How much ammo?

[Windwalker]

I never seem to have enough ammo. I wondered what quantities others have come up with.
Having extra ammo put aside is also a hedge against inflation- and yes- I do reload.

Toss in range sessions & a class or 2 and my stockpile can go from feast to famine in no time.
Our Project Appleseed habit burned through 22 ammo like grease through a goose.

All that aside I'm wrestling with the idea of putting a number on a fixed quantity of ammo to set aside for deep storage/whatever apocalyptic event a person can conjure up.
Thinking in layers of future security/future ammo scarcity and sort of a best use of resources methodology.
   
1: Apocalyptic stash (7.62/556/45/40/9mm/12GA/22LR (deep dry storage)
2: Training
3: Hunting - specialty ammo - Moose/Elk/Deer/Coyote/Sage Rats
4: Range burner/plinking ammo for family & groups of friends

1: Defensive ammo (minimum per person/family member) 
Tactical shotgun 500 rounds of defensive ammo
Handgun 4000 rounds
Rifle 4000 rounds

2: Training ammo- 4k per gun -

3:Hunting ammo (minimum)
Shotgun 400 rounds of assorted hunting loads 
Big game rifles 400 rounds each (the few @ $4 per rd - 200 rds ea)
17HMR : 2k /22MAG : 2K /22LR : 10000 

4: Handgun  2K - Rifle 1K - mostly reloads

And a good supply of extra magazines for each rifle/pistol.

[Special T]

Military battle load is 4 hi caps mags of pistol and 8-10 30 rnd mags of rifle. I have heard estimates that folks shuld have 2-5k rounds in each caliber they own.

IF you were smart you stocked up when there were tons of deals before the recent shortage. I never thought i would see this price again but before this stupidity i was able to purchase 720 rounds of mil surplus greek ball ammo 30 06 for $200. I also shared that Midway USA had deals on ))buck shot in 12 gauge for 250 rounds for $90 delivered TYD.  When prices aproximate the cost of reloading I stock up... at the end of waterfowl season I picked up 4 cases of steel Winchester shot shells  12 and 20 gauge for $7 a box. can you reload you own hulls for that?

When deals come along I buy till it hurts. I ran out of 22lr last go around and i couldnt take my kids plinking. NEVER again.  BUY LOW and never regret it. At worst its a sound investment that will last for years. The military does it so why not us?

[Windwalker]

The 22 rimfire shortage was something I don't want to repeat.
We were in line (about the 10th in line) at 0500 before the local Ace Hardware opened just to have a shot at buying 200 rounds max per person.
They ran out of ammo before the line did.

Maybe I should up the rimfire QTY to 20k....

[Special T]

The 22 rimfire shortage was something I don't want to repeat.
We were in line (about the 10th in line) at 0500 before the local Ace Hardware opened just to have a shot at buying 200 rounds max per person.
They ran out of ammo before the line did.

Maybe I should up the rimfire QTY to 20k....

Just before this nonsense happened i purchased 2k rounds for $35 a 1k. A steal

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[Fl0und3rz]

The 22 rimfire shortage was something I don't want to repeat.
We were in line (about the 10th in line) at 0500 before the local Ace Hardware opened just to have a shot at buying 200 rounds max per person.
They ran out of ammo before the line did.

Maybe I should up the rimfire QTY to 20k....

It's too easy not to.

[nutntoit]

Sounds like you are already doing better than most. I have never once thought I had too much ammo so I say keep as much as you feel you should. I have two main categories. Storage and range. I keep the two separate and I don't ever crack into the storage ammo. That way I know I always have what I will need in a bad situation. I have an ammo budget and try to replenish the range ammo and add to the storage ammo all the time. I have enough 22 ammo to last me a lifetime but I still buy it when I see good prices...

[!Xabbu]

I have enough 22 ammo to last me a lifetime but I still buy it when I see good prices...

I have that problem though I kind of have broken myself of it.  I have several 20mm ammo boxes I haven't opened post-Y2K, they hold either 20k of 22lr or 1k of 12 gauge.

[Fl0und3rz]

I was a nomad on Y2K.  Apparently, I have some catching up to do.

[ghosthunter]

I am not saying.
I don’t want the attention.

I will say no one has hit my mark in this, post yet. I bought my last gun in January. Now it’s just ammo.

