Peoples thoughts on consolidating calibers.

At first, I bought 'man-stopping' calibers, then I bought 22lr's for practice and fun, then I thought: what if 9mm cannot stop bears, contrary to NES wisdom? So...
 
whacko said:
I have not had to downsize to consolidate calibers........I do consider caliber when purchasing.
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Same here, I use caliber-proliferation to help resist purchasing even more guns.

Saw a nice Handi rifle at Umlaut, but hey, it's in 300 blackout. Thus I resisted the impulse buy, because it would add another caliber. Saves me thousands of dollars a year, and that's not counting all the extra ammo I don't buy.
 
I have tried but have not been very successful. I have pistols in .22LR, .380, .38, 9mm and .45ACP
Rifle calibers include .22LR, 5.45x39, 5.56x45, 7.62x39, 7.62x51 and 30.06. So, no, it hasn't been a very successful endevour at all. LOL
 
mark056 said:
.22LR Rifle
5.56 Rife AR or Bolt like the new Mossberg
9mm or .45 ACP Pistol
12 Gauge pump or semi-automatic shotgun
and a quality .357 Magum Revolver.
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this is pretty much where I am for caliber, with my Mosin thrown in there - I'm never dropping 7.62X54r!
 
I am kind of consolidated. I have a PPS and G19 in 9mm. I have a .357 revolver that will also shoot 38special of course. I have a .22 pistol and 2 .22 rifles. Hunting rifle is .308. Do c&r guns count because it's hard to consolidate with the mauser and mosin and tokarev. My next purchase I have been thinking of a single action and to consolidate that I have been contemplating getting the Ruger New Model Single Six Convertible in .357/9mm/38special.

As far as when shtf scenario, of course 9mm is hard to find now but the reason is because so many other people are buying it. If it comes down to you having to use that ammo to defend yourself and you come out on top, chances are pretty good that the ammo you pilfer from the baddies will be 9mm. If they are not shooting 9mm you better bet that I will also take their gun and start saving up that ammo I come across too.

Edit: good grief I still forgot some like my 5.56, 7.62x39 and 12ga
 
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mark056 said:
I think it depends a lot on what you want to use it for. If you are a Doomsday Prepper, then I think you would want to streamline your calibers to a military caliber such as 9mm or .45 ACP and most likely either 5.56 or 7.62 NATO or 7.62X39, most probably stick with 9mm. .45ACP and 5.56 because they are produced domestically and would tend to be more plentiful thatn the 7.62x39. If on the other hand, you like to collect shoot and fire certain guns, then the sky is the limit. I have revolvers in both 44-40 and 45 LC, for instance, as well as 30 Carbine, and 9mm Makarov.

Purpose and intent determine criterion IMO.

If you hunt a good bolt gun in a varmint caliber like .223 (your AR can do double duty) and a rifle that can fire 7.62/308 which should cover you for most North American Game, you can use any number of platforms for that including the AR and M1A.

To me a basic battery would include the following calibers:

.22LR Rifle
5.56 Rife AR or Bolt like the new Mossberg
9mm or .45 ACP Pistol
12 Gauge pump or semi-automatic shotgun
and a quality .357 Magum Revolver...I would seriously consider the Ruger Blackhawk Convertable which has two cylinders: one .357 and one 9mm. This allows you to shoot three calibers in one platform: 9mm, 38 spl and .357 Magnum

I think having just a 9mm is fine. Ammunition today is superior, easy to shoot and many. many quality platforms to choose from. If resources and space allow it, consider reloading.

YMMV
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Here is the Mossberg Varmint 223/556. Sweet rifle and accepts AR mags. Good rifle to have if you like the idea of using Ar mags.
image.jpg
 
If you like to collect guns because they're fun, forget consolidating calibers.

If you care only about prepping and SHTF, pick a couple of calibers and sell everything else.

Either way, train like crazy with your defensive weapon(s) and shoot the rest for fun only.


I have been unable to consolidate even my carry calibers. I dropped 40sw, but only because I switched to Glocks from a Sig 239. Now it's .380 for last resort pocket carry, .45 for holster shirt in dress clothes, or 9mm for IWB in casual wear. Oh well.

Someday I will sell everything but 3 or 4 items. That's what I tell myself. Because I can quit whenever I want. I'm just not ready. Don't judge me. [rofl]
 
Step 1. Admit you have a problem

22, 38spl, 357magnum, 380, 9mm, 40, 45ACP, 20ga, 16ga, 12ga, 10ga, 17hmr, 22lr, 5.56, 30-30, 308, 30-06, 7.62x54r

Yep, still missing a few. [wink]
 
Caliber diversity: Blessing or Curse?

I was just at Riley's, they have an ample supply (even after I finished checking out) of every caliber except for .22 Long Rifle.

Warrior1A said:
The more calibers I have, the easier to find ammo!
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But the harder it is to have a reasonable supply of each caliber and yet stay under [thread=122944]the Massachusetts ammo cap[/thread].
 
Kevin_NH said:
I was just at Riley's, they have an ample supply (even after I finished checking out) of every caliber except for .22 Long Rifle.


But the harder it is to have a reasonable supply of each caliber and yet stay under [thread=122944]the Massachusetts ammo cap[/thread].
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I can't believe it. Yet another crazy MA law that I get to find out about [puke]
 
22LR for plinking and target - 38/357mag for revolvers - 9mm for pistols - 223 and 308 for rifle - 12 gauge for shotgun. Learn to reload all the center fire. Be happy.
 
Both .45 and 9mm are hard to find but 9mm is cheaper. I dont know why but I just dont like .40 so I say 9mm all the way but keep at least 1 .45 for a rainy day.
 
Come and take said:
.35 mm hard as hell to find for the Marlin
Click to expand...

That WOULD be hard to find!

Like some previous posters, I find 40 to be a solution looking for a problem. 10mm is a completely different topic.

Consolidation is not in my vocabulary; the extent of my hoarding may not impress some here, but I currently have 10 calibers in the stable
 
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Volkl78 said:
Both .45 and 9mm are hard to find but 9mm is cheaper. I dont know why but I just dont like .40 so I say 9mm all the way but keep at least 1 .45 for a rainy day.
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You must not get out much, nearly every walmart I've hit recently has always had .45 ACP in stock. They might be blown out of .38/9mm/.380/.22, but .45 is pretty much everywhere now.

-Mike
 
Kevin_NH said:
But the harder it is to have a reasonable supply of each caliber and yet stay under [thread=122944]the Massachusetts ammo cap[/thread].
Click to expand...

News Flash: Despite the few threads here about it, nobody in MA obeys that crap, and if they say they do, they're lying to you... or they're one of the like 20 people who got a permit and their cap is a lot higher than the default.

If I went into gun shop in MA and asked 30 different random customers "Do you know theres a CMR regulating how much ammo you can keep in your house?" The response 29 out of 30 times would be "Dude what the **** are you talking about? " Nobody really even knows about that CMR. To make this even more fun- I know guys who have gone to their fire chief to get a permit- and the Chief sometimes says similar things. [laugh]


-Mike
 
I keep...

44 mag
44 special
40 s&w
357 mag
38 special
9mm
22lr
22 short
5.56
308
30-30
30-06
and 12 ga

I am sure I will add more. One of the advantages of not consolidating is you always have something to shoot.
 

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