What is Your Favorite Firearm, and Caliber?

What is Your Favorite Firearm, and Caliber?

(Please note: this post is for gun enthusiasts. Take any anti-gun propaganda to a different post. Thank you)

Just something I was thinking about the other day. Everybody has their own reasons behind liking, and disliking certain firearms, and calibers.

I am looking for a different viewpoint and some inspiration for buying my next gun.

My favorite and least favorite semi auto handgun calibers:

9mm has a high magazine capacity making it fun for the range. The ammo is cheap and accessible; the high velocity makes it slightly more accurate, and it has a high record of dependability.

.40 S&W has high velocity for accuracy, high energy vs. size, high magazine capacity, and a fairly dependable track record.

A .45 is a fun gun to shoot, but with most models inaccuracies, and problems with stovepipe jams, combined with the calibers low energy vs. size, and low magazine capacity, I would never trust my life to a gun of this caliber.

My favorite and least favorite revolver calibers:

.357 mag., no question is my favorite. High velocity, energy, availability, can fire.38 spec. if you are low on cash and want to go shooting, and it has that same satisfying concussion you feel from larger calibers.

.44 mag. I can understand for defense if you live in grizzly country, but most larger calibers,( 454, 500 S&W) are far more than you would ever need in real world situations. Now don’t get me wrong, I like shooting my friends 500, I just feel they are impractical.

My Favorite small game rifle:

.22 LR is my favorite, it’s classic, cheap ammo, and it gets the job done. A .223 is good for larger varmints like coyotes.
I don’t think I have a least favorite in this category though.

My favorite large game rifles:

30/30 for deer. I live in Minnesota; the terrain here is dense, and full of hills. Most deer are taken within 50 yds. So you don’t really need anything bigger, and it spoils less meat.

For larger game I like a .30-06. There is a wide variety of ammunition for various hunts, and conditions, and the ammunition is readily available. This means, if you hunt in the middle of nowhere, and the closest gun store is small with little ammunition selection, you will still be able to find it.

My least favorites are anything way too big for common use. .300 mag., and .50 BMG are good examples. I’m not hunting elephants, cape buffalo, or tanks, so I find these calibers to be overkill.

My favorite shotgun type:

I don’t really have a least favorite. They all have their uses. 12 ga. Is great for large game and home protection. 16 and 20 ga. Are good for bird hunting, because they spoil less meat, and .410 is great for taking care of pests. Not to mention my Taurus judge, now that’s a good example of a fun and practical .410.

As for firearm companies:

I like: winchester, Browning, marlin, mossberg, DPMS, Calico, S&W, springfield, glock, taraus, Uberti, and sig.

I dislike: Remington and kimber. (Friends of mine have had problems with these companies, giving me a bias towards them.)

Any thoughts, ramblings and opinions on the subject are wanted.





[edit on 8-6-2009 by NRA4ever333]

well, the only firearm i own is a Maverick 88 with a pistol-grip...

my favorite firearm(s), though, would have to either be a H&K MP7A1...



...or a H&K G36C


well, all the G36's are nice...


oh, and gotta love these!

the music makes the difference...

[edit on 8-6-2009 by adrenochrome]

reply to post by adrenochrome


The maverick 88 security is a great gun for the price. It was one of my first firearms, and I still love it today.

I actually put a folding stock pistol grip from “advanced technologies” on mine. As well as a heat shield. Most parts that fit the Mossberg 500 fit the 88 as well.

Thanks for the videos.


[edit on 8-6-2009 by NRA4ever333]

I have a smith and wesson 629 classic 6 inch DOUBLE magna ported.

Two ports on sides and two on top.

This gun is so fun to shot and so accurate, you would not believe it.

Last time out, I was shooting it @ metal spinner @ 40 yards and managed to hit it 59 out of 60 rounds fired.

I am also VERY fond of my Browning A5. It has been gone through by a gun smith friend of mine and is so smooth, like a hot knife through butter.

Pistol Favorites

.45acp in a 1911 , 100 year old design still the best combat handgun availiable when the gun is properly constructed and cared for. Trusted my life to this gun every day for the last 15 years. I have no problems with accuracy with this gun. Puts a bad guy down usually permanently. For the serious pistol user. Accept no substitutes.

.45acp in a glock 36 slim accurate and easy to handle only other pistol I trust outside of a 1911. No accuracy problems here. Again puts the bad guy down.

