What is the most accurate handgun caliber?

wunhunglo · 07-07-2009, 01:50 PM

I don't think there is any doubt, the most accurate is the .32 S&W long, used in the Olympics for years, this is probably the most accurate centrefire handgun cartridge going. Followed a close second by the .38 special which is just ahead of the .45LC & .45acp(joint third)

Things change when you start talking most effective defensive pistols, then you go for the 45's, one stop shots!

SightNSqueeze · 07-07-2009, 02:06 PM

.38 special. I shot an old blue steel Smith & Wesson Model 10 that had been modified with adjustable sights and a 6" competition bull barrel. It was so accurate at 75 yards that I became board shooting it. It was so accurate, that it was bought and sold repeatedly by different law enforcement officers from different departments in my area for competition shoots. When the awards were won, it would get sold again. I would have kept it if I was into precision match shooting.

Capt'n Mil Coll · 07-07-2009, 02:43 PM

Well why not ask the fastest most accurate????
YouTube - Fast Shoot

Looks like a revolver to me.

SightNSqueeze · 07-07-2009, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capt'n Mil Coll

Well why not ask the fastest most accurate????
YouTube - Fast Shoot

Looks like a revolver to me.

That was great. That gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "rapid reload exercise." I wish I had that clip to show my classes at the academy back in the service revolver days. That was the one part of the final qualification exercise they moaned about the most.

woody1981 · 07-07-2009, 03:34 PM

I guess my question is why is 9mm generally left out of this thread? Just a question. I have no dog in this.

BaserRonin · 07-07-2009, 05:03 PM

38 super or the 357 sig would be my guess.

waterdog · 07-07-2009, 05:15 PM

.38 hands down, put in anyones hands, very little practice and their wild bill hickock if your talking standard service only.

Capt'n Mil Coll · 07-07-2009, 06:38 PM

Maybe instead of Jerry its Bob...

YouTube - fastest shot in the world

Just click on it.
Looks like another revolver to me!

DaTeacha · 07-07-2009, 07:51 PM

Not just a revolver, a single action revolver. That guy has the fastest hands I have ever seen. He must have terrorized the girls when he was in high school.

TargetGunFan · 07-07-2009, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stalebiscuit

probably 38 super

+1 this seems to be a favorite amongst the pistol competitors.

bassoneer · 07-07-2009, 08:37 PM

For me, I am most accurate shooting .38's out of a .357 Magnum 4" barrel revolver. B

BaserRonin · 07-08-2009, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woody1981

I guess my question is why is 9mm generally left out of this thread? Just a question. I have no dog in this.

Unfortunately the 9mm is just not an inherently accurate round. It's primary advantage is being compact, yet powerful enough to be a man stopper. As such it was picked up by the police force to replace the 38 special (the 9mm is considered to be ballistically superior to the .38 as well).
Almost any necked cartridge will be more accurate then a strait-walled, so the 9mm is still going to be beat out by better designed cartridges.

woody1981 · 07-08-2009, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BaserRonin

Unfortunately the 9mm is just not an inherently accurate round. It's primary advantage is being compact, yet powerful enough to be a man stopper. As such it was picked up by the police force to replace the 38 special (the 9mm is considered to be ballistically superior to the .38 as well).
Almost any necked cartridge will be more accurate then a strait-walled, so the 9mm is still going to be beat out by better designed cartridges.

BR--thank you. It's what I thought, but didn't know enough to know for sure. As you explained it, there is a very basic difference. Thanks.

samuel · 07-08-2009, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BaserRonin

Unfortunately the 9mm is just not an inherently accurate round. It's primary advantage is being compact, yet powerful enough to be a man stopper. As such it was picked up by the police force to replace the 38 special (the 9mm is considered to be ballistically superior to the .38 as well).
Almost any necked cartridge will be more accurate then a strait-walled, so the 9mm is still going to be beat out by better designed cartridges.

The 9mm is highly accurate!However the 9x21 and .38super are more powerful making them more desirable for USPSA/IPSC shooters.The .38 Super was considered very inaccurate because it headspaced on the rim which also caused FTF problems.In the 80,s competitors finally got handgun mfg,s to develope barrels that allowed the super to headspace on the rim.From that point it was nip and tuck between the 9x21,9x23,and the super.The super has been so overcharged they have found competitors shooting loads as high as 50K CUP.Makes the average 32K CUP in a 9mm look anemic.Loading a super that hot is dangerous and rough on guns.All of this can be verified in several books including the Sierra load book I think. ,,,sam.

Taurus Fan · 07-08-2009, 01:13 PM

There is no "most accurate CALIBER".

But if I wanted to build a gun around the most accurate CARTRIDGE, it would have to be the .22 LR. Nothing else comes close unless the distance becomes ridiculous.

