SHTF stockpile ammo?

[SOCMOB]

Great posts here.

I've been putting my savings in .22 not the bank. I don't buy "bulk" 22's, I have some to burn up at the range but the stuff I'm saving for the end-days is higher quality. I've seen target ammo still good after decades.

The idea of using ammo for money is ridiculed as "ballistic wampum" and I agree, do you want to arm a potential enemy, or broadcast that you have ammo to spare? But you may want to contribute to other members of your local defense group etc.

Stock up! is my watchword. TS may HTF anytime, but in any case, we won't be able to without being on a big bad gov't list in a year or less. ID, fingerprints, etc yadda yadda and only 50 rounds a month allowed.

We may well end up with short-durations of rock'n'roll, scoot'n'shoot, periods of violent unrest. Think about it, just a group of baddies doing an attack on you and the police long to come or not coming, is your own personal Mad Max future. Just in the last week 2-3 members here have had it happen.

The Apocalypse isn't coming, it's here, now. This is what the "coming of the Apocalypse" looks like, it comes on slow, and the violence etc just keeps slowly rising. I fully expect some "The Road" action in Arizona and that's why I'm not there. Parts of the San Francisco Delta may actually come to resemble Waterworld, if you can adapt to living "on" the Delta, you have good defense against most baddies, good fishing, etc. Escape from New York? Most zombie movies? All will be real, at least in places, for some people. People who've never been hungry for more than a few hours, are off their meds, and whose world has collapsed will indeed act just like zombies. Enough people act like zombies NOW.

[jackliu239]

How long will the none 00 buck ammo last for, those 8 size shots for example

[xrMike]

What happens when you run out of ammo?

You wake up in a cold sweat, breathing hard, and you say: "F*ck, another one of those SHTF dreams again... "

[ZX-10R]

I have tons of ammo. 7.62x54 (2640), 7.62x39 (less than 500), and just bought a 1000 rounds of .223...You should always be buying ammo and rotating them out for shooting. That is what I do.

[ZX-10R]

I purposely try to limit the amount of different rounds I need, and have guns that use the same ammo when possible. I have .38/.357 guns, .40 caliber guns and .22/.22Mag guns.

Working on having at least 2000 rounds in each denomination stashed

That is a great idea. On AK Forum, one guy had cases and cases and cases of 7.62x39 and x54...It was incredible to behold. I have more x54 because I shoot my PSL the most. My AK I am still trying to determine if I like the cheap Wolf or getting any of the Yugo brass I liked more (was also cheaper in WA)...I only want to shoot brass, NO STEEL through my ARs so I am going to slowly start stocking tons of that as well. Again the $$$ scope guys can learn from this...So yeah, I have tons of ammo for shooting and just in case...Because a damn scope cannot do squat on its own.

[RideIcon]

I want 1 BILLION rounds for each of my guns... So I will NEVER have enough. :P

[CSACANNONEER]

I'm not going to read every post in this thread so, forgive me if this has already been said.

I definately agree with stockpiling ammo to hedge inflation etc. But, in an urban SHTF situation, your stash will be useless. You might not be able to get to it. You sure can not carry it all. And, chances are that, if found, it will be used against you. If you are in an urban area, you are not going to be able to stay there for a long period of time. If you fire a weapon in town, it'll be like a dinner bell going off so, expect to leave your stash before you are over run. In the end, if SHTF is your only concern, I would not have more than a box or two of ammo and one gun. By the time you use 50-100 rounds of ammo, you will either be dead or you will have "aquired" more firearms and ammo.

How long will the none 00 buck ammo last for, those 8 size shots for example

All ammo will last indefinately if stored properly.

[hp95125]

ammo

I dont understand when people say get calibers that will be "easy to find"..
what would be hard is finding someone that has enough ammo that the are willing to part with. I know I would never sell a single round in an event where lots of ammo would be handy.

No need to argue this point too much - I feel better having guns with common calibers. Think extreme situations like where people will start trading ammo for other essentials, or groups joining forces and resources, or ammo taken from others (no need to elaborate on that).

[Sillyguy]

great thread here!

[xxINKxx]

Just remember ammo starts to get extreamly heavy once your up to about 500 rounds (unless its 22lr). If the SHTF scenerio involves you heading out on foot to escape, add a bag full of gear, water which is also heavy, survival stuff and gun(s) the ammo alone will be the part holding you back from getting far.

[patriot_man]

I stock up on 5.56 and a **** load of 22lr and a few rounds of 7.62x39. I do not own any rifles in 7.62x39 but good to have it just in case.

[Sinixstar]

I can understand the sentiment behind the stockpile concept. The practical reality of it is a little different though.

There's this common mentality people seem to have that you'll be the sole defender of all things good, fighting back the filthy hoards of evil doers with your trusty red-rider. The reality is, that's probably not going to be the case. You're going to be surviving- not fighting WWIII from the comfort of your living room..

If you have to leave your environment, are you going to be in prolonged gun battles with multiple people? Again, probably not. Even in an absolute catastrophe situation, you're going to likely be avoiding potential threats as much as possible - much the way we would any other day.

That said - what is reasonable? What are you comfortable with realistically? What's your situation - are you likely to 'hold down the fort' or 'bug out'? All of these things have to be taken into consideration, and are unique to your own situation...

For me - I've got a brick of .22LR, and enough 9mm and .45 set aside to comfortably venture forth if I had to, without being too much burden to carry. Also enough .270win to do the same in case I go somewhere that reaching out is more effective for my needs...

[INJUNTOM]

The SHTF situation I would be most expecting are:

-Race war
-Civil war
-Extreme rioting

All very realistic situations that could happen considering the way things are going in this country.

I would expect to hold up in my house with all my guns and ammo and try to fend off anyone who tries to overtake me. Not really expecting to go mobile.

Another scenario is a situation where if we were attacked by another country and/or terrorists who possibly knock down our infrastructure so that we have no power, stores, etc, I would want to be able to live off the land as well as fend off foreign or domestic enemy.

I live 3 blocks from the river, so living off the land is practical for me without leaving my home.

[Juice5610]

The SHTF situation I would be most expecting are:

-Race war
-Civil war
-Extreme rioting

All very realistic situations that could happen considering the way things are going in this country.

I would expect to hold up in my house with all my guns and ammo and try to fend off anyone who tries to overtake me. Not really expecting to go mobile.

Another scenario is a situation where if we were attacked by another country and/or terrorists who possibly knock down our infrastructure so that we have no power, stores, etc, I would want to be able to live off the land as well as fend off foreign or domestic enemy.

I live 3 blocks from the river, so living off the land is practical for me without leaving my home.

You know I never understood the "bugging in" approach how hard would it be for a one person to distract you while the other lobs molotovs at your house essentially smoking you out? You cant see this arsonist as his buddys are messing with you in another part of the house... you cant be in two/three/four places at once

[jackliu239]

all very interesting, so I guess there are many kinda of SHTF scenario,

You can have the temporary disaster scenario ones such as Katrina/earthquake/riot, in which you only need to stay in a fix places long enough for the order to be restored

Or you can have the "The Book of Eli (2010)" scenario, when you need to travel to another place

Or Red Dawn/civil war scenario, operating in danger/behind enemy line while at same time, live off the land.

Or post nuclear apocalypse, in which everyone is for himself.





ps. notice I didn't add zombie scenario.