What are some of the most underrated handgun rounds in your opinion? I’ll go first: .22 Mag, .38 Super, .41 Mag

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Crafty-Buddy-7673@reddit

A little late to the game, but I had to chime in with .32naa.

I feel that one thing that was never really pushed is that it could be reloaded with 85gr HP at the same speed as comparable .380 loads. This wouldn't market as well as the numbers listed for 60gr and 71gr, but now you have a load that mimics .380 with a bullet with higher sectional density to get through that pesky penetration issue. Now with the likes of Lehigh bullets and the like, something like a stout Underwood .32naa 50gr offering would be an amazing carry round in an EDC role.

The round really shines in the old Makarov barrel convetsions.

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random--encounter@reddit

7.5 FK. If any major company outside of the Czech Republic would offer a chambering in this caliber it would take off massively. 16 rounds of 800+ ft/lb of energy in a pistol is wild. It’s similar power to a .44 Magnum with 3 times the capacity.

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Pliskin_Hayter@reddit

.45 Super

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Wooden-Quit1870@reddit

I happy to see someone else thought it.

10mm power in a .45ACP size cartridge.

Both my Full Size and Compact 1911s will run it or .45ACP without any changes. Takes a little tuning, and since I find .45Super too much for regular use (wrists? It hurts my elbows!), being able to switch back and forth is a real plus. It also results in beautifully soft shooting pistols with .45ACP.

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Pliskin_Hayter@reddit

Yep. I run 230gr JHPs for my EDC defensive load. I also have regular +P as a backup in the spare mag.

No tuning or modification required for my USP Expert. It'll eat Supers all day. Not that I'm rich enough to even feed it that many Supers.

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fishshake@reddit

This day and age? .38 special.

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Mountain_Man_88@reddit

Came here to say .38/.357. Super versatile round that can be loaded anywhere from pussycat to whammy loads, shot out of anything from a snub nose to a full length rifle. Kinda gets forgotten as a pocket revolver round that's been replaced by higher capacity semi automatics.

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fishshake@reddit

I want a Henry in these calibers as a varmint gun.

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traversecity@reddit

My dream, someday, Henry side loader lever action. I’ve been shooting with a S&W .357 revolver for decades, yep, switch to .38 for range day because after a box of .357 my hand just hurts.

Good for varmints, sure, and more. One of my dad’s mates killed a black bear with his, perfect shot though, would not recommend unless you’re very proficient and keep cool under fire.

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ColHunterGathers111@reddit

Curious annectote from about a .38.

My grandpa supposedly killed a jaguar with a .38 carbine. He shot if from the front and the bullet went straight to the heart. Oddly enough he thought he had a .357 loaded in but when he ejected the casing it was a .38.

He wore that empty shell casing on a necklace, and used to say "Well if it kills a 200 pound man it can kill a 200 pound cat" whenever he told the story. So I take it it was true, with some doubt.

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traversecity@reddit

Your uncle is one cool cat! Cool under fire, where most of us average folks are gonna have an elevated heartbeat and probably a stink of fear sweat.

The lesson I learned, I was still a child, yes you can kill large animals with a handgun, even a bear, but, the shot needs to be up the snout into the brain, or through an eye, or like your uncle, soft part of chest to the heart (guessing.)

My lesson learned, stay away from bears. ;)

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ColHunterGathers111@reddit

Thank you!

The old man was indeed one wild mf, in modern terms. Dude survived 7 plane crashes. Shot himself in the hand in the meaty area between thumb and index finger and sewed the wound with fishing line. Got into a bar fight over a disagreement on the proper way to make a boiled egg, among other stories.

Lived to 95, chugging whiskey with pain pills and smoking cigars all through it.

He was Hunter S Thompson meets Ernest Hemingway meets 007.

One day I plan on writting a book about the old man, if I can coax all his life story from my mom, or turn him into character.

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traversecity@reddit

You should start writing, truly. Then you having something your mom can read and correct. As much as you can remember interspersed with a couple of tall tales to get her attention.

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Derpicusss@reddit

I spent more than was probably financially prudent a while ago on a Big Boy X .357 and it’s easily my favorite gun. I can shoot .38 for relatively cheap and it scratches my cowboy gun itch. Now I just gotta save up for a decent suppressor to throw on it.

