzle Velocity | 900-1,500 fps |
| Typical Muzzle Energy | 335-400 ft-lbs |
Common Uses
- Self-Defense / Home Defense
- Law Enforcement / Military
- Competition Shooting
Designed as a compromise between 9mm and .45 ACP, offering more energy than 9mm but with a sharper, more pronounced felt recoil .
Historical Context
The .40 S&W was born from the aftermath of the 1986 FBI Miami Shootout. The FBI sought a cartridge with better penetration and stopping power than their 9mm rounds. This led to the powerful 10mm Auto, which proved too punishing for many agents. The .40 S&W was developed by Smith & Wesson in 1990 as a shortened, lower-pressure 10mm that could fit in 9mm-sized frames.
The Verdict: An Opinionated Take
The .40 is the middle child nobody wants to play with anymore. Its recoil is notoriously "snappy" and unpleasant for many, without offering a significant real-world advantage over modern +P 9mm ammunition. It was the answer to a 1980s problem that 21st-century bullet technology solved for the 9mm. With the FBI and countless police departments switching back to 9mm, the .40 is a solution in search of a problem, relegated to police trade-in racks.
| Ballistic Metrics | |
|---|---|
| Bullet Diameter | .400 inches |
| Typical Bullet Weight | 155-180 grains |
| Typical Muzzle Velocity | 850-1,330 fps |
| Typical Muzzle Energy | 350-500 ft-lbs |
Common Uses
- Law Enforcement (Legacy)
- Competition (USPSA Limited)
- Bargain Hunting (Police Trade-ins)
A classic American cartridge famed for its stopping power . It fires a heavy, large-diameter bullet at subsonic speeds, creating a strong but 'pushy' recoil.
Historical Context
Another John Moses Browning masterpiece, the .45 ACP was developed in 1904 for his iconic M1911 pistol. The U.S. Army, seeking a more effective round after experiences in the Moro Rebellion, demanded a .45 caliber cartridge. The resulting M1911 and .45 ACP pairing served as the standard-issue sidearm for over 70 years, cementing its legendary status.
The Verdict: An Opinionated Take
"Two World Wars!" The .45 ACP is the quintessential big-bore American round. It's less about raw energy and more about frontal area. The recoil is a slow, satisfying push, not a sharp snap. While modern 9mm rounds have closed the performance gap, the .45 still has a devoted following. Its main drawback is capacity. In a world of 17-round 9mm magazines, an 8-round 1911 feels quaint. It's for those who believe size matters and who value tradition.
| Ballistic Metrics | |
|---|---|
| Bullet Diameter | .452 inches |
| Typical Bullet Weight | 185-230 grains |
| Typical Muzzle Velocity | 800-1,200 fps |
| Typical Muzzle Energy | 350-450 ft-lbs |
Common Uses
- Self-Defense / Home Defense
- Suppressor Host (naturally subsonic)
- Enthusiast / 1911 Aficionados
High Performance
Specialized, high-velocity calibers for hunting, competition, and maximum terminal performance.
The pinnacle of power in a common semi-automatic platform, delivering near-magnum performance with a flat trajectory and high muzzle energy .
Historical Context
Developed in 1983, the 10mm Auto was the brainchild of firearms expert Jeff Cooper, who wanted a semi-auto cartridge that hit harder and shot flatter than the .45 ACP. It gained notoriety when the FBI briefly adopted it, only to find its recoil too severe. This led to the creation of the .40 S&W, but the full-power 10mm retained a cult following.
The Verdict: An Opinionated Take
The "Best Millimeter." 10mm is a powerhouse for those who find magnum revolvers impractical. It's the top choice for backcountry defense against bears and for handgun hunting. Be warned: much of the cheap 10mm ammo is downloaded to .40 S&W power levels. To get the full experience, you need to buy from specialty manufacturers like Underwood or Buffalo Bore. It's an expert's cartridge that offers undeniable performance for those who can handle it.
| Ballistic Metrics | |
|---|---|
| Bullet Diameter | .400 inches |
| Typical Bullet Weight | 135-220 grains |
| Typical Muzzle Velocity | 1,100-1,600 fps |
| Typical Muzzle Energy | 500-750+ ft-lbs |
Common Uses
- Handgun Hunting
- Backcountry / Predator Defense
- Showing Off at the Range
A unique, high-velocity bottlenecked cartridge known for its flat trajectory, low recoil, and high penetration capabilities with specific loads.
