[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Streamlining calibers? (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 1/24/2011 12:48:27 AM EDT
| Here lately i've been selling things and trading stuff to get rid of the stuff i no longer need or want for stuff i need. One of the things that's been bugging me is ammo. Not only do i not have much, i have alot of mixed stuff. Some .40 and some .45 and alot of 9mm. I have 6 pistols in 3 different calibers. I've been searching for a g17 and the thought of streamlining all my stuff has been weighing on my mind for the part few days. I'm really tempted to go all 9mm and 5.56. I would be keeping my g22 for a possible duty weapon if i go into armed security or leo. What does the hive think? |
Dont keep the 9mm crap. Always keep your pistols with the caliber that starts with 4.
I have 2 pistol calibers and about to be 3. I like the 40 S&W and love the 45 ACP and about to get G20 in 10mm. 
One way to slowly get tons of ammo is buy one or 2 boxes of ammo each paycheck. Over time you will have a shitload of ammo. |
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I'm down to just .45ACP, 5.56, 30.06 and 12ga. Sold the 9mm, .40s&w, and 5.45.
I reload the 5.56, will add 30.06 to that list eventually. 45ACP too if it gets too expensive. 12ga.. probably not. Not going to buy another press just to reload something I hardly ever shoot. |
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Dont keep the 9mm crap. Always keep your pistols with the caliber that starts with 4.
Yeah okay. I have no qualms carrying a 9mm and that's the most abundant caliber. If i go to one caliber it will be 9mm. At least in Denver, during the ammo crisis, I had friends who couldnt find 9mm, I found 40S&W all over the place. It is more common then you think and almost the same price. I was also just razin you for fun, I have nothing against 9mm.
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A few years back I sold off my 9mm guns and all the ammo.
Also sold my AK and all my 7.62x39 ammo. I consolidated the collection and now have one primary pistol caliber and one primary rifle caliber. I do still have 'one offs'...my more interesting collectible items...but I dont stockpile ammo for them so it isnt really a concern. They are more conversation pieces that I have for occasional use. |
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I "downsized" a few years ago.
My ammo requirements are now 9mm, 45 ACP, 5.56, 7.62 and 22lr. I got rid of 10mm, 40, 380, 7.62x39, 30 carbine and 30-06. I also kept 7.62x54r because I did not want to sell off my Tigr. I no longer purchase anything that is not one of my five prime calibers My ammo requirements are much less chaotic now. I now have more ammo concentrated on those prime calibers. I would entertain adding 50 BMG to the mix but thats about it. |
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You might consider keeping your "oddest" calibers.
My hunting partner couldn't find .308 during the recent ammo shortage. He thought that would be the caliber that would be most likely available. I have a hunting rifle in one of the 6.5 calibers. Recently when a large regional sporting goods chain went bankrupt I just waited and watched the clearance prices drop. Finally all that was left on the shelf, at 50% off, were the uncommon calibers, including mine. Sometimes contrarian thinking pays off. |
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You might consider keeping your "oddest" calibers. My hunting partner couldn't find .308 during the recent ammo shortage. He thought that would be the caliber that would be most likely available. I have a hunting rifle in one of the 6.5 calibers. Recently when a large regional sporting goods chain went bankrupt I just waited and watched the clearance prices drop. Finally all that was left on the shelf, at 50% off, were the uncommon calibers, including mine. Sometimes contrarian thinking pays off. So its a good idea to keep a .700 Nitro Express or two around? |
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You might consider keeping your "oddest" calibers. My hunting partner couldn't find .308 during the recent ammo shortage. He thought that would be the caliber that would be most likely available. I have a hunting rifle in one of the 6.5 calibers. Recently when a large regional sporting goods chain went bankrupt I just waited and watched the clearance prices drop. Finally all that was left on the shelf, at 50% off, were the uncommon calibers, including mine. Sometimes contrarian thinking pays off. So its a good idea to keep a .700 Nitro Express or two around? I you have them. |
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Quoted: I "downsized" a few years ago... Same here, both calibers and, where practical, platforms... but not overall quantity. You could say mine was more a "logistical consolidation" that a true "downsizing." But over the course of 3-4 years, I eliminated as many calibers from my collection as I still have in it. (And I still have plenty.  ) |
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Here lately i've been selling things and trading stuff to get rid of the stuff i no longer need or want for stuff i need. One of the things that's been bugging me is ammo. Not only do i not have much, i have alot of mixed stuff. Some .40 and some .45 and alot of 9mm. I have 6 pistols in 3 different calibers. I've been searching for a g17 and the thought of streamlining all my stuff has been weighing on my mind for the part few days. I'm really tempted to go all 9mm and 5.56. I would be keeping my g22 for a possible duty weapon if i go into armed security or leo. What does the hive think? IMHO, it's a great idea. I did almost exactly the same thing... I used to have 9x19mm, 9x17mm, .45 ACP, .40 S&W, .357 SIG, .357 Mag, .38 Special, .44 Mag, 6.35mm, 5.56x45, 7.62x39, 5.45x39, 7.62x54r, 7.62x51, 12ga, 410ga, 20ga, .22 LR, .22 Mag, .17 HMR... And probably a few other that I can't remember. Now I have 9mm only. 
