SHTF Scenario/Ammo choice

[otis24]

In a post some time back, there was a story describing the economic break down in Argentina. The story suggested that one should own a firearm of a caliber that had readily available ammunition.

In a doomsday/apocolyptic scenario, wouldn't the most popular calibers (i.e. 38 Special, 9mm, .22) be the most in demand, therefore making them the hardest to get? Would one be better served by having a caliber that was a little harder to find but not quite obsolete/antiquated (i.e. .41 mag, .44 special)?

Your thoughts please?

 

[CJofWolfcreek]

I thought along those lines until this recent ammo shortage. Now instead of focusing on a few most common calibers; 9mm, 38/357 and 30-30, I'm thinking diversification is a good thing. Added a 45acp to the collection and will be looking to expand the rifle to to another caliber as well. 22lr is always a staple though.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

No telling what would be rare. One view would be to stockpile. I have agood supply of my handgun calibers working on the longgun ammo now.

 

[biggs357]

You didn't mention if you were on the move or staying put where you are at.On the move and have to find ammo.It would have 12 g and .22 long other than that as of the current shortage i would go for .40 cal,every gun shop has all kinds of it.If the s h t f and i'm staying put in home now i have plenty but still like buying when i can.

I have 1,000 in .40cal, 1,000 in 357 sig, 1,500 in .357 mag, 1,000 .38 special, 1,000 of 12g slugs, 1,000 12g 00 buck,and 2,500 .22 long.I do shoot,but all the ammo above is h/p's and i'm not wasting it at the range,so if i go shooting i run to walmart for my cheap ammo.

Btw i bought the guns i have because even in the worst of the shortage i never had a problem finding any of the type of ammo i mentioned.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Remember this-the more stuff you have the more resourses you expend protecting/moving it. Lot to be said about being bug out ready.

 

[ACP230]

Or you could keep components on hand to reload for whatever calibers you favor.
I am planning to reload a lot of .308 this winter and made a lot of .45ACP this summer.

 

[josephthreedogs]

Cross bow, or long bow.

 

[Vulcan Bob]

Current issue U.S. military ammo is always a good choice. The chances of picking up some 5.56, 7.62 and 9mm are good. Remember those National Gaurd folk will be open to some tradeing too.

 

[460v LAC du FLAMBEAU]

I have had a dedicated "quarterly" ammo purchasing action plan these past 18 months...about $300-$400 per quarter. I have reach my ammo supply "comfort level" for my Brownings 10 & 12 gauge pumps, M&P15-223's, .38 & 9mm and big bores S&W460 & 500 as well as my Weatherby 340.

Extra cash will go to increase the 223's for the M&P15 VTAC early next year.

 

[Spotteddog]

You pick the time and the place you wish and which ever person has the equipment you want/need at that moment. You then use what ever you have, to get what ever they have.

 

[willy]

22lr.
Easy to carry alot of rounds.
No one wants to get shot with one.
And you can always use it for trade.

 

[Gary]

I don't think that it matters. If the SHTF really happened the overwhelming number of people after your food, guns, and ammo as well as the almost impossible logistics of leaving an urban area to get somewhere safe would likely make the point moot.

 

[BobK]

I would take my M-66 with holster and, both .38spl./.357mag ammo. I might take a M-36 as back-up.....just in case. That would be it for guns.....the rest would be survival gear, several knives, sleeping bag, food, and water. I like to travel as light as possible. The more you take....the more you have to carry!!! At my age, I probably wouldn't survive long without my meds. Bob

 

[Black_Sheep]

In a doomsday/apocolyptic scenario, wouldn't the most popular calibers (i.e. 38 Special, 9mm, .22) be the most in demand, therefore making them the hardest to get? Would one be better served by having a caliber that was a little harder to find but not quite obsolete/antiquated (i.e. .41 mag, .44 special)?

Your thoughts please?

If the day ever comes where you would NEED ammo it's way too late to go looking for it, that's why people stockpile ammo and reloading supplies. In a shtf situation ammo could become a very desirable commodity, popular calibers will be in great demand and therefore more valuable. Hard to find ammo would become even harder to find, also making it more valuable.

It's better to have and not need than to need and not have...

 

[Ron H.]

I thought along those lines until this recent ammo shortage. Now instead of focusing on a few most common calibers; 9mm, 38/357 and 30-30, I'm thinking diversification is a good thing. Added a 45acp to the collection and will be looking to expand the rifle to to another caliber as well. 22lr is always a staple though.

+1. Around here, the common cartridges--particularly those for autoloaders--disappeared almost instantly, with hollowpoints and other "performance" loads in the lead. They're only now reappearing on gunshop shelves in any quantity, and some performance loads are still scarce. Interestingly, the non-available rounds were precisely those that we used to think would always be easy to find: .22LR, 9mm, .38/.357, .40, .45 ACP, .223, 7.62x39, .308, and 12 gauge.

At the same time, many less common or "low tech" cartridges remained available even during the worst of the shortages: .41 mag, .45 Colt, .270, etc.

That suggests to me that diversity is good. And, of course, handloading is better.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.

 

[Gatofeo]

Got my Pocket Catapault and 500 3X4-inch photos of me wearing a Speedo and nothing else.
I figure to lob a few of those photo on top of the aggressors, then while they're pukin' and screaming about being blinded, I run in and steal their ammo and food!
Not for nothing that Gatofeo means, "ugly cat" in Spanish!
The ol' desert cat's got a plan ... heh heh heh ...

 

[Spotteddog]

You've forgotten to take their Women Gato!
I mean, if your going to go to the trouble of grabbing everything else?

 

[sjmjax]

Interesting question in light of seeing what panic buying and hording just over concerns of potential firearms/ammo legislation from the Obama Administration has done to the ammo supply.

I'd suggest in addition to whatever you consider your primary weapons, having a selection of firearms that can use the widest range of ammo. That would allow you to take advantage of anything you can find. For examples:

A revolver in .32 caliber could use .32 S&W, .32 S&WL, .32acp and with the right gun .32 H&R and .327

Everyone's familiar and probably has a .38/.357.

A .357 sig, .40 S&W, and 10mm is possible.

And of course .44 special & .44 mag.

Any way, you get the idea. A large number of different cartridges could be utilized by a relatively small number of guns.

 

[sipowicz]

In an apocalyptic situation, just keep one round for yourself...

 

[GatorFarmer]

You're talking about FerFal in Argentina. Google him and his blog will come up. It wasn't a scenario for him, he lived through it.

The recent ammunition shortage was a commercial situation and not comparable to a disaster situation. It was similar to the years long shortage of Wiis around holidays. It simply wasn't to anyone's advantage to have additional manufacturing capacity.

If you're worried about something, get your ammunition in advance. You'll have what you have. I wouldn't count on scrounging. If you're interested in reloading and stockpiling components, you can do that as well.

In general, it would probably be a better idea to have a 9x19mm pistol and a 5.56mm rifle than something like a .32 SW Long (though I continued to find .32 SW Long ammo during the shortage) and a 6.5mm Carcano (which I also was able to get ammo for).

However, since you can stock in advance, buy what you want and what amuses you.