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How much is "enough" ammo to have stored at home?

Firedawg314

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Messages
227
Location
Florissant, Mo
I just received my shipment from the local gun shop. I got 800 rounds of 5.56NATO, 1,200 of .223 and 100 rounds of .223 tracers. My wife is giving me that "look" of... "what the hell are you doing?"

With all the talk about taxes etc and I had found that news report on YouTube from Obama... basically he "supports" the 2A... but ended the comment of more taxes on certain calibers. Then as we all know... the price went through the roof for ammo. Plus the ammo shortages.

At first, my thought was "a 1,000 rounds in storage for each type of gun". Now, I want to have at least 5,000 per gun... maybe that's too much? What I would hate, but love...I buy all this ammo and then the price returns to normal.

So, what do you think is a good amount to have and "keep"... and everything else is just for practice.
 

09jisaac

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2011
Messages
1,692
Location
Louisa, Kentucky
Are you planning on starting a war? If not then 5,000 should be enough. If so then you may need 10,000.

I go through about 500rds of 5.56 a year, so I figure that 2,000 or so rounds would be enough to do just about anything you would want/need those for if you only go through around that many.
 

1245A Defender

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2009
Messages
4,365
Location
north mason county, Washington, USA
well,,,

Don't forget that in case of economic collapse or run away inflation, ammo can be a commodity.

I think stockpiles of ODDBALL calibers for guns you have need to be kept on hand,,, BUT
you should have POPULAR caiber guns with at least 200 rounds for each of those guns.

If SHTF you will either perish from others gunfire and lose your life and your stuff,,, OR
you will win and they will lose their life and their stuff, including their guns and ammo!
I would think that most guns and ammo they lose will come in handy when you have to shoot again.

i have 500 22lrs for my two semi auto rifles and a tec 22 pistol.
100 rds for my 8mm mauser.
200 rds for my M1 garand.
1000 rds for my AK 47 and AK Draco pistol.
200 rds for my fnp45.
1000 rds of 9x23 for my pair of star super modelos.
300 rds of 9mm mak for my P64 and my CZ82.
2800 rds of 7.62x25 for my CZ52 and my yugo M57.
100 rds of 380 auto for my grendel P12 ad my Tanfoglio GT380.
50 rds of 9mm nato for my P38/01.
50 rds of 25auto for my raven.
50 rds of 12guage for my ranger pump shotgun.


ETA: almost forgot,,, caps, powder and balls for my Kentucky rifle.
 
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skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
So, what do you think is a good amount to have and "keep"... and everything else is just for practice.

My suggestion is that you have enough on hand so that if you wind up shooting all day you still have some left over. Of course this will vary depending on if you are just plinking or hunting or defending from the zombie apocalypse.

stay safe.
 

OC for ME

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
12,452
Location
White Oak Plantation
It all depends. If you plan on hunkering down then transporting is not a issue. If you plan on heading for the hills, get a bigger truck or pack only what you can reasonably carry.

I have two self-defense pistol calibers (semi-auto and wheel), two rifle calibers, and one gauge in shotgun shells.

Cabelas ammo boxes, full.
One ammo box for each pistol.
One ammo box for each long gun.
Two ammo boxes for each shotgun (00 buck for self-defense).
Two ammo box with dove.
two ammo box with #4 shot.

Plinking/hunting/practice, buy as needed with enough to refill magazines/speed loaders.

I don't plan on staying put, typical subdivision home is not secure enough, if the times get really tough. If the times are only really inconvenient then I may hunker down. It don't do any good, in my view, to have to leave ammo behind when food and water take priority.

More supplies stored at the BUG out location.
 

Firedawg314

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Messages
227
Location
Florissant, Mo
It all depends. If you plan on hunkering down then transporting is not a issue. If you plan on heading for the hills, get a bigger truck or pack only what you can reasonably carry.


More supplies stored at the BUG out location.

