I’m cribbing this question from the good folks usacarry.com. Responses to their HMAIE enquiry ranged from “Everything from ‘if you’re not drowning or on fire, you can’t have too much ammo’ to a slightly more normal ‘thinking 1,000 rounds per gun or per cal owned then buy a box shoot a box’ to a recent moron saying ‘So you’re advocating that everyone reading this article should continue to hoard and buy everything in sight, furthering the shortage that is a direct result of the behavior you advocate for?’ My take: unless you’re preparing for an extended ammo drought you only need enough ammo to maintain a reserve (vs. your ammo depletion rate). Remembering that there’s only so much ammo you can carry. Of course, you may need to hand out guns and ammo to your neighbors in a short-term disaster scenario. I guess it depends on how paranoid/prepared you are. So how prepared/paranoid are you?
There’s no such thing as “too much ammo”.
This
I want to be certain I’d have enough ammo to be able to shoot as much as I want and never have to buy ammo again…
Except when your dead and you can not use it. It is better that you, your friends, and family have ammo than one person hoarding all of it.
Ammo shortage has been over for a few months now.
Obviously you don’t shoot any .22LR…
As I noted in another reply, .22 LR is the only round for which there’s a “shortage” – and even then I hesitate to call it that, because it’s available pretty much everywhere I look, it’s just that the prices are still higher than usual. But if you want it, you can have it.
Personally, I couldn’t care less, because I have a solid stockpile of ~15k.
Rudyard Kipling said it best-
A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition.
I absolutely agree with him.
Agree with Kipling, and include beer for beverage as well.
“too much ammo” ! Does that concept even work?
As we used to say in the Army, no one ever came out of a firefight saying “I had too much ammo”.
Practically speaking, when you are not engaging in firefights on a daily basis? How much storage room do you have, in an area that doesn’t get over 120 degrees or under water?
.22LR? A reasonable minimum is about 25,000 rounds. After all, .22LR is the only truly portable, useful, hard currency.
Unless you’re swimming….then there absolutely is the possibility of TOO much.
All you really need is enough to capture the enemy’s ammo supply, right?
I stopped counting when i hit 10,000rounds
Ask your wife.
thats bad advice when it comes to ammo storage.
“honey, why do you need more than 100 rounds for these guns?”
Quite the opposite. She’d say, “If you have to ask, BUY MORE.”
you have a keeper! i hope i get as lucky as you.
How many pairs of black shoes do you need? She quit asking after that. 🙂
Is her name Imelda?
I like to have a few hundred rounds minimum for my pistols just so I know if the stores out of stock I can still hit the range, for my mosin I like at least 60-100 rounds on hand, since god knows my shoulder gets angry with me if I shoot more than 20-30 per range trip. As for my shotgun, at least 20 rounds of buckshot, and and birdshot for range day I can pick up on range day, unless there’s a good sale going on.
I think I have like 3k round of ammo for my Mosin Nagants. They definitely give me the most smiles per trigger pull. Understandably, my semi auto inventory is much higher. I like to think of it as diversifying my retirement investments, with a set amount going to ammo. Sometimes it buys more ammo, sometimes less. Yay dollar cost averaging, works for both guns and stocks!
I am relieved to hear that I am not the first person to quite literally apply the words “dollar cost averaging” to ammunition purchasing.
This picture is some evidence that “panic” buying has contributed to the ammunition shortage.
What ammo shortage? Go on gunbot, ammo is available and prices are pretty much normal other than 22lr and the specialized calibers. Distribution is what’s messed up, there is plenty of ammo spread out around the country. Now is the time to buy, learn from 2009, 2012, and 2013.
I don’t see an ammo shortage happening here where I am at, aside from .22LR, but a person should have got a couple cases of that a long time ago, unless someone just started taking up shooting of course.
Can’t necessarily say that the photo indicates panic buying or hoarding. For all we know the guy amassed that over a 5 year time period. Dunno. But then again, it’s not really my business to tell him his business or how to spend his money.
Not really. It’s not unfathomable to put $40 or so per paycheck toward ammo. Do that, and within a year or so, you’ll have a pretty respectable little stash of your own. If you did that in my area with 5.56 starting today, you could pick up about 90 rounds of Federal AE223 on strippers per paycheck, 180 rounds a month, or over 1000 rounds in six months.
Personally, having the foresight to have almost a .50 caliber can of .22LR ammo on hand when the panic hit made a lot of difference in my ability to shoot. A friend had probably close to 15K rounds of .22LR stored – he’d just been buying a brick every months for years. He was able to make enough money by selling a little of it to buy himself a new gun with the profits. Another friend works in a gun store and often purchases any 9mm, .45 ACP, 7.62×39, or reloading components in his calibers when people sell used guns to the store. Doing that enabled him to have enough of everything he shoots that when scalpers tried to get him to bite at panic prices, he simply told them “I’ve got plenty of ammo of my own and I don’t need to be in this game.”
So you could argue that if we each had enough ammo on hand to not be stampeded into ammo panics, everyone would be better off.
Nonsense, that’s just a little bit of prudence.
A case or two of every round you have is a pretty solid supply.
Define “case.”
‘Case’ is an old nordic word for ‘closetful.’
very paranoid. reserve stocks should be 1k per cal, with reloading set up for all cals and sufficient powder primer and lead to supply another 1k per cal
Stock enough to keep your children & grandchildren free of tyranny.
The very moment a patriot needed a store of ammo large enough to mount a resistance, there would no longer be any availability to buy a single extra round.
“So how prepared/paranoid are you?”
i guess too paranoid to answer that question online.
however as a general guideline, most people seem to think that 1k rounds per caliber is acceptable. some people think that any less than 5k rounds of any caliber is unacceptable, however i think that trying to carry more that one ammo can per caliber would be very difficult in a bug out situation.
ammo is not all just about pepping. i look at it as an investment. if you bought a brick of .22 in 2005, it will have over doubled its value by today. it never looses value.
I bought a ton of FDE magpul mags November last year for normal price. I could have flipped them for 7x their value in January, but I would rather have those mags. They match the adjustable shoulder thingy.
Your shoulder thingy – is it one of the ones that goes up?
😀 You win the internet today
As far I’m concerned, the shortage is over except .22lr, but I’m still buying and you better be too.
you don’t live in so cal do you?
Even .22LR has some availability in my area, but it’s not entirely trustworthy. Prices range from a little too high ($25 for a brick) to way too high. I tend to buy a little when it’s available at just a little too high, if I can swing it and know I’ll need the ammo in a month. Buying when it’s there means I don’t have to panic when it isn’t.
More.
Only 200 rounds or so per handgun & a box or 3 for the shotgun. If its TEOTWAWKI and I need more than 200 rounds, I’ll probably be dead anyway.
Exactly, how many gunfights do you plan on surviving?
Not many–I’m not as rambo as most of the folks on here.
By the same token, why even stock up if you are not planning on surviving a gunfight? In that case just ammo for hunting should be sufficient. No disrespect, but seems like a silly argument.
“I’m not as rambo as most of the folks on here.”
Neither are most of the folks here. Internet tough talk is the cheapest there is.
I don’t worry about the “how much is too much” question, only how much is enough for my regular needs with a prolonged ammo drought. If I ever needed all that’s in my cabinet for anything other than hunting, typical home defense, or plinking, chances are I’ll be outgunned by planes, tanks, and drones anyway.
For my self-defense carry pistols I don’t like getting below 1000 just because regular practice is crucial, so I try to maintain that with buy a box, shoot a box, and am looking at beginning to reload some harder to find stuff. 22lr is still a problem. Nada locally, and the gunbot stuff always seems to come in stock and go away while I’m busy at work…so that’s been a bust for me.
YMMV
That is the real reason to keep stock on hand. Even with all the trouble finding 22lr, I haven’t felt a crunch. Try to keep enough on hand to make it through a couple lean seasons, or price gouging episodes, and replenish when the crisis passes.
