At what point do you feel that you are running low on your favorite caliber of ammo

No specific number for me, as my shooting habits fluctuate. I like to have enough to where I don't feel uneasy planning the next range trip. To feel okay planning a range trip means that I'd feel I'd have enough left over for a couple more range trips, or that I'd at least know I'd be able to replace the ammo pretty easily.

I based my vote (2,500) on 22LR being my most practical caliber, and I am certainly capable of going through it quickly if I don't pay attention. Since 2,000 wasn't an option, I went with the idea that I'd want 2K of "premium" stuff (MiniMags or similar) and 500 rounds of "bulk" stuff (for my one revolver and my one SS rifle.)

If my "favorite" caliber was, say, 9mm or .357 magnum, I'd be okay with half or even a third of that lying around.

.22 - 5000 rds
.380 - 100 rds
9mm - 1500 rds
.40 - don't care
.357 Sig - don't care
10mm - 250 rds
.45 ACP - 500 rds
.410 - 100 rds
20 ga - don't care
12 ga - 200 rds of shot, 50 slugs
.30-30 - 40 rds
.30-'06 - 200 rds
5.56 - 1500 rds

A great follow up to this thread/poll would be... "How many rds of our favorite caliber do we have on hand right now... and why not more/less."

1000 CF 5000 Rimfire

My panic number is normally 2000 per rifle and 1250 per handgun that I have and not by caliber. I marked 2500 as this was the nearest number of rounds I have per firearm at this time. I am not a shot gun guy at all so I only have a couple of cases of practice loads and only a couple hundred buckshot rounds.

Last check
12000+ 7.62x39 have 4 AKs
5000+ 7.62x51 have 2 DSA FALs
10000+ 9mm have 5 Glocks
13000 22LR

The plus sign is because this number is in storage or my do not use if possible stash but I do have a lot of loose stuff or stuff loaded in mags I did not count.

All was gotten before all the panic except I did replace 3000 rounds of the 7.62x39 in the last few weeks as the price has come down and I shot it up over the last couple years.

.22 LR around 2,500-3,000 rds

Defensive pistol ammo 500 rds per pistol

Evil Black Rifle ammo (.223) 1,000 rds per rifle

Hunting rifle ammo (.30-30, .308, .30-06, etc) 100 - 150 rds per rifle

Regards,

Rob

It totally depends on what you are shooting. If it's 44 mag it's 500 or less. .308 for long range is less than 500 as well. But .223 and 9mm it's at least 1K. And .22LR, a lot more - though it might be broken down into cheap boxes versus mini-mag or equivalent.
But this is not a one-size-fits-all for me.
B

For guns that I actually shoot a lot I keep 2500 rounds each of 9mm and .40 as my emergency stockpile. I actually have more than that but if it gets to the point I have to break into those cans then it's an emergency. For .223 I keep 5000 rounds in the stockpile. For .22lr it's a couple of thousand.

I didn't get caught out in the last panic, and I won't get caught out in the next one. I figure I can get a couple of years of plinking with that amount of ammo since I don't shoot as much as I used to.

The current .223 ammo stash, but you'll note a bunch of loaded mags at the bottom, I have a 3 gun shoot in a couple of weeks. And I still need to load some additional mags.

"On .357 I am set for a decade though and I still want more."

That sounds like me for 357 & 44 mag.

Back in November I went thru a big reloading phase, I gave the Dillon a good work out. 1,500 of .357, 1,400 of .44mag, 1,600 of 10mm, 500 of .38spl and 500 of .380

With 7.62x39, approx. 2,000 rds. Luckily the price continued downwards last spring. Next week will have 4,500 rds. after the delivery from SGAmmo.
Will continue buying it until there are 6,000 for the two SKS rifles, most stored for retirement but part reserved also for the
Next Unexpected (Non-election) panic.

As for .22LR, three bricks. I stopped shooting this when those awaking early from hibernation and/or fools began paying 3x the pre-panic price.

2500 or so per caliber would be bare bones for me. Now I usually have 4 or more firearms that shoot each caliber so that is not really THAT much per firearm. 300 WSM and 500 NE I do not have that may for sure but anything that gets shot any at all I need to have that minimum at the ready YMMV

All centerfire ammo I reload my own. Years ago I purchased jugs of surplus/pulled down powder as well as jugs of commercial powder, I also purchased a closeout of primers amounting to sleeves and sleeves of primers both large and small, both rifle and pistol so I have no worries for centerfire ammo.

22.s? Again years before all this madness started I purchased bricks upon bricks of 22 LR when on sale, from $5.00 a brick to $12/$14.00 a brick. 30/40 rounds seem to be plenty to last my lifetime, I'm 70.

I have little worries other than I could use a case of match ammo which is still readly available.

horsemen61 said:

At what point do you feel that you are running low on your favorite caliber of ammo. Ok guys this is for reloaders and non reloaders alike . I mean is there a certain number or is it how many mags you can fill ? Please do discuss

Click to expand...

Uh, whenever I feel it is time to start reloading for that caliber.

To me it's just like my car's gas tank I don't like getting below 1/4 so If I deem a certain load has 1000, I restock reload between 250 and 500

About 16 months ago I'd have said at about a 3 month supply, now I'd say about a 1 yr supply

for me it's more of a time thing than number of rounds. I tend to figure at least a month to 6 weeks to wait to get stuff that I need.

That works out to the 1,000 round mark I guess. I figure I shoot 100-200 a week of various calibers.

I reload using a 'just in time' sort of approach, so in my case I get nervous if I drop below 10K or so of components. I don't tend to have too much loaded stock hanging around - probably 1K or less for most chamberings.

it depends on what the current climate is for ammo purchases. if I am in the middle of a year long 22 drought, I feel short at a pick up truck load. during good times maybe feel low at one 50 round box.

My answer is not how few rounds, it's when do I stop buying it when I see it. I like a couple of k of the larger calibers and at least 5-10k in 22 . I've been buying like that for years. All three walmarts are logged in my phone from the last shortage. Let your fingers do the dialing and drive quickly when it arrives. You find out their shipping habits quickly.

Favorite is .22LR. If that got below 1000 rounds, I'd worry. Other than that for ANY caliber it probably around 200 rounds. As was said above though, in the current climate, I wish I had 10K of each.

I've always shot a lot of .38spl and .45acp. These two I reload in bulk and often have had a couple thousand each. .357mag I load in lots under 1000 and .45Colt in lots of just a few hundred. All others just a few boxes each. The problem involves: no bullets, no cases or out of the correct powder. When all three come together I soar.