Posted: 2/21/2008 6:05:58 AM EDT
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I currently have handguns in 9mm, 10mm, .45, and .38/.357... and there really is no way to say it, but buying ammo to shoot everything I have is...well, it's a bitch. (read:F'ing Expensive) So my question is, do I just suck it up and deal with the bitch, or should I start trading/selling to reduce my number of calibers to one or two? Or is there another option? I thought of just picking a "main few" guns of one caliber and just shooting the others on an occasional basis, however it grates on me to have gun in the safe that I paid 400-800 bucks for that just sit there and dont get shot... What are your thoughts? Anyone out there previously have the same issue and make any decisions that were easier to live with than a wife who fusses about a 400 buck a month ammo bill? |
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That really doesn't seem like that many calibers to me. Personaly I would rather learn to reload ammo than start selling guns to uniform my ammo supply. Perhaps buying cheap ammo for the 9mm and .38 and reloading your own for the 10mm, .45 and .357. But thats just my take on it... I'm already putting my wishlist together on cabelas.com for a reloading setup due to ammo cost. I don't have as many calibers as you but it is expensive. I share an apartment right now so im looking at their hand press instead of a press that needs to be secured to a workbench. I currently only own a .223 and 30-06 at this time. Looking to purchase either a .45 or a 10mm in the not to distant future. |
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Keep the wheel gun if you are like me and don't shoot them much. I have gotten rid of my 'odd' calibers and went to .40 cal and have no 9mm or 45 since it bridges the gap for me. If I were you, I would KISS and sell the 10mm and keep the 9mm and 45. Last resort, keep the 45. Ammo consolidation is a huge money saver and helps focus for me. |
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Looking back I regret selling every gun I've ever sold. So my first thought is NOT to sell. Look at it this way, guns don't go bad like a loaf of bread. So you don't shoot a few of them for a while, so what? You'll still have them for that sunny day when the urge strikes you to pull one out and have some fun. And your third option? Reload. The initial investment wouldn't be that much more than a couple of cases of factory ammo. And it will pay for itself in no time. An added plus is being able to work up custom loads for each gun and/or each discipline you use the gun for. |
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Yeah I have already narrowed my shotgun and rifle selections to .223 and 12gauge (with the exception of one 30-30 that was given me by my father)... Now I was looking to do the same with my pistols. Each caliber and platform has its own advantages, so I guess its just a matter of deciding which advantages mean the most to me, and are most applicable, if I do indeed narrow my caliber choice. I have already gotten rid of my one .40 cal and my one .44 magnum. I only have one 10mm as well, but have multiple selections of the other calibers, the most of which are represented in 9mm, followed by .38/.357 and then .45. |
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I've already decided to start to standardize my calibers since it really is a lot cheaper. 9mm and .45 for pistols (considered 40 instead of 9mm but didn't think it was worth it compared to the 45) 22LR for pistols and rifles just cuz it's cheap and everyone needs at least 1 223/5.56 for my 3 (probably will become 4) ARs 7.62x39 for my SKS and 2 AKs 30-06/7.62x63 for My M1's and 1903s3. Eventually I'll get a bolt gun in this caliber as well instead of 308. It also happens to be a very common caliber which is nice 12GA whenever I get around to getting a shotgun if it ever happens |
BIG +1 I have: 9mm, 38/357, 40SW, 45ACP, 5.56mm, .240 Weatherby, 7mm, 12ga, 30.06, 30 carbine.....I just recently got into reloading and it is already cheaper. Do a litte research to figure how many rounds you'll have to reload before the press, dies etc. pay for itself. You'll be surprised how few it is. |
| Keep 'em all. You're going to shoot the ammo whether it's 9mm, .38 or .45. Why not keep some variety in your life? It's not like you have a logistics problem supplying ammo to you halfway arounfd the world. I'm assuming your logisics is something like: Walk into Walmart and pick up a box of 9mm, a box of .38, and a box of .45. How is that any different than walking into Walmart and picking up three boxes of 9mm? If you don't like cleaning three or more different guns just rotate which one you take to the range rather than taking them all every time. |
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I'm going to keep all my handgun and rifle calibers. As posted above, I've regretted it every time I've sold a gun... well, the Was this AMT Backup one time...... but aside from that , I wish I still had those others. Look at it this way. If the S does finally hit the F, you will be able to take advantage of all that ammo that others won't have a gun for . 
