What Cal does everyone carry and why?

[Bear 45/70]

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neddis wrote:

I carry a service XD 9mm. Why? I don't make a lot of money and it's cheap to practice with. Because I can afford to put hundreds of rounds through it, I can now shoot pretty well. For daily carry I load it with 16 Hydra Shoks. If I had bought a .45 I would not have been able to afford to shoot it as often and then be screwed if I ever needed to use it. Now, that being said, I am looking for money to fund a compact 1911 in .45 for daily carry and use the XD for plinking. We'll see if I can convince my wife that I need two handguns...

I'm lucky, my wife has more than two handguns in each of 38, 357 and 45. They are her choices and even though they reside in my safe and are available to me they are hers. She also hunts and rides quads with me.

 

[jbone]

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M&P 9c

I can afford the ammo. Right now MAGTECH 124gr JHP+P. Again, affordability and fire prefect in the gun.

 

[Bear 45/70]

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jbone wrote:

M&P 9c

I can afford the ammo. Right now MAGTECH 124gr JHP+P. Again, affordability and fire prefect in the gun.

Cost per round is always cheaper if you reload your own.

 

[jbone]

imported post

Bear 45/70 wrote:

jbone wrote:

M&P 9c

I can afford the ammo. Right now MAGTECH 124gr JHP+P. Again, affordability and fire prefect in the gun.

Cost per round is always cheaper if you reload your own.

Still saving up for the start up costs, have plans to start reloading aroundwinter time.

 

[Bear 45/70]

imported post

jbone wrote:

Bear 45/70 wrote:

jbone wrote:

M&P 9c

I can afford the ammo. Right now MAGTECH 124gr JHP+P. Again, affordability and fire prefect in the gun.

Cost per round is always cheaper if you reload your own.

Still saving up for the start up costs, have plans to start reloading aroundwinter time.

Go with the Lee loader.

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1217712944.820=/html/catalog/index.html

Look down at the bottom of the page for kits. You have a number of choices starting as low as $34.95.

 

[LongRider]

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I carry a .45 because I am accurate and manage good solid follow up shots with a .45 I'd go with a 10 mm but I do not shoot it as well. I shoot 9mm, 380, .38, .32 etc just fine but why use a less effective round if I do not need to? Yes 9mm ammo has improved and may very well be at least as effective a the .45 ball ammo from the 1940s. I think people get confused when they read 9mm ammo has improved and is as effective as the .45 because that statement does not take into account that the .45 has also improved. No 9mm makes quarter sized holes. .45 HST consistently makes quarter sized hole in everything I have shot it into.
The affordable argument baffles me to no end. Maybe I just think too highly of myself and my wife. But I know without a doubt our lives are worth more than .50¢. So the cost of .45 ammo is not a problem. One thing I do not hear enough of on these boards is everyone who carries should have a .22 that feels similar to their carry gun. Practice with your .22. Shoot a couple of bricks of .22 than shot your carry caliber. Everything you need to practice for accurate SD shooting you can do with a .22, stance, aim draw indexing, point shooting, reload everything. Every single muscle memory you need to condition for can be done with a .22. If you have bad caliber related habits like flinching the .22 will eliminate them. Try it. Shoot a couple of bricks of .22 than switch to your carry ammo. Your shooting will improve faster than if you use your carry ammo only or at least that is my experience.
But even if all I could shoot is my caliber at $15 a box for practice ammo, so that I spend $60 to $240 a month on ammo. I do not see a problem. I can not imagine going to my wife or child and saying honey your life is not worth $60 to $240 a month to me. If it cost me ten times a hundred times that to be sure I've done everything possible to assure she stays healthy and safe I'd make it happen. There is nothing in this world more important to me than my family. Saving a few bucks on ammo is not worth their lives.

 

[Bear 45/70]

imported post

LongRider wrote:

The affordable argument baffles me to no end. Maybe I just think too highly of myself and my wife. But I know without a doubt our lives are worth more than .50¢. So the cost of .45 ammo is not a problem. One thing I do not hear enough of on these boards is everyone who carries should have a .22 that feels similar to their carry gun. Practice with your .22. Shoot a couple of bricks of .22 than shot your carry caliber. Everything you need to practice for accurate SD shooting you can do with a .22, stance, aim draw indexing, point shooting, reload everything. Every single muscle memory you need to condition for can be done with a .22. If you have bad caliber related habits like flinching the .22 will eliminate them. Try it. Shoot a couple of bricks of .22 than switch to your carry ammo. Your shooting will improve faster than if you use your carry ammo only or at least that is my experience.
But even if all I could shoot is my caliber at $15 a box for practice ammo, so that I spend $60 to $240 a month on ammo. I do not see a problem. I can not imagine going to my wife or child and saying honey your life is not worth $60 to $240 a month to me. If it cost me ten times a hundred times that to be sure I've done everything possible to assure she stays healthy and safe I'd make it happen. There is nothing in this world more important to me than my family. Saving a few bucks on ammo is not worth their lives.

For most main line auto pistols out there (1911s, Glocks,etc), there are 22 conversion kits available for them. This make an outstanding way to shoot a lot practice roundswith your gun to improve you gun handling skill without going broke. On of the best gun investments I ever made. But any 22 pistol, shot a lot will improve the shooters shooting skills.I whole hardily agree that bigger is better when it comes to bullets. It's why I hunt now with a 45/70 Government.

