[MacTech]

Lets say for the sake of argument, you went to sleep one evening, and awoke the next day in an alternate reality, identical in mot every way to this reality, save one minor detail...

the currency used (let's call it the Altarian Dollar**) has recently collapsed and is worthless, you can't even exchange it for a lowly Ningi, what *IS* used, is firearm ammunition

What would you imagine the equivalent exchange rate would be to "Altarian"*** currency?

Here's how I think it'd be;
.22 Short/.25ACP; Penny
.22 Long Rifle; Nickel
.380ACP/.32 Auto; Dime
9mm/.38 Spl; Dollar
.223/5.56; $5
.357 Mag/12-gauge; $10
.45 ACP $20
10mm; $50
.308/.30-06 $100
(these are rounds I'm familiar with)

Obviously, there's a lot of other calibers unaccounted for, maybe it'd be better to list them in terms of bullet-caliber category or something.....

how would you categorize the Ammoconomy exchange rate?




**In fact there are three freely convertible currencies in the Galaxy, but none of them count. The Altarian Dollar has recently collapsed, the Flainian Pobble Bead is only exchangeable for other Flainian Pobble Beads, and the Triganic Pu has its own very special problems. Its exchange rate of eight Ningis to one Pu is simple enough, but since a Ningis is a triangular rubber coin six thousand eight hundred miles along each side, no one has ever collected enough to own one Pu. Ningis are not negotiable currency, because the Galactibanks refuse to deal in small change. From this basic premise it is very simple to prove that the Galactibanks are <also> the product of a deranged imagination.
***In this thought experiment, Altarian currency has the same units of measurment as the American currency system

[TheProf]

In the ammoconomy, the 9mm would be the "standard" since it is probably the most popular (for SD in handguns). All other calibers would then be in ratio to the 9mm.


Ten .22lr (dimes) = One 9mm/ 38 special (dollar)

Two 9mm = .357

Three 9mm = .40

Four 9mm = One .45/ 10mm

[Yo Mama]

Why sell/trade what you had in stock to begin with?
I'm just wondering how you'd ever gain in the deal?

[Cmdr. Gravez0r]

Mad props to the HHGH reference.

[huntsman]

Here's how I think it'd be;
.22 Short/.25ACP; Penny
.22 Long Rifle; Nickel
.380ACP/.32 Auto; Dime
9mm/.38 Spl; Dollar
.223/5.56; $5
.357 Mag/12-gauge; $10
.45 ACP $20
10mm; $50
.308/.30-06 $100
(these are rounds I'm familiar with)


I would rank the .22lr higher the 10mm lower and add .30/30 to the .357/12 gauge

[MacTech]

Why sell/trade what you had in stock to begin with?
I'm just wondering how you'd ever gain in the deal?
Maybe I wasn't as clear as I could have been, what i'm looking to define in this thought experiment is the "value" of the ammo, just like a penny is worth less than a quarter, a dollar is worth less than a $20, etc... I'm just trying to work out what the equivalent values are supposed to represent...

so, in the above example, 5 9mm's would be worth a 5.56 in trade value, 5 .45's would be worth a .308/.30-06, a bulk box of 550 .22's would be the equivalent trade value of 27 9mm's and 5 .380s, or a .45 , a .223, 2 9mm's and 5 .380s, etc, etc....

obviously it's a theoretical excersise, a mildly amusing diversion....

[dom1104]

ok I would like to voice my opinion that this is just.... weird. and completly geeky.

And furthering my opinion that the majority of gun owners on forums work in geeky technology jobs and watch star trek. :)

[lamebums]

[tin foil hat]

If paper money were taken completely out of the picture (such as hyperinflation leading to a collapse of society) and we're all wiping our butt's with $50's and kindling our fires with $100's, then I can certainly see .22LR as "the pennies of the future". Other ammo, if it were an ammo economy, would probably be based on supply and demand - the common calibers sort of like being dollar bills of various caliber.

IMHO, pistol ammo's value would go way down. Some people stock tens of thousands of rounds of pistol ammo... but if you consider a serious SHTF case, then pistols won't be much use anyway, since most problems would be started and finished by rifles. Rifle ammo - especially the military calibers such as 223 and 308, as well as 30-06 and 30-30 will go way up.

[/tinfoil hat]