If for some reason the market goes really south, at least I have some time to consider options. Spam cans of milsurp ammo make keeping stock in those calibers easy as well.
“If its TEOTWAWKI and I need more than 200 rounds, I’ll probably be dead anyway.”
“not as Rambo as some people here.”
It has nothing to do with their of those. No one expected what we have seen in Conn, Md, California.
The possibility of large ammunition taxes, severe limits on bulk buying which give large economies of scale and savings, and even new restrictions on lead mean you can expect ammo prices to keep climbing, and perhaps even severely at some point.
Gun rights haters have stated policies and long term strategies of making all aspects of gun ownership costlier and more of a hassle.
It is utterly rational to acquire as much ammunition as possible given those facts. And this does not depend at all on any catastrophe, apocalyptic scenario or even any use of a firearm other than training.
I have three adults in my family and two more who will soon be of age to own a gun. Why would it be in the least bit irrational not to acquire ammunition to the full extent of its shelf life (50 years) for each and every firearm and caliber owned? It will likely not be cheaper or easier to get than it is now.
I’m pretty close to you, I guess–I had 1000 or so rounds of .22, when I got to @600 rounds of Makarov I quit worrying about it, had about 60 rounds of buckshot set aside, I was satisfied with that but I gave a 15-round box to my oldest son, who now tells me he doesn’t know where it is–same with the 400 or so rounds of .22 I gave him. 🙁 He has my Mak now, I gave him a box of rounds for that but I kept the rest for my P-64. My only .38 is a two-shot derringer, so I only have maybe a dozen rounds for that, I gave a box to my other son when he inherited a .38 from my dad. I figure with the 500 or so Mak rounds I have and the buckshot, along with several boxes of birdshot for my 12-gauge, I at least have enough to get started if faced with a zombie apocalypse or some such–and, following the principle behind the WWII “Liberator” pistol (not the bomber), I have enough to “get another gun” with if it comes to that.
For training my rule of thumb is to have around 1000 rounds per caliber per person training per year. Given the uneven availability and to isolate yourself from ups and down of the ammo marketplace I consider that planning for at least 3 years of ammo for training seems reasonable.
For service ammo you should plan differently. First you need to select the guns that you think you will use during a SHTF situation. You may choose to have different guns for different purposes. Consider every gun that you and your party will use: side arm, main battle rifle, hunting rifle, patrol rifle. For the main rifle battle you may need around 500 rounds per year, for sidearm – 500, hunting 100. Then multiple that by the number of guns that you will use and number of years you expect to use them. Planning for at least 5 years seems reasonable.
Any other suggestions for the rule of thumb? It will be interesting to know how much ammo a person deployed in a combat zone uses per year. That will help tweak the formula for SHTF situation.
Giggle switches with varying rates and speeds of fire all greater than semi auto would totally trash those numbers as far as directly relevant even if you have them. But good line of thought.
I guess I’m starting to give in to my paranoid side. I’m not just thinking in terms of just what I may want to shoot, I’m thinking in terms of arming my neighbors and/or the possible barter value of extra rounds.
That said, ammunition is just too expensive to stockpile the way some folks have. I’ve got maybe 2,000 rounds of each caliber I shoot. It would take me quite awhile to go through 2,000 rounds (I very rarely shoot .22LR).
10,000 semi automatic.
5000 per bolt action rifle of any caliber
100,000 22lr.
machine guns get same treatment as 22lr.
You have 100K of 22lr on hand?
Are you Bill Gates.
I’m not Bill Gates – merely working in his former empire – but I do have something close to 15K if I count all .22 that I have (regular, subsonic, velocitor, Aguila SSS, and .Short).
Before you all get your torches and pitchforks, I swear that this wasn’t deliberate, and I didn’t buy during the shortage. Well, not much.
A 3-year supply of any caliber at your normal rate of usage. That should span most shortages and enable you to replenish at fair and reasonable prices.
(oops, meant to be part of the main thread)
Eh, I think a 1 year supply at your regular shooting rate + expected training requirements. So in my case that means maybe… 12-1500 .45, 15-1800 9mm. (Fyi, that’s assuming an 800rd pistol class for myself and my wife this year) Anything else is basically whatever I can find/afford till somewhere between 500-1000 (rifles calibers and 22).
Phoenix NFA and I are on the same page when it comes to this issue. But I don’t have anywhere near as much .22LR as that.
Here in Norway that would be a fire hazzard and would require a purpose built room and a heads up to your local fire department.
Maximum is 10k of whatever you want + 5k .22lr without getting a room for it.
I’m generally opposed to a limit, but I think I could bring myself to tolerate 10K of centerfire with a little change left over for .22LR… lol.
gents, this is a goal, not a current status 😉
and im a firm believer in ballistic wampum.
at one point i DID have over 5k of 22lr on hand.
500-1k for pistol cals would be nice, 100-250 for manually operated rifles (non 223,7.62) and a few hundred shells from buckshot and slug to birdshot would be great.
I’m in the same boat.
250 – .38 Special (Ruger LCR)
500 – .380 (Ruger LCP)
1000 – 9mm (KelTec PF-9)
8,000 – 22lr (Ruger 22/45 Lite, and 10/22 threaded barrel takedown) (I was smart in November 2012, and bought 10k. I’ve gone through about 3,000 of the 10k, and have bought brick or two of some neat stuff that I would be reluctant to buy if we didn’t have that freak-out over 22lr.)
350 – 20ga (50 slug, 100 buckshot, 150 target/bird shot, and 60-some DIY wax loads left.)
Still need to get a high powered rifle of some sort, but I started in… Summer of 2012, so I don’t feel so bad. The Wife™ carries the LCR around in Huntington, WV since her med school classes are in some sketchy-ass areas. We go once every month or two and throw 50 or so rounds down range. 🙂
She likes to keep a year’s worth, and I’m happy with that.
Oh, and with the 22LR’s, I sold off some 100pk clear plastic cases of CCI MiniMag HP’s for $6.50 a box a few weeks ago to a (family friend) teenager that wanted to go plinking with his brother and girlfriend. Gouging? Nope, but I did get my cost back after 6% sales tax.
.308 is pretty commonly available, and if you just want something that’ll throw a big hunk of metal downrange reliably and don’t care about precision can’t go wrong with a mosin.
Mosin’s can run you less than 150 if you know where to look, and cheap bolt action .308’s are the same. You can stockpile .308 (Though it’ll be pricey) due to the availability (it’ll never get hit too hard because it’s a durr round) and x54r, while not as cheap as it once was, is still easy to buy spam cans of.
most people seem to think that 1k rounds per caliber is acceptable
Given that I have guns chambered for .455 Webley, 11mm French, and 9mm Nambu (no, that’s not a typo), that would be…ambitious.
Yeah. I’ve only got a couple hundred rounds of .375 H&H. But I’m comfortable with that.
I keep about a 100 .375 H&H loaded but has several hundred Norma cases on hand same for .300 H&H, 6,5×55 SE, .257 Roberts (Remington brass), .280 Remington, .270 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield; as well as a selection of IMR and Norma powders. Love Nosler and Hornady bullets and my late Darhwr’s favorite Sierra Game King
The non-NATO/Russian rounds are definitely alot tougher to stockpile. 30-30 and 300BLK tend to sit at least a buck a bullet for hunting ammo. Kind of makes me sad, I wish I could shoot the 300BLK upper like I do .223, that .308 sized bullet is such a hoot to shoot out of an AR. It makes it feel like a “real” gun with a nice thump when you squeeze the trigger. Wish someone would start putting out some steel cased ammo for it.
B,
300 blackout is really easy to make. I made 500 rounds in one weekend for very little cost.
Expenses were a 30 dollar metal saw from harbor freight a case trimmer and dies.
Barnes has a ready supply of bullets.
