How many rounds do you need?

[PBinWA]

Always looking for good opportunities too buy. While I'm sorry that the gun industry is seeing a down turn - I can't feel anything but gouged for the last few years. I'll probably do what I always do - watch the trend and buy early on the upswing.

 

[Rickenbacher39]

I never worry about a "Mad Max" collapse, whatever that is.
It is just a tool that the media uses to scare us.
I am always prepared as best I can be. Can't do much more than that.
Everyone should be ready for a natural disaster or otherwise.

As for ammunition..................I always need more.
More is good.
Not because I am going to fight WWIII all by myself but because more is good.

 

[Caveman Jim]

I remember reading about Elmer Keith getting "a pig of lead" from his Father as a present when he was a kid.. when I was a kid.
It's always nice to have a few hundred pounds of lead on hand.

I have a bunch of lead left over from my telephone splicing career. I was told it is not suitable for bullets because it is too soft....
I use it for fishing weights.

 

[nammac]

I have a bunch of lead left over from my telephone splicing career. I was told it is not suitable for bullets because it is too soft....
I use it for fishing weights.

If the situation ever gets to the need it, just add a bit o tin or mix with a bunch of Linotype.... Because at that point it'll not matter much...

Edited to clean up my spell checker errors, grrrrr!!!!

 

[Certaindeaf]

I have a bunch of lead left over from my telephone splicing career. I was told it is not suitable for bullets because it is too soft....
I use it for fishing weights.

It's just about perfect for black powder.. some guys might add a bit of tin so it fills out the mold sharper..

 

[Caveman Jim]

It's just about perfect for black powder.. some guys might add a bit of tin so it fills out the mold sharper..

And that is just what is poured, the rest is about 200#'s of lead sleeves.
Salmonriverjohn knows what I'm talkin about.

 

[GOG]

I try and pick up old window sash weights when I can.
I admit to slight paranoia, but when it proves true so many times...

 

[HB of CJ]

Old question. Another point of view. This is prepp orientated. We, (our large extended family) try to dedicate about 10% MAXIMUM of our total average rough NET income to the prepping thing. We are not Later Day Saints. Out of that 10% total only about 10% of THAT is used to consider physical defensive needs. Only 10% of 10%. Even that may be way too much. Here is briefly why.

It all comes down to planning and expectations. We will NOT survive a huge asteroid strike. We will NOT survive Yellowstone erupting. We will NOT survive lots of major NATURAL cataclysmic events. These are all very low probability end of the world type extinction events. What we want to survive is the low probability economic hick ups resulting in a short/long term disruption of OUR society.

The trigger of such society disrupting events can and will vary. We concentrate on local or regional real deal possibilities. Three, (3) times in the last 15 years we have been on either a 2 hour or 30 minute optional evac order due to approaching fast moving big or small wild fires. The last one was a small fire but it did awaken us to the harsh realities of living in the woods in SW OR USA. Yikes.

We are here by choice. Very lucky. Worked very hard to get here. Wild fires may totally destroy our local environment. The back lash of this is the human element. Hang on, I am getting to the point. Our eventual problem is too many stupid hungry criminal type idiots with too many guns all trying to exist without ANY law enforcement. Perhaps for weeks on end. What do we do?

We prepp. Only a small fraction, (again 10% or 10%) gets spent on training, schooling, considerations, decisions, guns, ammo and more expensive range time. Get the idea? Our guns and ammo are defensive only. We are preppers. We have good stuff. 99% of the folks who live here do not have a clue one nor do they have more than 3 days worth of supplies on hand. More yikes!

A taste of this was experienced during the last wild fire. Our excellent volunteer fire department knocked it down before the helos and DC7 bombers arrived on scene. We were very lucky. Also saw first hand the panic that drives ordinary folks absolutely bonkers. To the point where you could yell into their face but they did not hear you. Big eyes. Ears shut. They were in panic mode. Very scary.

So, defensive guns and ammo. We spend more money and time on range time and skull session class room training than we spent on the guns. Lots of training ammo. Only a few hundred rounds of serious defensive ammo per gun. I will not discuss possible hand gun possession. Secret. I will discuss long guns. What rifle? The USGI M1 and M2 Carbine. Light. Handy. Good enough for us.

