how much does caliber affect your purchases?

[mr bolo]

Caliber is very important, I try to only buy firearms in popular calibers

I use to try out unusual or not so popular calibers, but it became too much trouble getting the ammo for it

my rule is stick with common calibers for firearms I already use so I can share ammo with the rest of my collection.

no oddball calibers

[silvermane_1]

Well just a gander at my sigline , but i own a 400 CorBon barrel for my SR1911 and i plan on buying a 40 S&W barrel for my XD357 and possibly a 30 Luger barrel for my S&W Glock "clone" if i can find one.

[silvermane_1]

Originally Posted by 10-96

It effects my decision to a degree. However, there are at least 3 different calibers that I haven't owned- .44-40, .38-40, and a .32ACP that pique my curiosity and wants. Being the SA page, I'll expound on that a bit. I may not get one... I'm fascinated more by the idea of a .32 that may not exist. I've always been impressed with the accuracy potential of the .32S&W, so I want to be able to see what the .32ACP is capable of. But alas, I have seen no equivalents of a CZ75, 1911, S&W 52, SIG 210 type pistols that could possibly demonstrate a true picture of the little cartridges potential.

All else aside, I have shied away from getting into .40, 10mm, .357 Sig, or any of those old oddballs like the NAA's, Nambu's, and such.

^ IIRC you might be able make 32 NAA with 30 Luger dies.

[stagpanther]

The only reason NOT to have a 40 would be if you already have a 10mm IMHO. I reload for everything that I have--so buying a new gun really has more to do with my interest in the ballistics of the cartridge and seeing what kind of performance I can get from it than an interest in just the gun itself.

[Wag]

I bought a .40 S&W a while back but only because my neighbor had given me a set of dies for it.

Other than that, it's usually the caliber of the wad of cash I have on me at any given moment........

--Wag--

[kenny53]

I am not going to add another caliber to my collection so caliber looms large in my decision making. I don't believe any new calibers they develop will be much better or preform that much more fantastic that I will need to buy new weapons and ammo. MHO

[peterg7]

.380,9mm,.40S&W meet all my CC needs

.45acp, .45Colt my woods/hunting needs.

If I want cool I look to .380acp or .45C


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[TruthTellers]

Originally Posted by kenny53

I am not going to add another caliber to my collection so caliber looms large in my decision making. I don't believe any new calibers they develop will be much better or preform that much more fantastic that I will need to buy new weapons and ammo. MHO

I agree with this, about the only new calibers I see that could become popular that will have any reason for people to buy them is ability to defeat body armor. The 5.7 sucks from a pistol, but .22 TCM seems very capable from a 5 inch barrel.

[IowaShooter]

Originally Posted by DukeConnor

I do not buy firearms based on any practical criteria. I buy firearms I find interesting and fun to shoot.

Yep- ^ what he said

I like to have multiple guns per caliber... Makes it easier to pack the ammo when heading the range!

Here's some I have... I keep adding (.308 comes later this week)


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[HiBC]

I've spent most of my life looking forward to accumulating the next gun...and generally I had to wait on $. A good thing is my whims and my fotunes are not in synch.

Is the cartridge important? Generally,I first choose what I'm going to use the tool for. Whats the job? That could be leisurely plinking,drilling holes in paper,or desperately fighting to stay alive. Or the instrument I choose as part of a plan for a hunt.

And yes,in each case I choose a cartridge,or some acceptable cartridges. I choose based on (IMO) sensible parameters,temperedd with my own quirks.

I really can't argue the .257AI or the 38 Super are "best" at anything...but they will do just fine.

I handload. Each new cartridge means new dies,different bullets,maybe a new powder or two,new brass,used brass,and at some point a guy notices he's just got too much crap. Way too much.

Don't get me wrong! You may enjoy your .25 ACP and your 32 all you want!

If I'm going to carry for a desperate life and death moment,its not going to be a 25 or a 32. I'd compromise for a pocket 380 or 9x18,under the idea"The gun in your pocket holster beats the one at home in the safe"

But IMO,for myself,a .380 is minimum,and the compact 9 mm's...Really,I can compare a Shield 2.0 for weight and compact size to a PA-63,a Makarove,the Berretta 81,the 007 Walther,etc.

