Consolidating calibers...what to keep?

[MississippiJarhead]

Ok, I grew up hunting and shooting. I have enough hand me down guns that as a mental exercise I'm pretty sure I can't name them all. I have even more that I've acquired myself. Well, the whole idea of keeping a supply of ammo on hand is something I've only been doing for a few years. Before that I'd keep enough on hand for mild defensive scenarios and hunting. I'd buy what I needed shortly before going shooting. I had at least ten rifle calibers.

Over the past I've been consolidating rifle calibers.

I went from twelve center fire calibers to four:

-.30-'06 (Current Primary hunting rifles)
   I might would choose .308 for this role but having several rifles that I can't part with in this
   chambering and an Encore barrel make it impossible to part with. I can't really see adding .308 to
   my lineup. I only have a few hundred rounds of this but I'm actually moving away from this one as
   primary caliber as well.

-.300 Win Mag (Long Range Hunting rifles)
   I have several rifles in this chambering that I cannot part with and besides feel confident I could be
   effective beyond 500 yards with two of them. I doubt I'll ever need that capability but I already have
   them, So...

-7.62x39 (Primary SHTF/defensive rifles and probable future primary hunting caliber)
   Having several rifles in this chambering, it being a respectable man stopper and being cheap and
   plentiful depending on getting a bolt rifle and/or Encore in that chambering.

-.223/5.56x45 (Secondary SHTF/defensive and varmint caliber)
   Having quite a few rifles in this chambering and my wife being very comfortable with an AR, (as am
   I) and the ammo being relatively cheap and plentiful make it a good choice, IMHO. Although it is far
   from ideal it could be used quite effectively on whitetails.

I'm all over the place in pistol calibers but mostly .40S&W, 9x19 and .45ACP. I have weapons in other calibers but I'm not sticking up on ammo for them. This'll come later.

I'm seriously considering getting 9mm barrels and magazines for my Glock 22 & 27 so I can switch to 9mm like my wife's XDs 9 uses but retain the ability to shoot .40.

Of course I still have .22LR weapons have contributed to ensuring there is no .22LR to be had at the local walmart.

So, what are you keeping/stocking up on? Why?

[nelson96]

The .300 Win Mag will cover all bases for any hunting. 

I'm a nut when it comes to protection pieces.  Meaning I feel you can't have too many firearms and/or diversity in calibers, as long as they are common.  I feel if I truly want to protect myself and my family, having diversity to borrow ammo and having lots of firearms to offer to those that may not have one, could prove making the difference.

[TexasGirl]

The .300 Win Mag will cover all bases for any hunting. 

I'm a nut when it comes to protection pieces.  Meaning I feel you can't have too many firearms and/or diversity in calibers, as long as they are common.  I feel if I truly want to protect myself and my family, having diversity to borrow ammo and having lots of firearms to offer to those that may not have one, could prove making the difference.

Yeah?

I sold my .50 BMG bolt rifle, .44 mag carbine, FiveseveN pistol (with it's 30-rnd mags), FN PS 90 (Gen 1), Gwinn .223 arm pistol, Draco 7.62 x 39 pistol, SOCOM 16 (with Troy stock), Rock River AR 15, Glock 23, and a John Moses Browning 1919A4. 

Also sold a MARS, ACOG, ELCAN, PVS 14, MX 50 thermal, IR/vis laser, and a Weaver 4x.

Not sure if there's anything left!  (I'm feeling vulnerable.)


Yes, I have seller's remorse for most of them.

~TG

[nelson96]

Yes, I have seller's remorse for most of them.

Well that's an understatement.

[TexasGirl]

Well that's an understatement.

Not only that, I sold them right before the market hit the roof.  Had I waited, I could have doubled my money on them and the nearly 8,000 rounds of ammo that went too.

But, I have a nice piece of property to retire on now.

Such is life.

~TG

[The Professor]

I've gotten rid of most of my "wildcat" or "off-the-wall" calibers.

