I know I am not one to point fingers but how much ammo do we really need? Better yet how much ammo should the average person have on hand? I dont care about laws, I just want to know what everoyone thinks is a reasonable number of rounds.
Poll: How much ammo is too much?
- Thread starter crazy-mp
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22-rimfire
Member
Depends on the guns and your shooting habits. If you seldom shoot, then a few boxes is plenty. If you shoot often, then you probably should have about a months supply minimum.
I keep a fair amount on hand. I have quite a bit of 22LR, but there is substantial variety of different brands and loads.
I keep a fair amount on hand. I have quite a bit of 22LR, but there is substantial variety of different brands and loads.
Deer Hunter
Member
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Equations are useful in these scenarios.
a+1=e
a = ammo on hand
e = enough
a+1=e
a = ammo on hand
e = enough
weisse52
Member
No such thing as too much, if that is what you want.
22-rimfire
Member
I'd say at least 1/3 of the guns sold have never seen more than a couple of boxes shot through them total.
HMMM I figure I need at least 2000 rounds of 22LR if I take my kids to the range. 1000 for me, 500 for each of them. Now if my wife is going add another 500. If any friends/new shooters add 250 for each. So I need about 5000rds for a day of shooting with the family/friends. Cheaper to buy it in bulk and I like having some on hand incase the store is closed or like now sold out. So Hmmm shooting twice a month times 8 months(it gets cold in the winter) 80000 rds a year and then antoher 20000 just incase. Ok that sounds like a good start for 22, but now my other calibers.........
in the end the answer is simple
How much can you afford?
Did I answer the question??????
in the end the answer is simple
How much can you afford?
Did I answer the question??????
planetmobius
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Considering the current political climate, whatever you squirrel away in the next year might be your lifetime supply.
Hungry Seagull
member
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Let's see...
Shoot X rounds a weapon per month.
Throw in 25% extra for cushion.
Count 6 months ahead. That is the amount of ammuntion on hand plus 3 reloads and 3 months reserve. I order the next 6 months worth each 5th month.
Confused yet?
I say two boxes worth. Dont buy any more than you can heft out of the house if it burns.
Shoot X rounds a weapon per month.
Throw in 25% extra for cushion.
Count 6 months ahead. That is the amount of ammuntion on hand plus 3 reloads and 3 months reserve. I order the next 6 months worth each 5th month.
Confused yet?
I say two boxes worth. Dont buy any more than you can heft out of the house if it burns.
6_gunner
Member
Generally, I like to have 200 or 300 rounds per gun on hand.
Realistically, a box per gun would probably be more than enough, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared. If the proverbial S ever hits the F, I doubt that anyone will wish they didn't have so much ammo.
With the possibility of future prohibitive taxes on ammo or outright prohibition of certain types of ammo, it makes sense to stock up as much as possible. In that case, if you run out of space in the basement, you probably have more than you need (and should stop buying out Wal*Mart so that I can pick up a box or two).
Realistically, a box per gun would probably be more than enough, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared. If the proverbial S ever hits the F, I doubt that anyone will wish they didn't have so much ammo.
With the possibility of future prohibitive taxes on ammo or outright prohibition of certain types of ammo, it makes sense to stock up as much as possible. In that case, if you run out of space in the basement, you probably have more than you need (and should stop buying out Wal*Mart so that I can pick up a box or two).
22-rimfire
Member
I think the most 22LR I have ever shot in a day is 500 rounds. 5,000 is a lot.
The correct answer is as much as you can afford and have a place to store it.
The correct answer is as much as you can afford and have a place to store it.
Ed Ames
Member
It's too much if you can't afford to buy or store it.
As in... if, after all your essential expenses (food, health care, clothes, and so on), you have $200 a month discretionary money, spending more than $200/mo is too much. and if you have room to store 20 cubic feet of ammo, having more than 20 cubic feet at any given time is too much.
As in... if, after all your essential expenses (food, health care, clothes, and so on), you have $200 a month discretionary money, spending more than $200/mo is too much. and if you have room to store 20 cubic feet of ammo, having more than 20 cubic feet at any given time is too much.
catspa
Member
Well, some of our fellow members thought they had enough last spring or summer when it was cheap and plentiful, and they spent the rest of their money on other things. But now they can't get it easy or cheap and they feel they don't have enough, and are spending more for a little than they think is fair. So I have to wonder if "enough" is really a number, or a condition relative to a person's expectations.
I've got some ammo for every firearm I possess, 'cause to me a gun with no ammo is useless. However, I also have ammo that doesn't fit any of my guns (that I've gotten in a trade, or no longer have the gun for), and I've been known to give that ammo to somebody who can use it. I also have more ammo than I (immediately) need in some calibers, but it doesn't bother me to have it, because I might trade it or need it after all. So I guess you could say that all my ammo falls into one of those three categories - some, enough, or too much.
