Multiple calibers? Or select few?

[ScottsBad]

I have firearms in many calibers: 410, 20 gauge, 12 gauge, .22lr, .38, .357mag, .44mag, .45acp, 9mm, .380acp, .270, 30-06, 300 winmag, .308, 5.56.

BUT I only stock bulk for:
12 Gauge
.22lr
9mm
.45acp
5.56
.308

These are the primaries because they will do everything I can imagine needing to do. I could further eliminate .45acp and .22lr.

[markm]

Other than a handful of pistol ammo on rimfire here and there... I only stash .223. I'm as streamline as it gets.

If things keep going south, the carbine/rifle are all that will matter.

[ScottsBad]

Other than a handful of pistol ammo on rimfire here and there... I only stash .223. I'm as streamline as it gets.

If things keep going south, the carbine/rifle are all that will matter.

Good points all. You are ahead of many of us clinging to hope I guess... Really though, there is a lot to be said for the high speed low drag concept of picking one caliber to stash for the future. Part of the reason I keep several popular calibers in bulk is that I can always sell or trade it. Bad news is that means less money for the most important caliber for me which is also .223/5.56.

[nova3930]

Technically I "shoot" a lot of different calibers, because my "weapons I find interesting" collection is pretty wide caliber-wise everything I own is a shooter.

As far as what I shoot regularly it's down to 9mm, 5.56, 308 and 12 guage....

[Submariner]

Other than a handful of pistol ammo on rimfire here and there... I only stash .223. I'm as streamline as it gets.

If things keep going south, the carbine/rifle are all that will matter.

Recall all the bandwidth expended in the discussions on how we shoot the carbine too much, that we should focus more on the pistol on one's belt as it is the most likely weapon we shall use? Those discussions virtually ignored "if things keep going south."

Stashing .223/5.56 makes sense. There is only so much discretionary income for most of us, particularly if we actually train.

If we get far enough south, it may become more available. In the Falklands War, 2PARA expended far more ammunition in their initial assault on Darwin than could be resupplied. They still needed to conduct the assault on Goose Green.

“So, after the Harrier attack, I gathered everyone together and told them to scrounge all the ammunition they could find. They went off and plundered everything and carried back about seven or eight thousand Argentinian rounds, which fortunately were the same calibre as ours.” Maj. John Crosland, MC, 2 PARA.

http://www.paradata.org.uk/article/1613/related/38367

To get to that point, stashing .223/5.56 really makes sense.

[markm]

Recall all the bandwidth expended in the discussions on how we shoot the carbine too much, that we should focus more on the pistol on one's belt as it is the most likely weapon we shall use? Those discussions virtually ignored "if things keep going south."

I actually don't remember those. When people start babbling about Todd Green drills and shit.. I fall asleep. I barely shoot pistol once per month or maybe even quarter. My marksmanship skills are fine. The glamorous bullshit combat roll mag changes are pathetic. But that's largely romantic fantasy unless you're actually a Patrol officer.

[Whytep38]

I was once on the verge of consolidating. Then the ammo shortages started and I changed my mind.

Ironically, that's the exact reason why I began consolidating. Fewer calibers to support allowed me to increase my support of the calibers I really use and need. Now, ammo shortages don't bother me at all because I'm never close to running out. I let other people pay inflated prices and collect the brass they leave behind.