Posted: 4/22/2015 7:58:02 PM EDT
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Has anyone narrowed their pistols down to one caliber? I have both 9mm and 45ACP pistols, but have been thinking of narrowing everything down to just 9mm. I like my 45s, but carry and shoot 9mm mostly because it's cheaper and I just shoot 9 better.
I moved recently and HATED lugging 50cal cans of 45 ammo up the stairs. The 9mm was a little easier. |
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Why in the hell?
22LR for plinking 38 Special for social occasions 357 Magnum for hunting 44 Magnum for hunting things that might try it back. 9mm because you're a pansy 40S&W because everyone hates it and I hate everyone 10mm because mall ninjas get a boner for it. 45 ACP because JMB duh! 38 Short Colt because USPSA allows it. 38S&W because IDPA will not allow it. There are too many different uses for a handgun to limit yourself to just one caliber. I want to add to that list not shorten it. Top of the list to add would be: 455 Webley, I will have a Mark VI!!! 45 Colt 327 Magnum (if I can get it in a S&W J-frame) |
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I did it about a year ago. I went to strictly 9mm for "social use". I didn't get rid of anything because I absolutely love my Glock 21 and my .38/.357 revolvers, but any new purchases for "social use" will be 9mm. I went with a Glock 19 for my duty gun at my PD job and for occasional off duty use, when I wear clothes heavy enough to conceal it. Backup and usual off duty gun is a Shield 9mm. Extra guns are an ancient 1st Gen G17, a Beretta 92FS and a Ruger P89DC (the G17 and Beretta were bought from the PD I work for when they went to issued G22s, the Ruger was bought a LONG time ago to test out my 9mm reloads when I first started reloading; it has proven itself VERY reliable and accurate enough in the meantime, even if the trigger isn't the best and it is bulky; any would make decent replacements for the G19 if the proverbial "something" every happened to it). I also have a Ruger LCP that works out pretty well for very occasional carry use, but as soon as I make up my mind which 9mm "pocket gun" I want, it will probably be replaced, too. I won't say I'll never buy another gun that isn't 9mm, but I'll probably never buy another gun for "social use" that isn't 9mm. Practice ammo is cheaper, components are cheaper (if you reload), less recoil for quicker follow up shots, larger magazine capacities, all with comparable bullet performance with other "duty" calibers, AS LONG AS you buy GOOD ammo, like Gold Dots, HST, Ranger T or similar. As long as you can keep an open mind and do your research, it doesn't make sense to carry anything else, IMHO. 9mm today isn't anything like 9mm from 20 years ago.
Bub75 |
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For handguns, I tried consolidating to 9 and .45 with 95% of my shooting being 9mm. 9 for practice and defense, and .45 for just for fun. However, doing the Great Post SH Ammo Shortage I was glad to have handgun in .40 when it could be found and 9 could not.
So my consolidation was a failure. I still have .22LR, .38, .40 and .45 plus the rifle calibers 
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9mm
Every time I consider getting into additional calibers, I remember that my lady (and her son, when he's old enough) needs to be able to operate ALL of my firearms safely and effectively, just in case. Going a step further, this is a CZ only household - so every single mag works in each of the guns. |
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Of course you can do just 9mm. Make sure you keep a few thousand rounds of ammo though so you don't have to ever pay rip off prices during a shortage.
I have seven 9mm's. I love how I only have to keep one type of ammo, and that it is about the least expensive handgun ammo. I did get a Glock 30, 45acp, recently just because I had big bore envy. I like how those bullets make 9's look "cute" heh. There is nothing the 45 can do that my 9's can't though, and I may end up trading it for another Glock 19 once I've had my fill with it. |
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If that's what does it for you, go for it. I couldn't do it, even the thought of it gives me the willies lol.
I prefer to diversify but there is definitely a price to pay for such variety. However, if I was limited to one caliber I'd have to get rid of too many very sweet shooters. I admit I love my Beretta 92A1 9mm but not enough to give up my other calibers. I'd choose the .45acp over the 9mm anyway so I'd still be carrying heavy ammo. |
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I would go from .45acp to 9mm for capacity, but I don't have many 9mms that I shoot well with. I've been shooting a 1911 all my life, well, from my late single digit days, so about 40 years. Nothing else feels right to me. I did shoot a S&W .38/.357 revolver that my dad had also, and at one time could shoot it really well, but I just liked the 1911 so much better that it's what I stuck to. I can't even pretend to shoot a revolver now unless it's single action or a double action with the hammer cocked back, and then I'm not much better than with a 1911. So for defense, for me, that rules out all of the revolver cartridges, and revolvers.
