best handgun (pistol) caliber.

If you are going to be shooting lots .22 is where you should start. Not only is it cheap but the little amount of felt recoil lets you get the fundamentals of shooting without setting yourself up for a flinch that you'll have to train out.

If you want more for your dollar per gun Id say a nice wheel gun in .357Magnum, so you can shoot both .38 special for target shooting and .357 when you want a big bang.

Also, That video is as old as the Internet!
 
Totally .22LR to start out; no doubt for me. That way, if you end up deciding that you don't much care for handgun shooting (hey, it's just not for everyone... really), you haven't sunk in too much of an investment. The gentler kick while you get the basics down is also a good thing if you happen to be a younger shooter, have small wrists, carpal tunnel, etc.

Besides, you just can't beat it for the price of the ammo ;)
 
Everyone should have a .22lr in the collection at some point - it's a must have (might as well start out with one). I vote for the Remington 597.

However, since you want a pistol... I'd go centerfire. Pick up a Ruger (K)P345 and start reloading ;) Get a 9mm if reloading is out of the question (If I were buying today, I'd get a Grand Power to try something different).
 
22lr is great for all. Can't say they are best for price when you go for ultimate accuracy because the competition ammo is ridiculously priced. You can't save by reloading either.
 
Bah...22lr? Wheres your b#!!s guys? ;)
.44 magnum and .45 acp is what I shoot. I lean more to the 6" .44 though due to a nicer trigger pull. Heck, I've "one handed" the .44 using 240gr JSP bullets. (Admitedly only 6 rounds once in a while) Yeah it kicks, but you wouldn't hunt deer or moose with a 22lr.."Go big or stay home" is my motto.

Ok, before the flames start, I agree starting out with a .22 handgun is better to develop good handgun shooting habits. But to say its the best caliber? For price maybe...Nothing beats the "KABOOOM" of a big bore and watching wood fly from the backstop.
I've even managed to hit a steel gong at 200 meters with my .44 and thats no BS. (Other listers witnessed it :))
 
Rick65Cat said:
Bah...22lr? Wheres your b#!!s guys? ;)
.44 magnum and .45 acp is what I shoot. I lean more to the 6" .44 though due to a nicer trigger pull. Heck, I've "one handed" the .44 using 240gr JSP bullets. (Admitedly only 6 rounds once in a while) Yeah it kicks, but you wouldn't hunt deer or moose with a 22lr.."Go big or stay home" is my motto.

Ok, before the flames start, I agree starting out with a .22 handgun is better to develop good handgun shooting habits. But to say its the best caliber? For price maybe...Nothing beats the "KABOOOM" of a big bore and watching wood fly from the backstop.
I've even managed to hit a steel gong at 200 meters with my .44 and thats no BS. (Other listers witnessed it :))
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I do say .22 is the greatest cal but not the best handgun caliber. There isn't any good answer, but for all purpose, I'd say .45 for target and stopping power at the same shell.

Trigun
 
No matter what else you end up with a Ruger Mk. I, II, or III should be in everybody's tickle-trunk. They are just ridiculously fun to shoot all day long and kids love them too. 22LR is also the only ammo that you don't start thinking about how much you are paying per round, which is definitely an issue once you start feeding a hungry 1911 or something.
 
As for someone new to handguns I don't think it is possible to overcome the urge to get something in centerfire caliber. Seems pretty much everyone's fate. So, get yourself 1911 in 45ACP - I think everyone must begin there, or revolver in 38 spl or whatever. 44 Magnum maybe a good thing.

Its only after you feel financial pressure and actually wonder "how do I hit something" when you start thinking about buying 22 pistol. Of course you will have to unlearn your flinch and blink and whatnot, but that is a no issue.

22lr by itself is not a defence pistol, more like a trainer caliber so your first purchase isn't exactly a waste of money, its more like jumpstart. Take it philosophically, buy something - we can argue day and night wich caliber is best but I think they all have right to exist. It is more of how does that particular caliber or make compliment your personality.
 
9mm - the smart man's caliber ;)

Fun to shoot, ton of guns chambered for it, fairly powerful, accurate, ammo doesn't take up a lot of space etc...

Honorable meantions: .22LR, 10mm, .44mag/spl, .45ACP...
 
.22 u wont get the bang that u're lookin for in a firearm. Besides 22lr firearms I personally think are more like toys, not really firearms.

9mm, best choice, becuase easy to find, cheap to purchase, if its good enough for the army good enough for you, and easy to control when actually firing compared to say the .45 or 40S&W.
 
Rick65Cat said:
Bah...22lr? Wheres your b#!!s guys? ;)
.44 magnum and .45 acp is what I shoot. I lean more to the 6" .44 though due to a nicer trigger pull. Heck, I've "one handed" the .44 using 240gr JSP bullets. (Admitedly only 6 rounds once in a while) Yeah it kicks, but you wouldn't hunt deer or moose with a 22lr.."Go big or stay home" is my motto.

Ok, before the flames start, I agree starting out with a .22 handgun is better to develop good handgun shooting habits. But to say its the best caliber? For price maybe...Nothing beats the "KABOOOM" of a big bore and watching wood fly from the backstop.
I've even managed to hit a steel gong at 200 meters with my .44 and thats no BS. (Other listers witnessed it :))
Click to expand...

200 meters is nothing - in the days of the old horse soldiers, the 45 colts could regularly hit 400 with the 7.5 inch barrel- there used to be long range pistol competitions as well- i've done 250 yards with my ruger old army using a 45 cal 200 grain and 30 grains of ffg, off hand- and i'm no great shakes- the secret is the 7,5 inch barrel
however back to the topic at hand- first gun- 22 revolver for learning the basics- i started off wth the 45acp ( issued) and developed a terrible flinch that shows up whenever i don't shoot old slabsides
i've corrected it now, but i wasn't even concious of it until i started to shoot 44
by it's mild manner, a 22 should not prodice a flinch, unless the person has a predisposition( ie scared of the gun from the get-go)
 
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My favourite is definately the .22. Cheap, super accurate and very little recoil.

I learned on a 9mm but really improved thanks to the .22. This carried over to the heavier calibers at a fraction of the cost.

with regards to the big calibers or go home. I've seen that on the range. The snicker from the guys shooting 40S&W, .45 etc. Usually only from the younger guys new to shooting though. When you fire that .22 and all they ever hear is bang, ding, bang ding, bang ding. Even at 50 yards with the small metal hanging targets. well after they give it a try with bang, bang, bang, bang, ding. and that's pretty much how it goes. The snicker disapears.

My cost, 3 cents a hit. Their cost around 40 cents a miss depending on the caliber. Watching that smirk disapear. You know where this is going. :D
 
if you REALLY want to find out how good you are, get a small framed 22- like a jennings , one of the berettas, or something with a SHORT barrel- IT'S A humbling experience- chances are you're not near as good as you THOUGHT you were
 
target? see accuracy below
price? 22lr-rimfire, 9mm center-fire
accuracy? depends on the gun and shooter, not nessessarily the ammo
recoil? 22lr
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Just to get the required characters to complete my post, I'd like to add I started with 44mag and the rest of you guys are sissies........:D
 
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