How much ammo do you keep on stock just incase?

[dsdmmat]

Ammo is only good in the ready position. If you have 10K rounds of 223 and only 20 in magazines you are not ready for anything. If you have 1K in magazines and 10k in reserves you are fairly well prepared. If you have 11K in magazines you are well prepared. If you have 49K in mags and 49K in reserve you are an infantry company going to the range for the day.

 

[meketrefe]

There is no right answer for this.
you have a fair amount of mags loaded and then some stock whatever one considers necessary.
If someone doesn't shoot much having a rotating stock of 1 or 2k rounds in reserve might be enough.
If someone is shooting 3 gun competition every weekend they might burn through those during the weekend and training so might be
that person keeps 20 or 30k rounds of rotating stock mostly for competition in case the supply is interrupted and possibly has
the capability to reload too.
Same if someone shooting in skeet leagues/competitions all over might need 500 shells per week just to keep up
this independently of defense ammo. most will be reloading big time to stay in competitions unless one has a sponsor who
are only the best. Even Miculek reloads like crazy because he is in all sort of competitions and shows.
Or someone who finds a great bulk deal and says lets get 10 or 20 years worth of supply in advance as an investment
deal so one doesn't have ot pay 2 or 3 time as much later on to keep practicing the sport.
And then everything and everyone in between.
Ammo is like gasoline, w/o ammo guns are paperweights like engines are paperweights w/o gasoline.
If gasoline was scarce and speculated on, people would keep some stock. It has happened before.
Same can happen with food, tires, batteries.
Welcome to the free market of offer and demand.
So it is all relative.

 

[BDinPutnam]

Ammo is too heavy. I'll just keep my tomahawk sharp.

That is one of the rules,, after all...

"KEEP YOUR TOMAHAWK SCOURED... BE READY TO MARCH AT A MOMENTS NOTICE..."

Robert Rogers' 28 "Rules of Ranging" - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Podmonkey]

I do not understand, especially these days, why long term and good members would answer these types of questions openly.

Because I'm not paranoid. Besides, what do I care? I live in PA.
Hey cuomo, suck my dick you greasy ass meatball communist! You are a waste of your daddy's sperm and your mother should have shat you out into a toilet.

 

[Marine Cpl]

A few thousand rounds for whatever my most used calibers are. That’s it. In fact, it’s overkill. I do not need more than that. Even for a shortage like we are having now.

In combat or self defense, you do not need much. If you do, you are dead. In SHTF, the same applies. In a shortage like now, I’m good. In a long termed shortage, I’m still good because I will cut down on shooting or not shoot at all recreationally. I’m not going to be the only idiot shooting surplus on Sunday’s when no one else has any. That makes you a target. You have to act like everyone else if you are smart or you’ll attract those that do not have any.

I do not understand when people say that you need x amount to last you for years unless you plan on selling it.

 

[GOPerfect]

I do not understand when people say that you need x amount to last you for years unless you plan on selling it.

This is the mindset for many of Americans that believe real bad is coming.

I am one of those people.

My food and water preps, too me, are the same as ammo/gun preps.

This is how many look to the future. A good amount of Americans are doing all they can to ensure their survival.

 

[Podmonkey]

This is the mindset for many of Americans that believe real bad is coming.

I am one of those people.

My food and water preps, too me, are the same as ammo/gun preps.

This is how many look to the future. A good amount of Americans are doing all they can to ensure their survival.

They say the darkest of the night comes before the dawn so........ prepare for the worst but don't abandon hope. Without hope fornthe future there is no reason to fight in the first place.

 

[GOPerfect]

They say the darkest of the night comes before the dawn so........ prepare for the worst but don't abandon hope. Without hope fornthe future there is no reason to fight in the first place.

Me, I have lots of hope. I am ready and prepared for many different scenarios. Not all but many.

Everything that I do in life is for the future. Whether the bad or basic retirement. All is done for the long term. Many laugh. That is okay.

