The safe is getting crowded with different calibers!

[MinistrMalic]

Hi everyone!

So my wife, the amazing lady that she is, just allowed me to buy a Kimber Pro CDP 2 1911. I am totally excited for it to get here!!! (pics and thread to come once it does...) I went out and bought some ammo today for it, and when I got it home I realized all of the different ammo types that are sitting in my safe:

1. .22lr for plinking
2. .380 for my TCP and my wife's Bersa Thunder
3. 9mm for my EDC, both FMJ and JHP
4. .38sp for plinking with the revolver
5. .357 mag for defense loads in the revolver
6. .40 for the first carry gun I owned, both FMJ and JHP
7. .45 for the new 1911
8. .223 for the EBR
9. 7mm Rem Mag for the elk rifle
10. 12ga for the HD shotgun and the turkey gun

Good grief, I just realized that there are 10 different calibers in my safe, not to mention some .32 ammo that I got in a deal that I need to get rid of!

Do you guys find yourself in the same boat, or do you streamline your holdings to just keep one pistol caliber and one rifle caliber? I have really expanded my collection in the past 12 months or so, and that has brought a lot of different calibers my way. I'm having fun and not opposed at all, just thought I would see what your experience is.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Eagleks]

I've very intently tried to avoid that issue... ... so I could keep more ammo that would work in several guns. This seems to be the best I could do ... and I've stuck to these calilbers. I think rifle calibers is the area that is the hardest to do it. Because then you add in the "type " of bullet (HP, FMJ, etc) .... and geez..... that adds up bad enough.

Handguns : .357 & 9 mm
Rifles : .22, .223, .357, 30-30 & 30-06
Shotguns : 20 ga.

[ccw9mm]

Do you guys find yourself in the same boat, or do you streamline your holdings to just keep one pistol caliber and one rifle caliber?

I try very hard to keep a short list. It's hard, though, as you point out.

My list at the moment -- 8 calibers, soon to be 7:

• .380 ACP -- defensive pistol (backup)
• 9mm Luger -- defensive pistol
• .357 mag -- lever-action rifle
• .44 mag -- lever-action rifle
• .45 ACP -- defensive pistol
• .243 Win -- bolt-action target rifle
• 8x57 Mauser -- bolt-action rifle (soon to be elim)
• 12ga -- defensive shotgun

Mine is sort of a strange list, I have found. No .22LR for plinking. No larger rifle for big game. No multiples in rifle for fun (once the 8x57 is gone). No 5.56x45mm for an "urban" defensive rifle. But it works for me. Fun enough to enjoy, but not hard to keep track of.

Basically, my list covers: Primary and backup defense, shorty rifle plinking, long-distance target marksmanship. For me, there isn't much need beyond these areas.

I try to keep this in mind, when acquiring: It's almost certain that a given firearm can be found in one of my existing calibers; if not, then it's almost certain I don't need it.

[gasmitty]

Pretty much in the same boat, currently up to 14 calibers/gauges if I leave out the wall-hangers.

BTW, I've had my Pro CDP II for 3 years now, and it's a great gun. Never failed to chamber, fire or eject a round, and it's just that much easier to carry than a steel 5-inch gun. Night sights make it easy to find on the night stand as well. Plus it's a "pretty" gun, good enough for barbecue wear.

Photo shows it in a Horseshoe Leather Model 28 holster (sized for a 5-inch 1911).

[svgheartland]

I've got the same problem and never worried about it until recently. In fact, I wanted diversity. But I found myself buying in to calibers that I didn't really want. I'm reversing the trend now and trying to....just reduce but not minimize.

[DZcarry]

Only 3 calibers in my household: 9mm, .38 special, 12ga. Nice and simple.

I might add .380 to the mix, but I'm not sure. That ammo is so difficult to get a hold of.

[Sandbagger]

Verity is the spice of life. i want more and difrent cals.

Handguns: 4 - 45's, 1- 9mm, 1- 40 cal, 2 - 10mm,
Rifles: 1- 300 winmag, 1 - 7mm mag, 1- 243, 1-22lr, 1-SKS,
Shotguns: 4 -12ga (duck country), 1 20ga (for the boy)

I need more I REALLY need more.

[farronwolf]

Lets see.