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Commissar_David@reddit

The Rossi R92 comes in .357

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Biomas@reddit

Totally. A lever gat in .38/.357 with a whisper pickle is chef's kiss. Factory .38 is just on the edge of super/subsonic out of a 16", handloading could easily optimize.

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Professional-Leave24@reddit

Yup! My .357 revolver is a favorite of mine! .38 wadcutter target loads used to be plentiful and dirt cheap!

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LesPaul556@reddit

Ive been eyeing a box of 180gr .357 for my 1892 to fuck around with. Usually practice with old Magtech .38spl. Love the caliber(s)!

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SergeiMosin@reddit

The majority of the time I carry a .38 J Frame. With the right loads, I feel confident and comfortable with it.

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Parasite76@reddit

10mm and 5.7

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1tasteafetus@reddit

acquired a 1911 in .400 corbon and it’s a pretty sick little round

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spartanburger91@reddit

.32 NAA

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Ok-Map9827@reddit

.327 Federal Magnum.

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gecon@reddit

32 ACP and 32 S&W long. Both are very shootable even in small, concealable guns and are effective for self defense. A hit with a 32 is better than a miss with a 380 or 9.

380 is underappreciated in larger guns. Its been relegated to pocket gun status even though it doesn’t perform well out of them. IMO 380 is best used in micro compact sized guns like the 365, shield plus, G43x, etc.

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Bulky_Phone_1788@reddit

I will eventually get a 38 super. I love the round.

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zmannz1984@reddit

I had a 41 mag and foolishly traded it towards a mark 23, which i later sold to fund a rifle. Both decisions are regretted. My favorite do-all chambering is 44 mag, but the most underrated i would say is 327 mag. I think it would have been widely adopted had it been released in the 80s or 90s. Same with 30sc. They are both great, but adoption has been made impossible given the amount of 380 and 9mm in existence.

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dezertryder@reddit

These rounds seem to be for wealthy gun collectors now. Or just kinda hard to find.

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1_800_deadboy@reddit

.357 fed mag and .45 GAP

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CMR30Modder@reddit

Quit hyping WMR I want to buy more lol 😂

My pre-pandemic stocks are getting low.

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ilikeyou69@reddit

The more you hype it the more get made. 10mm prime example. Wish more people hyped up 257 roberts

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TheToastmaster72@reddit

My good friend has a .257 Roberts, .257 Ackley improved, and .280 Ackley improved... He is a fiend for rounds that he needs to reload.

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PreviousMarsupial820@reddit

You sound like me and my .25-06🤣

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CMR30Modder@reddit

To a degree, the last ammo I bought was a case of 2K WMR at $0.19 per week after every common round was a buck or more a per round like 9 as I figured those prices were going to be gone for a long time.

This wasn’t my first ammo shortage lol.

So technically some of my ammo was during pandemic but not crazy inflated, because it isn’t that popular.

WMR used to be awesome for that.

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archer2500@reddit

.327 Federal Magnum! (Can also fire .32 H&R Mag, .32 S&W Long, .32 S&W Short and .32 ACP).

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Straight_Egg9826@reddit

.32 Smith and Wesson Short is the opposite of easy to find :(

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archer2500@reddit

I never said anything to the extent of how available the more unique .32’s were.

I said that a .327 Fed Mag can chamber and fire them all.

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xxandrethegiantxx@reddit

It can fire 32 acp too? I never knew that.

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archer2500@reddit

They are really dirty and don’t eject well after you’ve fired a bunch. But in a Ruger GP101, the recoil is .22lr/.22mag level!

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XuixienSpaceCat@reddit

I got to shoot this a couple of weeks ago, I really liked it and flames came out of the muzzle.

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Professional-Leave24@reddit

.357 sig

I love that caliber! Bought a Glock 33. Now I can't find ammo for it.

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_disco_potato@reddit

I’ve heard you can drop someone like a marionette with its strings cut from across a church with that round.