. . .and then I'm now considering making a change to our Primary Bug-Out Weapons to  .300 Blackout.

It's a sickness.

The Professor

[nelson96]

But, I have a nice piece of property to retire on now.

Well you should have stated that on your first post, I wouldn't have wasted time feeling sorry for you. 

It's a sickness.

I can think of worse ways to die.

[bdhutier]

I struggled with this for a good long time.  Then, I realized I should start simple.  So, I went with a basic loadout method, and figured I'd branch out from there.  I went with the three basic categories of:

1. Ranged
2. Assault
3. Defense

For each category, I looked at my weapons and asked the eternal question, "If I could only keep one for each of the three functions, which would it be?" (Shotgun/handgun go together).  That's where I began my consolidation.  I used that methodology to plan out my calibers so I would have general ammo uniformity, increase my resources, and narrow my spending to those calibers I actually need and would use. 

That said, there's nothing wrong with maintaining a large variety of weapons which eat an equally large variety of ammo.  But, it's overwhelming and incredibly expensive to try and build a sizable supply of ammo in a whole bunch of calibers.  I think consolidation is a very important step.

Hopefully that addresses your question!

[Mick-boy]

One of the things I had to start taking into account once I started running out of storage space was support equipment.  Parts, springs, magazines, etc. all eat up money and take up space.  If you've got 10 totally different platforms that you want to keep running, even if they share commonality in caliber, they require a considerable investment in spare parts (wear items like springs, extractors, etc.) and magazines (those 30rd magazine clips ain't free you know).

[SnoHam13]

any thing ''short range'' the 12 Ga. will take care of [out to 100 yards]
I can load it down to make it tolerable to shoot and still be effective [cant do recoil]
the 300 win mag was passed on to one of the young-ins
paper patching the 32/40 to see what it can do for me, can load that down too for small game

hand gun rounds 44 and 45 are the main stays

SnoHam13

[MississippiJarhead]

I almost forgot Shotguns:

-12ga (Primary small game, birds, squirrels and rabbits, round) I have a few of these. I'm not
   big on using them, though. I have defensive loads and an 1100 with a 9-shot mag handy
   but I'd probably grab the AK or AR first in an emergency. I may get a Saiga 12, eventually.

-20ga (Secondary small game, birds, squirrels and rabbits, round) I only have one of these, a
   hand me down 1100, one of these but I can't part with it. Otherwise I'd ignore this one. I've
   got a light inventory of ammo for it. I'm not sure why.

-28ga (I also have a family 1100 but no ammo for it and no plans to get any) Was my Great
   Grandfathers, can't part with it.

-.410 (Old New England behind the door for snakes in the yard. One box of #6s) Killed my
   first critter, a rabbit, with it. Can't part with it.

[frankd4]

Shortly after Hurricane Andrew when our whole family and in laws on both sides got together and bought land around each other we decided that we needed to set a group standard for weapons after much debate we settled on 223, 308,45acp and 12ga I bought four Arsenal AK's in 5.56 because I know that my wife and daughters were not going to be good about doing maintenance on AR's, over the years our group has grown and we still have our once a month mandatory meeting the last weekend of the month and take inventory and inspection we also try and have one class on something or other as well as some trigger time on our range, to this day we still maintain our standards. It's a wonderful excuse for our family reunions and Bar BQ's.

[nelson96]

Shortly after Hurricane Andrew when our whole family and in laws on both sides got together and bought land around each other we decided that we needed to set a group standard for weapons after much debate we settled on 223, 308,45acp and 12ga I bought four Arsenal AK's in 5.56 because I know that my wife and daughters were not going to be good about doing maintenance on AR's, over the years our group has grown and we still have our once a month mandatory meeting the last weekend of the month and take inventory and inspection we also try and have one class on something or other as well as some trigger time on our range, to this day we still maintain our standards. It's a wonderful excuse for our family reunions and Bar BQ's.