It depends on the caliber and use case. I have around 600 rounds of 762x54r. That’s going to last me a good long time. I have 2500 rounds of .22 LR and that’s only a 3-4 month supply with as often we go and take people to the range. We can easily go through a 300-500 if we go with 3-4 people. So I don’t think there is a magic number. If you hit the range every other week you are going to need a lot more than someone who goes every other month. You buy it when the price is right and I try to always maintain a several month buffer just in case something gets hard to find for a while.
1000 rds per gun is my goal. 500 rds per gun is more realistic. More for .22 and 7.62×39.
Personally, 1000 rounds should be your minimum reserve for every gun. Anything less is foolish. And by the way, my guns are my guns: I will not be handing off anything to my neighbors.
I know of several people whose stash resembles the above picture, I only wish I could afford it. My level of preparedness shall remain need to know.
Now that photo is a decent start.
Just 2 of us took close to 1,500 rounds to play yesterday.
The brass is in the tumbler. Going to spend today reloading and cleaning.
250-500 rounds per gun is what I would like to maintain.
Given that I just recently got a Dillon 550B I am doubling my numbers. 1,000 to 2,000 for handgun and 2,000 to 4,000 for .223. My .22lr goal is 10,000 and then I shoot as I buy (not even half way there but a man can dream).
At least a little bit more…
I have 500ish rounds of pistol and rifle ammo set aside “only in case of emergency,” if you catch my drift. Double or triple that would be a comfortable level to maintain things for plinking and training.
I never thought I would reload, and then the SHTF with gun laws and ammo shortage. I keep 3000 rounds of brass per caliber on hand with enough powder, primer and bullets to make all of it. With that said, I keep 500 rounds of each caliber loaded and when I hit 1000, I simply order enough to make another 1000.
I gave all my 22lr away to various youth shooting programs. The continued shortage and hoarding of 22lr is simply nuts. I saw this past Saturday at Cabela’s people lined up around the block to be able to get one 100 round box of Federal 22lr.
I’ve split my calibers into primary, secondary and tertiary. Primary gets the most then secondary and tertiary calibers don’t get stocked for (if it’s over a hundred rounds that’s good enough).
And it’s not hoarding if you had it before the panic buying. Having it on hand allowed me to sit out the feeding frenzy and not contribute to the madness.
Past that, I’d prefer to keep at least a couple thousand rounds (combined total of practice and social ammo) for primary, a thousand total for secondary calibers. However, I don’t think that 10k is out of line for 22lr.
Steelheart
I’ve always thought that 1-5,000 round per caliber per person was minimum. And 25,000+ rounds of a particular caliber per person was a hoarde.
However, the fact of the matter is that there is not enough ammo produced for this country for each shooter to have an adequate reserve.
Those of us that were forward thinking are in good shape. I feel sorry for the people trying to stock up to a reasonable amount now.
Why? You can get new brass .223 for under $400 per 1,000 rounds. If you are lucky and have an AK74 you can get 1,080 rounds of 5.45 for like $150. You could be sitting on a stack of ammo worthy of “crazy prepper” status for a couple bills.
there’s only 170 rounds per shooter produced for America every year.
Anytime there is negative news there is an instant run on ammo. The people unprepared are hosed.
That’s why.
2 billion rounds per caliber per officer, of course!
Shut the front door
I think it’s relative. I shoot about 10,000 rounds per year, and I usually have about a 2 year supply of ammo (or components to reload)
One thing for sure, I might have enough, but I’ve never had too much.
Based on the current trend of our government and society, I would have to say enough to last the rest of your lifetime and that of you children’s lifetime. It cannot be assumed the product will be there, in its current form, any more than assuming the firearms and magazines will be there. Until there is some indication that at least one of the two parties is interesting in stopping and retreating from tyranny, it will simply remain a monthly budget item, regardless of the actual number. Look no further than Connecticut to remember why you need to buy and store more ammunition today.
I try to keep a minimum of 1000 rounds per caliber. And yeah – “shot X, then immediately replenish X”
That number will vary based on what you can reasonably afford.
With a house full of growing children and a single income, 300-400 rounds per caliber seems to be the sweet spot around here
That has always been the question right? how much is too much? when you are actively training ,there is really no doubt there is never enough on hand ,because through training you know your ammo is a finite resource ,keep plenty ,as much as you can in storage ….simple .In a shtf situation ,you have to realize that packing light may well save your life,so we need to look at what platform we are using .556,308 what ever ,how much can you carry with comfort ,how strong are you? what else are you hauling ? Your ammo in shtf is no doubt a finite resource to be used sparingly …..so train ,learn your weapon ,this will give you the confidence you will need to decide how much you can carry and be an effective asset to your group ,or family.my thought is in shtf ,you will be collecting alot of ammo from those individuals who have not spent alot of time training .You will also be collecting alot of firearms from those very same people.So now we are full circle ,how much is enough?
,and the real answer is how much do you train .?
That’s an interesting take and one that I largely subscribe to. There are many of us for whom more rounds down range are not going to help and we’ve largely moved on to maneuver and communications rather than just shooting. I couldn’t even say what I have on hand but my load out is just 300 rnds of 5.56 and 25 rnds of .45acp. That’s plenty heavy when there are other things that need to be humped and if it’s all used up there ought to be some ammo and weapons laying about that are not longer ‘in use’.
That picture generates the next post RF. Does a responsible gun owner lock up his ammo in some manner? Safe, cabinet, lockable closet? Does easily accessible ammo have legal, safety, or best practices implications for American gun owners?
the question is how much defensive ammo is enough? you can get 20rds for $24 or you can get 50rds for $16, so should you buy defensive or target ammo the next time you see it?
With the state of the world and our liberal politicians buy and hide as much as you can afford.
You can never have too much Ammo. Or too many guns.
Of course, you may need to hand out guns and ammo to your neighbors in a short-term disaster scenario.
Actually, your neighbors are likely to be the reason that you’ll need those guns for protection.
Figure out the amount of ammo you think you need, then quadruple it. Now you’re in the ballpark.
ACTUALLY you will need your neighbors (or other, perhaps more reliable, group) to protect your community from the city dwellers who decide where the REALLY want to live is where you already located YOUR family, Or think you can do so all by your lonesome?
ACTUALLY you will need your neighbors (or other, perhaps more reliable, group) to protect your community from the city dwellers who decide where they REALLY want to live is where you already located YOUR family, Or think you can do so all by your lonesome?
Interest, though predictable bands of opinion. And that most, other than Jonathan the dick, accept alternative views.
There is no such thing as hording. Call it one more progressive construct. Hate and jealous of the “rich” grasshopper who plans ahead or SAVES his funds in the manner he desires.
So how store all this CL V? See: http://www.saami.org/specifications_and_information/publications/download/SAAMI_ITEM_200-Smokeless_Powder.pdf
Good way would be similar to a computer room at a business as possible. If computers could physically explode. Even if you don’t have residential sprinklers your home (which is a very very good thing) install one head in your ammo storage area. If you are of the prepper mindset or not you don’t want to loose your entire retreat/home to a minor fire that spreads/grows. And if you have a large cache that ignites it will not be a good day for your structure firedept or not.
See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SlOXowwC4c
Sooo…….you’re all enlightened and accept alternative views, but only if they’re identical to your own, right?
Here’s a tip, jackass. How about you go look up the definition of “accept”, since you obviously don’t accept my alternative view. While you’re at it, go look up “hording”, too. Check out “homonym”, as well, just for good measure. You sound like the illiterate swine the anti’s rightly regard you as being. Go take up another hobby and another cause, other than firearms, please. Your ham-handed articulation of anything firearms related is an embarrassment to us all.
Heck, you’ll easily burn through 500 rounds in any decent defensive training class that is worth it’s salt..and that doesn’t even begin to touch on normal practice and “just for fun” plinking….so, I’d say you need to start with, and maitain at least 1K per caliber at a minimum (use a box, buy a box)….that doesn’t even include reasonable reserves for prepping…add another 500 rounds for those arms you plan to use for your “SHTF Insurance Policy”
I buy bulk because:
1. I like to save money. (I’m cheap.)
2. I don’t like to have to run to the store before I go to the club. (I’m lazy)
(I do the same thing with toilet paper – I got shelves full! I win!)
