Limiting your Cache to Three Calibers...

[foxx]

The way I read the original OP's question wasn't about what guns I have, but rather what caliber(s) would be good to have stockpiled.

Regardless of what guns I own, there may come a time when friends and neighbors want to barter for ammo. You can have your personal stash, but what would you "invest" in now to have as trade later? The gunshops stock up on calibers that they personally don't use, but if it's selling, why not sell it.
After a PAW what ammo will the unprepared be looking for? What will they have to trade? I'm not talking about putting up a sign, or opening a business, just thinking about having something to trade to others.
For example, I own lots of knives, more than I could use or ever carry, they will be traded for stuff I may need after the PAW. Same with this "extra" ammo that I could have.
Right now, I have some .22lr ammo, but don't own a .22lr, it's not much, but maybe I can get something else of value for them after the PAW.
So, stock up on common calibers, or the harder to find stuff? In my AO, I'm thinking people will need to hunt more than fight.
Still, this "investing" would come after one's preps are solid, how much of that "extra" ammo would you take during a Bug out?

[Belair56]

I have it down to 2 9mm, and 5.56, I have a lot of 12ga.slugs, birdshot, same with 20ga. Also have a lot of Remington .35 cal in 150 gr and 200gr. also have a lot of .22lr.

[MVegas]

If I absolutely, positively HAD to, I could take it down to two.

.357M
.22LR

But I'd much rather have an autoloader on my hip

[Doctorr Fabulous]

If I absolutely, positively HAD to, I could take it down to two.

.357M
.22LR

But I'd much rather have an autoloader on my hip

Desert Eagle? Before everyone goes all apeshit mall ninja on me, hear me out:

Not for CCW. Not necessarily a combat pistol, although it could do it, but one hell of an accurate gun, and the XIX (I think that's the model) has rails for an RDS and a light. It could also be that I want one for funsies, though.

[MVegas]

If I absolutely, positively HAD to, I could take it down to two.

.357M
.22LR

But I'd much rather have an autoloader on my hip

Desert Eagle? Before everyone goes all apeshit mall ninja on me, hear me out:

Not for CCW. Not necessarily a combat pistol, although it could do it, but one hell of an accurate gun, and the XIX (I think that's the model) has rails for an RDS and a light. It could also be that I want one for funsies, though.

Ill be honest- its been the caliber (no pun intended, I swear!) of the DE owners I've run across that has, more than anything else, caused me to live my life as if the DE doesn't exist LOL. I wonder though, if one took the most rational possible approach to it, if it couldn't be of use.

That said, a modern 9mm autoloader of the user's preferred flavor is so elegantly simple and economical a solution to defensive problems of the two-legged variety, that the only way id give it up would be if 9mm was literally not available any longer.

[Regular Guy]

IF I had to have only 3 calibers; 22lr, 9mm, 5.56x45mm.

[PackLemming]

Smoothbore
10mm
.308 win

[Brain245]

The 3 I stockpile are .22LR, 9mm and 12 gauge. I agree with the OP that it is good to focus on 3 when STOCKPILING (anything over 200 rounds), but also have a few boxes for each gun I own.

[Jsimmonsgr]

5.56 NATO ( preferably a AR-15, or rifle that takes the same mags)
9MM NATO ( preferably a Beretta 92F)
7.62 NATO ( preferably a AR-10, if nothing else a good bolt gun)

Why you ask? Because they are all readily availible, and they are all effective.

I have 5 calibers in my SHTF box, the three mentioned above as well as .45ACP and 12Ga. While the last two are not as availible I have a large amount of ammo for them and in the case of the shot gun, its all breaching rounds.

[velojym]

Smoothbore
10mm
.308 win

Hey, your avatar is a bit of a blast from the past. I used to play Lemmings for hours on my old 486.

[sigboy40]

1)22 Mag
2)338/06
3)357 Maximum

What? I need to make sure I have them, I damn sure aint getting them anywhere else.

