Before you click on whatever caliber you love, I love .45 myself, think about it. Governments are failing, paper money is worthless, people are killing each other in the streets over a box of twinkies. You can't swing by the gun store and pick up more ammo, ever again. The s*** has hit the fan, it's road warrior time, only the alphas are going to survive. You have enough time to grab ONE pistol and the ammo to go with it, which caliber do you want?

Disregard the cliche big slow bullet -vs- fast small bullet dogma. Any of these calibers can get it done with a quality bullet and a capable marksman. Cost per round is not an issue, we are planning for armageddon here, price is no object.The scenario is specific and the crucial questions to ask yourself are:

What weight penalty does this ammo bring? Could I get by with something smaller to allow me to carry more in the pistol and on my person and still remain foot-mobile?

How likely is it that I might stumble across a box of this caliber in my foraging through the remnants of civilization? That .50 action express can take out zombies, sure, but when you run out, now what?

What caliber ammo will other people have they would trade to me for something or vice-versa. Do I want to rethink my first choice in favor of something more liquid?

What are the chances if my weapon takes a s***, I can find or trade for another weapon that eats the caliber I have chosen? Do I want to think about the replacements weapons I may be able to get when choosing the caliber?

If you would be willing to carry two, one to use, one for trade or in case you get your hands on a second gun, explain in you post what they would be and why.

9mm (44%, 8 votes)

.45 ACP (27%, 5 votes)

.22 (11%, 2 votes)

.44 magnum (5%, 1 votes)

10mm (5%, 1 votes)

.357 Sig (5%, 1 votes)

.357 magnum and/or .38 (0%, 0 votes)

.40 S&W (0%, 0 votes)

other (explain in post) (0%, 0 votes)

I've got 2...a 4" nickel Model 29 and a 10" blued Super Blackhawk.

that said, it, .357 Mag, .45 and 9mm will be the most common ammo you can find usually.

the best caliber will be whatever I can find though

'93 hatch

Quote, originally posted by themadscientist »

I laugh when people tout the fuel economy of a turbo engine. While it is true that it would be more economical off boost as it is basically a low compression NA motor at that moment, who the heck can stay out of the boost? That's like having a hot girlfreind and just having meaninful conversation.

I can fit 500 rounds in my pocket, and they can be found in damn near every other house in the US.

So what if I can't kill a moose, small animals are way more common anyway.

Mad Max style. Shut up, I know his was a side by side...they just don't look quite as neat and it's pretty damn wide to stick in a holster.

Chuck Norris Style.

Does .410 shot shells count?

Cuz I'd go with that...along with some way to quickly replace the barrel with a longer one when firing .45 acp.

Quote, originally posted by Repo Man »

Any 9mm Glock. Mags and ammo are like the Chevy 350 of guns.

Then the .45 is the 454 of Chevy. Still just as common and more powerful to boot. I don't even carry a 9mm period. Sure it's plentiful, but these days so are many other types like .40 and .45 and .22. It's either one of the first 2 I listed.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us." ~Marianne Williamson

Quote, originally posted by Repo Man »

Any 9mm Glock. Mags and ammo are like the Chevy 350 of guns.

nah. 9mm XD

it's not a Glock and can take Beretta 92 mags.

Just got a P3AT. Little gun is a shooter! Some minor feed problems they apparently all have pre "fluff and buff" but I'm sold. A good overlap with my Taurus.

I can't remember...

But I voted 9mm, ammo grows on trees.

XBOX Gamertag = Zalcon

Say the name out loud... "P3AT" and your question shall be answered!

I've thought about grabbing one of those or an LCP and putting a clipdraw on it.

maybe a P32. I want something really small for the pocket.

I'd like an NAA Guardian, but I know it'll bite me.

I can slip the PM9 in most of my jean pockets though..I need to get a pocket holster and uh...a permit.

Agreed. And you can kill just about anything with a 22. Shot placement is just really important.

Freedoms lost are seldom restored.

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have" Thomas Jefferson

"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms . . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes . . . Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man." Cesare Beccaria, 1767 (Later quoted by Thomas Jefferson)

Must take styling cues from the empire.

I would say in order of availability for autos:

9mm
.45
.40

and revolvers:

.38/.357
.44spc/mag

I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.

- Thomas Jefferson

That's so awesome. A 20 year old cartridge can compete with a 106 year old design!!!

making notes on ballistic charts again?

.40 fills an excellent niche.

.357 Sig...not so much, still a great round though.

Not sure on that one. The 45 does the same thing as the 40. It can be hot loaded for a little extra. I'm not sure what the point was.

IIRC it was that the FBI liked the caliber of the 10mm, but their agents were to limp wristed to handle the recoil. Then came the 40s&w to fill this need. That's where the 40 Short & Weak came from...

.45 is a big f***in' round to doublestack.

HS pretty much did as good as you can do with packaging a .45ACP into a double stack.

recoil was harsh, but the biggest problem came from the size of the damn guns. There's powderpuff loads for the 10mm that hit about like a .40 without as much snap.

same with .45 LC