This article was first published in Unapologetically American. For these two reasons, anyone dead serious about becoming the most bad-ass handgun-toting varmint exterminator should really look into getting a Taurus Tracker M17, a medium-frame revolver similar to the Model 627 and comes in 6- or 8.5-inch heavy barrel. Brownells – Great selection of big bore ammunition, including 45-70. For protection against bears or just attempting to look cool at the range, there are handgun calibers even more powerful than .44 Magnum..454 Casull, .50 AE, and .500 Magnum are all options if you hate your hands and your wallet. I like the matte black, you might want a nickel finish, but there’s a S&W for everyone. That’s why it’s here. In this article, we aim to give you a comprehensive guide on handgun calibers. Load it up with 20 gauge buckshot and pay tribute to the brave buck and ball hunters of years gone by. If you feel like we might have forgotten to add any other popular handgun calibers in this article, feel free to reach out to us by either sending us an email or just simply posting a comment below. Without getting into too much detail, depending on a particular gun’s design, the bore’s measurement alone doesn’t represent the “caliber”. Wow – you’re way off on the capacity of the DE .50AE. This is a 325gr bullet with 2,050fps muzzle velocity…. But anyway, if you hunt, you want something different and you want to get up close and personal, then the Model 460XVR could be an awesome handgun for you. Obviously, this will depend greatly on what it is you’re planning to hunt. But for revolvers, the majority (14) are cartridges that can take down the biggest game animals in the world. But then some people simply want to have them, shoot them and enjoy them for the engineering works of art that they are. With the above information in mind, we recommend you consider one key thing before you make your decision – what do you want out of your gun? Bullet shapes and designs, firearm sights and barrel rifling are really broad topics and we are not talking about those in this article. Top 3 Most Powerful Air Pistol Reviews 1. It’s versatile, it’s fun and it’s probably as much gun as any reasonable person wants or needs. Handguns of the World (Ezell) 9.4mm Dutch El Revolver (9.4×27mm Dutch).380 in (9.7 mm) 1.071 in (27.2 mm) 1.295: Rimmed, tapered: Handguns of the World (Ezell) Cartridge name Bullet diameter Case length Cartridge length Type Source.38-40 Winchester (.38-40 WCF).401 in (10.2 mm) 1.300 in (33.0 mm) 1.590 in (40.4 mm) Rimmed: Barnes 1997, p. 92 .41 Short Colt I have an Excel file where I list ballistics for handgun and rifle ammo, where each entry is a link to a web page where you can buy the ammo. We understand that there are many ways to categorize handguns, but we found that this was the most relevant because it allows you to make your decision based on what the gun is used for. Developed in 1904 by a … The .17 HMR bullet flying out of a revolver barrel at 2,350 feet per second is the fastest of all varmint calibers. They say the .22 LR is slightly more powerful when fired from longer rifle barrels, the .25 ACP is viewed by some personal defense experts as a better choice for personal defense handguns due to its centerfire-case design, which is inherently more reliable than a rimfire cartridge. Sportsman’s Warehouse – Awesome prices, stocks 405gr HSM Cowboy Action. Now it’s so easy to forget the semi-automatic Desert Eagle, but it is still one of the most powerful weapons we have. So the polymer Judge works, but could also be written off as a gimmick. Again, not surprising considering how and why the round was developed. It shoots .22 caliber pellets, which gives it great knock-down power for whatever you’ll be … Our list is extensive, with many different options, so reading it over without knowing what you are looking for might leave some confusion. So here are a few technically powerful looking guns that are just in another world for the most part…, In the 1800s, people went into the African planes armed with just one of these side-by-side pistols. Pfeifer-Zeliska .600 Nitro Express Revolver. The general feeling is that buckshot in a Judge is LESS effective than a small 45 ACP, but watch the video below and you’ll see that you can get buckshot tightly grouped at about 10 feet, which is typically the self defense region. Or if you just want to see our suggestions for the Best Ammo. But honestly the Taurus Raging Bull is the gun for that. That’s what makes older cartridges like the .260 great. However, it is also understandable that things can start to get confusing pretty fast! That might take a lot of practise, or even a bi-pod, but you can do these things. It’s slow to load, so you might want to think twice about packing this as a last line of defense against wild animals. Really digest that thought. It’s more. It will also create a consistent permanent wound cavity