Our own military spent a lot of time and money planning, developing and building the USGI M1 Carbine. Over 6 million made. Many million still in use around the world. Kids use this rifle just fine. Also 85 year great grand mothers. The practice round count is well over 1000 rounds per person. For some with the M2, over 5000 rounds. Short aimed bursts. A great power magnifier. Serious here.

Sossss. ... how much ammo? Right now we are getting very short. Probably only about 500 rounds per gun training ammo left. Time to get more. Only a couple hundred serious carry rounds per Carbine or person. Each responsible person in our family has their own legal Carbine. Each is 90% up to speed on the light rifle. Parts and stuff is good. Knowledge excellent with this rifle platform.

All Oregon State Laws, US Code Laws And NFA Rules Apply. This is the usual machine gun declaration that the USGI M2 Carbine is completely legal to possess and bear in Oregon. Your state and local laws may vary greatly. Gun control is hitting our target but only as a last and lasting resort. With tremendous power comes tremendous responsibility. Shoot safely. We have enough ammo.

 

[Capn Jack]

Had to stop reloading and buying when I ran out of storage room.
I need to shoot more.

 

[Medic!]

Old question. Another point of view. This is prepp orientated. We, (our large extended family) try to dedicate about 10% MAXIMUM of our total average rough NET income to the prepping thing. We are not Later Day Saints. Out of that 10% total only about 10% of THAT is used to consider physical defensive needs. Only 10% of 10%. Even that may be way too much. Here is briefly why.

It all comes down to planning and expectations. We will NOT survive a huge asteroid strike. We will NOT survive Yellowstone erupting. We will NOT survive lots of major NATURAL cataclysmic events. These are all very low probability end of the world type extinction events. What we want to survive is the low probability economic hick ups resulting in a short/long term disruption of OUR society.

The trigger of such society disrupting events can and will vary. We concentrate on local or regional real deal possibilities. Three, (3) times in the last 15 years we have been on either a 2 hour or 30 minute optional evac order due to approaching fast moving big or small wild fires. The last one was a small fire but it did awaken us to the harsh realities of living in the woods in SW OR USA. Yikes.

We are here by choice. Very lucky. Worked very hard to get here. Wild fires may totally destroy our local environment. The back lash of this is the human element. Hang on, I am getting to the point. Our eventual problem is too many stupid hungry criminal type idiots with too many guns all trying to exist without ANY law enforcement. Perhaps for weeks on end. What do we do?

We prepp. Only a small fraction, (again 10% or 10%) gets spent on training, schooling, considerations, decisions, guns, ammo and more expensive range time. Get the idea? Our guns and ammo are defensive only. We are preppers. We have good stuff. 99% of the folks who live here do not have a clue one nor do they have more than 3 days worth of supplies on hand. More yikes!

A taste of this was experienced during the last wild fire. Our excellent volunteer fire department knocked it down before the helos and DC7 bombers arrived on scene. We were very lucky. Also saw first hand the panic that drives ordinary folks absolutely bonkers. To the point where you could yell into their face but they did not hear you. Big eyes. Ears shut. They were in panic mode. Very scary.

So, defensive guns and ammo. We spend more money and time on range time and skull session class room training than we spent on the guns. Lots of training ammo. Only a few hundred rounds of serious defensive ammo per gun. I will not discuss possible hand gun possession. Secret. I will discuss long guns. What rifle? The USGI M1 and M2 Carbine. Light. Handy. Good enough for us.

Our own military spent a lot of time and money planning, developing and building the USGI M1 Carbine. Over 6 million made. Many million still in use around the world. Kids use this rifle just fine. Also 85 year great grand mothers. The practice round count is well over 1000 rounds per person. For some with the M2, over 5000 rounds. Short aimed bursts. A great power magnifier. Serious here.

Sossss. ... how much ammo? Right now we are getting very short. Probably only about 500 rounds per gun training ammo left. Time to get more. Only a couple hundred serious carry rounds per Carbine or person. Each responsible person in our family has their own legal Carbine. Each is 90% up to speed on the light rifle. Parts and stuff is good. Knowledge excellent with this rifle platform.

