How much ammo is too much ammo? And who gets to say?
- Thread starter Levant
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44 Amp, you hit it right on the head. If I was told that I could no longer buy ammunition, a stockpile of 50,000 rounds might not be enough. Now that ammo is starting to appear with some regularity on the shelves, my current stock of about 5,000 now seems OK. I doubt I will ever go back to where I keep no stock, and just buy what I need each time I am planning to go shooting.
I agree. I shouldn't have to ask permission to have more than a few months worth of ammo.
Lest we forget
73 years ago the England was asking the American people to send them guns. Not just asking the American government, but the American people to send them guns (any guns) so they would have something more than broomsticks and cricket bats to face a Nazi invasion.
And you know what's really amazing (by today's standards, anyway), a lot of Americans did just that. Sent them guns. And not just sell them guns, but sent them on loan to England. And a few of them even came back home again after the war.
This was due, in part, to the fact that they had "peace in our time". A govt guarantee that the worst would never happen.
When something bad happens, promises that it won't happen are worthless.
I'll always be able to get more works fine, until it doesn't. Then what?
The Ant and the Grasshopper
Speaking as an Ammo Ant, I've got no obligation to feed the grasshoppers, and I'm tired of hearing them chirp their complaints....
73 years ago the England was asking the American people to send them guns. Not just asking the American government, but the American people to send them guns (any guns) so they would have something more than broomsticks and cricket bats to face a Nazi invasion.
And you know what's really amazing (by today's standards, anyway), a lot of Americans did just that. Sent them guns. And not just sell them guns, but sent them on loan to England. And a few of them even came back home again after the war.
This was due, in part, to the fact that they had "peace in our time". A govt guarantee that the worst would never happen.
When something bad happens, promises that it won't happen are worthless.
I'll always be able to get more works fine, until it doesn't. Then what?
The Ant and the Grasshopper
Speaking as an Ammo Ant, I've got no obligation to feed the grasshoppers, and I'm tired of hearing them chirp their complaints....
Stock Up Graduley
I've heard all the statements about " as much as I can afford, or enough to fill my closet, and so on.
Hoarding all the ammo because of the Obama scare is selfish and ridicules. all we have to do is go back to buying it in the amounts we all did before the scare and everyone will have it available again and not have to stand in line when the store opens on delivery day.
I personally haven't bought any 22lr in 4 years. I still have 5 bricks left.
For all you "end of the worlders "out there, In your lifetime you'd never use up more that a couple thousand rounds to hunt with. So the only reason your doing it is to sell it. That's wrong, selfish, and unfair to everyone else. Not saying don't stock up ,just saying don't be greedy.
I remember when I could buy a couple cases at a time when my kids were still at home and shooting. Now I can't get a single brick or sometimes even a box to go shooting with my grand kids. Just askin, if you don't shoot 100,000 rounds don't buy them,especially all at once . You can still get your stockpile up if you just buy a brick every week or two.
One thing about this shortage, if you have a local business or people you know that's selling guns and ammo at ridicules prices during this Obama scare ,you've learned what crook NOT to trust or do business with .
I've heard all the statements about " as much as I can afford, or enough to fill my closet, and so on.
Hoarding all the ammo because of the Obama scare is selfish and ridicules. all we have to do is go back to buying it in the amounts we all did before the scare and everyone will have it available again and not have to stand in line when the store opens on delivery day.
I personally haven't bought any 22lr in 4 years. I still have 5 bricks left.
For all you "end of the worlders "out there, In your lifetime you'd never use up more that a couple thousand rounds to hunt with. So the only reason your doing it is to sell it. That's wrong, selfish, and unfair to everyone else. Not saying don't stock up ,just saying don't be greedy.
I remember when I could buy a couple cases at a time when my kids were still at home and shooting. Now I can't get a single brick or sometimes even a box to go shooting with my grand kids. Just askin, if you don't shoot 100,000 rounds don't buy them,especially all at once . You can still get your stockpile up if you just buy a brick every week or two.
One thing about this shortage, if you have a local business or people you know that's selling guns and ammo at ridicules prices during this Obama scare ,you've learned what crook NOT to trust or do business with .
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I can certainly understand guys who think 2,000 rds will last a life time. My Dad was an acid hunter and would guess he never fired more than 300 rds in the 50 years after leaving the Marine Corps.
However, please do not project your activity and habits on those of us who shoot that much in a year or month, and some who shoot twice that in a week. There are plenty of us in the 27K range that will use it up in the next few years easily.
If your plan is to wait until guys like me will sell in desperation, then you will be running near empty for a very long time. Face it, some folks buy in large quantity because it makes sense. I hate paying 100 ct prices.
However, please do not project your activity and habits on those of us who shoot that much in a year or month, and some who shoot twice that in a week. There are plenty of us in the 27K range that will use it up in the next few years easily.
