The Lone Haranguer
Member
The cost of practice ammo is (at least partly) what gravitates me to 9mm.
Is cost a factor in choosing a defense caliber?
- Thread starter Boba Fett
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hankdatank1362
Member
^ And keeps me away from 10mm bliss... gotta get into reloading
mljdeckard
Member
It is, in that if ammo costs less, you will be more inclined to practice more. But at the same time, I consider this part of the lifestyle commitment involved in carrying, with changing your wardrobe to conceal a bigger gun if necessary, doing different activities in different places to limit your danger to begin with, and conditioning those you live with to the plans you have to defend them if you have to draw your gun in real life.
If you are concerned that you have to spend $40 a month instead of $30, you probably aren't going to do all the other things you need to either.
If you are concerned that you have to spend $40 a month instead of $30, you probably aren't going to do all the other things you need to either.
1SOW
Member
possum: +1
YES
You have to practice to be able to shoot.
You will (tend to) shoot like you practice.
9mm is my choice due to cost and mag capacity.
I shot with my son today. I shot 175 rds of my 124gr 9mm. He shot about 50 rds of my 124gr 9mm because he couldn't afford more Winchester Value pack .45 rds for his XD.
YES
You have to practice to be able to shoot.
You will (tend to) shoot like you practice.
9mm is my choice due to cost and mag capacity.
I shot with my son today. I shot 175 rds of my 124gr 9mm. He shot about 50 rds of my 124gr 9mm because he couldn't afford more Winchester Value pack .45 rds for his XD.
XD-40 Shooter
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- 912
Since I don't practice regularly with my $1/round Speer Gold Dot's in 40 S&W, cost is not a factor. I reload all of my practice ammo, at 12 cents/round. So cost is not a factor for me.
Just One Shot
Member
Cost is a factor for me!
For me, I consider the cost of the gun and the ammo. That's why I research the weapon for function and reliability before I make a purchase.
I chose the Ruger P-95 because (in my opinion) it's one of the most reliable 9mm out there and it can handle even the cheapest of ammo without malfunctioning. This will be my ccw during the cold weather.
For the warmer weather I purchased (just this past Sat.) a Bersa Thunder .380acp (thanks for the recomendation skeptiq). While the ammo is as expensive (or more in some instances) than the 9mm, I feel it is one of the easiest to conceal and a sufficient caliber for self defense, especially during the warmer climate when the BG most likely won't be wearing heavy clothing.
For me, I consider the cost of the gun and the ammo. That's why I research the weapon for function and reliability before I make a purchase.
I chose the Ruger P-95 because (in my opinion) it's one of the most reliable 9mm out there and it can handle even the cheapest of ammo without malfunctioning. This will be my ccw during the cold weather.
For the warmer weather I purchased (just this past Sat.) a Bersa Thunder .380acp (thanks for the recomendation skeptiq). While the ammo is as expensive (or more in some instances) than the 9mm, I feel it is one of the easiest to conceal and a sufficient caliber for self defense, especially during the warmer climate when the BG most likely won't be wearing heavy clothing.
GrendelPrime
Member
I can afford to practice
I factor in cost specifically pertaining to range time.
If I can't afford to shoot at the range with any kind of regularity, I forfeit both confidence in my weapon and proficiency to place the rounds where they need to go.
What was it Bruce Lee said?
"I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times."
I factor in cost specifically pertaining to range time.
If I can't afford to shoot at the range with any kind of regularity, I forfeit both confidence in my weapon and proficiency to place the rounds where they need to go.
What was it Bruce Lee said?
"I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times."
The Bushmaster
Member
When the protection of myself, family and property? The best I can afford. I have two mod 10 S&Ws in the house loaded and I carry a Kimber .45 ACP UCC II when ever my eyes are open...
Eightball
Member
My life's worth more than the extra couple of dollars I might spend to protect it.
KegCommando
Member
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2008
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- 179
I've developed cross-eyes.Eightball said:
I've always gotta keep one eye on the wife because I'm worth more dead.
Boba Fett
Member
So is everyone's vote in? I'll post my opinion on the matter tomorrow, so get your votes and thoughts in before then.
earlthegoat2
Member
If we are talking the difference in cost between a 40 or 45 and a 9mm and you think you are going to shoot more with the 9mm because the ammo is cheaper then get the 9 so you can be proficient.
If you get a pocket caliber for this reason its suicide.
