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I think a good starting point is 500 to 1,000 per pistol, 1k-5k per rifle. .22 is so cheap, you can easily have 10,000 rounds. I think it depends on what you are planning for. While it is true that no one wants to be shot with a .22, I would still buy one or two guns of significantly greater caliber. I consider a .22 a nice round to use when you don't have to use a bigger round--not a replacement for a bigger round.
How would one know which areas are more prone? I would think in a SHTF situation, no area would really be safe.
I can hit reasonably well.
I'm no newbie.... I have been around, owned, and shot firearms since I was 6 years old. I'm not stuck on any "which caliber" question. The caliber that is best in MY opinion for a SHTF situation is the .22........I was merely asking which caliber YOU thought would be best for an all-around caliber, which you didn't answer btw.
Thanks for the answer!!!!
There is no reason to answer the caliber question as the debate is a circular one. Vital zone hits with consistency on a moving target while under stress matter; if you cannot make those hits, then caliber is irrelevant as are stockpiles of ammo. You can no more disuade hoards of roving marauders from 400 yrds with a .22lr than you can put small wild game on your family's table with .50 BMG.
Joel Skousen does a good job describing which areas are most prone to urban dwellers pushing out from the cities looking for safety. Mainly, be out of the urban areas by at least 1 full tank of gas or more . Be an hour away from any major interstate or major state highway. Be off a side road, off of a side road, and well removed from that if possible.
When I see someone posting about "stockpiling ammo." and "which caliber is best" then I know this is someone whose training and perspective are limited. The average person fits this description because until they've had training or seen the elephant, they do not know what they do not know. The likely hard times are going to be a reality check for many. It helps to start the journey of preparedness firmly grounded in reality rather than fantasies of Mad Max or Red Dawn.
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Originally Posted by itsMeFred
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But no, everyone is always worried about shooting the zombie hordes.
I think that before you begin to stockpile ammo or train on a specific weapon, or even stockpile food and medical supplies, you need to sit down and consider for what it is you are preparing, and how you are going to respond to it.
For example, say you have a huge stockpile of food, medical supplies, and ammo at your home, but you are not home when disaster strikes. Have you planned for a "mobile response?" And is the mobile response going to employ your Chevrolet or your "Chevro-legs?" Ammo is heavy and food takes up a lot of space, plus it often doesn't keep unless it is stored properly. Plus these are not the only supplies you'll need. What about water? If your home is overrun while you are away, are you ready to adapt, or is your stockpile your only hope for survival?
With that in mind, a .22 is a good conceal gun for being mobile. You can store a lot of .22 ammo in your car, too, though you will want to take precautions. Cars can be broken into and stolen after all. If you are in an urban area, a pistol of some kind would be a good tool. In a rural area, alpine or wooded environment, maybe a rifle of .243 or larger would be advisable so that you can take down large game if the opportunity and need presents itself. Either way, you will be limited in what you can carry and for how long.
It seems like the more questions you answer, the more you have to answer. At some point you need to realize that you cannot possibly plan for EVERY possible scenario. You can develop a concept of how you will respond and refine it as needed. I think it was General Patton who said that "no good plan survives first contact with the enemy." So true.
In every situation you'll ever experience, your brain is your best weapon.
With that in mind, I am slowly building up a supply of ammo, for a number of reasons. I like to shoot and am learning how to hunt this fall. I don't have a minimum set amount of ammo I want to keep on hand. I rotate what caliber/gauge I purchase every payday based on what I need most and what is available for a good deal at the moment. I have a 12 gauge shotgun, a .30-06, a .22 WMR rifle, a .22 LR pistol, a .357, a .45, and an AR-15 (.223/5.56mm). I am always on the look out for a good ammo source, too.
Last edited by iknowftbll; 08-31-2012 at 08:27 PM..
Something else that needs to be considered when planning on stocking up on ammo for whatever reason, whether it be SHTF/TEOTWAWKI, fears of banning through extreme taxes, or because you just plain want to, is how to store it. I know, as one poster already mentioned, that it should be kept in a cool, dry place. Thats about the extent of my knowledge on long term storage of ammunition. How does one go about storing it for the long term? By long term, I would say about 5-10 years at a minimum.
Something else that needs to be considered when planning on stocking up on ammo for whatever reason, whether it be SHTF/TEOTWAWKI, fears of banning through extreme taxes, or because you just plain want to, is how to store it. I know, as one poster already mentioned, that it should be kept in a cool, dry place. Thats about the extent of my knowledge on long term storage of ammunition. How does one go about storing it for the long term? By long term, I would say about 5-10 years at a minimum.
