New handgun - Same caliber or different?

H

hasbro_fan

New member
So it's about time for another handgun. I've researched the options - size, caliber, uses, brands, etc. I could add a new revolver in 22 or 38 2" to go with my 357 4" and 22 22A, or a 9mm like CW9 or PF9 to go with my SR9, or branch out into new calibers like 25, 32, 380, or 45.

So my question is simple - for you, when you think about adding a new handgun, is matching one of your existing calibers important to you? I imagine it may change over time or with the number of handguns you have, or one from your bucket list so caliber is not important at that point. Otherwise, is it a key factor?
 
A snub nose would be a good choice or a 1911 .45, but it will cost a little more to shoot that .45. My 1911 is my favorite handgun to shoot and my snub nose is my favorite handgun to carry. I like guns so I try different calibers. Barrel length is the main thing that effects my accuracy not caliber. I have to practice more with my snub nose.
 
Two things we'd have to know:

a) What have you already got?
b) What do you want to do?

To me, one caliber is not enough, but more than five gets iffy.

If your collection is all combat handguns, you could easily get by with one caliber.

Personally, I like to have a bit of everything.

I have:
  1. A 12 ga. full choke shotgun
  2. A 6mm Remington for my centerfire rifle
  3. Four 22LRs (2 rifles, 2 handguns)
  4. A 9mm combat pistol
  5. A 357 Magnum combat revolver
  6. A 44 Magnum hunting/target revolver
  7. A 380 compact pistol
  8. Reloading equipment for 45 ACP

I reload all of them except 12 ga. and obviously, 22LR

I won't add any more calibers unless I can't do something with those I have. As it is, I can take anything from squirrels to deer to sporting clays to paper targets.

I'm thinking of adding a 44 Magnum lever action, but that's the same caliber. If I wanted to add another compact defense handgun, it'd probably be either 9mm or 38 Special, both of which I'm already set up for.

For all I know, you only have a 9mm pistol. Do you want to get into deer hunting? Then add a caliber. Want to do action shooting like IDPA or USPSA? Add a holster, ammo, and magazines to what you already have.
 
I'm trying to simplify my life and (reloading supply list) by decreasing the number of calibers I have for both rifle and pistol. Having said that, I just added an new caliber because the pistol I wanted only came in that caliber.

If the handgun you want comes in multiple caliber configurations, you might want to buy the same caliber you already own. It really is simpler (and cheaper) to buy ammo or reload for a single caliber

Bottom line - Buy the handgun you want, don't worry about having multiple calibers. If you stay at this sport for very long, the calibers will proliferate no matter how hard you try to control them.
 
I'm an impulse buyer. Very seldem have I set out to buy a firearm. All of a sudden something hits me and I buy, regardless of caliber, whether I have one like it or not.
 
Hasbro_fan,

If you're set on something like a 2" revolver, I'd avoid the .22 snubby. They make a dandy kit gun for fishing where you need to dispatch a large, strong fish or pop a few shots off at varmints around the campsite. But for anything else they're hardly worth the expense.

You said you have a 4" .357. If it's a S&W K/L framed gun, or even a GP 100, I'd suggest a .22 like the 617. The similar size and weight with 10-shots of .22LR will let you practice for low cost.
M617M_1180.jpg

S&W 617, 10-shot K-Frame .22LR

From your 9mm preferences and talk about a snubby, it appears you're looking for a pistol that will also do double-duty as a CCW piece. In that case, stick with the proven calibers of 9mm and up.

New caliber vs. existing:
Having too many calibers and cartridges around can be a logistical headache. I'd suggest sticking with what you already have - .22LR, 9mm and .38/.357. If you branch out to the .45 ACP that covers the major common calibers. But you already have a good "man stopper" cartridge with the .357 Magnum.