 

[FE427TP]

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It just depends on what fits the situation, but mostly the P7 right now, it just conceals so well, and is the only gun without a manual safety I'm comfortable carrying winter time will bring back the 1911 more, the SP101 is a 357 model with laser grips and a holster that holds the hammer down for carry

 

[jbone]

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Bear 45/70 wrote:

jbone wrote:

Bear 45/70 wrote:

jbone wrote:

M&P 9c

I can afford the ammo. Right now MAGTECH 124gr JHP+P. Again, affordability and fire prefect in the gun.

Cost per round is always cheaper if you reload your own.

Still saving up for the start up costs, have plans to start reloading aroundwinter time.

Go with the Lee loader.

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1217712944.820=/html/catalog/index.html

Look down at the bottom of the page for kits. You have a number of choices starting as low as $34.95.

Nice, this should get me in the business; does it come with a good book for beginners? or any good reloading for beginners book you recommend.

 

[Bear 45/70]

imported post

jbone wrote:

Bear 45/70 wrote:

jbone wrote:

Bear 45/70 wrote:

jbone wrote:

M&P 9c

I can afford the ammo. Right now MAGTECH 124gr JHP+P. Again, affordability and fire prefect in the gun.

Cost per round is always cheaper if you reload your own.

Still saving up for the start up costs, have plans to start reloading aroundwinter time.

Go with the Lee loader.

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1217712944.820=/html/catalog/index.html

Look down at the bottom of the page for kits. You have a number of choices starting as low as $34.95.

Nice, this should get me in the business; does it come with a good book for beginners? or any good reloading for beginners book you recommend.

There is always Lee's manual.

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1217712944.820=/html/catalog/bookpg.html

I've always been partial to Hodgdon powders and their manuals.

http://www.hodgdon.com/store/home.php?cat=249

But places like Sportsmans Warehouse and Cabelas have lots of manuals to choose from and will have outstanding prices of Lee products. I actually have well over 25 different manuals, I have for references, but I have 4 presses set up in my load room plus about 10 in reserve.

 

[jbone]

imported post

Bear 45/70 wrote:

jbone wrote:

Bear 45/70 wrote:

jbone wrote:

Bear 45/70 wrote:

jbone wrote:

M&P 9c

I can afford the ammo. Right now MAGTECH 124gr JHP+P. Again, affordability and fire prefect in the gun.

Cost per round is always cheaper if you reload your own.

Still saving up for the start up costs, have plans to start reloading aroundwinter time.

Go with the Lee loader.

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1217712944.820=/html/catalog/index.html

Look down at the bottom of the page for kits. You have a number of choices starting as low as $34.95.

Nice, this should get me in the business; does it come with a good book for beginners? or any good reloading for beginners book you recommend.

There is always Lee's manual.

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1217712944.820=/html/catalog/bookpg.html

I've always been partial to Hodgdon powders and their manuals.

http://www.hodgdon.com/store/home.php?cat=249

But places like Sportsmans Warehouse and Cabelas have lots of manuals to choose from and will have outstanding prices of Lee products. I actually have well over 25 different manuals, I have for references, but I have 4 presses set up in my load room plus about 10 in reserve.

Man I just OC at Cabels last weekend, I guess i'll check SMWH tomrrow, grEat reason to OC. Thanks for all the help Bear.

 

[Bear 45/70]

imported post

jbone wrote:

Man I just OC at Cabels last weekend, I guess i'll check SMWH tomrrow, grEat reason to OC. Thanks for all the help Bear.

My pleasure and have fun reloading, I do.

 

[LongRider]

imported post

Bear 45/70 wrote:

LongRider wrote:

The affordable argument baffles me to no end. Maybe I just think too highly of myself and my wife. But I know without a doubt our lives are worth more than .50¢. So the cost of .45 ammo is not a problem.

For most main line auto pistols out there (1911s, Glocks,etc), there are 22 conversion kits available for them. This make an outstanding way to shoot a lot practice roundswith your gun to improve you gun handling skill without going broke.

Exactly. If anyone shoots a few hundred rounds of .22 for next to nothing than shoots a box or two of their carry caliber. They will be at the top of their game at very little cost. Top of the line carry ammo is relatively cheap about $25 for a box of 50 for me. I carry HST 230 gr .45 in my XD. Not alot of money to save my hide if the SHTF and I keep four spares loaded. I do spend a bit of change if I decide to carry a different brand as I run about 250 rounds through what ever gun I plan on carrying it in just to be sure it runs flawlessly in that gun. Other than that I spend under $50 a year for carry ammo. I blow off the old ammo once a year though it should last many years. My guess is they could bury me in the ammo in my carry mags and they would all still be good but it makes me feel better knowing there is fairly fresh ammo in my guns I do wish they made a conversion for an XD and a Stoegar cougar or even the .380 Bersa but as you said any .22 will do that reasonably simulates the controls of your carry gun. Anyway so much for the affordable rational. Plus as you have been saying reloading is the ultimate solution. BTW a few months back did you have a conversation with some one at the gun counter at Wally World about reloading. If so we have met kind of, we were talking about stocking up for the up coming election.
45/70 Marlin? That is a sweet gun. It is on my to get ASAP list right after an AR and that Stoeger Cougar I have been wanting that. Not sure if I want a .223 or 308 AR or both probably need both.