If bad comes, I will survive and they will be dead.

If nothing of horrible hits us, my retirement years will be near perfect.

Either way, I am good and those that live for today will be dead or broke in old years.

 

[Marine Cpl]

And when the darkest night comes, I will remain in the dark. I will not sit on my porch with a light on wearing multi cam or open carrying inviting others. I will wear dirty jeans like everyone else. I will not try to sell my wares. I will eat in the dark and beg during the day like everyone else.

 

[meketrefe]

I do not understand when people say that you need x amount to last you for years unless you plan on selling it.

Same could be said of anything like why would anyone buy a dozen classic cars, restore them and keep them? Maybe they just like
to ride one every different day of the week?
When folks all over the country bought saigas at $150 / each or a pallet of tokarev at 5 cents per round today is confirmed a great investment whether one uses it or because you have family members who are into shooting sports and you have an amazing Christmas gift for them every year. Why people buy these huge collections of wine? Some they sell them and some they drink it over time and if they die first some family members will have some nice drinks.
Bottom line, people have different reasons and when something might be seen as an item of first necessity or something like people is going to
speculate with then people like to have stock and perhaps even invest at the same time.
The most critical items are the ones we do not have much control on that are medications. Not the type of medication that is optional but the
one people would need to have at hand in case the supply gets disrupted or people would die, ... like insulin, cancer, heart and other critical type of medications.
Obviously water would be critical if one is in the desert but the medications are so critical and there is no easy solution when those are highly regulated.
I think the laws are criminal not allowing very sick people to buy an X% of medication to have in emergency stock in case of a huge emergency
whether is natural disaster, social unrest or whatever.
We saw it during katrina and it was hard to get assistance to those who needed the most due to the conditions.

 

[Marine Cpl]

Same could be said of anything like why would anyone buy a dozen classic cars, restore them and keep them? Maybe they just like
to ride one every different day of the week?
When folks all over the country bought saigas at $150 / each or a pallet of tokarev at 5 cents per round today is confirmed a great investment whether one uses it or because you have family members who are into shooting sports and you have an amazing Christmas gift for them every year. Why people buy these huge collections of wine? Some they sell them and some they drink it over time and if they die first some family members will have some nice drinks.
Bottom line, people have different reasons and when something might be seen as an item of first necessity or something like people is going to
speculate with then people like to have stock and perhaps even invest at the same time.
The most critical items are the ones we do not have much control on that are medications. Not the type of medication that is optional but the
one people would need to have at hand in case the supply gets disrupted or people would die, ... like insulin, cancer, heart and other critical type of medications.
Obviously water would be critical if one is in the desert but the medications are so critical and there is no easy solution when those are highly regulated.
I think the laws are criminal not allowing very sick people to buy an X% of medication to have in emergency stock in case of a huge emergency
whether is natural disaster, social unrest or whatever.
We saw it during katrina and it was hard to get assistance to those who needed the most due to the conditions.

We are talking ammo. Not cars.

 

[meketrefe]

And when the darkest night comes, I will remain in the dark. I will not sit on my porch with a light on wearing multi cam or open carrying inviting others. I will wear dirty jeans like everyone else. I will not try to sell my wares. I will eat in the dark and beg during the day like everyone else.

Actually historically and from an evolution stand point people will tend to unite in small groups where people get different roles for the benefit of the group. One might say at first I am on my own but naturally we will tend to form a group since this way our chances of survival go up exponentially. It is extensively studied by neuroscience and anthropology with the small village being the optimal type of community where we feel safer and happier. We are hardwired for it whether we like it or not.

 

[GOPerfect]

We are talking ammo. Not cars.

Some of this ammo can be and is a great investment.

The amount of money I am making selling 22lr is insane.

I have an even fuller pocket of cash due to my hoarding and stocking of ammo.

 

[meketrefe]

We are talking ammo. Not cars.

Ammo is an item with a price. People buy it because they want and they can.

 

[meketrefe]

Some of this ammo can be and is a great investment.

