Time to Stock Up

[Aaryq]

Howdy folks,
First off, this thread is not on the topic of the sky is falling. I have decided to start getting myself a "stockpile" of ammunition, both for guns I own and guns I anticipate owning in the next 6 months.
Let's get a little background too. I'm 22, married with 2 kids. I'll be moving out of PRK in mid 2009 to RURAL Western ND (City of about 1500 people; including the farmers). I'm a weekend or every other weekend shooter, and my wife shoots 1/2 to 1/4 as much as I do. I'd be shooting at a range with no RO's made for pistols, rifles and skeet. I hunt deer, pheasants & grouse every year, but mostly I hunt coyotes, prairie dogs, paper targets, or the elusive "random thing" I bring to the range (yes, I pick up after myself). I really don't know anything about gun shows in ND, nor where/when they would be. I don't reload. I intend on reloading & casting once I move, but until then, and for the purpose of this thread, I'm at the mercy of the manufacturers.

My I currently own firearms chambered in .22 LR, 7.62x54R, 7.62x25, 9x18, & 9x19. I'm looking to get something in 7.62x39, something in .223 or .308; and something in .40 S&W, .45 ACP or .357 magnum. As a rule of thumb, I'd like to keep non-commie gus away from non-commie ammo.
For those of you who have a lot of ammo, I ask you for advice.

1. What do you use to store your ammunition and are there any techniques you have to offer?
2. Where do you get your ammunition?
3. From what manufacturers do you get your new ammunition?
4. For surplus commie calibers, are there any countries/years to avoid?
5. For surplus non-commie calibers same question.
6. Do you buy in bulk or little-by-little? Why do you do it that way?
7. Questions, comments, concerns?

 

[Dorryn]

In my experience, "commie" ammo is as reliable and often more so than the equally priced American ammo.

 

[BozemanMT]

smart move, no such thing as too much ammo

1. What do you use to store your ammunition and are there any techniques you have to offer?
In the box or case it came in, pretty much all over the house. I keep the shotgun shells outside, cuz well 10k rounds of shotgun shells weigh a lot and I don't want to move them in and out. Don't put it all in one place so it doesn't put all that weight in one place. (if you have a slab or a basement this doesn't apply). Keep inventory, I lose track of what I have.


2. Where do you get your ammunition?

wherever it's on sale. Seriously. Some online, some at Sportsmen Warehouse, some at the local gun shop, some from private sales here and there. Whereever it's a good price and I have the money.


3. From what manufacturers do you get your new ammunition?
see above.


5. For surplus non-commie calibers same question.

Indian .308 is junk. Pakistani 308 is hit or miss. (personally I'd skip it). Get your CMP 30-06 now while you can. (You do have your CMP garand right?)

6. Do you buy in bulk or little-by-little? Why do you do it that way?

Yes. Sometimes I have lots of extra money, sometimes I don't. Everytime I go into a sporting good stores, I try to buy an extra brick or two of 22LR. It builds up quick that way.

 

[CYANIDEGENOCIDE]

let me start by saying i dont have any guns or ammo.
but "if" i did i might buy and store the ammo as such.

1. What do you use to store your ammunition and are there any techniques you have to offer?
2. Where do you get your ammunition?
3. From what manufacturers do you get your new ammunition?
4. For surplus commie calibers, are there any countries/years to avoid?
5. For surplus non-commie calibers same question.
6. Do you buy in bulk or little-by-little? Why do you do it that way?
7. Questions, comments, concerns?

1 30cal ammo cans they seal up really nice, inspect before you buy to make sure the rubber seal under the lid is in good shape, throw in a dessicant pack if you are worried about moisture
2 where ever i can find it, dont buy reloads that is just asking for trouble, if you want to make your own thats fine
3 doesn't matter, im not picky, i refuse to buy below the equator for surplus (except australia and south africa), no indian, pakistani, anarctican whatever
4 supposedly there are but its been my experience unless you are buying straight off the boat its all pretty good, steel cases are ok, brass if it has an anealed neck usually runs well, treat it all as if its corrosive.
5 not a whole lot of noncommie stuff to worry about 90% of the noncommie surplus is gone, its mostly all later production so no worries there. the greek, indian and pakistani i have heard bad things about, but usually the ammo is covered in corrosion and guys are expecting moa accuracy.
6 whatever i can get, lots of 500-1000 are good because its easier to process into ammo cans or pvc in a reasonable amount of time and usually the price break at the 500 round mark for pistol 700-1000 for rifle is where you see the most savings, sure its better to buy more but the shipping gets out of hand and the per round price doesn't drop that much.
7 these are opinions and ymmv

 

[Higgy]

let me start by saying i dont have any guns or ammo.

So you are effectively saying that your words have little or no credibilty?

 

[walking arsenal]

True, but rude Higgy.

Grow some tact.

 

[CYANIDEGENOCIDE]

before i answer that let me ask you a more pointed question,
are you willing to admit on a forum as public as the internet that you DO have guns and ARE stockpiling ammunition?
seems to me such a conglomoration of localized resources would likely be the first to be redistributed in the event of disaster

i used to have guns and ammo but i shot up all the ammo and sold all the guns to buy food and i ate all the food so i own nothing of any value

 

[bogie]

Yup. You guys better buy a lot of stuff and bury it, because you sure as anything don't know beans about working politics.