For a CCW piece, I'd suggest looking at the stainless S&W 640 or 649 (below). Both are .357 Mags but are generally carried with .38 +P ammo. This simplifies logistics since it will fire the same ammo as your 4" .357. If you decide on a .38 special 2", the 442, 642 or 638 lightweight guns are probably what you'll want. Easy to carry and still potent enough to do the job.
M649_001.jpg

S&W Model 649 5-shots, .357 Magnum
 
or branch out into new calibers like 25, 32, 380, or 45.
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Let's just get the bulk of these out of the way early: .25, .32 and .380, forget them. The .380 is good for only two things on earth-- if you have a REALLY recoil sensitive person that can't handle even a 9mm, you can get a .380 in one of the few larger platforms. The other use for .380 is for a pocket defense pistol. If you aren't licensed to carry concealed or you don't intend to be, forget the caliber entirely. .25 and .32 are worthless examples of stuff smaller than .380 but put in to the same role. They don't offer accuracy, they don't offer any usable power. Delete them from your mind. They no longer exist.

.45 is certainly a viable option. For defense, for fun, for serious target work, to make yourself a better shooter. Inherently accurate and many very good platforms available for it. Ammo isn't the cheapest in the world, but the truth is that it's the same price, similar or less than .25, .32 and .380 ammo! If you ever get in to reloading, it's as cheap as anything else you can roll.

Now, have you considered picking up something in a different platform? Do you own a single action revolver?
 
Excellent post BillCA.

I thought I had put information on what I already have in my OP. My existing handguns are full size - S&W 22A, 4" 357 revolver, and SR9. I am very pleased with these and enjoy trips to the range. The 22A has been very reliable, fires every type of 22LR I find, and helps me practice the basics. I usually use 38 +p instead of 357 loads because I am more accurate with that load. The SR9 consumes 115 and 147 without any issues.

I am thinking about a CCW size, but was wondering if staying with an existing caliber should be a factor, or not. If 22, then 2" revolver and there are some options. If 38 +p/357, then 2" revolver, there are several options. If 9mm, then a small frame single stack.

If caliber is a low consideration, then most likely focus on either a small frame CCW handgun or a 1911. Totally different, I know.

Thank you for your replies. Always good to hear from others.
 
Delete them from your mind. They no longer exist.
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OK. Done. I have researched ballistic information on several calibers (Winchester site is a good example) so I understand the differences between each, and have read numerous sources including Frank James "Effective Handgun Defense".

Now, have you considered picking up something in a different platform? Do you own a single action revolver?
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I have thought about one, but probably not for this next purchase.
 
Here's two other directions you could go, depending on the time you have, the money you can appropriate, and the interest in taking the plunge.

1) Gun Safe-- if you don't have one, you've got a major league hole in your collection. If you live in an apartment or otherwise don't have a residence you intend to stay at for the next 10-40 years, probably not the time to go this route. But as you continue to pile up firearms, I don't know how anyone could live without one. I'm a horribly frugal guy that -HAS- to get my value in any purchase, but I happily spent somewhere around two to three handguns worth of $$$ on my safe and I bought it less than 6 months after buying my house. I love my safe, it's as important to me as the firearms inside it.

2) Reloading: there's never been a better time. Many think that you can "save money" by doing this, but that's not the reality. Ammo is certainly cheaper, but the cash outlay for the equipment and then the big shocker of buying components (bullets, powder, primers, brass if you need it) is another major cash expenditure. But what you end up with is ammo that works better than the stuff you've been buying and a supply that you control without running to a store on the way to the shooting range. And for many of us (not all of us) you end up with a helluva great hobby that's as enjoyable and perhaps even more enjoyable than shooting itself.

Niether is a "next handgun" but both are ways to think with regards to the money that you'd spend on the next one.
 
Oddly enough, I'm the exact opposite. I typically seek out gun in calibers I don't already own in order to add variety to my collection. The only "duplicates" I own are two S&W .357 Magnums, but they're different finishes, frame sizes, and barrel lengths.
 
I typically seek out gun in calibers I don't already own in order to add variety to my collection.
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+1. My only bleed over between guns is that both my snubby Airweight and my 686 both shoot .38 spls. Otherwise, I won't buy a gun that shoots a caliber I already shoot.
 