Good points... My "bug out" location isn't as secured as I want it to be. Its a few states away in the south. I plan to bug in as long as possible. I have nice size lake in my back yard. In general, my location is somewhat supports that idea of preparing and a good support of 2A. I have items such as water pill and other gear as a long stay for camping. My goal in the coming months to buy a gas "run" generator. My little area where I live... for the most part, we will "click" together and try to survive.

I practice about 500 rounds a month now, since things are getting expensive. I have just picked up 4,000+ rounds of 22 LR in the ammo can. I don't have a 22, yet. I'm going to get a conversion kit for my AR.
 

Firedawg314

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Messages
227
Location
Florissant, Mo
Are you planning on starting a war? If not then 5,000 should be enough. If so then you may need 10,000.

I go through about 500rds of 5.56 a year, so I figure that 2,000 or so rounds would be enough to do just about anything you would want/need those for if you only go through around that many.

No war... just with the talks of the "2012" etc. But even that don't worry me. What worries me...sun flares. I remember about 10 years ago, sun flares happen when I was in the military, and it basically destoryed some of our satilites and fired a few power stations on the other side of the world. Sun flares happen every 7-11 years and we are due for it this year.

Knowing that... and been here in STL for both power outages that same year... had both cars broken into and witness a home invasion... I just want to be prepared.

I do not think the world will end... but its going to feel like it. If we loose a huge number of power stations... its easy to assume about 6 months of no power. People are going to go crazy again and back then it was only for a few days.
 

Firedawg314

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Messages
227
Location
Florissant, Mo
In today's economy as much as you can afford or get away with before the wife gets really steamed.

that is a good.... great point! For many reasons... I love to shoot... at this point, I go about twice a month now. If ammo say... goes up a 1/3 of the price of now... everyone is going to feel the "pinch". But if I have "so much" of certain ammo, maybe I could sell some? If that's legal to do? If not, at least I can spread it out over the years.
 

Chap

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2011
Messages
213
Location
Greenville, MS
I know this thread is about who can buy more ammo & what is the right quantity to have on hand. I personally keep my ammo in the gun safe with my guns.

It makes me wonder, is there a fire code issue? I mean if you reload then have 1000's of rounds on hand. That's quite a bit of gun powder. Does anyone have special homeowners insurance? I have a special theft clause for each of my guns but that's it.

Wondering if I had a fire, could the insurance company and or fire department upon finding my ammo ect..... Ruin my day?
 

DrakeZ07

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2011
Messages
1,080
Location
Lexington, Ky
Can never have enough ammo~ Though, my BF has said, 'till I better organize the shed and closet, I can't have any more ammo cans >.<

600rnds Federal 30-06 @180gr
700rnds Federal 7.62x39mm @123gr
400rinds Winchester .45 Long Colt.
300rnds Federal Hydra-shock .45ACP <3

I need more.
 

Firedawg314

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Messages
227
Location
Florissant, Mo
I know this thread is about who can buy more ammo & what is the right quantity to have on hand. I personally keep my ammo in the gun safe with my guns.

It makes me wonder, is there a fire code issue? I mean if you reload then have 1000's of rounds on hand. That's quite a bit of gun powder. Does anyone have special homeowners insurance? I have a special theft clause for each of my guns but that's it.

Wondering if I had a fire, could the insurance company and or fire department upon finding my ammo ect..... Ruin my day?

Good question... (being an active fire fighter), I have only (so far) been to two house fires... explosions where the owner had more than enough ammo. With that being said... the person(s) basically reloaded ammo. Not a few hundred... it was in the thousands. Basically, the people didn't have proper ventilation. Not to be funny... the guy told me... "...I went outside to get my mail, when I open my front door.... next thing I knew I was flying in the air... and this wasn't right..." His house didn't catch on fire... what was really weird... but his house "popped" like a balloon. As you would see in gas filled homes when they explode.