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I try to keep my ammo limited to the following:
Rifles: 5.56mm, 7.62x51 NATO, 7.62x39mm Pistol (Self Defense): .45 ACP Hunting Rifle: .30-06, .22LR (although .308/7.62x51 can be used also) Pistol (plinking) .22LR Shotgun: 12ga I think that is more than enough. I do reload, mostly for me and my brother, who has other calibers (.357 Mag, 9mm) that I don't use. LC |
| Got rid of everything but 9mm in handgun caliber. About to have my 642 rechambered to 9mm and that will complete my transition. Rifles are 5.56 or. 308. Will eventually add a. 50 of my own. Benelli m4 should be mine this summer, and that will finish off my collection minus a sbr and suppressors. |
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I have
17HMR 22lr 7.62x25 .32 ACP (was grandfather's pistol) 9mm .30 Carbine 40 SW 45 ACP 5.45x39 5.56x45 7.62x39 8mm Mauser 30.06 20 Gauge 12 Gauge Some calibers have a small amount for as they go to military pieces and are not training or CCW. I actually almost feel bad when I get a firearm in the same caliber I already have. It's like buying 18oz claw hammer when you already have a 16oz claw hammer, not much difference and they can pretty much do the same job. If I had to downsize though it would probably be: 22lr 45ACP 5.45x39 (as long as the surplus stays cheap, if it goes up would switch to 5.56) 12 Gauge |
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I generally wont buy a gun thats not in a caliber I already have. Its really uncommon that I find a reason to justify a different caliber. The most recent ones I can think of are .45-70 and probably soon to be a .300blackout.
.22lr 5.56 5.45 7.62x51 7.62x39 .220 swift .50bmg 9mm .380 .45 .45-70 I keep a spreadsheet with all my calibers listed by brand/weight/quantity that I update and the totals turn red when they get under my threshold amount. This way its a good excuse for me to buy more. "Hey babe, I gotta order more 9mm. Im under my reorder amount." "Oh ok. Order what you need." Little does she know that my reorder threshold is 30k rounds.
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| I haven't gone quite as simple as you. I sold off some stuff that I don't shoot, I like my 9mm, and my .45's. So that is what I mainly stuck with. I do have a couple of .40 glocks just because so many people use them, but I just figure it'll be a common cal/pistol to come across if things go south. |
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I don't have a real extensive inventory and with what I have don't really have much room to consolidate.
I have 2 of each caliber currently and have no need to change that. 9mm .40 S&W .38/.357 I have 1 of each caliber and the only one that gets to me is the .308/.30-06 but one is a Savage bolt gun and the other a Garand, don't really want to change their either. .22LR 6.8SPC .30-30 .308 .30-06 Just the one shotgun too. 12 Ga All in all I'm pretty good with what I have, I do think about getting a .380 occasionally but not much, probably a Micro 9mm or j-frame .38. Otherwise everything stays between these calibers. |
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Now that I look at my list I have a decent amount of overlap. I hope to have a .45 rifle here soon so that will bring that number up as well.
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.22lr - 3 rifles, 2 pistols 5.56 - 2 rifles 5.45 - 2 rifles 7.62x51 - 1 rifle 7.62x39 - 3 rifles .220 swift - 1 rifle .50bmg - 1 rifle 9mm - 2 pistols, 1 rifle .380 - 2 pistols .45 - 2 pistols .45-70 - 1 rifle |
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I hear ya and sort of agree. Wish I could back my ears and trim down to a couple of calibers but, dang it, I like having a particular caliber per particular job.
.22 9mm .38/.357 .357sig .44mag .45acp .45lc 5.56 6.8spc 7.62x39 30-30 12 & 20 gauge Hmmmmmmm you know, I really need either a .308 or 30-06. 
Yeah, I'm learning to reload. |
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Quoted: I have never understood this angst over 'too many' calibers.  I have. I had firearms in well over 50 calibers/gauges a few years back and now I am down to 24 chamberings, only 20 of which I regularly shoot/need to keep on hand in bulk (the other 4 corresponding to family/sentimental guns I don't carry or shoot but with which I will not part). I am much happier now than then. YMMV. |