But if you’re asking from the standpoint of an ammo preparedness kind of mindset then I’d go with 1000 rounds set aside (as in you always have that amount on hand and rotate it with newer stock) per long gun that is a designated mythical “SHTF” gun. 500 per shotgun or pistol that is SHTF designated. 2500 rounds of .22 LR set aside. Just cuz. Where did I get those numbers? I dunno. I just made them up.
In reality, whatever the SHTF is, if it’s anything short of total societal collapse with mutant bikers packing wrist crossbows and circling your desert fortress, you’ll probably be fine with a box of Gold Dots in the handgun caliber of your choice, a couple 5 round boxes of 12 gauge buck and a box of slugs, or a couple mags of 5.56 (7.62×39 – whatever)to protect the homestead. I’m doubting you’re going to crack open your vast stores of .22 LR and start subsistence hunting for squirrels around the neighborhood just because you got snowed in for a week. But hey, maybe. People do weird shit. 🙂
I say buy in bulk when you can do so, if it allows you to save some dough. Or get some reloading gear but do the math versus the value of your time and the caliber you intend to reload to make sure it’s really worth it to you, unless you just like reloading. Some guys like to relax by making some ammo, some guys find it relaxing to sit in the garage with a cup of coffee and clean a gun. Then again, some don’t. 🙂
So anyway, even if it takes you a really long time to go through a case of ammo, it’s not money wasted. You’ll use it up eventually and then one day you’ll be saying “Wow check out what I found in my ammo cabinet! Back in 2023 I bought this case of 9mm for only $30 a box!” “Wow, that’s crazy. I didn’t think they ever sold it so cheap.”
TIP:
If you buy in bulk as in a case, or you just stop by the store and grab 5-10 boxes at a time, get some masking tape or some little sticky labels and record the date and price per box on it. For rotation purposes, if that interests you, and if you want to see how you’re doing over time as prices go up, up, up.
More. More is enough.
The fact we can talk about “how much” vs “”remember when” is the real topic here.
Love me some MURICA!!!
I always hope it’s a Big Brotherless “how much”.
How much?
Just one more case.
I chose to set par amounts for each caliber = 1 year worth of shooting. That actual on hands fluctuate based on price and availability because I don’t like to overpay so it has ranged anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. I shoot a fair amount so:
223 = 12k
9mm= 6k
300blk = 6k
22lr = 6k
I also try to keep about 1k each of 9mm, 300blk and 22 sub-sonic because if shit ever did hit the fan I’m pretty sure shooting suppressed will be a good thing…
I’m FAR from having “enough” ammo. In fact, I think it’s an absurd notion.
And nobody can dictate to you what “enough” ammo is; it’s like saying they know how much stored water is. You might not be able to have enough stored food, but it’s easy to get a RO water filter and fill up your unused space with it.
” Remembering that there’s only so much ammo you can carry.” There are only so many weapons I can carry as well, but that doesn’t create a situation where I can have too many guns. Better to have it and not need it than……you know the rest.
Depends in what context. Defense? Training? Range fun? Sharing/donating? Reserves?
All the above? Well in that case, yes it takes “a lot” of rounds for it to be enough….and that’s just for ONE caliber.
if I’m not worrying about where to store it I don’t have enough.
It’s all relative. Remember the EPA is closing the last lead smelter in the US. I know you’ll say ammo-grade lead doesn’t come from these smelters. But now, all the lead will come from finer and finer processors and distributors. Supply and demand. Ammo will be around, but it’ll move away from lead into something more expensive. Buy it cheap now if you plan to shoot tomorrow. How much? Depends on the shooter and anticipated scenario. But it’s relatively cheap now.
Go to a tire store or service station and ask for their pulled-off lead wheel weights. They make excellent bullet casting material.
Old boat hulls. The ballast is lead, and their is a literal ton in there. Batteries have the whole hazmat issue to deal with.
I agree those are available now. Recycling will become more prevalent as lead supplies drop. Plus I need to get into reloading, including casting. Gotta start somewhere I guess.
10,000 rds here, 10,000 rds there, after a while you’re talkin’ ’bout ‘nough. Of course the Gun Gods need a constant show of devotion, so if I am not buying guns I need to make sacrifices on the altar of ammo.
Are the people in Connecticut paranoid? How about California,Maryland,Massachusetts or the entire Northeast? How about Illinois where I live? We’re all 1 or 2 Sandy Hook’s,Colorado theatre shooting or Boston bombing from Odumbo issuing “executive orders”. Have as much ammo as YOU can possibly afford.
And if people would learn how to reload, they could save substantial money and space over the sort of situation depicted above.
I can have 500 to 1000 rounds of loaded ammo, and enough powder, primers and pills to reload that 500 to 1K rounds 10 times over in less space than it would take to store 3K rounds.
The point upon which a hobby or habit becomes a mental disorder is when it severely (negatively) effects the other aspects of your life. This could be food, booze, video games, or ammo hoarding (er.. ‘prepping’).
If you can afford it and enjoy it, why not? But when you’re at Walmart every morning at opening and spending your whole paycheck to get some .22s from a shady guy your cousin knows, you may want to re-evaluate your ammo needs…
You can have a gazillion rounds of ammunition for every caliber ever made, but if you have to “bug out”, leave, whatever you want to call it, what good does it do you…??? NADA, no good at all, you leave the majority behind, for others to find and steal, OR worse yet, the enemy…think in terms of mobility and then be realistic about it…anymore than that is just foolish and a waste of resources…and for those of you that think they can carry 1000rnds of each caliber for the guns they may have, are fools in their own right, you won’t get 2 miles down the road before you start dumping…
Exactly.
Which is why I’ve written up why I’d prefer a bolt or falling block rifle over a semi-auto, and a Lee hand press or a Lyman 310 tool. With semi-autos, you have to re-size your brass every time, and unless you’ve got the arms of Popeye, you’re going to get tired of that real quick.
A canister of powder that would last a long damn time can be had for 8 pounds, primers weigh next to nothing, and you can haul more bullets for the weight if you buy all-copper pills.
This is probably part of why .22’s so hard to find – you can carry far more of it per pound than anything else.
Tom
Why would you necessary have to “bug out” in case of emergency? There is this strange fascination among survs and preppers with this idea that I find incomprehensible (and furthermore, for some mysterious reason, most people prepare to “bug out” on foot!). Unless there’s a really good reason to leave, I intend to stay at home, with my supply stash.
How many .22LR for a loaf of bread? When paper money collapses, rounds become currency. Or, that’s one theory.
Bingo! Gold,silver,Bullets for barter. I have no intention of bugging out. I’m old&slow. But still strong as hell. And I already buy,sell & barter for a living. I do AGREE about NOT arming my neighbors. Most of my neighborhood is Odumbo country.
Isn’t a better question,” how much ammo is too much?”
That’s a simple fix. Too much ammo means more trips to the range! Win!
I have a spreadsheet to track inventory and usage.
How much ammunition is enough?
We take all sorts of measure to mitigate risks. Most people keep some cash on hand or in the bank. Many have investments in stocks, bonds, precious metals, real estate, and/or businesses. And most people have insurance to manage risks to our personal health, auto, home, and even personal liability. Finally, we take many proactive measures for risks such as using seat belts, locking doors, installing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, burglar alarms, and fire extinguishers, etc. I believe it is only prudent, therefore, to have the ability to use firearms during a disaster. The real question is what kind of disaster scenarios do you want to cover? That determines the answer for how much ammunition is enough.
How much ammunition is enough? Here are some disaster scenarios that guide us to the answer.
