Just curious about this. Unless you live under a rock as a gun owner you likely realize that ammo is getting hard to find in most popular calibers. Lots of board members here and people I know are stockpiling thousands of rounds. I am just curious as to why people are doing this? I mean, if they outlaw guns completely (not gonna happen.......yet) then you will be forced to either break the law or hand in your weapons and ammo. So what other reason would people have to store up 1000 rounds. I mean, you aren't going to stave off military action against yourself with 1000 rounds of 9mm handgun ammo are you?
Don't get me wrong, I have a small stash for myself. But I want to go to the range dang it, and it is hard to do without ammo. If everyone would stop buying so much, maybe I could get in my weekly 100 rounds at my range........
The "savings" is a relative term. I don't reload a lot compared to others, so I don't buy in bulk. I buy a few hundred primers, a LB of powder, 500 cast bullets, etc., and I load a box of pistol rounds for about $9, regardless of caliber. Big savings over 9mm (befoere the latest craziness)? Not really. Much better on the .45 ACP, my costs still @$9. The investment in equipment pays for itself fairly quickly, depending on rounds produced, etc. I still crank 'em out on my single-stage press. those who fire 100s-100s a month would certainly want to consider the more expensive but faster progressives. I enjoy the reloading as much as I enjoy the shooting.
Im a guilty one I have been buying a box or two every week for the last year or so in various calibers , background I usually shoot 250 rounds or more once or twice a month and always buy what I shoot on range day went to buy ammo for range trip and couldn't find 1 solo box in 380, 9mm, 40 or 45 so panicsettled in and I made an emergency carry box with over 1, 000 rounds did an inventory and found out i hab no spare 380 been looking for it evrday found it today and bought all they would allow me to have 250 rounds at a 4 dollar per box increase and return tomorrow always want enough on hand tobeable to go to the range and not run out at home ammo keeps going up I wish I would have bought 4 extra per week
If people, who shoot regularly, would buy smaller amounts every week instead of huge amounts every week, and if those that don't buy anything, until its time to go to the range, then there wouldn't be a shortage.
Sudden demand taxes the ammo manufacturers and component suppliers, back orders stack up, it drives up the prices for everyone and creates an emergency crisis ammo shortage.
If people, who shoot regularly, would buy smaller amounts every week instead of huge amounts every week, and if those that don't buy anything, until its time to go to the range, then there wouldn't be a shortage.
Sounds good Comrade! Seriously though, why should I change my buying habits so other people who waited till a crisis happened to buy ammo can have some too? You have a disparaging Obama quote in your signature but your post sounds a lot like the spread the wealth redistribution fairness crap that comes from Zero and his followers.
Purchasing ammo in bulk such as 500rounds of .45acp and 1,000 rounds of .40sw and 9mm is good for a couple reasons. First, the price per box is typically less if you buy the case. Second, ammo prices aren't going down and ammo is hard to find as it is. So if it is possible to just buy 1000 now, I would do that. Third, some training courses require you to shoot 500-750 rounds so you need a lot to begin with. Lastly, if ammo is hard to find I want to know that I have enough to go to the range and not be told "sorry we don't have any of that caliber".
I used to shoot a lot. Now I don't shoot so much. Mostly because I am afraid to dry up my supply and not be able to find any at the store. I cut back significantly. When I can I do buy a couple boxes of this or that. Like this past weekend I found some .40sw at BassPro so I went ahead and grabbed two while I was there. 9mm was gone and .45acp was there. It just happens that I found a couple boxes of .45acp hanging around in Walmart so I picked them up the day prior.
I figure I have enough so that if I can find nothing I can still go to the range each month and have enough for a while and replenish when things settle but I will try to replenish here or there as I can. Most bulk supplies are gone and you have to buy smaller amounts anyway right now.
Well I stashed a bunch back prior to BHO taking the throne.
Ammo was quite a bit cheaper then, and thinking about what was to happen, (with the wife's encouragement) I loaded up...I mean, I really loaded up.
Skip two years when I took a point shooting class...1400 rounds of .45 in two days, and it didn't cost me an arm and a leg. Today that ammo cost would probably be 3-4 times the price of the class.
I still have one box left, yep, after the big fire, that's all I could find.
I'm waiting on two shipments of ammo - one that should be here in a couple days, the other should be here in a week or two. When I get that, we'll have about 2k rounds for my .40, 1600 rounds for the 9mm, and 250 shells for the shotguns.
Is that stockpiling? Well, by buying it like that I've saved anywhere from 5 to 10 cents a round over what I'd pay at the range. At 2000 rounds, that's a hundred to two hundred dollars I've saved. Makes sense to me.