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singlemale4cats@reddit

It's out there. Ironically the ball ammo is so expensive I just shoot gold dots

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AceMckickass7@reddit

I was just gonna say this till I saw this comment. I've always wanted something in 357 sig. Thought about X change kit for my M17. But wasn't sure it was a good idea because of price and availability.

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hamerfreak@reddit

32 ACP which at one time was the most popular handgun caliber. It is nice shooting range ammo. Also 7.62x25. That stuff is a zippy cartridge & love shooting it out of my Tok.

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Leafy0@reddit

Jesus the brake on the keltec. I always have problems keeping my eyes open while shooting mine indoors because the flash is always so bright, I can’t imagine how much worse it would be with all the flash directed upwards.

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WriteAmongWrong@reddit

+1 for .41 magnum. It think it’s the coolest thing. If I ever see a good looking used one just hanging around a gun store I’ll probably spring on it just because I think they’re cool as heck.

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Quw10@reddit

A friend of mine had an older .41 magnum that was awesome to shoot, gun store has a new S&W in .41 I think and I was tempted till I got my 586 and already had to send it back after 18 shots.

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Murphy338@reddit

what was wrong with the 586

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Quw10@reddit

There was a machining defect, basically a decent sized bur was left on the frame and the case rims were getting stuck on it when the cylinder to rotate causing it to seize up while firing.

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BeardedGunGuy@reddit

That’s exactly what I did. Bought a beautiful S&W M&P 58 last year at an estate sale no one was interested in. Then a S&W 657 Comp Hunter this February. Last month I picked up a S&W 357NG. I think I caught the 41 mag bug.

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UnreliableInsect@reddit

.44 special

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libertyordeath99@reddit

I’m waiting to find a Smith and Wesson .38/44 to rebore and rechamber to .44 special because the third model hand ejectors in .44 are absolutely ridiculous as far as pricing goes. It’s such an amazing round and with the technology we have today, there’s really no point to having a .44 mag unless you’re intent on shooting absolute barn burner loads and a glutton for punishment.

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Whistlin_Bungholes@reddit

Excellent round.

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guynamedgoliath@reddit

.44 special snub nose revolvers just have a vibe to them. Started carrying my dad's old Taurus (one of the older Smith style clones) 5 shot .44spc snub when I did stuff on the hunting property when I was quite young. Still can't get him to part ways with it.

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WestSide75@reddit

Not here, but 10mm doesn’t get nearly enough respect among the general gun-owning population.

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ilikeyou69@reddit

Gang gang! Picked up a g40 and couldn't be happier. So fun on the standard loads, and the spicy full power loads really make you feel like you have a cannon.

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WestSide75@reddit

Spicy, full power as in Buffalo Bore?

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ilikeyou69@reddit

That and Underwood.

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Toshinit@reddit

10mm fucks, and I do think it should move into being the new 1911 caliber. The all-metal frame really offsets the increased recoil and hammer fired precision is great for 10mm.

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Alarming_Candy9828@reddit

I’m seriously thinking about it for my next purchase. But the ammo price means expensive to get good on and confident with :-(

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archer2500@reddit

Reload your own, this is the way.

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Alarming_Candy9828@reddit

Yeah. Just nowhere to safely/legally/insurance store the prerequisite items in my home :-(. Such is living in a middle class planned community with smallish back yards.

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archer2500@reddit

Damn man, I’m sorry.

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Alarming_Candy9828@reddit

Eh. Just needs to make sure I position myself for growth so I can get there :-). If I can’t afford it, it’s my own fault. So time to up my game (which I did last year hahaha. So we will see in a couple more. )

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sarge_94@reddit

Good choices. I'll add the 44 special

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BUTTHOLE_EXPEDITIONS@reddit

45-70

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rustedoilfilter@reddit

1 reason i dont like 22 mag, is because it jams or doesnt rechamber. But thats just personal experience.

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BrokenPokerFace@reddit

45 acp, hear me out, many people say it's no longer as good because 9mm "got better". But it's still great, has good stopping power, and is easily suppressed.

Also there's the 9mm being used more because it is more likely to injure therefore taking more people out of a fight.

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sirbassist83@reddit

So much fuddlore in one comment

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DieselBrick@reddit

Soon we'll be hearing about one-stop shot percentage, energy dump, and hydrostatic shock haha

Oh and rack the shotgun. Gobbless.

