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Advantage of owning multiple caliber

16K views 50 replies 37 participants last post by  CDRGlock 
#1 ·
I’m almost a year into concealed carry. I have two goals, self-defense and home defense.

My current inventory - Glock 19 for EDC, a Remington 870 shotgun for the house, and a Judge for my wife. I have 1,000 rounds for the 19, 500 for the 870, and 200 for the Judge. I had planned to purchase a 45 so I’ve saved $1,000. I keep reading the different threads here about what is better a 9MM, 40, or 45.

Here is my question.

Would I be better off spending the money I’ve saved for additional ammo for the 19 and 870 or should I purchase a 45?

I do not understand the advantages of owning multiple caliber guns over one good gun with a sufficient amount of ammo.

Thanks in advance for those who reply.

Mike
 
#33 ·
I cannot afford 20+ nice vehicles. However, I can afford 20+ nice firearms. Were I wealthy, I still wouldn't have more than a few nice trucks, maybe a nice car, but I assure you the gun collection would increase geometrically.

I have many calibers simply because I want them.
 
#35 ·
It is good to have multiple weapons.
It does not hurt to have various calibers if you can afford it.
It sounds like you have ample ammo reserves.:yup:

Additional ammo? How much do you practice?
 
#36 ·
...I have two goals, self-defense and home defense.

My current inventory - Glock 19 for EDC, a Remington 870 shotgun for the house, and a Judge for my wife... I had planned to purchase a 45 so I’ve saved $1,000. I keep reading the different threads here about what is better a 9MM, 40, or 45.

Here is my question.

Would I be better off spending the money I’ve saved for additional ammo for the 19 and 870 or should I purchase a 45?

I do not understand the advantages of owning multiple caliber guns over one good gun with a sufficient amount of ammo...
Might not exactly answer your question, but here's my $.02:

Like several of the guys have said, for strictly SD/HD use, there isn't much value in having a bunch of calibers - but for the enjoyment of shooting & collecting, there is. I've had handguns in most every major caliber from .22LR through .44 Mag revolvers, and .22LR through .45ACP semi-autos. My CCW of choice is a CM9 9mm or, when I don't mind a little extra size & weight, my CW45.

For HD, the 12 ga. is my weapon of choice, but handgun-wise, since size & weight doesn't really matter, I like a full-size hi-capacity 9mm, .40, or .45. The XDm .40 usually fills that role.

If I absolutely could only have one handgun, it would be a .357 Mag, for simplicity, reliability, and versatility. A 4" .357 is my wife's nightstand gun for those same reasons. It's loaded with .38 +P's, since she really does not handle recoil & muzzle blast well.

Getting back to your question: You've got ammo for the 870 and the Judge covered, and depending on how much you're planning to shoot, 1000 rounds of 9mm might last you a good while. The logical choice might be to get more 9mm ammo, but that wouldn't be MY choice. Every guy oughtta have a .45! If it were me, I'd get a mid-level .45; either a 1911, something like an XDm, SIG, or an M&P, or a Kahr. You'll have plenty of dough left over for ammo, and can restock the 9mm supply and the .45 as time & finances permit. For me, a new gun beats more ammo every time! :danceban: (But I have plenty of ammo for all my calibers already.)

Oh, and when you can swing it, you'll want a good .44 Mag for SD against bear, too! :biggrin2:

Regards,
Jim
 
#37 ·
My .02 cents, given what you have.... a .357.
 
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#38 ·
I am a firm believer in multiple guns in the same caliber so if one goes down you have another gun so your not wasting ammo with only one gun. I would get another 9mm and maybe a Glock since you already own one.
 
#41 ·
I would use that $1000 saved to double up on the Glock 19 and shotgun. The survivalist saying is, "one is none, two is one." A backup for the EDC would allow to keep running the same if you had to send the pistol out. An identical backup for your HD shotgun would allow both you and your wife to have one and they back each other up for parts and/or service outages. The judge pistol, well, one is enough.
 
#42 ·
Thanks to everyone who took time to reply.

I deal with AtlanticTatical because they discount for LEO and Military. I'd really like a 45 but, currently, they do not have a G 36. For me, the 30 is a little too big. I think I'm going to get a G26 and 1,000 rounds of ammo. I can share the magazines from my G 19. I'll start saving again for a 45 and if I can find a 36 or Colt 1911 then I'll have another decision.


Mike
 
#43 ·
I have .45 for my primary carry, 9 for my wife's primary carry (and my car gun), .223 and 12 ga for home. 22 lr for my kids' guns. I don't see any reason for other calibers, unless it might give me an excuse to buy more guns...now that I think about it, I just might need several more calibers...
 
