Why so many different calibers? - The Firearms Forum

BigB · 03-06-2009, 06:49 PM

Hello all, I am new around here. I joined a couple of weeks ago. Found this place while trying to get some information and seem to check in and read the posts and put my two cents worth in once in a while. I am kinda new to firearms and hunting but in the last three or four years have become aquainted with both fields and enjoy them both. Lots to learn though. I am learning later than most about such things, I'm 51 and was never around either but have made friends that have shared these things with me.
I am thinking that one thing that really gets my interest lately is the vast selection of different ammo. Every configuration of calibers you can think of. It is daunting. Some of the ammo choices are easy, like shotguns and .22s but from there it gets confusing. I would like to own a 30.06, I know it to be a long range accuracy round. But how does one learn what the characteristics are of all the other rounds and what they are good for. The guns I own are the basics, shotguns and .22s. How do I know what I might want in the future? Can anyone give me just a hint of preference might be. Thanks for any insight to a novice like myself. BigB

Gewehrwolf · 03-06-2009, 07:04 PM

It really depends on what you intend to do with a particular caliber.

Do you want something for hunting, long range target shooting.......something like that??????

ponycar17 · 03-06-2009, 07:17 PM

My wife would say there are so many just so I can put us in the poor house quicker...

With that said, every caliber/loading combination (to some extent) has its niche. Some calibers/casings/loads/bullet weights are better for certain scenarios. I don't claim to be an expert at all on the issue. With every new application (sporting or hunting) that you find interesting, do a little research on what the opinions of others suggest. Read, read, read, read and read!!!... That's my suggestion.

Subscribe to a good shooting magazine that suits your interests and just soak up all you can. Also, when you have a question about a new application, post it on TFF. There are plenty of seasoned pros to help you with most any shooting application.

Welcome to the forum!!

ysacres · 03-06-2009, 07:18 PM

Welcome to TFF BigB
With a steady increase of different caliber's and configurations coming yearly it is truly daunting task just keeping up, I would consider the type of hunting you want to do ,take a deer sized animal, Any caliber from 243 through 300 win mag will do fine, Elk,moose sized should be 30.06 and up. Some will argue these, saying you can kill a moose with 22-250 and you should not kill deer with a 300 wetherby mag, Any hew you will notice that a 30.06 in my world will kill a deer, elk or moose. 30.06 is the most sold ammo per year,and therefor the most choices of firearms also.
I miss my old mauser .06

glocknut · 03-06-2009, 07:27 PM

Why so many different calibers? Well let me give you a good Jewish answer...
Why Not?!!!

mike
gn

cycloneman · 03-06-2009, 07:27 PM

Bid B,

Welcome sir. I approached this same subject like this when I started off. I stayed with the military cals. The 223 and the 308. They are both great bullets and there are many different guns to choose from. The 223 works great as a varment load and the 308 works great for hunting. The avaliablity of ammo and guns is hard to beat in these two cals. The 308 is comprable to the 3006. Dont let the size difference fool you. The bullets are the same.

I would pick up a good reloading manuel. They are full of info. Next gun show in your area look for a book. As far as you stated in your post you have the basics. Well the 223 and 308 are the next step in the basics in my opinion.

Also when you buy a new gun, unless you have to have something small for a spacific purpose, buy the longest barrell you can. Everything else is an enabling elemant in getting the round off. Its the barrel that you are buying that will stablize the bullet and give you velocity. The longer the barrel the higher velocity you will get from your gun. The trigger, action, stock, site, although very important, it is the barrel that does the magic. Keep this in mind when you buy.

thats my .02

Bruce FLinch · 03-06-2009, 08:43 PM

Nicely said, Cycloneman!

Comparing ammo prices, you'll find the .223 while expensive, is cheap compared to .308. Both of these calibers are available in Surplus.

artabr · 03-06-2009, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cycloneman

Bid B,

Welcome sir. I approached this same subject like this when I started off. I stayed with the military cals. The 223 and the 308. They are both great bullets and there are many different guns to choose from. The 223 works great as a varment load and the 308 works great for hunting. The avaliablity of ammo and guns is hard to beat in these two cals. The 308 is comprable to the 3006. Dont let the size difference fool you. The bullets are the same.

I would pick up a good reloading manuel. They are full of info. Next gun show in your area look for a book. As far as you stated in your post you have the basics. Well the 223 and 308 are the next step in the basics in my opinion.

