How much weight do you give to sticking to certain firearms/calibers?

First I have to say. I love guns as most on here to do but recently a buddy sold most of his stuff to get to just 1911's, Savage bolt actions and M1A's. I like all those firearms but not my choice. Honestly I think I would retreat to USP's, 700's and AR's but to each their own. I noticed some other various threads on here were others are thinking about it too.

To me I see the pros:
Very familar with those firearms
Can stack repair parts
Can stack extra mags
If strictly adhered, can stack ammo and can probably budget more money towards ammo
Can focus on only relavent training
Can equip the family with all of the same

What does everyone view as the cons?

To me I view myself as a student of modern firearms and like to be familiar with a lot of weapons - granted I am not Costa-proficient with any of them but I try. I also kind of frown when a "gun guy" picks up a new firearm of somebody's and asks where the safety or mag release is.

To me, I view a firearms consolidation as not coming for me but I do think I could stand a caliber consolidation.

How does everyone feel about this with their own needs - I think I can see both sides of the argument?

To each his own.

The only thing I have left to add to my stable is USP 45.

For rifle, we stuck with AR-15 as a family of four. We are most comfortable with it because
1) Ergonomics
2) Recoil

Tried M1A. Ergonomics/Recoil were terrible for female members of the family

First question to answer is "What's your purpose in owning the fireams you have?" For example, an avild hunter will find certain guns in cetain calibers/guages best suited for their purposes. Some one preparing for the end of the world would likely make very different choices. Curious about why you're thinking what you're thinking. If you're preping for a prolonged disaster or something, looks like you're on the right path. But, Man, there's lots more fun to be had with a wide choice of weapons and calibers.

I'm a general shooter. I hunt, shoot a little 3-Gun/Pistol Comp, and generally enjoy range time with a lot of different kind of guns. Plus I reload and like to tinker and modify the guns I own. So, stacking up on just a few weapon in a limited selection of calibers/guages and action types, has no appeal for me. On the other hand, I have a friend who calls himself a "Prepper," and he's all about AKs, ARs, Glocks, and Remington 700s and 870s, with lots of ammo and magazines on hand. That makes him happy. More power to him. I enjoy more diversity.

My collection used to be based on training using various reference examples for familiarization purposes; for that reason I had a varied assortment of the most common weapons and calibers I needed to be proficient with (AKs, FALs, roller-locked HKs, etc.). Nowadays I don't have this requirement and so I have sold off nearly all those weapons for other things. Just dont feel the need to collect a bunch of guns I guess; now I keep a couple different ARs in calibers for which I bought cheap and stacked deep. When that ammo is gone I expect I'll consolidate further to a couple ARs in 5.56, .308 and maybe some 6.5 round.

I have to agree with 1. I would retreat to AR's over AK's, SKS, FAL's, M1A, etc due to the ergonomics. If you even move to an ambi lower like a Knights Armament I think it is very hard to argue against an AR's natural ergonomics.

From a TEOTWAWKI standpoint, yes, I try to stick to certain calibers and maybe specific platforms but definitely not from a SHTF or a general hobby or collecting standpoint

I definitely concede that everybody having a G19 and a 14.5" AR15 in 5.56 with similar optics and accessories would bode well for a long term event but even in SHTF, I do not envision scavenging for ammo, much less spare parts or magazines. That means that in a katrina type scenario, I would prefer the best caliber and platform for the job. If that means a 12" .300blk AR and a CZ 9mm then so be it.

For building an ammo fort, ya, similar calibers would streamline things but I'm only building an ammo fort for TEOTWAWKI. If I want a hunting rifle in a specific oddball caliber just so I can reload for it and be different then everybody else, then heck no I'm not even going to think twice about adding another or a non standard or non NATO caliber to the herd. Same goes for C&R or whatever.

I view guns/shooting as an enjoyable hobby and not strictly as a prep or investment. Having viable preps is smart and I would argue that they should be in NATO or very popular Fudd calibers but I enjoy reloading as a part of guns/shooting. I have no issue with oddball calibers if they have a purpose and they are used. If they're neglected and not shot because the caliber sucks or something then I'd be fine selling it



I like your post but I would argue towards a healthy balance.

I see that limiting yourself to a few popular calibres and designs makes sense.

But I collect all over the board, from pre-World War I to modern. One big downside, if I have issues with one of my rarer firearms, I have to do research again to remember how to fix it.

But I like all my oddball guns and calibres. Celebrate Diversity!

And some of those old odd guns work better than my modern ones, like a 1900 Webley revolver that does more damage than a Kel-Tec and if more fun to shoot.

I think you have it here - do you buy guns as a hobby, preparations for something or as an investment? Although I have guns that would count as an investment, I believe I buy as a hobby and preps. My buddy is all preps eventhough it is a hobby to him. One might even say the prepping is a hobby to him.

Nope ill buy anything the more odd or strange the design or ammunition it takes the better

.22lr
.22 mag
.410
12ga
9mm
45acp
.357 mag
.44 mag
7mm mag
.223
7.62x39
7.62x54r

Populate in popular calibres!