(1) A personal attack such as a home invasion, carjacking, robbery, or assault:
Something like 15 rounds of ammunition is enough to prevail over the overwhelming majority of personal attacks.
(2) Natural disaster such as an earthquake or hurricane:
These events could lead to widespread violent crime for several days and gangs of perpetrators. I can picture needing as many as 30 rounds of ammunition for a single engagement with a nasty gang of a dozen looters. And I can picture three or more engagements. Thus something like 100 rounds of ammunition would be in order.
(3) Long term anarchy, civil war, or foreign invasion:
The last civil war in the United States lasted about four years. The World Wars lasted about four years. Other conflicts lingered longer. Engagements could run the gambit from an encounter with a single person to events involving hundreds of hostiles. Your ammunition requirement for those engagements could be anywhere from a few to 60 rounds. And if you were unfortunate enough to take part in two engagements per month, you could easily go through 50 rounds per month. Multiply that times 12 months per year and four years and you could run through as much as 2,400 rounds of ammunition. However, who is to say that anyone would even survive that many engagements? Thus I like the nice even number that many others have suggested at 1,000 rounds for your favorite few calibers. Caveat: if you want to supply family, friends, or neighbors for a multi-yearlong event, then you would obviously need more. Nevertheless, I would supply them about 100 rounds each plus a few more rounds for training/practice. (It simply becomes impractical to try and store enough supplies for several families. That is THEIR responsibility.)
(4) The End Of The World As We Know It:
If an “extinction level event” were to occur, most people would die-off within the first several weeks and there would be no need for thousands upon thousands of rounds of ammunition. First of all, there would be relatively few engagements because there would be relatively few people. Second of all, survivors could take advantage of ammunition stockpiles that casualties left behind. Again, a thousand rounds or so of your favorite one or two calibers would be enough for most. I might also recommend a couple thousand rounds of .22 LR for hunting purposes during a multi-decade type event.
Well for #3 and #4, food prepping is the order of the day.
In other words, after 1,000 rounds per caliber, you should seriously consider a 50/50 buy ratio of ammo to food/meds prepping.
The question of “how much ammo” is a bit complex, because – as folks have pointed out – there are a lot of different types of needs.
You may have different types of guns:
self-defense handgun 1 (vs. humans)
self-defense handgun 2 (vs. large animals)
small game rifle
big game rifle
SHTF self-defense and/or patrol rifle
self-defense shotgun
hunting shotgun
competition guns
plinking guns
etc.
If you have different guns, you’ll have different calibers, and that means different costs and needs. Having the same amount of 9mm ammo and 338 Lapua ammo just isn’t going to happen. You also will likely have different uses for each of them, be that hunting, competition, training, plinking, EDC, home defense, or whatever.
You’ll probably have different training schedules for different guns. Some you’ll take to the range fairly often – others you won’t use nearly as often. You may take special self-defense / tactical training courses using some guns but not others.
For example, a guy who practices with an EDC pistol every two weeks at the range and fires 50 rounds per range trip is going to need 1300 rounds per year for that practice. On the other hand, a guy who practices with a high caliber rifle once every 5 weeks, and fires 40 rounds each time, is going to need about 400 rounds per year for that practice.
I think the simplest answer to the question is that there is never “too much” ammo one can have. Even if you had “too much,” it is a potential bartering tool in a SHTF scenario.
IMO, the primary things to consider first and foremost are the “SHTF needs” and the “annual training” needs. Figure the minimum and preferred amounts for those out first, and then move up from there.
One other concern regarding SHTF scenarios is that whether you “bug in” or “bug out” can make a huge difference on whether or not all that ammo you’ve got stored up will be useful and/or available. It doesn’t do any good to have boatloads of ammo if you need to leave your location and have no way to transport the ammo.
In the current situation, the more relevant question isn’t how much ammo is enough, but rather, what lengths are you willing to go to in order to accumulate ammo?
In normal times, I’m in the as-much-as-you-want crowd. And why not? It’s your right and your money. Have at it.
In the current situation, if you’re constantly scouring the Internet, or worse, setting up a bot to do it for your, to find ammunition and snatch it up immediately for no other reason than just to stack it in your closet, then you’re a prick. Same if you camp outside of Academy or similar waiting for them to open so you can be the first to swoop down on whatever arrived overnight. Prick. Same if you have a buddy or relative at Walmart or wherever who sets aside ammo for you straight off the truck and never even reaches the shelf. Prick. Even if every time you’re out, you just snag a box or two of 9mm to set atop your existing pile or two of 9mm at home, it’s the same deal. Prick.
Morons with their “Wolverines!” mentality who haven’t so much as thrown a punch in anger since the sixth grade, nor in the intervening years dissented so much as to send back an undercooked steak, nevertheless hoard ammunition thinking that when the big SHTF crisis breaks out, they’ll be ready. Good grief.
Meanwhile, countless Americans who’ve purchased their first firearm, or gotten their brand new carry license, or who just want to take a newbie to the range and start them out easy (.22lr, anyone?), are screwed. They’re SOL in the real world because you’re playing SHTF in your fantasy world. Get over yourselves and quit hoarding. You’re a disgrace, no matter how many endless rationalizations of your actions you post here against me. I know, I know, one or two of you will have just the *perfect* excuse for your hoarding, because you’re special. Save it, you’re not.
Oh, boo-hoo, cry me a river. Anyone can get the most common calibers with no problem. It’s not as if it is unavailable.
Use GunBot.net
Problem solved.
Now if you are foolish enough to think that you should buy locally and spend your time staking out Wally World for the “best prices” … well, go ahead and pay that sales tax if you want.
I prefer to buy mail order, get it delivered to my door, no sales tax and usually, by using coupons and specials I get it for either no shipping charge or low shipping charge.
Ahhh………another freeloader who wants mine mine mine, but won’t shell out for it, . Who pays for your local services, little mister socialist? Your neighbors who pay their sales taxes. No wonder the anti’s hate your ilk.
So if I order a product from elsewhere, I should pay taxes to the state, who had nothing to do with the sale whatsoever? No wonder people hate liberals, they never met a tax they didn’t like….so long as they can force it upon others.
>> So if I order a product from elsewhere, I should pay taxes to the state, who had nothing to do with the sale whatsoever?
The state, quite obviously, has something to do with the sale, since you’re residing in it, and the order ships into it.
The problem with your argument is that it leads to no taxes at all if everyone just orders in another state. It’s an obvious tax loophole, and yes, you are effectively freeloading by doing that. If you think your sales tax is too high, vote in politicians who will lower or remove it.
What does the place I reside have to do with anything? If I travel across the state border in my own vehicle, buy ammo there, and transport it to my own home, am I still expected to pay tax to my state, since I reside there?
That I contract with someone else to deliver it for me makes no difference.
There is no problem with my argument.
I really haven’t had that much trouble finding common calibers at the local gun stores in the past few months. Prices are up, but not terribly so and the price of calibers like 7.62×51 and 5.56 seems to be falling. They’re even getting some .22 LR in, so I bought a brick of that the other day to replace what I shot last week – it’s the first I’ve seen locally since before Christmas.
You can find brass-cased .223 online for 34c/round (search for “Wolf Gold” – and note that this stuff is really hot, closer to 5.56 velocity-wise). That’s pretty much what I was paying for it in 2011.
Thanks for the heads-up. I didn’t even know of Wolf Gold until now, but the reviews seem to indicate that it’s pretty decent stuff. I’ll file that little tidbit of info away.
Dammit! I didn’t even know gunbot existed until this discussion either. Not that I’m searching that hard for anything right now other than maybe a box or two of Speer 135 grain Short Barrel .38 Special, but still… a good thing to know about. I can’t imagine why anyone is complaining about ammo prices when there is something like that to put you in touch with the best prices available and link you right to the item.
So simple – search, click, credit card, ammo arrives in five days via UPS.
