Ammo Shortage merged threads, aka UberUltraMasterAmmoThreadOfPower

[Rembrandt]

Hoarder sounds a bit harsh.....I prefer to think of it as advanced preparation for the next shortage. Since I reload, concentration has been on components and rimfire. Not sure what my comfort level will be...but it'll be plenty.

 

[bearmgc]

Buy a little, shoot a little. Nothing wrong with hoarding.

 

[red_cedar]

I like to see my pile get bigger and bigger.

 

[FROGO207]

It's about time you started to hoard. I feel that three years use is a comfortable level to stockpile at the present time. Then add and shoot as your conscience will allow. Fun at a cost. You will have to work three lifetimes to catch me...... Not so much fun with the new prices for goods however. Got to help with the recovery and spend.

 

[HK G3]

I usually want a cushion of 500 rounds for each caliber I shoot, for SHTF or whatever unforeseen circumstances may come.

Lately, I've been at the reloading bench quite a bit, and may push that cushion up to 1,000 rounds per caliber, but I've yet to decide...

 

[bowman1962]

hoarding

If I can see over the stack of ammo then I don't have enough. My problem is I can't afford the Mags to put it all in.:banghead:

 

[doc2rn]

Buy ya a .22lr and shoot away.
What I did was I bought enuf to shoot for a yr, then just pick it up as you shoot it. If you only shoot 120 rds a yr you almost have 6 yrs worth already, most people failed to realize that and just kept buying cause there is a shortage dontchaknow.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

The only thing I'm buying in mass quantity right now is powder, I jumped on 16 lbs of IMR-4895 when it became available, for my .308, it rocks. I'm also buying 1lb containers of H-4895 for my .223 mini-14, whenever I see it, I've built up 4lbs so far, this stuff is awesome in .223 and will work fine in .308 also. I'm in good shape on primers and projectiles/brass.

 

[mongo4567]

You'll be a hoarder when you buy enough from Century to get free shipping.

 

[bigfatdave]

And B. How much is a good cushion where you feel ok to shoot some of it and not feel......bereft?

I've committed to keeping a few month's worth of range ammo, and 3-4 refills of SD ammo on hand
As examples:
Range ammo for centerfire pistol-
(~50 rounds/trip) * (~3 trips/month) * (3 months) = ~450 rounds stashed
If the hoard gets below that, I start to shoot less centerfire pistol, and more rimfire ... the determination is similar for centerfire rifles or shotguns

SD ammo for CC pistol
my CC - 6+1 with a 7 round reload = 14 rounds per refill
MrsBFD's CC - 13 and a 16 round reload = 29 rounds per refill
So I'm trying to get up to ~129 rounds of SD ammo on hand, but I'm not quite there yet, so I rarely expend SD ammo

rimfire hoarding
When I see rimfire that my semi-autos like, I buy it and stash it, when I see rimfire I'm not sure wether my semi-autos like, I buy some and test it, what won't work for semi-autos can be fired in either the Henry lever rifle or the NAA revolver, they aren't picky
When I see Remington-branded rimfire, or other stuff I know the semi-autos don't like ... I leave it on the shelf

 

[mljdeckard]

I don't want to say I spend too much on gun stuff, but let's just say I got a personalized thank you note from Larry Potterfield.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Nothing wrong with hoarding (buying in bulk when it's cheap).
That's why through this period of high prices and unavailability I'm still shooting thousands of rounds of $2/box ammo and such as this $4.38/box 9mm.

How much is a good cushion where you feel ok to shoot some of it and not feel......bereft?

Since most of what I shoot I reload, I keep at least 2-4 thousand rounds loaded for each caliber.




.

 

[tju1973]

Don't feel bad-- I always tried to get ammo here and there before BHO, but since the "Scare" I felt the need to keep buying at least a few boxes a week of something --even if it is a box of #7 12 ga... My wife is into shooting now, so now the fever really has hit-- I too like a cushion of at least 500 per pistol and rifle, a few hundred assorted shotguns of each type, and 3-4 bricks of .22. I finally got set a few months ago, and now keep a crate (an old 60mm mortar crate) with just the "range" ammo- it is now full, so I have a bunch staked in the gun locker...And he sickness continues. If I shoot a box, I want 2 to replace it...

8*(

 

[frankiestoys]

You are not alone!
I buy ammo when ever i can, just bought 200 rounds of 38 spl tonight
wal-mart surprised me and there was no way i was leaving without it.
Like some of you guys i like to have at least 500 to 1000 rounds(depends on the cal)
But you have too shoot it too, can't love GUNS and not shoot em.

