Guns or Ammo?
- Thread starter Roadkill
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Chipperman
Member
The obvious answer is.. both.
But for limited funds, I would say that you should try to have at least 100 rounds for each firearm, more for your main CCW and SHTF gun.
If you already have at least that much, then go ahead and buy more guns. We have won some recent battles, but you never know when certain types of guns may become banned again.
But for limited funds, I would say that you should try to have at least 100 rounds for each firearm, more for your main CCW and SHTF gun.
If you already have at least that much, then go ahead and buy more guns. We have won some recent battles, but you never know when certain types of guns may become banned again.
Smoke
Member
Are you happy with your gun collection in its present form? If so spend on ammo. If not - guns.
Smoke
Smoke
Vern Humphrey
Member
It doesn't make sense to stockpile ammo you'll never use. My advice would be to take up reloading, and simply keep enough loaded rounds on hand to feed your needs, but buy components in bulk (cheaper that way.) If you do that, you'll never run low on ammo, nor will you have a lot of money tied up in a stockpile you won't use.
Vern Humphrey
Member
How about a thousand projectiles, a 5,000 case of primers, and an 8-lb keg of a suitable powder?
Dave Markowitz
Member
We could better answer this question if we knew what guns you already have.
Thanks, little more info, I'm up to about 50 guns, if I don't have it I've traded it off, am fairly satisified with what I have. I do reload and the suggestion to bulk purchase components is something I haven't done cause I keep getting more guns. Sounds like my best option.
rk
rk
How about accessories? Whatever kind of guns you already have, you can probably think of something that would go great with them, but seems like it's too expensive. If you're already willing to drop the cost of a gun, skip the gun and go for the top quality leather, case, sight, whatever.
Vern Humphrey
Member
I like to find a powder that will work in as many of the cartridges I have as possible. For example, I can use IMR 4985 in .30-30, .30-06 (including Garand loads), 6.5X55 swede, and .303 Enfield. That makes it a winner for me.
WhoKnowsWho
Member
Now that I reload, I feel I have more money to spend on accesories and or other guns. And I also have more rounds to use up when I do go out. Before, when I was buying box to box, I would always save at least 100 rounds. Now, I have enough to not worry about it.
With 50 guns, I would probably spend more time with them at the range and sticking accesories on them to make them feel more loved!
With 50 guns, I would probably spend more time with them at the range and sticking accesories on them to make them feel more loved!
For smaller collections
I would load two variations of every caliber for plinker and production.
Mild ball and hot ball. Mild JHP and sizzler JHP. For every calider.
After working up the different loads for accuracy turn out a few thousand of each. Practice practice practice. Label the containers and know the POA for every shot.
I would load two variations of every caliber for plinker and production.
Mild ball and hot ball. Mild JHP and sizzler JHP. For every calider.
After working up the different loads for accuracy turn out a few thousand of each. Practice practice practice. Label the containers and know the POA for every shot.
For next year I plan on the ammo thing. I only have around 30 guns, handguns and rifles combined, but I have about 200 to 300 rounds of 9mm onsite with only 100 in .45 and even worse 40rds in .223 for my new AR.
Now, you have to take into account that some of those guns are C&R caliber and very expensive to fire (the CZ-52, the Nagant, the .30 Luger and the 9mm LARGO Star) so they don't count
.
Wayne
Now, you have to take into account that some of those guns are C&R caliber and very expensive to fire (the CZ-52, the Nagant, the .30 Luger and the 9mm LARGO Star) so they don't count
.Wayne
Thanks again, I'm thinking about a night vision scope (damn if I know why), but am more inclined to stockpile reloading components. If I spend what I've been spending on guns lately it will build up pretty quick. $300-$400 month will get a lot of powder, primers, and bullets.
rk
rk
Molon Labe
Member
As someone who dabbles in survivalism, I am a big believer in stockpiling ammo. In a SHTF scenario, it is my belief ammo will be harder to come by than guns. And even if we don’t have a SHTF scenario, ammo is a good investment, as there will come a day when the anonymous and limitless procurement of ammo will come to an abrupt end. When that happens, expect the black market price of ammo to shoot up 10-fold.
Personally, I like stockpiling good quality, surplus 7.62 x 51 ball ammo (Portuguese is my favorite). Right now I have... um, well, let's just say I have a lot of 7.62 x 51 on hand (in the 5-digits range).
Personally, I like stockpiling good quality, surplus 7.62 x 51 ball ammo (Portuguese is my favorite). Right now I have... um, well, let's just say I have a lot of 7.62 x 51 on hand (in the 5-digits range).
jojo
Member
I tend to do a litlle bit of both. Right now, and for quite a while really, the price of loaded ammo has been cheaper than you can reload it, so I stocked up on ammo primarily, and components secondary.
I have far more loaded ammo than I have components to load, but when the prices rise I'll switch my focus.
jojo
I have far more loaded ammo than I have components to load, but when the prices rise I'll switch my focus.
jojo
How about training?
