how much ammo per caliber do you keep on hand

I don't really have a set goal. I just pick ammo up as I see it and my ammo amounts differ from caliber to caliber. Some I have hundreds, which are the caliber I shoot most often, and some I have very little that don't get shot. I guess ideally I'd like over 200 rounds for each caliber.

Some handgun 2 or 3 thousand, most rifles a thousand or less.

There are a great many threads already about this topic. You might have better luck with the search function.

That being said, most people will say to look at your monthly shooting habits and keep 3-6 months worth on hand so that you don't have to buy when the market is crazy.

I have alot. I wish I had more.

how much ammo per caiber

I try to keep over 1000 rd for my 223 and a couple hundred rounds for my other guns.

A lot less than I used to. I'm holding on to what I have left. Normally, only a couple of hundred rounds of centerfire handgun ammo (.32, .380, .38, .357, and 9x19mm), and a thousand or two of .22LR. I don't own any centerfire rifles.

But, it's been a lot harder to come by.

At least a couple thousand rounds of .22LR, the centerfires substantially less, such as probably 200 rounds or so of defensive handgun, 100 rounds or less of shotgun.

Probably 10,000 or so in 22, 2000 in .223, 300 in .308, 250 in 12 ga., and 500 or so in various handgun calibers. I am not well stocked in comparison to some that I know.

Walkalong said:

I try to have at least one full box of ammo for each caliber put back for a rainy day. I still need some calibers.

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I just have to ask this. How many rounds are in that 1 box?

As for me a years worth of shooting is my usual level and that varies by caliber and gun use.

Queen_of_Thunder said:

As for me a years worth of shooting is my usual level and that varies by caliber and gun use.

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That's a great way to approach this.

For me, I'm sorry to say I only keep a box or two on hand for each caliber. So 50-100 rounds for handguns, less than 50 for rifles. The reason I'm sorry about that is it has now become a problem.

After this shortage gets better, I'm going to try to keep around 1,000 rounds of each caliber, and maybe twice that in .22LR. I wasn't much of a gun owner the first time around.

how much ammo per caliber do you keep on hand

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That is something you don't advertize to the world due to DHS snoops.

Don't matter if you have just a handful or a washtub of ammo.

But say, since the DHS has BILLIONS of rounds on hand, shouldn't we?

Deaf

My approach is to buy at a rate that is 2x usage. Once I get beyond an inventory (cache) that exceeds my average yearly shooting, then I buy one and shoot one. Try to shoot the older ammuntiion first unless there is something special about it... like expensive 22LR target ammunition.

The shortage has thrown a monkey wrench into the mix as you can't easily replace your cache if you shoot it up, hence all the stockpiling.

Only you can answer the question "how much is enough?"

I like to be in the 1000s at the minimal, but i reload

I agree with most of you above. BUt I would break it down a bit farther:
Target ammo Handgun: at least a couple 1000.
SD Handgun: 500-600 (You need to practice with it occasionally!)
Shotgun: 500+
Rifle: (Hunting) 100 or so, depends on how much use and practice you need! If you are new to the rifle then a couple of hundred, after that enough for a couple of hunting seasons.
Tactical: a couple of 1000 min. Depend on how often you go shooting!

Really depends on how often you shoot. Also if TSHTF for real are you really wanting to look for Ammo.

In normal times I like to have a minimum of 10k rounds of .22 LR as we shoot it a great deal for plinking and training new shooters. I normally buy bricks every week to keep my supply up. I keep several thousand 5.45x39 as well as 2k of .223. In other rifles I only need 1-2 boxes as we don't shoot them that much. I try to keep 1k rounds of 9mm FMJ for practice and a couple of boxes of JHP. All other pistol ammo I just have a box or two.

First of all welcome to the new guy.

Lets just say I am 64 and my routine for many years was buy 2 (whether it be box, brick or case) and shoot one.

I also reload a little.

So my answer is: I got enough.

There are a great many threads already about this topic. You might have better luck with the search function.

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It is a perennially popular topic. I think the answer will depend on the audience. If you are just a "shooter," you'll answer one way; if you are a "survivalist," that will not be enough. I lean toward the latter, but without taking it too seriously. But it has led me to be in a situation where the current shortages are only a minor irritation or interruption to my normal buying patterns.

Specifically, I try to keep 20k rounds of 22LR on hand. I haven't inventoried it lately, but I'm probably near or even a bit above that.

For handguns, I try to keep 1,000 rounds each of .38spl, .357 magnum, and 9 mm on hand. I reload these calibers, though, and try to keep at least 5k each of small and large pistol primers on hand, and have enough brass to reload indefinitely. I'm also sitting pretty with bullets and powder for these calibers.

For centerfire rifle cartridges, for .223 I like to keep on the far side of 5k, since that is fired in a semi-auto with 30 round mags. For bolt and lever actions, 1k for each rifle, whatever the caliber. I'm tooling up to reload .223 and .308. I have all the components I need to reload .223 for some time. I just began purchasing brass and bullets for .308, but I'll wait and see if supply and price ease before stocking up on primers and powder.

So even if the S-never-HTF, following these guidelines meant that when the current crisis hit, I was already in good enough shape to weather it.

I reload for all my centerfire calibers so very little, maybe a few hundred, some more, some less. Now primers and powder, totally different story, hehe, but I'm not posting that info other than to say I seriously doubt I'll ever run out or need more.

Rimfire .22's, same deal, but I may need a couple of bricks of the high priced target ammo. Other than that I'm set there as well.

My goal is to have 1000 rounds for each individual gun. Not just caliber.
Then just rotate out older ammo as I buy new to go shooting with, while always maintaining the 1000 round cache.

I also try to have at least 10-pistol mags and 20-rifle mags per gun as well.

Still working on all this though....

I try to keep 1000 rounds respectively with my main calibers (9mm, 10mm, .223 / 5.56). About 500 for .38 special / .357 magnum, and a few hundred mixed 12 gauge 00 buck and slugs.

I like to work on case quantities. A full unopened case in reserve for each weapon, one open for present consumption for each caliber.

It all depends. The calibers I shoot more of like .223 and .308 in rifle I like having a few thousand of each with the components to load a few thousand more. The same is true of .44 Mag and .45 LC. The calibers like 30-06 and for example 30 carbine maybe a thousand with the components to load more.

When out and about I buy anything that looks good and might be on sale. For example on Thanksgiving day the local Gander Mountain had Federal .223 on sale at @ $299 per thousand so while I never do the Black Friday or Thanksgiving day BS I went out and bought 2,000 rounds. Needless to say I'll never regret that move.

Ron

I have consolidated calibers. I am now down to 22LR, .357mag, 9mm, 308WIN, 12 gauge and 223REM. In these calibers I have different firearms for each.

These are goals to maintain:

22LR - 5,500
.357 - 500 with 500 at the ready to reload
9mm - 1,000 plinkers, 500 SD/SHTF, and 2,000 ready to load
.223 - 1,000 plinkers, 500 hunting, and 2,000 ready to load
.308 - 500 hunting, 250 match, and 500 ready to load
12 gauge - 200 slugs, 100 duck, 100 geese, 100 small game, and 250 protection