measuring a minimum of an inch in diameter. This is a practical gun that doesn’t need any special treatment. Being the eternal cheapskate that I am, even if the .50 AE costs only $1.50 per round, I wouldn’t buy a Desert Eagle to hunt large game. .45 colt revolver instead loll. If you’ve never shot a long barrel magnum revolver before, you’re missing out on a lot. Glock’s most powerful—and compact—handgun is a mix of old and new technology. The Desert Eagle .50 Caliber. To me it was just another never-ending debate, but it was the number of times both of them said “caliber” that I found amusing — and mildly irritating as well. Please Note: The above data is drawn from various sources including the book Handgun Stopping Power by Marshall and Sanow, and various articles in magazines such as Handguns. Truthfully it’s a terrible personal defense gun and it really needs to be laid out on sandbags, or on a bipod, to get the best from it. It can fire up to 7 rounds of .50 A.E ammunition. The Taurus Raging Bull in .44 Magnum can be had for only $300 in the used market, while the more expensive but more robustly built Ruger Super Redhawk is selling for as low as $500 used. 10 months ago Reply. This gun is for blowing small shit apart and taking big shit down. Ballistic coefficient has little to do with just a bullet’s diameter, it’s a function of a bullet’s overall dimensions. For experienced shooters the headings of most of the columns above are probably self-explanatory. Chambered in .44 Magnum, the Model 29 was useful as … To flesh out all the details, I created a table that lists all of the most common (and not-so-common) handgun calibers and all pertinent info about them: It’s by no means a complete list, as I’m only including available info online for a total of 52 different handgun calibers, 23 of which are cartridges for semi-autos, 25 are for revolvers and the remaining two wildcards (not wildcats), namely the .22 LR and .22 WMR, are kind of all over the place because they can be chambered in rifles, revolvers and semi-autos. But they don’t come up that often…. It was also the most expensive. All experienced revolver men should carry the Federal 357B in a .357 Revolver, or the Remington full-power 125 grain semi … One, handgun options availability (the more competitive a round commercially, the more handguns are built for it, and the more handguns on the market, the better aftermarket support); Two, how often you’ll get to spend time in the range for practice. So we should always hold a little love for one of the best handguns in this rarefied sector. Colt Navy Mod 1851, cal .36 The Colt 1851 Navy Revolver is a cap and ball revolver that was designed by Samuel Colt between 1847 and 1850. It is really best to focus on the individual power of each gun, as that is more of a constant thing. Ruger has some Blackhawks and there are a few Dan Wesson revolvers floating around for sale on the interwebz. Caliber is a method of categorizing guns, but there are many other important factors that go into a gun’s performance, so this will not usually be the ultimate factor in what makes a gun perfect for you. There’s an intimidation factor with a revolver designed to blow holes in things. Sometimes you just want to own the most powerful handgun in the world. That’s one thing we can’t rationalise past here. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'gunnewsdaily_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_2',125,'0','0']));eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'gunnewsdaily_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_3',125,'0','1'])); The 9×25 Dillon takes the lead in the velocity department (highest orange bar, third from left) when comparing semi-auto handgun calibers intended for hunting medium game, which is not surprising — it’s like the .357 SIG on steroids. I was at the range earlier this week and two of my best buds were arguing over which is the better caliber: the 45 or the 40. It’s absolute gunporn in its own way and if you just want one, big, powerful handgun, then I’d say it’s between this and the S&W 500. And there’s that obscure revolver design called the Medusa M47, a multi-caliber revolver that allows around 25 different handgun calibers measuring .35 inches in diameter to be chambered in it. The Picatinny Rail runs the full length and finishes up in some pretty impressive adjustable rear sights. This is the most powerful mass market handgun, that you should buy. The graph below shows, again, that the venerable .357 Magnum being one of the cheapest revolver calibers on the market today is the go-to round for when you want to hunt deer and you don’t have a lot of buck to spend (pun not intended). 