After reading "Tappan on Survival" for the second time I pared my calibers down to 4. 7.62x51, 7.62x39, .45acp and .22lr. The one 9mm (Glock 17), and .357 (M66 ND), got gone.

Never cared for the 5.56 ctg, so that never even entered the picture. Did have a LNIB Ruger Mini Police only in stainless that I got a very good deal on from a La. Trooper to use for trade bait. Traded it for a NIB Bulgarian SLR 95, which is what I was looking for.

Then, Y2K wasn't and the panic buyers stopped buying and ammo prices dropped in a hurry. Mil Surp was especially cheap. Remember AIM having sealed cases of nice Port x51 for $149 shipped? THAT'S when I bought it. Ended up with 7 cases for my M1a and 2 mil Surp bolt guns in x51.

On the last day of a gun show, case lots of x39 could be had for as little as $50 if the seller didn't feel like lugging them out. But still, $75 was the norm. Higher, you walked past.

Out of The Shotgun News, there was pretty much a one off deal for Wolf MT (rebranded SK Standard+), that was less than, or right at the cost of CCI SV ($186.50/case, shipped).

.45acp was lower, but no 'screaming' deals. Got a couple cases. The IMI .45acp was really 'peppy', still is.

Till the AWB expired in 2004, prices stayed low till then and then started to rise, and rapidly. For those 4+/- years didn't buy any guns, just ammo for my essential guns.

That was really the time to 'buy it cheap and stack it deep'.

Rob

I remember paying $160 + shipping a case for Portuguese or Argentinian 7.62x51 in the 90s and thought I was getting the best deal possible. Sounds like you did even better.

Meh, I think it's better to have guns which are capable of firing more cartridges.

Even if you want to own less firearms, (perhaps due to temporary insanity or a spontaneous decline in testosterone) then it makes more sense to simply own firearms which can easily be converted to fire other cartridges, (Like having a Glock, SIG, or M&P with a couple of conversion barrels) then it does to reduce the amount of cartridges which can be useful to you and becoming utterly reliant on the availability of a handful of cartridges.

Yeah, I know that if you are prepping then obviously you will have stockpiled all the ammo you could ever need, but by that logic, if you have a huge stockpile of ammo then you cannot take it with you, so if you plan on staying put then you have no practical shortage of space with which to store additional firearms, and if you plan on evacuating with whatever you can carry, then it still makes sense in the long run to pack a pistol with a few conversion barrels in your Bug Out Bag.

Also, maybe it's just because I recently recovered from a potentially deadly virus that has been going around, but I've just kind of decided that I'd rather enjoy my life than cower in fear of potential future calamities to the point that I allow said fear to become the driving force behind my actions, ergo I can't see selling firearms which I obviously enjoy (hence why I bought them in the first place) only to end up inevitably regretting it later in my life, and all because some book told me that it was a good idea in an absolute worst case scenario which may never actually occur within my lifetime.

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Shooting Comfort is bilateral.

Some people go to a lot of trouble to have a gun that uses uncommon ammo when the shortages take all of the common ammo. Or they stock pile ammo to the ceiling. When the shortages hit they treat they're ammo stockpile like gold. I usually shoot with a buddy every Friday. He won't go to the range now because he's running short on 9 mm and 5.56 and he's afraid there won't be anymore for a long time. He could be right.

I just laugh. 25K of primers and 20 lbs of powder will last a long time.

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That's just somebody talkin.

If you cast your own bullets and have plenty of powder and primers of appropriate types, what does it matter how many calibers you shoot? I vote for more rather than less. JMHO, of course and YMMV.

Froggie

Despite Forte Smitten Wesson's insulting comment, there may be valid reasons to slim down and consolidate. Cost is a big factor. Several years ago I had to slim down my gun collection in order to pay bills. Got to the point I only had a 642. I've built up my collection somewhat, but I have to be prudent in my choices for future purchases.

Space can be a factor. I live in a fairly small apartment. There's only so much space where I can securely keep my guns, ammo, and related supplies.

For someone focused on more practical purposes, such as self defense, it also makes sense to keep variety down so one doesn't have to learn and practice different manual-of-arms for guns.

If you can afford a variety of guns, calibers, and/or conversion kits, as well as the space to store them all, then it can make sense to do so, both from a practical, availability perspective as well as the simple reason "because you can." For someone on a budget, though, streamlining one's gun and caliber choices may be necessary.

So I focus on 9mm and .38 Special, acquiring what I can for the carry guns I have. For my situation, it makes more sense than trying to buy guns, conversion kits, and have to stockpile a variety of ammo with space and money I don't have.

If things get so bad you need thousands of rounds of ammo, there will be other major problems. Food, water and utilities are a few I can think of off hand. Many problems to focus on.

It’s been a weird go this time and a lot different than 2000, 08, or 16. For the most part, I see 22 and .223 available some places. Just about all the handgun ammo is gone. You may find the occasional .25, 32, and 40. One of my friends working at a small range says they are actually getting a few guns coming in the door people want to trade out of .380 or 9mm guns for something they can find ammo for like a shotgun or 22 of some sort.

Ammunition was almost not available from 2008 until 2014. Thousands of rounds would have come in really handy then.

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Retired Career Security Guard

I like having a couple oddballs, but not so odd that the local big box store might not have some. Right now my main oddball is a .450 Bushmaster.

