How much ammo is enough?
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Driftertank
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susieqz
Member
well, swop, what's your answer then?
i've been burned by the lack of 22lr. if prices get reasonable, i'll shoot 2000-3000 rounds/month n i'll stockpile enow to be able to keep doing that thru the next shortage.
i need to do that just to get to the skill i want.
i've been burned by the lack of 22lr. if prices get reasonable, i'll shoot 2000-3000 rounds/month n i'll stockpile enow to be able to keep doing that thru the next shortage.
i need to do that just to get to the skill i want.
Well HERE'S your problem
You know, I only need a few hundred rounds on hand of each caliber so I don't have to purchase ammo at, or on the way to the range. But considering the two major shortages of the past decade I have to keep enough to last through the panics. What we really need to do is get the Constitution ammended to say we have a right to keep arms (and ammunition) and that right cannot be infringed. That way there will be no need for a panic evey time a Liberal is elected to office.
......What's that?......Already have one?.....Second one ever?....Right after freedom of speech?
Constitution not being respected? As my plumber one said,"Well, HERE'S your problem!"
You know, I only need a few hundred rounds on hand of each caliber so I don't have to purchase ammo at, or on the way to the range. But considering the two major shortages of the past decade I have to keep enough to last through the panics. What we really need to do is get the Constitution ammended to say we have a right to keep arms (and ammunition) and that right cannot be infringed. That way there will be no need for a panic evey time a Liberal is elected to office.
......What's that?......Already have one?.....Second one ever?....Right after freedom of speech?
Constitution not being respected? As my plumber one said,"Well, HERE'S your problem!"
susieqz said:
That would be like me telling you what gun to buy for concealed carry. What makes sense for me has no bearing on what you 'should' keep in stock. I suppose if someone is the type to consolidate calibers then picking a number high enough that they can shoot normally for a dry spell of a year or more makes sense. However, a thousand rounds of most calibers (excluding .22LR) would be an additional cost of hundreds of dollars. A lot of 'rules of thumb' on gun forums fail to take into account much of anything.
susieqz said:
I just like shooting too. But I think saying 'you need X number of rounds' takes some fun out of gun ownership. Gun owners care about other people's opinions as much as any other group, and if for example a lot of folks are telling a new gun owner he needs to spend $500 on ammo to have 'enough' .30-06 ammo for his $300 deer rifle to fit in, he's not going to be interested in guns much longer. People don't buy SUV's when gas is expensive, and they won't buy guns if they don't think they can afford the ammo when the social pressures are to spend an additional 50-200% of their gun's cost on ammo just to have in their closet.
Regarding my personal ammo situation... Two hundred pieces of brass and the correct reloading dies for each of my rifles would probably last me for decades (rough estimate I have dies for 3/4 of the rifles I own). I buy powder and primers when they're cheap (usually estate liquidation or moving sales) and I have an easy, reliable source of bullets. Same for most of my handguns. I have a few thousand .22LR but I don't stockpile them because I can load for most of my guns for about 12 cents per round. If ammo disappears tomorrow I'll still be shooting for years. Heck I'd probably shoot more, I prefer when the range isn't crowded. I have a lot of money in guns because I enjoy collecting them. I have much less money in ammo because frankly, without a lot of places to shoot nearby and the cost and space savings of being able to reload, stockpiling ammo in my situation would be silly.
susieqz
Member
swop. don't exclude 22lr.
i shoot in my back yard so i've limited myself to 900 rounds/month.
that's over $1000/year at current prices.
i'm terrible with my new 22/45 so i have no choice.
i shoot in my back yard so i've limited myself to 900 rounds/month.
that's over $1000/year at current prices.
i'm terrible with my new 22/45 so i have no choice.
old lady new shooter
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DUMB NEWBIE QUESTION: I read somewhere that after about 3 months it starts degrading, so for possible defensive use you should only use new ammo... but in the thread I see people saying they want a year's or even three year's worth. So what's the story, is the stockpile just for the range? Or ???????
I'm not an expert, but I've never heard of ammo degrading in a time span of three months. I've shot WWII surplus ammo that seemed to be just as potent as anything currently on the shelf. As long as its properly stored (cool, dry place) I do believe ammo will keep for a very long time. I'm not sure if the same holds true for steel and aluminum cased ammo, but it certainly won't show signs of degradation after three months If properly stored.
Now as far as the ammo in my carry weapon...There's a case to be made there. That ammo (and gun for that matter) spends 12-16 hours in a holster, in a pocket that is often damp, hot, dirty (I work outside in Florida). But that ammo gets shot up every month or so when I go to the range to stay proficient.
Now as far as the ammo in my carry weapon...There's a case to be made there. That ammo (and gun for that matter) spends 12-16 hours in a holster, in a pocket that is often damp, hot, dirty (I work outside in Florida). But that ammo gets shot up every month or so when I go to the range to stay proficient.
