Standardize or Stay Diverse?

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Looking to get rid of my 380. Switch that to 9mm and I'll be down to three calibers. 9mm, 7.62×39, 44 mag, 22 lr, and 12 ga. Is will be buying a 41 mag soon. And a maybe a 303.
 
Hi...
I retired two years ago...I am now 65 and have survived three bouts with cancer.
I am not downsizing or standardizing on one or even a handful of calibers.
I have bought five firearms so far this year and fully intend to continue to add to my collection as money and opportunity allow.
I go shooting just about every week weather permitting and spend a good bit of time in the reloading room every week.

This was my plan for my retirement and I am in no mood to change my plans.

As far as what happens to my firearms when I can die...my son has referred to them as his for many years now. He shoots as much or more than I and spends an equal amount of time in the reloading room. Pretty sure he will put those handguns, rifles and shotguns to good use after I am gone.
 
Thanks again for all the input.

After the testing with the wife yesterday I replaced the shotgun by the bed with the lever gun. I may dump one of my shotguns as I have 3.

Being that the strikers are interchangeable they serve a purpose.

The question is keep or letting go of the 1911’s.
 
My take is to standardize the guns on which you rely for SD and HD. Practice with those as a priority.

Whatever is left, you will either still shoot and enjoy, or you won't. If you do, keep them. If you don't, send them down the road.
 
This has been an interesting discussion Harleytoo. I have been "collecting" guns I have wanted for over 40 years and have only let two get away from me, both of which I regret to this day. With no kids, I only have a couple of relatives to whom I wish to leave my guns. One, a teenager, is being "blocked" by their parent from learning about guns but has expressed an interest in them. I have even tried to give this kid a side-cocking pellet rifle so he could practice safely - without success. So my will stipulates that this kid will someday get all of my guns and only they get to decide what to do with them, not the parent. They may have to be stored for a couple of years (depending on how long I live) but this kid will get them at 18 if I'm gone (or later if I'm still here). But it will give them a good start and they can add to it later, if possible. That will be 2 shotties, 6 rifles, and 8 handguns, with calibers ranging from .22LR & Mag, .25, .32-20, .32, .380, 38 Sp/.357, .243, 7.62 x 39, and 12 ga.
That should give them a good start.
 
You could have 3 Glocks or 3000 glocks, but when you go to shoot it would always be a stinkin glock. It gets boring after a while, and the repitition brings about a lack of desire. I would say that you should keep the variety because no matter what you do, or how good you do with it you can always have something else to try next time and keep the range time fun.

It’s like a lot of military guys who only shot m9 and m4 their whole career, they get out and unless they were gun guys before serving they have an imprint in their minds that shooting is work and that it’s all just the same as m9 and m4, and there is not much interest in guns otherwise, but you throw in something different every now and then and that is suddenly interesting and fun, especially when you and your buddies are betting who buys dinner over some crazy shot your trying to make.

my minimum collection would be the following. It allows for all kids of shooting fun as well as all kinds of hunting that a person may do, even if you don’t think you will hunt you may decide to in retirement just for something to do.

Semiauto 22lr
Small DA Revolver
Large DA revolver
Single Action revolver
Compact pistol
Full size pistol
Shotgun
Lever rifle
Bolt rifle
AR
 
I also think 6 is a good balance. As for handguns I have 357/38, 9mm, 9x18 and 45. I dont really want much more than that. I'd rather upgrade a 45 to a 45-super than add 10mm to the list....or just get rid of 45ACP altogether and go 44mag/spl in a revolver, with smaller calibers in backup guns.

As much as I'd love have it all, its just not practical and becomes a liability and an expense with diminishing returns. I haven't the time or money to support that much so I'd rather just have a few realistic niches covered that I can realistically commit to.

Three handgun calibers and three long gun calibers (excluding shotguns) should be an entirely realistic setup. If you want to try something else sell something and get something else. If you like what you have keep it and shoot it to your heart's content, stock up and reload for it, and buy spare parts for it.

I've driven myself crazy trying to decide what I "should" have. It makes it harder not easier becoming too diverse.
 
