Anyone standardize on one caliber?

[cfullgraf]

The more cartridges the merrier. It is part of the fun of shooting.

I reload and powder, primers and some bullets can be used in a variety of cartridges. Gives me some flexibility in the ammunition I keep on hand.

 

[Fiv3r]

As someone who doesn't reload, I too found myself ammo-less during the last drought. I actually purchased a .40 because of it. The .40 has grown on me enough that it is my night stand gun and the one I'll pack when it becomes jacket weather.

That said, I try to keep my pistols to common calibers like 9mm and .45apc with .40 S&W also being something I'll pick up from time to time. Most all of my revolvers are .357/.38.

I like to have variety on these four platforms just to weather ammo shortages.

 

[Sergei Mosin]

Standardization is boring. I have handguns chambered for eight different cartridges and there are at least that many more I want to add. All are fun, some get carried too.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

It has certainly crossed my mind. I don't think I could do it. I could probably do it for pistols and shotguns. Rifles would be very hard. Just too many different ones I simply like. I could rationalize that I could get by with one caliber but my heart would be wanting.

 

[Old Dog]

I have standardized on two calibers for carry guns, 9mm and .45 ACP. No more .40s (although now, I see more .40 S&W ammo on the shelves than 9mm or .45, so I'm actually contemplating picking up another .40!).

Although I have multitudes of rifle calibers, I'm down to 9mm, .45 and .38/.357 for handguns.

Makes shopping much more simple, and I can keep good stock in these calibers versus having to buy all over the map and have fewer rounds per caliber at hand.

 

[JDR]

I do not reload, so I buy what I can use from what I find. 9mm is still scarce, and way overpriced when I find it. I don't pay more than $15.00 for a box of 9mm, so the nines don't get out as much. .40 S&W is still more readily available and I feel the 100 rd Win VP at Wally's gives a good ballistic advantage over 9mm, at a decent price (relatively speaking). And I don't feel like I losing much firepower over .45 ACP, with the .40 S&W. I wish I could get a ready supply of .38 special at a fair price; I feel lucky when Wally's has the Rem 130 gr. MC at @$20 that's a fair price, but everyone else is way overpriced for .38 spl. I like them all, and I have a decent stash of everything, but I shoot what I can get a ready supply of ammo for.

 

[Hangingrock]

45ACP and 9mm-Luger. If I can't get it done with the previously mentioned then I'm not doing it. there was a time 38Spl - 357Mag - 41Mag - 44Spl - 44Mag & 45Colt but not no more. If I had to make a decision between the 45ACP or 9mm Luger I'd opt for the 9mm Luger.

 

[P5 Guy]

Semi-auto pistols in 9x19mm only.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

I have cut down to 3 calibers .380, 9MM and .40S&W. My wife carries an LCP and I switch off between a S&W 6906 and a 4006. I own a 45APC and a 9X18 that I have opted not to feed for the time being because I don’t carry them.

If I could find a 5906 I could afford I might even cut out the 4006 because I could use the same spare magazines for the 5906 & 6906.

Or if I could get my wife into a S&W 3913 I'd dump the .380

 

[David E]

I have standardized to only 27 calibers...

 

[Big Mike]

.40, .22, 12 guage.

 

[LeftyTSGC]

I reload and use 9mm and.45LC. I do purchase 22lr and 7.62x54R. Thats as low as i can go for, Home Defense, Cowboy shooting, plinking and hunting/target.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

I wonder if golfers go through similar delimas on how many clubs or putters are enough. Or woodworkers on chisels, etc.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

I have lots of oddballs around.

However, really stick with 9mm for auto and 38/357 for the revolvers.

 

[BSA1]

Somehow it seems the lesson of the"Banic of 2013" is already being forgotten. With the high demand and low inventories having multiple calibers makes the difference in being able to shoot and having ammo for S.D.

 

[Ben86]

I standardized on 9mm and .22LR for my pistols. I do this because they are the most useful calibers to me and for economic reasons. I think standardization makes the most sense for defensive ammo as buying an assortment of calibers of premium defensive ammo can be cost prohibitive.