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BrokenPokerFace@reddit

Sorry, I just think they're neat

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pyr0phelia@reddit

The centimeter.

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B3nny_Th3_L3nny@reddit

everyone underestimates 380 acp

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AceMckickass7@reddit

Carried one as my first gun saved my life a few times. Does the job loudly.

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goshathegreat@reddit

I love that the KelTec can hold 30 rounds in the mag.

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AceMckickass7@reddit

My uncle carries one he loves his.

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CMR30Modder@reddit

I'll just leave this here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/guns/comments/15bx6a9/st_50_round_extension_for_cmr30_in_action/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Difrent gun, but same exact mags. They have a plus 20 extension on the market now, so you can get a box of ammo in one mag. It has to look absurd on the pistol, but I'm not one to judge lol.

It isn't all roses though because the Keltec mags are dimensionally inconsistent. I have two extensions, one I was able to mate to a mag without issue and the other I had to do some fitting so the ammo transitions smoother and prevents jams / failures to feed.

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joesyxpac@reddit

I like mine. Never malfunctioned. My bride love the idea of 25 rds per mag (50 per box, two mags).

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PreviousMarsupial820@reddit

.357 sig. I laughed when it first got my attention, but now I could use one or a 10mm for a hiking gun and there were lots of nice compact 357sig options pistolwise just a few years ago, whereas 10mm is still mostly full sized.

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DD6372@reddit

40/45 Super

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sirbassist83@reddit

45 super almost matches 460 rowland, but costs 1/3 as much to convert. I've gotten 230gr up close to 44 mag territory with a recoil spring and kkm barrel.

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DD6372@reddit

You are right I don't own but have shot shot 460 rowland, I felt the recoil was a bit much I felt 45 super was good in between in terms of recoil and power an I also just needed a barrel and spring for 45 super

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hybridtheory1331@reddit

.22 eargesplitten loudenboomer

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killbill770@reddit

I, too, have fired .22 Hornet from a "handgun" lmao

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grifkiller64@reddit

It's real.

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RacerXrated@reddit

.22 TCM

Too bad there aren't better guns that fire it.

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KrinkyDink2@reddit

9x25 Dillon (it’s a 10mm necked down to 9mm, basically an even bigger .357 sig)

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Life_of1103@reddit

That cartridge was popular in USPSA (what it was developed for) until shooters began having their elbows beaten up.
Fun fact: it produces so much gas that it’s the only round with negative muzzle rise through an Open gun.

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pauperoncini@reddit

I own have 9x25 Glock 20 setup that uses an old Lone Wolf compensator. It is the only gun that I've ever fired where the gun ends up physically lower after shooting. It sounds like a rifle, but the large amount of gas plus the compensator make it very pleasant to shoot.

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guynamedgoliath@reddit

They are stupid loud.

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fuzzi-buzzi@reddit

question has been asked and answered, and it's 32acp r/onetruecartridge

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BattleHall@reddit

and it's 32acp

Ahem, 7.65 Browning; put some respect on that name...

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B3nny_Th3_L3nny@reddit

our lord and saviors best caliber

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HeemeyerDidNoWrong@reddit

Hitlers killed by .32: 1

Hitlers killed by other calibers: 0

Though .380 killed one archduke and therefore millions, so that's "cool" I suppose

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BattleHall@reddit

.327 Federal; I really want someone to come out with a five shot hammerless sub-compact snub nose with melted edges and a strongly raked birdhead grip.

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old_n_ugly@reddit

.32 H&R magnum

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The-Fotus@reddit

I'd love 22 mag if it was priced proportionally to it's 22 lr counterpart. As is its nearly as expensive as 556.

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Whistlin_Bungholes@reddit

.22 mag and .44 special

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skief123@reddit

41 AE. Bought a Tanfoglio and maybe the last 600 rounds on the planet (collector). Man that's a fine round and pistol.

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CawlinAlcarz@reddit

Underrated in what regard? I find questions like this difficult to discuss because the question is so open-ended.