GunBot is indeed pretty awesome. Ironically, this is something that we have to thank Obama for – it popped up at the height of the ammo shortage because there was a desperate need for something like this back then. Back then it was only 5 calibers, IIRC.
Thanks for your concern.
What “current situation”? The only ammo that’s still not available at pre-Newtown prices is .22.
I spend what I want on ammo, mags, guns and other useless shit. Guys like to spend money on cars, boats, trucks, motorcycles, planes, broads or booze. Sometimes all of the above. It’s none of my business what they do with their money.
I don’t know what the “current situation” is that you are describing other than prices are up a bit and .22 can still be scarce. I was at my local favorite shop this weekend and they had everything in stock with plenty more in the back. Only exception being .22 was the more expensive super match bullcrap.
I agree that if an “inside man” is setting aside ammo at a store for a buddy, it’s kind of a dick move, but the world has worked that way for thousands of years.
90 rounds of vintage Winchester Black Talon .357mag
200 rounds of .22LR
20 rounds of .380
Guess I suck at my home armory. Not near enough to share.
I’m of the “if you’re not trying to swim with it” or “your house is on fire” school of thought.
Especially if we’re talking .38 S&W or 7.62 Nagant, etc.
After the past few years of turmoil/up/down, I have really stocked on ammo working to find the best possible prices by carefully using GunBot.net and AmmoSeek, etc.
I find that often Sportsmen’s Guide with their ongoing coupons generally result in my lowest prices, since I’m a member and I usually get free shipping.
I have thousands of rounds of the calibers I shoot and like to keep a generous reserve on hand.
It’s remarkable how the most elusive round remains .22LR when before this whole ridiculous mess I was routinely getting good plinking stuff in bulk purchase for .03 – .05 cents a round.
If your floor can support the weight of your ammo stockpile, you don’t have enough.
Looking at that picture I think I have some catching up to do.
Enough HP to load everything, enough FMJ reserve to never be out of anything. Keep in mind, having several guns and/or calibers means a substantial chunk of ammo.
As much as you can responsibly afford lol.
Gotta put food on the table and pay bills.
For me the minimum per gun is 200 rounds of centerfire and 1000 rounds of rimfire. When I drop to or below those numbers I stop shooting that caliber until I can replace them.
As for SHTF or TEOTWAWKI. Having enough ammo to give a mule a hernia means you have to have a mule. Most of us live in urban sprawls. A way to get safe drinking water will be more pressing than bunkers full of ammo.
Keep a decent quality air rifle on hand with tins of pellets and keep a goodly supply of birdshot for your shotgun on hand and you can subsistance hunt for pot meat.
Now, if you’re an active competitor you no doubt need a larger stock. But for most of us if the situation hasn’t been settled in a couple hundred rounds we’re hosed anyway.
The old timers I grew up around, mostly farmers, didn’t practice much if at all. When they fired a shot it was for the money. They put themselves in a position for that single shot .22 or single shot smoothbore to do it’s best work.
A lot of people argue that in SHTF situation you just need the ammo you can carry. I tend to disagree. To me seems that the premise that you will bug out is wrong. I once read an article that counter that argument and made me think. Most people will bug in. Why would you choose to live in the wild, away from all your stuff? Do you think that you will be able to survive more in the wild than in your home? How you will manage to do that with your family in tow? You are no Bear Grills. Even if you are put in that situation, it should be a temporary situation.
Planning to bug out makes sense when you own a different place in the desired location. In that case, you would certainly plan ahead and the majority of you stuff will be pre-staged there so no need to carry.
If you bug in, and most people will do, you need to survive the firsts encounters. That may require a lot of ammo and a lot of people banding together to defend their neighborhoods. Some of these neighbors may not be as prepared as you are. If you value your family’s life you will have to work with them. Surviving alone is almost an impossible task. Yeah, you will hate them that they are unprepared but you will have to get over that if you are to survive.
Bugging in may or may not be an option. Their’s simply too many variables to know for certainty. But in a true SHTF event most cities will rapidly run short of that most basic necessity of life, water.
When you bug in, I think most of us would at first, having a stock of food and water on hand is a reaql requirement. To keep a low profile from packs of predators will need you to remain stashed as much as possible.
after 2 weeks to a month if you’re still alive and it becomes necessary to bug out you will not be able to do it in a motor vehicle. Roads will be clogged with wreckage and the gangs of savages that will emerge after the event will be watching for vehicles. You will have to walk out.
How far can you walk with how much of a load? Cases of ammo will just have to be left for the scavengers.
I’ve got 2 bricks of 5.56, a brick of .22, and about a dozen .45 and .38. Everything on top of that is shooting supply, and I try to replace a box as I use it.
I also hang on to ammo for guns I don’t own any longer, like some extra 5.45 and 7.62. The best kind of barter ammo is the kind you don’t need.
If I can offer a humble suggestion, if you’re worried about the worst, or just worried about ammo shortages, buy guns that aren’t picky and versatile. My Dirty communist AK will eat the nastiest steel case .223 on the planet, and spending the extra money for the extra.357 revolver means lots of options. Even in the worst of last year, I could still get 38+p and tula 223 at Walmart.
2 years of shooting in reserve. One congressional election to the next. We can kick the House to the curb, but, only a third of the Senate.
How much is enough?
When I can donate a couple of bricks of .22 for the local youth shooting camp and not really feel it.
This is an interesting thread. Both my wife and I shoot USPSA. We shoot a lot of rounds for practice and competitions. With two of us, reloading is the only way. We consider ourselves very casual competitors and this is my third most important hobby, the first two being non-gun hobbies.
I’d like to see another article/thread started up asking the question: How many rounds do you shoot in practice each week/month/year? In addition, I’d be interested if people would identify as law enforcement or not. I’m told by a lot of LEOs that most LEOs don’t practice nearly as much as the public is led to believe. I realize it is a generalization and asking the question on here will have a built-in bias in the answers. It would still be interesting to get a feel for it.
1000 rounds .45
1000 rounds .38
1000 rounds .357 mag
1000 rounds .44 mag
5000-10000 rounds .22lr
I replace what I shoot by reloading or buying.
2,000 rounds per cal. Everything over that i shoot.
Many scenarios,
As much as possible . . . . .WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME AMMO WENT DOWN IN PRICE?
Steadily over the last 3-6 months Dermott.
Yeah, after it went way the eff up in price after Newtown….but it’s still not as cheap as it was pre-panic buying, so in effect, the price has technically still increased.
Ideally enough for 1-2 years of what I consider normal shooting usage. I subscribe to buy low theory and I’m hedging inflation anytime I have a few extra bucks or I catch a good sale.
200-300 RDS 12g target loads
15 sabot slugs
15 rifled slugs
100 or so buckshot in reserve.
9mm 2500rds min (wife and I 200ish RDS monthly)
9mm SD ammo–1000rds
Just bought a pellet rifle instead of a 22
7.63×39 2500 RDS min.
Since I’m below that on all calibers Ive cut WAY back on my shooting
250 rounds of 12g target loads
70 rounds of 12g 00 Buckshot
At the moment.
I will buy and hoard until I can walk in a store and look at the full shelves and say, “I don’t need any more right now.”
Homeland Security acquired more than 1.6 billion rounds and plan on buying more in the next few years…Now tell me who is paranoid or there is really no such thing as “too much ammo”…
1K for each pistol
2K for each AR
1K for Bolt
500 for shotgun
Those are my goals.
Reloading equipment after that. I would rather have many good law abiding citizens have ammo than one person hoarding all of it.
I’d rather have my money invested in ammo rather than the market, or the bank, right now.
I have NEVER trusted the stock market. Up, down, don’t have the patience for that nonsense.
I have a shit ton of it, but then again,I plan on selling it in 30 years for way more than I paid for it. My dad’s .32 Win Special lever action rifle that he gave my brother and I, he gave us a box of ammo from the early 70’s….I think it was $4 and change for 20 rounds. Now, you can’t get a box for less than around $26-28. I like to think of it as part of my retirement fund. Even if I only get 2-3 times as much as I paid for it, that’s still better than nothing…..and certainly much better than any bank pays in interest nowadays in a savings account.