Revolver Favorites

.357 magnum in either a Ruger GP 100 or a Smith and Wesson 686. Gets the done and puts the bad guy done, lots of bang and flash though.

Rifle Favorite

7.62x51 Nato in a Springfield M1A excellent stopping power and capacity, extremely accurate to 800 yards. Only thing better is a Springfield M14 which is the automatic version of the M1A.

Least Favorites Pistol

Anything 9mm way overated round of course quantaty is a quality all its own.

Least Favorite Rifle

7.62x39 in an AK 47 clone contrary to popular belief these things do break and accuracy is crap. Best version of this is the Finnish Valmet its passable.

5.56 Nato in the AR 15 or its variants not enough stopping power although with the M 4 and its varieants makes a good urban carbine and you can carry alot of ammo for it.

Anything in a bullpup, Steyr AUG or SA 80 types more trouble than they are worth.

In general Glock is best value for the money and very simple to operate and instruct on. also light and very durable. Rugers are good value but heavy for thier purpose. Beretta 92 nice pistol but too heavy and will break the locking blocks under heavy use.

M16 / M4 and variants and the AK clones nice value and price good for most folks AK is best for a simple rifle.

Remington 870 or Mossberg 590 for a shotgun all else is gloss or not quality.

Brands I dislike, Kimber , Ed Brown, Nighthawk Customs, Beretta, Low end Springfield 1911s, Armscor, Charles Daly, Smith and Wesson Automatics.

Brands I like, Glock , Wilson Combat, Springfield Armory Rifles and High End 1911s, Colt, Smith and Wesson Revolvers, Ruger Revolvers.

I don't own any guns, but my favorite gun I've shot was my cousins M1 garand.

It was a great gun, had plenty of power, and was accurate as hell.

I'll probably get one when I'm older/have enough money.

reply to post by DarkStormCrow


I would have to agree with most of what you have said.

As for 45. ACP, I will admit there are some quality 1911 models out there. If you have found a reliable one then I’m very glad for you. Over the years though, I have seen too many problems with the caliber in general to trust it. That’s not to say quality 45. Hand guns don’t exist, just that I have been made sheepish of them.

A 9mm FMJ probably won’t stop a crazed manic fast enough to keep him from hurting you, but if you use quality JHP with good expansion like Speer, or Hornady, it becomes an effective self defense tool.

The AK47 has its merits. For the most part, you can’t jam a well made one, even if you try, and they have good stopping power for an assault rifle. But like you stated; beyond about 50 ft. (25 ft. effective combat range) all accuracy is lost, and at that range you would probably be better off using a shotgun.

Lastly, for the 5.56, it’s only good points are that it is capable of piercing body armor, and it’s highly accurate. But beyond that it’s the same as a .223, which is a varmint round. The military uses it because even though it’s not very effective at killing someone outright, it takes them down and out of action quickly.

Thank you so much for you thoughtful input. I really appreciate it, and I love your obvious passion for shooting.

I wouldn't part with my Walther P99 for anything. Its the most comfortable handgun I have shot yet and feels completely natural in the hand as opposed to some more clunkier firearms. Being chambered in .40 S&W and being only fed Federal HydraShok when carried as CCW piece I can say I have no problems with it being what keeps me alive should things go south.

reply to post by Helig


The only Walther models I am familiar with are the PPK, and the P38, and even that is limited. I haven’t had any personal experience with a Walther Firearm, and I don’t know anything about the P99, but I love .40 S&W.

Is there anything you can tell me about it? (Mag. Cap., barrel length, grouping at different ranges ect.)Does it use a double stack magazine? How easy is it to find parts? Does Walther sell any customizable parts for it like Glock? Is it a full size, compact, or sub compact? How easy is the field take down and assembly? Does it come in bi-tone?

I would be grateful for any more information, specs or personal.

Thank you very much for the reply.

I think I know which new firearm I am going to purchase. Just for fun, (and in case Obama reenacts the assault weapons ban) I think I’ll get the Kel-Tec PLR 16, 5.56 model.

www.kel-tec-cnc.com...

I appreciate everyones suggestions, and please feel free to continue discussing your favorite firearms with me and each other. I’ll always need good suggestions, because you never know when the shopping bug will strike and I’ll want a new gun.



[edit on 23-7-2009 by NRA4ever333]

20mm. Favourite gun? M61.

i25.tinypic.com...

reply to post by C0bzz


Nice!

I want one. It's in the Constitution Dangit!