Parker
I've got some ammo for every firearm I possess, 'cause to me a gun with no ammo is useless. However, I also have ammo that doesn't fit any of my guns (that I've gotten in a trade, or no longer have the gun for), and I've been known to give that ammo to somebody who can use it. I also have more ammo than I (immediately) need in some calibers, but it doesn't bother me to have it, because I might trade it or need it after all. So I guess you could say that all my ammo falls into one of those three categories - some, enough, or too much.
Parker
MattTheHat
Member
I look at it like Carol Shelby once said of horsepower:
"Too much is just about right."
-Matt
"Too much is just about right."
-Matt
fireman 9731
Member
It better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
I think that more than 10,000 rounds of any caliber would be a little much...
I think that more than 10,000 rounds of any caliber would be a little much...
I think that if most of the people on The High Road would consider your ammo supply too much you should probably reexamine your situation. Also you would probably be making them kind of jealous too. If I owned my own property I could probably rationalize having an incredible amount of ammunition. If I did have such an ammo supply I would shoot much more than I do right now.
MICHAEL T
Member
When you can no longer walk into you house and must sleep on back porch . On the ammo cases out their
It really depends on your free time, income, line of work, affinity towards shooting often, and access to either a range or outdoors to fire your guns. I'd imagine that a competition shooter will shoot alot more than those of us who don't care to compete. My firearms are primarily for SHTF and home/ccw defense. (a few can sub out as hunting guns too) I only keep about 2000 of each caliber on stock with enough components to make 5000 more of each caliber as well. I'd like to get it up to 10,000 per caliber as I think I like that number. In a SHTF situation, 10,000 per caliber should last me a little bit. (I only have 9mm, 45acp, 380 acp, 30-30 win, 5.56, 50 cal BMG, and 12 guage) I think I have too many calibers as it stands, but I like all my guns too much for me to get rid of any of them.
For many years my ammo supply has stayed between 10K and 15K with reloading supplies to load 5k-10k more. Some may think that is excessive, I think it is adequate. I shoot 300-500 rounds per range trip and try to get out a few times a month. I have lowered down a little bit since components are hard to come by but I still get out and practice regularly. This has been the level I stay at for many years so don't hate because you suddenly find it hard to find ammo, this has been my norm for many years. I don't fault people for buying up ammo now, it does cause us all problems but we all should have made the effort a long time ago. So don't complain about it now, just deal with it, it's your own fault you were not prepared.
How much is too much?
Am I swimming? It's easy to have too much when I am swimming.
As an absolute, I don't think you can come up with a rule. Maybe when your ammo stockpile exceeds the value of the structure you store it in, it might be time to reprioritize expenditures.
Honestly, as long as you can safely store it, there is no such thing as too much. Financially it's much easier to have too much.
It's a lot easier to define too little I think. IMO if you have less than 250 rounds for a caliber you shoot, you are running low. My reasoning for that is that given an hour of range time, I can run through about 100-150 rounds without rushing (at your average indoor by the hour range anyway). If I only have 250 and go to the range, I'm basically one range trip form totally being out of ammo byt the time I get home.
Basically, I usually buy 1000 rounds for each handgun caliber, 500-1000 rounds of most rifle calibers, and 250 rounds or less of anything you can tell you went shooting the next day after less than 25 rounds. When I hit about the 25% mark on inventory, I feel the urge to top up. Whatever handgun caliber I shoot in competition, I buy reloading supplies a years worth at a time, and get the urge to restock when I hit the 6 month mark.
That's what I consider enough, but if I could sock away 10 times that and still pay all the bills, I wouldn't hesitate.
Am I swimming? It's easy to have too much when I am swimming.
As an absolute, I don't think you can come up with a rule. Maybe when your ammo stockpile exceeds the value of the structure you store it in, it might be time to reprioritize expenditures.
Honestly, as long as you can safely store it, there is no such thing as too much. Financially it's much easier to have too much.
It's a lot easier to define too little I think. IMO if you have less than 250 rounds for a caliber you shoot, you are running low. My reasoning for that is that given an hour of range time, I can run through about 100-150 rounds without rushing (at your average indoor by the hour range anyway). If I only have 250 and go to the range, I'm basically one range trip form totally being out of ammo byt the time I get home.
Basically, I usually buy 1000 rounds for each handgun caliber, 500-1000 rounds of most rifle calibers, and 250 rounds or less of anything you can tell you went shooting the next day after less than 25 rounds. When I hit about the 25% mark on inventory, I feel the urge to top up. Whatever handgun caliber I shoot in competition, I buy reloading supplies a years worth at a time, and get the urge to restock when I hit the 6 month mark.
That's what I consider enough, but if I could sock away 10 times that and still pay all the bills, I wouldn't hesitate.
jakemccoy
Member
I feel like I have enough. I won't say exactly how much. I will say that the space in my closet designated for ammo is about full. I know that's an arbitrary limitation. So be it. It works for me.
shotgunjoel
Member
How long is a piece of string? Long enough to tie up the job. But with ammo extra is always better. Right now I have about 2500 rounds in the safe.
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