Now lets look at getting the job done. The WW2 battle pistols. Mostly 9mm or 45. Mag capacity from 7+1 to 8 or 9 +1. The Shield matches the cartrides and mag capacities. A 45 ACP Shield is 7+1. So is the WW2 1911.
Lugers? P-38's? The Lahti? 9mm and maybe 8+1 ? All the guns over 2 pounds?
Shield? a 20 OZ + or - gun. No DA/SA safety fumbling. Striker gun,draw and fire.

Price?? The S+W is + or - $400.

Why would I carry something a lot less,or a lot more,in most cases? Mag capacity? OK,my M+P 9 C is a lot like a double stack 12 round Shield.

I don't need or even want 25's.32's,etc taking up time,space,and resources. I could stretch to having some little pocket 380 like a Ruger LCR,maybe. But I'm not even thinking about wanting one. You have fun.

Its easy to poke fun at a Woman's closet full of shoes. We can do the same with guns.

Sometimes,we reach the point of realizing "Less is more" But,till you get there,"He who dies with the most toys wins?"

Now,a black powder cap and ball...could be a lot of fun....

[bedbugbilly]

I cast and reload so once I'm set up in a caliber, I don't worry much about food to feed a handgun.

Personally, as far as semi-autos, I've owned 45s but don't have any at this time. A 9mm is my carry handgun and I like the 9mm Luger as far as a cartridge goes. I never thought I'd like the .380 but I love to reload it and now have two different handguns and soon a third - love to plink with them. As I get older, I find myself being drawn to the smaller calibers - mostly for fun guns. Right now, I'm looking for a vintage 32 app - something like the 1905 Colt Pocket or similar.

I don't think I'm so much drawn to the caliber as I am to the gun - I like vintage / good brand handguns and if I find something i like in a caliber I don't reload - I won will reload it. For some reason, I never was drawn to the 40 and others. I'm the same way with Single Action revolvers- love the vintage 38s, 45 Colts, etc. but again, it's primarily the pistol/revolver first and the caliber second.

[jetinteriorguy]

I reload for 9mm, .38sp, .357mag, and .41mag. I'm not really interested in adding any other calibers to my loading regimen and am pretty well covered for anything I will ever need with these calibers. So that's my criteria. I also have levers in both the magnums and a semi auto carbine in 9mm just for extra coverage.

[scoobysnacker]

Originally Posted by IowaShooter

I like to have multiple guns per caliber... Makes it easier to pack the ammo when heading the range!

See, that's my problem with .40 and .380.
I'm TRYING to keep the collection under control , and right now I don't have a .40 or a .380. And btw I don't reload.

So, if I were to add one in another caliber, then I'd want to add a couple more. And I'd want at least a case of ammo on hand at any time. So like I said, for any 40's I see and like, I hunt down a 9mm version, as I have that stocked up.
For any .380's, I have .32 and 9 Mak, and I try to go that version.

Regarding .45 acp, thus far I have successfully restrained myself to fullsize USGI-clone 1911's. 1911 in .45. No other model, not a P220, and not even a Commander or anything else. I know that once you begin, you (I) can't quit.
So I'm trying like heck not to start!

[HiBC]

Its not quite the same as with wrenches or drill bits. You don't really need a full set. Some folks can shoot anything they want any place they will go with a 22,a 30-06,and a 12 guage. A handgun or two rounds it out.

Let your real or imagined targets be your guide.

Try prioritizing experiences over accumulating things. Go and do,

[ms6852]

Caliber choice for me is not based solely on price of ammo or shooting but more on the type of firearm that holds my interest and desire to shoot. For hunting I choose what is available in my backyard so I have no need for dinosaur or tiger calibers. In this case my 30-06 will kill any animal in North America therefore for more than 1/2 a century this has been my only hunting caliber as you can go heavy or light and who knew it would be inexpensive to shoot as well if you do not reload. My conceal carry gun has been a 1911 45 acp. I chose this handgun because I became familiar with it during my military career. Now recently I carry a revolver because the 686 caught my interest and I had to have it so now I carry it.

