Hmmm, depends on the caliber. For my 22lrs, I shoot what I carry in my LCP Lite Rack, G44, or 43c which is Mini Mags Target 40gr solids. I keep 2K of that stuff on hand cause it’s what I shoot the most. With my 380s, which is usually Blazer Brass FMJs, I keep three or four boxes on hand cause that’s what I shoot a month. 38s are WCs from my reloading bench, same for my 32s, and I load and shoot about 300 a month in them. About the only centerfired ammo I buy is 9mm and I keep about two boxes of JHPs on hand. It gets shoot yearly, then I buy more.
How much of your carry ammo do you have?
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buck460XVR
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Same here....and lately the whole argument against the use of handloads has drastically diminished as the number of those handloading has increased. The argument started from one gun guru pushing the argument, and IMHO, was motivated as much by the desire to continue to be endorsed/sponsored by ammo companies, as it was for the safety of the masses. Much like modern day politicians.
I have 500 rounds of factory .380 SD ammo I got on sale from Palmetto State Armory. Basically because it was almost cheaper than the primers I can find locally. Works very well and should last me quite a while. Otherwise everything else I shoot is created at home on my bench. Stockpile is thousands of bullets in every handgun caliber I shoot. Some are SD type, some are hunting type and some are just for making noise at the range. I never unload a mag, other than by shooting it empty. I trust my handloads to go bang, and use the same bullets as found in popular factory SD/hunting type ammo. My ammo is loaded to book/SAAMI specs and I keep extensive records. If I ever have to use my SD handloads to save the lives of myself or my loved ones and I am convicted solely on the fact I used handloads, I will be the first in history and very famous. Sorry folks....it ain't gonna happen.
After going through shortages I am currently in a buying phase. I try to buy 20% to 25% of my range ammo in JHP. 1000 rounds of range ammo means 200-250 rounds of defense.
In addition, I try to put up half of range ammo. I will never again be not able to shoot due to price or availability. Trying to buy a case of ammo every payday, then JHP amount depends on overtime.
In addition, I try to put up half of range ammo. I will never again be not able to shoot due to price or availability. Trying to buy a case of ammo every payday, then JHP amount depends on overtime.
trackskippy
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If youre buying factory ammo, buying by the case is the only way to go, at least if you want to get your money's worth.
Generally, you pay right around half the cost per box, as you would pay at local shops. Which when you consider the usual 100% markup rule, and how the shops are buying, it makes sense.
You can also usually buy online, boxes of 50 rounds, for about the same money you would pay for those 20-25 round "rip off" boxes of "premium" ammo the shops often sell. And again, if you buy the 50 round boxes by the case, you still usually get even better pricing.
Generally, you pay right around half the cost per box, as you would pay at local shops. Which when you consider the usual 100% markup rule, and how the shops are buying, it makes sense.
You can also usually buy online, boxes of 50 rounds, for about the same money you would pay for those 20-25 round "rip off" boxes of "premium" ammo the shops often sell. And again, if you buy the 50 round boxes by the case, you still usually get even better pricing.
Old Dog
Member
All I will say is that I started buying defensive ammo in the run-up to Hillary's campaign for President. The brown truck was pulling into my driveway every other day and leaving me a gift (500 or 1000 fine JHPs) in the box on my porch.
SP5
member
Probably a couple hundred rounds in addition to what is always loaded in mags
LimaCharlie
Member.
sparkyv
Member
Yes, but there's a difference between range ammo and carry ammo. At least, sometimes there is.
trackskippy
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Its a lot less than we are often led to believe. Marketing doesnt trump skill.
I would have no problem using my FMJ reloads if I had to and I wouldn't be shooting the gun any differently because they were in it.
I'm another one who uses handloads for my self defense guns and since they are all 9mm and the self defense rounds I use only cost $10/1000 more than FMJ's they account for around 90% of the round I shoot through all my handguns. That means I normally buy 5,000 bullets at a time and load them up 1,000 at a time, and start a new batch whenever I open up the last one, so at any given time I have between 1,000 and 2,000 rounds of self defense ammo on hand ready to use.
chaim
Member
It depends on the caliber. In revolver calibers I usually only have 2 or 3 boxes of carry ammo (sometimes only 1), and that usually includes what's in the guns.
