Your ammo supplies: reload or stockpile?

[livingston]

Your ammo supplies: reload or stockpile?
I've stumbled (via e-mail) into quite the heated debate over what one needs in the way of reserve ammunition supplies, particularly if there are severe disruptions to what one can buy in the shops for an extended period. (I'm sure many of us recall the "ammo drought" of 2013, and the instant shortage of M855 ammunition after a BATFE announcement that same year.) I'm pretty sure we'll see such shortages again, for any of a number of reasons - not least political disruption. California is already forbidding bulk ammo sales from out of state direct to shooters, and from next year will require a background check to buy ammo. (That will involve logging all ammo purchases, which inevitably means the authorities will build up a register of who buys what cartridges and calibers, and in what quantity.) Other liberal states are sure to follow suit. In the wake of tragedies such as the Parkland school shooting, there are always calls to restrict ammo supply, or set or tighten limits on how much ammo a shooter can store at home (some restrictions already exist: here, for example, are the Massachusetts regulations), or whatever.

Given those realities, it makes absolute sense to build up a stockpile of ammunition in the calibers and cartridges one shoots.
Bayou Renaissance Man: Your ammo supplies: reload or stockpile?


So what is a decent number of rounds one should have on hand . ... The answer could be as much as one could afford. .... I know some folks that buy a 100 rounds or so every time they go to Walmart ..

 

[Criticalt]

I cant really say how much is enough.
I do know that I can go through a 200 count box of Winchester FMJ range rounds in an average session.
I am on the brink of reloading 9mm and 308.
I have all the basic equipment, just need powder, primers and some time.
For years I have been stocking 9mm, 308, 357 and 12 gauge.
How much do I have?
Who knows

 

[Deplorable Me]

Multi tasker.

Stockpile, hoard, reload, mooch, steal and scrounge.

 

[GOPerfect]

So what is a decent number of rounds one should have on hand

The best answer to this that I can come up with is, depends on the intentions of the shooter.

Me, I try to shoot as often as possible, so I stock up a very decent amount just for that.

I also, with all of my heart, think things in the US are going to become very bad in the upcoming years; I stock pile heavy for that.

I would guess that people in my situations have upwards of at least 10,000 of each caliber. Not so much in the way of basic hunting rifles, but for guns of a self defense nature, at least 10 grand. .22 alone i know people that have way over 100,000 rounds. (Makes great barter)

 

[freddy]

Your ammo supplies: reload or stockpile?
I've stumbled (via e-mail) into quite the heated debate over what one needs in the way of reserve ammunition supplies, particularly if there are severe disruptions to what one can buy in the shops for an extended period. (I'm sure many of us recall the "ammo drought" of 2013, and the instant shortage of M855 ammunition after a BATFE announcement that same year.) I'm pretty sure we'll see such shortages again, for any of a number of reasons - not least political disruption. California is already forbidding bulk ammo sales from out of state direct to shooters, and from next year will require a background check to buy ammo. (That will involve logging all ammo purchases, which inevitably means the authorities will build up a register of who buys what cartridges and calibers, and in what quantity.) Other liberal states are sure to follow suit. In the wake of tragedies such as the Parkland school shooting, there are always calls to restrict ammo supply, or set or tighten limits on how much ammo a shooter can store at home (some restrictions already exist: here, for example, are the Massachusetts regulations), or whatever.

Given those realities, it makes absolute sense to build up a stockpile of ammunition in the calibers and cartridges one shoots.
Bayou Renaissance Man: Your ammo supplies: reload or stockpile?


So what is a decent number of rounds one should have on hand . ... The answer could be as much as one could afford. .... I know some folks that buy a 100 rounds or so every time they go to Walmart ..

Absolute minimum of factory loaded ammo:

2k of 12ga shotshell
5k of 22lr
5k of each caliber common pistol (eg: 9mm, 45acp)
10k of each caliber common rifle (eg: 5.56, 7.62x51)

Better still: 2x - 4x the above quantities.
​

There is no reason to think it will ever be easier to get, nor cheaper.

 

[@thewheels]

My 2 cents:

Minimum of 1000 rounds of anything you own and maybe several hundred for anything your considering owning.
After that, as much as you can afford and have space to keep dark and dry.
No reloading for common easily available stuff unless your a benchrest shooter and require enth degree of accuracy.
I'd certainly reload for stuff that isn't easily available.

ETA: Replace what you shoot and add a little extra every time you do.