Have had good luck buying all the .38Spl, .44Spl, and .44Mag I want. .357 is a little tougher.

Piles and piles of .45ACP in some stores near me. 9mm...good luck! Seems everyone went out and bought a 9mm plastic gun.

I don't think Tappan's methods are quite as valid anymore. He lived and wrote during the heyday of milsurp when there was a really good argument for piling up loads of cheap military calibers. Now the only cheap ammo is Russian steel case, of which I get 7.62x39 and little else. As noted above it's more useful to spread out into as many common calibers as you can tolerate with a couple uncommon but current production calibers like .41Mag, .450 Bushmaster, 7mm-08, etc.

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Psalm 27:2

I'm trying to think of something to say about this topic that hasn't been said and there really just isn't anything.

As I mentioned earlier, the Obama Ammo Panic lasted from 2008 to 2014(ish) and that was without Walmart refusing to sell handgun ammunition. I've said it a bunch of times but I made a decision in the middle of it that I was never going to get caught short like that again.

The easiest way for me to achieve that goal was to streamline and consolidate. Having a bunch of different guns doesn't do anything for me. Going to my ammo closet and seeing STACKS of ammunition when there's none for sale does. If that doesn't do it for you I'm fine with that.

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Retired Career Security Guard

@ContinentalOp
My apologies, I wasn't trying to be overtly offensive with my post, but I speak from the heart and I honestly feel that certain folks take preparation too far, often to the point of it becoming detrimental towards their own intended goal.

Furthermore, I've learned an unfortunate lesson over the years, and that's that folks are more likely to heed advice which is blunt, to the point, and with an edge to it. I take no pleasure in being "that guy" but in a world where everyone is either far too concerned with being polite or otherwise doesn't care at all and thus just acts like a jerk all the time, I feel it necessary to walk the line and be the bad guy sometimes.

How often do you see folks waxing poetic about "the one that got away" -- Some beloved firearm(s) they wish they had never sold? And how often do you hear about them selling because they got it into their head that they had too many firearms and needed to downsize for some reason or another?
Frankly, it's terribly sad hearing about so many people making the exact same mistakes, evidently learning nothing from those who came before them. I can't do anything about the more serious examples like folks getting addicted to nicotine or alcohol, then having to go through a painful rehabilitation process then spend the rest of their lives battling their addiction, even though you'd think that folks would have seen enough folks growing up in real life or in various forms of media going through it and thus making the conscious decision not to smoke or drink in the first place, but the least I can do is try to stop folks from making another regrettable decision like selling off their guns because some book told them it was a good idea and encouraging them to make their own decisions.

So if you, the TC, or anyone else here has sold off some of their firearms after careful consideration and without any regrets, then good for you. However, not everyone who takes such measures does so with a clear head, nor do they spend much time thinking it over first, they just do it on impulse, then regret it later. My post was directed at such people.

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Shooting Comfort is bilateral.

Personally, I'd like to be able to pick up a box of any caliber and have a gun that shoots it. I'd never narrow myself down to a few "common" calibers.

The only gun I even nominally regret selling was the first handgun I ever bought, a model 915.

Even then, even if I got a windfall I don't think I'd bother to replace it because I know I'd NEVER carry it.

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Retired Career Security Guard

During the Obama years I stocked plenty of ammo. Now days, I'm shooting ammo from my stock and not buying much.

Then what happens?

Stores ran out of toilet paper and hand cleaners.

Never thought of that happening.

Now I'm wondering what will run out next.

Stocked 90 days of food and water.

Plus rechargeable batteries, flashlights, and a couple solar panels to charge them.

Everyone has different priorities.

I have several handguns I will never carry, but enjoy shooting, including a number or revolvers with 6 inch or longer barrels and a few single actions.

Also I have a small collection of lever action rifles and I don't hunt.

For Y2K I got rid of all my 16gauge doubles.

I’m holding firm to 9mm and.40S&W for SD.

Whitetail hunting is done with 20gauge sabots and .45C.

Simplification is a minimalist’s passion.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have 3 rifle calibers, 22LR, 223/5.56 and 308. Handgun rounds include: 22LR, 9mm, 40 S&W, 45 auto, 38 Special. I don't go for oddball stuff or caliber conversion kits, that's just me. I enjoy shooting everything I have. Only calibers I don't have that I also enjoy is 44 Special and 45 Long Colt. We all enjoy different things and we all prepare in different ways. What works for everyone else is okay with me. :-)

I understand the thinking behind consolidating ammo to rid yourself of dealing with to many calibers. Which works fine if you have ample supply.

But during the current ammo shortage, I've noticed some of the less common calibers are more available, and are lower in price, which can keep those new to gun ownership, and the less prepared better supplied in ammo.

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OGCA Member.

Prices were going up when the AWB expired, but still available and worlds away from 2008 onward.

Rob

FWIW, I did that 8-10months ago, but I do understand. Most of my stock reaches out 6 months or more. But you forgot the "medicinal" alcohol...

IMHO the ammunition panic buying will continue unabated IF the Democrats win the WH. If they also take the senate it might never stop until firearms and ammunition become illegal for private ownership, which is what the Democraps want anyway.

It seems like I unwittingly have done the same as the OP. Long guns in .223/.308/45acp/.22rimfire. Hand guns 38spl/.357mag and max/44spl/45acp.22rimfire. For no more than I shoot these days my ammo supply is ample and have plenty of componets for all of the center fire.