Opinions: consolidating ammo/platforms

[outerlimit]

This current ammo shortage from hoarding is exactly why I decided NOT to consolidate calibers long ago. Beside that, it's boring! Now when I go to buy ammo, I know they will have at least one caliber that will work in a gun I own.

 

[BikerRN]

rcmodel said to diversify, and I agree.

The more calibers you own, the easier it will be to find some ammo you can shoot. I would select my "primary" caliber, or two and stock up on that ammo, while keeping a couple of boxes of the other calibers just in case.

As far as the 9mm, Glock 19 and such, I'd go with a Glock 23. I admit to owning a 19, had it for years. The advantage of the 23 or 32 is that you can shoot 9mm, 40 and 357 SIG out of the same gun with just a Barrel Change. New Barrels are a lot cheaper than a new gun. In the case of the 9mm you would also need new magazines too.

In times of ammo shortage you need a variety. Also, keep at least one gun that can shoot what your local LEO's carry. You never know when you may have to score some ammo off a "friendly" cop.

BikerRN

 

[Gideon]

Like many above, I consolidated and I only shoot/stock .38/.357, 9mm and .45. It gives me at least some caliber choices so if I was in a bad situation I'd be more likely to be able to use the ammo I'm most likely to come across. I thought about sticking with only 9mm and .38/.357 and I might still, but I really like the .45 so at the very most I'd put away a 1000 or 2 .45 rounds and just keep my .45 but not really shoot it much.

Even though I don't care to shoot much shotgun, I'm still planning on an 870 7 round express purchase and I'll lay up a supply of buck and slugs for that gun and call it good.

I always have at least two guns in each caliber. I haven't yet, but think it's a good idea to have at least a few extra mags and a few extra main parts for some guns like recoil springs or the extra firing pin for you AR-15.

I'm also working to set myself up so I have at least one carbine for each of my primary pistol carbines. I have a 9mm carbine project I'm working on and I have a .357 Marlin lever action on order.

I don't think I'll ever need all of this but I like it, enjoy it, and have 6 children I can pass it down to. If nothing else, I hope they can sell it off for some money if need be before it's simply illegal to do so.

Before they ever ban or try to confiscate our guns, they'll try to make this ammo shortage more or less permanent. Wonder how? Take a look at what the Government is doing with Cigarretts and you have your answer. I'm not for it or against it, just pointing out how a Federal Government can change our society without actually banning or taking away anything. Then I think they'll begin to make the sale of any gun such a difficult and costly proposition that after a number of years fewer and fewer folks will have guns or ammo. Over time it'll slowly strangle the gun culture in our country.

Anyway, sorry for going off like that....

God Bless
Gideon

 

[punkndisorderly]

If you were to go the pistol route, the subcompact Glocks can use the same magazines as the full size. I went that way with the 9mm: a 34 for home defense and a 26 for carry. Fewer magazines to buy, an less ammo to have on hand for keeping my once a week range time.

With a .357/.38 or .44 Mag/Special setup, you can also buy a levergun in the same caliber for home defense. About the only downside is your lack of rounds and slow reloads compared to the semi's. That may or may not be an issue for you.

 

[JImbothefiveth]

Why did you pick those 2?

Would another .40 really be as easy to CCW as the .357? Would a .357 really have the capacity you want for the house?

 

[RatDrall]

Seeking opinions: I'm considering consolidating my ammo/handguns. Currently I have a small revolver (.357) for carry and a full size auto (.40) for the home. I'm thinking of either getting a small .40 for carry (i.e. 4053) or a GP100/Police Service six for the home.

I shoot either revolver and auto fairly well and have no real preference for either caliber, but do like the versatility of the .357/.38, though it's not a deal breaker. I don't hunt, I don't reload, don't shoot as much as I'd like to but have the ultimate goal to be able to reload, but for a variety of reason's that's put off for now.

Does anyone else have such set ups? After years of owning a variety of handguns with different calibers, I'm wanting to trim down the total numbers of different handgun ammo that I use. Thoughts and opinions are appreciated-no wrong answers here. Thanks, Mike

I believe that you can either collect guns, or use them. By that, I mean that if you own many guns of different makes and methods of operation, and you shoot them all, it will be very difficult to become proficient with any one system. I know a lot of people with impressive collections but they are poor shots. The best shooters pick a system and stick with it.

Because they are so inexpensive, I would get a GP-100 .357 to keep at home. .38 is much cheaper for practice than .40 is, and it's great to be able to use the same ammunition for your HD and CCW handguns. Your next gun should be a .357 lever action carbine to go with them.