I want to maintain the ability to go shooting out to a ripe old age. And when I shuffle off this mortal coil to the great gun range in the sky, I would like to leave my descendents not only some cool heirlooms and useful firearms, but enough ammunition and reloading stuff to make those firearms actually usable.
Based on many decades of watching events play out, I no longer trust I can get ammunition from the normal supply chain. Stating the obvious, I know. So yeah, I have more ammo put away now than ever before.
I base my ammunition needs on what I and my family will actually use, plus some safety margin.
That doesn't include SHTF, "operator loadouts" or whatever. I watched a vid yesterday where a quite knowledgeable guy added up the need for at least 1000 rounds of 5.56 as he wanted three full battle loadouts on hand and for him that was 10 30 round mags each (just over 900 rounds and let's just round up). Seemed like solid reasoning. Great for that guy and other tactical types. I get it, but it simply ain't me.
As for prepper stuff like how much food, fuel, water ... same logic applies but that isn't the topic at hand.
There are several factors I take into account. It may sound a bit analytical but the truth is, for most of us it just happens this way. We go with the flow and just buy what we want, when we can. The longer we've been active gun hobbyists, the smarter we appear right now.
How many guns in a given caliber?
I have several .22's so I stock more .22LR than everything else combined. A decent mix of high velocity and standard velocity stuff. Some .22 Short for a few old heirloom guns.
For a long time I had a pocket pistol in .32ACP. Then I added a larger handgun in .32ACP, which is a joy on range day (Beretta 81, thanks brother). So I needed more ammo in that caliber.
If I have only one firearm in a caliber, I might be happy with, say, 200 rounds put aside for it. But it's not linear. Having two firearms in that caliber means I'd want more ammo but not necessarily double the amount. Depends.
What is the intended use of those firearm(s)?
For any firearm that could potentially see self defensive use, I have some dedicated ammo for them. Hornady Critical Defense, Federal Hydra-Shok etc. Not enough to call it a stockpile but a few boxes of whatever, to make sure it functions in the gun and I have enough to carry.
I don't have a lot of hunting guns and don't stock much hunting ammo. I see more of that available than defensive or tactical calibers.
For firearms I tend to practice with, I have a larger stockpile. Again rimfire leads the way. I really enjoy shooting a nice 10/22 or the Stevens Favorite I had as a kid.
How much do I shoot a given firearm?
I really enjoy using a certain few firearms, and they go on more trips. A few rimfires, a certain double action revolver, et. cetera. The more I like shooting a gun, the more I try to keep ammo on hand for it. My all time favorite is .38 Special out of a S&W 686.
I would need more ammo for a semiautomatic than for a revolver or a bolt gun. It is just too easy to blast through a bunch of ammo in a semiauto rifle during a plinking session, especially a mag fed rimfire like a 10/22.
Similarly I can go to the range with my Savage Axis and a single box of .223 and have a quite pleasurable shooting experience. But with an AR or double stack 9mm it's easy to go through multiple boxes of ammo, even for us non-tactical folks.
What can I RELOAD for?
I have a basic reloading setup. A single stage press plus dies and components for several calibers. The more reloading supplies I have on hand for a caliber, the less I am inclined to stockpile retail ammunition.
I have not reloaded for 9mm or 5.56 NATO as that has never before been cost effective. That has changed. But I still dislike picking up all that brass. Revolvers are easier that way.
What can I GET ammo for?
I have a few guns in obsolete calibers, and it is easier to reload for them than to find ammo for them. For example 25-20. Even before the current mess it was $1 per round. I keep a few hundred rounds loaded and have enough supplies to reload the brass 3-4 times. That is enough for more than my lifetime.
Right now is not the time to buy anything really but the worst price gouging is on the "tactical" calibers. But that's also what is available to buy... that and lower demand stuff like 10mm or .454 Casull.
Last time I was in Cabela's they put out bricks of Aguila .22LR. $25.99 each. I am not the guy able to go stand in line on restocking day so I was delighted. My son and I each picked up two bricks.
What can I AFFORD?
At the moment pretty much everything is priced in the stratosphere but most of my ammo purchases happened long ago, for example when .38 Special was $5.99 a box.
I was happy to buy the bricks of Aguila at Cabela's. If they had bricks for a hundred bucks or more (closer to the going rate online these days) I would have left it for someone more desperate and/or wealthy.
What do I already have?
Since I already have a fair amount of ammo I will not be buying more in the near term, unless I happen upon another deal like the "normal" priced bricks at Cabela's.
If I were a new gun owner who had just picked up, say, a 9mm handgun and had NO ammo for it, I would suck it up and buy at least a hundred rounds. If I were a new gun owner with a shiny new .22 rifle I would want at least a full brick... but I would try to find it at Walmart, Cabela's, Bass Pro, etc.... places that have an intact supply chain and who do not need to scalp people. In either case I would also try to add a few spare magazines. I try to have at least three mags for each semi-auto firearm I own. AR mags are cheap so I have more of them. For Ruger I picked up enough for my son and I to each have 3 x 10 round mags and a few BX-25's. Honestly I prefer the super reliable BX-1 mags. I have one that came with my 10/22 in 1969 that is still working fine.
“They fantasize they are going to hold off the marauding hordes, by themselves”. The best summary!.
