So..How much ammo is enough?

[coosbaycreep]

My goal was at least 250 rounds per caliber (except for the SHTF stuff), then I decided to shoot for 250 rounds per gun instead. I've got at least 250 rounds or the reloading components required to load 250 rounds of everything except .40S&W and .30-30, and neither of those calibers or the guns they're chambered in are ones I shoot or care about.

my SHTF calibers:
7.62x39mm-1500+
.30-06=1100+
9mm=1700+
.22lr=3 or 4k
.308=900+
12ga=800+

12 ga is the only thing I feel I really need more of, as all but maybe 150 shells are slugs/buckshot, but since buck/slugs are so expensive, and usually not as difficult to find in stock, I'm not too concerned with buying a lot of it at the moment.

 

[Poor East Texan]

I got a whopping 'nother 40 rounds of 7.62x39 yesterday because it was there! Almost every shelf in every store is empty of ammo.

Particularly any 9mm, .40, 10mm, .45, .357 or .44

 

[Walkalong]

I don't have enough fingers to count it, even if I use toes. Over 100 rounds though, I'm pretty sure.

 

[MacTech]

I have a decent enough supply of .22, 9mm, and .45 ACP (I LOVE reloading ) for target shooting and potential home defense, I need to bone up my stocks of 12-gauge and 7.62x54R

I stopped off at my gun shop today, and they were essentially picked clean, they've been that way for the past few months, the ammo's going out as quickly as it comes in

they had a decent supply of Federal American Eagle .22 bulk packs, but they were the 400 round boxes, and they were overpriced at $23, most all the common calibers were sold out, the only 12-gauge ammo was slugs, and there were no .45 bullets for reloading, lead, copper, you name it, picked clean, they had one brick of primers left, and were limiting customers to two boxes (200 primers) per customer

the only "decent" buy they had were the Winchester 7.62x54R softpoints, $20 per 20 rounds, the price was unchanged from the last time I was in, wheras prices on most other ammo has gone through the roof

There's something to be said for keeping the odd "oddball" caliber or two around, if I had gone in looking for common ammo (.22 500+ packs, 9mm, .45ACP, 12-gauge, etc...) I would have been out of luck

Oh yeah, that's right, I also have Dad's old Winchester '92 in 44-40, I should stock up on that when I get a chance, it's not exactly a high-demand caliber around here....

this shortage/hoarding/whatever, is quite annoying

 

[Working Man]

I just picked up 400 rnds of .223 and IMHO will only last me about 2 trips to
the range.

A good rule of thumb I have found is to figure out what you use on a normal
kilt and X 2 for what you keep in stock...... add more when you can.

Going to how many mags are enough.... if you can load all your mags you
should have enough..... add more when you can.

Well... honestly there is no such thing as too much.

 

[RugerNut9]

Good question...how much room you got?

well in my opinion based on the way things are here in one of the most gun friendly states around (VA) you should buy it now and keep it coming because i frequent my local gun stores and ammo prices are just going to keep climbing for a little while. i just recently bougt my own reloading kit and the die set for 9mm and soon to come 45 acp and 357 mag and 7.62x39 because i just cant imagine spending what its costing nowadays. my current loadout is

not enough i dont know that i feel comfortable posting it for the world just yet haha but i dont have enough.

but i will say that if anyone reads this who doesnt reload you should definitely look into it. its fun, affordable and about the only way to keep up with the rates.


i know this is a common quote but i love it....

"when guns are outlawed only the outlaws will have guns"

 

[chuckusaret]

I live in SE Florida and don't have a problem getting ammo, but what I have a problem with is the cost of the ammo. Gander 40 rnds of Blazer $39.95, 20 rounds of .223 $14.95. We are being ripped off because I can by the same ammo at Wal Mart for $12.95(was $9.95 in Dec '08) and $8.95 when available.

 

[Gun Slinger]

Enough =

2,500 rounds of .22 LR
32,000 rounds of 9mm
5,500 rounds of .45 ACP
1,500 rounds of .223
10,500 rounds of 7.62x39
1,000 rounds of .308 Winchester
1,000 rounds of .30-06
500 rounds of .375 H&H
500 rounds of 12 Gauge 00 Buck

 

[mcdonl]

I shoot just about all I can get every weekend. Bullets sitting in the corner of my closet do me no good. I keep one weekends ammo ahead of time.

When I get my tinfoil hats made maybe I will stock pile ammo. In the mean time I will just be pissed at all of the non shooters hording ammo so that guys who do not make a ton of money cannot shoot all they want every weekend..

(MAN that felt good!!)

 

[Poor East Texan]

IF I get paid tomorrow for painting I plan to get a sealed tin of 7.62x54R...

Not that I ever PLAN on shooting that caliber THAT much!

 

[Noxx]

After some research, I've concluded that you need a minimum of 5,000 in sny given caliber (excepting shotgun) to properly roll around in a pile of them, so take that for what it's worth.

I was able to score a deal on 1k 7.62x39 last night, was low. The only real ammo requirements I impose on myself are to stay well stocked for at least one rifle (54R, 500rds min) one carbine (39, 2,500 min) and one shotgun (20ga, 300 min). Beyond that my stock fluctuates quite a bit.

 

[krmgator]

8500 22LR
300 38spl
175 16ga
100 410ga
200 44mag

Concentrating on picking up some 38 and 44 for HD

 

[.357MagTaurus]

400 rounds of 22lr

130 rounds of .357 mag 158 gr

150 rounds of 38 spl

50 rounds of 38 spl +P

20 rounds of 38 spl +P Hollow points

When finances improve I will buy more .357 mag and more 38 spl as it is available locally. Also more 12 gauge shotgun shells for HD purposes

 

[Poor East Texan]

Got a faint possibility of getting 500 or more rounds of .45 from the buddy of a buddy....

Otherwise add 20 here and there as finances allow (or I FIND any...)

 

[southwest1]

A sealed tin of 7.62 x 54R isn't a bad idea

Bulgarian 1980-1983 vintage is good stuff I hear. Not sure about some of the other surplus.

 

[krmgator]

I have added another 2200 rounds of 22 and 100 fo 38. I could have bought more of each, but left some for the rest of you.

 

[crazy-mp]

I don’t know for sure, I thought that 10,000 rounds was enough, then I started thinking about how many rounds per gun that would be, so I bought more, then I got a few more guns, the ammo to gun went down again, so I bought more ammo. Its a big vicious cycle in my life. I just buy a couple of boxes of ammo when I get the chance, here lately its been pretty few and far between. I would say 30K rim fire and 20K center fire should last you though the......

 

[federalfarmer]

I'll play part way......
.22 lr 15,000+
center fire handgun 2,000+
center fire rifle x,000+
shotgun (all types) 500+
primers ______ of them.

And if I had money and chance I would certantly buy more, of all of them.

 

[5whiskey]

Holy cow I'm behind the power curve...

80 .270
500 9mm
500 5.56
1000 .22lr
200+ 12 gauge of various flavours
100 .32acp (my CCW of choice... it converts to .22lr for practice )