Rifle and pistol in same caliber

[Old Stumpy]

For those who do have common-caliber sets, what is appealing or beneficial about it to you?

I shoot a Marlin 1894 Cowboy and a Pietta 5 1/2" SAA in .45 Colt.
(Easy to reload, appealing Old West guns, low recoil, compact and light weight, fun to shoot, and adequate for deer.)

And.....

I can't seem to find a lever gun and revolver in .577 Snider for some reason. ??

 

[AMraider]

.327 Federal Mag. Fun to shoot and easy to reload. Henry GB. Ruger Single 7. Ruger Sp101.

 

[Roadmaster53]

I am in the same mind set. I want my rifle and handgun ammo the same. So I am looking to buy a Rossi R92 lever action .357/.38 cal. rifle with a 16.5" barrel. I have not been able to find one for a year now. Any help out there locating one.

 

[Jim Watson]

Common caliber is well nigh standard in CAS.
I am amused by PCC in IDPA and USPSA. A lot of those people are not shooting the same 9mm in pistol and carbine; they are loading very light for the carbine to minimize recoil in a seven pound gun with a 40 round magazine. Seeking every possible advantage.

 

[Navy87Guy]

Beretta M9, Beretta 92G Vertec, Beretta Billennium and Beretta CX4 Storm -- all use the same 92 magazines. I have a few mags set up with +2 base plates, primarily for the CX4 - but they would work just fine with the pistols. Same with the two 30-rd magazines.

I also have a couple of .22LR pistols and rifles, although none of them share magazines...just ammo.

 

[jeff-10]

I have a Winchester Model 94 and S&W Model 29, both in 44 Magnum. It really provides no utility for me. I have taken them both to the range together before so I only have load up on one caliber to shoot both. If the S ever hits the fan though, I'm going Colt 6920 and VP40.

TBH, even if I went hog hunting here in southern Florida it would be with my 30-30 and a Glock 23 as backup. Just because I shoot the 30-30 really well and it has a sling. Glock 23 is because its my beater. My Model 29 is a 29-3 and way too pretty to take into a swamp.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

They're fun, that's a good a reason as any.
Marlin 9MM Camp Carbine-takes the magazines for my S&W M659.
Marlin 45 Camp Carbine-takes M1911 magazines.

 

[nofendertom]

In .357mag and .44mag my favorite pistol load didn't match my favorite rifle load.
In 9mm both pistol and rifle like the same load.

 

[CapnMac]

Having owned, for a short while, an XP100, having a "pistol" that fires rifle ammo (in my case .308) did not have a lot to recommend it. But, I have to admit I may not have paired it well, what with not having, say, an FR-8, to carry with it. (Self-loading rifle and bolt-action pistol an odd combo at best.)

 

[WestKentucky]

My only combos currently are 30-30 (not really since it’s a braced pistol) and 22lr. It’s nice having the same ammo for woods walking but realistically I use one type of ammo for this gun and another type of ammo for that gun because each one likes it’s own thing and none of them really like the same thing I feed something else. The 22s will all do OK on Aguila Super Extra but that’s about it.

 

[1942bull]

I do not see any advantage to having the same caliber in rifle and pistol unless the purpose is self defense in a relatively close encounter. In that case the rifle will provide greater muzzle energy than the handgun. That in turn can provide better reach and accuracy with the rifle round. The handgun then becomes either a backup to the rifle it a solo carry gun when carrying a rifle is ill advised.

I think it would be OK in hunting if the ballistics of the particular ammo were properly matched to the game.

 

[Armybrat]

My Rugers use the same 9mm mags. Fun shooters and serve as SD for the house.

 

[toivo]

I have a G19 and Ruger PC carbine. Uses same mags and ammo. Also have two additional 9mm pistols.

Same here, except G26. I have a takedown case for the carbine that has two outside pockets -- one for the pistol and one for a bunch of extra mags.

 

[chicharrones]

I love the idea of having a centerfire rifle and pistol both able to fire the same pistol cartridge. It's like a bigger version of a .22LR rifle and handgun combo, but with mo' powah.

It doesn't make much sense for longer range shooting where a true rifle cartridge is needed. But it sure can make some sense for short range shooting, home defense, and fun.

My current combos are .22 LR, .22 WMR, 9x19, and .357 magnum.