Variety is the spice of life. I'm all over the place when it comes to firearms/calibers.

I feel like I don't need anymore different calibers than what I have. There are some I'd like to have but I don't like worry about ammo in so many different varieties.

I like to stick to calibers I already use, but it's more of a convenience issue than anything else. The standardization concept breaks down when it comes to reloading, and I develop tuned loads for specific rifles. It creates one extra step, which is writing the rifle name in the reload data.

I sure know that feeling.

I have eleven sixteen pistol calibers and six ten long gun calibers. If I had to have just one of each I think 5.56 and .38/357, maybe .22lr for a suppressed Ruger auto pistol.

I enjoy all types of fire arms from the mid 1850's to todays offerings.

When I began this hobby I stuck too

22lr, 9mm, 5.56, 12 ga 30-06, & 308.

That was it. What I learned is I loved the historic C&Rs and abandoned this idea. If you are willing to stack 22lr (my favorite round) deep there is almost no limit to the quality or type of fire arms you can have.

The problem with consolidation is you miss out on some of the best firearms ever made. No m1Garand, no m1 carbines, no 8mm mausers, no enfileds, no S&W 44 mags, or Colt 357 magnums, no 45LC SAA no 375 H&H win Model 70. Just thinking about this makes me sad

Sure it is nice to have 4 or 5 ars or FALs, but I enjoy my rangetrips more shooting the best of the best from history, perhaps I will never compete in a 3 gun at a national level, but I can still hold my own in my home town matches...

For me this hobby is about enjoyment of limited free time, to each their own

For stocking up I stick to the basics (9mm, 22lr, 5.56) , but I'm not going to pass up a fun gun that's a good deal because I'm afraid that I won't have enough ammo when the zombies come.
Of course the other side of that is I am not going to bother getting into any kind of hard to find specialty or wildcat calibers, because I just don't see them as being worth the trouble.

I am buying only in .223/5.56, .22LR, 12 gauge, and 9MM.

Starting to look like my buddy is a big anomaly.......or really determined.

I stick to certain calibers only because every time I add a new one, there's a huge upfront cost (Brass, bullets, reloading dies).

I don't do anything small when it comes to ammo, I reload and buy in bulk to keep long-term costs down. This means if I buy a new pistol in say, 9mm for $500, then I have to drop another $50 for a holster body, $50 for reloading dies, couple of hundred for brass, couple of hundred for bullets, maybe even more for powder (but not primers, I don't think I'll ever run out of primers again after surviving 2009 ). That $500 pistol just became a $1000 pistol (or more). That doesn't even include my obsessive need to have minimum 10 magazines for each gun, there's another $200 - $300...

My last gun was an XDM Compact 3.8" 45ACP. The gun was just over $600, I'm already into it for nearly $900 (extra magazines) and haven't even bought a holster for it yet. Fortunately, I already reload 45ACP...

So yeah, I stick to what I got: 30-06, .223/5.56, 45ACP, 380ACP.

It just costs too dang much to add new calibers...

ETA: I should add .22LR and 12 gauge to the list, but I don't bother reloading those...

I just cant stick to one patform or caliber..Mainly because I like to collect aswell as shoot
and sticking to one thing or the other would just be too boring for me.

to keep muscle memory with my PP firearms I make sure to shoot them last at the end of every range trip..my AR and my glock 19 that i keep for HD.
never end a range trip with something other then your carry or HD weapon.

I have two safes, one is my collection the other is a SHTF, prepper safe. The reason I do this two fold first I enjoy diversity, second if SHTF I have no idea what is going to be around so I would like one of each just in case. So I collect multiple calibers, but I also collect more of certain calibers for SHTF safe. Also lets face it, your home may be your castle but in some situations it may get destroyed or you will be forced by nature to move. So therefore may having 100K rounds of something may be a waste, therefore in my logic you should have no more than you and a few friends can reasonably carry, but still have enough to defend yourself. So my ideal is 3-10K of each, and after that I can either scavenge or reload if still in my castle. Also I hunt with shotguns for everything so I have probably 15 different shotguns for different things that I hunt, including a few HD shotguns.

How much weight do I give to sticking to certain firearms/calibers? ZERO. I like different calibers and different types and styles of firearms

I'm a shooter and a hunter. Most of my rifles are Remington 700 but they are in a bunch of different calibers. The two that are in the same caliber (6MM BR) have vastly different twist barrels and won't shoot the same ammo. My pistols are either .45ACP or .357Mag or 9MM. For me, having more than one of the same thing is a waste of time and money.

My personal opinion: Yes, there are advantages.

I enjoy a variety of firearms, and have guns/calibers that I consider to be specialized. I'm not going to hunt birds, deer/hogs, and elk with the same gun like I wouldn't use the guns I hunt with for home defense.

We have no idea what TEOTWAWKI or any SHTF situation will be like... There's no way to say 9mm is better because that's what everyone will be carrying. What if everyone is dead?