If you get a pocket caliber for this reason its suicide.
moooose102
Member
if you want to shoot a bunch, of course price is important. i have a 45acp, and a 380. now, i reload in order to be able to shoot, because money is a very important thing to me. but if you are not going to do that, then you need to be able to find something you can afford to shoot. meaning, dont go out and buy a 45 winchester magnum to shoot, because the price of ammo will send you to the poor house in a hurry. you will need to find a caliber like 9mm, 40 s&w, or 45 acp where you can make bulk ammo purchases (2000 rounds or more) to get the best prices. personally, i would love to have 5k rounds for my handguns, and 1k for each of my rifles (except for 22, which would be 10k) but is simply can not afford that much ammo. and, there may be legal ramifications as well. but i think i could work around that (store in different locations).
CoRoMo
Member
Yep. I use a reoccurring coupon to Sportsman's Warehouse to buy my 9mm and 45acp carry ammo. I go for Federal Hydros because they are some of the least expensive, but with the $10 off coupon, I don't mind getting some of the higher priced stuff at times.
ZO6Vettever
Member
Cost was a factor and I choose a 9mm for that reason. I probably should have got a 40 but I'll stick with my 9.
glockman19
Member
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- Mar 16, 2007
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- 3,700
I voted NO. Why?
I practice with CCI Blaser Brass and Speer Lawman.
My SD/HD ammo is Federal Hydra Shok & Speer Gold Dot.
I buy cheaper reloadable practice ammo and more expensive HD/SD ammo.
I don't see a big difference in POI regadless what ammo I shoot, groups are tight enough I'm killing whatever I'm aiming at.
As I begin to reload I hope to create practice ammo, at a fraction of the cost, that shoots closer to my HD/SD/Carry ammo.
In a SHTF situation...I'll shoot whatever I have without a thought.
I practice with CCI Blaser Brass and Speer Lawman.
My SD/HD ammo is Federal Hydra Shok & Speer Gold Dot.
I buy cheaper reloadable practice ammo and more expensive HD/SD ammo.
I don't see a big difference in POI regadless what ammo I shoot, groups are tight enough I'm killing whatever I'm aiming at.
As I begin to reload I hope to create practice ammo, at a fraction of the cost, that shoots closer to my HD/SD/Carry ammo.
In a SHTF situation...I'll shoot whatever I have without a thought.
Boba Fett
Member
AND THE VOTES ARE IN...time for the analysis
Looks like most everyone has voted and put their 2 cents in.
Time for my 2 cents.
NOTE: ALL PRICING COMES FROM AMMUNITIONTOGO.COM. When possible, I went with regular Winchester White Box (WWB) FMJ at 1000 rounds bulk order. On a few I had to choose another brand because they didn't offer Winchester, but I chose something comparable in quality and cost (i.e. not Wolf or Bear).
I started this thread because I often hear on other threads or at gun shows or in stores, "_______ caliber is too expensive to shoot. I want something that I can practice a lot with."
If your only concern is how much you will be able to practice with it, then buy a 22. You can practice your way through 5000 rounds of Winchester Wildcat for $200 (4 cents per round).
Then we move on to the people who have put more thought into it. They have started to weigh the real world performance of the round and are still considering the cost of the round as a major factor.
Here is why I say: cost is not really a factor. Consider the following from data I gathered from ammunition to go:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
25 Auto - Federal - 50gr - 500 rounds @ $153 = 31 cents/round
32 Auto - WWB - 71gr - 500 rounds @ $216 = 43 cents/round
38 Special - WWB - 130gr - 1000 rounds @ $318 = 32 cents/round
380 - Aguila - 95gr - 1000 rounds @ $245 = 25 cents/round
357 Mag - Sellier Bellot - 150gr - 1000 rounds @ $324 = 32 cents/round
9mm - WWB - 147gr - 1000 rounds @ $290 = 29 cents/round
40 S&W - WWB - 180gr - 1000 rounds @ $343 = 34 cents/round
45 ACP - WWV - 230gr - 1000 rounds @ $370 = 38 cents/round
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Now, I personally don't consider 25 or 32 to be choices for home or primary CCW defense. I think they are good for pocket guns, along with the 22lr and 22 mag for that matter, but not much more.
For sake of argument, let’s choose the classic 9mm vs. 45 ACP battle and apply the cost to it since many people in this thread have said that they would choose 9mm because they can practice with it more.
The difference of 9mm vs 45 ACP in cost is 9 cents. At 1000 rounds, if you do the math with the data above, you can shoot 236 more 9mm rounds than 45 ACP rounds. I don't know about the rest of you, but that's about one practice session at the indoor range and I usually go a couple times a month to stay practiced.
