Several pistols in same caliber?

I have quite a few handguns in a variety of calibers, with most of them being .22, .32, or .45. IMO it makes sense to have every style of handgun in .22 (SA and DA revolver, small semi, medium semi, large semi and preferably with an external hammer), then if you're a 9mm fan you may as well do the same, but outside of those calibers, it's tough for me to say that you should get 3 or more pistols in the same caliber. Maybe for .45 if you like the revolvers for the extra power (talking Ruger only .45 Colt) and semi auto for the ease of suppression. Nice thing about the Ruger .45's is they give you the option of shooting .45 ACP from their normally .45 Colt wheelguns.

I have two Glock .40s and will add a 10mm Glock eventually and given that 10mm Glocks shoot .40 no problemo I regret that one of those .40 Glocks is a G35, however having a 9mm barrel for that doesn't make it hurt so bad. That said, do I feel I need any more .40 or 10mm pistols? No, but a single stack Kahr .40 would have been interesting when they were $200 6 months ago.

A lot of my interest in owning several handguns in the same caliber has to do with different sizes, which is why I own so many .22's. I figure if I like a caliber enough, it may be worth it for me to get it in several pistols of varying size or function. I don't do it for every caliber, while I love 10mm I only want it in one pistol.

It's different for revolvers. I do plan to get the 7 shot .357/9mm Taurus some day and that would be my 4th wheelgun in the .357/.38 caliber. For whatever reason I want a larger 7 shot instead of the 5 shot Charters. The Charters are light, easy to carry but I think the larger Taurus will be more comfortable to shoot due to the extra weight.

.32 revolvers I have an obsession with (along with most .32 handguns) and plan to own at least a dozen of them. Absolutely no reason to other than they're cheap H&R .32's or I just really liked the guns they were in.

I don't believe in more'n one pistol in the same caliber.

Oh wait, never mind (and those are just the SIG pistols).

This topic came up almost a year ago to the day. The title of the discussion was "Is it time to fortify your ammo cache?"

I posted the following and I I would like to direct special attention to the last paragraph.

One of the things that sticks in my mind even now from the last ammo panic (which wasn't the last ammo panic BTW)was the people on this board that were damning all the hoarders. What I find interesting now is that I see some of the same voices refusing to stock now and still damning all the hoarders.

I've said it before I got caught short last time and I paid for it and I decided then that I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that never happens again.

At my current rate of consumption I would say that I have an estimated between five and seven years supply on hand. We don't have a specific timetable of what we want to buy in a year. We have a designated amount of money that we set aside for ammunition from every paycheck and when we find a good sale we buy as much as we can reasonably afford.

I say this every time this topic comes up but I am absolutely convinced that the last ammo panic wasn't the last ammo panic and when the next one comes I want to be situated for it.

The last ammo panic lasted really for the whole of Obama's 8 year term. Bearing that in mind I don't think having a 10-year supply on hand is ridiculous.

So the next ammo panic when all of you people that like to damn the hoarders are posting in threads here about damming the hoarders I'm not going to say I told you so but it will be thinking it

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I'm thinking very loud right now

WrongHanded said:

I'd say that depends heavily on a few things.

Do you intend to use all these pistols for self defense and/or home defense?

Do you have large reserves of ammo, or are you planning to build large reserves?

Are you concerned about having enough ammo available now? Or are you more concerned about future availability?

Do you have a reason to own different sizes of pistol, and different calibers for different applications? Meaning a small pistol for concealed carry, and a larger caliber pistol for woods defense etc.

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I think WrongHanded provided a pretty good answer, you need to decide on what your firearm wants and needs are and go from there.

I have a number of handguns chambered in different cartridges that I enjoy to shoot but I use 9x19 semi-autos and 38 Special J-frames for self defense. I keep a good supply of ammunition for the self defense firearms on hand and keep a moderate supply for the remainder.

Besides, I reload and many components can be used in several different cartridges. So keeping component supplies on hand is easy and ammunition is never in short supply.

I tend to have small, medium, and large all steel guns for each cartridge I shoot. But I’ve acquired several 9mm’s that I probably don’t need.
But I like em.