I think.

thrillbilly · 07-08-2009, 01:18 PM

Any caliber in a handgun not being shot by me! LOL

lefty o · 07-08-2009, 01:24 PM

fire any of them in a test barrel, and they will all make 1 single hole groups. they are all capable of more accuracy than any human hands are capable of. just what is an inherently accurate cartridge?

nterider · 09-25-2009, 06:13 PM

In response to the 9mm not being accurate, I have to disagree. HK USP expert in 9mm is the most consistently accurate pistol I have shot. Also, people seem to be forgetting that the Glock 34 in 9x19 shot by Dave Sevigny has won many national/world championships and is a 5x USPSA production national champion among many other recent titles won. I am not a glock snob by any means, I usually consider them to be a bit too commonly owned for my liking. Haven't tried the 34, but with it's $550 price tag I will be looking at one shortly.......

DWFan · 09-25-2009, 06:31 PM

speaking of Bob Munden...

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaTeacha

Not just a revolver, a single action revolver. That guy has the fastest hands I have ever seen. He must have terrorized the girls when he was in high school.

He might have....and the gal he married is nearly as fast as he is. LOL

Tack Driver · 09-25-2009, 06:39 PM

I haven't heard much about them, but I would bet that those 5.7mm FN's are pretty accurate. Other than that, i would say .22 LR fired out of a match pistol.

07-07-2009, 01:50 PM	#21
wunhunglo Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: currently "Sunny West Africa" Posts: 4,839	I don't think there is any doubt, the most accurate is the .32 S&W long, used in the Olympics for years, this is probably the most accurate centrefire handgun cartridge going. Followed a close second by the .38 special which is just ahead of the .45LC & .45acp(joint third) Things change when you start talking most effective defensive pistols, then you go for the 45's, one stop shots! __________________ How can I 'Soar with the Eagles' when I'm working with such 'Turkeys'! Last edited by wunhunglo; 07-07-2009 at 01:54 PM.

07-07-2009, 02:06 PM	#22
SightNSqueeze Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Intercoastal Sea Islands, SC, USA Posts: 3,204	.38 special. I shot an old blue steel Smith & Wesson Model 10 that had been modified with adjustable sights and a 6" competition bull barrel. It was so accurate at 75 yards that I became board shooting it. It was so accurate, that it was bought and sold repeatedly by different law enforcement officers from different departments in my area for competition shoots. When the awards were won, it would get sold again. I would have kept it if I was into precision match shooting. __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Was "Your" Voice Heard Today? NRA-ILA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

07-07-2009, 02:43 PM	#23
Capt'n Mil Coll Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Right behind you. -NRA Member- Posts: 4,128	Well why not ask the fastest most accurate???? YouTube - Fast Shoot Looks like a revolver to me. __________________ Its going to take more than a zombie vampire lezibian biker whore to ruin my day.

07-07-2009, 03:34 PM	#25
woody1981 One of the Usual Suspects Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: southwest PA Posts: 1,603 Blog Entries: 1	I guess my question is why is 9mm generally left out of this thread? Just a question. I have no dog in this. __________________ A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity.”~Freud

07-07-2009, 05:03 PM	#26
BaserRonin Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: CO Posts: 1,272	38 super or the 357 sig would be my guess. __________________ "It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions in favour of vegetarianism" ~ R. W. Inge

07-07-2009, 05:15 PM	#27
waterdog Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 758	.38 hands down, put in anyones hands, very little practice and their wild bill hickock if your talking standard service only.

07-07-2009, 07:51 PM	#29
DaTeacha Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: near Funk, Ohio Posts: 3,889	Not just a revolver, a single action revolver. That guy has the fastest hands I have ever seen. He must have terrorized the girls when he was in high school. __________________ Teach NRA -- If you're reading this, you should be a member. United, We Stand.

07-07-2009, 08:37 PM	#31
bassoneer Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 382	For me, I am most accurate shooting .38's out of a .357 Magnum 4" barrel revolver. B

07-08-2009, 01:13 PM	#35
Taurus Fan Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: COBRA COMMAND HEADQUARTERS Posts: 1,631	There is no "most accurate CALIBER". But if I wanted to build a gun around the most accurate CARTRIDGE, it would have to be the .22 LR. Nothing else comes close unless the distance becomes ridiculous. I think.

07-08-2009, 01:18 PM	#36
thrillbilly Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Ozark Hill Country Posts: 3,184	Any caliber in a handgun not being shot by me! LOL __________________ *" I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on."* John Wayne

07-08-2009, 01:24 PM	#37
lefty o Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: mn Posts: 6,366	fire any of them in a test barrel, and they will all make 1 single hole groups. they are all capable of more accuracy than any human hands are capable of. just what is an inherently accurate cartridge?

09-25-2009, 06:13 PM	#38
nterider Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 1	Accurate calibers In response to the 9mm not being accurate, I have to disagree. HK USP expert in 9mm is the most consistently accurate pistol I have shot. Also, people seem to be forgetting that the Glock 34 in 9x19 shot by Dave Sevigny has won many national/world championships and is a 5x USPSA production national champion among many other recent titles won. I am not a glock snob by any means, I usually consider them to be a bit too commonly owned for my liking. Haven't tried the 34, but with it's $550 price tag I will be looking at one shortly.......

09-25-2009, 06:39 PM	#40
Tack Driver Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Caswell County, NC Posts: 564	I haven't heard much about them, but I would bet that those 5.7mm FN's are pretty accurate. Other than that, i would say .22 LR fired out of a match pistol. __________________ If pro is the opposite of con, is Congress the opposite of progress?