Anybody switching calibers due to ammo costs?

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SpookyPistolero

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Just a quick curiosity - anybody doing that? I've been far away from the range for a while (more or less two semesters) and the hike in ammo prices since then has shocked me a bit.

I've been thinking about picking up a 9mm this summer to bum around town and the woods with, since ammo costs are almost half that of .45.

Anyone else switching to another caliber for their 'primary pistol' due to this?
 
9mm is not so cheap anymore. I reload 9mm and .45 ACP with my loads the cost difference is totally in the projectiles. Approx. $0.04 per round, pretty much the same difference it has always been. I doubt I'll be switching. I saw a quote here recently, "As the cost of living goes up, so does the cost of living it up." ;)
 
No, but I did get a .22LR conversion for my Government 1911. It's already more than paid for itself in ammo savings.
 
I wouldn't change the caliber of "my primary pistol" since it is what I may have to be depending on for self defense. I have however changed the caliber of what I plink with.

The primary conditions of self defense preparedness have nothing to do with which gun, or even having a gun. Read some of sm's stuff if you want a good reminder. It takes practice to become "aware" of yourself and your surroundings such that you are acting in preparedness mode.

Sure, carry a gun when you are out and about, but don't trust it to get you out of situations your "awareness" should have kept you out of.

What's the best way to survive a gunfight? Don't get in one!
 
No change here. 9mm was my primary caliber 8 years ago and it's my primary caliber today. Chalk me up to the "Nine is Fine" school of thought.

Before, I reloaded 9mm just because I enjoyed doing it. Factory ammo was so cheap there was no financial incentive to reload for it, but that's different today.
 
Nope. Due to rising raw material costs, I have cut the percentage of tin to wheelweight metal for my pistol bullet moulds, though. Switching from primarily 225-230 grain bullets to 200 grains has also helped a lot.

When ya cut between 50,000 and 60,000 bullets a year, it adds up.
 
No switching either but using less of some, .40 S&W, for example. Shame, too, I was really liking my 75B in that caliber. The K31 is also used less. :(
 
I'm reloading more, shooting more cast bullets (even in rifles), and shooting my .22s quite a bit. I buy once fired brass and pick up whatever components I can find cheap. Like Tuner, I'm shooting lighter bullets.

For me, the cost of selling a gun and buying another, then a holster and whatever other accessories, plus dies and components for a new caliber really negates the savings of shooting 9mm over 45.
 
Reload

I reload for most of my pistol calibers but I have always liked shooting my .22's, I have many pieces in .22 and get lots of pleasure out of shooting them especially any one of my winchester pump .22's
 
I have not changed my primary handgun. I HAVE, however, started to buy only .22 handguns. I have three .38's, and consider that enough. This is a direct result of the cost of ammo. While .22 ammo will increase in price, they will still be the least expensive due to the small amount of brass, and no copper. I am stocking up on 550 packs.

So I will shop for deals on .22 handguns, but will pass up deals on centerfires. .22 handguns will always be in demand. So they are a safe bet.
 
More 9mm

I have handguns in most calibers, and when I go to the range I will pick 2 or 3 to take with me. Because of the cost of ammunition lately, I will probably take a 9mm with me more frequently and a .45 less often. I hardly ever take the .44 magnum or 10mm any more.
 
There was a time that I shot a lot of .44 magnum, .44 special, and .45 colt ammo, most of which was reloaded. But that got to be expensive. So I converted over to burning "military caliber" ammo, .45 acp and 9mm and some 7.62x25, purchasing it inexpensively in large bulk orders in lieu of reloading. Then, as the price of ammo continued to rise, I turned to shooting factory bulk 9mm ammo and left my .45 acps at home. Now, I am back to reloading again, big time, and sticking almost exclusively to 9mm for the vast majority of my shooting.

I probably shoot between 7,000 and 8,000 rounds a year and that adds up to a big expense at today's ammo prices.

I have not yet replaced my 9mm reloads with .22 rimfire, but I did get my 10-year-old daughter a Walther P22 that shoots real nice. If the price of ammo gets too much higher, Daddy may have to borrow his little girl's gun when he sets off for the range!

Boarhunter
 
I use a Mini 30 and a 4" 686 mostly these days. I reload exclusively and I find that these two firearms offer me real world feel and practice at a greatly reduced consumption of powder and lead.

Typically I would bring a .44 to the range and for a rifle, either an '06 or a 6.5-06.

Mind you, I don't see myself kicking the larger stuff our of the rotation, but I economize from time to time.
 
ammo costs

I find myself shooting more 22 rimfire and less centerfire. Even though I do reload the cost of components has gone through the roof. When you add in the cost of gas for a 50 mile(roundtrip)trip to the range it starts to add up pretty quickly. Add to that the fact that every time the economy has a few bumps our club sees fit to raise dues at least 50% for some odd reason. Sure makes it fun for us retired guys. Still like to shoot, just trying to watch the costs as I find I can't run my budget like our government runs ours!
 
Shooting more rimfire here, too. I'm glad I hung on to my surplus .308 south american surplus that was bought years ago for less than $100 a case of 1000. Can't believe where it is now.... 50 cents a shot. That's nuts.

And I can't imagine where it's going to be a few years from now. Gun show in Belleville, IL this weekend -- going to buy some bricks of .22, walk around and dream of the "good 'ole days".
 
Didn't have to switch handgun calibers, all my pistols are 9mm, I had a stockpile of .38 Special, and my other pistol is .22LR. But in rifles I bought a .22, and I'm considering trading my 20 gauge for a 12 gauge, cuz I can reload 12 but not 20.
 
Despite cost, .380 seems popular as the LCP and P3AT pistols don't stay on the shelf.
 
I won't be downsizing my carry gun from my 45 anytime soon, but my long range pistols have definately changed. Long gone are the 444 marlin, 30-30 AI and 357 herrett. Replaced a 44mag with a 32-20 and my 223 with a 218 bee. Still hanging onto my 308 Striker, but it doesn't see near as much range time as it used to.
 
My main piston is a 9mm and it's still one of the cheapest rounds, and I chose that caliber for my first pistol based on the fact ammo was cheaper and I could practice more, I'd have bought a .45 if the ammo wasn't 10 bucks more.

Also I just bought a P32 without realizing how much .32 ACP is; good lord, I shot $40 of ammo today in 20 minutes.......that's more expensive than gasoline.....
 
i now reload 9mm & 38spc cause of $ increases. had the dies from making 357 & 9+p anyways so it was a easy decision.
32acp is 9cents a round to load;45 acp 200gr swc is a dime now.
 
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