[idaho guy]

I have mostly hunting rifles and probably 6 that we usually hunt with I decided I wanted 1,000 rounds back up for each of the most often used hunting rifles. I will do 1200 wether they are factory or if I reload them. Once I get back to 1000 I will build back to 1200. The 22 thing was just irritating because the shortage seemed like it was all created by our own stupidity and panic. I always just bought a few hundred every time I was at the store before the shortage so I never really ran out. So I have no number but will just buy 22 when they are priced well. If I have 200 rounds for the guns used less often I’m good

[yorketransport]

I don't keep much loaded ammo on hand, just because I don't keep guns long enough to use it.

I'd say if you have enough ammo on hand to burn out the barrel, you're good to go. No point in having 1000 rounds ready to go if the barrel will be smoked in 800. I do typically have enough components on hand to load up enough ammo to last the life of a barrel. Components can be re-purposed, ammo can't.

[Alchase]

I also moved most of my ammo into a separate storage safe. That way when I look in my rifle pistol safes, I get a momentary panic of not having enough ammo and go order a couple hundred rounds. 
Another habit I got into, when I go shoot, and burn a few hundred rounds, I go buy 100 more rounds than what I burned in the shoot. I put the extra in the ammo safe, and I always have plenty in my “good to go” safe.
This has worked well to keep my stock slowly increasing without a serious hit on the budget.
The one thing I won’t do is buy crap ammo. I buy quality ammo, that shoots consistently.
There may be a day where we have to depend on crap nasty steel case ammo, but not today, LOL

[Axle]

This will sum it up.

[Jingles]

Will say I ran my supplier of SS109 bullets out of the 1000 piece option as I purchased the last 3 packages they had with my last purchase and been buying them 2 and 3 packages for the last year every other month as I get them loaded so yea figure 1K per month for over a year

[Fl0und3rz]

This will sum it up.

[theleo]

No matter how much you over analyze this question the answer remains the same... at least one more box.

[konradcountry]

I have put thought into this question and concluded that I didn't need to store a lot of shotgun or handgun ammo. 

In an apocalyptic situation do you really want to get into multiple combat situations with a shotgun or handgun? You will probably get shot before you use it all.

I think it makes more sense to have a lot of 223 or whatever your semi auto takes. I just don't see going for a shotgun when you have a semi auto. If society fell apart and you went hunting you would probably still take the semi auto most of the time.

Now with that said I will buy ammo when it is on sale knowing that I can always trade or sell it later if ammo prices go up.

I also don't get storing tons of 22lr. I don't plan on eating that much squirrel.

[elkaholic123]

I think some of you guys need therapy! 😂

[Special T]

I have put thought into this question and concluded that I didn't need to store a lot of shotgun or handgun ammo. 

In an apocalyptic situation do you really want to get into multiple combat situations with a shotgun or handgun? You will probably get shot before you use it all.

I think it makes more sense to have a lot of 223 or whatever your semi auto takes. I just don't see going for a shotgun when you have a semi auto. If society fell apart and you went hunting you would probably still take the semi auto most of the time.

Now with that said I will buy ammo when it is on sale knowing that I can always trade or sell it later if ammo prices go up.

I also don't get storing tons of 22lr. I don't plan on eating that much squirrel.

I personally think any time you can buy ammo less than or = you can reload for you should stock up. As far as shotgun ammo... I purchased 00 buck shot for 35c a round new. I could have sold it for $1.50 a round recently. In a time of social unreast how valuable do you think it would be? For your neighbor that owns a shotgun that may help police the neighborhood... Do you think providing him 10-20 rounds would be a good idea? Shotguns and 22lr are probably the 2 most common guns owned across America. Even if you think they are dumb to have if you purchased on a deal you might just have the trading capitol you need. 

[Fl0und3rz]

I think some of you guys need therapy! 😂

That's what reloading is for.

[fowl smacker]

I have put thought into this question and concluded that I didn't need to store a lot of shotgun or handgun ammo. 

In an apocalyptic situation do you really want to get into multiple combat situations with a shotgun or handgun? You will probably get shot before you use it all.

I think it makes more sense to have a lot of 223 or whatever your semi auto takes. I just don't see going for a shotgun when you have a semi auto. If society fell apart and you went hunting you would probably still take the semi auto most of the time.

Now with that said I will buy ammo when it is on sale knowing that I can always trade or sell it later if ammo prices go up.

I also don't get storing tons of 22lr. I don't plan on eating that much squirrel.

