Given a choice of:


.38 Special or .357 Magnum:
Get the .357 as it can also shoot the .38 Specials.
A .38 Special cannot shoot a .357 Magnum shell - well maybe ONCE! 

SAFETY NOTE: The .38 S&W is an older and different cartridge than the 
.38 Special and is too large in diameter to fit into a pistol chambered 
for the .38 Special!



.44 Special or .44 Magnum:
Get the .44 Magnum as it can also shoot the .44 Specials 

(Also will shoot the .44 Russian and .44 Short, if you can find them.)
(The .444 Rifle will also fire all of the above .44 rounds, some 
 might not feed properly, but it can chamber and fire them all.)



.45 Long Colt:
Shucks just get the .44 Magnum and use .44 Special rounds, they 
are equivalent to the .45 Long Colt in performance and recoil. 
The weapon cost should be about the same.



10 mm or .40 S&W:
Get the .40 S&W, both are equivalent but the .40 S& is a little 
shorter in length and seems to have won the popularity contest. The 
10 mm does have a little more power.



.25 ACP or .22 Long Rife:
Get the .22 Long Rifle rimfire, it has higher velocity and the 
ammunition is much cheaper than the .25 centerire.

"A .25 is something nice to have - When you are not carrying a gun" 

Some people have been shot with a ,25 and it upset them 
and made them very mad!



30-06 (7.62 x 63 mm) or .308 Winchester (7.62 x 51 mm NATO):
Get the .308, it is more readily available and shoots the same 
bullet as a 30-06.
The 30-06 was used in the 03 Springfield, M1 Garand M1919 MG and 
BAR, it is a little more powerful than the .308. The .308 was used 
in the M-14, M-60, M-24 and M-21, it's case is a little shorter than 
the 30-06 thus the action could be made smaller and faster.

A 30-06 may be converted to fire .308 my means of  installing a 
"Navy Sleeve" insert. This is placed in the 30-06 chamber and seated 
by firing one .308 round. This takes up some space so the .308 now 
fits properly. A broken case extractor can be used to remove the 
inserted "Navy Sleeve" to allow 30-06 ammo to fit in it again



12 Ga. 00 Buckshot or # 1 Buckshot:
Get the #1 Buckshot. The normal #1 Buck 2 3/4" shell holds 16 
.30 caliber pellets versus the 9 pellet .32 caliber 00 Buck.
Thus you have more pellets in which to hit with.
Too few pellets could spread and miss the target.  

If you get the 2 3/4" Magnum it holds 20 #1 pellets, best choice! 
Winchester has this as stock number X12C1B. I used to carry 
Remington 2 3/4" Magnum 1B, however I only see the 16 pellet shell 
listed now. I do not recommend the 3 " Mag, because even though it 
holds 24 #1 pellets you cannot place as many shells in the magazine.



Aguila has a new Mini shell 12 Ga. round which is only 1 1/2" long 
and has the recoil of a 20 Ga. It is available with # 7 birdshot, a  
7/8 Oz  semi-wad cutter slug, or  11 pellets consisting of 4 #1 Buck
(.30 Cal) and 7 #4 Buck (.24 Cal) at 1200 fps. Due to the shorter case 
size 12-14 shells may fit in a standard 20" magazine instead of 8 shells.

I need to research this and their new Poseidon 12 Ga. 1 1/2"  Micro Shotgun.




Winchester     http://www.winchester.com/

Remington      http://www.remington.com/default

Aguila         http://www.aguilaammo.com/