How much ammo do certain people keep?

[chitoryu12]

Hey all! I'm a tabletop RPG player, primarily the GURPS system. I'm currently planning a large scale zombie apocalypse game, based around high realism and lots of research into post-SHTF life to provide as close to an accurate simulation of the real world situation as possible without removing the fun and drama of a good game and story.

One thing I'm doing is introducing many issues in the game regarding attempts to scavenge firearms: lack of magazine or ammo compatibility, limited amounts of ammunition, poor operating condition, and characters with lack of firearms familiarity (forcing them to make their characters practice and examine the weapons to figure out how they operate instead of being instantly gifted all knowledge).

Something I've been thinking about is ammunition. I only want one member of the party to start the game with a firearm, maybe a second who has their gun at home (meaning they need to fight or sneak back home during the gameplay instead of starting with a pistol under their shirt), so all or most guns will need to be scavenged from various sources. A major problem they may find is ammunition. Not everyone is a prepper that keeps thousands of rounds in their home, after all. And said preppers likely won't just up and die a day after the government collapses for a couple of nobodies to freely steal all their junk.

So I was wondering just how much ammo particular people would be liable to keep, either in their homes or on their bodies. I personally only have a single rifle, which currently remains empty until I can purchase a few dozen rounds (now that I'm 21, I can actually sign for my online ammo purchases instead of having to scour the stores for 7.62x54mm). So I have a few categories of people and homes that I expect the players to find during their adventure. Could any of you help me figure out just what these guys will be finding from the dead or missing?

* NYPD officer on Day 1 or Day 2 of the zombie apocalypse.

* Typical street gangbanger with a cheap pocket pistol or sawed-off shotgun.

* Rural family with several rifles, shotguns, and handguns (no prepper mindset or firearms enthusiasm beyond what they use to hunt and protect the homestead).

* Crew of an overrun M1 Abrams tank.

* Rural police officer of a very small town (population of 1000 or under).

* Average citizen with a shotgun or handgun in their home for defense.

 

[Potatohead]

I'm a tabletop RPG player, primarily the GURPS system

Forgive me if I'm not up to speed, but what does this mean? ^^^^^

 

[gspn]

Forgive me if I'm not up to speed, but what does this mean? ^^^^^

I can't WAIT to see where this one goes.

 

[Rick McC.]

Pass.

 

[Impureclient]

 

[Fred_G]

RPG = Role Playing Game. Never heard of GURPS. Google says it is a RPG software game generator?? http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/

As far as ammo the 'average' person has, that varies too much. Some might have hundreds or more per caliber, others less. From a 'RPG' aspect, figure 50 to 100 rounds per gun.

Me, I only have 2 rounds. Any more would be dangerous.

 

[MErl]

Generic Universal Role Playing System one system for different settings.

On to the question:
100-200 rounds is a good average.
Your street thug would probably have 1 mag, say 15 rounds?
Your M1 crew, assuming they left base knowing what was going on, would have all they could carry and then some.
The rural family, 200+ but varying caliber. You say they have multiple guns, expect a small amount for each.
The cops, did they know what was going on and have access to their HQ to get all they could carry? That would dramatically change what they have.

All just guesses of course, have fun.

 

[Lex Luthier]

Any information you get from here would be irrelevant. Your game will be fantastical and unrealistic anyway. Please don't be offended, but make your game however you want and just eschew reality dude.

 

[RBid]

This is interesting to me. I used to do a lot of table top gaming.

For gaming purposes, here are some things that should work:

- "typical" police officer on-body: Glock 22 (15+1) plus (2) 15 round magazines, 1 can of pepper spray, 1 flashlight, spare batteries for the flashlight, 2 pairs of handcuffs (plus keys), ASP baton, note pad, 2 pens. In the car, 12ga shotgun with 6 round mag tube, maybe a few spare rounds in a side saddle. In some cases, possibly a patrol rifle plus chest rig. For the rifle, an AR-15 (30rd mag) plus (2 to 4) 30rd spare mags.

- gang banger... you can probably assume no spare magazines or speed loaders, so pick any random pistol with the standard capacity loaded in it. For gaming purposes, note that anyone who picks up a .357 revolver can use either .357 or .38 special with it, as long as they are assumed to be familiar enough with firearms to know that. Common gang banger pistols: 5-shot snubbies (revolvers with 2" barrels) in .38 special, "saturday night specials" (generic flavor would be a Phoenix Arms 25HPA with a capacity of 7 rounds of .25 ACP), or possibly a service pistol with 15 rounds of 9mm. Gang bangers are most likely carrying FMJ (full metal jacket) rounds, rather than hollow points. For realism... gang bangers are generally not very proficient shooters. Zero training and zero time at the range should be an expectation.

