How much is enough carry ammo?

[ssb]

With the recent drama over HSTs and Gold Dots...

My carry P30, practice P30, and my P30SK are all vetted with the load and I have a practice load with a close POI and similar recoil. I have a practice gun and thus have no need to unload the gun in order to dry fire or practice at the range, so the carry gun stays loaded all the time. Per advice from Tom Givens and others, every six months or so I go to the range and do a series of cold drills with what was in the gun/on me and replace the ammo with fresh ammo. So, I figure that's a bare minimum of 36 rounds per six months -- 31 rounds in the gun and spare mag burned every six months and one round per month lost due to cleaning/lubing (I don't re-chamber them). All of that's probably more than a little paranoid but whatever. I had 500 rounds in an ammo can. I picked up another 200 I saw in a gun store the other day just because, so I've theoretically got enough ammo for the next two and a half years before I even break the seal on the ammo can.

Having nerded out about all of this, how much do you consider "enough" to have on hand for a CCW holder?

[blues]

I'm going to take a somewhat un-PF stance in my reply...but I'll qualify it to some extent.

I have enough HST and GD to last me for a decent amount of time at the rate I go through my ammo. I also have some other rounds which I have vetted through my guns previously, so I'm not worried about running out of ammo.

Okay, now where I think we can get a little overwrought.

When I was still a working stiff, we qualified quarterly. From one quarter to the next we might be issued sub-sonic, Hydra-Shok, Black Talons, Silver Tips, or any of various manufacturer's 9mm ammo. Federal, Winchester, Remington, Speer, you name it.

I can barely remember my performance with any of the rounds fluctuating by more than a few points. And it could have been just being tired from the work day previous, or a good day or a bad day. Who knows?

That said, I'm sure some rounds would have "tested" better than others through various media.

Also, I don't remember any of my guns choking on any of the issued ammo. I may have had a couple of FTF's over 20 years.

As long as any of the ammo from Doc's list is available at less than prohibitive cost...and doesn't choke your gun or cause you to shoot erratically, I don't think it's as big an issue as we make it out to be.

I'll don my flame suit now and lock myself in the basement.

[Cookie Monster]

200 rounds of carry ammo

3 to 5k of practice

[Cypher]

I think the recent developments with Federal/Speer are a good reminder that what was available yesterday may not be tomorrow.

My rule is to keep as much on hand as I can reasonably afford. My wife is a follower of Dave Ramsey and there is an actual paper envelope in my gun safe marked "Ammo" she watches sales and when we can make a purchase we do.

At my current rate of consumption I currently have 2 years supply on hand.

I'd like 2000 rounds but if I get there I'll want 3000

[olstyn]

As long as any of the ammo from Doc's list is available at less than prohibitive cost...and doesn't choke your gun or cause you to shoot erratically, I don't think it's as big an issue as we make it out to be.

I'll don my flame suit now and lock myself in the basement.

I'm a P-F heretic, too. I don't really see the utility of keeping hundreds (or thousands) of rounds of carry ammo on hand at any given time. I shot enough to verify that it works in my guns, and I keep an extra box or two around beyond what I need to keep them loaded, but I shoot it once every never, so why bother spending a bunch of money on supplies that just don't get used? In the event that I decide to shoot up some of the old stuff that I've been carrying, I reload the mags from the supply I've got and then buy another box or two to replenish it with. IMO it's not worth fretting over.

Others' attitudes and mileage may vary, of course.

[JohnO]

When I see what I use at a good price I pick up a case. If I have plenty I will pass unless the price is too good to turn down. Additionally I will contact friends and say
"hey Ranger-T, HST, GD... is at a great price want to split a case". I haven't purchased carry ammo by the individual box in decades. I like the concept of never having to worry about finding it or having to pay highway robbery prices.

[RJ]

Interesting as I appreciate the views here.

For me my carry gun is also loaded ‘always.’ I will also shoot it off at least annually.

When I order more, I would like to vet a couple magazines, and load my EDC and a spare. Plus has some set aside in case.

So my last order of a case of practice ammo included 2 boxes of carry ammo (100 rounds) total.

[Trooper224]

I usually have a couple hundred factory rounds on hand, nor do I keep a large stock of handloads for training. I usually load up what I need before the next range session. That's worked fine for more than three decades. Then again, I don't view the homestead as a bunker for the end times or zombie apocalypse, so that may color my thinking.

[ssb]

To be clear, I was talking specifically about carry ammo. My intent is mainly to hedge against unavailability. I also keep some factory ball around too for a short-notice class opportunity. Or zombies I guess, if that's what you'd like to read into it.

[FNFAN]

500 protection type rounds per caliber except the .38 -which reminds me I need to find some of the HST HP wadcutters.