How much is enough - Ammo

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  • Alea Jacta Est

    Extinguished member
    MDS Supporter
    Really?! I've got 500 per caliber which is adequate. I don't think 1000 rnds/caliber is excessive. Have no use though for I got mine now you get yours kind of attitude.
    If you’re taking a dump on my friend ShootinTheBreeze, I suggest a retraction and or an apology.

    I don’t know who you are. I do suggest you’re a newby and that’s not kosher.

    You don’t know him.

    If that’s not the case, then it seems you’re only guilty of a poorly constructed post.
     

    Ammo Jon

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 3, 2008
    20,788
    With the domestic ammo shortage that we've faced for nearly the last year. I'm wondering why we haven't seen a surge in imported ammo. It seems to me that that the rest of the world isn't facing a shortage and that those manufacturers would be eager to keep our shelves stocked. I read that during the 2012 shortage imports surged. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

    A lot of regulations involved.
     

    Baldheaded

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 18, 2021
    1,277
    A.A. Co.
    I would say that answer is going to be different for everyone. Certainly how often you shoot and how much you shoot per outing should be a factor. But I know lot of people that don't even shoot their guns and have plenty of ammo. How much can you afford should also play into your decision. I also believe that there is always going to be a market for ammo so if the time comes and you need some extra money you will be able to sell your ammo without issue. Trading works too.
     

    Bob A

    όυ φροντισ
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Nov 11, 2009
    30,691
    "Hoarding" is a word used by the "have-nots", to blame the "haves" for their prior planning.

    Let's look at the situation from a few different viewpoints.

    If you just bought your first gun, and thought you'd wait until you could find ammunition for it, well, you should have bought a nice 22 oz framing hammer instead. Much more useful that an empty gun.

    Most armed confrontations between homeowner and attacker usually require less than a full magazine of ammunition. So a box of something is fine, assuming you'll never use it anyway.

    If you have a sense of responsibility to learn to use your firearm, you'll need enough for training, with some left over. A box of ammo for each range trip, maybe as often as once a month, quickly adds up. 200-600 rounds a year is not unreasonable. Now that the option of picking up a box on the way to the range is getting tough, a bulk purchaser would have already reached the "Hoarder" stage, according to some.

    If you enjoy shooting sports, your usage would increase considerably. A couple social rounds of trap or skeet a week and you're looking at 2500 rounds a year, for example. That's certainly low for more advanced competition in other disciplines.

    If you have multiple firearms, a case of ammo for each caliber is sensible. After all, a gun without ammo is a pathetic thing indeed.

    If you feel that your government might take steps to limit your access to ammunition in future, you have to decide whether you think this might be reversed eventually, or might be permanent. In the case of a permanent ban, how many rounds can you expect a gun to fire before it becomes too worn to function accurately? Now you're looking at several thousand rounds per firearm, at least. Soon it becomes a question of how much you can afford, and the limitations of your storage.

    Prior planning for most of these scenarios puts a gun owner almost immediately into a category that the media would call an arsenal, and would have the have-nots raging and foaming at the mouth against the hoarders.

    Is any of this opprobrium deserved? Possibly, but it used to be a free country. As the freedom diminishes, reaction to over-regulation inevitably tilts the playing field, and the freedom to spend your money in a way that seems reasonable from one perspective will inevitably turn to irrationality from either extreme.

    Prohibition breeds black markets. It was ever thus. A warehouse full of Scotch, a warehouse full of ammunition, makes little difference. Those with the means to fill a warehouse, and the prescience to spot a trend, will always do well. Pissing and moaning because you failed to heed the obvious will always be the fallback position for the clueless.
     

    shootin the breeze

    Missed it by that much
    Dec 22, 2012
    3,878
    Highland
    "Hoarding" is a word used by the "have-nots", to blame the "haves" for their prior planning.

    Let's look at the situation from a few different viewpoints.

    If you just bought your first gun, and thought you'd wait until you could find ammunition for it, well, you should have bought a nice 22 oz framing hammer instead. Much more useful that an empty gun.

    Most armed confrontations between homeowner and attacker usually require less than a full magazine of ammunition. So a box of something is fine, assuming you'll never use it anyway.