Having 50 guns and 50,000 rounds of ammo is fine, but if you carry one daily and have no training, that's kind of dumb. $500 will get you a good 2 or 3-day basic pistol defense course. $1,000 will get you a week at Gunsite for a pistol or shotgun or rifle course.
Having 50 guns and 50,000 rounds of ammo is fine, but if you carry one daily and have no training, that's kind of dumb. $500 will get you a good 2 or 3-day basic pistol defense course. $1,000 will get you a week at Gunsite for a pistol or shotgun or rifle course.
boltaction
Member
Stockpile Ammo. As long as it is stored properly, and is good quality to begin with, it will last a long time. And yes, at worst, you can shoot it in lean times, or in some of the "ban' or "fan" scenarios mentioned earlier, 12 gauge, 9mm, or .38 special could be worth their weight, in...who knows?
Individ
http://www.individ.us
A site for Rugged Anti-Collectivists
Individ
http://www.individ.us
A site for Rugged Anti-Collectivists
Brass Balls
Member
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That's what I thought as I read your post too. Not because you need it, just because you didn't include it in the equation.
Stockpiling ammo works better for me personally in a couple of calibers that I shoot the most. I also have been collecting most of my handguns in that caliber so again it makes sense. It's easy to get too much of the calibers I don't shoot as much. For instance I have a fair amount of .40 S&W and .357 mag and .38 special and I just don't shoot these very often.
In other words 10k rounds of .45 ACP wouldn't be too much but a thousand rounds of .40 would be. My stock of ammo isn't really geared towards SHTF scenarios, but if something did go down to cause a situation like that I figure I'd be sticking with one pistol caliber, one rifle caliber and one shotgun gauge at most. JM2c
sm
member
I lean toward ...
For CCW - redundancy . find what works and have 4 sets ups, with one off site.
Ammo is the same, and redundancy in speedloaders/ mags, holsters...
Now I don't know what other Tasks or Interests you have...having Back ups[ redundancy again] for hunting, competition, shotguns for HD is always good.
Ammo and / or reloading ammo needs and Training is always a good idea...
Once the "essentials" are taken care of, collect, have toys and such.
Just my thoughts...
For CCW - redundancy . find what works and have 4 sets ups, with one off site.
Ammo is the same, and redundancy in speedloaders/ mags, holsters...
Now I don't know what other Tasks or Interests you have...having Back ups[ redundancy again] for hunting, competition, shotguns for HD is always good.
Ammo and / or reloading ammo needs and Training is always a good idea...
Once the "essentials" are taken care of, collect, have toys and such.
Just my thoughts...
shep854
Member
For me, I need to shoot the firearms I have more, so i'm puttin my shooting dollars into ammo. My budget does not allow quantity purchases, so I generaly buy ammo as I plan to shoot. Soon, I will begin reloading for the more expensive calibers, such as .45ACP and .30 carbine.
crashresidue
Member
Cheers,
Sit down one evening - and figure it out: "If it all goes to shi*t - which guns are we gonna' take with us". Then these are the ones you need to load up on. I don't care if you "love" one particular pistol/rifle - if you don't want it in a desperate situation, then you DON'T need it, or the ammo for it.
I'll take my .45-110 Sharps - for long range, my 03-A3 for medium range and the SKS for short range. I'll haul my .22 Mag for food, and for pistols - my S&W 59 and a .380 BDA for close defense.
I can re-load the Sharps with a hand loader, the others, well, I've got tons of ammo for them.
If you're on the mainland, go to cheaperthandirt.com or sportsmansguide.com
for bulk prices.
It's all about the "gun", and whether you'll need it sometime in the future.
Yea, I've got "toys" that I like, but in the end - go for the ammo - for those weapons that will keep you alive.
I sound like a "survivalist", don't I?
Oh well, one time when I was buying another rifle, my wife asked "Just how many guns do you have to have to make you feel safe?" My resopnse was "You've never been "over-run" have you?" End of transmittion!
Genle winds,
cr
Sit down one evening - and figure it out: "If it all goes to shi*t - which guns are we gonna' take with us". Then these are the ones you need to load up on. I don't care if you "love" one particular pistol/rifle - if you don't want it in a desperate situation, then you DON'T need it, or the ammo for it.
I'll take my .45-110 Sharps - for long range, my 03-A3 for medium range and the SKS for short range. I'll haul my .22 Mag for food, and for pistols - my S&W 59 and a .380 BDA for close defense.
I can re-load the Sharps with a hand loader, the others, well, I've got tons of ammo for them.
If you're on the mainland, go to cheaperthandirt.com or sportsmansguide.com
for bulk prices.
It's all about the "gun", and whether you'll need it sometime in the future.
Yea, I've got "toys" that I like, but in the end - go for the ammo - for those weapons that will keep you alive.
I sound like a "survivalist", don't I?
Oh well, one time when I was buying another rifle, my wife asked "Just how many guns do you have to have to make you feel safe?" My resopnse was "You've never been "over-run" have you?" End of transmittion!
Genle winds,
cr
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