This gets to the crux of the matter. What is your life worth? You know that biggie drink and fries you just purchased? Sure it was only around 67 cents more, but that's like 1.5 more round of 45 ACP you could have purchased...or 2 more 9mm.
What I am saying is, your life depends on the ammo you are using and if you are going to cripple your choice by limiting it to cost, then you haven't thought things out enough. Yes, you must practice. Yes, proficiency is key. But I think most of us could cut back on the super size meals and other little splurges and purchase a caliber based on any other real consideration except cost.
To prove this, consider one person, eating one fast food meal per weekday and supersizing it at 67 cents. That's $13.40 per month. That's 35 more 45 ACP rounds. Keep cutting small things like that and you'll reach that 236 round difference really fast.
So, how much is your life worth to you?
Now, that being said, if you do your research on a caliber, decide that it is more controllable for you, and you factor in any other concerns like availability, recoil, or mag capacity, and you choose ____ round regardless of what everyone else thinks, THEN DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU THAT YOU'RE WRONG. Yes, 45 ACP has it's advantages. Yes 9mm has some disadvantages. This can be said of all rounds. But if you can handle the 9mm better, then 9mm is the one for you. If you can handle 45, go for it. If you can't handle either and have found 380 is for you, more power to you. In the end, hit your target with something you are able to control. But deciding by price IMO is simply nuts when you consider that the difference in cost is, according to the math, minimal.
And please, this isn’t to try and prove that one round is better than another…so as I said in my OP, don’t turn this into caliber B is better than caliber A because of X data. I am merely trying to illustrate the futility of choosing a caliber strictly or even primarily on cost of the rounds.
Thank you all for participating, please post your thoughts. Maybe I’m wrong…I’m have no problem with admitting it. So post your argument for or against. Discussion, asking questions, is how we learn.
Looks like most everyone has voted and put their 2 cents in.
Time for my 2 cents.
NOTE: ALL PRICING COMES FROM AMMUNITIONTOGO.COM. When possible, I went with regular Winchester White Box (WWB) FMJ at 1000 rounds bulk order. On a few I had to choose another brand because they didn't offer Winchester, but I chose something comparable in quality and cost (i.e. not Wolf or Bear).
I started this thread because I often hear on other threads or at gun shows or in stores, "_______ caliber is too expensive to shoot. I want something that I can practice a lot with."
If your only concern is how much you will be able to practice with it, then buy a 22. You can practice your way through 5000 rounds of Winchester Wildcat for $200 (4 cents per round).
Then we move on to the people who have put more thought into it. They have started to weigh the real world performance of the round and are still considering the cost of the round as a major factor.
Here is why I say: cost is not really a factor. Consider the following from data I gathered from ammunition to go:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
25 Auto - Federal - 50gr - 500 rounds @ $153 = 31 cents/round
32 Auto - WWB - 71gr - 500 rounds @ $216 = 43 cents/round
38 Special - WWB - 130gr - 1000 rounds @ $318 = 32 cents/round
380 - Aguila - 95gr - 1000 rounds @ $245 = 25 cents/round
357 Mag - Sellier Bellot - 150gr - 1000 rounds @ $324 = 32 cents/round
9mm - WWB - 147gr - 1000 rounds @ $290 = 29 cents/round
40 S&W - WWB - 180gr - 1000 rounds @ $343 = 34 cents/round
45 ACP - WWV - 230gr - 1000 rounds @ $370 = 38 cents/round
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Now, I personally don't consider 25 or 32 to be choices for home or primary CCW defense. I think they are good for pocket guns, along with the 22lr and 22 mag for that matter, but not much more.
For sake of argument, let’s choose the classic 9mm vs. 45 ACP battle and apply the cost to it since many people in this thread have said that they would choose 9mm because they can practice with it more.
The difference of 9mm vs 45 ACP in cost is 9 cents. At 1000 rounds, if you do the math with the data above, you can shoot 236 more 9mm rounds than 45 ACP rounds. I don't know about the rest of you, but that's about one practice session at the indoor range and I usually go a couple times a month to stay practiced.
This gets to the crux of the matter. What is your life worth? You know that biggie drink and fries you just purchased? Sure it was only around 67 cents more, but that's like 1.5 more round of 45 ACP you could have purchased...or 2 more 9mm.
What I am saying is, your life depends on the ammo you are using and if you are going to cripple your choice by limiting it to cost, then you haven't thought things out enough. Yes, you must practice. Yes, proficiency is key. But I think most of us could cut back on the super size meals and other little splurges and purchase a caliber based on any other real consideration except cost.
