what do you guys feel about the logistics of having guns that run on the same ammo. unless you reload and have all the dies, Its a pain in the ass to stock up on 20 different ammos. I think myself Im going to look for gun that eat the same food. for example im looking for a 700 that uses 223. or a russian sniper that runs on 7.62 x54. just a thought since the military went that way after wwii.

I made the decision to consolidate down to 22lr, 5.45,5.56,9mm, and 40S&W. Those calibers will do everything that I might realistically need to do, and it does simplify things from an ammo perspective.

I can see the advantage to having a few general purpose guns that use a common ammo that you actually "stock up on". Other than that, I think you are missing the boat using that as a systematic plan to build a collection. There are only so many types of guns - ammo is the versatility and adaptability multiplier and exploring and managing several types of rounds is one of the funner aspects.

Why would you want a bolt gun in .223 - what will it do that your current .223 won't? It won't be useful for legal take of deer in my state, and would be a compromise for most medium game. At the same time, other rounds are better suited to varmints, or targets, or longer ranges, etc. etc.

I'd say I'm pretty much on the far other end of the spectrum, especially for rifles. My revolver doesn't even match my lever gun (and I would use different loads in them even if they did). The only guns I have that overlap are 9mm &.22. Acquiring the capacity to run a new caliber is usually my motivating force (or excuse at least) to purchase a new firearm.

While I can see the thought process behind it, I just can't bring myself to put all my eggs in one basket. I am working to get down to about 5 calibers though, couple pistol, couple rifle, and 12 GA.

I did that some years ago and after a while I found myself getting this and that.  So now I am refocusing on consolidation again.  But a little differently now.  

I am now more focused on keeping the platforms the same.  So if I carry a Sig 40, I can train with a Sig 9mm.  The platform is the same but the round cost is less.  So instead of having a double/single auto, a DAO auto, single only auto, I am going to one system.  Or a Remington 870 and a Mossberg (safety in different locations).  Or a S&W revolver and a Ruger revolver (cylinder release different).

To each their own but I work better if I don't have to remember what platform is in my hand when/if things go bad.  Either at home or away.

Hence the reason that I train with the weapon set up the same way as I will find in in my holster or nightstand.  

YMMV.

Thats why I started reloading.....308 AR/.308 Bolt action, .223/5.56 ARs, .357/.38 revolvers and .45 pistols.

I just gob together as much ammo as I can for every gun I own, and stockpile the common calibers. Its not very efficient, but I got time on my side. Throw enough time and money at any problem and it usually gets fixed.

This man tells a proverb





Yea it took this nation less than 10 years to get from Aint-got-no-rockets to hold-ma-freezedried-beer-Imma-going-to-the-moon



ETA spellin





 

Military now uses 5.56 and 7.62x51,12ga, 9mm and 45. Some unites when I was in were using the 6.8spc not sure how many are doing it now. If your looking to stock up stay with common rounds the 7.62x54R you can buy cheap and a lot of it but if the military rounds dry up your going to be paying a lot for that ammo if you get into reloading the brass for that costs $$$.

If your looking to stay with common rounds stick with 5.56 and 7.62x51 and if you are looking or even the thought of reloading has gone through your head start picking up range brass NOW!! Wish I was told that 4 years ago when I was looking at reloading. My only saving Grace is the department I'm in now we have AR-15 and during our quals I pick up all the brass I can and with 25 people shooting 60 round that's 1,500 once fired brass I pick up done this the last 4 times we have qualed. Also the public range I collect brass like crazy there people go and pop off 100 to 200 rounds of 223 and 308 all the time I take an hour once or twice a week every other week and clean the range up. I have buckets full of brass now. I'm looking at collecting all the 40 brass and selling it just to make extra money for my hobby. Even if you don't think you will reload pick up brass you can always sell it or turn it in to some places and they will take money off the loaded rounds you buy from them it's a win/win no matter what you do.

Reloading solves most of these 'problems'.

I have
22lr
38/357
380
9mm
40sw
45 auto
5.56 and 12 ga

I don't foresee buying a gun in the future that doesn't use one of those calibers.  In my opinion if you have too many calibers you end up spreading yourself too thin.

Stock up more on the calibers for the guns you consider to be your combat guns.  If it's not a combat gun, then you don't need to stock enough ammo for it for the end of the world, just enough ammo to go to the range and enjoy shooting it.  



Also, the amount of high quality ammo that you stock for combat guns depends on what kind of gun it is.  In my opinion it would look something like this:

Carbine ammo, 5.56, 1000 rounds

Hunting ammo, 12 gauge and 22LR, 200 and 1000 rounds, respectively

Handgun ammo, 9mm, 300 rounds

Precision gun ammo, .308, 100 rounds



Setting realistic goals for the amount of self defense ammo to have on hand will help you get there easier.  You probably wont shoot 10,000 rounds of 5.56 unless we're having a civil war and you're in an organized force that's being actively supplied, so there's probably not a need to have 10,000 rounds of TAP 5.56 when that money could be spent on 50,000 rounds of WOLF to practice with instead.



Beyond that, stock as much cheap plinking and practice ammo as you can afford.  It isn't getting any cheaper.


 

I have .22, .380, .38, 9mm, .40, .45, 16 ga, 12 ga, .223, 7.62x39, 7.62x51, 7.62x54, and 30-30. I look at my diversity as a strength, not a weekness, but of course to each his own

If you want to shoot cheap, then use a pellet gun or a 22.





