While so many people are hoarding ammo, how much do we really need???

2633 Views 8 Replies 7 Participants Last post by PatrickinGa, Mar 9, 2013

PatrickinGa

Discussion Starter · Mar 7, 2013 (Edited)

I wonder how many people are buying a LOT more ammo than they actually need.

I understand stocking enough to be able to go to the range, skeet, trap, hunting, plinking, etc.

And for me .22lr is still reasonable when I can find it, $0.05 - $0.10 cents a shell. Last box of Remington Gold 225 count cost me $11.00.

And for range, like 9mm for me, most 9mm's semi-automatics will eat just about anything. And I chose 9mm guns to use and carry because they cost less than other shells.

But for home defense we all probably all have some more expensive ammo, for me it is Hornady.

But how many shells do we really need for defensive purposes? I am in my 60's and so far, knock on wood, have never had the need to pull or use a gun to defend anything or anyone..

And I wonder how many shells I will need for HD in my lifetime?

For any scenario I can imagine other than a war, revolution, some kind of Military confrontation I doubt I would ever need one magazine, much less one box.

And if I were put up against LE or some illegal military force, I would think that all I had, no matter how much that was, would not be enough, and I would be outgunned for sure.

So, talking reasonably, what do we do as firearms enthusiasts really need?

Just wondering...

Thanks for any comments or questions.

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threetango

· #2 · Mar 8, 2013

Good questions.

Depends on how much you shoot, whether competition or practice and you need to rotate your ammo out every so often anyway and you may never need any rounds for home defense but it feels good to have a nicely stocked ammo container just in case .
It's really an individual thing on how much you should have and prepper's state you should have 10K per weapon but I'm not even close to that.

Just a couple of things here and not personal, It's Hornady ( which is good ammunition) and a magazine, not clip.
I have these peccadillo's about small things dealing with ammo and firearms.

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dutchs

· #3 · Mar 8, 2013

If a person makes 20 million a year does he or she really need a 100 room house? No...but its not up to anyone but them to make that decision. I may want to go on a binge and shoot 2000 rounds on one range trip. Thats entirely my desicion too. It isnt about NEED. We live in a free society where the government only makes choices for us when we break the law. Otherwise i am helping stimulate the economy. I say enough of punishing law abiding citizens because of some... a very small percentage.....who choose to break the law.

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chuckusaret

· #4 · Mar 8, 2013

I haven't bought one round of ammo this year, in fact I haven't bought any since last summer. I guess some people would call me a hoarder because I do have a very large stockpile of ammo but I accumulated it over the past 35 years or so. I myself would rather think that I had the foresight to be prepared. I also believe those that do not have ammo now have also not planned for other future survival needs and ammo will prove to be one of the least needed items. Nuff said.

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wmruss

· #5 · Mar 8, 2013

Only one word comes to mind when i read about ppl hoarding ammo and thats RADICALS---- sorry,,,

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PatrickinGa

Discussion Starter · #6 · Mar 8, 2013 (Edited)

I used the word "hoarding" in a descriptive nature, there was nothing inflammatory meant by it.

Any more than misinterpreting the word "need". Need was geared towards what people think they "need" in terms of ammo they feel they need for defensive purposes. Hopefully one mag should easily do me the rest of my life for that.

OP was just a simple question.

Definition of hoarding:

Hoarding is a general term for a behavior that leads people or animals to accumulate food or other items during periods of scarcity.

Simple.

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bhale187

· #7 · Mar 9, 2013

Considering ammo will last at least a couple lifetimes if stored properly, and the price of ammo has never done anything but increase............the question changes from how much do we really need to how much can you afford?

Aside from precious metals and gems there is not much you can buy that lasts and is nearly guarenteed to increase in value, and ammo is something that can be purchased with FAR less minimum investment amounts.

Worst case senario you shoot all the ammo you buy, and while you enjoy doing it, think about having purchased a life time worth of ammo at the cost 20 years ago versus today. That's a hell of a lot of savings, so again, I say how much can you afford to buy now and properly store for later?

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jayson

· #8 · Mar 9, 2013

Depends on what you want to be "ready" for !!!

I see " hoarding" as buying all kinds of ammo and NEVER using it. "stock piling" is what I call it when it will get used regardless. Go a head deliver me a dump truck load and I bet it gets used lol

Home defense..... I would say 1 box is enough

Self defense...... I suggest a few boxes as I swap out what I carry with fresh ammo every few months.

A shoot out with police.. you gonna be dead in less then 1k unless you have a badass compound

Civil unrest .. can be tricky, location is a big factor but IMHO the main thing will be who knows what you have and how bad do they want/need it.

with that said lol. you ask...So, talking reasonably, what do we do as firearms enthusiasts really need?

again depends !! How much do you shoot and how often?? How far is it for you to buy ammo?? Can you afford for it to cost more later ? stuff like that

For ME I keep a pretty good supply

but I can easily spend 1000 rds in one range trip with 2-3 guns, we go about every weekend and during the summers 65hr work weeks its not so easy to make it to the store 45 mins away to grab ammo.

IF you shoot a box a week and ammo goes up $3 a box, can you afford $156 more a year to enjoy the sport??

I love to shoot with friends and like to be able to give them a few mag fulls if they run out early with out feeling like Im handing them a $20

HOPE that helps a little but its a HARD question to answer... like How much gasoline do you need?? lol

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PatrickinGa

Discussion Starter · #9 · Mar 9, 2013

Thanks for a great answer.

The OP was kind of intended to be thought provoking anyway.

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