    If you have a sense of responsibility to learn to use your firearm, you'll need enough for training, with some left over. A box of ammo for each range trip, maybe as often as once a month, quickly adds up. 200-600 rounds a year is not unreasonable. Now that the option of picking up a box on the way to the range is getting tough, a bulk purchaser would have already reached the "Hoarder" stage, according to some.

    If you enjoy shooting sports, your usage would increase considerably. A couple social rounds of trap or skeet a week and you're looking at 2500 rounds a year, for example. That's certainly low for more advanced competition in other disciplines.

    If you have multiple firearms, a case of ammo for each caliber is sensible. After all, a gun without ammo is a pathetic thing indeed.

    If you feel that your government might take steps to limit your access to ammunition in future, you have to decide whether you think this might be reversed eventually, or might be permanent. In the case of a permanent ban, how many rounds can you expect a gun to fire before it becomes too worn to function accurately? Now you're looking at several thousand rounds per firearm, at least. Soon it becomes a question of how much you can afford, and the limitations of your storage.

    Prior planning for most of these scenarios puts a gun owner almost immediately into a category that the media would call an arsenal, and would have the have-nots raging and foaming at the mouth against the hoarders.

    Is any of this opprobrium deserved? Possibly, but it used to be a free country. As the freedom diminishes, reaction to over-regulation inevitably tilts the playing field, and the freedom to spend your money in a way that seems reasonable from one perspective will inevitably turn to irrationality from either extreme.

    Prohibition breeds black markets. It was ever thus. A warehouse full of Scotch, a warehouse full of ammunition, makes little difference. Those with the means to fill a warehouse, and the prescience to spot a trend, will always do well. Pissing and moaning because you failed to heed the obvious will always be the fallback position for the clueless.

    Well said! So many here are so much more eloquent than I...
     

    cantstop

    Pentultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 10, 2012
    8,161
    MD
    Ammo is like sex. When you can get it, it's no big deal. When you can't get it, it's all you think about. ~ Anon
     

    Duckncover

    Member
    Jan 14, 2021
    77
    howard county
    With the current state of ammo availability do you feel comfortable with what you have or are you still hunting down more and at what point do you say "Im not paying that much "
    I've always kept a good amount on hand but since the last ammo shortage I've deepened my stock a good bit , But how much is enough

    I’m never really comfortable with what I have because I love shooting, I have my own place to do it, and I love shooting. As for the price question, there is a very complicated algorithm in my head that I cant possibly put to paper involving cost per round, amount of fun per round, amount of improvement needed with the caliber, and some other factors Im sure I havent considered yet. Personal budget is also in there somewhere
     

    rpker

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 26, 2009
    2,577
    Charles County
    For those who have been around long enough to remember...

    I’ll stock up until someone calls me a hoarding douchwaffle...and then double it.
     

    Markpixs

    Active Member
    Apr 23, 2011
    190
    NOVA
    Not sure how much most of us track usage but I know I shoot about 1K registered sporting clays/year and about 4k practice targets for shotguns (all gauges) and about 250/quarter for rifle/pistol. Tournaments require factory packed but practice are reloads. I just work from those numbers. Last year was less since ranges closed and tournaments cancelled. And a lot of shotgun powders work for reloading pistol ammo
     
    Every social media page and private forum has posts demanding that people stop hoarding all of the ammunition. I have one thing to say to those people

    You snooze, you lose. Don't tell me what I can and cannot buy. If you didn't learn your lesson from the last two shortages then it sucks to be you.
     

    RJRjr

    Active Member
    Aug 26, 2017
    504
    cecil county
    I've been buying aa much ammo as I could afford since I got into the hobby in 2008. Went through the last two shortages and learned from them. Had to move stuff around so my floor doesn't cave in.
     

    Mini14tac

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    May 14, 2013
    2,146
    North County
    Check-Ammo
    If still have money in bank account
    Buy another 1000 round case
    GOTO Check-Ammo
    Else
    If Credit-Cards not maxed out
    Buy another 1000 round case
    GOTO Check-Ammo
    End
    Check-Floor-Joists
    Call-Divorce-Lawyer-Before-Wife-Does
    Exit
     

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