Historical Context
Developed by FN Herstal in the late 1980s alongside their P90 Personal Defense Weapon (PDW), the 5.7x28mm was designed to be a replacement for the 9mm. Its goal was to defeat modern Soviet body armor at a distance, a task for which standard pistol rounds were proving inadequate. It's a small, bottlenecked cartridge that looks like a miniature rifle round.
The Verdict: An Opinionated Take
This is a weird one. Its "armor-piercing" mystique comes from military/LE-only ammunition that isn't sold to the public. For civilians, it's a very fast, very flat-shooting, very expensive, and very loud varmint round in a handgun. It's a blast to shoot due to the low recoil and high capacity, but its terminal performance on human-sized targets is a subject of endless, heated debate. It's a niche, futuristic cartridge that is undeniably cool but questionably practical for most.
| Ballistic Metrics | |
|---|---|
| Bullet Diameter | .224 inches |
| Typical Bullet Weight | 27-40 grains |
| Typical Muzzle Velocity | 1,700-2,350 fps |
| Typical Muzzle Energy | 195-394 ft-lbs |
Common Uses
- Personal Defense Weapon (PDW)
- Varmint Hunting
- Niche Target Shooting
Revolver Calibers
Classic revolver cartridges prized for reliability, accuracy, and versatility in traditional wheelguns.
A venerable revolver cartridge prized for its inherent accuracy and mild recoil. It remains a popular choice for small-frame revolvers and new shooters.
Historical Context
Introduced by Smith & Wesson in 1898, the .38 Special was an evolution of the anemic .38 Long Colt, which had proven inadequate in military service. The .38 Special quickly became the standard-issue service cartridge for nearly every police department in the United States for the better part of 70 years, defining the era of the classic police revolver.
The Verdict: An Opinionated Take
The quintessential "detective revolver" round. It's accurate, easy to shoot, and with modern +P hollow-point loads, it's a perfectly adequate self-defender. However, it is thoroughly outclassed in every performance metric by semi-automatic service calibers. Its appeal lies in the simplicity and reliability of the revolvers that fire it. It's a choice for the traditionalist who values elegance and ease of use over capacity and raw power.
| Ballistic Metrics | |
|---|---|
| Bullet Diameter | .357 inches |
| Typical Bullet Weight | 110-158 grains |
| Typical Muzzle Velocity | 755-950 fps |
| Typical Muzzle Energy | 200-300 ft-lbs |
Common Uses
- Concealed Carry (Revolvers)
- Beginner Training
- Nostalgia
A powerful and versatile revolver cartridge developed from the .38 Special, offering a major leap in velocity and terminal ballistics .
Historical Context
Developed in the 1930s by a group including the legendary Elmer Keith and Smith & Wesson, the .357 Magnum was the answer to a demand for a more powerful handgun round. By lengthening the .38 Special case, they created a cartridge that delivered vastly higher velocity and energy, kicking off the "magnum" era and setting the standard for powerful handgun performance for decades.
The Verdict: An Opinionated Take
The original hand cannon. The .357 Magnum is arguably the most versatile handgun cartridge ever made. It can be loaded down to mild .38 Special levels for practice or loaded up with full-power rounds that are suitable for self-defense, medium-game hunting, and scaring away bears (and everyone else at the indoor range). The muzzle flash and concussive blast are part of the experience. In a solid steel-frame revolver, it's the sound of authority.
| Ballistic Metrics (from Pistol) | |
|---|---|
| Bullet Diameter | .357 inches |
| Typical Bullet Weight | 125-180 grains |
| Typical Muzzle Velocity | 1,200-1,500 fps |
| Typical Muzzle Energy | 400-700 ft-lbs |
Common Uses
- Self-Defense / Home Defense
- Handgun Hunting (Medium Game)
- All-Purpose Outdoors Revolver