If you were starting over knowing what you know now, pick these calibers

[b.thomas]

Even starting over I'd stay the same.
.22...............S&W 617 (late 1980's,4"bbl, 6 shot)
9mm...........Ruger p95 & S&W 910s
38 special/.357mag...........Ruger Security Six(1982, stainless, 6"bbl)
All I have but works well for me!

[DubC-Hicks]

.22- Beretta M9-22.

.380- Glock 42

9mm- Glock 34

.40- Glock 23 G4 (would love a 19 instead though)

.45- Dan Wesson 1911 of some flavor

Revolver- S&W R8

[Quartermaster]

One each .22, .380, 9mm, .40, 45. And just for fun 1 revolver.

.22- Ruger Mark III Target

.380- Walther PPK (I don't have a 380 currently, the Walther has those classic lines. Plus, I like to think of myself as something of a James Bond...except worse in every possible way )

9mm- Beretta 92FS

.40- CZ Tactical Sport (No real interest in .40 cal, but if I had to chose CZ gets it)

.45- Dan Wesson Valor (One can dream...)

Revolver- Single Action Revolver of some description, possibly a new Vaquero (When I'm not James Bond I'm pale rider )

[JDBerg]

One each .22, .380, 9mm, .40, 45. And just for fun 1 revolver.

.22 Revolver: S&W 617
.380: CZ 82 in 9X18 Mak (close enough to .380 for me)
9mm: Nighthawk Custom BHP
.40 S&W (10mm): Gen4 Glock 20 with KKM .40 S&W conversion barrel
.45ACP: Dan Wesson Pointman 7

[PatientWolf]

So many options, such restrictive rules...
I had to add a couple maybe less common, but still common enough to include...

.22
CZ75b with threaded barrel and Kadet kit. Ignore the fact that it also fires 9mm without the kit. This is my .22.

.380
Sig P232 or Browning 1911 Black Label

9mm
Because I have the CZ already, I can use this as my CCW option. I'm going to say either the Kahr PM9 or Shield 9mm

.357 Sig
Sig P229 (with Xchange kits for .22, 40 S&W and 9mm)

.40
H&K USPc

10mm
Glock G20

.45
A good quality 1911 with good quality .22 conversion kit.

Revolver
Ruger Vaquero .357, S&W model 586 5", S&W K-18 Combat Masterpiece or Ruger SP-101 3" or 4" in .357

[damienph]

.22LR - Ruger MKII Government Target

.380 - Walther PPK/S

.9MM - S&W 439 (or 39-2)

.40S&W - Springfield Armory XD-40 Service

.45ACP - Colt LW Commander

Revolver - S&W 686 4"

[ThesNazud]

interesting....


I think i's go with...


.22 - Beretta Neos
.380 - Walther PPK/S, grew up on James Bond...
9mm - Luger P-08, really always liked the look of that one.
.40 - Sig 229, I'd also get a .357 SIG barrel for versatility...
.45 - ParaOrdinance Black Ops 14.45

Revolver - Always wanted a Walker so i'd most likely get one made by Uberti...

[HistoryJunky]

Some of these I currently own, some not.

22LR - Ruger Mark III Hunter. Own it. Love it. A pleasure to shoot and easy to be accurate with.

380 - Ruger LCP. Own this. Easy to conceal and not terrible to shoot.

9mm - CZ-85b. Own this. My favorite pistol. Good capacity. Great feel in the hand. Fully ambi controls, after all I'm a lefty. Shoots like a dream.

40 - Still regretting selling my M&P 40.

45 - Still don't have a 1911, so probably one of those.

Revolver - Ruger SuperBlackhawk Hunter .44 Magnum. Been eyeing one for awhile but haven't jumped for it yet.

Sent from my SM-G930R4 using Tapatalk

[Don P]

Taurus across the board

[TailGator]

.22LR - Ruger Mark IV
.380 - Sig P238 SAS
9 mm - Glock 26 for carry, Beretta 92FS for range or house. I'm allowed two 9s because:
.40 - pass
.45 - has to be a nice 1911. If I'm spending your money it will be a high end one. If I'm spending mine it might be one of the Rugers.
Revolver - A nice old S&W Model 10 for nostalgia.

Don P. is a rabble rouser!

[5whiskey]

Fun interesting topic... here goes.

S&W Model 48 for the .22
Colt Mustang for the .380
CZ75B for the 9mm
Sig P226 Legion for .40
Springfield Range Officer 1911 for the .45

And a Blued Ruger Redhawk in .45LC for the revolver (well, 2nd revolver being as my .22 was also a revolver).

[cslinger]

Realistically if I had to do it all over. Bear in mind that I like the variety of what I own beyond and probably more so then the practical tool/shooting aspect. That being said if I were to truely pair down....

- I probably would only own a .22 bolt action rifle and ditch the rest of the .22 stuff. 99% of my .22LR itch is met if not exceeded by my air guns.

- 9mm for my handgun(s). - Probably all HK for me. Walther for the wife. (P30, P2000x2, P2000sk, P99, P99c, PPS)

- 12 gauge pump gun

- A good .357/.38 revolver or two.


I could be very very happy with the above and my air gun collection.

[Skans]

I buy guns based on function, design, quality and craftsmanship. Caliber is sort of secondary to me right now.