Just because the military does it or did it...does not automatically make the "Army" the best for civilians





So OP say you standardize on 556


You get an AR...M4gery with the glass, backup sights, foregrips, lights, lasers, and NVG so you are a tier uno baddazz...your carbine weighs 15 pounds.





Then you get hooked on doing long range shooting...No problem...you build an AR with a 26 inch barrel and run 80 gr bullets.





Then your new girlfriend tells you that she likes the ARs but they are heavy...No problem...you put together an ultralight AR...but you find out that you need to run 40 gr bullets in her gun to keep the recoil down for her.





Now you have 3 ARs that need 3 different types of ammo to work their best...where did the standardization go?





If you want a gun and can afford it, then get the gun and enjoy the gun.



 
 

The best thing I ever did was to get into reloading. When I practice with my 1911s, I can blow through a lot of rounds in a pretty short time. I cast my own bullets, and it gets pretty cheap. I also love the accuracy of a nice hard bullet cast from wheel weights. Shooting gets pretty cheap when you roll your own. I can knock out 500 rds of 230gr truncated cone cast bullets in no time, and all it costs me is the propane to run my weight-melting pot and the electricity to run the lead pot. I use the cheapest primers I can get - usually Wolf.

I have other calibers but I mainly stock 7.62x39, 9mm of course .22 and 20ga. I have others on hand for other guns but those are my go to that I stockpile. I want to add 7.62x54 or .308 to the mix in a bolt gun.

I got rid of a .45 for this reason and the cost of shooting it. Too expensive and I am just going with 9mm for my carry/ combat/ HD/ self defence pistols. I also have a .38, but I'll keep it. There is benefits to have more than one cal. If you run low on ammo and can't find it or components for it, just having one cal is a bad thing.

I've stuck with .22LR, 5.56mm, 9x19, 7mm RM, and 12 gauge for my "shtf" guns. There are dupes of these guns (3 10/22s ect). But I also have .38, 20 gauge, and a 410. I plan on picking up a .243 one day to add in to my other guns.

I approach this topic from 2 angles.

The first is what I would consider work guns and associated training tools. In this perspective I center on .mil cartridges as this ensures that ammo will always be available, at least into the foreseeable future and as long ammo isn't banned outright. These include 9mm,  5.56, 7.62x 51 and .45.  Also .22lr and the associated training analogs.  .458 Socom is in here as well with about 1K of 500gr subs on hand (that's an investment!)


The other perspective that I keep is weapons that I'll want to pass down to the grand kids and so on.  This gets a little squirrelly  as I have a bunch of boutique cartridges such as .303, 8x56 mm Steyr, 9x18, 8mm mauser,  etc.. For these types pistols I try and keep about 1K on hand though ammo for the rifles is hit or miss.  I do have a sweet PSL that was modified to be a shorty and I try and keep a few cases of 7.62 x 54 on hand simply because the ammo is so cheap and that's an effective rifle to pass down. I do need to pick up some hunting ammo for it.  Here's some porn:

Speaking in general terms, I would think that different weapons fill different niches, and therefore most likely each weapon would have a different ideal caliber.  For example, if you buy a 700 in 223 to match another weapon, you may be doing that at the expense of the fundamental reason to buy a 700: having better long range performance than an AR.

So if I wanted to get a home defense shotgun for my wife, but thought a 12 gauge would have too much kick for her, I would not compromise by changing my shotguns for 20 gauge or forcing 12 gauge upon her –– each weapon should have the best ammo for its intended role.

Ultimately I doubt it would matter in most cases whichever way you go, but that's my thinking.

I have tried to simplify, but it hasn't worked, the niches keep catching me.  Now I am to the point that I either need to have 1k rounds on hand or the ability to make 1k rounds before I consider buying a new caliber.
.22LR, 9mm, .357mag, .45ACP, 5.56, 7-30 waters, 7.62x39 .308, 458 Socom, 12 Ga.

Of that list, I can reload everything except the x39 and the .22lr, and I have a bunch of ammo stockpiled for them.  I can even cast my own buckshot and slugs for the 12ga.  my next purchase is going to be swaging dies to make my own jacketed bullets - then I will have a use for all of those .40's I have been collecting...  The 7-30 is a contender and mainly a target pistol, but I have enough hunting bullets and rounds that if I were inclined to hunt with it, I could.  The 458 started out just because it was cool, but I have been steadily amassing bulllets and brass, and have close to 1k loaded now, and the ability to cast my own boolets now..

Wish I would of went 9mm 8 years ago. Should have listened to my brother.

223,9mm,12ga for home/daily, 22mag (pmr30+rifle) if I have to bo on foot

Mel Tappan's Survival Guns is a good read.













 
 

I have guns in dozens of different calibers.  Hunting guns,heirlooms,kids guns ect.  I reload for these and have maybe 100 rounds for each on hand at any given time. I still like to hunt with my 250 savages and 35 Remingtons.  I like to shoot my .45 Colt handguns and 44 mags.  I'm not willing to give those up since financially they don't have to go to provide for my families security or preparedness.

For serious business I consolidated to 5.56mm rifles fed from AR mags,12 gauge shotguns,and Glock .40s fed from 22 sized mags.  That way in any emergency any weapon any of my family would grab will use the same ammo and mags.  TJR

Military have to worry a huge logistical moves, individuals do not.





If you need more than a few mags, your not going to make it in the long run.