To prove this, consider one person, eating one fast food meal per weekday and supersizing it at 67 cents. That's $13.40 per month. That's 35 more 45 ACP rounds. Keep cutting small things like that and you'll reach that 236 round difference really fast.
So, how much is your life worth to you?
Now, that being said, if you do your research on a caliber, decide that it is more controllable for you, and you factor in any other concerns like availability, recoil, or mag capacity, and you choose ____ round regardless of what everyone else thinks, THEN DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU THAT YOU'RE WRONG. Yes, 45 ACP has it's advantages. Yes 9mm has some disadvantages. This can be said of all rounds. But if you can handle the 9mm better, then 9mm is the one for you. If you can handle 45, go for it. If you can't handle either and have found 380 is for you, more power to you. In the end, hit your target with something you are able to control. But deciding by price IMO is simply nuts when you consider that the difference in cost is, according to the math, minimal.
And please, this isn’t to try and prove that one round is better than another…so as I said in my OP, don’t turn this into caliber B is better than caliber A because of X data. I am merely trying to illustrate the futility of choosing a caliber strictly or even primarily on cost of the rounds.
Thank you all for participating, please post your thoughts. Maybe I’m wrong…I’m have no problem with admitting it. So post your argument for or against. Discussion, asking questions, is how we learn.
So if you cut those little things that cost extra to buy more ammo, how much more 9mm can you buy?
If I thought the round I carried to save money was inferior I would pony up the extra cash. But I am just as confident in 9mm as I am in 40, 45, or 357.
If I thought the round I carried to save money was inferior I would pony up the extra cash. But I am just as confident in 9mm as I am in 40, 45, or 357.
Boba Fett
Member
And as I said, that is perfectly fine. If you have done the research and decided that 9mm is good for you, then you should buy 9mm; because you aren't basing your choice strictly or even primarily on cost.
FoMoGo
Member
If you look at it as more than skipping on your supersize...
a trip to the movies for most people will cost them around $20 for 1 person.
Have a nice meal at home instead of eating out... thats at least $20 more dollars.
I reload, and I honestly look at things in that light.
A box of .45 acp costs me around $6 to load.
You would be amazed at the little things you dont notice that costs $6 or more.
A whopper, fries, and a coke... $6+
For you guys that smoke... especially up northeast... $5+ a pack
Gas is coming down now... but planning your trips and hitting stops in an order on the same day can save a couple of gallons.
I make small adjustments in my lifestyle to make the most of what I make, and it doesnt just extend to shooting.
This is ESPECIALLY beneficial for me, since I shoot .44 special... and those buggers are not cheap.
Jim
a trip to the movies for most people will cost them around $20 for 1 person.
Have a nice meal at home instead of eating out... thats at least $20 more dollars.
I reload, and I honestly look at things in that light.
A box of .45 acp costs me around $6 to load.
You would be amazed at the little things you dont notice that costs $6 or more.
A whopper, fries, and a coke... $6+
For you guys that smoke... especially up northeast... $5+ a pack
Gas is coming down now... but planning your trips and hitting stops in an order on the same day can save a couple of gallons.
I make small adjustments in my lifestyle to make the most of what I make, and it doesnt just extend to shooting.
This is ESPECIALLY beneficial for me, since I shoot .44 special... and those buggers are not cheap.
Jim
I carry 9mm (CZ PCR) and .22LR (Beretta Bobcat) because I can afford to practice with those calibers more frequently than others, but that's not my main reason. There are more choices of subcompact, very concealable handguns than in higher calibers. The ability to comfortably conceal and carry the gun is also a factor. 9mm is highly available, unlike .357SIG. As long as a good hollowpoint bullet is used, it is acceptable for self defense use.
jm
jm
Boba Fett
Member
That is a valid point...if you are trying to conceal the gun, it is often easier to conceal a 9mm than 45 ACP handgun. However, that may not last for much longer as they are coming up with new ways to make smaller 45's. But here again, your choice is primarily based on concealability not price of ammo.
BINGO! And I want to add that I'm not suggesting that people stop living their lives. Nothing wrong with seeing movies (though it is criminal what they charge
) or super sizing things. But you have to have a hierarchy. If you are concerned with cost of ammo vs. seeing a movie...which should you choose? Well...I wouldn't want my life to end because I spent my money on one too many theater tickets... (especially with the drivel Hollywood is turning out these days...)- Status