#44 ·
You really need a .357. Everybody does. And I'm a semi-auto guy. :yup:

Regards,
Jim
 
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#45 ·
I think of it more as owning multiple 'roles'. An N-Frame makes a good hunting sidearm but it's not a great summer carry. And I wouldn't wanna fend off an armed attack at home with my M77. The only duplication I currently own in 'roles' is my Super Blackhawk and my S&W M57-1. Well.. guess my Mauser 7mm fills the same role as the M77. Which is great kuz both the mauser and the blackhawk are down!.. But for your situation I guess the question would be what is the 9mm not doing that the 45 would do? If it's an SHTF role you're looking to fill, you have a few handguns and a shotgun, get a middle of the road AK so you can still afford some 7.62 :D
 
#46 ·
It's good to be proficient with many tools. My guns range from 22, 380, 9, 38, 357, 40, 45, 223 and 12 gauge.

If it is $1000 you have then I recommend saving it for a rainy day. If you buy another gun, you'll need ammo, mags, holster and whatever else. You can easily add $200-$300 on top of your gun purchase.


Lifetime NRA Member
 
#48 ·
My post above was only somewhat in jest. I have pistols in all of the major large pistol calibers (.38, .357, 9 mm, .357 SIG, .40 S&W, .45 acp) and several of the minor ones. I keep enough ammunition or components on hand to be able to shoot them and have a reserve. I enjoy shooting a variety of pistols and revolvers, therefore the contents of my safe reflect this.

I have a Glock 31 with barrels for .40 and 9mm to have a triple threat or three times the fun. I also have a SIG with more than one barrel. I am an old man and love my 1911s, but I have a current issue M-9. Variety makes life more enjoyable.

IMHO, you can not have enough variety in .22 rimfire pistols and revolvers. This is cheap and fun to shoot and is great practice for any shooting situation.

New Logic:
l. Buy guns
2. Buy ammo
3. Shoot and enjoy
 
#49 ·
given a $1000 budget, and the original options suggested by the OP, I would opt for more calibers and ammunition. I really don't think you have to shoot many thousands of rounds per year to stay operationally proficient with any firearm, although one does need to "know" his firearms. Given that thought, a simple .357 revolver is easy to learn the fundamentals, particularly at SD/HD distance needs. Yes, to be a "bullseye" shooter one will probably need the large ammo budget and routine practice, but for basic needs one can be adequately proficient as long as the gun fits the hand. The .357 mag revolver gives you multitudes of ammo choices in both .38 spcl and .357 mag, including shotshells. I'm also in the camp with the idea that everyone should have at least one .22 lr firearm, either handgun or rifle. If it came down to only one of the two, I'd choose a pistol, preferably a Ruger MKx (I prefer the older MKII) or Browning Buckmark, or possibly the new SP101 in .22 lr with 4" barrel (haven't handled one yet). The .22 ammo is still relatively inexpensive, easy to store in quantity, and fills many needs/uses.

So, with $1000 to invest I would opt for both a .357 revo and a .22 cal pistol, and divvy up the balance of the funds for a few boxes of various 38/357 ammo and a few cartons of .22 lr. I guess that puts me in the "more calibers" column, but I find that in my day to day life that different circumstances call for different tools.


surv
 
#50 ·
Good discussion on this thread.

I lean toward fewer calibers.

I have a Ruger Mk III for .22LR (great fun to shoot and the ammo is quite affordable).

I have a Glock G36 (for my CCW) and I also have a Glock G30SF. Both are .45acp.

Then, there is the Judge, which accepts either .410 shotshells or .45 long colt. My personal choice for self defense loads are the .410 Winchester PDX1. My wife has her choice of the Judge or the Ruger Mk III for any problems at home.

We also have a Mossberg shotgun (12 guage) with a bunch of ammo on hand.

I have more than enough ammo for the Judge, the shotgun, and the Ruger Mk III.

I continue to acquire .45acp ammo for my primary self defense handguns the G36 and the G30SF. While the .45acp ammo can be more pricey than other ammunition choices, it's ability to rapidly "end the threat" more than makes up for that issue. Therefore, I am stockpiling .45acp.
 
#51 ·
Once you master a double action trigger of a revolver, shooting any other gun comes easy. Irregardless of design. The nuances of how the different guns handle comes with shooting frequently. I shoot a multitude. No significant difference.


Lifetime NRA Member
 
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