Ammo: How much do you stockpile? (Anonymous poll)

[Beat Trash]

I like to have the ability to reload every magazine at least three times. Or at least a case of ammo per shooter (one each, pistol and carbine). Which ever number is greater. This is the advice I to people who ask for my advice on the topic.

As for myself, for the last several years, when I buy ammunition, it's at a 2/1 ratio. I buy twice the amount I expect to shoot. The new ammunition goes in the rear of the shelf and the older stuff goes in the front. Over time, it's not hard to build up a respectable amount of ammunition.

It's much cheaper to buy by the case. And cases stack so nicely.

Lets just say that my kids will be shooting some of my ammunition when I'm gone.

When my kids were young, they could go through a brick of .22lr in an afternoon of plinking. So every payday, I'd swing by Walmart and pick up 2-3 of those 550 round value packs. I was paying around $7.25-7.50 per 550rd pack. My supply of .22lr would need a larger selection within your poll.

Within the last 10-15 years, we've all seen periods where ammunition in the common calibers (9mm and 5.56mm) dry up and become difficult to find. People standing in line at 6:00 am at Walmart waiting for a truck to be unloaded so they can fight over a 50 rd box of 9mm WWB FMJ. When the war on terror started, even agency contracts were backlogged 12-18 months.

While I would never recommend going into debt to buy ammunition, but I would strongly recommend stocking up now if you have the means and if your inventory is less than what you would like it to be. Price and availability is one the side of the buyer right now.

[Beat Trash]

If your floor can support the weight of your ammo stockpile, you don't have enough ammo.

That's why you use the basement foundation as your ammo room. . .

Leaving enough room for the fork lift to turn can be tricky though.

[Tamara]

Any guess I make is most likely off, because I have so much churn. I generally shoot at least a hundred rounds of centerfire most weekdays, plus any specific work projects I have that might necessitate more.

There's probably a couple thousand rounds of nine in the living room where I can grab a couple boxes on my way to the range in the AM. Oddball rifle ammo in the attic? Couldn't tell you. Probably at least another two or three thousand rounds of assorted stuff, ranging from maybe a couple boxes of Trapdoor-compatible .45-70 to maybe as much as 800 rounds of 8x56R I'll likely never shoot.

I try and keep a "class-worth" (basically an unbroken case) of 5.56 and 9x19 on hand and set aside specifically to serve if I wind up getting an assignment on short notice, so we'll call that the stuff I'm "stockpiling".

[RJ]

@okie john, I know where to buy bulk ammo up here, where do you shop in Orygun? I find myself down South Of The Border from time to time, and may be making a trip at the end of the month...

Ditto.

[RJ]

Representing the ah...mobile lifestyle: I am with the 8% of folks who are in the 1,000 category. I have two .30 cal ammo cans, which fit in the truck. They are more or less full.

At this particular time, I have 100 rounds of SD ammo, and enough 115/124 training ammo on hand enough for a class (one upcoming, say 800 rounds) as well as enough for a match (say 200). For my situation, I have to follow the dollar cost averaging for ammo. Picked up another four boxes of Federal wms199 at WalMart today in Hurricane UT for $9.99 a box.

Definitely in awe of those up above 20K rounds. Wow.

[Bart Carter]

When I find a great sale, I buy what I can afford at the time. I don't have to stock up on as much 5.56 anymore because I get to shoot my PCC. Built my PCC as an AR, so my practice does double duty. Only the mag changes are different.

I have plenty of .45, although I don't shoot it much anymore. Only two .40 pistols left and don't shoot them.

So, now I can find 9mm all the time under 20 cents and life is good.

[critter]

I keep exactly one box on hand whether I need it or not.

[cclaxton]

The details matter:
9mm practice: about 5000 commercially reloaded
9mm match: about 5000 new for matches
45cal: about 4000 commercially reloaded
380ACP: about 3000 commercially reloaded and new, mixed
38 Special: about 800 new and commercially reloaded, mixed
223: about 4000 new and commercially reloaded mixed
20ga- bird/clay: about 500
9mm SD-HP: about 500
380 SD-HP: about 300
38 Special SD-HP: about 200
223 SD: About 1500
12ga- bird/clay: about 2000 new
12ga- SD slugs: about 250
20ga- SD slugs: about 100
12ga- Less Lethal: about 150

[JAD]

I am currently packing crap to move house. It's not enough, but it's a lot.

If I palletized it I think I'd need three.

Maybe four.

[Drang]

Try Northwest Armory, Curt's, or Keith's.

Where are you buying up here?


Okie John

Because it's easy to run to Sportsman's or Sportco and pick up a box or two.