The amount of money I am making selling 22lr is insane.

I have an even fuller pocket of cash due to my hoarding and stocking of ammo.

Ammo, gas, tin food, wine, and dozens of others things are great items to barter with too.
Did anyone think what would happen if the market crashes and the cash was worth nothing?
It happened in many countries in the last 50 years and it can happen to any country.

 

[Marine Cpl]

Actually historically and from an evolution stand point people will tend to unite in small groups where people get different roles for the benefit of the group. One might say at first I am on my own but naturally we will tend to form a group since this way our chances of survival go up exponentially. It is extensively studied by neuroscience and anthropology with the small village being the optimal type of community where we feel safer and happier. We are hardwired for it whether we like it or not.

You still have to remain somewhat grey because when the friends in your group run out of supplies, they’ll expect yours. That’s human nature as well. It isn’t all black or white. If you are the only guy in your group with years of mountain house cans when everyone of your friends runs out, friends are no longer your friends if they are very hungry and you cannot spare any.

 

[Marine Cpl]

Some of this ammo can be and is a great investment.

The amount of money I am making selling 22lr is insane.

I have an even fuller pocket of cash due to my hoarding and stocking of ammo.

I’m taking about full blown SHTF. Not now at all for years.

 

[Marine Cpl]

Ammo is an item with a price. People buy it because they want and they can.

Your analogy was about collecting cars. Many do it for enjoyment. This car is a classic. This one is the only one ever made in blue. Not the same for ammo. People aren’t stock piling cars for an apocalypse.

Yes. You can sell ammo. But when things get really bad, you do not want to be known as the only guy with ammo. That’s what I’m trying to say.

Things are a lot different when there is infrastructure in place compared to when there isn’t.

 

[meketrefe]

You still have to remain somewhat grey because when the friends in your group run out of supplies, they’ll expect yours. That’s human nature as well. It isn’t all black or white. If you are the only guy in your group with years of mountain house cans when everyone of your friends runs out, friends are no longer your friends if they are very hungry.

One could create a culture of raiding other people but even the biggest raider civilizations in history abandoned that attitude in favor
of commerce.
Ask anyone who has been starving in a survival situation and how they have given the food to someone who needed most,
maybe someone who saved their live afterwards. Some POW Vietnam vets shared some stories about human resilience
and the importance of a group. Holocaust survivors too. History is full of examples.
People in a group survive longer, that is a fact that doesn't change with our opinions.
This individualistic stuff is a bunch of baloney.

You want to self rely and survive for a long time? ...start thinking Amish.

 

[meketrefe]

Your analogy was about collecting cars. Many do it for enjoyment. This car is a classic. This one is the only one ever made in blue. Not the same for ammo. People aren’t stock piling cars for an apocalypse.

Yes. You can sell ammo. But when things get really bad, you do not want to be known as the only guy with ammo. That’s what I’m trying to say.

Things are a lot different when there is infrastructure in place compared to when there isn’t.

If things get really bad one is the guy with the ammo, the other the guy with the eggs, the other teh lady with the goats and milk,
the other the guy with the toilet paper lol...
we cannot tell what certain loonies will do but what most of the people will do all over the planet because, again, we are hardwired
for it.

 

[BDinPutnam]

If things get really bad one is the guy with the ammo, the other the guy with the eggs, the other teh lady with the goats and milk,
the other the guy with the toilet paper lol...
we cannot tell what certain loonies will do but what most of the people will do all over the planet because, again, we are hardwired
for it.

Yeah but how long does that instinct take to re-assert itself?

 

[meketrefe]

Yeah but how long does that instinct take to re-assert itself?

As soon as we are deprived of everything. It is a physical but mostly physiological transformation.
For some takes hours, for others days and for others weeks but then makes much stronger individuals.
This is so powerful it is used for the best military training so we can get people rooted back to basics.
The Navy Seals BUD/s training reaches deep inside the brain to find this instinct.
Many people think BUDS is physical but it is not, it is a lot more physiological.
People in the country side might be closer to it as they perhaps have been through challenges but
there is no telling. The most unexpected person like a petite city woman could become the best
group leader to survive and thrive.