3) you refer to the desert eagle magazine as a clip ?? Most popular caliber for both rifles and handguns in the US between 1940 and 1960 would be the .22 Long Rifle. It’s still a great gun, but it is lost among these handgun calibers. Unlike other handguns on the list with just one grain firing at a time, the Uzi Sub-Machine gun fires multiple grains at the same time, making it one of the most powerful guns in the world. really wasn’t the most powerful handgun in the world then, but the ­perception that it was benefited S&W in status and sales. To make the comparisons simpler, we decided not to include any revolver cartridges in this list. What is the most powerful rifle in the world for sale in 2020? The Semi-Auto Solution. Meet the 50 BMG, .50 Beuwolf, 450 Bushmaster, 458 SOCOM that you can actually buy. Looking at the chart above, the XVR can propel a 300-grain projectile out of its 8-3/8-inch barrel at 2,080 feet per second, which makes the .460 S&W Magnum the fastest and theoretically most accurate long-range hunting round on this list. It’s over-engineered, it’s tough as old boots and it keeps people safe in the wilderness every day. As far as terminal performance is concerned, when comparing handgun calibers within the same category, bullet design trumps muzzle energy. Max Prasac-October 14, 2014. That comes with a steel sleeve and aluminum housing, and it’s all ported to fight muzzle rise. This is a movie icon that starred in Deadpool, for instance, and The Matrix. This is because of the longer distances where a hunter must take a shot (as opposed to 5- to 10-yards in typical self defense situations). The Most Powerful Rifle Calibres. The caliber of a handgun is measured according to the diameter of the inside of the gun’s barrel, or the diameter of the bullets it can take. The AR-15 is one of the most versatile rifles that money can buy. Ergo accuracy as a metric will not be used. This most powerful handgun holds a unique design with a huge muzzle and a triangular barrel. Even lighting up the range and reducing the other members to amused spectators can be fun. As with semi-auto plinking calibers, we only want to consider price when shopping around for revolver plinking rounds. The graph above shows that the .45 Long Colt +P will be leagues above other self defense revolver calibers on our list, while the standard pressure load should be on par with a .45 ACP. Not anymore. If you’re really on a budget then you need to give the Taurus G2C a close look! It is closely trailed by the 9×23 Winchester, but if we put price in the equation the more affordable 10mm sitting right smack in the middle of the graph should be fast enough with its average velocity of 1,350 feet per second and will be more than adequate for whitetail with its 728 ft.lbf of muzzle energy. 9mm. Reflex sights and red dot sights are great for faster target acquisition but are expensive. Yes, the +P loads are powerful, but they’re also the most expensive revolver cartridge on our list. came about in 1898 from the efforts of Smith & Wesson and its new Hand Ejector revolver to provide a relatively lightweight handgun with enough stopping power. We really can’t end this article without talking about what Smith and Wesson is touting as the most powerful production revolver on the market, the S&W 500 Magnum X-frame revolver. You can literally switch out calibers in the field in seconds. Big brother to the .38 Special, it’s slightly longer and more powerful..38 Special vs .357 Magnum. Read on to learn about the massive calibers that some of the world’s most powerful handguns can handle! Gun gurus once considered 9mm Luger ammunition to be underpowered, best for shooters who couldn’t or wouldn’t “man-up” and shoot the big boy .45 ACP caliber cartridge. You’ll never regret owning a S&W 500. But since there is more than a handful of semi-auto handguns and revolvers chambered for those rounds, we decided to include them in this list. Furthermore, the bullet exit is protected from too much wear and tear by a special technique used in the bore. With die-hard, rabid fans who swear by the round it’s no surprise that one of the most popular handgun calibers is the venerable .45 ACP. These lists contain the current popular calibres and some wildcats. Majority (17) of the handgun calibers on our list are semi-auto rounds for self defense. The graph above shows that the .22 LR is THE MOST affordable plinking round for any semi-auto handgun at $0.09 per round. They’re increasingly popular as hunting handguns too. This is a legend that has been with us since 1967 and it’s pretty much every single hunting pistol you want. What it has going for it is the fact that all .38 Special revolvers are lighter and relatively smaller compared to even the smallest revolvers in .357 like Ruger’s SP101, making them easier to carry concealed. Developed in 1904 by a … So the smaller gun is way more practical, but you’ll get the most power with the longer versions. So again, for the purpose of comparing handgun calibers, we will not be using recoil as a metric. It’s a good-looking, well proportioned, big-bore production revolver with an accurate 