SHTF stuff

[geekWithA.45]

10k rounds is probably excessive, unless the intent is to sustain over a LONG time, or a LOT of friends.

OTOH, a coupla thousand rounds/caliber is sensible, and when you go to the range once a week and light up 300-500 rounds, it doesn't seem like much at all.

Remember, if SHTF, the very first thing they do is close the gun/ammo shops.....

 

[Mark Tyson]

I don't think it's paranoid to have huge ammounts of ammo on hand. It goes fast; I usually shoot up at least 200 rounds at a time. There are gun control proposals out there to tax ammo at absurd rates in order to eliminate the supply. As one victim disarmament proponent put it: we have a hundred year supply of guns in the country, but only a two or three year supply of ammunition.

 

[enichols]

I share the opinion with others here that it's a good idea to have several thousand rounds available, if only for the simple reason that it is cheaper to buy in bulk and that ammo is only going to get more expensive as time goes on. However, my collection (small though it is) utilizes rounds that are commonly available (.22lr and .308, soon to add 12ga to the mix), and in the future I will probably only buy guns which share ammunition with my current stock. Just simplifying logistics is all.

 

[George Hill]

Ok, I deserved to have Europe 1939-1945 slap me in the face. I guess I was thinking "How much S(could)HTF in ARKANSAS?" I really wasnt thinking that some tyrannical despot was going to be elected (or whatever) and start rounding up Anglo-Saxon decendants for genocide. My point was I couldnt see having such a large amount of ammo for general SHTF, as opposed to "Dear friggin Christ, our entire military has been brainwashed by some looney liberal and has decided that I personally and likeminded individuals should die!"

Classic example of the "It Can't Happen Here"/"It Won't Happen To Me" syndrome.
I hope your right. I really do.

 

[Orthonym]

Support your friendly local(?) ammo factory!

The more you buy, the more they'll make.

 

[Brian Maffei]

10K is an 'insane amount' of ammo? I have several cases of oil for my car, is that an 'insane amount' too?

 

[Moparmike]

I understand the "I shoot alot" side. Having no money, I wish I had that much money to "burn". I understand the "Its cheap now, so why not" as I am quite thrifty myself and like to shop at Sams. (Now there is an idea for ammo buying. Ammo at Sams. It would be nice)

It was my understanding that these people had 10k rounds stashed for the sole purpose (ie specififcally earmarked) of SHTF. Then they had an entirely separate pile of 100's or 1000's of rounds for plinking, hunting, etc. I totally understand that with a .22, as I went thru half a brick in a couple of hours without knowing I had. I still cant see why I would need 10k worth without a belt fed weapon (then I need more ), but that is one's peroggative.

I used to keep a case of oil in my car. I consider oil to be different, because I never knew if my car was going to have a SHTF moment and it was handy. Same reason I kept all my tools in my trunk as well. I always thought of it differently than ammo. ( I know, I dont wear my seatbelt because I expect an accident...)

Thanks for all the great replys.

 

[Standing Wolf]

If it can happen there, it can happen here. Heaven knows there's nothing like a shortage of leftist extremists who'd be delighted to turn the United States into a people's republic.

 

[CWL]

Hey Moparmike,

If you collect and shoot a variety of guns, then 10K of ammo doesn't stretch as much as it would seem initially. I shoot 12 calibers in hand and long guns. It becomes economical to buy in cases of 1000 rds.

Even if we aren't talking SHTF, hunters and plinker will have a few bricks of .22LR handy always.

BTW, I have been in Cambodia as well as some other nasty areas of SE Asia -there is such a thing as SHTF.

I have also run out of ammo before, it's always better to have more than you need than not enough.

 

[telomerase]

>I have several cases of oil for my car

Brian! You are obviously a dangerous survivalist, as opposed to a... what's the opposite of survivalist? I confess to not having even one case of oil, and that's something I'm going to fix next time at Wal-Mart. It's dumb to pay gas-station prices for oil.

 

[BerettaNut92]

what's the opposite of survivalist?

A diealist?

 

[FallenAngelAR]

If it can happen there, it can happen here. Heaven knows there's nothing like a shortage of leftist extremists who'd be delighted to turn the United States into a people's republic.

Kinda like the People's Republic of Fayettenam (Fayetteville AR for those out of state)



Just a thought

Dylan

 

[Carlos Cabeza]

10K round isn't really an excessive amount of ammo. I do not have that much on hand but I do rotate in newer stuff after a heavy shooting session, (4th of July weekend). I would be impractical to think an individual could move or transport that much in a SHTF situation so I would have several, easily accessible locations from which to restock my provisions. Each containing a predetermined amount for all firearms included in my extended BOB pack. I am confident that we probably won't see any teotwawki type situations in my lifetime but I value the independence and liberties that preparedness affords me. I do think that another serious attack is highly probable, and could easily disrupt the economic systems that enable this country to function i.e trucking/transportation, banking/financial, food/sustenance, communications etc.

 

[Drjones]

Just what kind of situation will anyone need 10k rounds of ammo for all of their guns combined?

One could say the exact same thing about your refrigerator and pantry stuffed with food. Got a separate freezer? What the heck for? Isn't that awful of you to hoard all that food, especially when there are people starving on our streets?

What do you have an entire closet full of clothes for? What could your wife and daughter possibly need with dozens of pairs of shoes and purses?

Why do you need more than one gun?

Do you see where I'm going with this, Mike?

In the opinion of this almost fully converted sheeple, that is an absolutely insane amount of ammo.

That's nice you feel that way. I'm not trying to be offensive or condescending, but why does it matter to you so much what other people do?

