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For a first time gun owner, once they've picked their weapon, how much ammo is a "reasonable" amount to keep on hand for practice, self defense, extra mags loaded, easily portable if needing to "bug out", or trading for the apocalypse, etc before you start getting "toilet paper hoarding" level absurd? 1K rounds?
 
Personally, ammo is never enough item for me. I never want the lack of ammo to affect my training, shooting habits, and most importantly protect my family.

The biggest issue right now is being able to replace what you shoot. Guys that used to follow shoot a box, buy a box are discovering that does not work right now. Guys that followed the shoot a box, buy 2 boxes still have some stock. Then the guys the followed the "STACK'em DEEP when cheep" model (that might fall under your "hoarding level absurd") are still shooting with no issues.

Ammo is currency. We spend it over time, yet saving some for later. The more "savings" you have the better off you are when lean times come.
 
The-World-Is-Not-Enough.jpg
 
What I have is a 50 cal ammo can full per caliber. That way I can grab this firearm and this ammo can and go. I have no idea what's reasonable for anyone else.
 
1) A carry/combat load for each handgun - i.e., enough for all the mags you are going to carry on your person.
2) A stash load for wherever you are going to keep your stash
3) Ammo for practice/training.

I have less for most handguns than I do rifles as I believe rifles will be my primary defensive weapon, whereas handguns will be a firearm that I have constantly on my person (during SHTF), but a rifle will be within reach. I.E., a handgun will be used to defend myself while I get to my rifle (if it isn't already in my hands) or as a last ditch weapon should my rifle fail or I run out of ammo.

That said, most people need more practice with handguns than they do with rifles - so more practice ammo for handguns is kept than for rifles, whereas for rifles I have more self-defense ammo than practice ammo.

Practice ammo == FMJ of the same power level/recoil and hopefully POI as self-defense ammo
Self-defense ammo == expanding ammo
 
When one is grappling with the decision, "Should I wait until the going market rate is 3x-4x what I paid for it to offer it for sale, or is the current 2x-3x price increase enough?"

That is a sign that one doesn't have enough ammo on hand.
 
That's a little tougher to answer now than a year ago when ammo was easy to get and cheap, but I would say 1000 rounds of range ammo, and a couple hundered of defensive ammo is a good place to start.

When you get 1/2 way through the 1000 rounds of training (cheap) ammo order your next 1000, then order enough down the road to keep 1000 plus a partial case on the shelf as you use it. If you find you are shooting a lot, then at some point keep 2000 on the shelf.

For the defensive ammo, order 200 and shoot 100 immediately to make sure your gun likes what you bought, then keep the other 100 in your carry mag and on the shelf.
 
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What I have is a 50 cal ammo can full per caliber. That way I can grab this firearm and this ammo can and go. I have no idea what's reasonable for anyone else.

I have all of my pistol magazines loaded all of the time and have 30 cal ammo can with ammo that I can grab and go. For my AR have a chest rig that carries eight 30 round magazines that I keep loaded all of the time. I also have a 50 cal ammo can with AR magazines loaded and the rest of free space in the can is for 10 round stripper clips.
 
I see it as per individuals need or want, which ever is filled first, and alltogether without definition or limit.

like how many hand tools is enough, how many jeeps are enough, how many computers, or boxes of chocolate, etc.
To admit or pick a level to then say that is reasonable and all the rest is absurd is likely to be used against you and others some day in the future.
To pick, voice, pen, publish any sort of number that is personal to every individual could be an infringement, and my America is still free.

So my answer is "never one more than when I had less."
 
More than I can ever shoot in my life or what remains of it in any caliber I own. Keep in mind that varies from caliber to caliber. There are calibers I shoot a LOT more than others , however I also work off the theory of keeping components in ample amounts to manufacture what I need . Just because I do not necessarily have a pallet of a given caliber doesn't mean I can't make more when the necessity dictates
 
For a first time gun owner, once they've picked their weapon, how much ammo is a "reasonable" amount to keep on hand for practice, self defense, extra mags loaded, easily portable if needing to "bug out", or trading for the apocalypse, etc before you start getting "toilet paper hoarding" level absurd? 1K rounds?

I think that maybe/perhaps......you're already more than halfway to being a ____________.

Really? But maybe I'm being generous?

So then.....
What's....Reasonable? Who gets to define it? Are you some kind of Politician?

Example: If I say that a 10 round magazine is O.K. (a reasonable capacity to have). So then, are you intending to create legislation to limit magazine capacity to 10 rounds or less?

