How Much Ammo is Too Much

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You know as well as I do that no one can predict anything in a situation like that. Riot isn't just being used to describe something like ferguson. Riot is also used to describe a collapse of services that leads to the SHTF scenario. Last I checked though SHTF discussion wasn't a topic allowed here so I was gently sidestepping it and using the term riot.
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You might enjoy this forum much more than THR.

http://www.survivalistboards.com/

I think they may address your concerns with a bit more enthusiasm.
 
Tonight a crewmember was shocked that you could have UPS bring three 1,000-rd cases of ammo to your door.

But I told him that in San Bernadino, they only needed about 3-4 really small boxes of ammo.

If YOU have enough to go through the next panic with no more ammo purchases, and five years of retirement, you might have enough.
A future politician or Congress might ban ammo imported from certain countries, if not simply put very high taxes on it. How would that work out for you? And domestic ammo manufacturers would lobby for this. Relations with Russia could Really go downhill? "Nah, never happen..."
 
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the foot said:
Tell you right now, I have gathered up primers, bullets, brass, powder to last me for ten years of my normal shooting level. I believe that most of us don't realize the danger to the second amendment that we face.
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This is also my mantra....Stockpiling components ensures plenty of ammo.
Hand loaders should also master the art of casting.
 
CoalTrain49 said:
Here's a question for all of you ammo economists. Does your homeowners insurance cover your 3K worth of ammo.
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Yes. It's not rocket surgery to ensure you have the proper coverage for your home based on its contents and your actual lifestyle. Insuring my guns and ammo was the least of my problems when we bought this place...the hard part was a company that would insure our alleged "pit bull" (which our former insurer of 30 years would not) and a 50 yr old home-made wood stove (which State Farm would not).

I won't get into where I store my ammo and reloading components...but again, it isn't rocket surgery to do it safely to ensure your entire home is not at risk.
 
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Preaching to the choir. Even if a person has only has a single 10/22 22LR in there collection - 10K rounds is a handful of range visits at most, IMO.
 
I’m confused. You start out saying;

I don't have 1000 rounds of anything and I shoot once a week. If you have 1000 rounds of centerfire rifle ammo you fall into the comp shooter, survivalist, or jihadist category. I don't know anyone who falls in any of those categories.
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Then in post #117 you say:

Prepper, survivalist, call it what you want. The terms are synonymous

You take exception to my statement that people who stockpile ammo fall into one of three categories but it seems just about everyone here falls into one of those categories.
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My first question is if you have less than 1,000 rounds of ammunition why do you need a insurance rider covering $10,000 worth of firearms? It seems a little of balance to own several very nice guns or a bunch of other guns but not enough ammo to keep them all fed.

When you accuse anyone that “stockpiles ammunition” which is more than 1,000 rounds per your first post as “Prepper, survivalist” you are giving Midwestern rural values a negative image.

Here is tornado alley keeping extra supplies on hand is not only wise but recommended. Every fall my grandparents would can fruits and vegetables to get them through the winter and into the spring. By your standard they were preppers and survivalists which back then was necessary to have enough to eat.

You may not be aware of the power of “bartering.” In a crisis money is worthless. Someone comes to my farm wanting to buy eggs with money is going to get turned away. However if they have a side of bacon, some canned goods, etc. we will work out a swap. Ammunition is just another universal form of currency which can help me get items I need.

Personally I think having less than 1,000 rounds of ammo on hand is "penny wise and pound foolish."
 
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My first question is if you have less than 1,000 rounds of ammunition why do you need a insurance rider covering $10,000 worth of firearms? It seems a little of balance to own several very nice guns or a bunch of other guns but not enough ammo to keep them all fed.
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I'm sure you know that some people have expensive firearms. It doesn't take that many to total 10K. I don't run 100 rds a week through some of them. Actually I don't even shoot some of them anymore. I haven't asked my ins. agent if I could ins. 10K worth of ammo. I don't want to either.

When you accuse anyone that “stockpiles ammunition” which is more than 1,000 rounds per your first post as “Prepper, survivalist” you are giving Midwestern rural values a negative image.
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We can vegetables and fish every year. We can enough to get us through until the next canning season. Most canners don't can more than they can eat in a year. That's a bad practice to have food that you canned around longer than that. Learned that from some old timers that lived by that rule. There really isn't any point to it because food crops and fresh fish are available every year.

You may not be aware of the power of “bartering.” In a crisis money is worthless. Someone comes to my farm wanting to buy eggs with money is going to get turned away. However if they have a side of bacon, some canned goods, etc. we will work out a swap. Ammunition is just another universal form of currency which can help me get items I need.
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Hogwash. When in the history of the US has money been worthless? I wouldn't trade food for ammo. You can't eat ammo and the grocery store or a farmer isn't going to give you any food for ammo. In the depression people wanted food. The only way they could get it was grow it themselves or buy it. If they didn't have the money to buy food they worked for it or money to buy it. I've never read anything that suggested people used ammo to barter for food.

We have on hand what we will realistically need for a year, not a lifetime like I've heard a few claim they have. Nobody can tell me a rec shooter realistically needs 10k rounds of ammo, they just want that amount of ammo. That's sort of like saying I need a jet ski because I use one every week. People crossed the entire country in wagons for months having to shoot game for food and defend themselves from perils a lot worse than any of us will ever see with far less than 1k rds of ammo.

Ammo will not be a currency and never will be regardless of what you read. Neither will gold. If anything food and water might be a good thing to have but money has always worked unless the gov't no longer exists. When that happens you might as well kiss your *** goodbye because all the ammo in the world isn't going to save you.

Personally I would rather have food or at least the money to buy it. I have enough ammo to get me by in most situations and it isn't stacked to the ceiling like some here claim they have. I reload every week if I need to when I'm home. I'm on the road right now and will be for 4 months. I'm carrying 100 rounds of ammo for SD and will be on the US/Mex border most of that time. Living on the ragged edge I guess.
 
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I don't think I want to know how much ammo I have. I'll guess between 5k and 10k. Maybe 20K now that I think about it. Yea.

I had to buy a third metal Stack On box to store them all. Seriously doubt I'll get a separate safe for my ammo. But then again replacement cost could be...$$$$

If either of brothers ask I might slip and be honest. If baby sis ask I'll lie, "about 250 rounds".

Heck I have nearly a thousand rounds in my car's trunk so I'll always have the caliber I need when I go to the range. Just for kicks I might count those up.
 
Nobody can tell me a rec shooter realistically needs 10k rounds of ammo, they just want that amount of ammo
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Your definition of needs is different than mine. I don't preach to others telling them to buy more ammunition.

The Banic of 2013 has convinced many folks of the wisdom of stocking up on ammunition and reloading supplies.

Ammo will not be a currency and never will be regardless of what you read.
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We will have to agree to disagree. Firearms and most importantly it's ammunition provides the most basic of human needs which is security.

We are just one executive order from another banic on ammunition and one Presidential election from gun bans.
 
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I've actually reached my comfort level on reloading components.

23,000 primers, small pistol, small rifle mag, and large rifle

3100 component 223 bullets
3000 component 9mm bullets
3000 component 40 cal bullets
1200 component .308 bullets
30 lbs of powder, pistol and rifle

I'm sure I'll add to this during the big Cabela's sales next year.

I'm shooting 1000 rounds/month right now......heheee!
 
Here's 350,000 lbs of small arms brass from one lot from one military base.
http://www.govliquidation.com/auctio...ionId=10413528
There is a base near me that has similar sales several times a year. I know of 4 large bases in the US that have these sales every year. That is millions of lbs of 5.56 and 9mm brass every year.
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Yep, and where do you think all that military brass goes? I'm sure some goes for scrap, but I see a lot of Lake City 5.56 brass with recent manufacture dates (and sometimes 7.62, with somewhat less recent dates) for sale. Even bought some of it myself. :)
 
You may have too much ammo when you have to install extra steel supports in the basement to keep the floor from sagging.
 
Ammo is a form of currency. It does have value to those who want it and don't have it.
I have traded ammo for some delicious smoked and canned tuna, for baked goods, etc...
I reload and my friends know where to find me, some of them are quiet accomplished cooks and know my weak spots. I'm actually currently expecting some cheese balls, for which I'll probably have to shell out some 9mm reloaded with hornady xtp's.
As far as having too much...Its an asset. There is no such thing as too much as you can sell ammo relatively easily if it gets in your way or if you need paper money instead.

Just like any other investment, buy low and sell high, don't invest bill money.
 
Between the books and ammo, the fire and ensuing explosion should attract any intelligent life passing through or by our solar system.
 
CoalTrain49 said:
That one broke me up.

I didn't really think too much about the article. Mostly because there are very few people who shoot competitively and .22 LR isn't a centerfire round. It's a plinker/rec round. So dismiss both of those arguments. I don't have 1000 rounds of anything and I shoot once a week. If you have 1000 rounds of centerfire rifle ammo you fall into the comp shooter, survivalist, or jihadist category. I don't know anyone who falls in any of those categories.

Sorry, just MHO.
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I have over 1,000 rounds of multiple centerfire rounds. I am not a comp shooter, survivalist, or jihadist.

So, I have to say...your "opinion" is wrong, plain and simple.
 
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