I try to stay at 2,000 rounds per caliber for all my guns except for 22lr which I’d like to keep at 5,000 rounds but you can’t find any. At present I only have 1,150 rounds.
Ah, The ammo topic..Just inventoried this weekend
10,000 rnd of 5.56
10,000 rnds of 22
1000 rnds of 308
1000 rnds of 270
500 rnds double 00 12 ga
800 rnds 7.62x54r
500 rnds 380
500 rnds 38/357
500 rnds 380
2000 rnds 9mm
OK 27000+ rounds, I hope it is secured and not all in the one location. Kind regards, Greg
Buy what you can afford and keep at either a positive increase or at least equivalent to your consumption rate.
I slowly work on it now and then, rather than go all out horde like the recent trend has been.
around 250 rounds 0f 380
Maybe 300 of 9am
8 or 9 boxes of 22 but that will not last long at all !
No use stockpiling as a T1 diabetic my long term survival chances are zero.
Wouldn’t it just suck if you have 3 dozen firearms and 100,000 rounds of ammunition, and you are at work or on a trip over 50 miles from your house and safe, when all hell breaks loose, and you can’t get home!
That’s why you have one in your car, with half a dozen loaded “regular capacity” magazines next to it.
I pick up about 150 rounds per trip to the gun store or every other trip. I figure if the SHTF ever I’d do okay. I also bring left over ammo home at the end ofte month so…. I may have too much. Id rather have some more mags for my GLOCK.
I like to keep it at 500rds for pistol rounds, 1000 rds for semi auto rifle rounds and 2500 22lr. After that shoot as i buy, buy as i shoot.
Here is the problem. You guys who think its funny to buy all you can and more than you will ever shoot and leave none for the rest of us, thats BS. I was in the local gun shop the other day and I overheard the guy and a customer talking about the shortage of ammo and reloading components and he was talking about a guy who reported when asked that he had 60+ thousand rounds of 22LR. I was pissed, if people keep hoarding ammo like its last year then there will never be enough for the average joe who is looking for some ammo to shoot in his spare time. Keep on hand what is reasonable and leave some for other people. WTF. I can’t wait for the yard sales when you silly bastards crap the bed.
Spoken like a true liberal.. Since when is it my responsibility to make sure you can buy ammo?..
>> he was talking about a guy who reported when asked that he had 60+ thousand rounds of 22LR. I was pissed
Why not ask him for the contact info of that guy, and make him an offer to buy some of that 60k? If the price is right, he might be tempted.
Well maybe we should all pool our ammo in a big pile and then divide it up even so nobody feels butt hurt.
C’mon man. This is capitalism, that guy with 60k of .22 is doing it right. Hustling to find what he wants and spending his money on what he wants to. Sounds good to me.
Keeping up with “xxxx Government agency buys xxxxx rounds per agent” should suffice.
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2014/02/robert-farago/dhs-buys-1200-rounds-of-ammo-per-agent/
Obviously it depends on how much you shoot.
I’ll typically do 100-150 rounds per range session, a few times per month. So 1000 rounds isn’t exactly much. For others, that might last years.
I stopped buying ammo when the forklift tipped over, back wheels high in the air! And I’m not buying any more till it rights itself!
Guys,
Look at it this way, the second amendment was written to provide protection from an infringing government, so HOW MANY ROUNDS DO THEY HAVE? 2000 rounds PER firearm should be a standing minimum. I own six 1911’s, so 12,000 rounds of 45 ACP are in order. Like my old daddy used to say, I’d rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Ideally, if they decide to burn me out, what a nice surprise they will have. If I shoot a box, I go gets another one (or two)…. 😉 ….
Robert Seddon
More than I got )o:
Just one more box.
Hi TTAG Folk,
I find the article image disturbing; but maybe I do not understand what I am seeing.
I am sure that all the responsible gun owners who take the time to read TTAG articles will understand my points:
1. Ammo security is not visible in the image, possibly because of the zoom-in / image cropping
2. 1st Line defensive ammo: for pistol (50 – per CCP) / rife (100)/ shotgun (50), these should be in your locked steel box in your bedroom.
3. 2nd Line defensive Reload ammo : (top shelf of ammo secure storage cabinet)
4. Defensive Training Ammo : 1 Week for defensive pistol (300 / rifle (300) / shotgun (200) ( all on 2nd shelf of ammo secure storage cabinet)
5. Plinking Ammo : .22 LR – 500 rnd brick (3rd shelf of ammo secure cabinet)
6. Hunting Ammo : 1 x 20 rnd box for each hunting rifle owned (3rd shelf of ammo storage cabinet)
7. Projectiles for each caliber used : Pistol – 500 , Rifle – 100, Shot for 100 shells (4th shelf).
8. Cartridge Primers : Pistol – 1000, Rifle – 400 , Shotgun – 200 (4th Shelf)
All other long term storage ammo in another secure and concealed location; so as to prevent theft.
All reloading equipment, powders & primers, cartridge cases in another secure location; that also complies with local Fire Department storage codes.
9. Truck / car Ammo : in a combo locked .30 Cal ammo can on wire cable lock to front seat frame.
10. Cache Ammo : same applies, understand the security issues and environmental factors.
11. Do not post pictures of all your ammo holdings on the Internet; it encourages theft by criminals and gun haters and their supporting organisations. Keep your forum comment polite and non-inflammatory.
12. DO NOT post ‘I have guns and will use them’ type signs anywhere on your property / vehicle; a hostile DA will use this as prior intent to murder at your defensive shooting trial.
13. Get legal advice; a lawyer will tell you what he can reasonably explain to a jury and defend in a court of law.
My best guess is that if the image above of your ammo stockpile is presented at your defensive shooting trial by a hostile DA; you will be screwed.
Don’t keep all your eggs in one basket. Kind regards, Greg
My ammo shelves are very similar to what the image is..and it is secured behind a reenforced steel door in a steel frame firmly attached to concrete walls. my supplies are probably not as organized as they should be, But as for being safe and secure? well, lets just say I sleep just fine at night.
Well done, sleep well my friend, Greg
How much ammo is enough? How much money is enough? How much food is enough?
How much of ANY item you need to survive or engage in commerce with is enough?
No set answer to ANY of these questions as they are all dependent of factors that vary
widely for each individual. However……for ANYTHING that you cannot grow or create
yourself as needed when needed it is ALWAY better to have MORE than less…..if you
have the means to keep it stored safely.
Went to the new Sportsmans warehouse in Hillsboro.
Ammo galore. All calibers, gauges, weights. OK prices.
Powder, primers, bullets. They had it all.
They sold 60,000 rounds of .22 in 2 days. (Though I suspect I’ll see more online “sales” at 50 bucks a brick)
I bought a modest supply of components for .375 and 7mm mag.
Hmm,
Gentlemen, I think we’ve found the source of the problem in our current ammo ‘situation’. It’s Tom.
Tom, you know you’re not supposed to be hoarding like that. You’re drying up the supply for all of the other guys. If you keep going around buying up everything like a maniac, well then pretty soon they’ll all be left with no options other than to stand outside a Wal-Mart with a stained paper cup and beg for a couple rounds of .22 or some empty brass.
And then you come on here and gloat like that. Have some shame sir!
😛
He didn’t say he was the one who purchased it.
I know. I was just kidding.
I’d set the minimum at 500 rounds per gun (not per caliber). I mostly try to have >1k per caliber right now, except for shotgun shells (they’re just so damn bulky!). For .22LR, having >10k is not unreasonable.
Off the top of my head:
– 14k .22 LR
– 2k 9x19mm
– 1.5k 5.56/.223
– 1k .22 Short
– 1k .38 Spl
– 500 .357 Mag
– 500 7.62x54R
– 500 7.62×39
– 400 20ga
– 300 12ga
– 200 .32 ACP
Robert Seddon, that’s a ton of .45, might be time to diversify eh?