 

[mljdeckard]

Now, M-2, doesn't it tear you up when there's a cavity in one of those ammo cans?

 

[LeonCarr]

I have a good buddy who has been reloading for 25 years and he picks up every empty brass case he finds at the range. He told me once if he ever gets into a firefight that hopefully he will have Blazers in his gun so he doesn't stop in the middle of the gunfight to pick up the brass .

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[CapnMac]

Well, it's hard to say. Nice round numbers are very appealing to we humans, even to illogicality.
Now, that "feeling," that "emotion," I'm more than familiar with. One of those loverly side-effects of unemployment. Have time to shoot. Have time to shop. Have money for neither task. When the shelves were bare, that just made it worse. Shoot that last box of .380? Seemed absurd. Pr, when a box of 45acp was a week's groceries?

Easy to "obsess" over small things like that.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Now, M-2, doesn't it tear you up when there's a cavity in one of those ammo cans?

You can tell by the dates I don't shoot a lot of factory ammo.
But when I make a hole I fill it with Wal Mart 22LR bulk packs.



I've run out of ammo boxes and have to use pickle jars.

I have a good buddy who has been reloading for 25 years and he picks up every empty brass case he finds at the range. He told me once if he ever gets into a firefight that hopefully he will have Blazers in his gun so he doesn't stop in the middle of the gunfight to pick up the brass .

That's the truth.
Instead of seeing brass cases laying on the ground, I see money.

 

[dom1104]

I have taken another tack.

First off, YES. I am 100% an ammo hoarder now, I will never be cought semi dry again.


What I have done is, reshuffled my armory.

Now, my AR-15 has a 22 conversion. I can buy the .223 ammo and stash it away for coyotes etc. But I can plink with the 22.

My 9mm CZ has a 22 conversion and a bunch of mags. shoot this on a daily basis. Again, I only shoot the 9mm stuff when I am REALLY practicing or competing.

my 12 guage, well, no conversion there. but 100 rnd bulk packs arent bad.


So, basically

12 guage,
9mm
.223
and 22lr are my calibers.

I am doing well in stocking for those 4, and my current 22lr numbers are in the 5 digits

and yes that makes me happy.

 

[NMGonzo]

I am sooooo happy that I bought that .40 s&W

I can afford to have a couple thousand rounds if SHTF ... the rest is candy.

And don't forget the Nagant ... that is easy to stockpile.

 

[Flash!]

the ammo situation has not made me hoard ammo..... but I have become obsessive compulsive on making sure I pick up every piece of brass I can for reloading.....

 

[TexasRedneck]

Well....."hoarder" is a tad harsh. There's nothing wrong with being prepared...that's why I prepare w/50 cal. ammo cans. 2 cans of reloaded 45, 2 cans of reloaded 40, one can of 38, one can of 357 an' one can of 380.

As others have noted, bein' a reloaders allows ya to keep a component reserve....like 20k ea. of large and small pistol an' 10k of small pistol mag. Probably have 3-5k of each bullet in cast, an' 2k of each in fmj. 20 lbs of W231.

Factory ammo? Not much spare stuff layin' around.....we won't discuss the (literally) 60+ .45 mags I have topped off with hydrashocks, 20 or so .40's, 16 .380's, an' mebbe a coupla k .357, but only 1-2 hunnert .38's. Oh, yeah - I DO have some 9mm....mostly for the Uzi, but there IS a Beretta 92fs in there if I HAD to.....IIRC, there's 5k or so 9mm out there.

Ya just can't have too much - after all, ya never know when the South may decide ta secede again!

 

[mustang_steve]

To me, hoarding is having more than what's needed for defense, and two range trips.

Thus, my one box of 9mm JHP is fine, but my five boxes of 9mm FMJ is hoarding.

Given, Once I get my next few firearms (both .22LR handguns, maybe a AR7 "survival rifle" in there just because I think they're neat), I'm going to amass a thousand rounds or so of .22LR and some more 9mm, and get an ammo can or two to stick all my ammo into.

 

[armoredman]

I like to keep a variety of various reloads and sundry factory on hand, that I use for testing an evaulation of various sidearms, such as the CZ P07 I am currently testing. I need to maintain a reasonable level of loaded ammunition and factory ammunition on various calibers to facilitate this level of testing and evaluation. This, of course, means that the various amounts of ammunition I possess are, of course, reasonable and prudent for such use, and personal use for enjoyment as well. To some it may seem excessive, but it is a reasonable supply for my usage.

 

[mljdeckard]

I have a conversion for my 1911, I'm thinking hard about a dedicated upper in .22lr as well.