# Should You Be Stockpiling Ammo, Yes or No?



## Cait43 (Apr 4, 2013)

How much ammunition can one man use: Probably not too much of it.
Should You Be Stockpiling Ammo, Yes or No?


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## Capt Rick Hiott (Aug 22, 2010)

sure,,,,why not?


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## BigCityChief (Jan 2, 2013)

IMO, one should purchase it whenever it's available, assuming a dry, cool place is available for its storage. One never knows when / if it will be available otherwise. In my case, I enjoy shooting recreationally across many rifle and pistol calibers. It makes sense for me to purchase ammo whenever the opportunity presents itself and I do just that.


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## TAPnRACK (Jan 30, 2013)

If recent events & shortages haven't shown the need for a good personal supply... I truely don't know what to tell ya.

Stock up to keep shooting!


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

sho nuff


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## Donn (Jul 26, 2013)

Like a lot of other things, you don't need it,,, till you need it. So yeah, I keep as much ammo as I can afford.


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

Yes, you should stockpile whatever you think you will need for the foreseeable future.

You will never know how hard you can kick, until you run out of ammo and start kicking yourself for not buying more, back when you COULD have bought plenty. This includes training, practice, hunting, and serious defensive ammo. I think many of the folks who are lashing-out against their fellow shooters for being "hoarders" are actually kicking _themselves_ mentally for not stocking up on a critical part of their weapon system when they had the chance.

Unless you relish the thought of being at the total mercy of your local sporting-goods/gunshop store, or the high-priced "flippers" online, you should have a good stockpile for every gun you own.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Stockpile? Yes.
Hoard? No.

Panic-buy? No.
Buy-up available, low-priced ammunition? Yes.


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## Pistol Pete (Jan 8, 2010)

I should be stock piling ammo but it's more fun to shoot it.


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## Vodoun da Vinci (Apr 6, 2007)

I prefer the words "having a healthy reserve". I'm trying to keep 400 rounds for each caliber I own and I'm shooting up about 400 rounds of various calibers each month. Hoarding is a matter of mental state...having a cache of ammo for me is just common sense given the shortages and plain old lack of product.

Some have a "hoarding" mindset and that doesn't work for me. Nor does the "flipping" of ammo or inflated prices. Scheels near here used to be a good source but when the supply ran completely dry they seemed to have a stock of 20 rounds in a 50 round sized box and a nebulous and sneaky way of presenting it. I won't buy *anything* from them now.

Here locally we buy whatever the retailer has or can get and I'm not buying off brand ammo or something I don't want just to have another 100 rounds. I feel that the shortage seems to be weakening to some degree but that might be because I buy all of it online now and only buy what I want at a price that is reasonable.

VooDoo


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## faststang90 (Apr 8, 2013)

i think if people would stop paying crazy prices, the ammo it would go back down in price. i got 525 rounds of 22LR for like 22.00 now you are going to pay over 100.00 for that box.


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## Dcompton (Jul 26, 2013)

THIS^^^^

As long as people pay crazy gouge pricing...then the law of Supply and Demand self perpetuates. If we just stop and breathe for a minute...demand drops, supply climbs, and therefore price must decrease to rejuvenate demand. It is a system...it works...we are just our own worst enemy.


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## GhostMeat (Jul 25, 2013)

I just got into shooting and all my gun nut friends (don't worry, i say that with great affection. they're guys I've been friends with for years and years) keep telling me that its going to be like Christmas every day once all this calms down.

I have a couple of 9mm pistols and, fortunately, I have a reasonably reliable source ...the range I belong to. They have only failed me -- been out of 9mm -- once. As a member, I get 10% off the ammo and basically never pay more than about $16 a box. They do have a cap of 2 boxes a visit though.


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

Sounds like a sweet deal to me. The concern about not knowing whether or not there will be ammo available for a person's next range trip is what is driving some folks to keep buying, and I'm not going to say that is an unreasonable response. If your range is taking care of you for basic practice ammo, that kind of service is worth its weight in gold.


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## Ksgunner (Aug 17, 2013)

I can keep up with my needs at Wally World for Winchester white box 40 and 45. 38spl and 30/30 are kinda hard to find still. I took most of this year off with my practice and when I went to the range Tuesday I sure could tell the difference and lack of practice.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

I know some that have a lot of firearms, but not nearly enough ammo to keep them fed. 

And, I know some that have a lot of firearms and plenty of ammo to go along with them. That would be me! :smt1099

I bought all of mine years ago, long before stock-piling it became an issue. I still pick up a box or two when I can, but the way things are, I don't worry about it if I can't find any. 

Stock pile or hoard.......just different terms for the collection of the same item. :watching:


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## jasmine2501 (Oct 10, 2012)

If there is a long period of SHTF, and you need to kill one small animal per day to survive, a thousand rounds won't even last three years.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

jasmine2501 said:


> If there is a long period of SHTF, and you need to kill one small animal per day to survive, a thousand rounds won't even last three years.


That's why you need to learn how to set snares and traps.
It conserves ammunition.

So does well-practiced accuracy, by the way.


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## all357mag (May 20, 2013)

Especially since I reload!


