When do you buy more ammunition versus buying a new weapon?

There's not really a plan.

I buy a gun if it's something I've wanted for a while, usually they're not impulse buys. My ammo stock for its caliber isn't really a consideration; if I like the gun, I'll try and make the ammo work for it.

For ammo, I usually buy good deals if I run across them. Once every 6-12 months, I will take an inventory of my ammo and find calibers that I am low on, then target those for some quick purchases.

First you need to ask yourself if this "weapon" is for home/self defense or for the joy of shooting or you just want one. If you already have a firearm or more during times like now where it is difficult to obtain components I would concentrate on buying ammunition for the firearms you already own...especially if you are a person that does not reload or a person that needs to safe your pennies to buy items. Wanting and needing are two different animals that many people fail to separate. If I was a person whose finances are not in abundance and need to make purchases wisely I would rather spend $600 on ammunition for a firearm I already own than to buy a firearm and than not have ammunition for it. You need ammo to maintain your competency in shooting by practicing. It is like skydiving, you need a parachute.

Very few of my purchases are planned out.
With zero proof whatsoever, I feel like a couple of my most recent gun purchases were available only because of the lack of available ammo.

Since the shortages began, I've added 3 calibers that now need reloading support. There's never really been a plan...see something I want, buy it. Get a little ammo if it's available and cheap. Whether ammo is or isn't available, get the stuff I need to make ammo. Only stock I'm worried about is the components to make ammo with.

Well, in the first place I definitely won't buy ammo unless I already own something to shoot it in.

Since about half the rifles in my safes take oddball cartridges, once I acquire a rifle the next purchase will likely be dies and brass instead of loaded ammo, assuming I don't already load for it. As a general rule I like to have between 50-100 cases on hand for every rifle I own.

If a rifle I want is available at a good price and cases aren't, I'll buy the rifle and wait for the brass suppliers to catch up. I keep enough powder, bullets and primers stocked up to survive ammo droughts, so timing purchases for those items hasn't been much of an issue.

There are a few cartridges I'd rather buy than handload, however: 9x19, M80 7.62, .223/5.56, .32 ACP and of course the rimfires. I did defer buying new firearms for a couple months in favor of stocking up M80 ball ammo two years back, and boy did that seem like the right move in hindsight! Between the Obama drought and the current situation I stockpiled 14K rounds of .22 LR, but I did that at sale prices over the course of about three years. And right now my current stock (about 900 rounds) of 9x19 is lower than I'd like, so I will either replenish at the next opportunity (and for less than an insane price) or have to add it to my handloading rota.

(BTW these are samples, not the whole works)

Buying guns for me is about interest, availability and price, and that holds true at any time. I guess ammo is more about price.

Dave DeLaurant said:

Buying guns for me is about interest, availability and price, and that holds true at any time. I guess ammo is more about price.

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+1

I have the bases covered except for a good bolt gun and a revolver. The only new caliber I plan on is the revolver. With that in mind I’m working out loads for the calibers I have and am buying components as I find them or I’m getting factory ammo as I find it. I have a good idea what factory ammo shoots best in each, but right now one cannot be picky. I have yet to find a bullet/powder combo that I couldn’t combine to get an acceptable load in each caliber.

In 2010 or so, just before buying my very first Enfield rifle-- I First bought .303 ammo. Never... ever.... assume that when first buying a new type of gun...that there Won't be a terrible event, and the start of an Ammo panic the day After you buy that gun.

My ammo storing over the years sometimes baffled my wife - and a friend (who grew up in Essen Germany {NRW}), who has guns but no serious "Gun Bug" - and they finally understand .

Half of my motivation was the possibility of one day having punitive tariffs, or an outright ban on imported ammo.
The other reason should > now < be blindingly obvious, although this multi-layered situation is a first.

I bought my MAS 36 back in the '99 - '01 window. I doubt I owned more than 30 rounds of 7.5mm French for it until 2019 when the PPU FMJ was on the shelf at .30-30 prices. I cleaned-out a LGS of it this summer when it was still on the shelf and still cheap.

After about 5 years of see, buy, not like, like, trade, sell, etc, etc..I have settled on a 'mix' I am really happy with, handguns, rifles and a shotgun...so..it's only buying ammunition for these and yes, I shoot them all as much as I can.

I am lucky that my 2 grown sons have firearms that I don't really want, but get to shoot.

I sometimes buy because I have an abundance of reloading supplies for a certain caliber . If it turns out it bores me I sell everything as a package , I have done this many times and I enjoy the research and testing , great fun and great way to learn .

I buy the gun I want when I see it. Ammo isn’t a concern. Really not much more than a thought of what components do I have vs what I’d need to buy to make it. Most of my guns never have more than a few rounds of factory ammo through them, if any. I definitely store ammo. It’s just not factory. It’s better.

My answer is based on normal times when guns and ammo are both readily available. Let's say I have $500 and I am weighing out a gun purchase versus an ammo purchase.

If I'm lacking what I consider a sufficient quantity of ammo for one or more of my guns, that $500 goes towards ammo (or firearms accessories such as magazines, speed loaders, holster, etc.).

If there is a shooting event coming up and I already have the gun, that $500 goes towards ammo.