 

[muggia59]

Standardizing would be smart. 45acp, 12gauge, 308 and 22lr would probably be ideal (pretty much everything covered). Unfortunately that's less than half of my collection, and I refuse to downsize.

 

[LightningMan]

If I had to do it over again, I would have considered that but its too late for that, as I have all the reloading equipment for all the center-fire calibers I shoot, so its moot point now, as I've got 1000's of rounds loaded for all of them. The one reason if I could do it over again, would be to staying with only a few calibers is that every time I bought a gun in a caliber I didn't already have, was the expense of all the reloading componets, dies, bullets, brass, and sometimes powder if I didn't have something suitable already. All that extra stuff really adds to the original cost of that new caliber gun. So you live & learn. LM

 

[David E]

Standardizing would be smart. 45acp, 12gauge, 308 and 22lr would probably be ideal...

3 of those 4 have been near impossible to get since December. .308 is still very high and .22 long rifle is finally starting to return in small, spotty quantity.

12 gauge in anything besides 7 1/2 shot has been pretty scarce, too.

If one relies on store bought, consider adding a .40 handgun and maybe a 30-30 rifle.

 

[hAkron]

I have guns chambered in the following:
22LR, 22WMR, 380 ACP, 38 special, 9mm Makarov, 9mm Luger, 357 Sig, 357 magnum, 40 S&W, 10mm Auto, 44 special, 44 magnum, 45 ACP, 45 Colt, 7.62x39, and 12 gauge.

Honestly though MOST of my shooting is either 9mm or 38 special.

 

[Manny]

The vast majority of my handgun shooting is done with .22lr, .38+p and 9mm. My primary uses are fun target shooting and self defense against vermin, four legged and two legged as well. I find the power and performance of the 9mm and +p .38's very nicely balanced for those duties. Rather than spend a lot of money duplicating these usefull guns in other chamberings I opted to stock ammo for these two cartridges plus .22 for training and plinking. For the cost of a gun quite a bit of ammo can be put back. My mantra for some time now has been fewer guns, more ammo.

 

[jim243]

Not wanting to start a caliber war

Good luck on that one. (LOL)

But to answer your question, yes I have downsized my collection to standardize on 9 mm and 45 ACP. I reload for all calibers and have a ton of reloading materials for those that I have gotten rid of as well as those I still have but do not shoot.

I disposed of my 40 S&W pistols, since I did not like the results I was getting out of the poly framed pistols I had for that caliber. The light weight frames that are most popular for that caliber, I do not feel they give as effective a result as those in 9 mm or 45 ACP. I did however purchase a PCC carbine in 40 S&W and have been getting excellent results with that. As to the other calibers (revolvers) I have no precede need for those.

Hope that answers your question.
Jim

 

[Lj1941]

Standardization

IF I were to stanardize any calibers-It would be either #1. Present US military calibers or #2 Former US Military calibers both in handgun and rifle calibers.They would be 45ACP & 9X19 in hand guns & 223 Rem/5.56 Nato,30/06 & 308 Win/7.62 x 51 Nato in long guns.I would also throw in the 12 guage just because.

 

[SCBadger]

I just started reloading when the ammo shortages kicked in so I kept to the very basics. 9x19 for our handguns and 30/30 for longguns. Rimfires are another story,

 

[beatledog7]

I enjoy shooting and reloading a number of handgun cartridges: .380 Auto, 9x19, 357 Sig, .40S&W, .45ACP, .38SPL, .357Mag, .44SPL, and .44Mag. I have no desire to standardize and might expand even further into 10mm, .380 Mak, 7.62x25, and .32ACP. I don't work with as many rifle chamberings: .223 Rem, .257 Roberts, 7mm RM, 30-30, and 45-70. My next rifles will be something in 30-06 and something .308.

I recognize the economics of loading only a few cartridges, but I prefer variety and flexibility. If I am ever affected by a shortage of components of any kind, I can shift to others.