In reading through theses posts, I’ve come to the conclusion that some of you guys have way too much time on your hands.
Wow – if we had access to 60k rounds of 22 ammo the town would have a holiday.
Last time I saw 22 ammo we stood in line for 2 hours before the store opened- owner handed out numbers so we could step out of line and eat. 35.000 rounds lasted 8 minutes..give er take a minute. Difference is we shoot quite a bit and 22 ammo…. used to be…. a cheaper alternative.
Cabela’s announced they had 22 ammo a day or so ago and heard the line wrapped around the store.
All I ask for is enough ammo to train with and for the occasional match. Have to plan months ahead to keep enough stock on hand. Easy to burn through 1k rounds a weekend so the 3 year stock on hand theory isn’t that far fetched if wanting to save $. Price on ammo isn’t going to go down..
If you don’t shoot matches- I would still keep a good supply on hand for ‘critters’.
Local walmart stocks 9mm, 223/556 40, 308, 270, 30-06, 7mm mag, 300 win mag.
No rimfire in stock..ever. 357 mag is as rare as rimfire. 45 is slowly becoming more common. 3 box limit on all ammo but shotgun.
The local gun stores have more variety but no 22 rimfire including 22 mag..17HMR is the only rimfire available. Interesting how some areas have access to ammo where others don’t.
Can load 9mm cheaper than rimfire now so it has become the caliber of choice for most plinking.
Why do you keep trying to get ammo in local stores? That’s what the Internet is for!
http://www.gunbot.net/ammo/rimfire/22lr/
Those prices for 22lr on gunbot are awful. The local gun show this past weekend had better prices, even if they added sales tax. The local wally world is stocking most popular calibers again, and gets 22lr in at least once a week. With a 3 box limit, I can get 1650 to 3000 rounds at a time, for under 6 cents a round. I find that the local wally world beats online pricing on everything but .223/5.56 and 7.62×39, and the .223/5.56 can be competitive in pricing at times. I don’t have to hang out there, if I feel a need for stock, I go by after work, they put the ammo out a half hour after my quit time. The store is on my way home, so it is a minor inconvenience for me to stop and see what they have.
I’m not necessarily saying that GunBot has lower prices (though in my personal experience, I’ve yet to see any local store beat theirs on any caliber other than .22LR, which is on par). But OP was complaining that he cannot find ammo in local stores. The obvious answer to that is Internet, regardless of prices. What help are those hypothetical lower prices on ammo sold locally if no ammo is actually sold?
All I know is I don’t have enough. The photo included in this article shows more money in ammo alone than I have in total possessions in my house. I really need a better job.
Ok, I have been buying ammo for about 25 years in bulk. My father has always told me that someday ammo will be a valuable as gold. I’m now 47 years old and my father has passed but his words may be very prophetic…time will tell but I’m still stacking.
30-06 AP and Ball 10,000+
308 Radway and Winchester 5,500
223 M855, ball, green tip 8,000+
8mm 6,000+
7.62×39 9,000+ (3,000 AP)
30 Carbine 5,000
12 ga 00 buck 1,000
9mm 7,000+
45cal 4,000+
380cal 3,500
22 cal 15,000
357 1,500
44mag 2,000
To some that may seem like a lot but I got about 190 guns to feed and the one thing you can never have enough of is ammo….happy stacking to everyone!
Adopt me? My wife won’t mind.
I’ve only read a fraction of the comments. But, they eventually get repetitive.
I’m reminded of a George Carlin bit about drivers: “You ever notice that anyone going faster than you is an idiot, and anyone going slower than you is an asshole?”
It seems that anyone with more ammo than you is a _________ (circle one): prepper | hoarder | paranoid | asshole | scalper | Rambo | the-reason-for-all-our-problems.
And, anyone with less ammo than you is ____________ (circle one): unprepared | idiot | not-paranoid-enough
I also “dollar-cost-averaged” my ammo purchases over about 5 years leading up to the post-Sandy-Hook panic. I’ve bought very little ammo (almost none) since the panic. I don’t need any. I’ve got enough to last me a few years in some calibers (even .22LR). There are a couple of calibers that I’ve run low on (.45-ACP, for example).
But, I have to laugh at those that say the “shortage is over.” Bullcrap. Good ol’ 9-mm is still scarce except for the cheapo stuff, which ain’t so cheap anymore. I just looked at one of my favorite online sources. 9-mm FMJ Blazer and PMC crap is at $15 – $16 / box! That’s 50+% more than what it was pre-panic. 50%!!! That’s crazy. Before the panic, I could get that for under $10 / box.
When prices swing back to where they were (or lower)… and they will… THEN I would declare the “shortage” over. When I can get the “good stuff” for $10 – $11 / box, then I’ll rest easy. Until then, I’m not buying. Fortunately, I don’t have to. Your mileage may vary.
50K rds per caliber. Pallets full in more calibers than most gunstores. Stockpiled during the Clinton/Bush years when it was cheap. Could care less about ammo bans or shortages. Everyman for himself.
As long as this is still America and most of the constitution still stands, China has not foreclosed and there are not UN or other foreign forces patrolling the streets, I will continue to buy what I can afford and what I can store and hide from the wife. I buy a certain amount of ammo every month. Usually due to a sale or free shipping. Been doing it forever and did not get caught without during the drought of 2013. To suggest that I have too much unamerican and anti-capitalism. Are we supposed to only have “enough” so some other guy can buy it and try and resell it for a profit. That is all I see around my burg. I dont buy off the shelf anymore or at shows. I can buy off the interweb and have it shipped to my door cheaper. Let the billy bobs beat each other senseless at Walmart over a $20 box of 223.
All of it.
I was in Walmart as recently as last week, and the ONLY centerfire pistol ammo available was .40-cal. Nothing else. No .22, of course. And, no .223.
The shortage is not even close to being over.
It seems to be regional. All local gun stores here (Seattle metro area) have the usual assortment, and the only things for which prices are still questionable is .22 LR and 9x19mm.
Depends on how I plan to use a particular caliber (I’ve focused on 3 long rifle calibers, 2 handgun calibers and one 20 gauge shotgun). But, in general, I feel pretty solid with around 6,000 for my long rifles and 2000 for my hand guns. And I only keep about 250 rounds of home defense ammo for my shotgun…but I have reloading suppliers for another 1,000 rounds…and more birdshot than I can count.
I base ammo on the type of gun, number of guns in a caliber I have, and practical use rates.
Ex. My .38 special is only a 6 shot gun and I use it solely for target shooting. 200 rounds is plenty and I just buy a box when I take it out.
I have a few .22 so I like to have 1500 to 2000 rounds on hand because they are easy to shoot and I can load 10 at a time.
I have a variety of shotgun shells in different styles for hunting and clay birds. You can never have too many shells for scatter guns.
The AR is a gun I can’t shoot indoors so I only take it out rarely. Even so I have a few hundred rounds on hand in case .308 dries up completely.
And so on. I don’t feel out of ammo in anything except .22 because it’s so expensive relative to what you get and they are my favorite guns to enjoy shooting recreationally.
I have some ammo , but you have to remember , you can save all you want , it only take’s one sneaky person to take you out with a pellet gun or a sling shot, and your ammo is now his ammo. so slow down with the stock piling , and enjoy what GOD give’s you like good health ,
My defensive ammo I like is hard to find so I get a lot of that in the event the round becomes scarce. But a lot for me right now is 1k rounds. Other than that my other non EDC’s I have anywhere from 200-500 rounds per caliber.
Most of you are underestimating your long term needs if ammo control becomes the norm. 1k rounds per caliber, per year, stocked up for as long as you think you are going to use that gun. That being said, stocking for my kids lifetime, that means somewhere between 100k to 1m total at this time (intentionally vague), replacing what is used.
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