Also when you buy a new gun, unless you have to have something small for a spacific purpose, buy the longest barrell you can. Everything else is an enabling elemant in getting the round off. Its the barrel that you are buying that will stablize the bullet and give you velocity. The longer the barrel the higher velocity you will get from your gun. The trigger, action, stock, site, although very important, it is the barrel that does the magic. Keep this in mind when you buy.

thats my .02

+2

Art

muddober · 03-06-2009, 09:59 PM

Most all the chamberings out there are the result of the gun makers competing with one an other for gun sales and not necessarily because the so called new calibers are really needed. In my view if a man had a 22 LR, a 30-06 and a 375 H&H he really would not need anything other chamberings. With that in mind wanting and needing are two different things meaning what do you want to do with the gun or guns? If you never intend to shoot a 1000 + pound animal you don't need a 375 H&H. If you never intend to shoot anything bigger than rabbits or squirrels you don't need anything bigger than a 22. If you intend to hunt deer, elk or even moose (I know can run a 1000 pounds)the 30-06 would be OK up to about 250 yards on the larger animals and out to about 400 yards for smaller ones. If you plan to hunt those same animals at longer ranges then you might want to look at one of the 300 or 325 magnums though you will then start to suffer recoil. Shorter distances you might want to look at the 308. That is my opinion which in my opinion is only valuable to me.

bogus bill · 03-06-2009, 10:29 PM

Muddabers explaination is one of the biggest ones. Others were developed for different lengths of actions, then you had rimmed cartridges first, then rimless, than belted magnums, lots of forgien cartridges, ones that started out black powder etc.
I dont know how many hundreds of different have been made, but in truth we probley could get by with a half dozzen! Maybe a few more takeing in consideration what type action you like. It does get confuseing. Then you also have the factor of tubelar magazines in levers and pumps where you about had to have a blunt nose bullet etc.

glocknut · 03-06-2009, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce FLinch

Both of these calibers are available in Surplus.

Oh yeah? From where?!! I've had a heck of a time finding .308 win....

mike
gn

RunningOnMT · 03-07-2009, 01:11 AM

One way of looking at this question is to say that available calibers are a product of ongoing research and development and competition within the industry to come up with the "perfect" caliber for a given job. Some of these are "wildcats" or basically a hybrid caliber which started out in someones basement. The reality is that many would likely no longer exist but for one fact. A new caliber comes out and people want to try it. People buy the firearm in that caliber and ammo manufacturers have a market so they make more variations of ammo for it. Because that caliber ammo is available other gun manufacturers produce more models chambered for these calibers...and on and on. So in a way it's self perpetuating. There is a market for a caliber ammo because people own the firearms, and because the ammo is available there are more arms produced in that caliber.

BigB · 03-07-2009, 10:24 PM

Thanks for all the replies. I learned something from everyone of them, sometimes having to read between the line a little. Like Bruce FLinch stating "plenty of .308 available" and then glocknut wondering the opposite. I'm thinking that since I have shotguns and .22 and that will kill everything I hunt now, I still have a desire to "round out" my collection with a larger centerfire. Currently I hunt pheasant, woodcock, and partridge, whitetails, and rabbits with one of two shotguns, a 20 and a 12 gauge. I don't NEED anything else. Rifle hunting here is forbidden, but the thought of going to northern Michigan and taking a whitetail with one appeals to me. Thus the NEED!!!
OK, so I lean toward the .06 because after reading, reading , and reading, I have realized that that caliber is the most popular caliber of all time, more guns being chambered for that caliber than any other. Also making that caliber readily available and certainly suitable for taking a deer at long range. Am I on the right track?!
I can see you guys are a great source of info. Sometimes it's hard to ask a question, thinking that the answer is too obvious. But then I have never been afraid to ask a stupid question. Thanks for the insight. BigB

glocknut · 03-07-2009, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigB

Thanks for all the replies. I learned something from everyone of them, sometimes having to read between the line a little. Like Bruce FLinch stating "plenty of .308 available" and then glocknut wondering the opposite.

I'm the Forum Antagonist... i can't help it...

Or was that "forum smart@$$", i can't remember? LOL

mike
gn

RunningOnMT · 03-07-2009, 11:31 PM

In light of your explanation of what you need I think a 30'06 would be fine. The 30'06 and .308 have similar ballistics, muzzle velocity, trajectory, and energy. If I remember right the '06 might be a hair stronger but not enough to make it more desirable IMO.