[Slimjim9]

One of these things is not like the other:

Originally Posted by DonP

Taurus across the board
NRA Range Safety Officer
NRA Certified Pistol Instructor
USPSA NROI Range Officer,
ICORE Range Officer
ICORE Match Director
MAG 40 Graduate

[pete2]

.22LR
9MM
.38 Special
.357 Mag
.40 no thanks
45 ACP
45 Colt

[Bob Wright]

Well, my choice would be:

.45 Colt-Ruger Blackhawk and Colt New Frontier

.44 Magnum Ruger Super Blackhawk

.44 Special Ruger mid frame Blackhawk

.357 Magnum Ruger mid frame Blackhawk

.38 Special Cimarron Open Top Navy

.22 L.R./WMR- Ruger Super Single Six.

I do love the .44 Magnum, and for daily carry, the .45 Colt.


HOLD ON! Sorry I'm way off base here, mis-read your premise according to you thread title.

I've had little experience with most of the cartridges you named to begin with. And I wouldn't know now what I do know if it hadn't been for the ones I've been through over the years. I've had no use for the .380, and not much more for the 9mm. And most auto loaders leave me cold. I believe John Browning's design refined by Colt and the US Army to be the epitome of pistol design if one just must own an auto pistol.

Bob Wright

[pblanc]

I have most of those bases covered, except for the .380 Auto.

.22 LR: What I have is a Walther P22. If I had a do-over it would be the Walther PPQ .22LR

.380 Auto: Probably some variant of the Beretta Cheetah. I like the looks of the Walther PPK/S but do not find them all that pleasant to shoot.

9 mm Luger: I have a good few. I suppose my favorite is the Beretta 92FS.

.40 S&W (and 357 SIG): My SIG-Sauer P229R without a doubt.

.45 ACP: Has to be a model 1911. I have two.

38 Special/357 Magnum revolver: My Ruger GP100.

[chaim]

If you were starting over knowing what you know now, pick these calibers
One each .22, .380, 9mm, .40, 45. And just for fun 1 revolver.

Well, even if I was going to limit myself to a minimum "stable" of guns, I don't see myself going with those specific choices. My minimum to cover everything group would replace the .380 with a carry gun in .40 or 9mm, and I'd have to have at minimum 2 (and preferably more) revolvers. Why not, if I could have 5 autos why would I have to limit myself to 1 revolver?

My bare-bones handguns:

.22: I'm not sure. I've only had one .22 auto (a Ruger MkII) which I sold years ago. Probably a .22 revolver or maybe the new MkIV.

.380 subsitution: Probably a SIG P250 Compact or Subcompact (9mm or .40) or a Glock 19/23 or 26/27.

9mm: CZ 75B

.40: SIG P229

.45ACP: 1911 (probably Colt, Dan Wesson or Springfield Armory)

Revolvers:
A 3" K-frame .357mag (probably keep my S&W 65LS) or a 3" L-frame 686 if I was going to shoot magnums out of it a lot (and preferably both).
My .45LC S&W 625MG


If I wasn't able to switch out the .380, I'd go with a fun gun for the .380 (Beretta 84, CZ 83, Walther PPK), and replace either the 9mm with a smaller CZ P01 or PCR, or the .40 with a Glock 23 or 27 or a SIG P250 Compact or Subcompact. If I could only do 1 revolver, the 3" L-frame since it is (just) small enough to carry yet the L-frame is stout enough to take a steady diet of any magnum loads, up to and including bear loads.

[stephen426]

I'm not sure about why I would need to worry about "do it over". If I really want it, I buy it. If I really hate it, I sell it.

.22 - Browning Buckmark Target
.380 - No real use for a .380, but my mom has a Sig P230
9mm - I am now carrying a Glock 43, but I own a "few" others
.40 - STI Edge (for target, not for carry)
.45 - Thunder Ranch Special (Still my favorite shooting gun)

[chuckscap]

I would just buy the Springfield Pro and Springfield V16 Longslide I own and not bother with any of the others (which I have). They tend to be the only two pistols I ever shoot. I would like a Freedom Arms 454 Casull though.

[WC145]

One each .22, .380, 9mm, .40, 45. And just for fun 1 revolver.

I'd stick with the guns I already have-

H&R 676 .22lr/.22mag convertible revolver

Colt ORM 1991A1 9mm/.38 Super/9x23 Winchester

King's Gun Works 1948 Colt Commercial Gov't .45

Ruger GP100 Match Champion .357mag


I don't have any use for .380s and .40s so I don't own any.

[amprecon]

Ruger Mk III


Cheetah 85FS


Glock 34


Glock 35


SW1911SC


S&W Model 29

[P5 Guy]

22- S&W17
9mm Glock 26
1 revolver S&W 696

I have no use for 380ACP, 40S&W, or 45ACP.

[Hawg]

.22-Ruger MKII Government.
.380-1934 Beretta.
9MM-nada
.40-nada
.45- any decent 1911, preference would be a Rock Island tactical.
One revolver- Uberti/Cimarron in 44-40 or .45 Colt.

[Terminatorret]

.22LR - S&W Model 34 snub nose
.380 - CZ-83
9mm - I prefer 9mm mak...CZ-82 or EG Makarov
.40 - no preference
.45 - 1911 Colt
Revolver - Ruger Speed Six with 2 5/8 barrel