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+ eleventy billion Buy components on sale in large quantities. Set up a cost calculator in excel and start figuring out what it will cost per round with various components. I used to be able to load a box of .38 specials for $2.44/50 rounds. Stuff has gone up since then, but even if that's $4/50 rounds, thats still less than half what a box of factory .38 specials run. I never have figured my cost on .357 loads, but I know it has to be less than half of the $25 a box for factory stuff. On the .45 and 10mm it shouldn't be too hard at all to come out ahead of factory ammo costs. When WWB 9mm was $12 per 100 I tried finding a way to load it cheaper. The cost was so close I didn't bother buying dies and spending the time to do it. That may have changed now, you'd just have to run the numbers. |
There ya go! I buy some guns for heavy use, eg. defense or hunting, and other guns because I want to add to the collection. |
| Reload....It will pay for itself quickly, you can easily taylor your loads to the pistol, I've been reloading for 25yrs, I'm loading 13 calibers. I don't buy ammo from the store very often, rarely,if ever. Reloading was one of the few things I've done that really paid for itself, and is still affordable. Don't sell any of your handguns, just save up some money and start looking for some reloading equiptment. Reloading is not that hard to do. |
If you are spending $400 a month on factory ammo and NOT reloading, you sir are full of FAIL and should be barred from owning firearms. That is pushing 5K a year. At that level of shooting, you need to learn to reload and could easily justify a nice Dillon setup. |
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I'll throw something different out there, add a .22lr to the mix. Ammo's cheap enough to be able to put a lot of rounds downrange for very little money. Treat it like a practice gun, shoot the other calibers less & make what you do shoot through them count. I've got pistols in .22, 9mm, 38, 357, & 45. I probably spend 60% of my time with my 22, and most of the rest with the same 9mm. The other guns come out, just not as much. When I'm in the mood to shoot my 357 or my 1911 I bring it, just not every time I go. Less guns to clean, & a lot easier on the wallet. Figure out what 11 boxes of ammo costs you in any of your calibers. Same quantity of 22 can be had at walmart for about 12 bucks. |
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Don't sell Clean a couple of them and put them in the back of the safe, and forget about them for six months or so. I have 5 handgun calibers that I try to rotate. I don't think it keeps the cost down. I usually feel less rushed at the range when I only bring a couple. |
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I'm the opposite, I'm trying to collect all the major handgun calibers. I still need .22, .357sig, 10mm, .44mag and a few others. I like to shoot them back to back and experience what they are all like instead of limiting myself to only one or two calibers. Plus my ammo shelf looks cool with all the different types of ammo arranged like a mini-gun store display.
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LIke others have said, just put some in the back of the safe for a bit. I don't plan on ever selling any of mine (except maybe a spare BPS I have two of- don't ask). Just because you have it, doesn't mean you have to shoot it once a month or it blows up... PLUS, what happens if legislation gets changed and you can own so many of each type or another mag cap law goes in and you sold off your high caps? You'll hate yourself for it! |
This is a good point too. I try to limit myself to 1 firearm when I go. Many times I end up with shooting 2, but it's better than bringing like 5 of them and just burning ammo. Although admittedly, that can be fun too, you just don't really accomplish much besides stress relief. |
I was in similar straights.....I had cut down to 5.56, 7.62 NATO and 22lr for my rifles and 22lr, 9 mil and 45 Auto for my pistols.... then came the Third Series Detective Special...... damn those sexy .38 snubbies!!!  |
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For me, it started off with a 9mm Taurus PT-99 AFS 15 years ago. Fast forward to last year and I've got another 9mm pistol, .357 magnum revolver, .45 ACP pistol, .223 rem AR-15, and a 12 gauge shotgun. I just recently sold the Taurus 9mm. Looking forward in getting a .22lr pistol, .44 magnum revolver, and another .45 ACP pistol (I just love that pistol caliber). I'm definitely not paring down my caliber list anytime soon. I want to have a range of popular calibers to shoot. I don't shoot $400 worth of ammo a month but when I do want to shoot, I'll just buy what I need to get my rocks off and be happy with that.
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I keep adding calibers myself. Frankly, I blame this website for it! Because of several posts on here, I bought a Sistema "1911" (add .45ACP), a CZ-82 (add 9mm Makarov), and now I'm shopping for a SIG Sauer P6 (add 9mm Parabellum). Look at it this way: the more calibers you have, the easier it is for you to take advantage of an ammo sale.
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Just what I was thinking. Just what I did. Start out with loading one or two calibers. Its cut my shooting cost from %40-70%. It has really helped since the wife lost her job but I started reloading long before she lost her job. Just hope you have been saving your brass. |
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Depends on if you need all those calibers or not. What do you use the 10mm and .357 for? do you use them in the outdoors? if so, get rid of one of them, (or just don't shoot it) and use the other for that purpose. For my purposes, I have 9mm, 5.56, and 12ga as my primary calibers (hoping to add a major caliber bolt gun, hopefully .308). Anything besides those will be on a purchase as needed basis. I will not stock large quantities of ammo for any other calibers. |