What do you consider a fully stocked ammo supply?

An interesting question, and one most commonly asked in connection with TEOTWAWKI /SHTF scenarios, which we don't do here on TFL.

However, this one asks a little differently, and so I think its allowable. Particularly, I find interesting the question of what percentage is "target" and "self defense" ammo in your supply.

Of course, if you back is to the wall, its all combat ammo.....

At one point, I thought a good supply would be 1,000 rnds per gun. Then I realized that it really depends on which calibers, and guns were likely to be most used, and most useful.

!,000 rnds of .22LR simply isn't much, despite what some un, and underinformed people might think.

1,000 rnds of .458 Win Mag might seem a bit excessive to most ordinary folks, after all, how many elephants are you going to need to kill, right?

SO, how much is "fully stocked"? Let me ask you this, how much is enough, if you can't get more? Suppose you couldn't be certain of being able to replace your ammo in a reasonably timely and economical manner? How much would you need to "see you through" any "reasonable" shortage? How much would cover you if the reasonable went beyond reasonable?

Obviously, if its civil unrest, or natural disaster that interrupts your ability to get more ammo, your recreational shooting (and practice) gets drastically curtailed, or ended.

Also, here's another thought, how much, if any of your ammo stock is "surplus" even in times of emergency? Its a given, if you are with any kind of a group, when things get tight, someone in the group will need (or think they need) more ammo than they have. Maybe a box or three ought to be earmarked as trading stock, if the need arises?

Short of the "Apok-y-clips" (which we don't do here) at some point, civil order will be re-established, and things will eventually return to more or less normal. SO, what's the worst likely case, a few weeks? maybe a few months (and I'm not talking raw survival here, I mean until the return of regular commerce lets you get ammo again)?

To me, I'm fully stocked when I run out of room, or can't add more without re-enforcing the floor...but that's just me...;)
 
Well, I have likely 3-5K rounds total for all calibers, and I don't think I have nearly enough. Certainly not enough of some. Main carry calibers, I keep 2-300 on hand.
 
This is an easy one: for me it would be 1000rds per gun. That is what we are legally restricted to. I'm also pretty comfortable with that.

Can't imagine a scenario of the type described when rioters would lay extended siege to my property and so I imagine that 1000 should suffice.

And if the situation deteriorated to the point that you had to vacate your home, then you're limited to what you can carry: 1000 .223 is probably quite heavy!

So regardless what people store I think more than 1000 is probably not as useful as people think. It is more useful as something to allow extended shooting practice at a time when supplies are low, expensive or both.

Just my view...
 
I want enough that I can keep shooting at my normal levels when things get crazy and prices spike for awhile and/or availability becomes a problem.

In my experience, that kind of thing can last for 2-3 years. So I want enough to last me for 3 years without having to buy more and without having to worry excessively about running out if I can't buy more for 3 years.
 
I reload everything except for rimfire and 7.62 Commie so other than those two I don't keep an immense amount of loaded ammo around. But I like to have 2-3 years worth of components on hand for everything. Enough to get me past whatever latest panic comes up. I LOVE walking past the empty or overpriced ammo counters, heading to my basement, and picking out whatever I want.:cool:

But that's a minimum level, not max. I keep buying components, .22 and steel AK fodder whenever I find a good deal. I'm not stockpiling for armageddon, I just figure it's not getting any cheaper in the long run.

Now, after a long winter of reloading and not much shooting, I do tend to have a couple thousand round accumulation of 9mm and .45.
 
He brings up a good point.

It's worthwhile to check your municipal, county and state laws/ordinances to insure that none of them place a limit on how much ammunition you can store. It's not common in the U.S. but it does happen. When it does happen at the city or county level, the limit is often imposed in the fire code.
 
Our County fire code limits reloaders to either 25 or 50 pounds in a residence or outbuilding on a tax lot, not certain which poundage it is, since I'm very much shy of the lower limit.

No limit on ammunition, as far as I know, but when someone's cache of 50,000 rounds of .22LR goes up in a house fire, that will be an opportunity to impose limits.

I know a guy with over 400 boxes of .22 shells in his vintage ammo collection, many worth hundreds of dollars for a single box. That's over 20,000 rounds right there. We joke about him being an 'insane gun-nut hoarder', but there are people out there who consider him exactly that and would love to write him out of existence.
 
when someone ammo stash goes up in flames, it shouldn't be any reason to impose limits. since they aren't in a barrel, the bullets just burn up, they may shoot 2-3" out of the casing, but not with any velocity to cause damage. the primer pops out with more velocity than the bullet since its enclosed in a "barrel"

heres an old video, interesting read
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SlOXowwC4c

it also makes you cry a little when you watch it:mad:
 
What do I consider a fully stocked ammo supply?

...... an indication of restraint on the urge to shoot as much as I'd like?




Note my location: I don't live in the US.
Click to expand...

I love my country .....well, this part of it anyhow!
 
I'd much rather have $1000 more of loaded magazines than loose ammunition for any crisis. Whether carrying on my person, in a vehicle, or on horseback, loose cartridges doesn't make much sense to me. One of the reasons I like my SKS-M. Mags are cheap.

Except 22lr. More loose 22lr the better and no need for more than a few magazines.
 
I generally keep a couple hundred rounds each, of 9mm and .40S&W JHP'S on hand. Then a few hundred rounds of good hard ball ammo in 9, couple hundred in 40 and couple hundred for the 45{s}. 100 rounds of both .38spl and 357 mag.
Couple boxes of buckshot in 12 and 16ga. {yep, 16ga}
Just bought my first AR and components for a 2nd. 5.56/223 about 500 rounds.

Other than that, about 700 rounds of .22cal in assorted boxes.

I concern myself more with keeping components on hand than assembled ammo.
Not sure what our fire codes are in my area. I'm sure I'm well under what's allowed. ;)
 
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