Limiting your collection based on caliber

[JVaughn]

I work with some guys that only own guns that are of a couple of calibers, specifically 9mm, .223, and .40. Is this a common practice? I have never let that bother me, but they are serious about it. In fact, when one of them made the decision, he sold his .380 and ammo because it didn't fit the criteria.

Anyone else do this?

 

[flatlander937]

If you horde ammo(or reloading supplies), then that probably works out pretty well.

During an ammo shortage... having oddball/less common calibers is pretty much business as normal.

In fact I'll probably go out of my way to buy my next gun chambered in something that doesn't seem to dry up... like 22 magnum.

 

[mgmorden]

Nah - I like to be able to shoot as much of a variety as possible.

 

[anchorman]

I try to keep it simple. why get more calibers than you need, it just complicates logistics? My rule is to stick to one basic long range rifle caliber, one intermediate rifle caliber, one size of shotgun shells, one size pistol caliber, plus .22LR.

I break these rules from time to time, of course. Now there are two long range rifle calibers, would like to get into .223 perhaps (once the panic dies down), and of course I want a third or fourth pistol caliber. Thinking about a small bore shotgun just because...

 

[SouthernYankee]

I have started a pistol consolidation 5yrs ago. Currently, .22, 9mm and .45 so I could concentrate on ammo purchases.

 

[statelineblues]

anyone else do this?

I do - mine are .22, .38.Spl/.357 Mag, .45 acp in handguns and .22, .223, .308, and 30-06 in rifle calibers, and 12 ga shotgun. Okay, still quite a few...

 

[Havok7416]

I only own guns in a few calibers - around 23 to be exact.

 

[SuperNaut]

I consolidated quite a long time ago. I only load for 4 calibers now.

 

[sleepyone]

Ive done just that. I'm sticking with .22lr, .38 Special/.357 Mag, 9mm, .40 S&W, .45ACP, .243, .270, .30-06 and 12 gauge. Not a big deal really because those are my favorite calibers anyway. I've never been interested in any of the exotic or rare calibers; although if someone were to take me to Africa I'm sure I could be forced to buy something exotic!

 

[bigfatdave]

There is a limit on how many different cartridges I'm willing to stock.
Somewhere between 15 and 20 was the limit, I'm pretty firmly set on no new calibers at this point.

 

[Teachu2]

.17HMR, .22lr, .223, .22-250, .308, 9mm, .45acp, .38Special, .357Magnum, 20ga, 12ga.

Only one each in .17HMR, .308, .38Special, .357Magnum, and 20ga. Those are "specialty" guns for me, and get the least usage. All the rest have multiple guns. I own more .22-250s than any other centerfire rifle. It does come in handy when I take my sons varminting.

I tend to avoid some specific calibers, especially in handguns. I've moved away from big Magnums (.44Mag +) as I have no large wild animals in my area and don't hunt large game. My love affair with .45acp goes back over 30 years, but I bought my first 9mm last year, as I found myself shooting a lot at indoor ranges, and it's pleasant to shoot while still retaining "real" recoil. Cost of ammo was a huge factor, as well. The .40S&W is a fine round and effectively splits the difference, thus not fitting into my arsenal at all.

Other cartridges I've intentionally avoided: .222Remington, .22WMRF, .25acp, .32auto, FN 5.7,.380auto (owned a PPK/S once, lost to a burglary, never replaced). Had a 10mm slide and mags for my stainless Colt Series 80 - got it used with both 10mm and .45acp setups, sold the 10mm slide/mags/ammo to a local gunsmith, leaving me with a .45acp Series 80 for a ridiculously low net price, so I guess 10mm is also on the list. So far I've avoided .357Sig and .45GAP, as well. Some of these are fine calibers, and if I were starting out today some of my choices might change.

Some of the cartridges I've avoided or ignored have passionate proponents here, and I'm fine with that. More power to them. One of the many great things about this country is we all get to make our own choices! (Some of you guys have more choices available that we do here in California, and I envy you that - I'd have a Barrett .50BMG just to have one, if I could!) It is nice to only have to stock 9 calibers and two shotshell gauges, but if I hit a multi-million dollar jackpot, I could adjust my inventory....

I certainly understand those 9mm/.223 or .223/.40 guys. I don't really get 9mm/.40, but that's their business. I also understand those that try to get as many different ones as they can - especially during ammo shortages. To each their own!

 

[Teachu2]

To each their own!

 

[rgwalt]

I am trying to slim my varieties of ammo down. I think that .22LR is a given. I also have:

.380ACP- Pocket carry
9mm- Relatively cheap ammo for plinking and range practice
.38/.357- A revolver very reliably goes "bang"
.45ACP- Home defense
.223- Rifle
12 gauge- shotgun for sporting clays, also could be used for home defense

I bought my .380 shortly before the pocket carry size 9mm came out... Now I'm thinking of selling it (Sig P238) and replacing with a Sig 938.

