Going with fewer chamberings.

I have even less and want to pare down to less. It's really difficult.

You're doing good on your shotguns.

I usually only have 1 or two catridges in a caliber at one time. Also develop some irrational dislikes, that's removed whole caliber families for me

I've got

6x47
.243
.250AI
6.5CM
6.5-284
7mm rem mag
.30-06
7.7x58
.375 Ruger

12ga

.44
9mm

I'm headed the other direction, sorry, lol too many kids to teach and they all have their own preferences, 6.5 creed for the oldest, fast twist .22-250 for #2, .250ai for #3, and #4 is too young too guess, plus mommy and me, and me is tough enough alone lol.

horsey300 said:

250ai

Click to expand...

This is one I think I'm going to double up on.
I want to build an ultralight rifle to shoot 110-120gr bullets and the .250 and .250AI are about perfect for that.

mshootnit said:

A couple years ago I decided to go with fewer chamberings. That way I wouldn't have to worry about loading for so many different cartridges,buying so many components etc. I think I am doing pretty well.
It has been tough, but I have pared it down to:
22lr
17 hmr
223 Rem. 5.56
243 Win
6mm Rem.
25-06
257 Weatherby
7.5X55 Swiss
270 Win
270 WSM.
7.62X39
308 Win./ 7.62 Nato
30-06
12 ga.
20 ga.
410 bore

Honestly, I am having a hard time simplifying any further.
How are you guys handling this issue?

Click to expand...

I'd hate to see how long your list of calibers was before you "simplified"!

I handle the issue by not worrying about it.

No .30-30?
Tsk. Tsk.

I get the whole "variety is spice" thing, but to each their own...

I have...

.22LR
5.56
7MM Rem Mag

If starting over, the 7MM would be an '06

And for future guns, I'd like a lever rifle in .45LC or .44 Mag lever gun and an AR10 in .308

Suits me.

mshootnit said:

A couple years ago I decided to go with fewer chamberings. That way I wouldn't have to worry about loading for so many different cartridges,buying so many components etc. I think I am doing pretty well.
It has been tough, but I have pared it down to:
22lr
17 hmr
223 Rem. 5.56
243 Win
6mm Rem.
25-06
257 Weatherby
7.5X55 Swiss
270 Win
270 WSM.
7.62X39
308 Win./ 7.62 Nato
30-06
12 ga.
20 ga.
410 bore

Honestly, I am having a hard time simplifying any further.
How are you guys handling this issue?

Click to expand...

I see several there that are so close, I am surprised you haven't whittled it down more:
.243 and 6mm rem - pick one
25-06 and 257 W - pick one
7.5x55 Swiss, 270, 270WSM, 308, 30-06 - pick one

That eliminates 7 right there......

I have a much larger footprint than you and am still going the other way.
I did give a nephew a 270 to lose that cartridge. I'm giving my niece a 6.5x55 for Christmas and will be replacing it with a 280AI and a 300 mag of some type.

Current rifle footprint:

.22 LR
.22 WMR
.223 Rem / 5.56
.243 Win
.243 AI
.260 Rem
.260 AI
7x57 Mauser
7mm SAUM
7mm Rem Mag
.357 Mag
.44 Mag

12 total in six calibers, four of which overlap my handguns. No real hankering to further consolidate or expand at this point, although if I ever decide to purchase another long action, it will most definitely be a .280 AI. I have no real affection for the 7mm Remington Magnum, but I inherited the rifle from my late father-in-law; I keep it for sentimental reasons. I also have a trued 700 short action that I haven't decided what to do with yet; it might turn into a 7-08.

I did this years ago. The only 2 center fire cartridges I still actually use are 223 and 308. But I have some rifles that I simply cannot sell. Several lever actions in 30-30, 44 mag and 35 Rem, and 2 bolt actions with too much history to sell in 30-06 And I did pick up a 6.5 CM just to get 1st hand experience with it. Of course I have several 22's

I can do everything I need to do with handguns in 9mm and 10mm. But I have some 357 mag and 44 mag revolvers that are meant to pass down as well as some 1911's in 45 ACP.

Shotguns for my personal use are all 12, but I do have a 20 for the grand kids.

The question is not the number of chamberings, but the number of rifles in each chambering.

Present
.22 LR x2, bolt and semi, the semi will go, cleaning it is unpleasant; the bolt was grandpa's, so it is not going anywhere: my son is too young.
.223 Rem. Bolt.
.30-30 Win. Lever. Its future will vary in function of the possibility to replace the factory iron sights with fiber optic ones.
.270 Win. Semi, dad's gift, not going anywhere either; my son is still too young.
.30-06 Springfield single shot.
.50 muzzleloader.
12 gauge pump.

Foreseeable future additions: 20 gauge single shot or semi? Not sure. 410 bore side by side, almost certainly. Possibly a single shot .243 Win. to play with and a .22LR/410 to introduce my son to shooting and hunting.

Farther hypothetical idealistic future: reduce to 12 gauge only OR 410 bore and .30-06 Springfield.

Most realistic approximation: will keep everything and buy some more.

I'm just as interested in getting new cartridges as I am in new guns so my cartridge list will be ever expanding, but I have started to think about doubling up on some of them just to make feeding them all easier.

One recent thought I had is that I should do a 6.5 creedmoor barrel on my AR10, and my savage target rifle. The plan being just to shoot factory ammo in the AR10 and use the brass to reload for the savage.

Dangit, I have way less and still want to shed a couple.
.30'06, 7.62x39 just one SKS, 5.56x45 just one 6290 and 22lr.
44SPL, 38SPL, 357MAG, basically the same, 9x19 and 22lr.

Oops, forgot one 12 gauge 2 and three quarter.

.22 LR
.22WMR
.223/5.56
.243
.357
.30-06
7.62x39
12g
20g
I’m gonna have to drop everything below.223 due to shoulder issues

Hi...
Actually going the other direction and adding calibers.
Currently for rifles I have...
.22LR
.22Magnum
.223
.243
.25-06
7x57
7mm Magnum
.308
.30/06

Intend to pick up a couple of other rifles in calibers ranging from .25 up to about .284 or so.
Don't really need them but it really isn't about need so much as want.

Reloading helps a lot but I'm down to these.

22lr
5.56
762x39
30-30
45/70
12ga
20ga
.410
9mm
32 s&w
32 s&w long
32 federal mag

I'm pretty bare bone, mainly due to not having the $$$ to stock as much ammo as I'd like for alot of calibers.

22lr
.380
9mm
45 ACP
.357 Mag/38 Special
5.56/.223
12 Gauge

I'm currently saving up for a .308 Win bolt action, at that point I think I have all my basics covered. Anything more at that point would be for a niche use or "just cause" based on actual use.

2-30-338mag
2-30-06
2-280AI
35 WhelenAI
284
270Wby
270
243AI
243
222AI
222
2-222mag
223
22BR
2-6ppc
3-22 rifles