Dude......buy as much as you want/can afford. It's still a FREE COUNTRY. What I think isn't really relevant to what YOU think is "reasonable".

And finally...... don't take it personally. My post is not meant to be, "divisive". It's more to get you up to speed. So call it, "inclusive".

Aloha, Mark
 
For a first time gun owner, once they've picked their weapon, how much ammo is a "reasonable" amount to keep on hand for practice, self defense, extra mags loaded, easily portable if needing to "bug out", or trading for the apocalypse, etc before you start getting "toilet paper hoarding" level absurd? 1K rounds?


In my opinion, there are too many different factors.....

1. "how much to keep on hand for practice?" How often do you practice? How much do you shoot when you practice? For me, this is a separate pile that is fluid (used and replenished when I deem it is getting "low")

2. "self defense?" In my opinion this is enough for each magazine, plus a reload of each magazine. Some have said "practice with what you carry". I agree to a small degree. Feel, sight picture, draw, etc. is more important to me than practicing with the ammo I carry for self defense.

3. "extra mags loaded?" Yes. At least 2 extra mags for each firearm.

4. "easily portable for bug-out or trading for the apocalypse"? Your comfort level may be different than mine. I drive a 1-ton truck and can haul A LOT of ammo "in case of bugging out or an apocalypse".

5. "1K rounds"? I feel this is a start for "practice". That is my "fluid point". For "bugging out" or apocalypse..... 5x that at a minimum, depending on your idea of a bug-out or apocalypse situation.

Seriously, your thinking of "bug-out" or "apocalypse" may be different than mine. A "light bug-out" because of fires? 2K rounds, plus or minus. "Apocalypse"..... Anything and everything you can carry.

If you think you have enough watch the news and think "what if that were my house/neighborhood? What would be "enough". You might surprise yourself at how low your initial guess was.

:s0082:
 
1) A carry/combat load for each handgun - i.e., enough for all the mags you are going to carry on your person.
2) A stash load for wherever you are going to keep your stash
3) Ammo for practice/training.

I have less for most handguns than I do rifles as I believe rifles will be my primary defensive weapon, whereas handguns will be a firearm that I have constantly on my person (during SHTF), but a rifle will be within reach. I.E., a handgun will be used to defend myself while I get to my rifle (if it isn't already in my hands) or as a last ditch weapon should my rifle fail or I run out of ammo.

That said, most people need more practice with handguns than they do with rifles - so more practice ammo for handguns is kept than for rifles, whereas for rifles I have more self-defense ammo than practice ammo.

Practice ammo == FMJ of the same power level/recoil and hopefully POI as self-defense ammo
Self-defense ammo == expanding ammo
Well thought out, and I love the Rorschach
 
For a first time gun owner, once they've picked their weapon, how much ammo is a "reasonable" amount to keep on hand for practice, self defense, extra mags loaded, easily portable if needing to "bug out", or trading for the apocalypse, etc before you start getting "toilet paper hoarding" level absurd? 1K rounds?
When the fire marshall says no more, that's enough, until you find a bigger place.
 
Part of the reason I say one ammo can per firearm is that I have way too many of both to carry all at once. It's easier to pick one and go than it is to pick 5 or 10 or more and go.
 
I think that maybe/perhaps......you're already more than halfway to being a ____________.

Really? But maybe I'm being generous?

So then.....
What's....Reasonable? Who gets to define it? Are you some kind of Politician?

Example: If I say that a 10 round magazine is O.K. (a reasonable capacity to have). So then, are you intending to create legislation to limit magazine capacity to 10 rounds or less?

Dude......buy as much as you want/can afford. It's still a FREE COUNTRY. What I think isn't really relevant to what YOU think is "reasonable".

And finally...... don't take it personally. My post is not meant to be, "divisive". It's more to get you up to speed. So call it, "inclusive".

Aloha, Mark
My question was genuine, and halfway to being a what?
 
E.G., for the three members of my family, we have a rifle and handgun that shoot the same ammo - a PS90 rifle and a Five Seven pistol. I have 7500 rounds of ammo for the three of us and I consider that to be plenty or "enough". That is more than I have for other defensive firearms because it is not a common cartridge. About 6K of that is defensive ammo so I am a bit lopsided there. I keep my eyes open for more FMJ, but right now ammo is so expensive (especially compared to what I paid for my ammo - which is less than half what it currently sells for) that I won't buy it at current prices.
 

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