What ammo do you stock pile?

[Member 3687]

In the past I belong to several SHTF sites that I posted somewhat heavy on and each one I asked the question what ammo do you stock pile?

I do not care about the quantity that you stock pile I just want to know your top 2 hand gun and the top two rifle calibers. The reasoning is if a "True SHTF" were to happen will ammo be available for the calibers I have for possible trade.

I mean if I am the only guy with a 5.7x28 and nobody else has it listed as a main caliber it may not be a good choice as a first line firearm in a SHTF because when I deplete or cannot get to my stash location for whatever reason then the firearm I have becomes worthless without resupply.

You can list more than the top two as some may have two calibers with equal status and quantity stocked if you wish just put them in order of most rounds stocked to least.

I know this forum is not heavy into the SHTF but looking at some of the past post in this section there is defiantly some interest. You never know some of us here may have to pool our resources to survive some day.

Optional question is why you stock that caliber in particular.

What ammo do you stock pile?

Pistol ammo:
9mm

For the most part all I run is 9mm from a number of firearm manufactures and the reason is NATO, Canada, Mexico and the US military all run it so I feel it is the most readily available and also price point.

Rifle ammo:
5.56/7.62x39
.308

I have equal amounts of each in 5.56/7.62x39. The 5.56 as stated above NATO, Canada, Mexico and the US military all run it so I feel it is the most readily available and also price point. The 7.62x39 is something I got into a number of years back as it is harder hitting and ammo and guns at the time where cheap and reliable.

The .308 I keep a small supply of a couple thousand rounds more for hunting. Not my go to gun.

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[HuckleberryFun]

Pistol: 9mm and .45acp
Rifle: .308 (because .308 is MY go to gun

Also lots o .22lr, 12ga, other assorted.

 

[Camelfilter]

...The reasoning is if a "True SHTF" were to happen will ammo be available for the calibers I have for possible trade....

If a "True SHTF" were to happen, I would not be trading ammo other than .22LR & maybe some bird shot/small game 12g. And if I were to, it would be in very small quantities & odd manufacturers, like 3/4 of a box of 50 .22LR, a partial box of 12g. Etc.

Anything more would lead the person you'd be trading with to conclude that you do in fact have a stockpile. Which would invite trouble.

There are a few folks I trust as family out here, and that's a different story all together in regards to what I would trade. But it's also a different story in regards to what they know I have, and what I know they have.

What ammo do you stock pile?

What I shoot.

 

[slimmer13]

The flip side to the "common calibers" approach, is that like late 2012/early 2013 the common calibers (.5.56, x39, 9mm, 45 ACP, 22lr, .308) were anything but common, where .357, .38, .40, 30 06, 17HMR, .243, etc could still be found.

If stocking up for times where ammo is lean, I think it matters less what calibers you choose but having quantity and reloading components to make more because I doubt you are likely to get more no matter what it is.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

For me its .530 round ball , 2F powder and #11 caps.
( 'cause I'm weird that way LOL )
In modern cartridges it is : .45 acp , .30-06 and .22lr.
Which is kinda funny as those cartridges ain't too modern LOL!
But since most of my guns are muzzleloaders they do seem "high tech".
Guess its just a matter of where you are looking from.
Andy

 

[HarryHaller]

I only heavily stock rifle ammo mostly because it's what I shoot the most, but I guess in the back of my mind I don't see using handguns much if SHTF. I stocked up on 7.62x54r when prices were dirt cheap because it was the most bang for your buck you could get, and I have a number of semi and bolt guns in the caliber. I've since wondered if I should have focused on reload able brass ammo and reloading components for it, in the long run seems like possibly a better bet.

I agree with Slimer13 on the common caliber thing, when demand is the highest for ammo, it's exponentially more so for popular calibers. You could always find 22-250, 7mm, 30-06 in any Walmart at the height of the panic buying. Another reason I'm stoked to have my semi auto FN 49 in -06.

 

[nammac]

One would think the popular pistol calibers:
.45 ACP
.40
9mm
.38/.357
.22 lr

And popular rifle calibers:
.223
5.56
7.62x39
.308
30-06
.22 lr

And shotgun:
12 gauge
20 gauge

Would all be good to have on the shelf, even if only for the purpose of bartering...

As for me, all I have left is an old rusty hammer and saw...

 

[Medic!]

Sorry. I'm not really sure what I've got?

And neither are you.

 

[Stomper]

The cost of admission to see my stuff is too high, and I don't make change either.

 

[The Heretic]

I don't have guns & ammo - it keeps getting consumed or falling into a deep river in boating accidents.

But if I did have ammo - I don't, but if I did, it would be:

.22 rimfire from CB to LR - by far, I would stock the most of this
9mm
.357 Mag
.44 Mag
.45 LC - .454 - .460 Mag
.45 ACP

5.56x45
5.7x28
.30-30
7.62x39
7.62x51
.30-06
.50 BMG

.410
20 ga.
12 ga.

In short, the standard military cartridges and some standard hunting cartridges.

I would - as finances allow - increasingly stock expanding projectile ammo instead of FMJ. The latter is okay for practice, but not for self-defense or hunting.

 

[Medic!]

I just refer to mine as Baby bear, Momma bear. And Poppa bear.

 

[Stomper]

LMAO!!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I just refer to mine as Baby bear, Momma bear. And Poppa bear.

View attachment 311727

"My cartridge is too big ... My cartridge is too small ... AHH My cartridge is just right" LOL!
Quoted from the soon to be best seller: "John M. Browning and the Three Bears."
Andy

 

[timac]

What ever I have or someone might need.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I Don't stock Pile! If I did, it would be all the former and current Mil Spec Cal. For rifle and pistol! I'm with camelfilter, No Trade's! if people think I have enough to spare in trade, they might think I had enough to be worth the risk of stealing!

 

[The Heretic]

As I said, I am turning my focus from FMJ and "solids" (RF) to expanding ammo.

Just got through watching gel tests on .22 RF ammo - LRN and HP

I have plenty of bulk 22 RF ammo - most of it LRN. Since I practice a lot with .22 RF, that's fine, I will use that primarily for practice.

I have seen from the gel tests, that in general, the LRN simply does not expand at all. Some of the HP ammo doesn't expand either.

I intend to get Paco Kelly's "Accurizer" thingy that also punches a HP into the bullet, and then I may even get some gel and test with that. I haven't found any gel tests online yet.

 

[Stomper]

That's why you shoot for the bones...

 

[CamoDeafie]

Ammo? Whats that?

 

[The Heretic]

That's why you shoot for the bones...

Yeah - lots of choice when going for rabbits and squirrels and such.

Plus, .22 RF is not known for being a high penetration projectile.

 

[IronMonster]

Stockpile? Who would do such a silly thing? I would never stockpile.

I just have a bit on hand for the firearms I own, accounting for shortages and panics.

I would never stockpile.