TwoWheelFiend
Member
i shoot it too quick too even start hoarding 
Is there a fine line between
- Thread starter Batty67
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Zach S
Member
I used to buy in bulk because I shot in bulk.
Now, money is tight, so I buy a case when I have the money. I like to have enough range ammo packed away to refill all of my mags at least once, and enough defense ammo to refill defense mags at least twice (range mags outnumber defense mags 10:1, at least). And by some people's standards, I have a lot of mags...
Now, money is tight, so I buy a case when I have the money. I like to have enough range ammo packed away to refill all of my mags at least once, and enough defense ammo to refill defense mags at least twice (range mags outnumber defense mags 10:1, at least). And by some people's standards, I have a lot of mags...
Ragnar Danneskjold
Member
I think of it like filling my gas tank whenever I can. I'm going to buy and use the gas anyways. I'm not gaining anything by waiting until I'm almost empty. And keeping the tank full gives me the piece of mind that I will have enough when I need it. I plan on shooting more when I can. Who knows if the day I want to go to the range will be a day Wal-Mart is out, or if I don't have time to drive out of my way to a store or any number of reasons. Better to have and not need than need and not have. Especially when you know you will need it at some point.
+1. I always like to have several thousands of rounds on hand and always buy every month. You never know when you can get fired, laid off or injured and you can not work for a while. By having all this ammo in times like this would allow me to enjoy my hobby and keep depression to a minimum for not being able to work. Also there would not be any unnecessary costs added to my household when finances would be almost non-existant.
I'm not a conspiracy theorist and don't worry about lack of availability or rising prices. But I tend to buy and accumulate significant amounts because I put a good deal of value in my own personal time. Why waste time driving to WW (which I personally protest), or even nearby LGS's when I can do a 'big buy' infrequently and just get it over with?
I used to make a lot of little runs to local stores for parts for projects and the like and my wife ultimately made me realize that if I spent that time instead at work, we'd end up creating a lot more money than we are saving by looking for a lot of little deals. She was and is right.
I used to make a lot of little runs to local stores for parts for projects and the like and my wife ultimately made me realize that if I spent that time instead at work, we'd end up creating a lot more money than we are saving by looking for a lot of little deals. She was and is right.
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Batty67
Member
Lee Lapin: yes, the way this topic "evolved" is really not ST&T. However, my original post touched on the WHY a person would posses many, many thousands of rounds of ammunition, and I suggested some form of survivalism might be one major reason. And, if that reason is accurate for some, then I commented that if a person does not also possess, and have trained in/with, the myriad non-firearms that would be needed for a survival situation, why obtain/retain such really large volumes of ammunition in the first place?
However, the discussion moved toward "hoarding" and what it means, how it could be defined, and the rising costs of ammunition in general.
Based on the posts, it seems clear to me that:
1) ammunition prices will likely never go down much, and are susceptible to major prices spikes and shortages, so buying ammo in bulk now to prepare for future spikes/shortages much makes a lot of sense
2) the term "hoarding" has a lot of meanings to different folks, and is often viewed/used in a pejorative (negative) manner
However, the discussion moved toward "hoarding" and what it means, how it could be defined, and the rising costs of ammunition in general.
Based on the posts, it seems clear to me that:
1) ammunition prices will likely never go down much, and are susceptible to major prices spikes and shortages, so buying ammo in bulk now to prepare for future spikes/shortages much makes a lot of sense
2) the term "hoarding" has a lot of meanings to different folks, and is often viewed/used in a pejorative (negative) manner
3KillerBs
Member
When a family has multiple shooters who, to the extent possible, have intentionally chosen to shoot the same caliber in multiple guns per person, its quite sensible to consider the fact that ammo comes cheaper by the case.
We're probably a little down on ammo right now due to budget issues, but probably have 5000-8000 rounds of mixed calibers (including shotgun shells), in the house at the moment. 10-12K would be more normal and, if we had our druthers and could buy all the calibers in case lots, 30-50K would be a comfortable supply.*
1000 rounds of .22, 100 12 gauge shells, a 300 rounds of 9mm, and 50 rounds of .380 isn't a stockpile, its supplies for a family trip to the range.
*The same sort of comfort I feel when I've got 100lbs of meat in the freezer; 20lbs of rice, 20lbs of pasta, 20lbs of potatoes, 10lbs of onions, and a couple cases of canned tomatoes in the pantry; and the cupboards stocked with all the other necessities so that we could survive a few bad commission checks from DH and one of the intermittent periods of reduced hours at my job. Not hoarding, not stockpiling in any survivalist sense, just being prepared for predictable thin times.
We're probably a little down on ammo right now due to budget issues, but probably have 5000-8000 rounds of mixed calibers (including shotgun shells), in the house at the moment. 10-12K would be more normal and, if we had our druthers and could buy all the calibers in case lots, 30-50K would be a comfortable supply.*
1000 rounds of .22, 100 12 gauge shells, a 300 rounds of 9mm, and 50 rounds of .380 isn't a stockpile, its supplies for a family trip to the range.
*The same sort of comfort I feel when I've got 100lbs of meat in the freezer; 20lbs of rice, 20lbs of pasta, 20lbs of potatoes, 10lbs of onions, and a couple cases of canned tomatoes in the pantry; and the cupboards stocked with all the other necessities so that we could survive a few bad commission checks from DH and one of the intermittent periods of reduced hours at my job. Not hoarding, not stockpiling in any survivalist sense, just being prepared for predictable thin times.
whanson_wi
Member
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^^^^^ +1
It's not hoarding, it's convenience.