Second, there's the idea that congress can place a tax on rounds in order to fund "gun crime." If they do, how much would that tax be? A dollar a box? It's a nifty little way of not violating 2A by the letter, while still invoking "Gun control." I prefer to by my practice rounds before anything like that could happen as well.
Last, my wife and I shoot every week. We shoot about 200 rounds plus some shotgun shells. That means we go through a little under 1000 rounds a month. When I buy meat or paper products or whatever else, I like to shop monthly. It seems to be about the same thing here.
So, less hassle plus more savings - not sure that = stockpiling.
I'm waiting on two shipments of ammo - one that should be here in a couple days, the other should be here in a week or two. When I get that, we'll have about 2k rounds for my .40, 1600k rounds for the 9mm, and 250 shells for the shotguns.
Is that stockpiling? Well, by buying it like that I've saved anywhere from 5 to 10 cents a round over what I'd pay at the range. At 2000 rounds, that's a hundred to two hundred dollars I've saved. Makes sense to me.
Second, there's the idea that congress can place a tax on rounds in order to fund "gun crime." If they do, how much would that tax be? A dollar a box? It's a nifty little way of not violating 2A by the letter, while still invoking "Gun control." I prefer to by my practice rounds before anything like that could happen as well.
Last, my wife and I shoot every week. We shoot about 200 rounds plus some shotgun shells. That means we go through a little under 1000 rounds a month. When I buy meat or paper products or whatever else, I like to shop monthly. It seems to be about the same thing here.
So, less hassle plus more savings - not sure that = stockpiling.
I like to think of it as a par level of inventory. I shoot (or at least, used to shoot) 5,000 - 8,000 rounds per year. I have many calibers, and like to keep a base inventory of 1,000 rounds of each caliber of carry gun. To me, that's not much at all. Kind of a bare minimum really. I would also immediately get back to that point right after going to the range. My last range trip was Thanksgiving and I went through 750 rounds...and that was all 40, 9, and 45. Wish I had that back now...
If you look at it in economic terms, you consider alternative uses for your money (current interest rates, stock returns, etc.) and or utility (groceries)....so if you stocked up a lot when 9 MM was $100 per 1,000 or 7.62 X 39 $175, etc. etc. a few years back, well...........you might have done well compared to stockpiling now. Now........well, it's a different equation, but I do not see prices so elevated for too long. I do doubt they'll go back where they were though.
I have 70,000 rounds of various calibers. 25,000 are .22lr up to 10,000 7.62x39. I had an awakening last year and got serious about my ability to protect my family and not rely on the government. Last year I spent over $30,000 on guns and ammo with another $10,000 in food/water stores and hardening my home to entry. I empty most of my savings out and feel good about it. Why.....
The dollar is and will continue to devalue. Even IF there are no increased restrictions on ammo inflation alone will cause it's price to rise. As our economy continues to get worse and more criminals are let out of jail/prison we will be dealing with them. Half the country's population quality of life is dependent upon entitlements from the government. In my state of CA its soon to look like Greece with rioting on the streets. Those are ecomonic reasons that lead my decision making process.
Look to natural disasters like Katrina. I want to be able to protect me and mine. CA is ripe for a big earthquake. Supply chains for food/water/and power could be disrupted for long periods of time with areas to large for the government to offer help or protection. Look to where you live I bet you are susceptible to some sort of natural disaster as well.
Firearms are useless without ammo. I'd rather have a baseball bat than a $3000 AR-15 without ammo. The govenmrnt will try to controll guns through ammo. The way I see it if I don't use my ammo in my lifetime it will be the best gift I could pass on to my children to protect thier family's in the future.
I could have bought a car with the ca$h I spent on preps but I feel good about my decision and am fine driving my 12 y/o Saturn that requires liability insurance only. I don't leed a flashy materialistic life but security make me feel good. Stockpiling gives me security. Know guns,know safety,Know peace. No ammo,no saftey,no peace.
.... Lots of board members here and people I know are stockpiling thousands of rounds. I am just curious as to why people are doing this? I mean, if they outlaw guns completely (not gonna happen.......yet) then you will be forced to either break the law or hand in your weapons and ammo..... So what other reason would people have to store up 1000 rounds. I mean, you aren't going to stave off military action against yourself with 1000 rounds of 9mm handgun ammo are you?
Don't get me wrong, I have a small stash for myself. But I want to go to the range dang it, and it is hard to do without ammo. If everyone would stop buying so much, maybe I could get in my weekly 100 rounds at my range........