First I commend you for being proactive, but for your wife and daughters, wouldn't it have made more sense to go with bolt-action rifles?  Would they not get more utility out of them, or are they more for entertainment at the range and possible TEOTWAWKI? . . . .  Not passing judgement, just curious how others think and why.

[endurance]

I'd love to consolidate my 7.62x51 and .270 Win weapons on one caliber, but I love my Browning BAR and it's not made in .308.  I also love the lighter recoil and flat trajectory of the .270 win.

In a wacky world, I'd like to rechamber my FN-FAL in .270, but that's not going to happen.

[nelson96]

I'd love to consolidate my 7.62x51 and .270 Win weapons on one caliber, but I love my Browning BAR and it's not made in .308.  I also love the lighter recoil and flat trajectory of the .270 win.

In a wacky world, I'd like to rechamber my FN-FAL in .270, but that's not going to happen.

The Smith I recenlty started working with has a Professional client that is using him to help him build a .270 rifle around the .270 WSM bullet/cartridge he developed.  He's using it for long range hunting and took a deer at over 1100 yards last year.  This client believes the .270 to be the best all-around caliber there is.

[endurance]

The Smith I recenlty started working with has a Professional client that is using him to help him build a .270 rifle around the .270 WSM bullet/cartridge he developed.  He's using it for long range hunting and took a deer at over 1100 yards last year.  This client believes the .270 to be the best all-around caliber there is.

That's remarkable. I wouldn't even know how to shoot at a target at that distance, no less a live animal. I don't understand how some people can walk, you know, with stones that big and all.

[nelson96]

That's remarkable. I wouldn't even know how to shoot at a target at that distance, no less a live animal. I don't understand how some people can walk, you know, with stones that big and all.

Indeed 

.270 is not a caliber you here talked about a lot for long range hunting.  I was certainly impressed.

[TexasGirl]

Indeed 

.270 is not a caliber you here talked about a lot for long range hunting.  I was certainly impressed.

We don't get to do much long range hunting in East Texas, something about pine trees.... but I do have a .270 bolt.  Friends in Montana think the .270 has the best ballistic coefficient of American cartridges.  They have more opportunity to push it to the limit up there.

~TG

[nelson96]

We don't get to do much long range hunting in East Texas, something about pine trees.... but I do have a .270 bolt.  Friends in Montana think the .270 has the best ballistic coefficient of American cartridges.  They have more opportunity to push it to the limit up there.

BC is king

[frankd4]

The wife and daughters train along side the men and know and use small unit tactics fire and maneuvering as well as ambushes when it comes to fighting and self defense  we make no distinctions between men and women after all they have Lott more to lose if captured alive we pound it into their heads, I am very proud of them they work very hard.

[never_retreat]

I can think of worse ways to die.

Buried under a pile of guns and ammo?

I've maintained keeping my handguns standardized for the most part. 9mm,45,38/357, and 22. With a little 45lc, 32 and 25.

Rifles on the other hand no so much. Most are one off calibers except .223 I have 3 guns that shoot that.
22, 30-30, 30-06, 270 win, 223, 50 bmg.

Stack of shotguns most 12 ga. But some 20 and 16 also.

[Chemsoldier]

The wife and daughters train along side the men and know and use small unit tactics fire and maneuvering as well as ambushes when it comes to fighting and self defense  we make no distinctions between men and women after all they have Lott more to lose if captured alive we pound it into their heads, I am very proud of them they work very hard.

Thought: If they have the discipline or interest to learn Small unit Tactics, than they have the discipline or interest to maintain an AR vice an AK.

[Duc1]

I also have several centerfire calibers but I primarily stock up on 556/223, 6 or 7 cases and then .308, maybe 2000 rds or so.  I have reloading dies for all calibers and I enjoy working up loads for semi obscure loads like the 6.5 x 55, and other more common calibers.  I keep about 200 factory rounds for the 6.5 x 55, 270, 6.8, 7mm -08, 30-06, 45 - 70, and 30-30, and then I have reloading components for all.