I buy things in larger quantities because I dislike shopping in general, and I really dislike making special trips because I run low on something. If I buy 24 rolls of TP at one time instead of 4, I've made one purchase instead of six. Ditto meat, canned goods, ammo, etc... anything that stores well for long periods of time. It's usually cheaper to buy in larger quantities, too, but what I'm really doing is minimizing shopping trips.
If I bought so much TP/canned goods/ammo/fill-in-the-blank that I couldn't store it, couldn't afford it, or if it somehow was less convenient rather than more convenient... that I would consider hoarding.
It's not hoarding, it's convenience.
I buy things in larger quantities because I dislike shopping in general, and I really dislike making special trips because I run low on something. If I buy 24 rolls of TP at one time instead of 4, I've made one purchase instead of six. Ditto meat, canned goods, ammo, etc... anything that stores well for long periods of time. It's usually cheaper to buy in larger quantities, too, but what I'm really doing is minimizing shopping trips.
If I bought so much TP/canned goods/ammo/fill-in-the-blank that I couldn't store it, couldn't afford it, or if it somehow was less convenient rather than more convenient... that I would consider hoarding.
armoredman
Member
I have never ever heard this before, and we had many older munitions aboard my ammo ship 23 years ago. Heck, we were handling munitions manufactured 40-50 years prior, sending across to the USS New Jersey. Auto ignition? Never in any of my days as a Gunners Mate or in the few gunshops I have worked at, or any other source have I ever heard of loaded rounds of small arms ammo ever "auto-igniting".
I hope to get more powder and primer in soon, as well as more lead and brass. I plan on buying about 5-10 boxes of carry ammo all next year.
JRH6856
Member
And here's something else to think about:
Flying ammo keeps firefighters away from house
Flying ammo keeps firefighters away from house
Because the cases aren't enclosed, the primers come out before the bullets do. They come out very fast, but they don't have much mass so they won't penetrate significantly--the heavy protective clothing and helmets firefighters wear is sufficient protection.
The problem in the house fire wasn't the ammunition, it was the fact that the firefighters weren't properly educated about ammunition.
That said, loaded guns DO present a serious risk in a fire as any rounds "cooked off" would present the same downrange risk as a typically fired shot.
The problem in the house fire wasn't the ammunition, it was the fact that the firefighters weren't properly educated about ammunition.
That said, loaded guns DO present a serious risk in a fire as any rounds "cooked off" would present the same downrange risk as a typically fired shot.
JRH6856
Member
It probably wasn't the danger from flying bullets and primers so much as the fact that ammunition and powder are classified as explosivea and FD safety procedures usually require fire fighters to maintain a certain distance when explosives are present.
Well, I can't speak to how various local firefighting organizations classify ammunition, but treating it like explosives and maintaining a safe distance while the fire burns is an approach that is unwarranted, based on studies to determine how dangerous small arms ammunition is in a fire.
http://www.saami.org/who_we_are/regulatory/index.cfm
http://www.saami.org/specifications...212-Facts_About_Sporting_Ammunition_Fires.pdf
http://www.saami.org/who_we_are/regulatory/index.cfm
http://www.saami.org/specifications...212-Facts_About_Sporting_Ammunition_Fires.pdf
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JRH6856
Member
Warranted or not, it is what it is and is something one might at least want to be aware of. There are many rules, regulations, policies and procedures, some required by law, some by common practice, that affect us every day, warranted or not. Yeah, I don't like it either.
JohnBiltz
Member
Well I buy toilet paper in bulk also. I shoot about 5,000 rounds a year. If you are using it it is not hoarding, its being prepared. I don't see there being a shortage anytime soon, mainly because people have better stocks on hand now. You could say people who are now stocking up while ammo is plentiful are a hedge against a future shortage the same way the feds oil reserve are. We are also encouraging ammo manufacturers to keep cranking out ammo. The worst thing that could happen is for everyone to decide they don't need to buy anymore ammo because they have enough.
3KillerBs
Member
Ammo isn't too hard to move. Its compact for its weight.
The 40+ boxes of books, ....
But honey, they're mostly out of print. I can't replace them.
LOL
FROGO207
Member
You can be accused of hoarding if you spend so much on ammo that it impacts other aspects of your life adversely. Say having to eat only peanut butter sandwiches and drink water for 6 months cause you have no money or have to walk cause you can't afford to use your car. Or you have no room in your house to live due to stacks of ammo or such everywhere. If you can afford it buy all you can. The price is just going to go up and up in the future. My plan is to keep 1.5 to 2K for each minimum and or what I would shoot in a 3 year period stockpiled ahead. Yes I had that much ahead when "the great ammo shortage" hit, mostly in reloading supplies however. YMMV
When I started shooting an 880-round case of bxn63 Czech 7.62x54R was $60 delivered. 8x56R was about 10 cents a shot. 8mm was about four or five cents a shot.
Now prices are between double and triple, with some calibers like the 8x56R and GP11 Swiss almost pentuple.
Buying it cheap and stacking it deep is a sound practice, and I deeply regret not buying more. I'm jealous of friends who did.
Now prices are between double and triple, with some calibers like the 8x56R and GP11 Swiss almost pentuple.
Buying it cheap and stacking it deep is a sound practice, and I deeply regret not buying more. I'm jealous of friends who did.
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