From what I remember dealing with hazards...normally a building would need a 704 card on the build. that four color diamon with numbers etc on them. But I THINK... if you need that, you are several thousands pounds of a hazard... or that hazard is so "bad", attention is needed. Now, by law, I know that if you are carrying more that 1,001 lbs of ANY hazard, you need a card on the vehical. For ammo, it would be a 1.4 explodion card.

I think that would be a good idea to have a card on the door or at least the lower part, or something. If you trust your local department, let them know so they can "pre plan" for an emergency if one occurs. Now with that... check with your city hall about having certain hazards such as ammo at home. Because, there are laws to have so much of a hazard without notification or licenses and fees.

Last thing you want... you have about 50,000 of ammo in your basement, your house catch on fire... the police and fire department fine you for endangerment of the workers lives for not properly labeling your home as a hazard... then you might get crap form FBI, ATF, etc. It wouldn't be pretty and it aint worth spending 20 years in jail for trying to protect your home.
 

Firedawg314

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Messages
227
Location
Florissant, Mo
Can never have enough ammo~ Though, my BF has said, 'till I better organize the shed and closet, I can't have any more ammo cans >.<

600rnds Federal 30-06 @180gr
700rnds Federal 7.62x39mm @123gr
400rinds Winchester .45 Long Colt.
300rnds Federal Hydra-shock .45ACP <3

I need more.

That's a good start. Here's my thought... THe hollow points and "hyrda-shocks" are great. But the FMJ are a better buy for the money. yeah, like they said, if you hit a person with a FMJ, chances are, its going right through them. To be honest, if it get to the point where I have to shoot at people a lot... Maybe I want a few rounds to pass through them and hit the other person... or even this... a hollow point will have difficult to go through a car door. Never know, if people get that crazy, you might have to go through a few doors to "reach out and touch someone". So far, this is what I have;
500 rnds of .380's
2,000 rnds of .223
1,000 rnds of 5.56NATO
4,500 rnd of 22 LR
900 rnds of .45
150 rnds of 12 gauge (00 buck) and about 300 rnds target shot
 

Daylen

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Messages
2,223
Location
America
"Enough" ammo is however much it would take for you to never need to buy ammo again for the rest of your life even if horrible catastrophes happened.
 

Wolf1477

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2011
Messages
188
Location
Up Nort' Wi
It makes me wonder, is there a fire code issue? I mean if you reload then have 1000's of rounds on hand. That's quite a bit of gun powder. Does anyone have special homeowners insurance? I have a special theft clause for each of my guns but that's it.

I didn't have to have any kind of special insurance for my reloading equipment, my ins company doesn't care what's in the house, they'll just cut a check for the amount of the policy as long as their are no signs of arson.

All I know (and all I'll say) is: I reload...a lot...in a lot of different calibers...if my house goes up in flames, it's gonna leave a crater.
 

Gunslinger

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2008
Messages
3,853
Location
Free, Colorado, USA
Don't forget that in case of economic collapse or run away inflation, ammo can be a commodity.

That's why I keep 30,000 rounds for my M61A1 Vulcan (5 minutes worth @ 6000 rounds a minute) and half a dozen Hellfire missiles...I'd tell you how many Stingers I have, but then I'd have to kill you....
 

MSG Laigaie

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 10, 2011
Messages
3,239
Location
Philipsburg, Montana
I was stationed on Guam for a while. When I exited the island my household goods were packed up and the Air Police (sounds like a '60s band) came to certify the packing of my weapons and ammunition. They were surprised. I was deemed an "Arsenal". The Air Force considers 1000 rounds of ammunition arsenal level. I had that much in each caliber. They also told me more than three pistols and more than three rifles got me into that category. After all the excitement, they even missed a rifle. I had an old AR7 survival rifle and they counted it as "parts" because the barrel and receiver were stowed in the stock.

I consider ammunition like a savings account. I put a little aside each month in case of a rainy day. Besides, I would trade for ammo, not for gold.

Oh, the Z shelter is down to a capacity for two.
 
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