Depending on the situation, my shotgun with buckshot or slugs is definitely my top 1 or 2 weapons I'd grab.

[konradcountry]

I personally think any time you can buy ammo less than or = you can reload for you should stock up. As far as shotgun ammo... I purchased 00 buck shot for 35c a round new. I could have sold it for $1.50 a round recently. In a time of social unreast how valuable do you think it would be? For your neighbor that owns a shotgun that may help police the neighborhood... Do you think providing him 10-20 rounds would be a good idea? Shotguns and 22lr are probably the 2 most common guns owned across America. Even if you think they are dumb to have if you purchased on a deal you might just have the trading capitol you need. 

Yea I said I am good with buying it on sale to possibly trade if needed. I recently sold some buckshot as well.

But my point is that I think it is more important to focus on AK/AR ammo. I love my shotguns but in an apocalypse situation I wouldn't leave the house with one. The problem is that if the bad guy has a semi auto then you are in big trouble. Once you get out to 75 yards the buckshot pattern is terrible and your reload time is awful compared to an AR.

Hunting rules would go out the window. So if you have 500 rounds of 3006 I don't think it matters because you wouldn't want to walk around with a bolt action less you run into a zombie. Makes more sense to take the AR every time.

The handgun would just be there for backup. If you had to go for a backup enough times you would eventually lose. So stockpile for practice? I suppose but in an apocalypse situation you probably would have bigger issues than range practice.

That is my take on it anyways.

[Fl0und3rz]

That is reasonable for rural.  In dense metros with mobs, the shotgun spread may be to your advantage in certain instances.

[Alchase]

I also quit buying .22 ammo. I stocked up heavily before the Hilary scare so I have a decent stash, but I have not shot one round of .22 since my boys were young, well over 10 years.
I concentrate mostly on .223/556, and .40 cal.
Throw in a few other rifle calibers and a few pistol calibers when I see a decent deal.

[Special T]

I personally think any time you can buy ammo less than or = you can reload for you should stock up. As far as shotgun ammo... I purchased 00 buck shot for 35c a round new. I could have sold it for $1.50 a round recently. In a time of social unreast how valuable do you think it would be? For your neighbor that owns a shotgun that may help police the neighborhood... Do you think providing him 10-20 rounds would be a good idea? Shotguns and 22lr are probably the 2 most common guns owned across America. Even if you think they are dumb to have if you purchased on a deal you might just have the trading capitol you need. 

Yea I said I am good with buying it on sale to possibly trade if needed. I recently sold some buckshot as well.

But my point is that I think it is more important to focus on AK/AR ammo. I love my shotguns but in an apocalypse situation I wouldn't leave the house with one. The problem is that if the bad guy has a semi auto then you are in big trouble. Once you get out to 75 yards the buckshot pattern is terrible and your reload time is awful compared to an AR.

Hunting rules would go out the window. So if you have 500 rounds of 3006 I don't think it matters because you wouldn't want to walk around with a bolt action less you run into a zombie. Makes more sense to take the AR every time.

The handgun would just be there for backup. If you had to go for a backup enough times you would eventually lose. So stockpile for practice? I suppose but in an apocalypse situation you probably would have bigger issues than range practice.

That is my take on it anyways.

I gotcha. I would agree for personal use with your assesment. Where i split off is that  if things got that stupid you would need to band together with friends and neighbors. I personally would much rather give my neighbor a bunch of buckshot  to help keep the peach than one of my rifles AND the ammo to go with it. 

Some might have some romantic ideas of lone wolfing it around, but that is just problematic.  If you want to go down the rabbit hole read One Second After. THE Walking dead series i think shows how in times of turmoil how much we would need friends organized for mutual protection.

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[konradcountry]

I gotcha. I would agree for personal use with your assesment. Where i split off is that  if things got that stupid you would need to band together with friends and neighbors. I personally would much rather give my neighbor a bunch of buckshot  to help keep the peach than one of my rifles AND the ammo to go with it. 

Some might have some romantic ideas of lone wolfing it around, but that is just problematic.  If you want to go down the rabbit hole read One Second After. THE Walking dead series i think shows how in times of turmoil how much we would need friends organized for mutual protection.

I think you make a good point about having ammo for neighbors. My neighbor only has a muzzleloader so I would be loaning him quite a bit. I would probably end up being the rambo of the neighborhood regardless.