 

[GTN]

I do both reload and buy new for my 9mm. 5k total but supplies to make another 6k
Couple k for my rifle.
Shotgun I’m hurting on.
22 I have 5k

 

[MilesTeg]

Absolute minimum of factory loaded ammo:

2k of 12ga shotshell
5k of 22lr
5k of each caliber common pistol (eg: 9mm, 45acp)
10k of each caliber common rifle (eg: 5.56, 7.62x51)

Better still: 2x - 4x the above quantities.
​

There is no reason to think it will ever be easier to get, nor cheaper.

This has been the numbers I've wanted to build to. Sadly I'm no where close to that.

 

[freddy]

...if there are severe disruptions to what one can buy in the shops for an extended period...

Consider the possibilty that 'extended period' turns into forever.

 

[togmaster]

You can never have enough for unexpected situations. If you ever think you have enough...think again.

 

[Drinkthekoolaid]

I need to keep stocking

 

[Robin]

Not sure how much I have all together from .22 to 8mm, but it is in the low thousands, 12 ga. maybe a hundred slugs. Not sure of my reloading stores. Hell, you'd have to be under a heavy siege for months to use all that. Not worried one iota.
Robin

 

[Bananabandit]

As much as you can afford. Not everyone has means to rapidly buy X amount of 9mm/556/308 etc etc.

So Whatever you can afford is better than an empty gun.

 

[IrishMick]

Buy as much as your budget will allow. Vacuum seal it and pack it in ammo cans for storage. Have main defensive firearms in common/military calibers i.e..5.56, 308, 9mm.

 

[Podmonkey]

I stockpile, I don't reload, havent the time for it.
What is the purpose of the stash? For SHTF ammo I don't think reloads are suitable, at least not for semi autos. For SHTF or WROL or TEOTWAWKI or what have you I want ammo with crimped and sealed primers and crimped, cannelured and sealed bullets. Military ammo in otherwords, or at least have a supply of such to fall back on.

 

[Jmac00]

affordability has nothing to do with how much I have on hand. It boils down to how much I can carry when the SHTF. You can have 10K rounds on hand, if you can only carry 1K rounds, whatever is left is a waste.
Unless you're going to shelter in place, then you never have enough LOL

 

[Podmonkey]

affordability has nothing to do with how much I have on hand. It boils down to how much I can carry when the SHTF. You can have 10K rounds on hand, if you can only carry 1K rounds, whatever is left is a waste.
Unless you're going to shelter in place, then you never have enough LOL

Well the other purpose of having a stash is to have a healthy supply to dip into when prices skyrocket.

 

[Exonautic]

Bunch of factory loaded stuff for my AR. Handloads for my bolt action. Both of which Im very low on and due to my impending move I don't see that getting much better.

 

[FrankenCub]

As much as you can afford. Not everyone has means to rapidly buy X amount of 9mm/556/308 etc etc.

So Whatever you can afford is better than an empty gun.

This is my main issue, I can't just go out and buy a thousand rounds at a time when ever I feel the want like many here can. Hell, I sometimes have a hard time replenishing what I shoot up.

affordability has nothing to do with how much I have on hand. It boils down to how much I can carry when the SHTF. You can have 10K rounds on hand, if you can only carry 1K rounds, whatever is left is a waste.
Unless you're going to shelter in place, then you never have enough LOL

If SHTF I wont be bugging out on foot, it'll be in my truck. I wouldn't make it far otherwise. If I could afford 500k rounds you bet I'd have it. Every round would go with me lol.

 

[Podmonkey]

My big problem is I am able to buy pretty large quantities of ammo sure, I usually buy by the case. But I shoot by the case! I can't get ahead!

 

[FrankenCub]

Oh hell yeah, if I could afford a case I'd definitely shoot through it lol.

 

[Jmac00]

This is my main issue, I can't just go out and buy a thousand rounds at a time when ever I feel the want like many here can. Hell, I sometimes have a hard time replenishing what I shoot up.


If SHTF I wont be bugging out on foot, it'll be in my truck. I wouldn't make it far otherwise. If I could afford 500k rounds you bet I'd have it. Every round would go with me lol.

Im thinking everyone else will be trying to bug out in vehicles too, roads are going to get jammed up pretty quick, you (we) may be on foot faster than you think

 

[Mosinitis]

Reload. Make every shot count. Don't just go to the range to make noise. Make your shooting and your target more challenging.

 

[FrankenCub]

Im thinking everyone else will be trying to bug out in vehicles too, roads are going to get jammed up pretty quick, you (we) may be on foot faster than you think

Nope, wont make it far on foot carrying anything. Back is fubar and has even impacted my hunting time. Will be in my truck for sure. I have confidence in my truck getting me where I need to go, even over the hills. It will run 6" dia trees down if need be. The military made sure it was pretty rugged when they ordered it lol. It's not fast but will go damn near anywhere.

 

[Darth]

I don't stockpile ammo.

