Which calibers are here for the long term?

J

JimmieA.

Regular
Rating - 100%
21   0   0
I have been thinking about which calibers are on the way out and which will be popular 20 years from now.
I think the 9mm(Luger), .40S&W, .45ACP, 10mm in semi and
.38S/.357 Mag, .45Colt, .44S/.44 Mag in revolver are here for the long term. Of course .22LR is here for long term.
I'm thinking the .41Mag is on the way out as are the .32 calibres. I think the .460S&W and the .50S&W will be around but not big sellers same as the .454
I'm wondering which others will be popular? I hope the .22Mag will stay around but it is a rifle round.

What do you'll think?
 
.22LR, 9mm, .45ACP, .38special/.357mag, .44mag are going to be staple diets for pistols and revolvers for quite some time would be my bet. {flamesuit on} I'm not as confident about .40 or 10mm and the .25ACP and .32ACP although useful cartridges have seen they're "hey day" I do believe.
 
The guys at my local store tell me that they sell ten 9mms for every pistol/revolver they sell in any other calibre. I think most retailers would roughly agree with this statement (unless their store is "Revolvers'R'us" or something like that :) ).

So really, you have to define what you mean by "popular" now, before we can think about what will be popular in 20 years.

One definition of "popular" could be, you can walk into a reasonably stocked local gun store and buy a box of cartridges. If this is the standard, then all these cartridges - and a lot more - will be "popular" for the rest of our lives (assuming pistols and revolvers continue to be part of our lives!)

Another window on this for me is... I have been going to the busiest shooting range in BC for the past 10 years and have seen a lot of people shooting, and I've swept up a ton of brass. I would say there are three groups:

Very common: 9mm, .40S&W, .45ACP, .38SPL, .357MAG, 7.62x25, .22LR, .223REM, 7.62x39, .308WIN, 7.62x54R, 12ga.

Somewhat common: .380Auto, .357SIG, .44SPL/MAG, .17HMR, .22MAG, .30Carbine, .243WIN, .30-30WIN, .303British, 8mm Mauser, .30-06, 7mmMAG, .300WIN-MAG

Relatively uncommon but still encountered once in awhile: Everything else. Examples: .25 Auto, .32ACP, .30 Luger, 9x18MAK, .38S&W, .38 Super, 10mmAUTO, .45GAP, .45LC, .50AE, .460S&W, .500S&W, most hunting rifle, milsurp and shotgun calibres not listed above, most "black powder"-type calibres not listed above... .45-70, .32-40, etc., .338LapMAG, 5.7x28FN, etc.

I would venture to say that, most stores selling ammunition will have ALL of these calibres from all three groups in stock... all the time or certainly most of the time.

The top group completely dominate all shooting at the range.... at least around my neck of the woods... but most of these others have been around for eons, and nothing will change in 20 years time - except maybe the introduction of some new ones.
 
I would say

1st .22 rinfire
1nd 9mm
3rd 38 special
4th 45 ACP

Everything else comes after these four cartridges. Just my two cents worth.

Graydog
 
yes i think 40 will be around for awhile. I sometimes wonder if it will start to bite into the 45 market. It is cheaper to shoot than the 45 and some would say more versatile with better ballistics. Interestingly, most of the sporting goods store around me carry 40 because of LE, but few, if any, carry 45. I still want a classic 45 1911 though.

9mm is and will remain the most popular centre fire pistol cartridge. 38sp, 357mag, 44mag and 45 colt will no doubt all be here for the long term. Too bad 357sig and 10mm never took off and are unlikely to do so. i always really liked those calibers, but don't see too many firearm for them that i would buy (and 357sig conversion barrels for the 40 are not easy to get in canada for anything but a block).
 
20 years from now eh? well won't we have some sort of photon plasma laser guns?
or.....do you mean what will be left if young Mr. Trudeau gets power?
cuz if that's the question, i'm thinking pellets and bb's and maybe just maybe single shot .22's !!!
 
09outlander said:
10mm is getting more and more popular, especially in the U.S.
Click to expand...

curious what makes you think that. not saying you are not right, i just remember the mid to late 80's when there seemed to be many more 10mm pistols around and much more factor ammo.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom