Did your idea of what a sufficient stockpile of ammo was change when you started reloading?

[Bfh_auto]

If my house catches on fire, I'm telling the firemen to run.

Fire department is far enough away that my house would be gone before they get here.

 

[Ironicaintit]

I don't really keep track. I know I have more than I used to!

Loading is a circular habit that feeds on itself.

You have some brass, so you load it. You end up with an odd amount of leftover projectiles, so you need more brass. You have enough powder for this batch, but it'll be close, so you need more of that too. You run some drills, so now you have more brass....load them and end up with an odd amount of projectiles left.... Rinse and repeat.
It's a vicious cycle.

 

[H3NT3]

My supply par has increased since getting in to reloading. Maybe because it is more affordable to have more loaded ammo now.... Kinda like that joke reloading doesn't save you money you just shoot more.
However, I remember telling my brother of a rifle I once burried for those kind of events we don't talk about here. He asked how many bullets I packed with it. I told him 180-200. He said, "that's it?" As if I am suppose to pack thousands. I replied that if things became so bad I actually dig that up I prolly won't live past the second reload (5 on a stripper clip).
Said rifle no longer resides in the ground so no need to place new batteries in your metal dectors. Lol.

 

[bersaguy]

I recently acquired an old 4 drawer file cabinet from a collage library that was shutting down. This thing weighs a ton, it's a heavy steel job from probably the 1940s or so. I was going to sell it until I realized that ammo cans fit perfectly in the drawers. Each drawer holds 4 50cal cans and one 30cal. It's full top to bottom with full cans, both loaded ammo and components. (Primers and powder stored separately) It weighs an ungodly amount, and once I had it all in one spot, now I feel I have enough...for now

 

[joed]

I've always stock piled reloading supplies. My first rifle a Rem 700 in .25-06 is still in the safe. Didn't take me long to see that prices for components have never gone down. So, whenever I ran out of bullets when I ordered I would order 2 or 3 boxes of bullets. I still have boxes of Sierra bullets in the old green box marked $7.40. I just finished my Nosler Sold Base bullets which were the ones before the ballistic tip. I have a good supply of .30 cal and .224 too.

Probably the only thing I haven't stock piled is .243, I added that one in 2013 and haven't had the opportunity to start hoarding yet.

Always remember, the only time you can ever have to much ammo is when your house is on fire.

 

[clearcut]

I put 3 hand truck loads in the barn and now I only have 9 ammo cans in the house for range use ,so 1-2 K for each stashed and 5-8 hundred per gun for shooting . And my 4th press is coming tomorrow I think the money saving will start soon...... .if I just get some more lead, brass, powder, primers ...............

 

[hdwhit]

Did your idea of what a sufficient stockpile of ammo was change when you started reloading?

You can never be too rich, too thin, have too much bandwidth, too much horsepower or too many components.

 

[WestKentucky]

I used to keep 5 or 6 boxes for each gun. Now I keep a lot more. I also diversified into a bunch more calibers too.

 

[bbqreloader]

The only two things that were hard to find during the last shortage, which is when I started my reloading addiction, were primers and powder. So stashing cash for the sales and ordering bulk are still a priority and powder valley loves me for it.
But to answer OP's ?, yes it did change. Once I started reloading and I could see how much I could keep on hand, I made it. So having 1000 rounds of each caliber (9, 40, 45 and 223) on hand is my baseline. I reload so I can shoot more, which I do every week, or with the darn colds the kids keep getting, every other week it seems as of late.

 

[Jonesy814]

I first reloaded 3 years ago. It gave me the means to afford to have the amount of ammo I thought I should have on hand, but couldn't afford at factory prices . Since then I also decided to have enough components on hand to be able to load 2 years worth of shooting

 

[IlikeSA]

As I've said as a kid "it's better to have an not need than need and not have." That's true for ketchup, components, and cartridges. My cubby hole of loaded ammo is completely full, and I have bottles of powder and stacks of primers sitting on the shelf. I got into reloading wadcutter loads for savings (and accuracy.)

 

[Big Wes]

I try to keep a decent supply of components etc on hand, as a matter of fact I still have sleeves of 5K primers stashed that cost 13.95 per thousand and some that I paid 26.00 per thousand. You never know when the shortage will arrive again, and more than likely it will.