I did buy a Canadian model Para P14-45. It was reliable for over 12500 rds for me, ( 12,500 LRPs used, always kept the 100pc boxes to keep track and didn't toss them out until I moved back into the house). Anyway, I loved it, but it was an LDA. Great concept, great trigger, and I could shoot it really well for my own skill level, but , with the double stack ( 14rds .45acp ) grip, and the long, yet air light trigger, it was tough to get comfortable with. I have small hands for a guy really, well, short fingers. I'm 5'10" on a good day bu small build ( can't tell by my gut ). That old P14 is still going. The gun store owner I bought it from bought it from me, and I bought a single stack, single action. He's put another 5,000 or so through it, and it's not given him any issues. So, for me, I want to stick with a 1911, single action, but, possibly might be ok size wise with a double stack / single action pistol in .45acp. I have thought of going to a 9mm 1911, but not sure on the reliability of any of the ones in my price range, which is, mostly, RIA. I have the RIA GI, no issues, never jams. Great gun. So long as the defensive and carry situation is handled, I would like a .22lr conversion slide kit for more economical practice. It would later migrate onto a frame of it's own later. Anything else in any other caliber would be for fun. I can't afford fun though. lol So we're a few years away from that. Fun for me would be a nice Ruger single action in .45 Colt, or in .44 magnum. Load it with shot primarily, for carrying open out in the yard for snakes, that we seem to have an overabundance of , even though we have cats. Then work up some lead and some XTPs for defense and hunting. I would actually own something in every caliber and good model , historic and current if I could, but within my budget, I have to take care of the primary concerns which are carry and HD. |
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.22 LR
.22 WMR .25 ACP .32 ACP .380 ACP 7.63mm Mauser 7.62mm Tokarev 9mm Makarov 9mm Luger .38 Special .38 S&W .357 Magnum .40 S&W .45 ACP ...and a bunch of 10mm loaded up waiting for a gun to shoot it in. NOPE! ETA: And I'm left with a desire for a .44 Magnum or .45 Colt. |
| I tried once and went a step further - my dad and I were both going to consolidate to the same caliber and guns. I sold everything I had (which admittedly wasn't exactly a huge collection at the time) and bought a Glock 35 and Glock 23. I added a few more Glocks, but stuck to the "only 40s" rule for a while. Eventually, though, I couldn't do it. I bought a Glock 34 because it was cheap, and eventually 6 more 9mms. Somewhere in the middle of that I bought my old Glock 20 back (sold off during the consolidation effort). I bought a 380 and replaced it with a 38 Spl J frame. I'm almost certain I'll end up with a 45 ACP 1911 again eventually...just because everyone should have one. I just like guns too much to only have a few guns and all of them the same caliber. |
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Currently have:
22LR 9mm 38/357 10mm Really do not see the point in consolidating to one caliber, unless you have an abundance of firearms sitting around that you do not shoot. Personally, I would like to add at least one 40 S&W and one 45ACP just to have a firearm capable of firing commonly found ammo. During the great ammo shortage I was unable to find 9mm, having a back up in 40 S&W would have been helpful. Also want to add a 44 mag, just because. |
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In theory it's a good idea, but I don't think the "typical gun owner's mentality" allows for the committment. Monogomy is a challenge in most respects. That said, as others have mentioned I committed to 9mm and .45ACP for most shooting and CCW. Still own an abundance of other calibers and I probably always will. Variety is the spice of life.
22lr .380 acp .38 spl 9mm .40S&W .357 mag .45 acp .44 mag |
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Currently have:
9 .40 .45 5.56 .308 The .308 sees very little use. Haven't shot more than 100 rounds through it in the past 3 years, but I will be getting a die set for it so I can shoot more. I'm thinking I'm going to try to drop one of the pistol calibers, maybe the .40. I'm not sure yet. |
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I have only 9mm and .22lr now. 9mm is cheap and the guns can get pretty small, but it still packs a wallop. Buffalo Bore even makes "bear loads" for 9mm. I carry the Ruger LC9 most of the time. The Beretta M9A1 is my big carry gun. The NAA mini does deep-cover. |
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No.
Have pistols and revolvers in .45, 9mm, .40, .38 and .357 magnum, .22, .44 special. I have started to use .40 even more than I used to, since everyone seems to suddenly think it is from the debbil. I remember having to search through rows of 9mm pistols to find one in .40 S&W, as it was the "hot" chambering of the moment. People are funny and fickle.......... |
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Went overseas for 3 years once and took my custom 1911 in .45 with my Colt .22LR conversion. At work, handguns were M9s. That's as close as I'll ever get to consolidation my handguns. I reload and cast my own boolits so don't worry about what is on the shelf. Haven't bought any loaded ammo except .22 in a decade. My number one cartridge reloaded is the .41 mag followed by .45 ACP then 9x19.
CD |
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Quoted:
Why in the hell? 22LR for plinking 38 Special for social occasions 357 Magnum for hunting 44 Magnum for hunting things that might try it back. 9mm because you're a pansy 40S&W because everyone hates it and I hate everyone 10mm because mall ninjas get a boner for it. 45 ACP because JMB duh! 38 Short Colt because USPSA allows it. 38S&W because IDPA will not allow it. There are too many different uses for a handgun to limit yourself to just one caliber. I want to add to that list not shorten it. Top of the list to add would be: 455 Webley, I will have a Mark VI!!! 45 Colt 327 Magnum (if I can get it in a S&W J-frame) Major fail. What, no .38 Super in that list? I say the more, the merrier. 
For the sake of full disclosure, I recently dumped my only 44.40. |