You might want to also consider a 30-30 lever gun too. Not in the same league with the .308/30'06 but one of the most popular deer guns ever.

lol I offer all this info based on my extensive experience not hunting.

jacksonco · 03-08-2009, 06:57 AM

So many calibers is a lot like a candy store. You walk in and have a huge selection from which to choose from. You spend time looking at all the choices. But when it is time to buy you walk out with a Snickers bar.

My candy is .22LR, 9MM, 357SIG, 17HMR, 45 COLT, 44 MAG, 45 Auto, 40S&W,
45-70 GOVERMENT, 7.62X54R, and 12 GAUGE. I like my candy.

Pistolenschutze · 03-08-2009, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigB

OK, so I lean toward the .06 because after reading, reading , and reading, I have realized that that caliber is the most popular caliber of all time, more guns being chambered for that caliber than any other. Also making that caliber readily available and certainly suitable for taking a deer at long range. Am I on the right track?!
I can see you guys are a great source of info. Sometimes it's hard to ask a question, thinking that the answer is too obvious. But then I have never been afraid to ask a stupid question. Thanks for the insight. BigB

You will never go wrong with the venerable old '06, BigB. It would seem you have put some very careful and intelligent thought into building your firearms collection.

I've been shooting for over 50 years, and if I could only have one centerfire, general caliber rifle in my armory, it would be a bolt action in .30-06. That caliber in a good rifle will take anything in North America quite handily with proper loads and bullet placement. For deer, elk, or bear a "better" caliber simply does not exist, though there are many that will do the job equally well.

As you get further into shooting (it's addicting!), you will find yourself buying rifles in various calibers, not because you really NEED them, but because you simply want them!

bcj1755 · 03-08-2009, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacksonco

So many calibers is a lot like a candy store. You walk in and have a huge selection from which to choose from. You spend time looking at all the choices. But when it is time to buy you walk out with a Snickers bar.

My candy is .22LR, 9MM, 357SIG, 17HMR, 45 COLT, 44 MAG, 45 Auto, 40S&W,
45-70 GOVERMENT, 7.62X54R, and 12 GAUGE. I like my candy.

That's a lot of candy

My candy selection is smaller - 9mm, 7.92x57, and 7.62x39. and I can't really afford to keep up with those three

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pistolenschutze

You will never go wrong with the venerable old '06, BigB. It would seem you have put some very careful and intelligent thought into building your firearms collection.

I've been shooting for over 50 years, and if I could only have one centerfire, general caliber rifle in my armory, it would be a bolt action in .30-06. That caliber in a good rifle will take anything in North America quite handily with proper loads and bullet placement. For deer, elk, or bear a "better" caliber simply does not exist, though there are many that will do the job equally well.

As you get further into shooting (it's addicting!), you will find yourself buying rifles in various calibers, not because you really NEED them, but because you simply want them!

See, here's where people are different. For a large rifle round, I prefer the 7.92x57, aka 8mm Mauser. I just like the way it shoots and I like the rifle I shoot it out of. Of course, it's nowhere near as widespread as the .30-06 or even the .308 but it's still a fine round, IMO.

Pistolenschutze · 03-08-2009, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcj1755

See, here's where people are different. For a large rifle round, I prefer the 7.92x57, aka 8mm Mauser. I just like the way it shoots and I like the rifle I shoot it out of. Of course, it's nowhere near as widespread as the .30-06 or even the .308 but it's still a fine round, IMO.

No argument there bcj. The 8mm Mauser is indeed an excellent caliber, more or less comparable to the '06 in terms of capabilities. Unfortunately, it is somewhat less versatile because far fewer bullet weights and designs are made for it commercially. On the other hand, milsurp ammo is fairly plentiful for range shooting.

bcj1755 · 03-08-2009, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pistolenschutze

No argument there bcj. The 8mm Mauser is indeed an excellent caliber, more or less comparable to the '06 in terms of capabilities. Unfortunately, it is somewhat less versatile because far fewer bullet weights and designs are made for it commercially. On the other hand, milsurp ammo is fairly plentiful for range shooting.

