Seeking Caliber Choice Advice

As an aside, as I wait for my Glock 17 transfer to go through, what i bought was a Glock 17 replica .177 caliber bb gun. It was under $100 and is pretty much the same as the real 17 with blowback and drop magazine. I set up a range in my basement so I can practice using holster, grip, aim and stance. Cost me peanuts for hours of shooting holes into paper and no trip to the range etc. Now when i go to the range I can use what I practice at home. It honestly is a pile of fun and it helps you be a better shooter I think.
 
I have few center fires and few rimfires, the one I shoot the most is Ruger Mark III Competition. best one for practice and cheap to shoot.
 
I suppose I’ll be the lone dissenting voice and suggest that you not buy a rimfire pistol instead of a centerfire pistol or revolver without first confirming that you actually enjoy shooting rimfire.

I have some great rimfire target pistols (some Hämmerlis, a S&W Model 41, and a Beretta 89), but — and I know I’m in the minority — the truth is simply that I find shooting .22 LR to be pretty boring, and these fine pistols rarely make it to the range anymore. If I had more convenient access to steel and other kinds of targets aside from paper, I might feel differently. Shooting .22 WMR in my S&W Model 48 does provide a little more satisfaction, but .22 Mag. is no cheaper than 9mm these days where I live (in the U.S.), so that doesn’t happen much either.

If I were in your position, I’d most likely be buying another either another pistol in 9mm Para., .45 ACP, or maybe 10mm (not .40 S&W, since I’ve just never cared much for the round), or a .357 Mag. revolver.

Anyway, make sure a rimfire pistol is something you would actually use before buying. Just this philistine’s two cents.
 
I suppose I’ll be the lone dissenting voice and suggest that you not buy a rimfire pistol instead of a centerfire pistol or revolver without first confirming that you actually enjoy shooting rimfire.

Agreed, try some 22 rimfire shooting then get a 38/357 revolver instead.
 
.22 pistol or revolver is a no brainer as far as I see it, cheap to buy and feed. Lots of fun regardless of how often you shoot it, it’s a good way to learn to shoot a handgun well as you don’t have recoil to deal with. Others to consider as a few have mentioned would be 38/357, 10mm, 44mag if you’re feeling up to it!
 
I've always been of the mindset that if I have a centerfire gun I'll get something similar in .22

I have centre fire bolt, semiauto, lever rifles, and comparables of each in .22. 9mm 10mm 40 S&W .22 pistols, .45LC .22 SA & .357, .22 DA revolvers.

Thinking has always been go to the range spend a lot of time warming up with the .22 then shoot a box or 2 of the expensive stuff.
 
I also decided to limit the calibres I use.

I chose some pistol calibres that are easy to find and usually in stock: 9mm, .45ACP, .22LR, .22WMR
Rifle calibres (cheap & surplus): 7.62x39, 7.62x51 NATO (.308 Win), 5.56 NATO (.223 Rem), .22WMR
 
Thanks again for all the opinions.

This morning I ended up purchasing a .22LR handgun before the latest dictator announcement. Hoping now that all (or at least some) of the 4 pending transfers go through.
 
But what did you buy? CGN needs to know. :)

I got the Taurus TX22 Competition from IRunGuns (it might have been the last one too, as it was showing out of stock shortly after I paid). Crazy times. I spent like $8K in the last month without so much as even seeing anything that I bought lol
 
I'm in a similar boat, recent RPAL - I ordered a .22 Ruger 22/45, and a couple of 9mm pistols, all awaiting transfer. Always wanted a 1911, but can't decide if I should get a .45 (add some variety) or stick to a 9mm (slightly cheaper ammo) (if any are even still available within my now-limited budget...).

I was hoping that reading this thread would give me more clarity, instead, it has added another contender to the list...
 
I'm in a similar boat, recent RPAL - I ordered a .22 Ruger 22/45, and a couple of 9mm pistols, all awaiting transfer. Always wanted a 1911, but can't decide if I should get a .45 (add some variety) or stick to a 9mm (slightly cheaper ammo) (if any are even still available within my now-limited budget...).

I was hoping that reading this thread would give me more clarity, instead, it has added another contender to the list...

If you're only going to own one 1911, its gotta be in 45 IMO.
 
I'm in a similar boat, recent RPAL - I ordered a .22 Ruger 22/45, and a couple of 9mm pistols, all awaiting transfer. Always wanted a 1911, but can't decide if I should get a .45 (add some variety) or stick to a 9mm (slightly cheaper ammo) (if any are even still available within my now-limited budget...).

I was hoping that reading this thread would give me more clarity, instead, it has added another contender to the list...

I know how you're feeling regarding budget, but it's now or never.
 
I know how you're feeling regarding budget, but it's now or never.

And the used market is about to go ape sh!t again price wise. It seemed to have finally started to swing closer to reasonable but I guess that's over now.
 
So I just got my RPAL at the end of June, and since then I've purchased 3 handguns (2x 9mms, and 1x .45ACP). Unfortunately being in Ontario, I don't expect to receive any of them until at least the fall, so most likely around when the freeze would possibly take effect, leaving me without the opportunity to try them out before deciding on what else I would like to purchase while there is still time.

I was thinking it might make sense to pick up another in .45ACP just to keep the ammo requirements simple at 2 calibers. Or would it make sense to have something in a different caliber like .40SW, 10mm, etc? Just wondering what the thoughts of those with experience are?

I don't think I would want anything in .22LR as I don't see a real benefit to it other than cost savings on ammo, and realistically I probably won't be a frequent enough shooter for that savings to outweigh the cost of the gun. Also I am not really interested in revolvers, so my caliber choices would be limited to what I can find in semi-auto pistols.

Thanks
Greg

I’m in the same boat in I only got my RPAL in may, but I had collecting aspirations before I got it so I immediately tried to get a wide variety of guns, got 5 in my hands since June, most second hand and I got a bunch I’m still waiting for transfers but I made sure I got a 9mm (or a 40 cal I could convert )and a 22lr first for the cheap ammo now I’ve got a couple 7.62x25s a 38s&w, 40cal,22lr,9mm I’m waiting for a 357mag a 45acp and a 380, still looking for some black powder and a few more random stuff but if your Only into shooting for the sake of it id recommend 9mm and 22lr for the reason mentioned above(cheap) 7.62x25 is also cheap and type 54s can be had for 300$ it’s all what your into tho
 
Yep. They get good reviews, come with 2 mags, adjustable sights and even a barrel weight. How can you go wrong for $200? I ordered one and the last thing I needed was another handgun but at that price I couldn't resist.

https://marstar.ca/product/norinco-olympia-pistol/

Oh, and a 38 Special or 357 revolver.
read the reviews watched a few videos and ordered one myself. And the price!!!
When will you ever see 33% off sale on a good functioning kind of coolish handgun? It was a no brainer. Prob won’t see it for months but maybe a Christmas surprise.
 
I have been shooting and working on handguns for a lot of yrs, and good 22 semi auto will always work if kept reasonably clean and the mags are good.
They will gum up faster than centerfires because of the ammo.
Only one I find a pita is GSG
If shooting lots of 38 sp/ 357M , 45, it really pays to reload, But buy factory ammo to start and save the brass.
I shot 22 target pistol for yrs, these days my main gun is a 38 sp light load out of a model 19 smith.
I did also shoot 45 and lots of 9mm
 
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