I've told this story before but about seven years ago I sold off all of my handguns (except a couple that I bought in private sales) and started over with the specific intention of consolidating calibers and magazines. I currently stock 4 calibers and less than 10 guns

Consolidating has simplified my life. I actually spend less money and get more supplies (for lack of a better term). I'm not sure why but it's easier to get my wife on board when I'm only buying one caliber of ammunition. I bought five or six 12 round Glock 26 magazines and everything thing else is a Glock 19 magazine (I'm limited to 15 rounds in Colorado so there's no point IMO in buying Glock 17 magazines) which works just fine as a reload for my 26. Now I only have to watch for sales on Glock 19 magazines and 9mm blazer or Speer Gold Dots and I've managed to amass quite a supply.

My qualification scores have demonstrably improved since I switched to a single platform. I don't have to concern myself with different operating systems. I don't waste any time deciding which gun I'm going to carry (it's usually the 26). I'm not spending money on a bunch of different holsters or magazine carriers. I can leave my carry equipment set up and as I mentioned earlier I can use the same magazines whether I'm carrying my 26 or my 19.

I'm seriously considering a Ruger PCC set up for Glock magazines as well
 
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kidneyboy said:
I was going to say keep your favorites and let the rest go but that isn't what I did. I kept the most versatile and let the rest go.
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Keep the one that's the most versatile and the one that's your favorite (assuming they're not already the same gun)
 
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Try to find a club or range that holds some kind of shooting competition and if it appeals to you for long term participation, then optimize your collection for that sport. I don't keep guns that I don't shoot, let someone else enjoy them. I used to shoot rimfire benchrest but it just became too expensive to compete with the big dogs. I got involved with metallic silhouette and have tailored by collection to support that sport. When I get too old to stand on my hind legs and shoot I guess I'll make my nephew and grandson happy campers.

I'd like to add that competition is the spice of life.
 
WestKentucky said:
You could have 3 Glocks or 3000 glocks, but when you go to shoot it would always be a stinkin glock. It gets boring after a while, and the repitition brings about a lack of desire.
Click to expand...

I haven't shot anything but a Glock 19 or a Glock 26 for five years and that hasn't been my experience.

The enjoyment I get out of shooting comes from watching my performance improve as I'm able to train and practice(2 different things) more. The last time I was able to participate in a training class I was much more excited that I was getting smaller groups at longer distances and getting through the courses of fire with fewer missteps than I was that I was carrying a Glock.
 
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WestKentucky said:
Really? DFW is now California-East or Chicago-South. I would not say never. Too much complacency and too many migratorial snowbirds might make for a surprising result.
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Yea, no, that ain’t happen no matter how many of them move in. Not in my Texas.

Trunk Monkey, I have been headed that way for a while with consolidation of components. To the point that I even swapped a buddy all of my large pistol primer 45ACP for his SPP.

Most of what I buy now is some variation of 9mm bullets - 9mm, Sig 357 - 38 Super - 357 Magnum. I might let the last 45ACP go and just load those rounds.

The simplification is really nice and it makes looking for overlapping pills kinda fun, especially between teh 9mm and 38 Super. Both of the 357’s require a different profile, so not so much there.

90% of my training is now on the P320 platform and the versatility of that gun is really nice. I have acquired a lot of different types and sizes of grip frames and can cover everything from carry to range race guns with it.
 
Texas has huge pockets of brainwashed anti gunners. Texas has 4 out of the top 11 biggest cities in the US. Cover all your bases because anything could be banned within 5 years. We need to stay vigilant and educate our youngsters before big tech and colleges brainwash any more of them. Texas is great but I think we’re closer to the edge than most people realize. And when Texas falls it’s over for the country.

I’m just saying we have to take voting seriously or it won’t be long before we’ll only be allowed to carry single action 22 revolvers.
 
Hartkopf said:
Texas has huge pockets of brainwashed anti gunners. Texas has 4 out of the top 11 biggest cities in the US. Cover all your bases because anything could be banned within 5 years. We need to stay vigilant and educate our youngsters before big tech and colleges brainwash any more of them. Texas is great but I think we’re closer to the edge than most people realize. And when Texas falls it’s over for the country.