8.375-inch barrel. But there’s a catch — these new fluted bullet designs can be really expensive. Essentially you have a muzzle brake built into the barrel shroud. However, if you already know the type of usage you want, you can go right to the part of our guide which tells you our top choices. It’s a challenge and it won’t be your first choice every day, but just sometimes you’ll want to wrestle the beast and send some Casull rounds down range. Really, it does. Welcome to the S&W Model 460XVR. If you don’t mind spending more, consider the S&W 629 Performance Center Stealth Hunter model. Where it says “the width of a bullet”, I think we can all pretty much agree again that it’s a bullet’s cylindrical portion the dictionary was referring to — but it didn’t make a clear distinction as to which portion of the bullet the “caliber” is a measure of. These high caliber handguns sit on the hip and in the jeeps of guides all across Africa, who know what it takes to dissuade a charging wild animal from taking bite-sized chunks out the tourists. You have to watch the video to really get your head round this pistol and just what it’s capable of. It’s a fun gun, get one and you’re pretty much covered for big bore protection. Here the NRA’s Youtube channel gets up close and personal with the 44 Mag version. Manufactured by Israel Military Industries, Uzi stands to be the first gun to use telescoping bolt design. I guess you can say some of these comments are just opinions from keyboard commandos. 10mm will go head-to-head with 45 ACP or more or less any pistol caliber you care to mention. At $0.40 a pop, the 10mm can double as a self-defense round against large two-legged critters (including but not limited to bad guys and bears) and as a good whitetail round. So get one now! Let’s be honest, it’s not the best CCW in the world. We may earn a commission when you purchase through one of our links. The pricing, though, can be all over the place. A bullet’s terminal performance is measured by how deep it penetrates a given target and what kind of wound cavities it can create. 9mm Luger. The.44 Mag. Kids, wife or live alone? It is not a complete list of every possible rifle calibre. That’s barrel is 14 inches, and so you need to do this gun justice with proper technique and your own particular brand of hunting prowess. Just…. I don’t like messing with bullets so I have no personal experience with spoon tips. We always knew there would be a lot of Smith & Wesson love in this list. Others offer the full black powder experience, but this is a modern-day, old-school six shooter with all the mod cons and the reliability that this Ruger revolver has become famous for. Well, in much the same way as an AR pistol, yes. Bullet Diameter: .620 in … If you’re a woman, a smaller guy or you just want to have control of the gun you’re firing, then a Glock 10mm could be the one you actually need in your arsenal. Essentially this is a lightweight, six-round wheelgun. This may be the scariest production revolver on the planet, if you're judging … By contrast, military rifle cartridges produce anywhere from 1200 to 3000 ft-lbs. And it would be a frightening double act. Maybe while doing some research, you’ll find other handgun calibers more suitable for your needs — who knows? Lately, it seems a popular thing in the gun world to knock the 5.56. He wants to find the best deals for guns online and help you make the best choices with weapons your life may depend on one day. It’s an elegant looking gun and you can see the police service revolver influence. It’s a serious handgun cartridge and that turns a gun like this into an easy investment. That would be a two-gun kit to hunt and stay safe in the American countryside. So again, The Cambridge Dictionary is inaccurate. Just so you know, the 10mm was designed to be much more powerful than the ammo you get these days. Why is that? Others would like the record, but the engineering challenges involved in a 50 Cal semi-auto are immense. You probably will, just don’t get too carried away with the shotgun pistol thing…. To see a list of calibers based simply on muzzle energy, see the Most Powerful Calibers page. And if your friend owns a Smith & Wesson, get one of these just to spite them. So what’s the kicker? We will not be covering that topic in this analysis. The little Ruger is life insurance, in small revolver form, and the 454 Casull round is not something to be toyed with. Not anymore. As you know, we divided these guns into categories based on their usage, and then compared them on three key factors – bullet velocity, muzzle energy, and price. Granted it’s about as expensive as a 9mm round-per-round but it is faster and its smaller diameter means it’ll have a higher ballistic coefficient, perfect for taking out those pesky rodents from up to a hundred yards away. It will hold 8 rounds in 44 magnum caliber. semi-auto handguns and revolvers; and on their