- civilian concealed carrier: probably 3 main flavors, so here are 3 packages:
1) pocket 380-- Ruger LCP .380, 6+1 rounds of .380 hollow points, no spare mag, carried in a pocket holster in the right front pocket.
2) snubbie-- Smith & Wesson 642, 5 rounds of .38 special hollow points
3) service pistol-- Glock 19, 15+1 rounds of 9mm hollow points, possible spare magazine
...any of these are likely to also be carrying a folding knife, and possibly a multitool. For the folding knife, a Spyderco or Kershaw with a 3" blade will be a good generic choice. For the multitool, a Leatherman Wave or Juice S2 will be good picks.

- Home flavors:
1) hunting family: a couple of bolt action rifles in .30-06 or .308, and 40-100 rounds of ammunition for them. Possibly a Smith & Wesson 686 revolver in .357 (assume standard model, not Plus, so 6 round capacity), plus 20-50 rounds for the revolver.

2) recreational/gun club shooter: a couple of very low round count AR-15s with scopes, 8-12 spare magazines, and 500-1000 rounds of .223. Probably 2-4 pistols. Maybe 2 or 3 polymer 9mm types, with 17 round capacities. I'd say 100-1000 rounds of 9mm, depending on how "into it" you want this person to be. 1,000 is not uncommon. Maybe a 1911 in the mix, with 3 spare mags (8 round capacity, each) of 45 full metal jacket.

3) Full Blown Mall Ninja... He's going to have at least 1 AR 15, 1 AK 47, 4 pistols (probably limited to 1-2 calibers), at least 5 mags per handgun and 10 per rifle, plus a minimum of 2,000 rounds for each firearm. He probably has a chest rig or two in a box labeled "Active Shooter Kit" under the bed.

4) Gun-centric prepper... honestly, go completely overboard. If you assume an unrealistic number of firearms, 2,000-10,000 rounds for each one, a dresser in the garage stuffed with empty mags, and a full, multi-caliber reloading area in a shed, you are actually not being unrealistic. I know at least one guy with over 60 firearms, and thousands of rounds of ammunition in .223, 5.56, 7.62x39, 9mm, .45 ACP, .40 S&W, .308, 7.62x51, .338 Lapua, etc.


There are going to be a lot of people who challenge the above, but they are intended to be gaming guidelines, not 100% accurate representations of the real world.

 

[RBid]

Good lord, not sure how I forgot this...

You probably wouldn't be out of line assuming that a very high % of households with firearms in them have a Ruger 10/22 and 500-1000 rounds of .22 LR in the mix.

 

[erichtmobile]

I will bite and answer the best i can in regards to the M1 crew.

200 rounds per crewman of 5.56

The M1 is armed with an M2. 50 cal. 900 rounds

2 7.62 M240, one coax, one turret mount around 9,000 rounds

 

[wgaynor]

This is funny.... I just realized that I'm the gun-centric prepper! LOL

 

[guyfromohio]

I think you would be surprised at the non-prepper arsenals in America. Even we urban folk.

 

[RBid]

This is funny.... I just realized that I'm the gun-centric prepper! LOL

No sweat I provided charicatures that could be used along with the descriptions, for gaming purposes. Most of the guys I know with collections that big are very normal guys. A dentist, a security software developer, a tattoo shop owner, a general contractor, multiple doctors, etc. Some of them have military backgrounds, others don't. One of the most heavily trained guys I've met is a doctor who seems to fly somewhere for a class every month.

Collections that big cost a lot of money, which often means you're looking at someone who has their finances and career in good order. In other words, stable, reliable, and responsible

 

[gspn]

No sweat Most of the guys I know with collections that big are very normal guys. A dentist, a security software developer, a tattoo shop owner, a general contractor, multiple doctors, etc. Some of them have military backgrounds, others don't. One of the most heavily trained guys I've met is a doctor who seems to fly somewhere for a class every month.

Collections that big cost a lot of money, which often means you're looking at someone who has their finances and career in good order. In other words, stable, reliable, and responsible

I see a lot of that as well...great description.

 

[gspn]

I want to be there when these gamers keep rolling the dice and coming up empty on ammo for their .22 LR's.

"WHAT do you MEAN there's no ammo?!? Why would you put a gun in this game that I can't get ammo for!!!!????"

 

[TimboKhan]

Ok... this isn't a bad question, but this can be answered by doing a little research through the many ammo related threads available. Its off topic enough to close.

sent from my Galaxy Note II.

 

[Walkalong]

yep, we don't do SHTF or fantasy.