 

[kcofohio]

When I first got into reloading, I didn't foresee what a panic could do to the supply line. So, yes, I have more on hand now than at the start.

 

[Toprudder]

I had started stashing factory ammo before I started reloading, and now have a few thousand rounds of each caliber I shoot. Then, when the "big scare" happened and ammo disappeared off the shelves, I got into reloading just soon enough to get a couple thousand primers and 4lbs of powder. Then components quickly became scarce as well. It was enough to make me decide to start stocking components, too.

I was worried about having too much powder and primers in the house, so I now have a small detached reloading workshop, I keep most of my powder and primers in that. I started buying about twice what I thought I would need until the next time there would be a sale, so I've probably got enough now to keep me busy for 3-4 years. The wife and I shoot about 10-12k per year. Since she shoots (loves her 9 and 45) she pays for most of the projectiles, and I pay for every thing else out of my allowance. I hope to be able to retire in 6-7 years and I want to make sure I'm really stocked up before then.

I don't generally keep more than 500 loaded rounds of handloads for a given caliber, I prefer making them as I need them. I've heard too many stories of loaders leaving behind lots of loaded rounds after they pass, and people having to deal with selling or disposing them. It is much easier to deal with components or factory ammo.

As far as being able to barter with ammo in a SHTF scenario, I'm not sure I would want to be giving ammo to anyone else during desperate times. Better to trade something like whiskey or cigarettes.

 

[Axis II]

I shoot too much to have a stock pile.....

Me too!

 

[Axis II]

I feel like i should have enough ammo incase something bad happened if ya know what i mean but i just cant see having thousands upon thousands of rounds laying around cause IMO that's a lot of money just sitting there doing nothing.

Now if i find a good deal i will grab a few items. I have a couple thousand primers for each caliber just sitting there and its driving me crazy!

 

[jmorris]

Depends on the caliber, for ones I shoot a lot of 1000 rounds is not “a stock pile”, maybe a fun afternoon, for other calibers/uses 100 rounds may last more than a year.

That said I have components to built a lot more ammunition than what I have loaded.

I can use large pistol primers in anything from 45 ACP to 458 socom but not if I have them all loaded up in 10mm. Same goes for powder, bullets to a lesser degree as well, but lead if free to pick up and isn’t as picky about storage before use as powder and primers.

Sure as I load everything up that I have components for I would find another load, buy another caliber, during times like Clinton’s AWB or Obama after Sandyhook and be out of luck.

 

[Walkalong]

Y'all shoot way more than I do these days.

The old Cat ATS enclosure I stripped and put shelves in has more in it these days, less brass (Stored elsewhere), more bullets, some loaded rounds, and a few primers.

 

[jaguarxk120]

Loading extra shells? With this hobby it is like going down a rat hole!
Just picked up 200 pounds of lead from a estate sale. I have two 45's to feed and those 255 grain bullets take a lot of lead.
Now waiting for warmer weather to start casting.

200 pounds = about 5,000 255 grain Colt bullets

 

[Rodentman]

I keep about 500 loaded rounds of about 10 calibers. I have supplies to reload much more. I try to keep the inventory governed by the number of plastic ammo boxes I have. Seems to work pretty well. Empty a couple, fill 'em back up. Just got a box from MO bullets so the raw materials inventory is quite good.

 

[NWPilgrim]

You get to another level of cost savings when you buy in bulk. Loading a few hundred rounds saves some, but even better when you can buy 2-4 kegs of powder and spread the hazmat fee over that instead of just one, or a few pounders. Same with bullets. Hornady and Nosler usually offer big discounts for buying 600-1,000 ct instead of 100ct jacketed bullets. Cast bullets are way cheaper by the 1,000. You can often get flat rate shipping of $12-$15 for up to 70 lbs. Primers are usually cheaper by the thousands than the sleeve. And if you buy them when buying powder often the hazmat is spread over all of it. So it makes a lot of sense to buy in as big a qty as you can afford if you want maximum long term cost savings. Side benefit is have lots stockpiled against a future supply drought/buying frenzy, or disaster situation where resupply may be along time coming.

