Consolidating Calibers- Good Idea or Bad?

[remington79]

I prefer to keep more ammo on hand for what I prefer to shoot. I do like having some variety though. I remember during the ammo shortage of 2008 there were times when I could find 9mm, other times 40 and others 45. One place always had a big pile of 357 Sig. I also remember 7.62x39 was in short supply but I could find 5.56x45 all day long.

[Seabear]

Well, I went and did today. I sold my LCP and ALL the ammo I had for it. So, that means tomorrow I have to go buy a replacement pistol if I can find one. I'm thinking the PF9 so I can stick with my caliber consolidation.

If you liked your LCP, you should look at Ruger's LC9 before you decide what to get.

That's what I thought till I tried one. I didn't care for the way the safety felt. To disengage it was fine,normal thumb sweep down, but to engage the safety it had to be pushed straight up. I had to shift the pistol so I could push straight up. I may look one more time, but I think the size of the PF9 will still win out.

[Dave2]

Well, I went and did today. I sold my LCP and ALL the ammo I had for it. So, that means tomorrow I have to go buy a replacement pistol if I can find one. I'm thinking the PF9 so I can stick with my caliber consolidation.

If you liked your LCP, you should look at Ruger's LC9 before you decide what to get.

That's what I thought till I tried one. I didn't care for the way the safety felt. To disengage it was fine,normal thumb sweep down, but to engage the safety it had to be pushed straight up. I had to shift the pistol so I could push straight up. I may look one more time, but I think the size of the PF9 will still win out.

Sounds like you already have looked at it then.

[03Lightningrocks]

I have what has become a random assortment of handguns in multiple calibers. Due to cost and space, I typically have as many rounds as I would like to have on hand, but they are spread over way to many calibers. I am considering consolidating all my handguns into 3 calibers (.38+, .380, .40) so that I can just keep a ton of rounds on hand that are interchangeable between all my handguns of that style.

There are quite a few folks on here with a bit more experience than I and would love to hear opinions on whether this is a good idea or not...Thanks!


Edit- Added Poll just for the heckuva it.

I voted "no opinion" because I like having guns of all calibers to "play with". Yep... I said "play with"...LOL. I love shooting and my adult toy of choice is GUNS... lots of them! As many as I can possibly accumulate! Big ones, small ones, rifles...shot guns...even BB guns will work.

Here is an idea if you are asking this question based on the upcoming "zombie apocolypse" . Stock up heavy on on one caliber of rifle ammo and one caliber of pistol ammo. If society breaks down, you will not be able to carry every weapon you own anyway. For the great 2012 melt down... ... I would recommend 5.56 and 9mm.

[WildBill]

.22LR
.222Rem .....
I really do need a 9 mm.

Let's see:
.177 pellet
22lr
22 k-hornet ...

I handload everything but the airguns, 22lr, 25acp and 7.62x39.

I forgot about my three .177 "Magnums"!

[Dusty Harry]

I've been slowly consolidating both calibers (and guns) over the last 10 years (partly because back when I started I was doing a lot of reloading, so that adds another layer of incentive; had three Dillons up and running for 38, 45 and 40.) No surprises as to my choices: .22/.38-357/.40/.45, 5.56 and 7.62 for rifles, and 12 GA.

Stash a few thousand rounds of preferred calibers in ammo cans and you can weather any temporary shortage. NATO standard played heavily into rifle decisions - I figure when we are up against the UN we can take their supplies :)
Although I also still have a 380 and a 9, I treat those as 'buy as you go.' Thinking hard about unloading the 9 since it seems a bit redundant with the 40 and less effective, but then there's that NATO thing again...

[tbrown]

I figure when we are up against the UN we can take their supplies :)

I used to think like that. Then I decided if I harvest the enemy's supply train for ammunition, they probably will throw in some guns to fire that ammunition. Like a BOGO sale. So I bought a good deer rifle.

[Seabear]

I figure when we are up against the UN we can take their supplies :)

I used to think like that. Then I decided if I harvest the enemy's supply train for ammunition, they probably will throw in some guns to fire that ammunition. Like a BOGO sale. So I bought a good deer rifle.

I like the way you think.

[randomoutburst]

My hubby and I initially consolidated calibers to keep our costs down, but we've continued to stick with the same calibers because it's easier to stockpile ammo and have interchangeable ammo for many weapons. We stick to .22LR, .38 special, .357 mag, 9mm, and 30-06 between our handguns and rifles. Of course we also have a couple of 12 gauge pump shotguns.

We're toying with the idea of branching out into .45acp once money allows. It's sure expensive to shoot, though - I like being able to shoot on the cheap with 9mm!

[rm9792]

I try to stay with .45acp/9mm/5.56/12g. I have managed to acquire .50ae/.38spc/.45LC/7.62x(39,51,54)/.22 though. Reloading helps, especially in the lean times.