Rather than start with the question, "What caliber?" you should start with the question, "What function or niche will this gun serve?"

If it is indeed for possible concealed carry, then I would agree with BillCA to the extent he suggested a snubby revolver. I would, however, suggest one of SW's Airweight .38 specials rated for +P ammo like the 638. I would choose this over the steel .357 magnum snubbies. Many times, I'll carry an Airweight just because it is lighter and, as BillCA mentioned, most people shoot .38 spl +P out of the .357 magnums.

I also wouldn't worry too much about having too many calibers. For example, I use different .38 special loads for general plinking, self-defense out of a snubby, and self-defense out of 4 inch barreled guns. Many shooters will tailor handloads to specific guns. It makes sense that you have an adequate stock of ammo for your primary gun or two. But after that, it really doesn't matter too much if you have a large stock of ammo on hand for the non-primary guns.
 
Sounds like Sevens has never shot a 380. They kick about the same as a medium sized 9mm, and more than a full-sized 9mm. They penetrate 9-11" of ballistic gelatin, which is considered equal to 3-4" in a human body. That is with hollowpoints. With FMJ it should be plenty adequate to git 'er done.

+1 on the safe & reloading though.
 
The OP's question was primarily about expanding his collection to include more calibers, and I'd say to keep it simple.

Pick a small number of favorite calibers and keep the collection limited to those, because remember that you're sort of "obligated" to stockpile ammo in each caliber, especially during these times and in the coming years.
My personal preferences are toward .357, 9mm, .45 auto, .380 and .22.
The stockpiled ammo for just those five calibers is almost unmanageable already, so there's no way I'm going to add a .40 or .44 or .38 Super or whatever.

It's all just money, though. If you got the money, get one of each. I wish I had the money.
 
I appreciate the comments and opinions so far.

While important, I'm not thinking about a safe for this purchase. And I'm not feeling ready to start reloading yet. This is not my first handgun purchase, but I don't purchase one a week either.

I have thought about platform (revolver, sa), size (ccw, 1911), and ballistics (25, 32, 380, 41, 45) in my research. I'm also trying to figure out if I want to start gathering another caliber of ammo beyond 22, 38, 357, and 9mm.

Is keeping it simple with fewer calibers a big or non- consideration when you choose?
 
Sounds like Sevens has never shot a 380.
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Not true. But I've only ever shot a medium size .380, I've never shot a pocket .380 like those that have gotten so popular recently.

IMO, a full size 9mm doesn't really have any recoil. A tiny bit of flip, like a .22 on 'roids. But it's not what I would call "kick."
 
I don't see much sense in purchasing what is essentially a duplicate tool unless you've refined yourself to the point where the differences are apparent and important. I could possibly see the reasoning behind getting a larger/smaller barrel or maybe a polymer/steel frame but it sort of strikes me as a preference thing. At this very early stage of my collection, I'm more concerned about filling the gaps in my collection as opposed to buying a different flavor of a caliber I already have. Gotta have something to punch paper, kill a deer, bust a clay, kill a snake, etc.
 
Thanks

Thanks for the replies. Seems like mixed suggestions - some prefer to keep it simple, and some fill niches or don't let caliber be a factor.

I'm still trying to decide between a CCW (38/357 2 " or single stack 380/9mm) and a basic 1911 45. There are reasons for each, but if I pick either 380 or 45, then I add another caliber.

Not a big deal, but I just wondered how people felt about adding another caliber.
 
I've got three P3ATs and two .38 Spl and they are all carry guns. Other than those I prefer variety and when I go to buy a gun I usually buy a caliber I don't already have. I've got both revolvers and pistols in .22 LR, .380 auto, 9mm, .40 S&W, .38 Spl, .357 Mag, .45 acp pistol, .45 acp Revolver, 10mm revolver, and a .45/.410 Judge. When I had a Contender and Encore I had about fifteen different calibers (barrels), many of them wildcats. Some of my guns are just for the range, others for self-defense, and still others for hunting.
 
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