Jim Taylor
THE BEST CALIBER
Wednesday, October 15, 2025, 06:28

My preferred carry caliber is .45 ACP with .357 Magnum being the next preferred. These two are what I carry the absolute most. I have carried a 9mm at times and a .38 Special at other times. I never felt “under-armed” but I have to admit I felt better carrying the .357 or the .45 ACP.

And I know intellectually that is ridiculous. I have never met anyone who didn't mind if someone shot them with a .22 Long Rifle! And I know of situations that were taken care of with good results for the good guys, where a .22 Long Rifle was used. I have killed good sized Mule Deer with a .22 Long Rifle bullet fired from a Ruger Single Six pistol. Do I prefer to hunt with it? Of course not. But if you keep your wits about you, you can make it work.

The same with self-defense. When I was where it was not legal to be armed I once carried a Beretta Jetfire .25 ACP. It was better than only having regrets to carry around. I shot it enough that I knew I could make it work.

BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO BE SHOT WITH ANYTHING!

Well … there is always the exception, but thank God they are very rare.

I have a good friend who took on 3 gunmen with a 5 shot .38 Special Taurus. The gunmen had AK47's and hand grenades and were killing people in the church he attended. He fired 3 shots, hit one of the bad guys and they all ran from the building. He ran to the door and fired 2 more shots as they jumped into a waiting car. The police got the guy he shot when his “friends” dropped him at a hospital.

Now what he did was crazy. Take on men with machine guns and grenades! They killed 12 people and wounded 50-some before he stopped them. With a .38 Special snubby revolver.

Those of us who shoot a lot like to debate calibers. And it is fun as long as egos don't get in the way. But the truth of the matter is, a person who is a decent shot and who can keep calm enough under pressure to make the shots count can make almost any caliber work.

But if I have a choice I still prefer the .357 or the .45 ACP.