If your plan is to wait until guys like me will sell in desperation, then you will be running near empty for a very long time. Face it, some folks buy in large quantity because it makes sense. I hate paying 100 ct prices.
45long said:
There are those who will say that 5 bricks is ridiculous. And if that's what you had after 4 years of not buying, how much did you have? Ridiculous amounts, I'm sure. Maybe you only had 5 bricks... That's even more ridiculous. Some will say that stocking a 4-year supply of ammunition is selfish and ridiculous. This sounds like you defined the pot and kettle and still called the kettle black.
NWPilgrim said:
I disagree with the idea that alcohol and guns don't mix. Until the last 100 years or so, there were no safe water supplies in most of the world which is why just about everyone drank ale or beer - even when they had guns.
But acid and guns just don't mix.
It's not going to happen. If you had the money to buy it before, why would you give it up? Do you think those who have bought ammunition will get confident that there will be no more attacks on the right to keep and bear arms? Or ammunition?
People buy how much ammunition they want. Some even buy thousands of rounds - even 5 bricks of .22LR.
Panic buying around political events generally doesn't mean people are buying more than they want; mostly it means they're buying what they want sooner than they might have bought it otherwise since they realize there might not be future opportunities. Sure, some of it is rethinking the threat and our wants changing based on politics but no one is buying more than they want. And I don't think how much a person wants ever goes down. Did you ever want less?
To quote the precocious girl on the ATT commercial: More is better
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48-tcRiBNj4
If ammo becomes more available or more affordable, then people will sell off their reloading equipment and supplies. Not everyone, but many will. I know this because I sold off my reloading press, dies, supplies, etc. many years ago. I reloaded for a 22-250 rifle because factory ammo was about $1/round back in 1983. Once I got rid of my 22-250, I was tired of reloading and was glad to eventually git rid of my reloading stuff.
See, I don't like reloading - it's a PITA and takes up a fair amount of room. I'd bet I'm not the only one who feels that way.
Need is relative, of course ... a while back I could buy 550 rds of .22lr for less than $10, so all I needed was a box at a time ... I haven't seen those boxes anywhere for a while. I got an email from a well-known gun catalog offering 50 rds for more than the 550 used to cost. Do I wish I'd "hoarded" 10-20 boxes when I had the chance? You betcha. Do I wish I'd stashed a bunch of .45 when I could? Am I glad I bought a lot of 9mm when it was available cheap? Of course. And it's nobody's business.
Except ... As others have mentioned, our government has no right to determine what's "enough" ammo for me to own. Of course, our current government seems to ignore the Constitution and many laws to further their own plans, so it would not surprise me to see them try to limit what we can own.
I ignore those who say people who stash ammo are hurting our hobby. These years of shortage have shown me that's a bogus issue. If ammo ever returns in quantities which make it affordable, I'm stocking up ... Suggest everybody do the same ... I'm just quessing that supplies will never return to pre-Lyin' King levels.
Except ... As others have mentioned, our government has no right to determine what's "enough" ammo for me to own. Of course, our current government seems to ignore the Constitution and many laws to further their own plans, so it would not surprise me to see them try to limit what we can own.
I ignore those who say people who stash ammo are hurting our hobby. These years of shortage have shown me that's a bogus issue. If ammo ever returns in quantities which make it affordable, I'm stocking up ... Suggest everybody do the same ... I'm just quessing that supplies will never return to pre-Lyin' King levels.
Call me selfish if you want but for the last few years I have bought a few bricks most chances I get. I haven't gotten the chance to in the last year, but I will continue to do so in the future when its available
Doesn't have a thing to do with Obama or the End of the world. 22lr will continue to go up in price. I have 3 kids. I hope I will die with more than my kids can shoot up.
It would have been nice if my father or grandfather had several thousand rounds of 50 year ammo to give me.
I don't know what the future bring with availability or price. I would like my kids to not have to worry about things (everything college, home to leave them ect). If they don't want to shoot up my 22lr hoard then they can sell it for more than I paid.
You may not like it, but you ain't my family
You're right. I should have quoted the quote you had quoted. Reloading gear may hit the market - though I would never sell mine under any circumstances - but ammunition won't.
Some are buying ammo just to sell so they'll probably sell and have to drop their prices. I don't think those who bought for themselves will be selling.
For me, if I don't have family I can count on to entrust with my guns and shooting supplies, I won't be selling it either. I would rather give it away here in another 20 years to someone who takes their rights and liberty very seriously.
I disagree with the idea that alcohol and guns don't mix. Until the last 100 years or so, there were no safe water supplies in most of the world which is why just about everyone drank ale or beer - even when they had guns.
But acid and guns just don't mix.