Up until 1994 I thought 300 rds of a cartridge was a lot. Usually had 100-200 bullets on the shelf, and a few pounds of powder and a few sleeves of primers. Just enough for the next couple of reloading sessions and then down to the sporting goods store for more. After the AWB and resulting supply challenges I upped my inventory to enough components to reload 1,000 rds of each caliber. Then when I saw what was going to happen in 2008, I started in 2007 building up inventory for at least 5,000 rds per main caliber and 2,000 for the less used. I had to invest in much more storage capability and equipment for that as well. But all through the 2008-2016 drought I never ran out and even hosted many family shootfests supplying several people with lots of ammo. I did start to get nervous in 2016 and cut back the all day shootfests and did more focused and less quantity shooting. And I wasn't even competing! Those guys can go through 3,000 in a week.

I don't think you can have too much ammo. Just when you think you have enough, something will happen to make you realize you could have used four times as much. But I would be selective on calibers. Not all calibers need to be stocked to the same high levels. Rather than stocking 1,000 rounds of ten calibers, it would be better to stock 3,000 of two of them and 500 of the less important. May main calibers are .223, .30-06, 9mm, .40S&W and .22LR. I have more than a dozen secondary and tertiary calibers. But you have to scale it to your budget and "needs." Probably want high volumes for defensive calibers and less for hunting or "just fun" calibers.

 

[SamT1]

Unless your rich, the only way to hoard ammo is to thin down to just a couple calibers.
I used to own lots of rifles, 30+ different calibers and I loaded ammo for all of them.

I’ve thinned down to 5 rifle calibers and 4 pistols. I Keep a good supply of components on hand for all of them, but only hoard 1 rifle and 1 pistol caliber (have serval guns in those calibers)

If you do shooting sports that require large amounts of ammo, your probably going to need a 4 year supply of those to get you through the scares. I’d have a separate supply stocked away for general shooting Incase a scare becomes permanent.

The gun shops tell me there probably won’t be another crazy big run on AR15’s and 22LR ammo due to the volumes sold the last several years.

 

[jmorris]

Hornady and Nosler usually offer big discounts for buying 600-1,000 ct instead of 100ct jacketed bullets.

Hornady’s “bulk” boxes hold even more, like 3000 9mm or even 6000 .223’s per box.

I think I get a grin every time I open a new box.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Hornady’s “bulk” boxes hold even more, like 3000 9mm or even 6000 .223’s per box.

I think I get a grin every time I open a new box.

View attachment 777687

I haven't seen those quantities of bullets sold anywhere, including online. Are you ordering direct from the factory, or am I just looking in the wrong place?

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Unless your rich, the only way to hoard ammo is to thin down to just a couple calibers.
I used to own lots of rifles, 30+ different calibers and I loaded ammo for all of them.

I’ve thinned down to 5 rifle calibers and 4 pistols. I Keep a good supply of components on hand for all of them, but only hoard 1 rifle and 1 pistol caliber (have serval guns in those calibers)

If you do shooting sports that require large amounts of ammo, your probably going to need a 4 year supply of those to get you through the scares. I’d have a separate supply stocked away for general shooting Incase a scare becomes permanent.

The gun shops tell me there probably won’t be another crazy big run on AR15’s and 22LR ammo due to the volumes sold the last several years.

Yeah, I don't ever see getting into that many cartridges, so for me, it's feasible. However, I think I'm more inclined to keep 1000 loaded rounds on hand of 9mm, 357, 10mm, 45, and perhaps a mixed lot of 1000 of 454 Casul and 460 magnum. So I'm only really looking at 5000 loaded rounds. However, the components are where I think I need to focus for the next few years. I'd like to keep cycling them through, and in the event of a shortage, I can just keep loading. Ideally I think I'd like an 8 year supply to outlast a bad reelection outcome. But that's a lot of money, as was pointed out here.

I feel like i should have enough ammo incase something bad happened if ya know what i mean but i just cant see having thousands upon thousands of rounds laying around cause IMO that's a lot of money just sitting there doing nothing.

I would plan to shoot the oldest rounds first and just cycle through.

I don't generally keep more than 500 loaded rounds of handloads for a given caliber, I prefer making them as I need them. I've heard too many stories of loaders leaving behind lots of loaded rounds after they pass, and people having to deal with selling or disposing them. It is much easier to deal with components or factory ammo.

That is an excellent point, and one I had not thought of. Better to load as needed then leave a massive stockpile for someone else to deal with if I die. If I live to old age, I think shooting up my supply would be wise and only loading as many as I plan to shoot in a month would be a good idea.