But if I had limited resources say 1k for ammo I think it makes sense to go heavy on AR/AK and just hunt with that. Maybe get some buckshot and handgun ammo but not a huge amount.

I also agree with flounderz about rural vs urban. Being in an urban area would certainly change things, especially if you planned on getting out right away. If I lived in am urban apartment I would definitely keep a combat shotgun.

[jasnt]

One second after is a great book

[Special T]

One second after is a great book

I think its scary as hell!

[jasnt]

One second after is a great book

I think its scary as hell!

I’d be worried if you didn’t feel that way.   Still I highly recommend it.  Very eye opening

[Special T]

One second after is a great book

I think its scary as hell!

I’d be worried if you didn’t feel that way.   Still I highly recommend it.  Very eye opening

Im happy I dont live on the east coast, but I dont feel real good about being an hour from Seattle.

[jasnt]

One second after is a great book

I think its scary as hell!

I’d be worried if you didn’t feel that way.   Still I highly recommend it.  Very eye opening

Im happy I dont live on the east coast, but I dont feel real good about being an hour from Seattle.

many will head to the mountains and die from the elements

[Fl0und3rz]

There is a surprising dearth of animals in the mountains.



Not to mention the people not taking too kindly to hangry noobs showing up in their AO.

[magnanimous_j]

Post apocalyptic scenarios are really popular in pop culture, but I don't think they are very realistic. Any nightmare situation where you would have to engage in actual combat (not a self defense shooting) would probably not last more than a week, let alone years.  Hurricane Katrina is an infinitely more likely scenario than Fallout.

For SHTF, I think 500rds for your handgun, 1k for your battle rifle, 250rds of buckshot and 1k of .22lr should be more than enough to get you through. If the goal is survival, then you should probably avoid situations where you'd have to take on a battalion by yourself anyway. How many times do you honestly think you could fire your AR in battle before you got killed?

If you want to stockpile stuff for survival, you should concentrate less on ammo and more on soap, bleach, plastic bags, batteries, food and seeds, medical supplies, water storage etc. I've got a couple 100ft rolls of 6mil plastic sheeting. Its amazing how many things that would be useful for.

That said. There are practical reasons to stock up on ammo and right now is a perfect example. I was buying 1000rd cases of Blazer Brass 9mm FMJ for $168 a case just 6 months ago. Now its 3x the price, if you can find it at all. I've decided against going shooting a couple times recently because I'm down to my last 500. If I could get it today for 168, I'd buy 5. Given how drastically the price and availability of ammo fluctuates, I think there is a real economic reason to stockpile as much as you can afford/store.

[Special T]

Post apocalyptic scenarios are really popular in pop culture, but I don't think they are very realistic. Any nightmare situation where you would have to engage in actual combat (not a self defense shooting) would probably not last more than a week, let alone years.  Hurricane Katrina is an infinitely more likely scenario than Fallout.

For SHTF, I think 500rds for your handgun, 1k for your battle rifle, 250rds of buckshot and 1k of .22lr should be more than enough to get you through. If the goal is survival, then you should probably avoid situations where you'd have to take on a battalion by yourself anyway. How many times do you honestly think you could fire your AR in battle before you got killed?

If you want to stockpile stuff for survival, you should concentrate less on ammo and more on soap, bleach, plastic bags, batteries, food and seeds, medical supplies, water storage etc. I've got a couple 100ft rolls of 6mil plastic sheeting. Its amazing how many things that would be useful for.

That said. There are practical reasons to stock up on ammo and right now is a perfect example. I was buying 1000rd cases of Blazer Brass 9mm FMJ for $168 a case just 6 months ago. Now its 3x the price, if you can find it at all. I've decided against going shooting a couple times recently because I'm down to my last 500. If I could get it today for 168, I'd buy 5. Given how drastically the price and availability of ammo fluctuates, I think there is a real economic reason to stockpile as much as you can afford/store.

yes... and the article "A Year in Hell" that described being trapped in a city in Bosnia is very insightful.

[magnanimous_j]

Post apocalyptic scenarios are really popular in pop culture, but I don't think they are very realistic. Any nightmare situation where you would have to engage in actual combat (not a self defense shooting) would probably not last more than a week, let alone years.  Hurricane Katrina is an infinitely more likely scenario than Fallout.