"Cool dry place" is the standard answer here. If you live in a damp climate, don't put it in your garage. If you do not have a safe, you can use a wooden box and place it in your closet, where the wood fiber and the clothing will absorb moisture in the air. Of course, if you keep your home insulated (we all do) and steady air flow throughout, moisture in the air in your home should not be too big a problem. But over 5-10 years, every little thing you can do helps. Some people use humidifiers for their health. Don't store your ammo in the same room as your humidifier! A friend of mine collects fine cigars and stores them in a humidor. Humidor = great for fine cigars, not so great for ammo!
Storing ammo is not hard, but you don't want to just leave it lying around with nothing protecting it. Another thing to consider if you do not have a safe and there are kids around is the inquisitive nature of children. Keep it where they are either not going to find it, can't reach it, etc...
One thing that I would reiterate though is that where you are located can really have an affect on your ability and the wisdom of stock piling ammo. For example, if you are in an urban area, you may find that you have to flee town for a myriad of reasons. Obviously you won't be able to carry a life time of ammo supply with you, unless you are able to flee in a box truck. So before you find yourself sitting on 30 short tons of .22LR make sure that it is the most sensible long-term survival investment.
1,500 rnds of .22's is nothing..... that's 3 bricks.. Nothing....
Storage is fine in ammo boxes and for years measured in decades. Around 50/55 degrees constant is nice, and no matter what they say black powders don't go bad over night and i have some older than I am and i am 60...
Just don't drive powders around which will tend to separate grains. Big problem in the Navy where engine shake powders.
I have too many guns in too many cals to consider stocking large numbers of funky calibers so i limit to black powder, lots more than 3 bricks of 22's, so many as i consider a life time supply of powder shot and shells for 12 ga, nothing for 16ga, but i own a few boxes for that gun.
Not much for the 30-30 winnie, but rather a lot for the .308 which can do 2 and 4 legged deers
A good part of why is every time i go to the store the cost is up.. I have black powder new in the can that was just under 4 dollars a pound still. Today in the store it is over 15 bucks!
I have no idea if SHTF will happen or not, but if it does in ammo I am ready. My plan is to use the black stuff for hinting 4 leggeds and defending myself and mine with modern fodder, so by conserving the modern fodders which are harder to make.
I also keep molds for casting on hand, bricks of lead castings and hard lead as well. I can make anything i want except for modern copper jackets, and i don't need modern copper jackets.
Being 60 I don't need to think like I was 20 either......
I'm wondering, if a SHTF situation were to occur, how much ammo would be a good amount to have had stockpiled in your opnion?
Enough to make you a worthwhile target.
If life gets that bad, I would be more concerned about creating a company size group of survivalist to help defend your cache... but then the opposition will put together a battalion, then you'll have to build a regiment... a division... an army and then we can all just start the race to armageddon all over again.
1,500 rnds of .22's is nothing..... that's 3 bricks.. Nothing....
Storage is fine in ammo boxes and for years measured in decades. Around 50/55 degrees constant is nice, and no matter what they say black powders don't go bad over night and i have some older than I am and i am 60...
Just don't drive powders around which will tend to separate grains. Big problem in the Navy where engine shake powders.
I have too many guns in too many cals to consider stocking large numbers of funky calibers so i limit to black powder, lots more than 3 bricks of 22's, so many as i consider a life time supply of powder shot and shells for 12 ga, nothing for 16ga, but i own a few boxes for that gun.
Not much for the 30-30 winnie, but rather a lot for the .308 which can do 2 and 4 legged deers
A good part of why is every time i go to the store the cost is up.. I have black powder new in the can that was just under 4 dollars a pound still. Today in the store it is over 15 bucks!
I have no idea if SHTF will happen or not, but if it does in ammo I am ready. My plan is to use the black stuff for hinting 4 leggeds and defending myself and mine with modern fodder, so by conserving the modern fodders which are harder to make.
I also keep molds for casting on hand, bricks of lead castings and hard lead as well. I can make anything i want except for modern copper jackets, and i don't need modern copper jackets.
Being 60 I don't need to think like I was 20 either......
I am with Mac, having enough to supply myself and my family if something does ever happen. 10 cases of 22LR @ 5k a case, 60k+ of 7.62, too many for me to remember on most of the rest. I only remember the 7.62 because I just got done buying a half pallet of it a month ago.
ammo is getting alot more expensive as time goes along. also bought ~600 pounds of powder, lots of primers and also get as much brass as I can when i go to the range, even to the point of asking other folks if they want their fired brass. wheel weights and lead bars and molds are good for reloading as well.
My least of anything is 6.5 x 54MS for that really strange rifle I have. It is a thing of beauty to me, but the rnd is so strange that in SHTF the whole thing is no more than junk to me. So only 4 boxes of 20 are around at any given time.
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