How Much Ammo, and Why?

Vanity | 3/8/10 | dagogo redux

[dagogo redux]

With all the talk about the Second Amendment, the ammo shortage, and about what might lie ahead after November (or before), I thought it might be a reasonable vanity post to ask what sorts of quantities of ammo are practical for a person or household to stock for an “emergency”.

A few months ago, for instance, someone here said 6000 rounds for each firearm. More recently, someone said (I think) 3000 rounds for one’s primary battle rifle, and 500 rounds for each handgun and shot gun.

Answers may depend on many factors: for instance, the scenario you think most likely, or most worthwhile to prepare for, as well as the role you might see yourself playing in such a scenario (home defense, active maneuvers, underground resistance, etc), so posting these thoughts may help explain your reasoning.

"The more the merrier,” will occur to many, but practical answers would be more helpful. And HOW did you arrived at your answer - is it calculated in some way, something you were taught, a hunch, collected wisdom, etc? If you say 5000 rounds, why not 2500 or 10,000, etc. and what do you base that on?

Thanks for tolerating another vanity, and thanks for educating us with your answers.

[mad_as_he$$]

Mine was an unfortunate RV fire.

[thackney]

Do not think of a single event but a lasting situation.

[P8riot]

Last count - 126,000 rounds of 7.62x39. It goes down by about 1,000 a month.

[JD91]

I don’t need ammo because I lost all my guns in the boating accident.

I was there! Both of our boats collided then sank into the abyss - we barely made it out, but somehow salvaged the beer which we consumed during our fruitless search for the weaponry!

[DBrow]

“Try to imagine a scenario in which you personally need and use several thousand rounds.”

Imagine instead that you need a couple hundred rounds a month, and your neighbor needs about the same from you to cover his zone, and the ammo store is a burned out husk, and fedex isn’t about to drive down your block this month, or year.

[nralife]

"It’s not hoarding when there isn’t a crisis. It’s called stockpiling. Don’t use a term like that and set the guy up to hang himself when he says he’s ‘hoarding’ and they think he’s just admitted to something he’s not doing."

More or less words right out of my mouth. Good advice.

[Noumenon]

All of the ammo on the planet is worthless without the will and the skill to use it effectively.

That's the heart of the matter, isn't it? For those without a rifleman's training, get thee to an Appleseed event taco pronto. It's all about skill and motivation. At an Appleseed, those of us without tsuch training will hopefully begin to acquire both.

Stop feeding the raccoons. Starve the monkeys. Starving The Monkeys

P.S. - there's no such thing as too much ammunition, eh?

[atomic_dog]

By the way...What is a “battle rifle”?

As others have pointed out, Wikipedia gives the accepted definition, "a military service weapon that fires a full power rifle cartridge" and then they go on and blow it by including the M-16/AR-15.

5.56x45mm is NOT a full power cartridge. 7.62x39mm is NOT a full power cartridge. 30-06, 7.62x54R and 7.62x51mm ARE examples of full power rifle cartridges.

Here's a good essay on some issues they have in Afghanistan with the M16.

[equalitybeforethelaw]

There is no longer any crime, freedom abounds and the M1A1 in my yard is just for show.

Do not attempt a bunker scenario in your own backyard. If the zombies are a problem, see to it that you attack them in their comfort zone, not yours. This will make them less confident and will retard their wanderings.

[Darth Reardon]

If, one day, you could never buy ammo or primers again, how much would you need to have a reserve and still be able to practice enough for the rest of your life? Can you afford to invest in that much, and store it safely?

BTW, a local Walmart recently lifted their six box limit, and the other day at Dicks I saw ammo ON SALE (not just for sale, on sale).

[Bean Counter]

Firearms? What firearms...??

[EdReform]

For those without a rifleman's training, get thee to an Appleseed event taco pronto. It's all about skill and motivation. At an Appleseed, those of us without such training will hopefully begin to acquire both.

Excellent advice! I've been to two - outstanding training and excellent presentation of the history of April 19, 1775.

Appleseed Project

[BerserkPatriot]

Having lost ALL my guns AND ammo in a Spontaneous Unexplained Corrosion Kalamity Syndrome incident, I would day that for me, this is just a theoretical question.

Here's another: Now that a lot of us (me excluded) have stocked up, what should be the next items one should consider buying?

Non-perishable food?
Water?

Machine tools?
(To make abstract artwork under grants from the National endowment for the arts of course)

Reloading equipment?

Other types of ‘Self-defense’ and other essential SHTF equipment?

Any takers?

[Waverunner]

Just for info’s sake - what’s your time running the 100?
just askin

[Pessimist]

Ok, even in a sustained situation.

Imagine ahving to fire several hundred rounds per month. How many months will you survive this before you get killed?

Seriously.

None of us like to think this, but I don’t think it will be like on TV, where the good guy always wins.

If you fire several hundred rounds, won’t several hundred rounds be fired back at you? Your luck really that good?

Mine isn’t.

And, as I said, whatever ammo you have left is now in the hands of the enemy.

Me, I stick with a few hundred rounds for each caliber. And that’s mainly becuase I make a long drive to buy it cheap, so while I’m out there, I stock up. (Fin Feather and Fur, in Ashland OH, in case you guys are Buckeyes.)

But the wife and I shoot every weak, so it depletes eventually.

[Nailbiter]

read later

[thackney]

So your plan is to die early if extended warfare exists?

[GonzoGOP]

Depends on if you are running or forting up. If you are defending a static position then the answer is as much as you can store safely.

If like me you live in deep blue country you may not have the option of sitting out the worst of it. So if you are going to have to make a run for it, then the answer is as much as you can carry without slowing yourself down. But a good idea is if you know where you are running to (and you darn well should have a plan as to where you are running to) then have a cache of ammo there waiting for you. If you are running to a friends or family members home in the hills, find out what ammo he uses for his guns and offer to kick in for a couple thousand rounds to be stored at his place. Then bring a firearm to match the ammo that is waiting for you.

Finally if the ammo in question is something that will likely be available in a total SHTF situation you can get away with stockpiling a little less. Twelve gage buckshot and 9mm pistol rounds will probably always be available, although it will be at a premium price, and don't plan on buying it with Obamadollars. If you use .762x39 there will be some smuggled in, but the supply will likely be spotty. So you need to stockpile enough to get you through the dry spells. If you just can't live without 30-40 Krag or .303 Enfield for your vintage Bren gun you better have a bunker full at the start because finding more isn't going to be easy.

[FLAMING DEATH]

Fair enough.

Who are “they”?

[Cheeks]

I agree. I’m heading to my second Appleseed in April, and I’m taking to first timers with me.