# How much ammo is enough?



## Clement (Aug 16, 2017)

Hi guys

A sticky question, because I know I will get mainly you can never have enough ammo answer.
Of course having 50.000 rounds is better than 49.000, and so on.

But realistically, what calibers, and how much ammo per caliber?

I have at the moment 2200, 22 rounds, and just a measly 180 reloads for my 223.

I want to really stock up on my 22 rounds, cause they are cheap.

How about you guys?


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## rswink (Mar 13, 2019)

I keep between 5k and 20k of .22LR, but that is hypers, standards, and subsonics; round nose, hollow point, and a few shot shell; and the good ammo is only around 1k worth, the rest is in bricks. But 1 22 pistol and 5 rifles and I can knock that stuff out quick.

9mm, about 1k worth, back ups of defense rounds, and then a few boxes each of the sizes that my crowd likes. 3 pistols chew this up also. Been looking at the Ruger PCC, if I get that I might have to add some space for 9mm.

6.5CM there are around .5 to 1k.

30-30 is around .75 to 1k usually.

Now 410 I keep around 4 to 500, fun to shoot, but don't hunt much with it as the only rifle is hard to control.

20 gauge, it is around 1k, but I keep around 5 or 6 sizes of shot and some slugs in that crowd.

12 gauge, well, it is 2 to 3k, once again there are like 8 different sizes and lengths in there. Also, this is way down and has room to grown a few k more.

My wife is looking at 243 or 270, I will find what she likes and keep her stocked as well.

Doesn't seem overly much until I write all of this down. Thanks, now I think I might have a problem. 

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Twenty years ago, I was involved in totting-up the experiences of a group of about 25 people belonging to a Southern California practical-shooting club. Many of them were "survivalists."
The conclusions we reached indicated that, in a survival situation, using your weapons carefully and frugally, at the minimum a year's-worth of ammunition was about 100 rifle rounds and 50 pistol cartridges. This was a load that one fairly robust person could pretty easily carry, along with the other, most basic necessities of life.
And at the maximum end? That was limited only by your storage space. There was no maximum end.

My wife and I run rifles in .30-'06 and .22 Long Rifle, a carbine in 7.62x39mm, and pistols in .45 ACP and .380 ACP. We also have two .38 Special revolvers which get very little use.
We have in storage about 2,000 rounds of .30-'06, 200 rounds of 7.62x39mm, about 2,500 rounds of .45 ACP, about 350 rounds of .380 ACP, and about 1,000 rounds of .22 Rimfire. We also have about 200 rounds of .38 Special.

I have a good reloading set-up, for making both .30-'06 and .45 ACP.
According to both club and personal experience, I strongly suggest that already-loaded ammunition takes up less space, and is less difficult and dangerous to store, than the equivalent in cartridge-loading components.

Does that help?


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## spongemonkey (Mar 4, 2019)

About 2000+ in 7.62x39, 9mm and .22lr each. About 1000 in 9x18makarov, 200 in .38special.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

As much as you can afford.


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## Tip (Aug 22, 2012)

One more round than you’ll need. 
The trick is determining how much you need!


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## Slowalkintexan (Feb 6, 2007)

Don’t know....haven’t reached it yet.


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## berettatoter (Sep 1, 2011)

Slowalkintexan said:


> Don't know....haven't reached it yet.


LOL...I'm with you!


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## spongemonkey (Mar 4, 2019)

I keep buying more ammo and more ammo. I dont need it but do I need it? Somebody please help me with my afflication to keep buying more ammo!


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Have you tried AA?
(That is, Ammunitions Anonymous.)


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## LostinTexas (Oct 1, 2018)

I never understood the hoarding of 22 rounds. It is a crap NROL round, it is a worse bug out, and for the big part, just a recreational and teaching caliber. To each his own.
I guess it is better than nothing. Of course most won't live long in a truly EOTWAWKI situation, and I hope I'm gone with the first brilliant flash.
Keep enough to fill every magazine you have in center fire. Have a minimum of 10 magazines per caliber/gun, 20 if you can afford it, and see how it goes.
I try to put some back for bad times. I laugh at the whole "Arsenal of 1500 rounds" thing. Now is the time to be buying ammo for sure.
YMMV
Happy obsessing.


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

There is no correct answer. "How much can you run with?" springs to mind.

GW


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## berettatoter (Sep 1, 2011)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Have you tried AA?
> (That is, Ammunitions Anonymous.)


Oh yeah, I've heard of that....ran by your local Democrat Party Chair.


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## spongemonkey (Mar 4, 2019)

berettatoter said:


> Oh yeah, I've heard of that....ran by your local Democrat Party Chair.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Goldwing said:


> ..."How much can you run with?" springs to mind.


Yeah.
That was a lot of the basis for our "100 rifle/50 pistol" solution.
That's between four and five pounds, including pouches. Add a survival pack, at about 35 pounds, and it's about all that a middle-aged person in good health can "run with."


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## spongemonkey (Mar 4, 2019)

Goldwing said:


> There is no correct answer. "How much can you run with?" springs to mind.
> 
> GW


I am not running no where. I am staying put where I am with my ammo supply, my food supply, my water supply, my medical supply, my fuel supply, my power supply, etc. If I go out, I would rather go out at my home.


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## boatdoc173 (Mar 15, 2014)

like saying how much money is enough--- never say it is enough


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## LostinTexas (Oct 1, 2018)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Have you tried AA?
> (That is, Ammunitions Anonymous.)


AA is for quitters.


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## berettatoter (Sep 1, 2011)

spongemonkey said:


> I am not running no where. I am staying put where I am with my ammo supply, my food supply, my water supply, my medical supply, my fuel supply, my power supply, etc. If I go out, I would rather go out at my home.


Me too. Whenever I hear the term "but out", I think bug out to where? The frapping woods? Some fallout shelter? Maybe a friend or family's house, but if I'm going there, it means our place is blown out, and we're hauling what's left of the food/water/ammo/guns/clothes in the vehicles.

The last time I "bugged out", was in the military...everything I owned I could carry on my back in those days, and I ain't doing it no more.


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## PhuBai70 (Sep 26, 2019)

I will be seventy next month so I don't plan on running anywhere. My family has owned this home since 1960 so if there's going to be a last stand it will be here. I have a lot of guns so I need a lot of ammo. It's as simple as that.
Since I live in The People's Republic of California ammo is a big issue. As of July 1st a background check is required to purchase ammo. 
I've been buying a gun every thirty days for the last few months. In California you have to wait thirty days between purchases. When I pick up a gun after the ten day waiting period I can buy ammo without any additional background check so I get four or five boxes each time. 
I'm scheduled to pick up my Kimber Ultra Carry II on Sunday so I'll buy more ammo then. I have a Springfield Armory 1911 on layaway but even though it is paid in full I can't do the paperwork until thirty days after I filed on the Kimber. 
I have three guns on my waiting list but after that I think I'll take a break since I don't want to appear to be obsessive.


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