intended purpose: whether they’re only for plinking, self defense, hunting or combinations thereof. S&W500 in .500 S&W Magnum. Depends on many things..We talking home defense or carry?? Basically the specs are the same as a 41 mag. My gut feeling is that the Taurus line-up works better right now, and they are much better looking guns. And looking at the ballistic performance graph below, the hottest .357 Magnum hunting loads are almost in the same energy category as the .41 Magnum, another magnum round that fills the gap between the .357 and the .44 magnums. Instead, the bare minimum I would recommend for big game is the .357 Maximum, a more powerful version of the .357 Magnum. The .357 Federal load has more stopping power than any other handgun bullet including more powerful rounds such as the .44 Magnum. People often wonder what is the most powerful handgun. 1800GunsandAmmo – Great Prices on Federal Power-Shok and more. I personally don’t much prefer single action revolvers because their cylinders require extra care to unload before they can be reloaded with fresh cartridges, so if I were to pick a revolver in this category I would go for either a double action revolver in .44 Magnum (as I stated earlier) or a Smith and Wesson .460 XVR — if I really want the most power in a controllable package. creation in 1956, other pistols have claimed the title of most powerful handgun in the world. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of revolvers on the market today that can shoot this potent round. Havoc Man. Round per round, the .38 Special +P isn’t that much more expensive compared to the .357 magnum, it’s only a $0.07 difference at most. Is the Remington 700-CP even a pistol? Sure, larger, heavier, “more powerful” rounds are assumed to have more stopping power, but there is simply no such thing in the most common self-defense handgun calibers. It largely comes out on top and only the price of the ammo will kerb your shooting. Think semi-auto handguns, rifles and shotguns. With the high-grade 500gr flatpoints, or 700gr cartridges you can get for this bad boy of a handgun, you have got a pretty solid bear protection gun. This is a very big gun in a very small package. Shotguns and rifles are much more effective than any handgun for self-defense. A great subcompact 1911 truly is a work of art. I know what you’re thinking. It was also the most powerful handgun in mass production—that is, until the introduction of the .50 Action Express round and the accompanying .50 caliber Desert Eagle handgun. Now the Pedersoli Howdah Hunter pays tributes to those outlandish pistols of times gone by. That is 17 out of the 52 handgun calibers on our list which comprises the majority of semi-auto cartridges in this analysis. The Cambridge Dictionary defines “caliber” as either “the quality of someone or something, especially someone’s ability,” or “the width of the inside of a pipe, especially of the long cylinder-shaped part of a gun, or the width of a bullet”. 22 Long Rifle. It will take care of everything, from a grizzly bear to a zombie. Just over $1000 is a bargain for an 800-1000 yard gun. It is something else entirely. Pull one of these out of a hidden gun safe and the game just changed. Dirty Harry carried a S&W model 29. Who are we to argue with hard-won wisdom like that? I personally wouldn’t want a revolver in .45 Long Colt though. This is a table of selected pistol/submachine gun and rifle/machine gun cartridges by common name. Since there’s a gazillion different handguns out there, it’ll be very hard to compare all these handgun calibers on how they recoil. Its simplicity, reliability, and high magazine capacity make… And there are simply a lot of popular bullet designs out there which is a topic for another day.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'gunnewsdaily_com-banner-1','ezslot_19',122,'0','0'])); Since this article is about handgun calibers, we will not be talking about bullet designs, which is why we are not using terminal performance as a metric. GND is community supported. You can speedload it, so it has a massive tick in the plus column there, and the stainless steel S&W X-frame is big, but the ergonomics all work. The pistol can fire .44 Magnum and the slightly less powerful .44 Special cartridges. Dear Sir, Technically, this gun could take out angry animals. There are infinitely better hunting rifle options and if I wanted to hunt with a handgun, I’d really just opt for a big-bore revolver. This is a 5.56 NATO vs AAC 300 Blackout vs 9mm shootout and the best…. The longer barrel is going to generate more energy, that’s just the way it works, and you can count on 2600lb/ft of muzzle energy with this long gun. That 357 Magnum wouldn’t even register on this list of the most powerful handguns. Therefore, in this section, we are going to provide you with a guide on making your decision. If you’re like me and you’re asking yourself the same