I also happen to think it a bit overkill for someone to have tens of thousands of rounds of ammo, but if I had the money I probably would too. Just because I can.

I do think a few thousand isn't a bad idea. One thing that most people really don't seem to keep in mind when thinking of SHTF supplies is, "How the HECK am I going to transport all this stuff?"

It is a crucial question that I believe pretty much no one really considers. Just how are you going to transport and have ready for fast access x number of magazines? Are you REALLY going to try to carry a rifle, pistol, AND a shotgun, with sufficient ammo for each? You ever tried hiking or even walking flat ground with that much hardware?

Try adding food to that.

Being prepared is just smart. But not enough people are practical and realistic about it, IMO.

I know I'm still trying...

 

[Edward429451]

How the HECK am I going to transport all this stuff?"

Tactical shopping cart.

 

[Lord Grey Boots]

Let see, recent SHTF situations.

Ice Storms (Montreal a few years ago, homes were off limits for 6 weeks)
Hurricane Andrew in Florida
SF Earthquake
Tornadoes in bulk in the plain states, just a few weeks ago.
Forest Fires
Riots (WTC Seattle, and various others)
Floods (several whole states were under water a few years ago)


etc etc.

The Pacific NW has been pretty lucky in avoiding major weather issues, but that seems to be rather unique in the US.

 

[madkiwi]

10-man squad loadouts dont have that much ammo

While that may be true, they are not expected to carry all the ammo/supplies they need for a tour. At the end of a patrol they go back to base and get more. So maybe they have that much stocked up at base? If not, it can be transported in, right?

Don't think MAC will be airdropping supplies to my house when TSHTF.

I am a small time collector, and I still need 7 different kinds of ammo. In .223 I have 2000+ rounds, but with 2 AR-15s a trip to the range is 3-400 used up. So practically speaking we don't have enough.

Besides, if things get very bad, common calibers will be currency. If anarchy reigned, and you wanted a hot meal, you would probably have a better chance of getting it if you offered to pay with .22 LR than with pieces of green paper with printing on them. Makes good TP though (it's washable).

madkiwi

 

[Logistar]

It is a crucial question that I believe pretty much no one really considers. Just how are you going to transport and have ready for fast access x number of magazines? Are you REALLY going to try to carry a rifle, pistol, AND a shotgun, with sufficient ammo for each? You ever tried hiking or even walking flat ground with that much hardware?

The ammo goes in my vehicle. In case of SHTF, I plan to retreat to my grandmother's farm. - plenty of food and water there. I would stash ammo in the house, hide some strategically in the barn... keep plenty in vehicles... keep plenty on me... by the time I do that I may not have a lot in a single place. If I had to leave QUICKLY I would have all I could carry on me... if via car or truck I should have additional ammo there.

Hmmmm.... maybe I DO need help.

 

[Dave R]

MoparMike, Lord Grey Boots put it in the most practical term, I believe.

I have actually used my SHTF stuff twice (not ammo, but food/batteries/water, etc.)

I was living 7 miles from the epicenter of the Loma Prieta Quake in '89. That's the "World Series Quake". My little town had no electricity, and water on the "suspect" list, for 3 days. The local stores would only let a few people in at a time, with flashlights, and cash payment. No way to process credit cards or verify checks. I measured the line at one time at over a mile long.

Then I moved to Southern Florida in time for Hurricane Andrew. I was only out of power for a day, but I saw lots of people from Homedale shopping for generators in the stores near me--the most southern stores who were open the day after. There were isloated incidents of looters "deterred" by homeowners brandishing firearms. If it had been much worse, there may have been some shooting.

Those are both relatively small-scale natural disasters. In a bigger disaster, it might be difficult for local stores to re-supply. And there is not enoug food in any given town's grocery stores to support the entire town for more than a week or so. After that, things could get bad, since hungry people can do depserate things.

And in my town, in December 1999, you could not find ammo in poplar calibers on the shelves. It had all been bought/hoarded by the Y2K crowd. Just goes to show, if you ever really need it, it probably won't be available at the local store.

 

[Bobarino]

why stock lots of guns and ammo? two words: SARAH BRADY!!

Bobby

 

[Moparmike]

Like I said before, I was thinking that the 10k was expressly for SHTF, and then they had a separate plinking, hunting pile.

After looking into an 8mm Mauser, I realize that buying milsurp in large quantities makes sense, at $71/1000 in clips & bandoliers. I understand the food side, and am beginning to see more clearly why one would want that. I can understand more clearly how one would need that much ammo. I just wish I would have bought 30-06 when it was cheap, instead of the ungodly price it has reached even for milsurp.

Thanks,

 

[Edward429451]

hide some strategically in the barn...

Uhh, lets hope you were strategically lieing about its location when you strategically posted it on the net!

DOH!

 

[Logistar]

Uhh, lets hope you were strategically lieing about its location when you strategically posted it on the net!

Yeah, but I didn't say WHICH barn!!!

(Then again, we only have ONE barn! :banghead: )

Logistar

 

[Travis McGee]

MOPARMIKE:

The problem of course is that once TSHTF, the gun stores may be closed for the rest of your life, (as long or short as that may be.)

So what you have got on hand may have to last forever.

To read one vision of how even the good old USA could slide into a shooting civil war, read the 20 chapters of "Enemies Foreign and Domestic" posted on my book's website at http://matthewbracken.web.aplus.net/ .

The finished book should go to the printer this week.

 

[fjolnirsson]

Eh. Ammo, I need more ammo.
Great. Now I'm paranoid.