If my ammo supply is sufficient, that $500 could be set aside for a new firearm. Which means I get to choose between a practical gun (concealed carry/home defense) versus a gun for pure fun. Of course, many practical guns are fun.

However, having middle aged eyes, I have really been spending more money on sights and optics than in the past. So, that's a real consideration for that $500, too.

I voted that I do not store ammo, although I do keep some on hand for use. I shoot 9mm and 380. I keep 200 FMJ rounds of each for target, and I keep 40 rounds of SD ammo for each.

My problem is I’ll acquire some ammo, and/or dies,brass, bullets.
Then I’ll have to acquire a gun to shoot it!

Hi...
I don't need to buy guns...I have guns.
I don't buy very much ammunition...I reload almost every round I shoot. Only thing I buy is .22rimfire, 22ga shotgun shells and .7.62x39(only because shotgun shells and 7.62x39 is typically so inexpensive it isn't worthwhile to reload it).

I keep a few factory rounds for my carry gun and may buy a box or two of factory ammunition if I buy a gun in a caliber that is new to me. Otherwise it is all handloads.

I do try to keep reloading components stocked up for a couple of years of use in normal times.

I'm in the other category. I like to use my firearms so ammo availability or existing home stock is factored in with a potential purchase. New gun in a new chambering means I need to add in the price of dies and at least a couple cases of ammunition (not a fan of single-box pricing).

Are you a collector, or a shooter???

A shooter will focus on the ability to shoot/practice/compete, which may preclude buying another gun. I roughly shoot 3 matches a month during the spring-fall, so my priority is keeping a decent inventory of components on hand. I may spend $600-800 at a time for components to take advantage of bulk pricing.

A collector doesn't necessarily shoot what he has, so ammunition may well be an afterthought.

I don't stop myself from buying a gun if I'm somewhat low on ammo, but I do try to keep 2+ years of ammo on hand for any given cartridge. Some I'm well over that number, some I'm well under but I'll catch up when things become available again. I stock up on ammo (or components) when I find good deals, and I buy guns when I find good deals. For example I'm a little low on .223 right now because I had been waiting for a deal on Wolf Gold at around $.26-27/round, and then Covid hit. Luckily I have enough brass, bullets, and primers to get me by but dang it takes so long to cut those crimped primer pockets lol.

If there is goin' to be an investment in a new firearm... it will include a pile of ammo and accoutrements to keep it running.

That's why I don't have any .308/AR10 platforms.




GR

ms6852 said:

First you need to ask yourself if this "weapon" is for home/self defense or for the joy of shooting or you just want one.

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This statement drives my ammunition/reloading component purchases. Guns and cartridges that I would plan to use for self defense, I'd stock up.

Guns that I purchased for the joy of shooting once in a while at the range, not so much ammunition is on hand.

But, by having reloading capabilities, many components can be used in several different cartridges so I do keep a supply of various components on hand. Then, I can load something that need when low on loaded ammunition. Cases for each cartridge is the only thing that is unique to the cartridge.

Mostly it depends on funds, and want lists. I am constantly adding to the ammo, either buy buying ammo, or making it. When the funds become available for a gun on my list, I buy it, and if it is a type I don't have ammo for, (rare, as I tend to stick to a few calibers/gauges) I buy some ASAP. I just added a 16 ga., and didn't have ammo since giving my grandpa's 16 ga. H&R and all my shells for it to my older son. (They wouldn't have fit the 2 1/2" chambers on the Sauer anyway) The next paycheck, I bought a flat of RST shells for it. The intended purpose of the 16 ga. is pheasant hunting.
It is currently the only centerfire I own that I do not reload for, but I'm working on that.
When I get the drilling I want, I will have to add 9.3x74R to the reloading set.

I keep some ammo for various firearms that might have a function - for defense or hunting etc. Not what anyone would consider a significant amount, probably what many would consider a minimum. Keep my eyes out for more, but - right now - not planning on adding any ammo until prices drop way down cause I have some, and can reload on demand if needed or if I want to.

That being said, I just ordered and do not have yet a NAA mini revolver - probalby to carry around hiking and what not this summer in shorts and t-shirt. I only ordered one box of 22 Mag ammo for it. I can function test it with .22LR, give it a couple cylinders full of 22 MAG to test it out, and I'll have 42 rounds left - which is more than needed to carry and maybe shoot it a couple more times this summer to test and practice.

I'll probably stock a bit more 22 Mag ammo, but - also now that I have added a new cartridge, I'll probably be looking for ammo, and for - a partner firearm, just to have 2 of something that can shoot the same cartrdige. Probably a rifle, but there's always something else to fill a missing piece of the endless puzzle, so - no hurry with prices trending higher than I like. Oh, and I pretty much got the NAA for standar price, which is why I went for it - and I'd looked at them for at least a few years.

Based on my shooting activities, I usually maintain a minimum of 500 rounds per cartridge, per firearm. For the stuff I shoot a lot, I reload so it's mostly based on how many loads I can get out of 8lbs of powder.

When it comes to rifles, I'm habitually short on optics because I keep buying rifles because...reasons. So that's usually a bigger issue for me than ammo/components.

First world problems.....