In .40 and .45 I don't stock up as much as I do in 9mm. I may have 200 to 500 rounds of FMJ and 100 to 300 rounds of defensive ammo. Right now I probably have about 500 rounds of practice ammo (to include some cheaper brand JHPs I don't use for defense) and 200 rounds of defensive ammo in each.
In 9mm I stock up. I buy a new case of practice ammo when I get down to about 500 rounds. When there are good sales I'll pick up a case or half case sooner. I usually only have a couple hundred rounds of carry ammo. Right now, (counting what is loaded up) I am down to only one box of my Speer Gold Dots and none of my Critical Defense. I'll probably buy 100 to 200 rounds soon. I'm testing HST in my guns so I've bought about 1k rounds over the last couple months and just bought a half case. Once both P365s, my G19 and my PCR have been tested I'll keep around 200 rounds on hand.
In .40 and .45 I don't stock up as much as I do in 9mm. I may have 200 to 500 rounds of FMJ and 100 to 300 rounds of defensive ammo. Right now I probably have about 500 rounds of practice ammo (to include some cheaper brand JHPs I don't use for defense) and 200 rounds of defensive ammo in each.
In 9mm I stock up. I buy a new case of practice ammo when I get down to about 500 rounds. When there are good sales I'll pick up a case or half case sooner. I usually only have a couple hundred rounds of carry ammo. Right now, (counting what is loaded up) I am down to only one box of my Speer Gold Dots and none of my Critical Defense. I'll probably buy 100 to 200 rounds soon. I'm testing HST in my guns so I've bought about 1k rounds over the last couple months and just bought a half case. Once both P365s, my G19 and my PCR have been tested I'll keep around 200 rounds on hand.
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I have accumulated enough magazines, that I do not need to unload defensive ammo, in order to load-up with training ammo. When it is time to refresh carry ammo, I shoot what is in the carry mags. I no longer keep many auto-pistols’ carry mags loaded, because I have largely shifted to revolving pistols, for carry, since retiring from LEO-ing. (I no longer fully trust my right thumb/hand/wrist/arm to provide a stable platform for reliable auto-loading cycling, but, I still carry on my right side*.)
The amount of defensive carry ammo, that I have, varies by cartridge, from the low thousands of 9mm, to several hundred .45 ACP. Revolver ammo is in the low hundreds. I am quite low on “training” ammo. The panic-demic did not help things. I actually bought a 9mm revolver, to enable taking advantage of my relatively more-plentiful 9mm stash.
*I write lefty, so, can shoot lefty, but switching to left-side primary carry would mean that my gimpy right hand would be the one running a slide, if carrying an auto. So, well, I carry a revolver, right side, as primary.
The amount of defensive carry ammo, that I have, varies by cartridge, from the low thousands of 9mm, to several hundred .45 ACP. Revolver ammo is in the low hundreds. I am quite low on “training” ammo. The panic-demic did not help things. I actually bought a 9mm revolver, to enable taking advantage of my relatively more-plentiful 9mm stash.
*I write lefty, so, can shoot lefty, but switching to left-side primary carry would mean that my gimpy right hand would be the one running a slide, if carrying an auto. So, well, I carry a revolver, right side, as primary.
WisBorn
Contributing Member
I changed my stance on carry ammo and practice ammo a few years ago.
I started buying more and more carry ammo and very little range ammo. I like to practice with what I will rely on for defending myself. In semiautomatic pistols function is critical. They are much more finicky than revolvers so I want to spend more time vetting the ammo I carry in them.
The ammo shortage of the pandemic and the addition of 10 million new gun owners in this country emphasis the need to have the important stuff on hand.
I like to have 100-200 rounds per handgun of carry ammo on hand.
