How much?

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Spencerivey101

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How much ammo do you guys keep? I know this is like how many guns do you have on that sunken boat somewhere. Since I started shooting I kept my brass, and when I started reloading I found I had approx 4000 pieces of 45auto and 9mm. And I loaded them all. I still look for brass deals. Last night I found a good deal on 357 brass. I reload most of my 357 brass with 38+p loads. I don't think I'll ever in my life shoot 1500 rounds of 357 in any flavor at one time without being able to reload again, but I just like having the ammo. Are you guys like that? Or do you only keep a few hundred of each caliber loaded at a time?
 
I handload absolutely all of my ammo outside of carry/defense and rimfire. I also meticulously log all of my loading so I have exact numbers of what I have made and what I have shot and I keep them in a spreadsheet and keep totals for each calendar year.

I typically load between 6,000 and 15,000 rounds each year, but to your specific question, I never keep more than about 600-700 loaded rounds in one caliber. This is because I am constantly doing load development.

I'm always trying new bullets, I'm always looking for good deals on bulk bullets and when I add some new bullet to my (very wide and varied) cache, I feel as though I must develop a load and test it to satisfaction.

There are a couple places where I do far less load development, and I may stock a little heavier on that particular "go to" load, but still, I don't keep more than a few hundred of any one load for the most part.

What I will often do is stockpile a large pile of fully prepped brass. That means cleaned, sorted by headstamp, sized, primed and mouth flared. I keep these in peanut butter jars and coffee cans, so that when I find a new deal on a particular bullet, it's simply grab a jar, dig out some powder and seat some bullets and ready for testing.
 
I never reload nor do I shoot hand loads except when I was "Cowboy Action Shooting"tm. Long story as to why; for another time.

Anyway, for the guns that "matter" to me, which includes all self defense weapons and any toys that I routinely shoot, I like to keep around 1000 rounds per caliber available. So, when the dust settles on my house construction I will take an inventory and replenish what I need. I assure you, it's a lot of ammunition.

1000 rounds of 9mm cooking off in a house fire tends to get your attention, by the way! :D
 
I recently moved from the PRK to Arizona. While preparing for the move, I inventoried my hand loads and found I had several thousand in each of my primary calibers (9mm, .38 Spec., .357 Mag., .45 ACP, 5.56 and .308), in addition to large quantities of my lesser used rounds (.45 AR, .44 Spec., .44 Mag, .45 Colt and .30-30). I still had several thousand pieces of brass for each of those calibers. For the purposes of the move, I gave some friends several thousand pounds of unprocessed wheel weights, all powder, 3/4 of the primers I had on hand and all of that brass.I figure it will be some time before I've used much of the rounds I have on hand. When I do, I'll collect the brass for reloading. As I collect brass, I clean it prior to storage. Due to the lack of lead wheel weights these days, I doubt if I'll do much bullet molding anymore, so long as I stay ahead of my reloading of brass as I collect sufficient amounts. I can't see molding and storing the numbers of lead hard cast SWC and HP rounds I had before. I forgot to mention how many of those in 9mm and .45 I gave away.
 
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From .22 to .30/06 with a pile of shotguns shells thrown in, I reckon I have around 20K rounds sitting around and I'm always on the lookout for 'a deal'. Don't get out nearly as much as I'd like to so this should last me for quite a while.
 
Well that makes me feel better. Thought I was crazy for hording ammo. I only reload pistol rounds, and it's for plinking only. I don't hunt or compete and I buy self defense ammo. I don't get carried away with accuracy or velocity for those reasons. I find something that I can buy in bulk, and then I stick with it. For me that has mostly been Hodgdon powder (on sales from Midway) CCI primers( free hazmat from Midway) and zero brand bullets (roze distribution has good prices on jacketed ammo and free shipping when buying in bulk). I think it'd be cool to do some boutique rounds sometimes, but then I can never seem to justify the expense when I just want trigger time.
 
I try to keep several hundred of each handgun cartridge I shot on the shelf in case I decide too go shooting on the quick. It's not hard to do when you reload. is keep less of the rifle ammo I shoot on the shelf.
 
I'm retired and I reload a lot during the winter months. I'm really not sure how many rounds of ammo I have for all the calibers I own but I'm certain it's many thousands.
 
I reload for most of the major handgun calibers and I currently have anywhere from fifty rounds to 1000+ rounds of each one. No stress here, if/when I run out or get bored I’ll load more, I have plenty of components for everything on hand.
 
How Much ?

I shoot a lot of .22 and in the last 70 years I have experienced several shortages so I am a rimfire hoarder. 30,000 plus at all times, mainly CCI Standard Velocity. Centerfire pistols, I try to find what is accurate and keep a 1000 round case of it avail except for .45acp and 2500 is my goal. I do not shoot much bulk ammo as it tends to be not as accurate as "premium" loadings. I have found the Federal HST and Hydra-Shock groups tighter. Centerfire rifle, I have found that I can develop reloads that generally reduce group sizes by 1/2 to 1 inch at 100yds so I usually load 100 rounds at a time for each rifle. Federal Gold Medal Match brand ammo shoots extremely well so I have a 500 round case on hand for those select calibers they are offered in. You can sink quite a bit of money into "hoarding" ammunition. I purchased a storage safe called the Ammo Can , so that I can maintain temperature and humidity for optimal storage. Shotgun shells, I keep about 2500 target loads for each gauge. Hunting loads are as needed generally by cases. I'm afraid to total the investment I have made in accurate ammunition. Whoever coined the expression " only accurate guns are interesting". They must have been financially well off.
 
I have a little less than 200 rounds of .38 Special and about fifteen rounds of twelve gauge #4 buckshot.

I almost never get the chance to shoot anymore, and don't expect to live to see the collapse of civilization. If that happens it's going to have to be pretty damn soon to affect me.
 
This much
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Robert
 
Except for rimfire and 9mm I cast and reload all my handgun rounds. I keep a few hundred loaded rounds on hand for for range sessions and just cast and load more as needed. I got caught short on components during the panic in the 90's, Never again. Now I keep a good supply of powder and primers on hand.
 
You can't carry any one caliber out in 1 trip. Options include 22 LR, 38 spl, 357 mag, 40 S&W, 44 mag, 45 acp, and 9 mm plus necessary rifle calibers. You might make 45-70 ammo in 1 trip but you will be winded.
 
dont have exact breakdown but i have roughly 40000,,, yes forty thousand factory 9mm,,, 223,,, about 800 of this is 45acp,,, roughly 6000 22lr and around 500 17 hmr,,,,,, have about about 2000 reloaded 45,,9mm and 223 target,,, have enough brass to load another 10-12000 rds of 45 and 9mm,,,,,,,, guess i need to buy more ammo,,, i am running kinda low,,LOL,,,,,, almost forgot about the 2500-3000 rds of 12 gauge
 
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1 50 round box for each gun. Except for my DSA SA58 FAL. Its a little thirstier than the others.
 
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