Handguns With The Most Power

Special Report

Published: January 8, 2024 12:31 pm

Last Updated: January 15, 2024 10:01 am

The United States has seen an increase in gun sales in recent years. In 2020, there were 9 million more sales gun sales in this pandemic year than in the previous year and although these figures have dipped slightly in the following two years, the amount of sales is still almost doubled compared to the early part of the century. The increase appears to be driven partly by concerns over personal safety. An October 2021 Gallup poll illustrates that 88% of gun owners in the U.S. have a firearm for protection against crime – up from just 65% in the year 2000. The evolving consumer market has brought meaningful changes to the firearm industry.

Pistols are the top-selling firearm type in the U.S. nearly every year since overtaking rifles in 2010. American gunmakers produced over 6.5 million handguns in 2020, up from less than 1.3 million two decades earlier. More maneuverable and easily concealed than a rifle or shotgun, handguns – including pistols and revolvers – are well suited for home defense and personal protection in public. But while there are many factors to consider when choosing a handgun, many prospective buyers want the most power that they can comfortably handle. (This is how hard it is to buy a handgun in every state.)

24/7 Wall St. identified the most powerful handguns by using ballistics data compiled by outdoor gear retailer Sportsman’s Warehouse. All 25 calibers with available data on the foot-pounds of energy delivered at 50 yards were ranked here. We selected the bullet weight, or grain, for each caliber, that delivers the most force at 50 yards. This ranking does not account for variations in barrel length and is based on a limited, and not necessarily comprehensive, list of available bullet weights.

The power delivered by a bullet fired from 50 yards ranges among the calibers on this list, from over 1,800 foot-pounds of energy – enough to take large game like black bear and elk – to only about 50 foot-pounds of energy.

It is essential to mention that handguns are rarely used at ranges exceeding 50 yards, particularly in self-defense situations, and that these calibers deliver far more power at closer range. Nearly every caliber on this list is a suitable self-defense weapon, though some are also appropriate choices for hunting. (Here is a look at the law for carrying firearms in public in every state.)

Here are handguns with the most power

25. 25 Auto

Approx. power at 50 yards: 51 foot pounds of energy (35 grain bullet)
Approx. speed at 50 yards: 813 feet-per-second (35 grain bullet)
Common usage(s): Personal defense
Number of bullet weights considered: 1

24. 22 WMR

Approx. power at 50 yards: 85 foot pounds of energy (45 grain bullet)
Approx. speed at 50 yards: 920 feet-per-second (45 grain bullet)
Common usage(s): Personal defense
Number of bullet weights considered: 1

23. 32 Auto

Walther PPk (CC BY 2.0) by Askild Antonsen

Approx. power at 50 yards: 105 foot pounds of energy (60 grain bullet)
Approx. speed at 50 yards: 905 feet-per-second (60 grain bullet)
Common usage(s): Personal defense
Number of bullet weights considered: 1

22. 32 NAA

Approx. power at 50 yards: 155 foot pounds of energy (80 grain bullet)
Approx. speed at 50 yards: 933 feet-per-second (80 grain bullet)
Common usage(s): Personal defense
Number of bullet weights considered: 1

21. 380 Auto

- - Approx. power at 50 yards: 166 foot pounds of energy (90 grain bullet)
  - Approx. speed at 50 yards: 912 feet-per-second (90 grain bullet)
  - Common usage(s): Personal defense
  - Number of bullet weights considered: 1