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Multiple calibers OR stick with one or two?

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I have .40, .45 ACP, 357/38S, .22LR, .223, .308 and 12G.  I had a 30-30 but I sold it, may get another in the future.  However I am definately adding a 9mm and .44 in the near future.  As others have stated more variety = more fun and more chances of finding ammo during a shortage.

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It depends on what you own guns for. For self defense/ SHTF or something, fewer calibers is better. If you like shooting a variety of guns at the range for fun, a bunch of different calibers is good.

Personally, I believe in a mixed approach. You should have one "primary" caliber, which you have a greater supply of based on your needs/purposes, but if you want to also get into firearms as a hobby, you can get by with a smaller supply of ammo for "fun-guns".

 

Personally, I have guns in 8mm mauser, .45ACP, 5.56/.223, .22LR, and 12GA, so it is kind of a pain because I have less ammo per gun than if I like, had a levergun and revolver chambered in the same round. But I also don't get the time to shoot very much, hell, I probably attend gun shows more often than I go to the range every year, so I just pick up (or load) a little ammo here or there. I'm also on a college student ramen budget, which plays a factor.

The decision really depends on why you own guns and stuff. Personally, I'm more of a collector, and someday when I have time/money I'd like to get into some competitions. But I think it's good to have both a defensive firearm, as well as a SHTF gun.

I always explain this to people who aren't familiar with firearms. A gun is a tool, and there's really no tool that's perfect for everything. You won't get far using a pair of pliers to drive a nail, just as you can't use a shotgun for long-range shooting. What guns you get are dependent on taste, utility, and budget.

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I look at it a different way.  When ammo was scarce I could usually find something because I use .22lr, 9mm, 40sw, 45acp, 38spl, 357mag, 44spl and 44mag.  If I only using the most common calibers (9mm and 45acp) there were times I couldn't get any and I was SOL if I wanted a range trip.  IIRC, the ranges were limiting purchases to 1 box at a time.

 

Now I learned, and keep a stockpile of it all.  I buy it as the opportunity presents itself, and use it the same way.

 

Pretty much this. I don't have a large collection of firearms. I only have one handgun (PPQM1) and one rifle (PWS AR15 (which I'm still getting to where I want it)). If I can't find .223/5.56 or 9mm, I can't go to the range. It's that simple. The more guns you have the more versatility you have in the event of a shortage.

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I see some rifle calibers in this thread.

 

Are you looking for rifle too, or just pistols?

Well right now I think I need to concentrate on handgun.

 

I have a .22lr rifle and an AR pattern rifle in 556/.223 that isn't fully out together. I also have a 12ga shotgun.

 

I think after all the responses... I'll go with a good solid metal frame 9mm and a revolver that does spl and magnum rounds.

 

Then move on to finishing the AR and stocking ammo before I start moving on to other calibers/firearms.

 

 

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Well right now I think I need to concentrate on handgun.

 

I have a .22lr rifle and an AR pattern rifle in 556/.223 that isn't fully out together. I also have a 12ga shotgun.

 

I think after all the responses... I'll go with a good solid metal frame 9mm and a revolver that does spl and magnum rounds.

 

Then move on to finishing the AR and stocking ammo before I start moving on to other calibers/firearms.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thats what I thought.

45 and 9..Cant go wrong

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for shtf situation own as many calibers as you can, because you never know whats left out there.

 

seriously, last year when all the damn ammo was gone from all the damn stores and even online. I was still shooting because i had other surplus ammo, which was still affordable, not the highly overpriced ammo for sale

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Well right now I think I need to concentrate on handgun.

 

I have a .22lr rifle and an AR pattern rifle in 556/.223 that isn't fully out together. I also have a 12ga shotgun.

 

I think after all the responses... I'll go with a good solid metal frame 9mm and a revolver that does spl and magnum rounds.

 

Then move on to finishing the AR and stocking ammo before I start moving on to other calibers/firearms.

 

 

 

 

FWIW once you pick up a 9mm and are ready for a revolver, you could consider the ruger Blackhawk convertible. It shoots 357mag/38spl and comes with a spare cylinder that you can use to shoot 9mm.

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Well right now I think I need to concentrate on handgun.

 

I have a .22lr rifle and an AR pattern rifle in 556/.223 that isn't fully out together. I also have a 12ga shotgun.

 

I think after all the responses... I'll go with a good solid metal frame 9mm and a revolver that does spl and magnum rounds.

 

Then move on to finishing the AR and stocking ammo before I start moving on to other calibers/firearms.

 

 

 

 

FWIW once you pick up a 9mm and are ready for a revolver, you could consider the ruger Blackhawk convertible. It shoots 357mag/38spl and comes with a spare cylinder that you can use to shoot 9mm.

 

Really?! I need to check that out for sure.

 

 

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I need to buy a .22lr gun to go with the .22lr ammo I have haha

 

Well if you can't get it, don't inventory it. Still have the gun. Pre-panic, the industry was making over 1 billion rounds of it a year. It's out there someplace, so it is one of the more likely cartridges to run into, kind of like 9mm and .223. Also, if times get that tight, scarce or not, cheap or not, if it comes to putting food on the table without attracting too much attention, .22 beats a lot of the more available stuff. 