.22 One pistol and 5 rifles for plinking
.380 Bersa Thunder - infrequent carry
9mm Wifes G19, my Taurus PT111, 24/7 for carry
38 spl Wifes S&W 642 for carry
357 mag My SP101 for carry, Wifes GP100
44-40 Pair of Cowboy pistols
45 acp DW 1911 infrequent carry
44 special Ammo given to me that I haven't shot up yet
44 mag Ruger Redhawk

7.62x39 SKS for plinking
270 Wifes Savage bolt action
30.06 My Husqvarna bolt action
32 Win Special Wifes Marlin lever gun
35 Remington My Marlin lever gun

20 ga Wifes Winchester shotty
16 ga My Browning Sweet 16 from dad
12 ga My Winchester Shotty

So that is 17 calibers on hand, and I have the stuff to reload just about all those, plus 30-30, and .243 for other guys that shoot these at deer camp. So if I had the need it would be 19 total.

Do pellets count. I have both .177 and .22 calibers for those as well.

Not sure that is is enough or not. Will have to see what guns I get in the future.

[Adameeski]

So that is 17 calibers on hand, and I have the stuff to reload just about all those, plus 30-30, and .243. So if I had the need it would be 19 total.

Not sure that is is enough or not. Will have to see what guns I get in the future.

WOW, Impressive selection.

Mine:

32 acp (Ball and SD for my Beretta Tomcat)
38 Special (Ball for my .357)
357 Magnum (SD rounds)
9mm (Ball and SD for EDC Ruger P94)
45 acp (Ball and SD for my 1911)

12 ga

[pgrass101]

Calibers I stock (meaning a try to have atleast 1,000 rounds of)
.30 carbine
.22 lr
.308/7.62x51mm
9mm
.38spl/.357mag
12ga shotgun (I don't have 1,000 rounds but have close to 500 of mixed shot sizes)

Calibers I have but don't keep a large supply of ammo
.380
.30-06
7.62x54Rmm
7.62x39mm
.303
20 gauge
7mm Rem mag

[Landric]

My number seems to keep expanding. Luckily I handload and cast my own bullets, so with the exception of .22LR and 12 gauge (I don't load for shotgun) I don't have to buy any factory ammunition. Lets see, the list right now is:

.22 LR
.32 S&W Long
.32 H&R Magnum
7.62x38mmR
9x19mm
.38 Special
.357 Magnum
.44 Special
.45 ACP
.223 Remington
.243 Winchester
.30-30 Winchester
7.62x39mm
7.62x54mmR
.30-06 Springfield
.444 Marlin
.45-70 Government
12 Gauge

That puts me at what, 18?

[GunGeezer]

I hadn't really thought much about it until a few weeks ago when I was looking for another toy. I have .22's, .223's, .380's, .38's, .357's, 9mm's, .44 mag's, .44 S&W's, .45's and 12 ga. I was looking at a H&K .40 when it hit me. I thought, what am I, crazy? Who needs so many different calibers. So I bought another 9mm. Crazy like a fox.

[retsupt99]

Mmmmm, let's see...

.22LR
.22mag
.32
.380
.38
9mm
.45
30-30
00 buck

That's about it.

[BlueNinjaGo]

I'm still building my collection...

.22lr
.380acp
9mm
7.62x39mm
20 gauge

My view: You may have more calibers to deal with, BUT during ammo shortages you have more of a chance of finding a caliber you need. (If you only have 1 pistol caliber, what do you do when that caliber is no where to be seen?)

[TheoryRealm]

My collection/calibers covers the basics, because I'm done "toy" buying for the sake of having "toys". I'm of the mindset now on SHTF/survival. No more cool tricked out AR's, or other novelty items that I don't really "need". I had these items for years, but I sold/bartered them to focus on "beans/bullets/bandaids." That 1500 dollar AR that has all the bells and whistles, could buy alot of ammo for my 12ga or .22 rifle for game-survival.
Now, having said all that in a rant....lol

.22LR (3 pistols, 2 semi-auto rifles)
.380 (2 pocket pistols)
.45acp (2 semi auto pistols)
.357 (2 wheelgun pistols)
12 ga (3)

.270 rifle (1 bolt action)
7mm-08 (1 bolt action)
7.62x39mm (2 AK-47's)

Had .40's, had 9mm's, had AR's 5.56, had .32's blaah blaah blaah.
SIMPLE is how I roll, and ammo for the basics is what I'm moving forward with at this juncture. YMMV, but I'm focusing funds on water, food storage, gardening, possible animal production, et cetera.