I'm also thinking of selling my revolver, again to streamline the collection. I keep a lot of 9mm on hand... it would be nice to not have to keep .380 and .38 special on hand too.

Hmmm... Off to the hand gun for sale board!

 

[TwoEyedJack]

I have been trying to standardize my firearms to military cartridges. Now most of the rounds I shoot are .223 and .45 ACP. I still shoot a fair amount of .41 mag, an odd ball in anyone's book. With the dramatic increase in ammo costs, I suspect I will be shooting more cast boolits in my .45s and more .22 rimfire, and less of everything else until the current kerfluffle blows over.

 

[Checkman]

I have 4.5 calibers.

22LR
.38 SPl/.357 Magnum
9mm
45ACP

The various handguns that interest me are available in one of those calibers and it keeps thing simple for me.

 

[TRX]

A friend of mine is into swaging jacketed bullets. Due to the cost of the dies and equipment, he initially limited himself to .458 caliber cartridges. Recently, he has added .311 caliber, as the lure of relatively inexpensive Mosins, PSLs, and AKs became too much for him to resist.

He's also a fan of the .22 Hornet, but .22 bullets are so cheap it's not worth making them.

 

[Isaac-1]

I think a lot depends on the type of shooting a person does, an avid hunter will have the appropriate range of choices for the type of hunting they do, where as a person that is primarily into self defense or target shooting will likely have a more limited selection once they settle on a set of calibers. Personally I know I have tried to minimize my number of calibers in each size range, but it has not always worked, mostly due to inherited guns that I would never sell. For example I have decided to concentrate on .45 ACP and 9mm for semi-auto handguns, but still own one 40 S&W which I inherited from my father, the same holds true of some other more obscure like the 2.5 inch 20 gauge Winchester model 12 that has been in my family for at least 3 generations.

 

[tarosean]

Heck no, far to many choices out there to limit myself.
My wife is my only limiting factor. LOL

 

[jp9mm]

Not that i really limit myself that much. I always think about do i want to add xx caliber guns to my collection. so far im at 22lr/mag 9mm 38/357 45acp 44 mag .223/556 762x54 12ga

 

[Stargazer65]

22lr, 9mm, .38Special, .357Magnum, 20ga, 12ga.

I'd prefer to not limit myself if I could afford more guns I'd get a variety. I'd rather have a wide variety available that I could buy since I don't reload or stockpile.

 

[gobysky]

Last caliber I bought was based primarily on ammo availability. My .223 caliber rifle has become an expensive paper weight, since the ammo is hard to get. The 30-06 caliber is readily available. So having several caliber guns is an advantage.
Right now my favorite target caliber is 17 HMR. Very accurate for squirrel hunting. Just don't take the shot to close.
Hoarding is a vicious cycle. The more people hoard, the more I want to buy the store out during that short open window of availability.

 

[hAkron]

I'm currently limiting my collection to .22LR, .38 special, .380 ACP, 9mm Luger, 9mm Makarov, 357 magnum, 357 Sig, 40 S&W, 10mm, 44 special, 44 magnum, 45 ACP, 7.62x39, and 12 gauge.

 

[Buck Kramer]

Only my handguns match up, all .380, 9mm, or 38/357. Rifles are all over the place but I only reload handgun ammo for now.

 

[Walkalong]

While I suppose I might consolidate in the future, right now I load many handgun calibers and several rifle calibers. I like it that way. As far as rainy day stock for shortages etc, I do not try to keep a lot of everything. I do keep that limited. .32 ACP, 9MM, .38 Spl, .45, .223, .308, etc. That will keep me shooting while the shortage runs its course. Naturally I usually have a few hundred bullets on hand for most calibers, but a lot of those mentioned. And of course primers and cases. I only have about 600 or so .45 Colt brass, with no backup cases. I like to have an extra box of 500 cases put back besides my working stock of brass. I don't for everything though. I still have a box of 500 .222 brass I put back years ago, and I haven't had a .222 in years. I need to buy some .45 Colt brass one of these days.

 

[Lex Luthier]

This is an excellent plan. Limiting your arsenal to practical familiar calibers is not hoarding.

There are so many choices that limiting one's tooling makes sense. One may have enough hours in the day to spend on their hobby and actually want to have everything that goes with everything, for those of us who have too many other demands on our time and energy, narrowing one's weaponry to a few calibers and subsequently knowing exactly what to expect from each weapon and cartridge load is smart and practical.