"Cyanidegenocide" - is that a name? Or is that a reference to the nazi death camps, or some sort of perverted emo I'm going to hurt myself and others until you notice me sort of twisted concept?

Your keyboard has other keys besides the 26 letters. USE THEM.

 

[TNThomas]

1. i try to by my ammo by the spam/tin can, that way i can store it for along time, i put everyting else in either 30cal or 50cal ammo cans, i am starting to like the 50cal ones more and more. These things are cheap, waterproof(most of em, check the seals, and for rust), and sturdy. I usually use them as a shooting rest too.

2. I just became old enough to buy firearms, so most of my ammunation has been bought at gun shows, or certain gun shops that never check my ID(I look older than my age . to my experience gun shows have had the best prices by bulk, also ask around at gun ranges, i recently had a guy GIVE me 500 rounds for my ak because he had just got rid of his sks and had no need for the ammo. i have yet to do the online thing, but there is some good prices for commi ammo on there.

3.Almost all of my shooting is done with mil sup guns, so almost all of my ammo is mil sup.

4.As far as mil sup ammo, in .308 stay away from the Indian stuff, it isnt the cleanest ammo in the world, and has failed to eject in my fal a coulple of times, in 7.62x39 most of the stuff is good, some of the older stuff is corrosive, i think the chinese is, and i have also had some russian that was corrosive, as far as Wolf, brown bear, and any of that newer stuff, its all good. Also if you happen to EVER come across Norinco ammo for the 7.62x39 and its priced good, get it. this stuff is not allowed in the country anymore, and alot of it is armour peircing, the shells are distingueshed by thier all copper look (case and bullet). i saw that you have a 7.62x25, i recently bought a cz 52 and love it. There is two basic countries of ammo in bulk out there, the Romanian surplus, and the Bulgarian surplus (If you want brand new ammo there is also selior and Belliot and its not corrosive). The romanian is great ammo, but probably 1/5th of the rounds needed the primer striked twice in order to shoot, but thats not too bad considering you can find them for under 10 cents a bullet. As far a the Bulgarian, Its fun as he!! to shoot, i feel like im shooting a rifle because of the muzzle flash, but these bullets are hot, and you should avoid using them in your pistol, but if you have a smg you might be fine, all surplus 7.62x25 ammo is corrosive, so just clean with widex. get surplus while you still can .

6. i buy whenever i see a good deal. buying in bulk is a good way to go.

7. if your looking for something in 7.62x39, spend a little more and get an ak over an sks, youll be happy you did, might i suggest a Yugosavian m70 underfolder ak47, i bought one this summer and am very pleased with it, it has awsome fit and finish compared to many other ak47 (especially Romys) also has flip up night sights, threaded barrel, and is the only ak i know of that has the ability to shoot rifle grenades(for extreme deer hunting). as far as the .223 or .308 gun, i dont like the .223 bullet too much, but its opponent is much more to my liking the 5.45x39, it has similar ballistics to the .223, but is MUCH cheaper if you buy in bulk, the only draw back is that the only way to buy it is in bulk, a this bullet is also meant to tumble apon impact, a good gun in this caliber is the polish ak74. as far as the .308 i have an Fal, and love it. I put a Burris 4.5x14 scope on it, and have many other goodies, It is a great gun, and has many aftermarket upgrades. look to dsarms.com for more info on the fal.

 

[Neophyte1]

I liked that

CYANIDEGENOCIDE: Sir; That was goooood Must put on my Remember list
Now when ''THEY" come; I'll just belch.

 

[bsf]

7.62x25 is the only caliber on your list that is still available at fantastic prices. You missed the boat on the other calibers. Bulgarian is currently the cheapest, but Romanian may be the better value due to quality. Romanian can be had in 1224 round green “sardine tins”. Pre-shipped price should be ~$120. S&H will probably vary by a factor of 2, depending on the shipping origin.

The best deal on 5.56 is probably Prvi M193 from Widener’s for $315/k + S&H.

I buy very little ammo now, as it is too expensive. When I was buying last year, most purchases were bulk: 7k-20k rounds.

ETA
I am not certain what you consider "commie". Personally I have no problem running Wolf steel case through my guns. I almost shed a tear this year when I broke into the last box of .45acp 230gr fmj that I purchased years ago @ ~$125/k.

 

[gggman]

The plastic totes with snap covers that you can get at any box store are good for ammo storage. They come in various sizes, and if I had any ammo, , I'd store it in those.

 

[Soybomb]

I'll be moving out of PRK in mid 2009 to RURAL Western ND

I don't want to be the downer in the thread but as a practical consideration, ammo is quite heavy. Have you considered waiting until mid 2009 to buy it so you don't have to move a ton of ammo?

 

[TexasRifleman]

So you are effectively saying that your words have little or no credibilty?

Higgy, dude.... The standard joke on gun boards is to start off by saying either "I don't have guns, but if I did...." or "All my guns were lost in a boating accident...." or "All I have is a 20 gauge and a .38 revolver..."

