Whats really enough Defensive Ammo.

[Iraqgunz]

All of my ammo is SHTF ammo. That means for example if I have 10K rounds of 5.56 and I own 5 AR's then that averages to 2000 per weapon. In that ammo count I will also be using it for range training, recheck of zero, etc... when you factor that in then the numbers aren't so great.

I probably have about 1200 per handgun. Again, once I factor training, etc... my numbers aren't great, which means I need to try and replace what I shoot when I can to keep those numbers up.

No one can predict a SHTF scenario nor can you determine how severe it will be. One need only look at all the people who stopped shooting because of the Ammopocalypse. Not only were they not training, they weren't even doing recreational stuff.

All we need right now is for some Nairobi Mall style nonsense to happen and you will see panic like never before.

I wasn't implying you should keep no more than what you can shove into your pockets, but at some point the excess is more for long-term availability (as in years) and serves no immediate purpose.

Seriously, 1000 rounds per rifle and say 250 per hand gun (less if revolver) is likely to last a lifetime. Buy more. Lots more. Just don't keep it all in one place.

[Moose-Knuckle]

You are all correct.

I was not implying that 1000 rounds for a rifle or 250 for a handgun was all you would ever need, and no more would be necessary. I was thinking that the odds of surviving one or multiple encounters where you would expend 1000 rounds of rifle ammo or 250 rounds of pistol ammo was rather unlikely. I never meant to imply that more ammo was not a good thing, or that it might not prove necessary. I simply meant that the odds of actually needing multiple thousands of rounds per weapon seemed less likely than ending up having to abandon these supplies because you a) have to abandon your home, b) have to abandon your vehicle or c) have a catastrophic fire or flood that rendurs your equipment useless.

I keep thinking it's better to settle on a smaller amount kept in the ready and keep extra supplies somewhere else. I wasn't even thinking about training. Keep as many rounds available for training as you can stock. You never know when an opportunity to take a class will present itself, but again your criticisms of my statements are all correct. My assumptions were just that - assumptions. No basis in fact or personnal experience.

I can't speak for Safety, but I don't think he was nor was I dogging you. This sub-forum is great in particular for like minded fellows such as our selves to throw ideas around and bounce them off one another . . . iron sharpens iron and all that. I recently moved, and guess what was the single biggest pain in my a** to move . . . you guessed it my ammo. I won't go into particulars but it sucked. If I had to leave my house in 60 seconds or less yeah I would be leaving A LOT behind. That is just the roll of the dice but the numbers I currently have give me peace of mind and you cannot put a price on that.

Alien and IG bring up some other good points, I'm going to avoid having to use it at all but yeah, all my ammo is for SHTF and as Patriot mentioned we are heading to another election and its only a matter of time before shelves are bare and prices go through the roof again.

[moonshot]

I hear you, and I neither took offense nor felt you all were ganging up on me. I made a pretty categorical statement that was more a debate in philosophy than an action plan.

Additionally, I never included training supplies in my hypothetical numbers. I was only thinking about high-end self-defense ammo. The stuff on Docs list that is expensive to buy and currently hard to find, should it need to be replaced.

I also do not have as many firearms are a lot of you do, so while the rounds per gun may be similar, the totals are far less.

[ranger_1999]

While there is enough ammunition to make us comfortable, there really is never enough to have, either way.

I figure when all else fails money will be worthless, and ammo will be a good bartering tool.

[Safetyhit]

While there is enough ammunition to make us comfortable, there really is never enough to have, either way.

I figure when all else fails money will be worthless, and ammo will be a good bartering tool.

What about if a band or even one of these post-apocalyptic traders decides to shoot you in the head and take all of your guns and ammo while your retrieving a box or two for him?

Unless you are extremely comfortable with who you were dealing with under such circumstances I wouldn't be so confident about how easily one can simply barter ammunition. Would let almost no one know what I had under such a dire circumstance.

Edit: To clarify I do agree with your first statement wholeheartedly.