All very true. Of course, the standard commercial loadings seem to be lighter than the milsurp loads. I've fired 196gr Prvi Partisan SP and 196gr Yugo milsurp FMJ through the K98 and the Yugo milsurp had a hell of a lot more kick to them. The standard weight of the 8mm is 196gr. I figure if I reach out and touch something with a 196gr SP and it doesn't go down then something just ain't right

TranterUK · 03-08-2009, 01:09 PM

As if the large number wernt enough, there is the same name issue (9mm para, long, short/ Kurtz, Largo etc.) and interchangeability .308/ 7.62x51 or 5.56mm/ .223 rem (you can shoot a .223 in a 5.56 but not the other way round. Did I get that right?).

As someone said to me once, there is one way to learn calibres, the hard way, one by one.

gdmoody · 03-08-2009, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glocknut

I'm the Forum Antagonist... i can't help it...

Or was that "forum smart@$$", i can't remember? LOL

mike
gn

Either one will do, GN.

The first rifle I bought for myself was a Winchester bolt action 30.06, BigB, so I think that is a good choice. I probably should have stopped at the 30.06, but as has been mentioned, it is addicting and I will add - shooting is extremely enjoyable.

358 winchester · 03-08-2009, 08:35 PM

22, 30-06, 12 and a good old 357 or 44 hand gun and you are set for life all the rest is just gravy

but like many around here I like gravy

bizy · 03-09-2009, 07:50 AM

Myself I have a 308, 30-30. These will do any 500 yd shots. A 22 and 7.62 for sending lead down range fast. For close in support I use my 9mm, 357, 45 ACP and 40. I use my 12 and 20 gauge for tearing stuff up. In my night stand I have a 9mm, 357 and 45 ACP for any surprises in the night. Ya, I am paranoid, I watch the news.
____________________________________
The 10 commants aren't multiple choice.

TranterUK · 03-09-2009, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 358 winchester

all the rest is just gravy

but like many around here I like gravy

Oh yes, and once you get a taste, your in for life. Just buy anything that looks promising and try everything you can lay hands on.

03-06-2009, 06:49 PM	#1
BigB Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 14	Why so many different calibers? Hello all, I am new around here. I joined a couple of weeks ago. Found this place while trying to get some information and seem to check in and read the posts and put my two cents worth in once in a while. I am kinda new to firearms and hunting but in the last three or four years have become aquainted with both fields and enjoy them both. Lots to learn though. I am learning later than most about such things, I'm 51 and was never around either but have made friends that have shared these things with me. I am thinking that one thing that really gets my interest lately is the vast selection of different ammo. Every configuration of calibers you can think of. It is daunting. Some of the ammo choices are easy, like shotguns and .22s but from there it gets confusing. I would like to own a 30.06, I know it to be a long range accuracy round. But how does one learn what the characteristics are of all the other rounds and what they are good for. The guns I own are the basics, shotguns and .22s. How do I know what I might want in the future? Can anyone give me just a hint of preference might be. Thanks for any insight to a novice like myself. BigB -->

03-06-2009, 07:04 PM	#2
Gewehrwolf Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 47	Re: Why so many different calibers? It really depends on what you intend to do with a particular caliber. Do you want something for hunting, long range target shooting.......something like that?????? __________________ " A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight; nothing he cares about more than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." (John Stewart Mill)

03-06-2009, 07:17 PM	#3
ponycar17 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: South Carolina Contributor Posts: 4,884	Re: Why so many different calibers? My wife would say there are so many just so I can put us in the poor house quicker... With that said, every caliber/loading combination (to some extent) has its niche. Some calibers/casings/loads/bullet weights are better for certain scenarios. I don't claim to be an expert at all on the issue. With every new application (sporting or hunting) that you find interesting, do a little research on what the opinions of others suggest. Read, read, read, read and read!!!... That's my suggestion. Subscribe to a good shooting magazine that suits your interests and just soak up all you can. Also, when you have a question about a new application, post it on TFF. There are plenty of seasoned pros to help you with most any shooting application. Welcome to the forum!! __________________ Arm yourself with intellectual Ammunition! Gunfacts 5.1 Myth-Busting Facts JustFacts.com on Gun Control Stopping Power, the Downloadable Book