 

[txgho1911]

Do some study on the stock markets and buying ammo is a good idea.

 

[tjdUSCG]

are you willing to admit on a forum as public as the internet that you DO have guns and ARE stockpiling ammunition?
seems to me such a conglomoration of localized resources would likely be the first to be redistributed in the event of disaster

 

[goon]

I store mine in US surplus ammo cans, mostly .50 caliber.
I buy ammunition from AIM surplus, Natchez, Midway, Sportsmans Guide, and Cheaper than Dirt.
I've never had a problem with any of them and would buy again without hesitation.
I used to buy a lot at local shops and even at Walmart for 9mm and .22, but lately the local shops are charging way more than "market value" on ammo. I usually offer to buy from them if they can get what I want for the same price I'd pay online including shipping. None of them ever take me up on that offer - they usually try to sell me some lower quality substitute at a higher price instead so I don't make that offer as much anymore.
I've heard that indian .308 is to be avoided like the plague. I prefer US .308 but I've been impressed with Portugese and South African in the past and will likely try Privi Partizan, Igman, or some Lithiuanian stuff as soon as I can afford it (just posted about this the other day).
My general tactic is to fill an ammo can for each caliber, then start on a second ammo can for each caliber, then go around again. I do this because I can't afford to sink a whole lot of money into ammo at once, but I can usually afford $100-$200 at once. So I buy as much as I can, often splitting an order with a friend or my brother, and put it away. Then I do that again in a month. I figure that in the mean time, if I really needed that ammo a .50 can full would either get me through or get me killed. It's a realistic goal that seems like it would be somewhat adequate.
I'd start with what you need the most first, followed by .22 ammo. Part of my upcoming purchase is going to be .22 ammo too just to have some around. The price is only going up so why not buy it while it's still a little cheaper?
Many of us are kicking ourselves for not buying SA 7.62 by the trailer full when it was $129 for a 980 round can full of sealed battle packs or thousand round cases of Wolf 7.62x39 at $79 per 1K.
Don't put it off until 2009 - buy it soon.

Same with magazines. If you think you'll ever need them get them now. I know you are in california but if you have a friend or family in a "free" state, buy some and have them shipped there.

 

[Bartkowski]

I use mostly .50 cal but have some .30 cal ammo cans for storage.

I get most ammo at gun shows or on the internet, but .22lr and hunting ammo at sporting good stores.

I usually buy new ammo from whatever manufacturer makes quality ammo that shoots decent in my guns that has a reasonable price.

For surplus, I would try to avoid 1946 turkish 7.62x54r. The stuff I have is loaded pretty hot and some cases have cracked necks.

I usually buy in bulk since at gun shows people will be willing to lower their pirces a little bit per round if you buy a lot.

 

[takhtakaal]

"Cyanidegenocide" - is that a name? Or is that a reference to the nazi death camps, or some sort of perverted emo I'm going to hurt myself and others until you notice me sort of twisted concept?

Sometimes I think this place suffers without avatars.



(It was just to hard to find one for a perverted emu, uh, I mean emo ...)

 

[XD-40 Shooter]

1. What do you use to store your ammunition and are there any techniques you have to offer?
2. Where do you get your ammunition?
3. From what manufacturers do you get your new ammunition?
4. For surplus commie calibers, are there any countries/years to avoid?
5. For surplus non-commie calibers same question.
6. Do you buy in bulk or little-by-little? Why do you do it that way?
7. Questions, comments, concerns?


1) I have designated closet space for my ammo, and I do have a "stockpile".
2) The only factory ammo I buy is 7.62x39 for my SKS, I buy Wolf from Sportsmansguide, they have always done me right.
3) See #2.
4) As far as I know, all of the 7.62x39 is pretty good, though some of the early com-bloc ammo is probably corrosive.
5) I can't help you on that one.
6) I buy in bulk, the 1000 round case of Wolf is pretty reasonable, around $180 before shipping.

All of my 40 S&W and 357 mag ammo are reloads, better ammo with bigtime cost savings.

 

[takhtakaal]

1. What do you use to store your ammunition and are there any techniques you have to offer?

Ammo cans w/ dessicant, steel shelving

2. Where do you get your ammunition?

Wherever I can find a decent deal. Look for free of cheap shipping. Local "deals" aren't always deals, especially if the seller is paying what I could pay myself.

3. From what manufacturers do you get your new ammunition?

Ammo is like gas. If you don't run anything that's going to choke on regular, why bother to pay through the nose?

4. For surplus commie calibers, are there any countries/years to avoid?

It's all corrosive, treat accordingly, and remember that some of the ammo you shoot might go off slower than black powder if it's really old.

5. For surplus non-commie calibers same question.

Specifically, Radway Green (marked RGRO) 5.56x45 1989 vintage or older. Newer stuff has the NATO interoperability stamp (+).

6. Do you buy in bulk or little-by-little? Why do you do it that way?

Buying in bulk generally saves money and time.

7. Questions, comments, concerns?

Yeah. Why are you really asking these questions?

 

[JTR]

Storage...