[Marthor]

I found this article that has handgun cartridge sales data from 1999.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BTT/is_143_23/ai_56221596/

According To... Federal Remington
1. 9mm Luger 9mm Luger
2. .40 S&W .45 ACP
3. .45 ACP .40 S&W
4. .38 Special .380 ACP
5. .380 ACP .38 Special
6. .357 Magnum .357 Magnum
7. 10mm Auto .44 Magnum
8. .44 magnum .25 ACP
9. .32 ACP no response[*]
10. .25 ACP no response[*]

* Remington's report of top selling cartridges didn't have anymore handgun loads on the list

=======

So, I'm looking for data that is more current. The 380 craze is more recent and I think 45 is becoming more popular recently too. Cowboy Action Shooting shooting has also increased a lot in the past 10 years which helps 38special. Also interested to see if 9mm has been dethroned from the #1 spot.

Anybody have any 2011 data?

[sweeper22]

You can take it to the bank that 9mm is still #1 among centerfire pistols. And with the massive LE swing toward 40sw, you've got to expect it'd be #2.

And I'd sure like to think that 10mm, 357sig, or 45lc have succeeded in pushing the 25acp and 32acp the heck off that list.

[ShagNasty1001]

1) 9mm
2) .380
3) 40 cal
4) 45 acp
5) 38 special
6) 357
7) 45LC

This is my guess from the guns we've sold this past year and what we carry them in for the calibers listed

[Paladin201]

I assume we're just talking center fire. Otherwise I would be stunned if .22 LR wasn't way at the top.

[ttdub]

Shouldn't the .44 be higher up?

[Marthor]

I found this info on another board from 2007, the link from 2007 doesn't work anymore though...

checking out Midway's ammo section, they list their "Most popular" calibers:
handgun: www.midwayusa.com/ebrowse.exe/browse?TabID=3&Categoryid=691&categorystring=653** *
* 45 ACP
* 9mm Luger
* 40 S&W
* 38 Special
* 357 Magnum
* 44 Remington Magnum

I went to Midway and clicked Ammunition "Popularity" for Remington brand and the list shook out in this order...
45 ACP
38 special
380 ACP
9mm
10mm
40 SW
357 Magnum
25 ACP
38 SW
32 SW
32 ACP
44 Magnum

I did the same for Federal...
9mm
380 ACP
45 ACP
38 Special
327 Federal
40 SW
357 Magnum
32 HHR
32 ACP
45 LC
32 SW
10mm
44 Magnum
25 ACP

Same for Winchester...
40 SW
9mm
45 ACP
380 ACP
38 Special
45 LC
357 Magnum
32 ACP
41 Magnum
357 Sig
10mm
32 SW
44 Magnum

Same for Cor-Bon...
9mm
380 ACP
45 ACP
40 SW
357 Magnum
327 Federal
38 Special
32 ACP
460 Rowland
357 Sig
10mm
45 LC

Same for Magtech...
45 ACP
9mm
380 ACP
40 SW
44 Magnum
38 Special
45 LC
32 SW
357 Magnum
32 ACP
25 ACP

Buffalo Bore...
380 ACP
357 Magnum
38 Special
9mm
45 ACP
32 ACP
10mm
44 Magnum
357 Sig
45 LC
40 SW

[Durangokid]

People who shoot the .45s and .44s are handloaders. They buy very little OTC ammo for their handguns.

[Marthor]

Originally Posted by Durangokid

People who shoot the .45s and .44s are handloaders. They buy very little OTC ammo for their handguns.

You can do the popularity sort for just bullets on Midway too for reloaders...

Hornady...
1) 44
2) 38/357 (same size bullet)
3) 9mm/380 (same size bullet)
4) 45
5) 40
6) 32

[c3shooter]

so- no one is selling any 9mm Mak, huh? And none of that 7.62X25?

[Marthor]

Originally Posted by c3shooter

so- no one is selling any 9mm Mak, huh? And none of that 7.62X25?

Well, that's only a sample of a few brands and I didn't go beyond top dozen or so. There's still many other brands too. I do remember seeing 9mm Mak down low on one of the brands. This was all only from Midway too. People with those particular calibers might shop somewhere else more often.

I guess the main thing to take away is 380 ammo is a very top seller now-a-days breaking solidly toward the top in every brand sampled there.

A combined list from Midway seems to look like this:
1) 9mm
2) 380 ACP
3) 45 ACP
4) 38 special
5) 40 S&W
6) 357 magnum

Too difficult to sort out what the next 4 are.
45LC, 10mm and 32ACP may be in there.