03-06-2009, 07:18 PM	#4
ysacres Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Wazzu WA Posts: 2,413	Re: Why so many different calibers? Welcome to TFF BigB With a steady increase of different caliber's and configurations coming yearly it is truly daunting task just keeping up, I would consider the type of hunting you want to do ,take a deer sized animal, Any caliber from 243 through 300 win mag will do fine, Elk,moose sized should be 30.06 and up. Some will argue these, saying you can kill a moose with 22-250 and you should not kill deer with a 300 wetherby mag, Any hew you will notice that a 30.06 in my world will kill a deer, elk or moose. 30.06 is the most sold ammo per year,and therefor the most choices of firearms also. I miss my old mauser .06 __________________

03-06-2009, 07:27 PM	#5
glocknut Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: THE FORUM MASCOTT... Posts: 12,482	Re: Why so many different calibers? Why so many different calibers? Well let me give you a good Jewish answer... Why Not?!!! mike gn __________________ Where O where are you tonight? Why have you gone and left me alone? I searched to world over and a thought i found true love... You met another and PTThhh you were gone....

03-06-2009, 07:27 PM	#6
cycloneman Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Louisiana Posts: 7,436	Re: Why so many different calibers? Bid B, Welcome sir. I approached this same subject like this when I started off. I stayed with the military cals. The 223 and the 308. They are both great bullets and there are many different guns to choose from. The 223 works great as a varment load and the 308 works great for hunting. The avaliablity of ammo and guns is hard to beat in these two cals. The 308 is comprable to the 3006. Dont let the size difference fool you. The bullets are the same. I would pick up a good reloading manuel. They are full of info. Next gun show in your area look for a book. As far as you stated in your post you have the basics. Well the 223 and 308 are the next step in the basics in my opinion. Also when you buy a new gun, unless you have to have something small for a spacific purpose, buy the longest barrell you can. Everything else is an enabling elemant in getting the round off. Its the barrel that you are buying that will stablize the bullet and give you velocity. The longer the barrel the higher velocity you will get from your gun. The trigger, action, stock, site, although very important, it is the barrel that does the magic. Keep this in mind when you buy. thats my .02 __________________ Who are you going to serve today?

03-06-2009, 08:43 PM	#7
Bruce FLinch Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bay Point, Kali..aka Gun Point Posts: 5,016	Re: Why so many different calibers? Nicely said, Cycloneman! Comparing ammo prices, you'll find the .223 while expensive, is cheap compared to .308. Both of these calibers are available in Surplus. __________________ A bad day @ the Range, is better than a good day @ work.

03-06-2009, 09:59 PM	#9
muddober Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1,436	Re: Why so many different calibers? Most all the chamberings out there are the result of the gun makers competing with one an other for gun sales and not necessarily because the so called new calibers are really needed. In my view if a man had a 22 LR, a 30-06 and a 375 H&H he really would not need anything other chamberings. With that in mind wanting and needing are two different things meaning what do you want to do with the gun or guns? If you never intend to shoot a 1000 + pound animal you don't need a 375 H&H. If you never intend to shoot anything bigger than rabbits or squirrels you don't need anything bigger than a 22. If you intend to hunt deer, elk or even moose (I know can run a 1000 pounds)the 30-06 would be OK up to about 250 yards on the larger animals and out to about 400 yards for smaller ones. If you plan to hunt those same animals at longer ranges then you might want to look at one of the 300 or 325 magnums though you will then start to suffer recoil. Shorter distances you might want to look at the 308. That is my opinion which in my opinion is only valuable to me. Last edited by muddober; 03-06-2009 at 10:09 PM..

03-06-2009, 10:29 PM	#10
bogus bill V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 124	Re: Why so many different calibers? Muddabers explaination is one of the biggest ones. Others were developed for different lengths of actions, then you had rimmed cartridges first, then rimless, than belted magnums, lots of forgien cartridges, ones that started out black powder etc. I dont know how many hundreds of different have been made, but in truth we probley could get by with a half dozzen! Maybe a few more takeing in consideration what type action you like. It does get confuseing. Then you also have the factor of tubelar magazines in levers and pumps where you about had to have a blunt nose bullet etc.