Along the lines of what others have said, get what works for you, practice with it, and figure out how much ammo you think you need to keep on hand for it (then keep at least 1.5 times that ) What works best for you will always serve you better than what others think works best for them. If it's the same and you can consolidate, great.

Variety is the spice of life my friend.

Then their guns/mags/ammo will be lying all over the place...?

But to counter that, there is not reason not to play the odds if the platform works for you. If the local PD all carry 9mm Glocks and it's a toss up for you whether to buy a glock or XD, it may make sense to choose a Glock as a SHTF sidearm. Same can be said about a Beretta 92fs with comparability with military M9s if you live near a NG base/armory. It may be a very slim chance that you ever need to rely on a 'pick up' weapon but having a compact Walther in .357sig may not be the smartest SHTF choice.

The concept extends to rifles as well as generators, vehicles, etc. Why not be similar to a lot of other people if the platform works for you?

See my line of thinking?

ETA: pg2 ownage

I value training/learning the MOA vice just the weapon

YMMV

I put a lot of consideration in firearm caliber, magazine compatibility, and spare parts.

1911 pattern for primary sidearms.
Galil/Hadar combination for primary rifles (<––-that was expensive, but worth it).
SKS's are pretty easy to support and maintain. Secondary.
PPC 9mm carbines, but the only downside is they take different magazines. Secondary.
10/22's on the side. Plinking and small game.

Ammo/mags/parts stocked for each system.

So I stick to a few select calibers which I feel fits all my needs. Don't have a shotgun, and I really don't feel a need for one either, although I may pick one up down the road just in case for game taking, my main concern being defense.
Eventually I want to add .40S&W to my loadout using Beretta 96's. Though I don't care for the design, I'm familiar with it, and the caliber gives me a bit more than a 9mm would (I'll run 9mm in a carbine, but not for a pistol).
I've still got a stock of 5.56 and STANAG magazines for when I had AR pattern rifles, but I've since ditched the platform. Might have to get back into it for the SO.

Cons
I don't allow myself to dabble in otherwise potentially unique or fun firearms. It would cut into my budget to maintain my main loadout.
I have a lot of fun with friends' C&R's, or advanced design stuff like the SCAR or bullpups (that I find sexy as hell). I would love stuff like that, but then I'd have to commit to spare parts, different mags, and other calibers.

Quite frankly I feel as if I can't allow myself to enjoy other systems because the prepping voice in my head is screaming to get everything else prioritized first.

I like to branch out

If all you care about in the shooting world is being prepared, or are on a tight budget common weapons makes a lot of sense. I enjoy shooting many different pistols, rifles etc and some of my oddballs/exotics are my favorite to plink and mess around with. Although I have many duplicates of "Prepper" type weapons, I enjoy variety.

I like to get firearms that interest me. Regardless of the caliber. For just fun use, I do prefer a military or surplus rifle just because I think its neat but if I am going to do something in particular, I like to have a rifle or handgun that is best suited for that purpose.

At this point unless something really cool comes along I plan to stick with what I already have, .308, 30-30, 7.62X39, 7.62X54r, 5.56, 12ga, .22lr, 9mm, and .40, however someday I would like a PS90 so that would mean 5.7fn as well.

I decided to consolidate several years ago.

Call it economics and logistics if you will. I retained only five weapons in four calibers: .22, .40, .308, and 7.62x39. The only dupe weapon is a .22.

But if I'm careful, I'll never have to buy ammo again in my lifetime.

For everyday users I recommend a common caliber. What would happen if you got on a plane flew to a remote location, got checked into your cabin and discovered the airline had checked your bags and your ammo was GONE!!! If you are using a common caliber then no problem, just run down to the only convenient store in town and buy some ammo. If you are using some exotic caliber, good luck finding any at all!!!

My son got into shooting/hunting a few years ago and I suggested that. He ended up with a .308, kind of like 'ol dad!!

1st tier "base" ammo is .22LR, 9mm, .45 and 5.56. Goal is 20-25k on hand for each of these calibers. No, not worried about a SHTF scenario....more interested in being able to play in my sport without the concern of ammo shortages. Shoot and replace as required. I'm a little light on the .45 but otherwise I'm generally ok.

2nd tier ammo is 38SPL, .380ACP, 9x18, .308 and .458 SOCOM. I consider this to be boutique ammo, not daily training stuff and keep a few cases of each on hand.

3rd tier is .303, 8mm Mauser, .30-06 and a few others. Mostly about 1k of each, some more, some less. Shoot this once or twice a year...generally to introduce new shooters to different weapon systems.

Also, considering 7.62x54 rim as a go-to round. I have a shorty PSL and it's cheap enough to buy dozens of spam cans of the Russian stuff. This is one of the guns that I'm hoping to pass down to the grand kids.

So Yes, with the guns that I train with I focus on Tier 1 calibers and stated quantities. I also consider mags as a consideration for the Tier 1 weapons. If it's a gun that I shoot often and will likely keep I want dozens of mags for it.

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