How much ammo is "enough?"

There's never enough.

Better way to frame the question would be; "how much do I need"?

But there's no 100% correct answer for that one.

Enough is like beauty .... it is in the eye of the beholder.... there really is no o e answer to this... I like to have at least 1k, but that is just my preference. I figure that’s enough for me for at least a year. As to 22 lr I LIKE having several k cuz it’s just fun to shoot.

I do not intend to be flippant with this answer, but quite honestly whatever you think today, will NOT be enough tomorrow.

I had thought myself reasonably well stocked for any reasonable needs. Once the ammo supply began to dry up I realized I was very wrong.

I had failed to reassess my center fire usage after I began to compete, and I failed to account for rimfire use when center fire is unavailable or prohibitively expensive.

I will likely get by, but I am shooting much less than I was a year ago.

Really depends on the storage space you have, how much you shoot, how much you can afford.

My preference for my own limitations is an MTM 50 cal ammo can full for each caliber I own. Unfortunately, right now I only have that for 9mm, .223, and 22lr, but those are the ones I use the most by far so I can get by with what I have for everything else. I get out less than once a month though, so that keeps my ammo usage pretty low.

Enough to last until you can again purchase ammo or components. And there is no apolitical answer. I would plan now for nine years.

How many threads on "how much ammo is enough/" ......is enough?

5 year supply of reloading components is my current baseline.

You only have " too much ammo" if;

A. You are in water over your head
B. You are on fire

It all depends on how much shooting you do. I shoot in a rimfire and centerfire bullseye league three times a week and shoot rimfire and centerfire metallic silhouette twice a month. In addition to this I shoot two or three times a month just to stay familiar with other guns I own. I currently have a case of .22lr and around 3,000 rounds of 30-30, .223, 9mm, .45 ACP and .44 Mag. A modest amount of ammo. A friend of mine has probably over 50,000 rounds of ammo on hand, all centerfire pistol and rifle but he does shoot competitively and is a closet prepper.

I reload also.

A one years supply to use as if resupply weren't an issue is good. Anything I acquire beyond that is for recreation . I also keep components to reload for a couple years worth of regular shooting (like once a month or more). I always keep a minimum of 5k rimfire rounds and a minimum of 500 each for cartridges that I carry guns chambered in. So that adds up ... ALOT , relatively speaking. That's nothing compared to some folks but a lifetime supply for others. Right now with resupply difficult I'm mainly shooting 357 mag because I've got enough, not shooting much 223, 10mm , 45acp or 380. But still put a few mags through just to keep it all fresh in the magazines (probably unnecessary )

As much as you can afford and store properly.

Outlaw75 said:

Better way to frame the question would be; "how much do I need"?

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With emphasis on the "I" - how much ammo do I need?
And even that depends on what gun(s) we're talking about. I'm pretty sure the couple of 500 round bricks I have of 22LR ammo is going to see me through the current shortage, but I'm equally sure I don't need even one 500 round block of 308 Norma Magnum ammo to see me through it. Besides that, I'm old (72). I might not even make it to the other side of this shortage, much less run out of 9mm ammo and components before it's over with.

We've seen extreme demand cycles for decades now. It's not just election years, but has been affected by fear of legislative backlash to mass shootings, and to other legislative actions that break-through the normal deadlock in Congress. People who shoot a significant volume as a hobby, for competition, for training, or some other purpose know to stockpile during the downward part of the cycles (like all last year) so that they have enough ammo to last during the upward part of the cycles which can be as long as 5 or 6 years (we just entered one this year, but the end is not in sight yet).

The high-demand part of the cycles also tend to bring in a lot of new shooters. Unfortunately, they get confronted with a difficult ammunition supply situation. I'd like to wish that people would see the rationale of owning firearms and having ammunition for them without only realizing this when the news/political cycle makes the rationale more abundantly clear. It's not unlike the old guns and butter economics. More people wanted butter last year. We could be glad that they've been awakened, but it might not make much difference if they sleep again. On the the other hand, if some of them begin to see not only the value of owning firearms and ammunition but also training and gaining skill, knowledge, and sense in their use, then we could see a meaningful increase in people who are committed to possessing this life-skill and taking the related responsibilities.

So I would also ask, how much skill is enough? How much knowledge? Critical-thinking ability? If someone is questioning whether they have enough ammo, they should also be questioning whether they have enough of these things and thinking just as practically about how to acquire more.

Tortuga said:

I. . . prefer if we could keep this an apolitical conversation. . .

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Not possible.

15 years ago I set my goal for supplies at what I termed a Constitutional Supply: enough to run my normal activities for two Presidential Administrations, and have enough left at the conclusion to contribute meaningfully to the security of my free state. I'm still working toward it.

If I was wealthier, I can't see any reason not to buy my lifetime's consumption, and then start on my kid's supplies. Savings in bulk are very significant, second only to saving by NOT buying during a panic. My inventory cost me roughly 50% of normal retail price, and probably 20% of today's retail price.

This is inherently political, because arms and deadly force are political. I don't buy motor oil or drill bits years ahead. . .

edwardware said:

Not possible.

15 years ago I set my goal for supplies at what I termed a Constitutional Supply: enough to run my normal activities for two Presidential Administrations, and have enough left at the conclusion to contribute meaningfully to the security of my free state. I'm still working toward it.

If I was wealthier, I can't see any reason not to buy my lifetime's consumption, and then start on my kid's supplies. Savings in bulk are very significant, second only to saving by NOT buying during a panic. My inventory cost me roughly 50% of normal retail price, and probably 20% of today's retail price.

This is inherently political, because arms and deadly force are political. I don't buy motor oil or drill bits years ahead. . .

Click to expand...

That is a super admirable and all but money aside ammo requires storage space and load bearing space as it gets HEAVY. I would venture to guess the average person will hit a storage limitation before a long term monetary limitation.

From a hobbiest stand point I would say have as much as you can afford and store. It’s not gonna go bad and there is damn near nothing cheaper tomorrow then it was today (normal cycles, not abnormal like now). Having as much as you feasibly unlocks you from these cycles.

From a defensive who are you and why are we all in this basket and where are we going standpoint, I would argue you don’t need much. A couple hundred rounds of decent stuff. A few mags worth per gun. It’s not like you are likely to be in a pitched gunfight and with ANY rule of law in place you will be eventually accountable for every shot. If it’s full on Mad Max you aren’t going to want to draw attention by doing a lot of shooting so for either or you likely don’t need a literal ton of ammo.

I will say that you can never have too much ammo..............until you decide to move.

Having weathered a few panics my personal standard is a 3-5 year supply of reloading components. That allows me to not compete for ammo during the peak of the panic buying and replenish my supply after the surge.

I like diversity in my collection. I can usually find ammo for something that I have.
I dont intend to get below 2500rds, of .22lr(and havent).
1k of.22mag
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I just spent probably 20min typing out details of my inventory.... then I thought better of it.
My diversity should certainly me through a few temporary shortages.

It's like $$$ , you never have enough.

That's my opinion........

300lbs is enough.

30k a year for each major caliber is good.

As much as you can reasonably afford.

Tortuga asked:
"...how much ammo would be enough?"

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For what purpose?
For what period of time?
How much do you shoot?
How much is recreational versus necessary?

If you are asking how much is enough to carry you through until the current hysteria is over and supplies/purchases return to normal, hen figure on about two years.

If you are expecting the collapse of civilization as we know it, then you might want a larger supply.

If you are getting ready to retire and need to lay in a supply to see you through the rest of your life, the number may be even greater. Of course, temper your estimates with the knowledge that you may anticipate living until 90, but may get a diagnosis of terminal cancer at age 65.