Overall what is the most popular self defense round?

[Flash]

Even with all the Steel matches & IPSC training and before the match fine tuning you think that the 38spl is shot the most? usually how many times do you go to the range 4 times a month maybe two times a month.

Competitors are 2-3 times a week reloading and tweeting loads and techniques in an effort to win the next meet. Between meets they are said to shoot 1500 rounds a month x 6 to 12 months a year. Its hard to imagine 100 rounds of 38spl fired every two weeks or a month comparing to that. Usually done with 45acp and 38 super. For debate sake.

But Neko. Serious shooters, though they may be, they are in very short numbers compared to the rest of the weekend plinkers and wannabees and casual target shooters.

A few shooters doing 1500 rds a month may not equal to a whole herd of non-professionals doing two boxes a month, overall. There are 600 members in my club, about 20 of them shoot "seriously", and none compete except in rifle and shotgun games. Your club may/will differ.

Flash

[Feddog82]

To be true to the question of the OP this has nothing to do with competition. He/she definately excluded competition from the question. At least that is how I read it.

[Yoder]

"The 9mm Luger is the most widely used centerfire autoloader cartridge in the United States, and it has been the most vastly popular handgun cartridge of any type ever invented, worldwide, for a long time. On a global scale nearly twice as many 9mm Luger cartridges are manufactured each year than any other single cartridge caliber." Taken from Shooting Times Magazine

Ok, here's a list from Hadgunner Magazine from 1999 for top ten handgun cartridge sales:

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

End of argument