All Oregon State Laws, US Code Laws And NFA Rules Apply. This is the usual machine gun declaration that the USGI M2 Carbine is completely legal to possess and bear in Oregon. Your state and local laws may vary greatly. Gun control is hitting our target but only as a last and lasting resort. With tremendous power comes tremendous responsibility. Shoot safely. We have enough ammo.

Handy and light.

I have a few I could hand out for guard duty.

 

[HB of CJ]

Looks like our family outings!

 

[Caveman Jim]

Had to stop reloading and buying when I ran out of storage room.
I need to shoot more.

Like I mentioned in post #15, I have adequate storage capabilities....

 

[The Heretic]

A gunfight could quite easily consume more than a battlepack (often considered to be ~200 rounds). If I have even one gunfight and survive I will consider myself lucky. If I have one a month and survive for a year, I will consider either myself very skilled and/or my opponents very incompetent.

I don't expect a "Mad Max" scenario - at least I sure hope not - because I don't think I would survive it very long. If a force of more than a few people with any skill or experience comes against me, then I am probably doomed.

Mostly I prepare (and hope) that if I have to defend myself - I hope - it will be against "zombies", i.e., unskilled, inexperienced and poorly armed. My main defense will be obscurity/remoteness/etc.

So, currently, most of my centerfire ammo is practice ammo, but when I buy now (last year or two), I am mostly buying expanding ammo suitable for hunting or self-defense. By quantity, I have been laying up mostly rimfire ammo - now that I have a lot of practice rimfire ammo I am starting to purchase hunting, precision and other speciality rimfire ammo.

I don't think I will ever be satisfied with the amount of ammo I will have stored, but I do know one thing, a gun without ammo is worse than useless, it is dead weight.

 

[Siglvr]

"How many rounds do you need?"

Interesting question. There are "needs" and there are "wants. I may "want" 20,000 rounds or so of 5.56, but I don't "need" it. When I collected grandpas old firearms from my mom when she was @ 80 or so, she said that she only "needed" one firearm and 1 round. One bullet was all.

And indeed, that's what she kept. Didn't do her any good when the methhead broke into her house and ate lunch (and got out too) while she was fast asleep with the TV on and missed everything except for the door and orange peels left over.

 

[tfbit]

When I recently bought 420 rounds of AE 55 gr 5.56 at Cabela's it wasn't because I needed them... I needed to use a $20 off $150 coupon, the $10 rebate, and the free Grunt Style shirt.

 

[maddog]

I have a bunch of lead left over from my telephone splicing career. I was told it is not suitable for bullets because it is too soft....
I use it for fishing weights.

My first solid job out of the Army was with Mountain Bell as an Installer. The Splicers and Construction crews had the garage and lot next door. I was given a bunch of splice cases and several feet of lead cable when they were wrecking out those old lines. Somehow, they were lost over a couple of moves. Why Run Backward You Varmint
....never forgot.

How many rounds do I need? My answer has to be "more than I have now."

 

[Caveman Jim]

My first solid job out of the Army was with Mountain Bell as an Installer. The Splicers and Construction crews had the garage and lot next door. I was given a bunch of splice cases and several feet of lead cable when they were wrecking out those old lines. Somehow, they were lost over a couple of moves. Why Run Backward You Varmint
....never forgot.

How many rounds do I need? My answer has to be "more than I have now."

+1, need more ammo because I want to convert more fence sitters!!!

Too funny maddog, after I ETSed from the Army (1980) I tried all kinds of jobs from grease monkey, home construction to tire monkey & then found my first real job that turned into my career. Sure made some extra $$$$$$ sellin scrap copper & lead back then.
Sure beats being on a roof when it's 100+ degrees out.....
Boy On Girl Best Sex......

 

[maddog]

For those curious about the catch phrases(?),they name the wire and wire binder colors:
W = white
R = red
B = blue
Y = yellow
V = violet

B = blue
O = orange
G = green
B = brown
S = slate

And a heartfelt apology for straying off topic.

 

[Inspectorkluso]

Read it on the inter web so it must be true.

He cut the ball in half, too!!!

 

[Diamondback]

With apologies to Schlock Mercenary:
"There is no 'Overkill,' only 'Open Fire,' 'I Need to Reload' and 'Target DOWN.'"

In other words, "enough" means having ammo left when the shooting stops with you still standing.