For SHTF, I think 500rds for your handgun, 1k for your battle rifle, 250rds of buckshot and 1k of .22lr should be more than enough to get you through. If the goal is survival, then you should probably avoid situations where you'd have to take on a battalion by yourself anyway. How many times do you honestly think you could fire your AR in battle before you got killed?

If you want to stockpile stuff for survival, you should concentrate less on ammo and more on soap, bleach, plastic bags, batteries, food and seeds, medical supplies, water storage etc. I've got a couple 100ft rolls of 6mil plastic sheeting. Its amazing how many things that would be useful for.

That said. There are practical reasons to stock up on ammo and right now is a perfect example. I was buying 1000rd cases of Blazer Brass 9mm FMJ for $168 a case just 6 months ago. Now its 3x the price, if you can find it at all. I've decided against going shooting a couple times recently because I'm down to my last 500. If I could get it today for 168, I'd buy 5. Given how drastically the price and availability of ammo fluctuates, I think there is a real economic reason to stockpile as much as you can afford/store.

yes... and the article "A Year in Hell" that described being trapped in a city in Bosnia is very insightful.

Totally. Its been a while since I read it, but IIRC, the author didn't mention ammo shortages. Only shortages of everything else.

[Special T]

Post apocalyptic scenarios are really popular in pop culture, but I don't think they are very realistic. Any nightmare situation where you would have to engage in actual combat (not a self defense shooting) would probably not last more than a week, let alone years.  Hurricane Katrina is an infinitely more likely scenario than Fallout.

For SHTF, I think 500rds for your handgun, 1k for your battle rifle, 250rds of buckshot and 1k of .22lr should be more than enough to get you through. If the goal is survival, then you should probably avoid situations where you'd have to take on a battalion by yourself anyway. How many times do you honestly think you could fire your AR in battle before you got killed?

If you want to stockpile stuff for survival, you should concentrate less on ammo and more on soap, bleach, plastic bags, batteries, food and seeds, medical supplies, water storage etc. I've got a couple 100ft rolls of 6mil plastic sheeting. Its amazing how many things that would be useful for.

That said. There are practical reasons to stock up on ammo and right now is a perfect example. I was buying 1000rd cases of Blazer Brass 9mm FMJ for $168 a case just 6 months ago. Now its 3x the price, if you can find it at all. I've decided against going shooting a couple times recently because I'm down to my last 500. If I could get it today for 168, I'd buy 5. Given how drastically the price and availability of ammo fluctuates, I think there is a real economic reason to stockpile as much as you can afford/store.

yes... and the article "A Year in Hell" that described being trapped in a city in Bosnia is very insightful.

Totally. Its been a while since I read it, but IIRC, the author didn't mention ammo shortages. Only shortages of everything else.

There were shortages of everything but because he was a medic of some sort the medicine was most valuable for his family because he had that special skill set. Skills beat things every day and 2x on sunday.

[Windwalker]

 Another good read is 299 DAYS

Since the topic is ammo I'll not stray into the long list of supplies needed. Can't eat ammo but without it you may not need food.
 
ONE YEAR IN HELL

"The important part is that something will happen."

For those who haven't already- focus money, time, and energy in preparing for yourself, your family, and develop your network. That starts with security.

"We only had armed groups; those armed protected their homes and families.
When it all started, some of us were better prepared. But most of the neighbors’ families had enough food only for a few days. Some had pistols; a few had AK-47s or shotguns."

Be aware of the variables, ammunition for others can become force multipliers.

"Many died from diseases, especially from the water (two from my own family). We drank mostly rainwater, ate pigeons and even rats."

Health/first aid and identification of local assets with advanced skills cannot be overstated.

"Arms, ammunition, candles, lighters, antibiotics, gasoline, batteries and food. We fought for these things like animals."

"Strength was in numbers. A man living alone getting killed and robbed would be just a matter of time, even if he was armed."

"Surviving on your own is practically impossible. (That’s what I think.) Even you’re armed and ready, if you’re alone, you’ll die. I have seen that happen many times.
Families and groups, well-prepared, with skills and knowledge in various fields: That’s much better."

The starting point is education, and deliberate organizing of the right group of people to round out your local network.


"How much ammo?  As much as possible"

Prepare.
Learn how to sustain survivability, get in the right mindset, and more. Be prepared for anything.

[Fl0und3rz]

"If I could get it today for 168, I'd buy 5."

Which means 1,000 is woefully understocked.  And that may or may not cover ammo for others as force multipliers.