Consolidation or diversification?

[GunLover2010]

I currently own a Glock 21 SF. I love it, fire it well and have over 1500 rounds for it stocked up. I also have a Walther p22 for plinking. It's fun, but I'd never trust it as a CCW or defensive weapon. Looking to add a third handgun and am stuck between a Glock 30 SF (compact 45 that can share my 21 ammo and magazines) or a Glock 19.

If I get the 30 I don't really need to buy anything else. I've fired it and like it a lot. However it still fires ammo that is 60% more expensive than 9mm.

I've also fired and like the 19, but would need to buy more magazines and start stockpiling 9mm, which I guess in the long run could save me some money.

Whatever I get, I want to have the option of using it for CCW, downstairs gun and for my wife. What would you suggest? Consolidate on 45 or diversify and get a 9mm. My wife has shot both, and while she can handle the 45, she prefers the 9mm. Heck, she really prefers the .22, but let's be realistic.

 

[Nugilum]

If you don't have a 9mm, get one. Diversity is a good thing. Keep building. You'll eventually have a couple of each caliber.

Besides you'll be able to answer the 9mm vs .45 for yourself.

 

[jeepguy]

i would say try to get at least one of each 9mm, 40s&w, & 45acp. at least thats what i did. with some firearms you can just buy a conversion barrel. mags may or may not fit with different ammo.

 

[tiro6]

i would also suggest diversification. I went from .22lr to 9mm to .40 to .45. I have a lot of friends who have never shot before so when I take them out, I can give them the rundown so they can appreciate each and every caliber. It also gives me time to appreciate the different calibers as well. But thats just me and my opinion, so what you do is what you do.

 

[Caliper_Mi]

9mm. Dunhams around here had some surplus FMJ for $10-12 per 50, try that with your .45 It is the closest you can get to .22 ammo prices while still having an actual recoil.

Although, I was at Wally World today and they had no 9mm but a few dozen boxes of .40, so I can't argue so much against that either.

Yeah, ammo price/availability is one of the big things I look at in a gun purchase.

 

[buckeye8]

You're not in very deep. Keep diversifying.

I've only been into guns for two years, and I'm into nine calibers. And I work two jobs that combined don't touch $30,000 a year. I've found that, especially since I started reloading, having a variety of firearm types and calibers really enriches the experience of gun ownership. Sure, we all use our guns for "serious" purposes, but we use lawnmowers for serious purposes too. None of us own dozens of those. Trust me, if you're interested in guns enough to start posting here on THR, you're probably interested enough be in this for the long haul. Buy what you like, and if you change your mind, trade it for something else.

At some point, the whole gun ownership thing becomes as much a hobby for most of us as anything else. When I first started, like you, I put a great deal of thought into the strict utilitarian purposes of every gun purchase I made. As your collection grows, you'll make purchases based on "want" as much as "need". Then, one day, you'll wake up and find that you're into far more calibers than you ever thought you'd be into. (Then you'll start asking about reloading presses!)

Oh... and there are some fantastic guns designed around the 9mm cartridge (G19, CZ-75B, etc.). Jump in, the water's warm.

 

[bluetopper]

I used to have a fairly wide assortment of handguns. I started out with polymers and some inexpensive surplus military handguns.
My handgun tastes have since evolved and matured along with my interest in target shooting and I soon found no pride of ownership with the polymers. Now it seems the only hanguns that interest me are high end 1911's, S&W revolvers, and finely crafted target .22's no longer made.
I haven't owned a polymer now in quite some time.