I’m just saying we have to take voting seriously or it won’t be long before we’ll only be allowed to carry single action 22 revolvers.
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Don’t disagree that we need to stay vigilant. However, I dont think we are as close as you make it sound. Yea, some of the big cities, and I work in Dallas, have their liberal gatherings, but remember there are still a ton of true Texans that would fight that level of change hard.

Not to mention how many would rather die than give up those rights.

And yes, if Texas were to fall the country would be over.
 
You can do both but it depends if desire to simplify is a metaphor for your life or actually just guns. I’ve experienced both.

No reason you can’t simplify your work guns and training and also enjoy the diversity of the hobby side...
 
SD downsizing, M&P9C and Shield9. If I were concerned about mag sharing I could substitute a M&P9SC for Shield9 but weight difference is enough to choose Shield as first choice.
 
Reload if you have the wherewithall to roll your own.
For the rest of us?
Buy a box of ammo every 2 weeks.
Cartridges accumulate quick doing that.
A box of 20 or 12 gauge here
50 rounds 9mm there or maybe
200 rounds .22 Lr or 50 rounds .22 mag.

I found some .22 LR CCI mini-mags that were easily 20 years old.
Took out and shot a few rounds.
After 20 yrs of Storage they went bad.
Found the cases were brittle and vented gas where the firing pin struck (2 in 5) bolt actions were spitting in our faces.
The stuff was so scarey we deep sixed the stuff in the swamp.

Age embrittled brass is one thing to keep in mind.
Thinking of picking up a breech loading black powder rifle to change the pace of shooting.
 
Rex in OTZ said:
Reload if you have the wherewithall to roll your own.
For the rest of us?
Buy a box of ammo every 2 weeks.
Cartridges accumulate quick doing that.
A box of 20 or 12 gauge here
50 rounds 9mm there or maybe
200 rounds .22 Lr or 50 rounds .22 mag.

I found some .22 LR CCI mini-mags that were easily 20 years old.
Took out and shot a few rounds.
After 20 yrs of Storage they went bad.
Found the cases were brittle and vented gas where the firing pin struck (2 in 5) bolt actions were spitting in our faces.
The stuff was so scarey we deep sixed the stuff in the swamp.

Age embrittled brass is one thing to keep in mind.
Thinking of picking up a breech loading black powder rifle to change the pace of shooting.
Click to expand...

Yep, I reload, its part of the hobby aspect. I do like consolidating components and have been working on that for the last year.

I think I have decided to sell off a shotgun and my last 45 ACP and build a 300 Blackout AR pistol. If I do this I will have honed down my components a bit more. While I cant use the same pill, I will be using pretty much all 30 cal types.

I like where this is headed.
 
One thing about reloading.
I have some 180gr soft point (.311) Remington bullets that work ok with my Mosin and 1891 Argentine Mauser.
So they use the same bullet, powder (different weights) and primer.
Out here in Arctic Northwest Alaska you get what you can where you can and ususally thrifty on slinging lead any more than you need to to put meat on the table.
If any military action happens in my area is well past what a person could handle with a deer rifle and shotgun.
As for handguns, Ive been using factory 240gr jacketed sp .44 mag for bear.
9mm is the fun plinking round.
Have a Hi-Point carbine stoked with hollowpoints the kids tote round for rabid fox/wolf when out on the tundra.
I stock mainly heavy waterfowl and light game cartridges for birds.
12gauge Slugs for bear.
.22Lr is just a plinking round.
I got pretty heavy into reloading during the Obama Dry spell that lasted all through his second term.
For plinking when the .22 rimfire got scarce as hens teeth we went to air rifle for plinking.
You can get quite the diverse selection of pellets mail order (amazon & ebay)

Id say if you are in a area you might see civil unrest like rioting a pistol caliber carbine might have a pretty good chance of hitting what your aiming for.
Same with 12 gauge buckshot.
Problem with shot shells are 10 rounds of buck shot vs a 50 count box of 9mm takes up about the same volume.

To slow things down out here, I have a cap and ball revolver that trains my kids differently.
They have to load each shot and aim.
Verses slap in a 12 round mag and blaze away.
 
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