Standardizing on Calibres

ishi

ishi

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I've given thought to standardizing the calibres that I use, instead of buying one of each calibre, and ending up with all different types of ammo.

Do you guys standardize, or are you ammo omnivores? If you've standardized, what did you decide on, and why?
 
I'll collect anything

I have a wide variety of calibers but it seems the last few purchases have been .45, future purchases will probably be determined the deal and the bling factor--just can't say no to the pretty ones.
 
Many years ago, I was standardized on the .45ACP and 5.56x45mm.

But as time went by and firearms got sold/bought, it's no longer standardized and is now all over the place in terms of caliber.
 
I have standardized on 9mm and 45 ACP in my autos. Between them, and if you select your defensive ammo carefully, they can handle most personal defense situations. For my revolvers, 38 Special /357 Magnum and 44 Magnum. Again, they can handle most personal defense situations as well as defense against four legged predators where I live.

Rifle, pretty much 5.56mm/.223. Reason for my selection is that .45 ACP and 9mm are readily available anywhere as well as 38 Special and 357 Magnum. This also applies to 5.56mm, well it used to anyway. 5.56mm Mil Spec ammo is almost impossible to get nowadays and if you can find it, its expensive.

Another reason I have kept my calibers to a few, helps keep the reloading components I have to stock to a minimum
 
I like to buy different calibers. It seems to be a good excuse to but a new gun. Like I don't have a 357 sig. I really need to get one of those. :)
 
Oh ya I've standardized on .45, .40, .357 Mag, 9mm and .32.

And .38 Special (Don't know how I forgot my 1953 Colt Official Police with Original Receipt for $75.00)
 
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.357 Magnum, .45 ACP, 9mm Luger, .22 LR, 20 ga., .410 ga., .30-30 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield. Those calibers feed one .357 Magnum revolver, two .45 ACP semi-auto pistols, one 9mm Luger semi-auto pistol, one .22 LR semi-auto pistol and two .22 LR rifles, one 20 ga. shotgun, two .410 ga. shotguns, two .30-30 Winchester rifles and one .30-06 Springfield rifle.
 
Nothing standardized here! In fact I bought some brass, ammo and reloading dies for .444 Marlin at the flea market today. I'm now in the market for a Marlin Model 444 and/or a TC! :)
 
I have reduced my centerfire pistol calibers to 3:
.45acp
.357sig
.357mag

My rifle calibers are still up in the air, but I mostly just shoot 5.45x39 and 7.62x54R... and .357mag if you consider it a rifle cartridge when fired from a lever-gun.

I see myself eventually giving up the various commie calibers for a single do-it-all 'battle rifle' or carbine in .308, such as an HK91 clone, or an AR10 clone, once the cost and availability of the russian surplus dries up.

Just 12ga for the shotguns, of course.

Sprinkle in some .22lr and that makes the sum of my common calibers 7 altogether.
 
I have standardized on .45 with the exception of one Glock 27 in .40 S&W/.357 SIG. (Powerhouse in a small package!)

I didn't set out to standardize, I just ended up with 6 handguns all in .45 because that's what I like to shoot and shoot the best.

It does simplify things! :D
 
I’m not as standardized as some, but for pistols I have standardized on .45 ACP and 9mm with .22 LR conversion kits for practice. For rifles, I am up in the air right now. My large caliber is .308 while my small caliber is .22 LR. For a medium caliber I am trying to decide between .30 Carbine, .223/5.56 and 7.62x39. Just not sure which one to go with, they each have their attractions to me.

Will I ever get down to just one caliber for handgun and one for rifle??? I doubt it, at least not unless the SHTF. Then I will standardize based on what is available in the ditches rather than what is in my safe.
 
that would be cool to do, have only one size bullet to share with all the same caliber in your gunsafe..but realistically, for me that aint gonna happen..to many neat choices out there to own so I know for a fact that I will have several boxes of different types of ammo..anything from 22 to 460mag
 
revjen45 said:
Different calibers. Should SHTF I should be able to scrounge something I can use.
Click to expand...

+1

I have 22lr, 380, 38spl, 9mm, 44mag, 45LC and 45acp (4) for handguns.

22lr, 223, 7mm mag, 7.62X39, 308 and 44mag (lever) for rifle.

Of course 12 ga. for shotgun. Plenty of ammo for most calibers, and enough calibers that I should be able to scrounge if the SHTF. It has taken time to acculmulate my collection but it gives me great pride to have such a nice quiver to choose from.

YMMV

spc :D
 
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Good question. Right now I've just started my collection, with two handgun calibers and a rifle and shotgun. 12 ga. is an easy decision. The rifle is in .308 and if/when I get another rifle I'll probably stick to that. My handguns right now are .380 and .40. My next purchase was going to be a 1911 .45, but I'm seriously considering getting a 1911 .40 and staying there. I ran across the .40 kinda reluctantly. I was looking for a certain 9mm, but I found the same model in .40 for a steal of a price, so I went for it. I like it now that I have it, and can't really find any reason not to like it lol. The mag cap is better than the .45, and the bullet is bigger than a 9mm. :-)

I guess the main con for standardizing was mentioned earlier: if the ammo sources around you become scarce, having multiple options allows you to keep at least one gun loaded. The main pro to standardizing is obvious: you only have to buy one type of ammo, and your weapons can interchange ammo. But, then again, whats the point of having a different gun if they all shoot the same ammo?
 
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