Do you count your ammo

D

DennisCA

New member
The other day I purchased about 200 rounds of 7.62X54r ammo and when I went to store it, I realized that I have a crap-load (which is a lot and it is a actual method of measuring!) of 7.62X54r ammo.

I started to ponder; Should I actually start physically counting my ammo?
Normally I just eyeball the stuff and when I starting low (one or two boxes left for example) I order or get some more.

Obviously - This method isn't going to cut it any more.:eek:
 
P5 Guy said:
Shoot one reload two the best way to count ammo and watch it grow!
Click to expand...

Fixed that for you.:p (Says the guy who has loaded all of about 400 rounds in his illustrious reloading career.:rolleyes:)
 
Hmm . . . . I count mine, if by "counting" you mean using the following measurements.
  • A few
  • A handful
  • Some
  • Lots
  • Plenty
  • A boatload
  • A freakin' ton
 
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I counted mine once and put it in a spreadsheet. Somehow, I always was in either too big a hurry or too disorganized to track it. So, I gave in to the inevitable and just use the eyeball method.
 
Nope. Never have. I just eyeball it to see if I'm in the need for anything in particular. When something looks a bit low I go on a mission to replace it.
 
When the stack gets below the line marked on the back of the ammo cabinet it's time to buy or load more. I, too, count primers and bullets (rough count).
 
Looking at these responses, I'm thinking that I might be a bit anal... yup, I know pretty closely how much of each caliber I have, and how much of each reloading consumable I've got.

I've been staying around 3000 loaded 9mm rounds recently, with consumables to reload around double that amount. I've found that the regular plastic Plano field cans hold 1000rds full. I've got 3 of them, and when one gets low, I fill it up... then I go buy a pound or 2 of powder and some more bullets and primers (usually more than I just loaded to fill the ammo can up, so I slowly build reserve.

I do the same with .223 and .308, but in smaller amounts. And I have hoarded an amount of .22lr that is pretty silly... although I did trade 2x 325ct bulk packs of Federal 40gr the other day for a brand new ShootingChrony... yup, it's still worth gold.
 
I count mine kind of. Since I reload I like an accurate count of when I should load the brass again. Usually like to keep 200 rounds of each except for 22. But most of the stuff I shoot I can't buy loaded locally.

It's always nice to have a couple hundred rounds of 12 gauge in case a trap day presents itself. But then again it sucks up a lot of space storing it. But I've seen guys with pallets of ammo bought in bulk for trap. Who knows where they find the room to store that.
 
I do not count down to the round, but I know to within a couple hundred for all my centerfire rounds.

Since I reload, I store all my reloads in ziplock bags, 100 to a bag for pistol and 60 to a bag for AR fodder. Then I put the bags in the big pretzel jars you can buy from warehouse stores (my office has them in the kitchen so I have a never ending supply of them). I know how many rounds of each caliber (i.e. 1300 9mm, 800 45 ACP, etc.) will fit in a pretzel jar, so a rough eyeball gets to +/- 100 usually. I try to keep one full pretzel jar of each caliber on hand. If I am getting close to breaking into the last jar, I make some more. And I rotate them regularly so the oldest always gets shot first.

For my precision rifle rounds, I never have more than 100 loaded up a time, so it is easy to see if I have one or two 50 ct boxes loaded.

I have 500 factory rounds sitting on the shelf for every caliber I shoot, so that is easy. Only time I shoot this is when I buy a new gun to ensure it works as it should before I run reloads. So if I use 2 boxes of it during the function test, I just buy two more next time I in the store.

For shotgun, I buy target loads by the case, so it is also easy to know my inventory as each case sitting there is 250 rounds.

And for rimfire, it is not hard to count the only two bulk packs I have been able to get my hands on...
 
I look at the shelves.
If the spot seems a little bare, I'll check my ammo cans to see if anything got left in there after the last trip. If they're empty, I check the "triage center" to see if the brass is waiting to be tumbled. If that's empty, then the brass is waiting to be loaded, or I lost the ammo.

I know, off the top of my head, that I have an approximate amount for certain cartridges. For example, I know that I currently only have about 230 loaded rounds for .44 Mag (2 50-ct boxes 180 gr Sierra HPs, 1 100-ct box Hornady 240 gr SWCs, eight 310 gr WFNs (need to cast more), and some random experimental loads).
But for others, I have no idea. If you ask me how many rounds of 7.62x54R I have loaded with Hornady 174s, I'll give you a blank stare and then an "I have no idea - maybe 2 or 3 boxes?" (I just checked. It's 9 rounds. :eek:)


Generally, the more critically low the supply is, the more likely I am to know exactly what I've got ....because replacing it is on my mind.

20 ga loads? Yep... 2 boxes, and they're both super-wimpy "reduced recoil / reduced report" loads.
.444 Marlin? Umm... 150 rounds? I don't know. There's enough to hunt and punch a few targets for several years, so I'm not worried about it.
.38 Special? Yep... I've been on the same (last) box for 3 (4?) years now. There are 34 rounds in the box, 5 rounds in the J-frame, 11 rounds in speed strips, and 5 rounds in my truck. ;)
.270 Winchester? Uhhhhh... No idea, but it takes up more space on the shelves than any other rifle cartridge.
 
I don't purchase,but I do keep track of my reloading supplys. Other than 223 and 45 ACP I do not load till I know I will be shooting the other calibers. I keep about 500 rounds of 223 and 45 on hand ready to go. All other calibers I just make sure I have ample components on hand to go. I also pick up more everytime I go to the store ( maybe 2 times a week). I donate plasma for $280.00 a month and that is my reloading money only.
 
I count my ammo in boxes and bags, but anything that is loose rounds like 8mm Mauser or 7.62x54R, I just have a rough estimate. Most of the guns I bought new have pretty accurate round count on them.
 
Every once in a while, I get a wild hair and do an inventory. The last time, I think it was back in May of 06, and I kept losing track after 25k of pistol ammo, (never got to the rifles) before giving up.
:D
 
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