JFrame
Member
I still have .22 LR ammo dating back to the 1980's that I trust to fire today (okay -- for range use... I wouldn't put it in anything that I would consider a defensive possibility).
Centerfire ammo, because its manufacturing process makes it even more impermeable to the elements, undoubtedly has an even longer shelf-life.
As Bersaguy noted, storage plays a key role. I would make sure that wherever the ammo is stored is relatively dry. Also make sure that other corruptive substances, like lubricating oils, can't get to it.
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I shot a skunk with some Cor-bon 9mm stuff that had been in the magazine since about '06. It worked fine so far as I could tell.
I've shot quite a bit of my reloads in the past couple years that I loaded in the 80's thats been fine also. Factory has been no problem, at least back to the 40's. I shot some 1928 30-06 ammo in the 80's that had one bad case, it had a small hole near the base of the case when fired. I stopped shooting that batch, but I think it was a bad case rather than an age related issue.
Heat seems to be one of the things to be concerned about. It causes powder and primers to degrade eventually, and high enough heat is cause to stop using ammo according to the .mil info I've seen.
Saw this linked elsewhere when the question came up. Read all the way through, not just the first post by freerider04. In this case "magazine" isnt what you put in a gun, its the storage container for ammo.
http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=3&f=16&t=335679
I've shot quite a bit of my reloads in the past couple years that I loaded in the 80's thats been fine also. Factory has been no problem, at least back to the 40's. I shot some 1928 30-06 ammo in the 80's that had one bad case, it had a small hole near the base of the case when fired. I stopped shooting that batch, but I think it was a bad case rather than an age related issue.
Heat seems to be one of the things to be concerned about. It causes powder and primers to degrade eventually, and high enough heat is cause to stop using ammo according to the .mil info I've seen.
Saw this linked elsewhere when the question came up. Read all the way through, not just the first post by freerider04. In this case "magazine" isnt what you put in a gun, its the storage container for ammo.
http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=3&f=16&t=335679
I can't imagine it would degrade after three months. If so then I am truly screwed!
I have some 22 LR and some shotgun shells still in the paper boxes. I know I have some 22 LR from the 60s that I wouldn't be scared to shoot. I also have tossed some individual cartridges that were corroded.
I have some 22 LR and some shotgun shells still in the paper boxes. I know I have some 22 LR from the 60s that I wouldn't be scared to shoot. I also have tossed some individual cartridges that were corroded.
Anything you buy from the store today will have a shelf life of years, provided you don't leave it out in the elements. Even then it would probably be okay unless there were extreme temperatures or a lot of moisture. People who own Steyr M95 rifles frequently shoot surplus ammo from the '30's and it still works today.
Particular types of imported ammo have had issues but most shooters wouldn't stockpile those calibers even if they had the rifles to shoot them. .30-06 might be an exception, lots of countries used and produced .30-06 arms and ammo and it's still popular in America today so if you're going to stock up on surplus .30-06, check around to see if your particular ammo is known for hangfires or other issues. The issues are usually due to the quality and corrosive properties of the primers or powder or both.
Particular types of imported ammo have had issues but most shooters wouldn't stockpile those calibers even if they had the rifles to shoot them. .30-06 might be an exception, lots of countries used and produced .30-06 arms and ammo and it's still popular in America today so if you're going to stock up on surplus .30-06, check around to see if your particular ammo is known for hangfires or other issues. The issues are usually due to the quality and corrosive properties of the primers or powder or both.
45_auto
Member
driftertank:
It's actually very common for people on burning ships and planes to decide that they have too much ammo and need to get rid of it as expeditiously as possible.
Maynard Smith got a Medal of Honor for it.
It's actually very common for people on burning ships and planes to decide that they have too much ammo and need to get rid of it as expeditiously as possible.
Maynard Smith got a Medal of Honor for it.
old lady new shooter
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Thank you, that was very helpful. Where I live the temperature can go up to maybe 108 in the summer, but inside my house it would never get above 80 and that's where I expect to keep my ammo, so I guess I'm ok.
JVaughn
Member
All you will use in your lifetime is how much you need. Never know when it will be unavailable due to laws, hoarders, civil unrest, politics, etc...
WestKentucky
Member
When you stack it in every nook and cranny, then start stacking and storing to a point FAA makes you put lights on top of the stack...
arizona_cards_11
Member
I'm shooting for 150,000 total by the time I turn 35, which is a very modest goal compared to a few of the people around me.
Officers'Wife
Member
I would say when you put the books in cardboard boxes to store in an outbuilding to make room you may have too much. Not to mention if you wake up thinking your hubby is getting friendly in the night only to discover rounds have rolled off the storage shelf over your bed.
Deog
Member
Wow, some of you guys are stocked beyond rediculous. Between Barney Fife and myself, we have 2 boo lets.
Besides, I have Chuck Norris, no need for ammo.
Besides, I have Chuck Norris, no need for ammo.
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