I buy a case now and then, but I have far too many calibers, on purpose, to do that. My latest buy was a case of 10MM. Pick up a few boxes of my lacking calibers (.25 ACP recently) every payday.

Statistically, if the world as we know it ends, 90+% of the people will die off. I'm just playing the odds.

But, I honestly see TEOTWAWKI ideas like end times prophecies.

I.e., nah, I doubt it.

 

[Jmac00]

Nope, wont make it far on foot carrying anything. Back is fubar and has even impacted my hunting time. Will be in my truck for sure. I have confidence in my truck getting me where I need to go, even over the hills. It will run 6" dia trees down if need be. The military made sure it was pretty rugged when they ordered it lol. It's not fast but will go damn near anywhere.

LOL, swing by and pick me up, LOL

 

[Podmonkey]

Right now I have 2 cases of 77gr OTM 5.56. That's the main SHTF 5.56 stash, 1 case of 64gr Gold Dot 223 plus some extra boxes and loose rounds, thats the HD/SD general purpose stash. I didn't really touch the 2 cans of Hornady 55g HP match ammo I bought for the last range trip so thats somewhere around 450 rnds of that. I got about 200 rounds of the American Eagle 308 left. For 9mm I have a 500 round stash of 124gr +P HSTs that is for SHTF/HD/SD want to get that back up to 1k. I still have 200 rounds of the Modern Munitions 124gr left over from a couple months ago, 2 boxes of the NATO spec 124gr Winchester White Box left over from training and range days and 200 some loose rounds of Remington 115gr bulk that I bought but barely got into left over from 2 range trips ago. I always spend so much time shooting rifle I never have as much time for pistols left as I'd like. I have a couple thousand rounds of .22lr that I never use that I bought in a couple orders about a year ago. Finally I have 100 rounds of Remington 3/4" 00 buck that I bought years ago. Oh yeah, I still have 144 rounds of surplus HXP 30-06 just waiting for me to finally fix my Garand for. The kicker here is that I have coming to me (well its there now actually) 1k more of the Winchester White Box NATO stuff, 1k of IMI M193 and 540 rounds of Malaysian surplus M80 ball. All of this is for my upcoming training and I expect to shoot most of it. If the Galil doesn't get booted of the line first I'll prolly kill all of the M80 and have most of the M193 left over. I'm bringing the ARs primarily for backup.

 

[Criticalt]

Absolute minimum of factory loaded ammo:

2k of 12ga shotshell
5k of 22lr
5k of each caliber common pistol (eg: 9mm, 45acp)
10k of each caliber common rifle (eg: 5.56, 7.62x51)

Better still: 2x - 4x the above quantities.
​

There is no reason to think it will ever be easier to get, nor cheaper.

Oops, I passed that 20 years ago.
Except the rifle ammo, thats a bit lower.
Ive only got about 60 rounds of 338 Lapua because I dont fire it much and its very expensive ammo.
I need to get a die for that too I suppose.

 

[Criticalt]

This is my main issue, I can't just go out and buy a thousand rounds at a time when ever I feel the want like many here can. Hell, I sometimes have a hard time replenishing what I shoot up.


If SHTF I wont be bugging out on foot, it'll be in my truck. I wouldn't make it far otherwise. If I could afford 500k rounds you bet I'd have it. Every round would go with me lol.

Ive never bought a case in my life, but I still have tons of ammo.
Im the guy that buys a little every time I see it.
I havent been to Walmart in 25 years without picking up $30-$40 worth of ammo.
A few 333 count 22LR here, a 200 count range pack of 9mm there...maybe a box of 308 thats on sale.....maybe two.
I cannot pass up those damn American Eagle FMJ/JHP combo packs, they are always on sale at the LGS.
Im sure I have a 55 gallon drum full worth of 22LR "Bucket OF Bullets" tubs.
I even buy some 223.
I do not have a 223 firearm right now.

 

[Podmonkey]

Ive never bought a case in my life, but I still have tons of ammo.
Im the guy that buys a little every time I see it.
I havent been to Walmart in 25 years without picking up $30-$40 worth of ammo.
A few 333 count 22LR here, a 200 count range pack of 9mm there...maybe a box of 308 thats on sale.....maybe two.
I cannot pass up those damn American Eagle FMJ/JHP combo packs, they are always on sale at the LGS.
Im sure I have a 55 gallon drum full worth of 22LR "Bucket OF Bullets" tubs.
I even buy some 223.
I do not have a 223 firearm right now.

I do that with mags. But I generally don't find my prefered ammos in stores. Except for the 55gr HPs. I will always grab up a container of those when I see one on sale. Thats pretty good target ammo.