Aack! Bad typo. The old Marine would not be pleased with that appellation! Of course I meant to type AVID HUNTER. Two sight in shots before each season and he was spot on in the field. Never knew him to take more than one shot per kill.
Just got back from shooting with family today. Fun! We blasted through at least 500 rds of 9mm, .40, .223, 12 ga and .44 magnum. Nice to be able to shoot as much as we want and not have to buy a single box at the store today. It is all still there for the next Joe thanks to our thinking and acting ahead.
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Seriously, I was wondering what an "acid hunter" was 
I don't hunt. So I thought it was some term I wasn't aware of lol. Typo never crossed my mind.
This time of year, my loaded ammo is somewhat depleted. I'm a handgun sport shooter. In the warm months, I shoot more than I load; but in the cool months, I load more than I shoot.
I'll be stocked again by spring
I don't hunt. So I thought it was some term I wasn't aware of lol. Typo never crossed my mind. This time of year, my loaded ammo is somewhat depleted. I'm a handgun sport shooter. In the warm months, I shoot more than I load; but in the cool months, I load more than I shoot.
I'll be stocked again by spring
Hm. As it has been said already, it's a question of personal liberty. If one person believes that 100 rounds is enough, that's fine. If someone else wants 1000 rounds available, that's OK, too.
If someone wants enough to make a two foot thick carpet of ammo on the floor that they can roll around in, yelling, "Bullets! Bullets!" at the top of their lungs, well--more power (or should that be powder) to them as well.
No one should be able to set a limit on how much ammunition you should hold.
If someone wants enough to make a two foot thick carpet of ammo on the floor that they can roll around in, yelling, "Bullets! Bullets!" at the top of their lungs, well--more power (or should that be powder) to them as well.
No one should be able to set a limit on how much ammunition you should hold.
There are people who stockpile ammo for various reasons. And there always has been. Serious hobbyists of various shooting sports (including informal recreational shooting) often have what many would consider large stockpiles of ammo.
Those of us in that category are often regular purchasers, buying a little (or sometimes a lot) at fairly steady rates. People like that were not the cause of shortages, and were as impacted, or even more impacted by the recent rounds of panic buying than the rest of shooting public.
In the last couple rounds of the panic buying, it became clear to me that it was people speculating on ammo that were my main irritation. Particularly the ones who had never before had any interest in firearms, but had good size chunks of disposable income.
While I am a fervent supporter of capitalism, in my mind's eye I see a fellow who has likely supported every gun control measure he ever heard of, with two dozen cases of 9mm stacked in his garage, probably hidden from casual view, as an "investment". That I find deplorable. But, that's just me.
Those of us in that category are often regular purchasers, buying a little (or sometimes a lot) at fairly steady rates. People like that were not the cause of shortages, and were as impacted, or even more impacted by the recent rounds of panic buying than the rest of shooting public.
In the last couple rounds of the panic buying, it became clear to me that it was people speculating on ammo that were my main irritation. Particularly the ones who had never before had any interest in firearms, but had good size chunks of disposable income.
While I am a fervent supporter of capitalism, in my mind's eye I see a fellow who has likely supported every gun control measure he ever heard of, with two dozen cases of 9mm stacked in his garage, probably hidden from casual view, as an "investment". That I find deplorable. But, that's just me.
22-rimfire
New member
There have been various threads on this subject and generally it is all about 22 rimfire ammo which is the least expensive. I really don't know how much 22LR I have and really have no desire to inventory it to make me feel good. I do know that I probably have enough promotional ammo to last me years shooting an average of 500 rounds a month. I don't have that much target grade 22LR unless you consider CCI SV target grade. In which case, I have a good bit.
Centerfire inventory is more defined and I try to keep enough that it doesn't bother me if I shoot 100 rounds on a given trip to the range. I normally don't shoot that much centerfire on an average range trip. It is a money thing for me.
I do pay attention to cost and replacement cost. The shortage that developed last November-December (essentially a year ago now) made me hesitate to shoot what I had unless I had a purpose to the range trip.
Things are starting to get back to normal now, but only starting, since I never see 22LR at Walmart and I do not visit at 7:00AM in hope of buying 3 boxes. I haven't seen any since last December in fact.
In general, I used to try to buy regularly and buy more than I shoot. It builds up.
Centerfire inventory is more defined and I try to keep enough that it doesn't bother me if I shoot 100 rounds on a given trip to the range. I normally don't shoot that much centerfire on an average range trip. It is a money thing for me.
I do pay attention to cost and replacement cost. The shortage that developed last November-December (essentially a year ago now) made me hesitate to shoot what I had unless I had a purpose to the range trip.
Things are starting to get back to normal now, but only starting, since I never see 22LR at Walmart and I do not visit at 7:00AM in hope of buying 3 boxes. I haven't seen any since last December in fact.
In general, I used to try to buy regularly and buy more than I shoot. It builds up.
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