03-07-2009, 01:11 AM	#12
RunningOnMT Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Akron, Ohio Contributor Posts: 4,720	Re: Why so many different calibers? One way of looking at this question is to say that available calibers are a product of ongoing research and development and competition within the industry to come up with the "perfect" caliber for a given job. Some of these are "wildcats" or basically a hybrid caliber which started out in someones basement. The reality is that many would likely no longer exist but for one fact. A new caliber comes out and people want to try it. People buy the firearm in that caliber and ammo manufacturers have a market so they make more variations of ammo for it. Because that caliber ammo is available other gun manufacturers produce more models chambered for these calibers...and on and on. So in a way it's self perpetuating. There is a market for a caliber ammo because people own the firearms, and because the ammo is available there are more arms produced in that caliber. Last edited by RunningOnMT; 03-07-2009 at 01:12 AM..

03-07-2009, 10:24 PM	#13
BigB Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 14	Re: Why so many different calibers? Thanks for all the replies. I learned something from everyone of them, sometimes having to read between the line a little. Like Bruce FLinch stating "plenty of .308 available" and then glocknut wondering the opposite. I'm thinking that since I have shotguns and .22 and that will kill everything I hunt now, I still have a desire to "round out" my collection with a larger centerfire. Currently I hunt pheasant, woodcock, and partridge, whitetails, and rabbits with one of two shotguns, a 20 and a 12 gauge. I don't NEED anything else. Rifle hunting here is forbidden, but the thought of going to northern Michigan and taking a whitetail with one appeals to me. Thus the NEED!!! OK, so I lean toward the .06 because after reading, reading , and reading, I have realized that that caliber is the most popular caliber of all time, more guns being chambered for that caliber than any other. Also making that caliber readily available and certainly suitable for taking a deer at long range. Am I on the right track?! I can see you guys are a great source of info. Sometimes it's hard to ask a question, thinking that the answer is too obvious. But then I have never been afraid to ask a stupid question. Thanks for the insight. BigB

03-07-2009, 11:31 PM	#15
RunningOnMT Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Akron, Ohio Contributor Posts: 4,720	Re: Why so many different calibers? In light of your explanation of what you need I think a 30'06 would be fine. The 30'06 and .308 have similar ballistics, muzzle velocity, trajectory, and energy. If I remember right the '06 might be a hair stronger but not enough to make it more desirable IMO. You might want to also consider a 30-30 lever gun too. Not in the same league with the .308/30'06 but one of the most popular deer guns ever. lol I offer all this info based on my extensive experience not hunting.

03-08-2009, 06:57 AM	#16
jacksonco Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Jackson County West Virginia Posts: 2,237	Re: Why so many different calibers? So many calibers is a lot like a candy store. You walk in and have a huge selection from which to choose from. You spend time looking at all the choices. But when it is time to buy you walk out with a Snickers bar. My candy is .22LR, 9MM, 357SIG, 17HMR, 45 COLT, 44 MAG, 45 Auto, 40S&W, 45-70 GOVERMENT, 7.62X54R, and 12 GAUGE. I like my candy.

03-08-2009, 01:09 PM	#21
TranterUK Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cambridge UK Posts: 5,103	Re: Why so many different calibers? As if the large number wernt enough, there is the same name issue (9mm para, long, short/ Kurtz, Largo etc.) and interchangeability .308/ 7.62x51 or 5.56mm/ .223 rem (you can shoot a .223 in a 5.56 but not the other way round. Did I get that right?). As someone said to me once, there is one way to learn calibres, the hard way, one by one. __________________ DVC - Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas - Accuracy, Power, Speed. The light at the end of the recession tunnel IS a train coming the other way! Last edited by TranterUK; 03-08-2009 at 01:11 PM..

03-08-2009, 08:35 PM	#23
358 winchester TFF Admin Staff Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Pensacola Fl. area Posts: 7,335	Re: Why so many different calibers? 22, 30-06, 12 and a good old 357 or 44 hand gun and you are set for life all the rest is just gravy but like many around here I like gravy __________________ Administrator & Owner RangeDay.com Proud, White, Heterosexual, Gun Owning, Southern American, Christian. Any question about where I stand?

03-09-2009, 07:50 AM	#24
bizy V.I.P. Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Marlow, Ok Posts: 344	Re: Why so many different calibers? Myself I have a 308, 30-30. These will do any 500 yd shots. A 22 and 7.62 for sending lead down range fast. For close in support I use my 9mm, 357, 45 ACP and 40. I use my 12 and 20 gauge for tearing stuff up. In my night stand I have a 9mm, 357 and 45 ACP for any surprises in the night. Ya, I am paranoid, I watch the news. ____________________________________ The 10 commants aren't multiple choice.