In an article titled simply "How Much Ammo?" Divemedic offers his opinion on how much ammunition you should be stockpiling against the day that it may no longer be available. I generally support his conclusions.
Some people seem to think this is a silly question; that there'll always be ammunition available in stores, and from US manufacturers. That's a dangerous assumption. There have been innumerable threats made to shut down online ammunition vendors, and some states no longer allow it (or surround it with so many restrictions and conditions that it's burdensome and time-consuming to meet them all). There's also the ATF's ongoing crusade to shut down as many firearms dealers as possible, based on paper problems rather than actual crimes (which they get to define as such). Finally, every shooting increases pressure on supermarkets such as Walmart to stop selling ammunition at all, removing a major source of supply from the market. As such pressures ratchet up, the day may come that ammunition becomes vastly more expensive than it is now, with a much reduced selection and severe restrictions on how much you can buy. It's to safeguard against that potential problem that we should maintain a useful reserve of ammunition for ourselves.
I emphasize the utility of .22 Long Rifle ammo and weapons. You can get .22LR adapters to fit AR-15 rifles and others, and there are many .22LR handguns that handle in ways very similar to defensive handguns. Furthermore, .22LR is relatively cheap compared to centerfire ammunition. If you accept that a minimum (I emphasize, minimum) annual training requirement is 500 rounds (which is nowhere near enough to maintain full competency with rifle and handgun), then I think putting aside ten years' worth of .22LR is not a bad idea. Personally, I plan on at least 1,000 rounds per year, and want more than a decades' worth of ammo on hand to support that. YMMV, of course. That can substitute for quite a lot of centerfire ammo, but not all. After all, the recoil, report, etc. of full-house rounds is much greater than rimfire, and one has to become (and stay) accustomed to that. I'd say that for every 10 rounds of rimfire ammo we fire, we should be shooting one round of centerfire ammo. Again, YMMV.
There's also the unpleasant thought that if a state of emergency is declared, the authorities may try to confiscate guns and ammunition from civilians. We all know what happened in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, and "woke" states in particular probably won't hesitate to do the same thing given any excuse that comes to hand. I therefore suggest that one should conceal at least part of one's stash in a safer place, where it's less likely to be found and more secure against confiscation. How you do that is your business. I think off-site storage is probably a good starting point - and I don't mean a storage unit, because those are most likely to be targeted by both looters and law enforcement during a crisis when they're looking for stuff. The same goes for storing stuff with friends - their homes are just as likely to be searched as yours is. Use your imagination. Think outside the box - and stash enough ammo and firearms that if all the rest of yours are no longer available, you'll still be able to defend yourself and your loved ones.
(I'm not encouraging you to break any laws that may forbid such steps, of course. I'm not going to condone criminal conspiracy. Perish the thought!)
Peter
It is not like ammunition go bad. When I as stationed a Whiteman AFB in 2000 we were still issuing Security Forces 50 cal that had a 1944 manufacturer date on the cases. It worked fine.
ReplyDeleteI don't shoot as regularly as I used to but still try to buy a box or two of assorted calibers whenever I am at a store that sells ammunition. It is slightly more expensive than buying in bulk online but it incentivizes the local business to keep stocking ammunition.
Back in the 90's I would buy a brick of 22LR every month when I got my national guard paycheck. I stopped when I realized I had over 500k rounds. I also reload all the calibers of guns that I have. I shoot about 6k rounds per year and 95% is 9mm. I also think Divemedic's limits are a bit low.
ReplyDeleteThe supply disruption on the metals themselves let alone any nefarious supply disruptions are worrysome.
ReplyDeleteBTW, on that same note if you're planning on buying anything made from 300 series stainless (like appliances or countertops) now is the time. My sourcing lead times for work have doubled in the last six months and prices have jumped ~40%
As Mike and the Mechanics sang
ReplyDelete"There's a gun and ammunition right behind the doorway, use it only in emergencies...
Better you should pray to God the Father and the Spirit to protect you and guide you from what's up here.
Ponder the thought of legacy ammo and firearms like I heard about in Bosnia where they dug them out of their cellar walls when the ethnic cleansing started up. You see guns were forbidden for the most part and ALL Legally Owned ones were confiscated just before the Civil War kicked off.
They don't have to go door to door, friends. A simple betrayal call in from a "Concerned citizen" could get your power, credit, internet, cell service and employment turned OFF until you turned the forbidden items in.
OR Maybe because they have all these wonderful (need I add a sarc tag here?) "Undocumented Citizens" of military age, fit and male (where is the refugee wives and children, eh?) they could kick off a door to door campaign so many have salivated about.
Real trouble is nearby. Soon today with all its troubles will be known as "The Good old days".
Protect your family and trusted friends, they are worth more than gold when things go sidewise.
...Wal Mart stopped selling ammo in California several years back. As usual, the state legislature didn't take away the right to bear arms, or the right of retailers to sell ammo. It just made the process of selling ammo so onerous that Wally World just said "To hell with it" and stopped selling ammo. This is how the Left works... "You can have your guns... for what good they'll do with no bullets..."
ReplyDelete...Don't wait, folks... What California has done locally, Biden's puppeteers want to take national...
I am a fan of the .22 as well. I wouldn't limit it to training. Get good and accurate with a optic equipped .22 and some type of sound management and a few "mobility" kills could discourage ne'er do wells to take their business elsewhere. This does not replace the more powerful rounds. Just a nice supplement to give you options. Sneaky and alive is better than bold and dead in a 3rd world WROL scenario... just my .02 cents
ReplyDeleteI also agree that DMs limits are low - I assume at least 1,000 rounds for each "war weapon" in reserve, beyond training/ testing/ sight in, etc, and preferably 2,000.
ReplyDeleteI also want to have extra weapons available as backups, either for me or for trusted friends who don't have their own (and enough ammo for them to train).
I need to have more sights, slings, mags, etc to support the weapons I have - make sure you have enough support equipment to fully use what you have!
@Jonathan H: That's great, if you can afford that much, and if you have adequate (and appropriate) storage for it all. For that many rounds, you're talking a significant investment in infrastructure.
ReplyDeleteIf you have a few rifles - handguns chambered in odd hard to find rounds, it may be worthwhile buying a small amount (i.e. 200 rounds) of ammunition specifically for that firearm. That rifle + available ammo supply would become much more valuable if the World Goes Sideways. Can be handed out to a valued neighbor who has the capability but doesn't have the tool. Force multiplier.
ReplyDeleteShotguns are very common firearms, but most hunters might have a box or two of birdshot in their possession. If a person had some buckshot or slugs to be traded or sold to help them out, they would be very grateful.
ah, but therein lies the rub. where? i have struggled with that question for decades. btw, they are using lidar to map every inch of ground in the country, concentrating on the east coast now. i'm betting they will survey again after the ban/confiscation begins and send troops to every place that lights up anew. as far as ammo, you don't need that much to maintain once trained. the army does it with as few as 40 rounds a year, though i admit their proficiency level is bare minimum. combat, as fought these days, takes a crap ton of ammo. we had to curtail how much ammo partizans carried so they wouldn't stay on the x too long. two mags and two frags only, in a field jacket pocket. no need for fancy vests/plate carriers. we need to train like the old marines, one shot, one stop. i hear rapid fire in the surrounding mountains all too often, rather than slow steady shots. anyway, my backhoe is on the fritz so i best get digging.
ReplyDeleteFYI: Your posts are being lifted wholesale by another blogger.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youwillshootyoureyeout.com/2023/05/25/divemedic-offers-sage-advice-on-your-ammo-stash/