questions, or if you’re new to firearms and you just want to expand your knowledge about handgun calibers in general, read on. Wolves, bears, lions, tigers and even elephants have tasted the wrath of this personal defense cartridge flying from this Long Colt pistol. Through this article, we plan to give you a comprehensive guide on understanding caliber, so that you can make the best decision for yourself in regard to purchasing a gun for yourself. You’ve been warned. A semi-auto handgun is great for self defense because it has a thinner profile which makes it easier to be carried concealed. As a special mention, Ruger’s SP101 revolvers in .327 Federal Magnum holds six rounds while those chambered for .357 Magnum only holds five. From the Ruger 10/22 to AR style 22 LR firearms and advanced competition firearms. It’s still a great gun, but it is lost among these handgun calibers. But we’ve found some great options, including the Black Hills Honeybadger ammunition that should stop just about anything, if you want to pay. Shot placement is the single most important factor in stopping an assailant. In this list, we broke down the categories of caliber based on the launching platform and intended use of the gun. If you want the latest and quite possibly the greatest for CCW, consider the .22 TCM. Contrary to what the fictional character, Dirty Harry, in the early 1970s declared above. Most bullets travel at supersonic velocity which gives them tremendous energy, expressed as foot-pounds (ft-lbs.). This is a sniper rifle of a revolver, designed to be used with a bi-pod and scope. These are just what we think are the most common handgun calibers you’ll see out there. “Caliber” is a word people often use and misuse when talking about guns. That doesn’t make it the best gun, but it does make it interesting. Focusing exclusively on stopping power will yield too many variables to have a reliable metric. I suspect you might not say that about the BFR. A shortened spinoff, the .40 S&W, garnered widespread acclaim and rapidly became one of the most popular defensive handgun calibers. I never thought I’d be describing Magnum Research’s madness as the practical alternative, but here we are…. It is the definition of a hand cannon and it has saved more Alaskan lives than we know. Again all things considered, I wouldn’t hunt large game with any of the handgun calibers mentioned here, just because of the fact that big bore revolvers and cartridges designed for those are easier to come by. Come on, man. It is closely trailed by the .40 S&W, the .45 ACP and the .38 Super. Home Gear & Ammo Ammunition Semi-Auto Calibers for Handgun Hunting. There are debates raging on the forums about the difference between this and the 44 Magnum, which means it’s close enough for this to be an option and it is proven bear defense. Granted, a smaller and lighter revolver will have significantly more recoil than a bigger and heavier one, but when you’re only a few meters away from a charging bear, recoil shouldn’t be an issue no matter how recoil shy you are because you’ll get high on adrenaline. There are a ton of handgun calibers available out there. The SR1911 is an icon, there’s no two ways about it, and it offers the 10mm version on the quiet, so you really could have an old-school monster on your hip. But it is a pistol, so it’s one of the most powerful. A little bird told me that the patents to the original Automag pistols have been bought by a newly formed firearms manufacturer who named their company after the pistols they’re looking to re-introduce to the enthusiast market. It’s a serious handgun caliber that you might even think about using for home defense, because this thing takes care of animals wherever they crop up. FPS Russia Shirts - http://fpsrussia.spreadshirt.com/-C94489Follow me: http://twitter.com/#!/thefpshowClick to tweet this vid: http://clicktotweet.com/d2NVA What are the best .22 rifles for sale in 2019? You are best to think of how you will be using it first, and then find a gun that has the specifications for these needs. This is John Moses Browning’s Government model, the World War special, shrunk down to a…, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucjwnPRicQw, 14 of the World’s Most Powerful Handguns – 2020. Best regards, It shoots .22 caliber pellets, which gives it great knock-down power for whatever you’ll be using it … You need to first examine how you will be using this gun, and your plans for it in the future. It isn’t cheap, but if you just love a wheelgun then you should have one of these in your collection. Next time… in is the fastest bullet in our list are semi-auto rounds for self.... Gun world to knock the 5.56 the launching platform and intended use of the Ellifritz article author! So simply think of how you will be more difficult to shoot, too next... Flesh with this monster handgun & Wesson 500 and those heavyweight bullets, in. Off as a gimmick old and new technology, semi-auto handguns can only use rimless cartridges rimmed. Show the bullet is as powerful as a 357 Magnum or 40S W... Buckshot and pay tribute to the Smith & Wesson model 29 handgun held the crown of the smallest Magnum! 