I started buying more and more carry ammo and very little range ammo. I like to practice with what I will rely on for defending myself. In semiautomatic pistols function is critical. They are much more finicky than revolvers so I want to spend more time vetting the ammo I carry in them.
The ammo shortage of the pandemic and the addition of 10 million new gun owners in this country emphasis the need to have the important stuff on hand.
I like to have 100-200 rounds per handgun of carry ammo on hand.
Trey Veston
Member
When I first started reloading for GSSF matches, I was dismayed to always have at least one malfunction per match due to my newbie mistakes.
I wouldn't dream of using my reloads for self-defense back then. Now, thousands of rounds and a decade later, I trust my reloads more than a lot of factory ammo and that is all I carry.
The problem I have now is that with the ability to tailor rounds to specific guns and missions (woods carry, summer carry, winter carry, etc.) is that it's tough to find the components in order to build up a stockpile.
It's literally been years since I've seen Speer Gold Dots in .400.
Hangingrock
Member
I have a mix of commercial and reloaded ammunition's. Past the mid point of my seventh decade I've not this year been actively shooting. Its not that I don't have a place to shoot. We have a range on the property.
Zendude
Member
I used to only keep a box or two of carry ammo in reserve. After going through the recent shortages, I keep more. Especially for less popular cartridges. I was really surprised how long it took for 38 special defensive ammo to become available. I still can’t find 32 H&R defense ammo.
JR24
Member
Carry ammo? I usually have a few hundred of my preferred per caliber. I’ll shoot it every so often and replace it, usually when I find a good deal on replacement.
I also have a few hundred decent JHP projectiles socked away as loading components just in case.
I also have a few hundred decent JHP projectiles socked away as loading components just in case.
Riomouse911
Member
Same, 300-400 carry rounds in SD calibers.
10x that in practice ammo if I can find it.
Stay safe.
Trampstamp
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Something near 2000 rounds currently
Palladan44
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I blast through the mags that have been loaded up with SD ammo for a while. I Shoot them when cold, at the beginning of the range session with no warm up, draw from concealment, and attempt a more difficult drill with them........ trying to simulate the real deal as much as possible.
The answer to the question.....is it smooth?
And the answer is... No, usually not. But that's why we train.
The answer to the question.....is it smooth?
And the answer is... No, usually not. But that's why we train.
Lennyjoe
Member
Usually about 50 rounds of premium SD ammo and hundreds of rounds of reloaded ammo that closely resembles the premium SD ammo.
Bazoo
Member
I carry reloads.
In times past when I carried SD specific ammo, I never had more than about 100 rounds. I would only shoot the first couple rounds off the top of the magazine when they started to get chewed up from loading/unloading.
I would generally take those rounds, and load them as the first and second in the magazine so, load the chamber with ball ammo, then fire the magazine.
I rarely ever shot more than a full magazine out of my carry gun with that expensive carry ammo to test function. I didn't particularly like that so i decided to just carry reloads.
In times past when I carried SD specific ammo, I never had more than about 100 rounds. I would only shoot the first couple rounds off the top of the magazine when they started to get chewed up from loading/unloading.
I would generally take those rounds, and load them as the first and second in the magazine so, load the chamber with ball ammo, then fire the magazine.
I rarely ever shot more than a full magazine out of my carry gun with that expensive carry ammo to test function. I didn't particularly like that so i decided to just carry reloads.
CapnMac
Member
Equating "carry ammo" to mean SD/HD ammo, something like 4-5 boxes per each as a working minimum.
That varies, base on how good a "buy" in the ammo is available, too. If a discount pops up, and I have the cash, I'll make a large buy on the "just because" of it. That's only an issue if that requires me to get new ammo cans on shorter notice than I prefer (since I prefer to buy those "on the cheap" too).
That varies, base on how good a "buy" in the ammo is available, too. If a discount pops up, and I have the cash, I'll make a large buy on the "just because" of it. That's only an issue if that requires me to get new ammo cans on shorter notice than I prefer (since I prefer to buy those "on the cheap" too).