Even though I own 9mm handguns I rarely shoot them even though the ammo is cheaper. I always practice and shoot what I carry. So I guess caliber does effect my choices if it is the only way I can purchase a firearm that catches my eye, like the Sharps rifle did.

[DavidAGO]

I wish I could say it does not matter what the caliber, because it used to not matter, I could buy what interested me. times have changed. Because of injuty to my hand I am much more recoil adverse than I once was. In my profession I cannot afford to have my hand out of operation, so I have been shooting some of my smaller calibers. My last purchase was one of the Berreta 81s.

I can still shoot some of the larger calibers, .45acp is my favorite, but a magazine full and I am done with shooting it for the session. Needless to say, the large calibers boomers do not get out at all any more unless my son is going with me. in fact I am contemplating actually getting rid of the .44 and .41. I can still shoot .38 out of the .357s so they will stay.

Reloading is not the fun it once was, a few cranks on the handle and my hand cries "uncle". but I have found that shooting the .22s and .38s and now the .32acps are a lot of fun. It is not as much fun to just order a few hundred rounds of .22 or .32, and it hurts my soul to order .38s, but better to order and save my hand for what is ultimately important.

I just cannot see buying any more large bore pistols anymore. they would just sit in my safe and be sad.

David

[Nanuk]

how much does caliber affect your purchases?

That is the first consideration. I want this caliber of a gun, what guns fit my criteria?

[Sequins]

Caliber is the only factor at all for me, caliber and application. Say right now for instance, I'm hot on subsonic suppressed 147gn 9mm right now. I like loading it and shooting it even more. I've recently acquired a Ruger PCC (the free float mlok handguard one), a Kel-tec Sub-2000, and a Beretta Cx4 Storm all in 9mm and I was only purchasing at all because I wanted 9mm carbines to shoot my 147gn loads through.

Or for CCW, I want something smaller than my 26 so I'm grabbing a Kel-tec P-32 and a Ruger LCP, because I want to compare the cheap plastic guns in .380 and .32 and see if the mouse guns satisfy my need for deeper concealment on occasions when the 26 is inadequate.

[COSteve]

Yes . . . . and no.

As I already handload for 16 different calibers, 7 pistol and 9 rifle, you could say that it doesn't. However, I've resisted getting a Mini-30 (I already have a Mini-14) because the 7.62x39 would be a new caliber to handload and I don't want to add another new one.

[jetinteriorguy]

Not to derail this thread, but that Ruger carbine with the rail forend looks cool. Reminds me of a Russian PPSH41, put a wood stock on it and a drum mag and it would be a blast. Add a binary trigger and would be a lot of fun, would burn up a lot of ammo though. Hmm, could be a challenging project for my Just Right Carbine.

[Skans]

I always think about caliber first and then the firearm's features 2nd.

[Ruger45LC]

Caliber first for me, I'm down to only 38/357, .40 and .45 Colt. I've had them all but that's what I'm sticking with so yeah, if it's not in those calibers I'm not interested.

[mr bolo]

I only stocked up on common calibers I already use, so it would make no sense to start using other calibers now, plus the new ammo background checks for California make it more difficult to get any type of ammo

some places require a birth certificate, car registration, US Passport, etc to buy ammo

and some dealers also said if the caliber of ammo doesnt match what in the AFS firearms records in my name they cant sell the ammo

some stores dont have the same policy as others.

[TheGunGeek]

Right now function and caliber is everything, as I'm still building my core system. Adding a caliber means adding the ammunition reserves also, which can quickly get expensive. Therefore I carefully think this out.

Down the road if I have the money and desire to add an odd-ball, it'll be fine. However I'm more of a marksman than a collector, and I'd rather spend my time & money building my skills.

[44caliberkid]

Going by my screen name, nothing in 44 caliber gets past my gaze or my wallet. 44-40 black powder loads and 44 Magnums are my favorite.