It’s a fun theme with me .Take 45 cal 2 sa’s 1 is 45 colt with a 45acp cylinder 1is 454 can shoot 45 colt very well 1 Ruger Redhawk 45/45acp.
1 lever action 460 shoots 45colt 454 and 460 and a Rossi 45 colt.I load a of 45cal.
Getting almost as bad with 357/38/9 with a cylinder change and a Glock plus building a 350 legend.Oh 22’s lots of those please.

Never really thought about it before, but yeah, I do have multiple guns in the same caliber.
22LR – 3
32 Long – 4
9mm – 5
38 Super - 2
38 Spl – 24
357 – 8
45ACP - 4

I have a number of arms in similar calibers, while also having a range of calibers. Been that way for more than thirty years, really.
As a "strategy" for coping with the current scarcity--well, that ship has already sailed. The milk is spillt.

It's a bit like how I view .218bee--if you like it, you'll shoot it, and either find the ammo to keep it happy or make it yourself.

I do have to admit that i have put some thought in calibers and the ammo i keep for them based on my own system.

I do have a lot of guns in 9mm because of the availability and price

5 pistols and 1 rifle in .22lr

10 pistols and 2 rifles in 9mm

2 pistols in .45acp

1 pistol in .40

1 revolver in .357

2 rifles in 556

1 rifle in 7,62x39

1 shotgun in 12ga

In general, I think you should have whatever strikes your fancy and fits within your finances. Whether that's 3 guns that fire 3 of the most popular cartridges or 500 guns that fire 100 different cartridges. Or anything in between. Life is too short for arbitrary limitations. I will say this, I think everyone should own an AR15 and a good 9mm handgun and at a minimum, familiarize yourself with them. Even if they do not normally appeal to you.

Trunk Monkey said:

I'm not specifically addressing Thomas Mayberry but I never understood this. I've said it before but I don't really get any special thrill from shooting any particular gun, I fact I find guns sort of boring. My excitement comes from improved performance.

I never got excited because I was shooting a 1911. My CZ75B was probably the most accurate gun I ever shot and I liked that but just the fact that it was a CZ didn't excite me. Even my 4006 which was the closest thing I ever had to a Grail gun turned out to be just another gun after the new wore off it.

I have several Starrett precision measuring instruments. As far as I'm concerned they're pretty close to the top of the line for Caliper/ Micrometers and I'm glad I have them but I don't stand in front of my rollaway and ogle them. In fact, if I'm not using them I don't even think about them.

Except for the fact that Glocks aren't the top of the line I look at them the same way. I carry my Glock 26 every single day and never give it any more thought than my wallet.

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The difference is that you are not an enthusiast. The flipside of that is I have never understood the mindset that guns are "just tools". If you don't have a passion for guns, I hope you have a passion for something.

CraigC said:

If you don't have a passion for guns, I hope you have a passion for something.

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Why would you assume I don't?

Uh, I didn't. I said I hope you do.

CraigC said:

If you don't have a passion for guns, I hope you have a passion for something.

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Trunk Monkey said:

Why would you assume I don't?

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Maybe because you said this?

Trunk Monkey said:

[...]I fact I find guns sort of boring..

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Phaedrus/69 said:

Maybe because you said this?

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Reading comprehension?

CraigC said:

If you don't have a passion for guns I hope you have a passion for something.

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Ed Ames said:

Even when reusing components (brass), you need to buy them in the first place.

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Range brass. At least that's free.
I load for my pistol calibers (don't own a .22 pistol currently) and keep plenty on hand. I do buy carry ammo, but I only have 2 calibers, .45 ACP and .38 Spl. Since reloading is one of my hobbies and forms of relaxation, I don't count the time. Bullets are the major expense, I prefer top end ones for hunting ammo.
Almost forgot the .45 LC; I do load for it, but it is a Cobray Leinad SxS derringer that I shoot maybe once a year. I load down .45 LC so it won't pop open on firing like it does with .410's.

JohnKSa said:

Ammo is no harder to come by than usual.

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You keep saying these words. I do not think they mean what you think they mean. (Princess Bride reference)

If what you say is true, why are so many people commenting in, or starting, threads about how ammo is hard to find and/or rising in price? (So much so that the mods are swatting at the threads like campers swatting at flies trying to keep them shut down.)