Are you talking about defense - if so, home or carry? Plinking? Hunting? Competition? Cool factor? They're all legitimate considerations, but which one are you asking about?

A buddy of mine loves his PMR 30 and I agree that it's fun enough, but the ammo is expensive and hard to find, and really only objectively suited (at least in the form of the PMR 30) for plinking. To me, 22 mag is wildly OVERRATED for anything other than a fun plinking round for folks not too concerned with cost.

If you're talking about defensive handguns, then the most important thing is whether or not you can shoot the actual weapon well while under life or death stress, and the reliability of the weapon itself. Caliber is a not-very distant second consideration, though, and ballistic science is pretty clear on optimal calibers for defense. The cool factor is not even on the list of concerns for a defensive handgun.

So... how do you mean "underrated"?

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hamknuckle@reddit

Had a 41 that got confiscated by KCK PD back in the early 90’s. Always wanted to grab another.

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USMC_Tbone@reddit

Man I'd love to get a .41 mag revolver.

I'm also looking to send my FNX-45 into 460Rowland.com for their conversion. Nasically .460 Rowland is still a .45 cal cartridge, but gives you 44 mag like performance out of a regular sized semi-auto. After the conversion, not only can you fire .460Rowland, but also 45 Super, and still practice with .45acp (have to swap to a lighter recoil spring but they include it with their conversion).

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JUSADREM1111@reddit

7.62x25 tokarev

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Ghee_buttersnaps96@reddit

I wish I could find more guns in .30 super carry just because

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armchairracer@reddit

If I could get a p365 in 30sc I'd buy it in a heartbeat. It's damn near 327 fed mag ballistics but in a semi-auto.

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Themdog92@reddit

I think it would be cool to have a modern day .25acp

Sure its anemic but I think it would be neat.

Small light weight pocket pistol like the ruger lcp but with a double stack 12rd +1 .25acp

Or maybe a thin light subcompact that holds 20+1

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sirbassist83@reddit

In an alternate universe, 25 acp became the standard small game/plinking round instead of 22lr

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MadLadCad@reddit

It's definitely a new-kid on the block but 350 Legend is extremely underrated; probably your best choice for a non-spitzer rifle round

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Wozzi_Humperdink@reddit

9x25 Dillon

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Peacemkr45@reddit

Everyone's going larger, I'll go smaller. 17WSM. No other 17 rimfire comes close.

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That_Sell6131@reddit

5.7x28mm 338 federal 22tcm 9r 7.5fk

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BeardedGunGuy@reddit

The 338 federal makes so much sense. Short action big game power.

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CoreMillenial@reddit

Honestly, I dig .44-40. Considered having my smith make a cylinder for my S&W 629 in it, just for giggles, but it would have been quite spendy.

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BeardedGunGuy@reddit

Might as well find yourself a S&W 544. I keep seeing the Texas Wagon Train commemorative come up on Gunbroker and other auction sites.

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EN344@reddit

What is that first gun?

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Deep_Combination6420@reddit

Keltec pmr30

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max1mx@reddit

.357 sig. It almost became something.

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Du_Fehlgeburt@reddit

I’ll go with .22 mag is overpriced.

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wildjabali@reddit

That 41mag is pretty sweet! Very cool gun. Ever hunt with it?

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Legionodeath@reddit

More than 44?

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wildjabali@reddit

Same velocities, bigger bore, baby! .429 vs .452

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Legionodeath@reddit

Interesting. Had no idea it was as/more capable. Obviously, I can see 45>44 but still. All most here is 45lc is not that great.

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wildjabali@reddit

Most 45 colt firearms and factory loads are loaded lightly for safety. In a gun like a SBH or Contender, you can load them to full modern potential. When you look at 454 casull or 460 as longer 45 Colts, it opens the door to what a hot 45 colt could do.

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Anyone who says 410 isn't lethal is dillusional.

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Dane__55@reddit

Im just going to say it.

5.7x28mm, awesome round.

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ATrashPandaRound2@reddit

256 win mag/256 Ferret

It's a .357 mag necked to 25 cal. One load touts 2400 fps out of a 8" barreled handgun.

Technically there are very few guns in it, but colt made a handful of anacondas in it.

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