Anyone here consolidate to only 1 caliber?

I tried to in my handguns but I currently have three different calibers ...
 
If I had to ditch anything it would be the 9mm and .40 S&W. I'll keep the .22, .38/.357, .45acp and the .44 special since I reload for those (except the 22).
 
I have been consolidating down. I sold my Ruger No.1 Stainless Tropical in .458 Lott and my ammo when it got to $7.00 average per trigger pull. Ten boxes of ammo were worth more than the rifle. I sold my FNH FN5.7 and my AR 57 and all of my 5.6X28 ammo. You couldn't find 5.7X28mm ammo before the panic buying started. I sold my 9mm guns and all of my 9mm ammo. I prefer .45 ACP and 10mm for self-defense.
 
I'm down to .22's, .38 Specials and .357 Magnums. I've picked up a 64-8, a Model 60 Pro, a Ruger GP100 and a Ruger SP101 since the first of the year. It's a matter of economics to me narrowing down what I have to keep in stock.
 
At one point in my shooting career I reloaded and shot.....

.454 Casull
.45 Colt
.45 acp
.44 Magnum
.38 Spl. / .357 Magnum
9mm
.308 / 7.62mm
.223 Rem / 5.56mm

plus I had a stable of .22Lr pistols and rifles....

I have since down sized to.....

.45 acp
.38 Spl. / .357 Magnum
9mm
.223 Rem / 5.56mm

and with that it's been a real PIA in acquiring the components to keep the ammo boxes full. I've been kicking around the idea of getting another .44 Magnum, but I keep questioning that desire every time I look at my reloading bench, and the serious lack of supplies. Besides they would require me to use up large pistol primers I would otherwise have for my .45 acp...
I leaning more towards getting another 6" 686, had one several years ago, and kick myself for trading it in on another gun.....
 
LimaCharlie said:
I have been consolidating down. I sold my Ruger No.1 Stainless Tropical in .458 Lott and my ammo when it got to $7.00 average per trigger pull. Ten boxes of ammo were worth more than the rifle. I sold my FNH FN5.7 and my AR 57 and all of my 5.6X28 ammo. You couldn't find 5.7X28mm ammo before the panic buying started. I sold my 9mm guns and all of my 9mm ammo. I prefer .45 ACP and 10mm for self-defense.
Click to expand...

$7 a round? Why didn't you reload? I have a No. 1 in .458 Win Mag, it's very easy to reload for, no tricks and very flexible. The Lott would be slightly less flexible but still easy. Don
 
Came very close to going only .44 special. I just couldn't find a 296 for reasonable $$$. IF I were to go one caliber it would have to be .38/.357 because I could pocket carry (642, 340, 638, etc) or hip carry ( K-frame, GP100, SP-101, Speed six, etc) and long gun with a lever action 38/357. I could load from mild to wild with every conceivable bullet shape. Hope I never have to make that choice but if I do, it's .38/.357!!!!
 
DonD said:
$7 a round? Why didn't you reload? I have a No. 1 in .458 Win Mag, it's very easy to reload for, no tricks and very flexible. The Lott would be slightly less flexible but still easy. Don
Click to expand...


I should have started reloading when I was young and didn't have a stockpile of ammo, but I was in the military and Uncle Sam provided most of my ammo for training. I have been shooting guns since 1953 and accumulating guns since 1962. Now that I am pushing sixty-seven, the cost to acquire the reloading equipment for the nineteen different cartridges I still shoot is cost prohibitive from an actuarial viewpoint.

I averaged shooting the .458 Lott about twenty times a year so the ten boxes of ammo was good for about a ten year supply.
 
mg357 said:
I have not had to consolidate down to one gun caliber yet, but if i have to one day i think it would be .22 caliber since rimfire ammunition is less expensive and i don't have the necessary equipment to reload and i don't have a space in my home for the reloading equipment.
Click to expand...
Despite what you may hear that you have to buy the state of the art progressive press (usually a Dillon), and a whole array of equipment it just isn't true. If I weren't a reloader from way back I wouldn't even consider it today after reading some of the threads I have here. I started with banging out reloads for pistol and shotgun on Lee loaders and progressed to new tools only as I needed them and had space to accomidte them. I think I had been loading for five years before I bought my first scale. I did not have a progressive press until just two years ago and I still don't own a tumbler and never intend to buy one. . Believe me, you can produce quality ammo without breaking the bank on machinery and all you need for pistol can easily be mounted on a B&D Workmate.
 
I've simplified to S&W revolvers, and mostly 45 ACP in 1911 except for 9 MM and 40 S&W.

The Rugers shoot 22 LR. Does that help? I prefer not to discuss simplification of rifles. It gets too confuzing. Are you lost yet?
 
I think it would be hard to not have at least 1 centerfire and 22 LR. Personally, I have thought of getting rid of everything in 44 magnum. If I did, I would probably keep my 44 spl. The older I get the less I feel the need for the heavy hitters (except my SBH Hunter in 45 Colt).
 
thats easy,.......

Consolidation is easy. While I've been away it seems like a new model/chambering has surfaced to dominate discussions and generate intrigue. The mythical "CTG" round has emerged - whether from folklore, technology or just plain word of mouth interactions - to raise the bar on excitement and conversational intensity. Once I get all my other worthless chamberings out of the shooting rotation (disposed of) I'm going to consolidate on the CTG, its a winner.
 
My collection consists of 22LR & 9mm pistols, rifle, and revolvers. It makes for a simpler ammo supply collection.
 
I had started to get down to .357 Mag and .38 Spl when I retired, with .308 as my rifle caliber. That almost worked, but I found I wanted to keep my 1911 .45 ACP, and also my .32 ACP Keltec...things happened over time, and my financial situation improved...Now I have more guns in various calibers than I have ever had in my life, including .32-20 and .44 Russian.

I'm not going back to "austerity"...this is much more fun.

mark
 
Streamlining just hasn't ever worked out for me.
 
More than downsizing to just one caliber, I think downsizing to one load per caliber is a good idea-- at least for me. I have a favorite load for each gun/caliber I own, & have pretty much much setttled on those & got rid of everything else. I recently sold off a couple partially-full cans of gunpowder and several half- and full boxes of bullets for my 7x57 & 250-3000 rifles-- didn't get all that much money (about half of what I had in them) but it sure tidied up my reloading bench.
BTW my 38 spl load is a 158 gr lead HP over a stout charge of W231.
 
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