 

[1942bull]

While I think the PC Carbine is sweet, if I were going for home defense I would buy a Ruger 9mm PC Charger and get an accessory hand guard and a folding stock, and maybe a suppressor too.

 

[.45Coltguy]

It seems like a good idea on the surface, except that you generally end up with either an under powered rifle or an overpowered pistol, when placed in context with things like weight, length, etc.

Hmm. I have combo's in .357 and .45Colt[3]. Load somewhere in the middle and they are both rather effective; revolver or rifle. Granted, I do not hunt with either, only desert plinking at reactive targets. What makes you think they're under/over powered? Not looking to argue, just curious. Thanks.

 

[hkp2000]

...
For those who do have common-caliber sets, what is appealing or beneficial about it to you?

I bought the Beretta 92/96 pistols and their Strom rifle counterparts for local 2-gun and 3-gun competitions to save money. These pistol/rifle pairs use the same ammo and magazines. So, I only have to carry either 9mm or 40 S&W (the reason I got the 96 was to shoot in the major category when they offer it; otherwise I use the 92). 9mm and 40 S&W was a lot cheaper than 5.56mm NATO; and these pistol caliber carbines work extremely well for the 50 yard +/- bays (.. .and plus bigger holes on the targets

When I took a break from shooting, I sold the 92/Storm pair; but I still have the 96/Strom pair.

 

[FL-NC]

Hmm. I have combo's in .357 and .45Colt[3]. Load somewhere in the middle and they are both rather effective; revolver or rifle. Granted, I do not hunt with either, only desert plinking at reactive targets. What makes you think they're under/over powered? Not looking to argue, just curious. Thanks.

Handgun rounds don't perform from a rifle the same as a rifle caliber. As a hunter, this is important to me. On the other end, a round loaded "hot" for rifle use may often be REALLY hot in a handgun. I personally don't see the point in the magnum revolvers, unless A- you just really like them or B- you are in an area with very dangerous critters.

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

I have both a .357 and .40 S&W for rifles and pistols. Because I hand load I do different loads for each so in my opinion the question is moot.

 

[Trey Veston]

Replaced my Marlin 1894 in .45 Colt with a Henry Big Boy X in .45 Colt. Thinking about replacing the Ruger Bisley with a S&W 625 Mountain Gun in .45 Colt. Or a Ruger Alaskan in .454 Casull.

 

[Doug444]

I have numerous "caliber overlaps" in pistols and rifles, but only a few I'd call "intentional combos". My most unique would be a Ruger Blackhawk/Marlin 62 Levermatic in .30 Carbine. They are both a lot of fun to shoot.

 

[Old Dog]

I just stick to the classics. A Model 19 and a 1894C will do just fine for me...

 

[jag22]

In 32-20 I have a Colt SAA, 3 Colt Army specials, S&W Hand Ejector, 2 Win 1892 and a Remington pump
and last but not least a Win 1873.

 

[Rexster]

I briefly owned an Uzi Carbine, in the early Eighties, and liked it. Its being my second or third firearm purchase indicated that I never had any prejudice against the “pistol-caliber carbine,” but I did not have an actual handgun/rifle, same-cartridge combination until about 25 years later, when I added a pair of then-rare Marlin 1894 .357 lever rifles, one standard, and one with the longer, octagonal barrel. Those Marlins were so rough, inside, however, I did not like them, and kept them rather briefly, as there was plenty of demand for pre-owned .357 Marlins.

Recently, I acquired a Browning/Miroku 92, and a Ruger No. 1, both .357 Mag, and we bought his-and-hers Winchester 94AE .45 Colt Trappers, so, I am revisiting the combo concept. Shooting them, however, is another matter, as I had not yet starting accumulating much .45 Colt and .357 ammo, before the 2020 panic/shortages started.

My wife has liked the concept of a matching-cartridge lever rifle more than I have. Her often-jammed Rossi 1892 was a disappointment, being only useful as a single-shot, but her stainless steel Marlin 1894 is well-liked.

 

[danez71]

I've liked pairing up calibers since just a youngster. A lot of good reasons already listed.

But, typically when I'm hiking around while carrying 2 firearms, I don't carry the matched pair at the same time. Its almost always a 22lr in one firearm and a larger caliber in the other.