I didn't read the 5 pages of thread so far...just replying to the OP.
1000 rounds is not a stockpile. If you can (responsibly) afford to buy it in a month, it's not a stockpile. A stockpile is a "lifetime supply" or a "worst case scenario" supply. Buy it cheap and stack it deep....
If you plan on shooting 100 rounds a week, and you don't reload - it makes sense to save up some money, and buy a few thousand rounds at a discounted price. Then you are set for years. Ammo prices don't really go down - so buying in bulk and planning ahead is just being smart.
As for "staving off a military action" with 1000 rds of 9mm - there's no way to know that. A single bullet at the right time can change the course of history - but then again, so can a single word, or the presence of a person in protest, etc...
It's clear you have no ammo and want to go shooting. Think of all the money you're saving. Put that money somewhere in the "for ammo" section of your accounts, and wait. Dry fire a bit, practice your draw, read a book, go for a walk...in a couple months, ammo will be back.
This really bums us out that we can't find ammo! DD shoots every weekend with her .22 pistol and rifle. While we keep a small cache on hand. I pick up ammo every few weeks and now its starting to be a major pain for us!
Stockpiling LOTS of things... not just ammo.
BUT... some day, ammo will be a GREAT bartering item. You know what they say...
"lead is worth its weight in gold when you have nothing with which to protect your silver."
Same concept applied during Sandy Hurricaine. Shelves easily emptied during the pending crisis and everything skyrocked. Smart ones bought in bulk when it was on sale and bought a generator during the off season. Now sat in comfy as the storms roared in.
I do the same for christmas presents. Keep my eyes open for sales throughout the year instead of wasting my time on long lines, rude people, potentially spending higher prices during the peak christmas season, potential headache of soldout stocks and worry.
Here is a good thing to ponder on.
This shortage of everything of AR15, AKs, guns, shotguns, ammo of all calibers, magazines, optics, etc........ happened right there like a week before christmas. Sold out in 3 days. Not in the middle of summer or spring when nothing is going on. Month where money are stretched, credit cards maxed, or rent money used to buy christmas presents. Where that money come from especially when we are still at a recession and many "supposively" live paycheck to paycheck? This buying spree cannot go on forever. Sooner or later, the supply will catch up and people will run out of money.
Even before the latest rush I kept about 1500 rounds of 9mm, .40, .45, 9 Mak and 7.62 on hand. When I run across ammo and the price is right, I pick more up. Never know when the supply will be available again.
I've always shot through my ammo as fast as I bought it. You'd find me every Monday at the range and it was rare for me to go through less than 200 rounds a week. I tried to grab an extra box or two when at Walmart, up but if I had it, I shot it. Lol no self restraint. I kept telling hubby I wanted to go to a gun show and buy in bulk but never did. Now I haven't been to the range in a month, ammo's too hard to find and the range is packed!
Ok, gonna say I could see having stashes of ammo that I don't ever plan on shooting for range trips. I could see having them just for the highly unlikely event that tommorow, or any day, life as we know it could be totally different. I just feel that in any situation like that, the last thing I would ever think is "oh, why do I have so much extra ammo?" I have a feeling it would be quite the opposite.
Most importantly, I (would) have it because I CAN.
I stockpiled last time the scare happened. I bought enough to shoot my hunting rifles and shotguns for a few hunting seasons. Didn't get to hunt as much as I liked so I still have quite a bit left.
Besides the guy with 70k rounds I have more ammo saved than anybody else listed so far. Why? One, I just feel better. It's like an insurance policy. Two, the value of ammo isn't going down. I can either shoot it, sell it or barter with it. Three, I can share it if things ever get really bad. I have concern for more people than just my family. Fourth, I like looking at it!
You should stockpile anything you can of value or use in the case of an emergency. I promise you that is SHTF, you will want more than 100 rounds. Just do what you can afford and what makes you feel good. There is no wrong answer.
I don't stockpile ammo. I would like to but it's not in the budget. I have some ammo for all the guns I own.
So I know what your saying OP I use to wonder how people could buy a lot of ammo in bulk and store it away but at the same time guns are a hobby and with any hobby you want to have extra on hand of the things you use most. In this case it's ammo.
I use to build/mod R/C hobby cars so I always kept a toolbox full of extra parts because I knew those parts would break, or wear down, so in a way I was stockpiling parts because at certain times it was hard to find what I needed when I needed it.
Yep, getting my share of 223, 762x39 and 40 S&W just to feel good. It has all but vaporized in Florida. Most smaller gunshops have gone to reman which shoots fine IMHo
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