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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.
But in order to be a worthwhile target, people have to know you have something. That's why I don't get it when people want to advertise their preparations on reality TV shows like "Doomsday Preppers." I can see it on an anonymous forum here, but on a television show? Those people are looking for their 15 minutes of fame.
Rather than making yourself a worthwhile target, a smart man lays low. It doesn't take a platoon or company or battalion or regiment. All it takes is a low-key and smart approach. Don't advertise to everyone around you that you have something of value.
I love some of the bumper stickers I've seen. "Body piercing by Glock." "My 1911 is faster than your 911." "Guarded by Smith & Wesson." These make me laugh, but I would not put them on my car. Not even an NRA sticker. If I put one of those on my car and then park my car in my driveway I am drawing unnecessary attention to my home. Why advertise that you have something of value inside?
Wouldn't it be better to stockpile more ammo making supplies and equipment than the ammo itself? Granted, you want to have some onhand but long term seems like making your own is the better solution.
Why is it people always worry about whether they have enough shootin' stuff? I can count on one hand the number of times someone has started a thread asking about which hand tools they should have.
Hand saws, brace and bit, hand-crank drill mounted on a press, smithing supplies...
But no, everyone is always worried about shooting the zombie hordes.
I blame Hollywood.
I'm on another forum that's for preppers/survivalists only and the issue of firearms doesn't come up that often. You are not on the right forums.
"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.
Thanks for all the advice. If SHTF I am well far enough away from any major metros to be concerned about the exodus of the city dwellers..... and the nearest interstate is about an hour away.
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Originally Posted by monkeywrenching
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.
I hope you buy all that stuff with cash, otherwise, if there IS some Government list with all of us regular ammo buyers on it, I have no doubt you are at the top of it!!
Hey, I just ran across an article with a really great idea about ammo storage! You could store your ammo inside a PVC tube with capped ends!! { glued of course } This method would be waterproof and airtight. I would imagine you could store powder this way to if you reload. And, for the really paranoid among us, you could even bury these little storage containers somewhere in your backyard fairly easily. That would create the cool, dark, and dry place that is required. Best of all, these would be very easy and cheap to make.
Last edited by WhipperSnapper 88; 09-01-2012 at 11:28 PM..
Hey, I just ran across an article with a really great idea about ammo storage! You could store your ammo inside a PVC tube with capped ends!! { glued of course } This method would be waterproof and airtight. I would imagine you could store powder this way to if you reload. And, for the really paranoid among us, you could even bury these little storage containers somewhere in your backyard fairly easily. That would create the cool, dark, and dry place that is required. Best of all, these would be very easy and cheap to make.
dont bury anything in your backyard, that is the 1st place anyone will look, dont choose your neighbors yard either.
caches are an idea that has been around for centuries, so nothing new there.
a better idea than just ammo in a cache, is to put 4 sks's and 1680 rounds of 7.62x39, 1st aid kit, 6 MRE's, 2 changes of clothing and extra pair of boots and a cleaning kit in a 5 foot long 10 inch wide pvc tube with ends attached with silicone. when you need to remove the top just use a shoelace to saw through the end.
also, if you live in any state the has a frostline, make sure you bury the cache below that line.
also, it is not being paranoid, it is being prudent.
PS. I always buy all my things with cash, I have not had any credit cards for quite a long time.
I also doubt very much if I am at the top of any list, as I am a small buyer compared to most of the people I know of.
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? If you are comfortable answering this question, how much ammo do you have stockpiled? What caliber?
So how much ammo does one need in a SHTF situation? What caliber is best in YOUR opinion and why?
I have 150 rounds of 9mm. That's more than enough. When the time comes, there'll be plenty of weapons and ammo lying about....free for the taking. You might have to wipe off the brains and intestines, but what the heck, it's free.
Did you do your vulnerability assessment yet?
No? Then why are you worrying about ammunition?
You're really putting the cart before a small furry rodent-like mammal....that eventually evolves into an horse...after millions and millions of years.
Calculate the die-off for your county/area -- which will simultaneously tell you how many people can survive, and then look at threats from other areas. Some people can get by with basic combat load, but others, like myself, there just isn't enough ammunition, because we'll have to kill a couple 100,000 people who are going to be after our food. So instead of ammunition, you should be stock-piling powered laundry soap detergent, and finding ways to access diesel and gasoline, so that you can make napalm claymores, and napalm mortars. And then home-made flame-throwers are good too, even if all you can do is spray people with burning oil.
We're lucky, because we have a natural barrier (a river) to help protect us and make defense easy. However, there are 3 bridges across that river. I can destroy one of the bridges, but not the other two. I can render both impassable to armored vehicles, which will delay threat force troops. The one bridge is I-74 as it crosses the Great Miami River. Can't destroy that. That comes right out of down-town Cincinnati. There'll be 300,000 to 750,000 scum coming up I-74 and down the hill to eat up all of our orchards, our crops, and our animals, plus they'll get into Whitewater Forest and kill all of the deer and boar, and other animals to eat.
I'll use bulldozers to create earthen berms, and set up obstacles with mines and booby-traps on the bridge, and then lob napalm at them as they come down the hill and try to cross over. I'll have sniper teams (with spotters) out to identify the leaders and instigators and kill them as quickly as possible. Once the leaders/instigators are dead, the sheeple will instantly convert into people and run away.
There's also the matter of 7 Million people in Chicago and 1+ Million in the Indianapolis area. They'll be headed somewhere looking for food. Millions will head down I-65 and ravish the crop-fields in northern Indiana. Some will make to I-74 into Indianapolis and beyond. How many? Doesn't really matter. They won't make it past the White River in Ripley County, so who cares.
Anyway, you need a plan, and once you have a viable plan, all the other pieces of the puzzle --- like how much ammo you'll need --- fall into place.
If the plan is to bury in tubes dig a deep hole for each one.. with a post hole digger or better, and place them end up. That will slow down anyone looking.
I don't do that but that is how i would if i did.
I have a lot because i shoot a lot, and replace what i shoot with more than i shot.
bs13690, some ammo types come far cheaper pre made than the components would cost, one example is steel case non-reloadable 7.62 x 39 ammo for the Ak.
I could buy brass, powder, cases and projectiles but what for? Just get enough to have for that ever so special rainy day and that's the end of it. Most of mine is in sealed tins, and come cheap by the case. It was a lot cheaper in 2000 or before than it is now.
Still a buck today will be worth less tomorrow than it is today.
That counts in most guns and most ammo. I have guns that cost more now than they did long ago, and I know that when the sun rises tomorrow these same guns will just be worth more.
But in order to be a worthwhile target, people have to know you have something.
Got suppressors? Let off a bunch or rounds, kill or scare off the hungry hordes and word will get out.
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I love some of the bumper stickers I've seen. "Body piercing by Glock." "My 1911 is faster than your 911." "Guarded by Smith & Wesson." These make me laugh, but I would not put them on my car.
I'm with you on that one. I nothing like giving prosecutors added visual evidence when prosecuting a shooter who claims self-defense.
there just isn't enough ammunition, because we'll have to kill a couple 100,000 people
Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Henry Pulleine learned that lesson - well actually he was killed so he didn't learn much - at Isandlwana and the ratio then was only 11:1.
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