 

[Saltwater60]

Remember most people don’t run towards gun fire or the gun pointed at them. I agree have multiple mags loaded up but you won’t needs thousands of rounds in mags ready to go unless the zombies come.

 

[ArmedCorgi]

Yeah stockpiling ammo is great if you have a bunker and plan on bugging in, but how about if you have to up and leave? Ammo is very heavy and you can only pack so much in your vehicle (assuming driving is still an option) and you are definitely limited if you are on foot. There is nothing wrong with stocking up and putting yourself in the best position you think possible, but at the same time, there is no way to tell what, if anything, will happen. You have to be OK with the idea that dispite all the effort and money put into to stocking up, you may have to leave it all in order to survive. The same goes for buying up guns. You can only use/carry so many. It's one thing to want to buy enough to arm your family and close friends, but as far as getting this gun or that and accumulating a collection, you can't use them all at one time and likely could not realistically take them all with you if you had to go.

 

[GOPerfect]

Yeah stockpiling ammo is great if you have a bunker and plan on bugging in, but how about if you have to up and leave? Ammo is very heavy and you can only pack so much in your vehicle (assuming driving is still an option) and you are definitely limited if you are on foot. There is nothing wrong with stocking up and putting yourself in the best position you think possible, but at the same time, there is no way to tell what, if anything, will happen. You have to be OK with the idea that dispite all the effort and money put into to stocking up, you may have to leave it all in order to survive. The same goes for buying up guns. You can only use/carry so many. It's one thing to want to buy enough to arm your family and close friends, but as far as getting this gun or that and accumulating a collection, you can't use them all at one time and likely could not realistically take them all with you if you had to go.

Have all of your preps in different locations. Maybe, some at home. Some at your country property. And, maybe some in between at one of those storage areas. Monthly charges are fairly low for the small storage spaces, so I hear...

 

[BDinPutnam]

A very little bit more than yesterday now that FedEx showed up.

 

[Robin]

I have less ammo now than I did this morning.
Robin

 

[Marine Cpl]

If things get really bad one is the guy with the ammo, the other the guy with the eggs, the other teh lady with the goats and milk,
the other the guy with the toilet paper lol...
we cannot tell what certain loonies will do but what most of the people will do all over the planet because, again, we are hardwired
for it.

For things to get that bad, they have to get horrible which is pretty far fetched. Lots of people have to die first. Lots.

It’ll start like this. Neighborhood watch. Supplies diminish. Neighborhood watch crumbles. People die. People turn on one another. Smoke clears. Those that survive it, can now sell their eggs and start rebuilding with other survivors.

It’s probably very unlikely that you survive it unless you are in the boondocks away from anyone.

 

[meketrefe]

It’s probably very unlikely that you survive it unless you are in the boondocks away from anyone.

Ok. Lets start here with your approach that I see it is quite popular on the internet.
How much land does one family of 4 need to be able to live from it including fresh water, foraging, fishing, hunting, wood, etc..?
I am including the wood because w/o it most will not survive a single winter. The further north one goes and/or elevation
the more wood one will need.

If you say it can be done is because you can demonstrate it. Show us the feasibility of the plan and how it scales.

 

[Marine Cpl]

Ok. Lets start here with your approach that I see it is quite popular on the internet.
How much land does one family of 4 need to be able to live from it including fresh water, foraging, fishing, hunting, wood, etc..?
I am including the wood because w/o it most will not survive a single winter. The further north one goes and/or elevation
the more wood one will need.

If you say it can be done is because you can demonstrate it. Show us the feasibility of the plan and how it scales.

I don’t know how much land is required to sustain an average sized family. That’s irrelevant. Whatever the acreage is, is what is. The point is to be away from others that need what you have so that you do not have to fight them.