How much ammo is enough ?

4 to 5 million rounds
Realistically, I read an article on this . Most thought 1000 rounds per firearm was a good rule of thumb. But some calibers duplicate purposes. For instance, if you had both a .270 and an '06, what would be the point of 1000 rounds for each since they're both essentially big game rifles?

Over the years I've tried to standardize as closely as possible. Rifles I own are chambered in 06, .308 or 5.56 mm.
Reloading components can pretty much be shared between .308 and '06. And 5.56 is not too expensive to reload when components are purchased in bulk.

You can get a lot of money tied up in ammo. I like to purchase factory ammo in drips and drabs, 20 rounds here, 40 rounds there, or in boxes of 50 if 5.56. That way it doesn't look like you're doing what you're really doing.

 

For a "Normal" Combat load out, I always had 8 loaded 30 round mags of 5.56 , plus the one in the weapon, and what ever my secondary weapon system was that day, I would have a small load out for it .308 would be 140 rounds in 20 round mags, .300 WM would be 60 rounds in 10 round mags, .338LM would be 60 rounds in 10 round mags, and a shot gun was usually 50 rounds of mixed. If I was a 203 guy that day, I usually had 12 rounds of 40 MikeMike in a mixed load. I sorta follow the same thinking these days, I keep my MBR .308 loaded with two 8 pouch bandoleers of 20 round mags, plus a ready mag in the weapon, and then my standard duty pistol is 5 loaded 16 round mags including one in the weapon. If I switch my MBR to a 5.56 carbine, I do the 12 loaded mags of 30 rounds in my LBE. I also carry a back up pistol with one spare mag of 7 plus the one in the gun. If I am on the .338LM, I keep 6 10 round mags total and 20 loose rounds of mixed purpose.
Hunting rifles are kept supplied with loaded ammo at about 300 rounds each flavor/cal and supplies to reload 4 to 10 cycles. and pistol are kept at several thousand depending on cal. .22 I keep about 10k worth of Match, and don't shoot it much, replacing what I do use as I go, while I still can! 50BMG is a bugger to keep many loaded rounds, and supplies for 4 cycles is all I need, Total loaded at any one time is 150 rounds. I think I'm ok with that one! May need to add more as I see things slide down hill again! Damn it's an expensive round to load, more then twice the .338LM!!!

 

Rocks and.............never mind.

 

^Yes. Simply pointing out that eventually your grandkids could run out. Rocks are immeasurable. Sticks too.

 

You might give consideration instead of buying individual boxes each week to save up for a month or two or three and buy a much larger quantity in bulk for substantially lower cost per round (for as much as 1/2 the price per round or more!)

Check out ammoseek.com to find the best mail order bulk prices.

AT

 

Yep, that's the nut to crack. Like beer, best to have too much than run out half way through the party.

 

I've thought about this myself. I would say "enough" would be as much as you can reasonably store and afford without letting other needs go unmet.

I have a small closet stuffed with ammo. I probably would not stock more even if I did have the space & money because if things get so chaotic that I need that much ammo, I probably won't live long enough to use it anyway.

Anyone can hoard 10 jillion rounds of ammo if that's what makes them feel good, but those types tend to think they're a badass, everyone else is a chump, and all scenarios end with them (the badass wannabe) as a conquering hero. A more likely end to the story is they are knocked off way before they ever go through 10 jillion rounds of ammo.

 

When I was actively competing, and practicing several days every week it was not uncommon for me to have as many as 2,500 - 3,000 rounds of selected ammo in the house at any given time; but, I'm not doing that anymore. Today I find myself shooting less; and I tend to keep no more than about 1,000 rounds of each caliber that I regularly shoot.

Right now that's something like: 1,000 - 1,500 rounds of 22 LR, 9 x 19mm, 45 ACP, and 5.56 (M855). In 32 ACP, 380 Auto, 357 Magnum, and 44 Magnum I keep anywhere from 150 to 500 rounds. My 12 gauge, 2 3/4" shotgun has somewhere around 175 - 250 rounds in a combination of: birdshot, buckshot, and slugs.

I look at things this way: If the SHTF and American society does collapse (Which I DO BELIEVE the worldwide, criminal cartel of international banksters is definitely planning on introducing into both North American, and Western European societies in exactly the same way that these evil bastards have already done through their economic pilot-projects in: India, Greece, Argentina, and Venezuela.) then I've got enough ammunition on hand for both BARTER, and SELF-DEFENSE.

Should me and mine survive the first 30 days of starving looters and rampaging cannibals then there should be enough, 'battlefield pickups' around for us to be able to continue to defend ourselves. It's other things, and the acquisition and maintenance thereof, that will be bigger problems.

 

Maybe if I was as good with a sling as @Bishop .....

 

I guess the thing that continually raised the concern was that, as kid I didn't have a lot of money, so any ammo was precious, and if you had none, the gun was essentially a paper weight.
If ammo becomes scarce as it did for a while during the previous administration , not knowing what's next, spending ammo at a range didn't seem a good investment.
With current unrest going on ,it seems that the threat continues at a much deeper level. So growing the reserve appears to be the better exorcise .
The other idea is barter ,which is in it's self a tricky subject.
Likely only with known reputable friends, so with that in mind if the opportunity affords it's self acquiring ammo that fit's their weapons as well . Worst case , one can use a bullet puller and reuse the powder and lead for other ammo .

 

I carry a sling shot in all my packs with an extra strap and rocks are every where I learned to be an expert hunter with primitive weapons a long time ago the mind is always the best weapon

 

I only use 3 other cal. other than 22 and 12 gauge and I buy 22 cal 9mm and for now 12 gauge 5.56 and 300wm I reload and will soon be doing 12 gauge also I don't reload 9mm cuz half the time I cant find less half the brass I just shot so I just buy it

 

Military load outs these days are 300 rounds but most the guys on patrol carry extra...

As stated, I only stock three ammo types: .22, 9mm, and 5.56. But, I've been having second thoughts lately of maybe needing a hunting rifle that could also double as over watch or extra assault weapon. It would definitely be in the .308/7.62 variety. Yet, think one really shouldn't count on game (hunting) in a bad scenario as there are loads of hunters around here so game will be very scarce in a short time so...so I oscillate back and forth whether I need another rifle of a different caliber, probably not.

Did an inventory and currently, I have 5000 rounds of 5.56 (1600 is green tip M855 saved for a rainy day), 2000 of 9mm (not counting the hollow points in the loaded magazines, probably another 200), and only about 500 on .22 which I am a little light on at the moment as burn a bunch before the bad weather came. So looking for a deal on .22s...always get pissed off when they tell me I can only purchase a few boxes which is probably another reason why I am a bit low on them. I shoot a lot of 9mm as consider the pistols to be pure defensive weapons so got them laying around the house; however, they don't do any good unless you can hit something so I shoot a lot of 9mm through 2 Glock 19s and a the little Glock 43.

 

Never enough.

 

Ammo is like money, I just need one more dollar than I can spend. Having said that. I go with all the 22 I can get, around 15000 rounds. 1000 per fighting rifle, 200 per hunting or trade gun, 500 per pistol, 2500 for my personnel fighting rifle and then powder primers and bullets to reload rifle round.

Depending on your thoughts on what may happen, and how a lack of re supply may occur, a muzzle loader and flint, with lead and a bullet mold. there are instructions on how black powder is made.