How much ammo is enough if you can't get any more ammo.

[ladyT]

This question is probably age dependent but take a moment and put pen to paper and come up with a number. My number is 900,000 rounds which should carry me for 30 years. I don't think I'll be doing much shooting past 90.

 

[Fkimble]

Thats only 3k a year. I need at least 10k a year for a handgun. For a rifle, 3-6k depending on the caliber/usage. But I fully agree with the 30 year limit since I am less than 15 days from being 63!

 

[ladyT]

No thats 30,000 rounds per year. The comma was in the right place but missing a zero. Its fixed.

 

[Krell1]

I'm a target shooter, mostly indoor gallery course. I've always purchased 22 ammo I preferred by the case. It would be normal for me to have 10,000 rounds available at any time. It was a slow week if I only shot 300 to 400 rounds. I handloaded the 45 and 38 ammo I needed and generally loaded 2-3000 of each. When my supply dwindled, I'd reload again. Of course, now, the supplies of all ammo and components have dried up and it's tough to keep up. I still do what I can but not the levels I did years ago.

 

[kwselke]

Do you expect to shoot 30,000 rounds each year for the next 30 year's? If so it is time to take up reloading. There was a time when I would shoot 10,000 to 15,000 per year of handgun rounds, then I got into shotguns at about 5,000 rounds per year. Now 25 years down the road I shoot maybe 1,000 rounds per year combined shotgun, CF rifle, CF handgun, and rim fire.

 

[fyimo]

Well I'll be 70 in two months so my needs are a lot less. My problem with some of the above desires is A the cost and B are you going to dedicate one full room in your home for ammo storage.

Anyway, I reload so as long as I can get the components in the future I load as I go keeping about 1000 rounds of each pistol caliber and several hundred rounds of my hunting ammo loaded. For my 223 I keep about 2000 rounds loaded and for my 22LR I try to keep an inventory of 9000 rounds on hand.

 

[MSG Glenn]

There is never "enough" ammo & certainly never "too much".

 

[moxie]

Somehow I think 30k a year will suffice for most of us!

 

[alaskavett]

I agree with Msg. Glenn.. There is no such thing as too much or enough...Thus brings me to the question and I know all of you have heard this said in one form or another..... What the hell is "extra" money??? Is that a Forum member or what? It is a term not used in my house ever since I became single... Kyle

 

[flintsghost]

The problem stated is you can't get any more ammo. This could only happen following total confiscation. That being said you aren't going to be out practicing. You would most likely be saving what you have for the time when you have to try and defend yourself or take back that which you have lost. You won't be going to the range and with drone observance you won't be going out in the woods either. Sounds will bring the people who want to take your weapons. Something to think about.

 

[H Richard]

Well, I'm 72 now and I have cut way back and do very little competition any longer. I still need about 2000 rds. for my trap & skeet guns, about 4000 rounds of pistol for our winter bullseye league and other practice, and only about 500-700 rounds for rifle. About one good Prairie dog outing.

It's been quite a few years since I'd go to the range to practice and go through 300-400 rounds just drawing and shooting in an afternoon getting ready for a match on the weekend. I usually maintain a couple years worth of ammo for each caliber.

 

[SgtLumpy]

If I reloaded 900,000 .38 spec rounds at my current reload cost, that would be about $225,000 including new Starline brass.

Assuming new ammo (if available) would cost 3x or 4x what reloads are, that's pretty darn close to a million bucks.


Sgt Lumpy

 

[W.E.G.]

Three years supply.

Re-supply as current supply is expended.

If re-supply is suspended indefinitely, shooter must suspend discretionary ammo consumption.

This notion of "stocking up" for a lifetime is simply unrealistic.

 

[S&W357]

Wow -you guys shoot a lot !!! I go only in the winter. Starting now to april. Every 2 week. I start will my 22-300 rounds. Then my 357. I shoot 38s first -200 rounds then 357 -100 rounds. If my hand is not shaking, i will take out the 44 mag but only 50 rounds. I only shoot revolver [most of the time] maybe if i shot semi -then i can see shooting more. That's 6,000 rounds -tops.
6k a year X 30 years.=180,000 for 30 years. If a guy was buying ammo at 30 cents per round. Who has a calculator ? In my head -can that be $30,000 ?

 

[brucev]

This question is probably age dependent but take a moment and put pen to paper and come up with a number. My number is 900,000 rounds which should carry me for 30 years. I don't think I'll be doing much shooting past 90.

How much ammo is enough if you cannot get more? For each man the answer will be different. It will depend upon the amount of shooting one normally does and the number of active years shooting one anticipates. In my case... I figure at least 20 more years at about 10,000 rds. annually, mostly .22 LR and .38 Special and .30-06 Springfield. The overwhelming majority of that shooting is .22 LR ammo fired in a 18-3 and a Marvel 1911 .22 LR top unit.

 

[blujax01]

Three years supply.

Re-supply as current supply is expended.

If re-supply is suspended indefinitely, shooter must suspend discretionary ammo consumption.

This notion of "stocking up" for a lifetime is simply unrealistic.

True but if I may, having only a three year supply may be short-sighted.

I reload and would like to have enough supplies to tide myself over until the Reps return to power. And the way things are looking it may not happen in 2016. So let's assume worst case, it's 2020 before the madness abates.

Based on that, I think I need to squirrel away about six years worth of ammo and/or supplies. If I shoot 400 rounds a month, that translates to 28,800 assorted rounds of center fire.

I'm pretty close to meeting that goal.

 

[LostintheOzone]

If I can't get anymore ammo? For me it would be 'I can't make anymore ammo'. No more powder, primers or brass would be the reason. If that happens I believe a stock pile of ammo or components will only buy you a short amount of time. I have enough to last 2 years under normal conditions. That means not having to use any to keep the rest.

 

[perrazi]

ammo and reloading supplies are like horsepower in a car. too much is just enough.

 

[SgtLumpy]

I agree with those who suggest keep a reasonable of ammo and/or reloading supplies for whatever period suits your personal useage style. Replentish as needed. If something came along and suddenly said "There will be no more ammo sales" then we'd all stop going to the range and that supply of ammo that we had would last a lot longer.


Sgt Lumpy

 

[MichiganScott]

There is never "enough" ammo & certainly never "too much".

I recently read that the only time you may have too much ammo is if you are swimming while carrying it.