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I have...

Handgun: .22LR, 9mm, .40S&W, .45ACP

Rifle: .17HMR, .22LR, .223Rem, 7.62x54R

Shotgun: 12GA

Planning to add: 10mm, 5.56, .308, .357Mag/.38SPL and possibly .357Sig, 5.7x28, .300WinMag

 

During the shortage, I had a hard time finding 9mm, .45ACP, and of course, .22LR.  Within a couple months, .45 became available again, but 9mm and .22LR was nearly nonexistent locally.  I never had a problem finding .40S&W, which is what kept me occupied with handgun shooting for much of the shortage.  I also saw .357Sig available locally much of the time.  Ideally, I'd have plenty of ammo stockpiled, but the shortage started not that long after I got into shooting.

 

For me, I like the idea of multiple options...not just for fun at a range, but in case of a shortage.  It takes more effort to stockpile ammo for more calibers, but having options when you might not otherwise get to shoot is important to me.  My girlfriend likes to shoot, so I want to nurture and grow that in her, and more options means I'll always have something for her to shoot.

 

Until I buy reloading equipment, I'm stuck to buying whatever I can online or locally...

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Prefer to stick to a small handful of calibers, to avoid expense and frustration.

9mm and 45ACP tend to be stocked in most places, and are both excellent calibers when you use quality ammo.

.22 used to be cheap and easy to find...

 

It's funny, I was about to start a similar thread before searching and finding this one.

I'm not sure if I should use my last permit on another 9/45, or go with the 357/38 revolver.

The primary reason I'm thinking revolver, is to appease the SHTF Boy Scout in me.

Otherwise,I definitely enjoy owning and shooting semi-auto's more. 

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Prefer to stick to a small handful of calibers, to avoid expense and frustration.

9mm and 45ACP tend to be stocked in most places, and are both excellent calibers when you use quality ammo.

.22 used to be cheap and easy to find...

 

It's funny, I was about to start a similar thread before searching and finding this one.

I'm not sure if I should use my last permit on another 9/45, or go with the 357/38 revolver.

The primary reason I'm thinking revolver, is to appease the SHTF Boy Scout in me.

Otherwise,I definitely enjoy owning and shooting semi-auto's more. 

 

I'd highly recommend a revolver in 357.  I got a revolver just to have one and I found I really enjoy them.  I have two now and I'm looking to get another. Getting used to the double-action revolver has also made me a MUCH better shot with my single-action semi-autos.  

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I have many calibers. I don't regret expanding calibers because they vary in price, availability, recoil, gun selection, and fun to shoot. Sometimes you can get one caliber while another is hard to find but that always varies.

 

.22lr, 9mm, .40, .45, 5.56, .308, 7.62, 5.45, 12ga

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Well if you can't get it, don't inventory it. Still have the gun. Pre-panic, the industry was making over 1 billion rounds of it a year. It's out there someplace, so it is one of the more likely cartridges to run into, kind of like 9mm and .223. Also, if times get that tight, scarce or not, cheap or not, if it comes to putting food on the table without attracting too much attention, .22 beats a lot of the more available stuff

 

 

didnt meant to inventory this lol.  I found it in an ammo can in the corner from a 10/22 i sold a while back

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I'd highly recommend a revolver in 357.  I got a revolver just to have one and I found I really enjoy them.  I have two now and I'm looking to get another. Getting used to the double-action revolver has also made me a MUCH better shot with my single-action semi-autos.  

 

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I have tried to keep the ammo choices under control.  For example, I tried to stick to 12 gauge...even traded-off that NICE 20 gauge B-Model Fox I had...but then there was that nice .410.  I tried to keep to .357 and .45, but then along came some different .32's.  A 30-06 rifle arrived early - hey, its the yardstick everyone uses.....oughta have one...but then those SKSs were SO cheap way back when...and later, I traded-off the .303 brits, but along came the Mosin Nagants...they are SO cheap, to own and to shoot...and the AR's - they really are fun guns  

 

And you gotta have a .22.....or several...

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I'd highly recommend a revolver in 357.  I got a revolver just to have one and I found I really enjoy them.  I have two now and I'm looking to get another. Getting used to the double-action revolver has also made me a MUCH better shot with my single-action semi-autos.  

 

I have enough experience shooting to know that I don't really enjoy revolvers. 

To be honest, I personally find them dated and boring.

However, I do plan to purchase a nice Smith or Ruger one day... but only when I move to the USA and it doesn't involve "wasting" a precious handgun permit.

 

Again, this is my personal blasphemy opinion  :onthequiet:

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Little update on an old thread:

 

Handgun:

 

Still just the two 9mm Glocks. However I'm picking up a smith 686 ssr in the next couple weeks once permits get in.

 

Rifle:

 

.22 and .223/5.56. I am picking up a bolt action 308 scout rifle and I hope to build an AR10 in the future.

 

Shotgun:

Still have my pump action 12ga and I recently added a 12ga semi auto to the mix since I'm obsessed with clays now. I'll probably stick with just 12 gauge for shotgun, that's quickly becoming my favorite type of gun. I want to get a little pistol grip backpack shotgun.

 

 

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