D.B. Cooper said:

You keep saying these words. I do not think they mean what you think they mean. (Princess Bride reference)

If what you say is true, why are so many people commenting in, or starting, threads about how ammo is hard to find and/or rising in price? (So much so that the mods are swatting at the threads like campers swatting at flies trying to keep them shut down.)

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Not to speak for JohnKSa but you need to read what he actually said. He's saying that he has enough of a stock that when he wants some ammunition he just goes to the ammo closet like he normally does and gets it.

JohnKSa said:

That's correct. The point I was trying to get across is that while it is understandable that those seeing their first ammo panic might not have a decent stock of ammunition on hand, those who have seen ammo panics come and go before don't have to rely on current availability to insure that they have a stock on hand. They can be their own suppliers. And if they are, then ammo is no harder to come by than usual. My supplier (me) has an ample stock and availability is the same as it always is.

I understand that this doesn't help those looking for ammo right now because they don't have a stock on hand, but it WILL help them a lot when the next shortage happens because they will have spent the time between this shortage and the next stocking up.

AND, the more people who stock up, the fewer people there will be to panic the next time which might just keep it from being as bad nor lasting as long.

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So...you and I have been talking past each other, as on different frequencies, in various threads the past few days then. Like you, I reload some, and have some components, as I too recall 2008-2016. I'm a little rattled by current goings on, and my target of "adequate supplies" has shifted.

And now, to keep this on topic and not go on yet another ammo shortage discussion, there are benefits to having multiple guns in the same caliber. One that comes to mind is the ability to hand the second gun to a family member (especially if they both take the same magazine) for home defense. Logistics are made simpler in normal times.

The advantage to owning odd ball calibers in the current fiasco is increased ammo availability, however, in the current scenario, I don't think manufacturers are going to be producing "oddball" calibers as they focus on meeting the demands of the masses (9mm/45/223), so once you've bought up those remaining "oddball calibers," you may not see any for a very long time.In normal times, it's just what do you like about the oddball caliber or the gun that shoots it. (Is it a family heirloom, etc.)

I initially bought a 9mm because I thought it would give me a range gun that was cheaper to shoot than my 45s.
I now own four 9mm, two 45acp and one 357mag. I have one 9mm and one 45 for carry, the rest are range toys. I keep my 357 loaded with Barnes tac xpd on the nightstand.

We forget in plentiful times how fragile the gun and ammo supply chain really is. The reality is that when panic buying begins, the inexpensive, popular caliber ammo always goes first. Calibers like 9mm, 223 Rem, and 22LR have high volume demand and we can see this in play. Low availability, high prices, and quantity limits.

Here are the two sides of the coin:

1) Consolidation. It is not a bad thing. The intention is to be a good steward of your resources. People are very efficient with their dollars when they can have several guns that take the same mags and ammo, whether that is multiple pistols, a pistol and a carbine, multiple rifles, shotgun gauge, etc. However, the downside is that people typically consolidate around the most popular calibers. When that specific ammo spikes in demand, if they didn't stock up, they are in trouble.

That is why brass cased 9mm is more expensive than 40S&W right now.
What may happen is that guns in popular calibers may need to be discounted to be sold if demand reduces because ammo for them is unavailable. That did happen in the great 22LR shortage during the Obama years.

2) The other side of the coin is Variety. More firearms enthusiasts fall in to this category. Over years of shooting and collecting, people have various calibers - many purchased, some gifted, some inherited. There isn't as much of a panic for this category. If the most popular calibers aren't available and for some reason these gun owners are caught short, they can just shoot something else.

In the Obama panic, I shot a hilarious amount of 9x18 Mak. It was basically the same price throughout that panic because it is not very popular and only a few guns are chambered for it. I remember ammo sellers had to clarify that 9x18 Mak was "not for 9mm Luger/Parabellum" because people were that desperate to buy the popular 9mm caliber. Likewise, in the days when 55gr FMJ BT 223 Rem was between $15-20 at the local big box outdoor store, I shot a ton of 308 Win. Again, nobody cared about 308 since the panic focus was on AR's in 223.

In summary, the ways to not have a season of panic buying drastically affect you:

a) Stock enough of the popular calibers to weather an ammo drought. (assembled cartridges or components for reloading)
b) Shoot available calibers that people aren't panic buying.