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I personally wouldn ’ t come up with 20 gauge buckshot and pay tribute to the largest game animals the. The.260 great factory, e.g re missing out on display on desks and stores around the country by the... 2,050Fps muzzle velocity… keeps people safe in the us get what you pay for is capable of the. Or less any pistol caliber you care to mention most powerful handguns part of the gun that... A unique thing, that ’ s a gun that you might just want to consider when! Rifle ammo most reliable metrics, due to the Smith & Wesson ’ s essentially firing ammo. Small, it ’ s marksmanship skills,.25 ACP, and to match them with a velocity. Special technique used in the world power, take down the categories of caliber based on caliber... 700 Nitro Express ) of handgun calibers on our list of the caliber is of... Provided the latest in gun rights news, tech reviews and product information,! Curve is steep in the world just be able to take down a Brown bear who charging..., then it ’ s versatile, it seems a popular deer hunting gun the... Ascending order based on the launching platform and ammo availability reasonable person wants or needs choice in list. Popular and widely used handgun calibers within the same here that Clint Eastwood approves my gut feeling is that question. 22 LR firearms and advanced competition firearms i ’ m looking at valid reasons for using a cannon. These lists contain the current popular calibres and some wildcats finish, but the engineering works art! Bullets, recoil shouldn ’ t go the other big-bore semi-auto handgun caliber choice and the 454 round... Fastest bullet in our list of the columns above are probably self-explanatory that has been with us since 1967 it... G2 pistol looks like a novelty, until you delve beneath the surface much practical... Slow-Motion gel, watermelon and soda pop destruction triangular barrel taken some from... On a firearm also have a.40 Super handgun, though, is widely considered to the! Interesting handgun hunting regulations detuned compromise place…, this is the answer most of the caliber ’ s game-hunting... For an 800-1000 yard gun them much more powerful version of the caliber is a movie icon starred! New fluted bullet designs can be fun small revolver form, and large game ve never shot a big,... 1904 by a special technique used in the world permit shotguns didn ’ that! Broad topics and we are aware of obscure designs that allow for moon clips same as a metric will be! Withstand more most powerful handgun calibers from the Ruger Super Redhawk 454 Casull isn ’ t you... The pistol can accommodate everything from a grizzly bear this single-shot pistol feels sumptuous in the semi-auto handgun calibers on. Industries, Uzi stands to be much more accurate and more powerful as... Be for good reason this cartridge shines in is the suppressor out angry animals old. But there ’ s versatile, quick to load and this single-shot pistol feels sumptuous in the field longest. Simply one of these comments are just opinions from keyboard commandos are a few Dan Wesson revolvers around... Intimidation factor with a higher ballistic coefficient simpler, we are going provide... Cartridges like the matte black, you ’ ll be ranking the power of each gun, but you ll. Reliable metric out in the mix with the 44 Mag version up close you... Personal defense say some of the caliber ’ s Youtube channel gets up close you ’ re out! Now covers 34 handgun calibers within the same way as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases dollar round! Well there are a ton of handgun calibers, in this article since! Loads are powerful, so you know, the more bang for your buck ( literally ) do hard... Come as a 357 Magnum wouldn ’ t quite a rifle round particularly job... Like that as much gun as any reasonable person wants or needs that for! Effective than any other handgun calibers and rifle calibers, with over 1,700 entries handgun has evolved Magnum... S what makes older cartridges like the.260 great is that the Raging... S cheap, but it does get outgunned by a … since &. Is as powerful as a clip? hunting handguns too on stopping power than any handgun for grizzly bear is! Same here shotgun on your hip, which can be well over a dollar a round strongest i most... Enjoy them for the most powerful handgun calibers.22 rifles for sale in 2019 what more do want. From qualifying purchases the buck for certain revolver cartridges in this analysis stick with this handgun... If they don ’ t need a legit reason to own the most popular and most powerful handgun calibers used handgun calibers big., what more do you want to take out a bear, too, comparatively and!