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

If TSHTF, I'm gonna take over my local corner convenience store. :mrgreen:


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

paratrooper said:


> If TSHTF, I'm gonna take over my local corner convenience store. :mrgreen:


Yeah, but the slurpee machine will be the first thing to fail.
Then what'll ya do?

(Won't resupply be a problem?)


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## Ronm (Aug 24, 2013)

I keep my primers in a vacuum pack and try to keep 10 bricks on hand. Brass is resized and ready to prime and keep them in sealed bags after tumbling and have around 1500 cases. Bullets, different story-getting better on seeing stock come into the stores. Do not want to go thru the challenge earlier this year in finding reloading supplies, it was the pits


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Yeah, but the slurpee machine will be the first thing to fail.
> Then what'll ya do?
> 
> (Won't resupply be a problem?)


Word is, that Slurpee machines are like cock roaches. You can't kill um even if you wanted to.


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## MoMan (Dec 27, 2010)

I have plenty on hand. I have more to reload, along with the necessary fixin's to make plenty more. I haven't purchased ammo in over 2 years, and shouldn't have to for quite some time. Having said that; I do pick up primers, powder, etc. whenever I am out and about at the LGS.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Although I possess lots of reloading components for the two calibers I use most, I also possess much, much more already-loaded ammunition, both hand-made and commercial.

Indeed, I believe that stockpiling components is somewhat foolish.

Why? Well:
Already-loaded ammunition takes up much less space than does the equivalent components in their containers.
Also, already-loaded ammunition is much less affected by humidity, temperature change, and even nearby fire, compared to components stored in original containers.
Further, your reloading equipment itself takes up valuable space that could better be occupied by ready-to-use ammunition.

Don't stockpile components. Stockpile ammunition.


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## Bisley (Aug 24, 2008)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Although I possess lots of reloading components for the two calibers I use most, I also possess much, much more already-loaded ammunition, both hand-made and commercial.
> 
> Indeed, I believe that stockpiling components is somewhat foolish.
> 
> ...


Very good points, all. I have lots of components that take up lots of space. I intend to remedy that situation, soon, by retiring from my job, which I just don't have time for any more.


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## MoMan (Dec 27, 2010)

Steve, I agree! I use reloading as my winter hobby and reload tons of ammo all winter. When spring comes around I am good to go! Oh, sure, I shoot in the winter. I am fortunate to belong to a GREAT club that also has an indoor range, but I certainly don't shoot as much as in the summer. I end up having enough loaded to shoot all summer, I get out at least once or twice a week.


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## malonezn1972 (Jun 30, 2013)

Does anyone know what is considered a reasonable shelf life for ammo? I had a case of .22 ammo that had been in my gun safe probably between 12 and 15 years. I tried shooting them, and approximately 25% FTF, and the ones that did fire did not sound right. A couple fired but bullet was moving so slowly that you could actually SEE them leave the barrel.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

malonezn1972 said:


> Does anyone know what is considered a reasonable shelf life for ammo? I had a case of .22 ammo that had been in my gun safe probably between 12 and 15 years. I tried shooting them, and approximately 25% FTF, and the ones that did fire did not sound right. A couple fired but bullet was moving so slowly that you could actually SEE them leave the barrel.


Ammo storage conditions are very important to shelf life. It sounds as if the ammo you speak of wasn't stored properly.

I'd quit shooting the ammo in question immediately. If you can actually see the round leaving the barrel, the next one in line may not, and you're gonna have some serious issues to deal with.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

malonezn1972 said:


> Does anyone know what is considered a reasonable shelf life for ammo?...


I have handloads that are more than 20 years old, but are still just as good as new.
I have G.I. ammunition that's more than 30 years old, but which works properly.
It all depends upon the storage: Low humidity, if possible; even temperature, if possible.


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## Vodoun da Vinci (Apr 6, 2007)

Yup....I inherited several guns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in several calibers including hand loads and factory stuff. I shot my inherited Colt Model M built in 1918 with Winchester factory ammo so old the box was falling apart...I'd guess 30+ years stored in plastic boxes in the "Gun Room" in my father in laws house. Shot it up with no failures and when shot side by side with brand new Winchester I couldn't tell the difference. 

Is it brand name ammo yer shooting? 

VooDoo


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## DJ Niner (Oct 3, 2006)

In addition to temperature and humidity considerations, exposure to chemicals or chemical vapors can cause problems with ammunition in long-term storage. If cleaning supplies were also stored in the same gun safe, then vapors from ammonia-based or other bore cleaners/solvents, or penetrating lubricants like WD-40, may have seeped through the bullet/case junction over time and affected the gunpowder. Signs of this problem might include discoloration of the bullets or brass casings; a "chemical" or oily smell on the ammo or ammo boxes; a "slick"/lubricated feel to the ammunition or boxes; or any liquid-type stains on the boxes or ammo itself. However, there might be no outward signs at all.

As far as age itself being a problem, I've personally fired properly stored ammo from the 1980s, 70s, 60s, and even older with no functioning difficulties; heck, I remember successfully firing some WWII .45 tracer ammo that was probably older than Steve! :smt083 :mrgreen:


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

NOTHING is older than Steve!

(Well, that's not really true: _Nobody_ is older than Steve, but he's never there when you need him.)


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