[Maverick299]

22lr, .44mag, 12 gauge

Of course those aren't the one's I actually have stockpiled. My biggest 3 stockpile is 22lr, 5.56x45, and .45acp

[Dasho101]

5.56, 9mm, .22...

so 5.56 in 62+
9mm (preferably shit loads of tap)
and .22 cause lets face it its a small game getter

now what i have in rifle: 8mm mauser, 300 win mag, 7.62x54r, 7.62x51 (.308), 6.5 carcano, 7.53 carcano, 7.63 x 39, 30-30, 5.56, 5.45 and i thank im missing a few but to lazy to get up and go to safe
Handgun: .357 mag/.38 spc., .44 mag/.44 spc, .45 long, .45acp, .32 (long and short plus .32 colt), .30 cal luger, .32 acp, 8mm nambue, 9z19, 9x18 mak, .380... . 25 auto, also thank im missing a few
Shotgun: 12, 16, .410
and of course in rimfire: .22 lr,, .22 auto (i thank minchester need to dbl ck... but one gun and three boxes of ammo with little hope of nabbing more), .22 mag

so see were OP is coming from and as far as strocking i keep it simpl... but have a shit load of x54 just cause its sheep as hell

[topnotchit]

I have 3.5 myself for ammo cache...
5.56 LC 5,000
.40s&w Fed HST 1,500
.22lr 10,000
12 g, (used for hunting, so I have 5 cases around)



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[Dooms]

I've got all different calibers in my collection, but the ones I stock the most are .22lr, .45 acp, and 5.56/.223. Not really for prepping reasons, more so because those are the three I like to shoot the most. I've also got a bunch of 12 ga ammo, but it's mostly birdshot.

Lately I've also been stocking up on a lot of 20gr .17hmr. I've got a new found infatuation with this cartridge, so I find myself shooting a lot of it.

[dizie]

.22lr (seems to be the most common answer)
9mm (seems to be 2nd)
12g or .45acp (seems to be 3rd)

[dizie]

double post.

[Philpot]

.40 S&W
7.62x39
.22lr

If I had to pick 4, I'd add .45 ACP to that. 5, I'd add my .38s.

[DynaBreach]

Go NATO calibre route. They can be found at every backwoods gunshop and in every LDS stockpile everywhere in the world.

[jdudkiewicz]

6.8spc will knock down anything short of a moose in my area
.22lr good for small game to keep the pot filled
20 gauge for all the game birds in the area

[Dogan]

.22lr - low noise, weight and size. Low recoil as well.
9x19 - the most used handgun round in the world.
5.56 or 7.62x51 NATO, debating the attributes of both rounds in my head fro a while now.

[Texas19Delta]

22LR is a must. Training, easy to store lots of rounds, and a useful caliber.

Any center fire, common rifle caliber carbine. 5.56/223, 7.62x51/308, 7.62x39.

12 gauge is so useful, I would be willing to give up 9mm/pistols to have it. Put me in a situation where a pistol is useful, then you've put me in a situation where a shotgun could hold it's own. Plus, I can forage with a shotgun. If you send me out to the woods to get dinner with a Glock 17, there is a good chance we are not eating much that night.

[AKFTW]

If you send me out to the woods to get dinner with a Glock 17, there is a good chance we are not eating much that night.

Then you sir need to work on your pistol skills Or get a .22LR slide for the Glock. I would definitely rather have a pistol than a shotgun. .22 rifle can take lots of game, and you are going to have a lot of trouble concealing a shotgun on your hip.

[eugene]

I currently have .22, .22 hornet and 20 gauge. the .22hornet is the smallest legal deer in WV where I grew up, dad bought my brother and I a single shot that swaps between 20 gauge and .22hornet,
Long term I want to get myself a 12 gauge and a better deer rifle and pass the 20gauge/hornet down to my kids.