n00b Stocking up on ammo?

[408teach]

So I'm trying to stock up on ammunition. It's my understanding I need to get .45acp 9mm and 5.56. Which brands and grain should I get for each? How much should I buy? I live in alameda but work in santa clara. Should I buy in Santa Clara or go to San Joaquin co.? Thanks

[hamster]

The sentence where you list your calibers confuses me. Do you own guns that shoots those calibers, or do you just want to stock up on them just because?

If you just want ammo to practice or a SHTF scenario any ammo will do.

[AlexBreya]

Get ammo for all your guns, and lots of it. thats what stocking up is. doesn't matter where you buy it or how you buy it. just get all the ammo you can.

[408teach]

The sentence where you list your calibers confuses me. Do you own guns that shoots those calibers, or do you just want to stock up on them just because?

If you just want ammo to practice or a SHTF scenario any ammo will do.

I own a .45. Am building my first AR and was about to buy a 9mm. Obviously buying ammo is more important at this point than finishing the AR or buying the 9mm.

I was thinking of buying 1000 rounds of each. Ideally I'd get 77gr for the AR, 230gr for the .45 and 115gr for the 9mm. Wondering what I'd be ok with for home defense / range shooting if I can't find the others.

Which brands are good? I don't want anything too cheap/dirty

Need by July 1 right? What happens if we backorder and it ships after the 1st?
Thanks

[AlexBreya]

I own a .45. Am building my first AR and was about to buy a 9mm. Obviously buying ammo is more important at this point than finishing the AR or buying the 9mm.

I was thinking of buying 1000 rounds of each. Ideally I'd get 77gr for the AR, 230gr for the .45 and 115gr for the 9mm. Wondering what I'd be ok with for home defense / range shooting if I can't find the others.

Which brands are good? I don't want anything too cheap/dirty

Need by July 1 right? What happens if we backorder and it ships after the 1st?
Thanks

What are you talking about? What happens on July 1? No one is taking away your ammo or guns yet.

BTW, if you're serious, you need way more than 1000 rounds of each caliber

[bohoki]

buy what is cheapest

[hamster]

What are you talking about? What happens on July 1?

What he said.

[missiondude]

Probably gun shop FUD is what happens July 1st. The guys trying to sell him the 9 or AR probably started the sentence with, "You better buy it before July 1st or (insert fav Lib Pol here) is going to ban (insert gun or ammo here)...

[JDoe]

408Teach, what is the barrel length and rate of twist on the AR you are building? Or have you purchased/selected a barrel length/rate of twist yet? This will make a difference in the ammo that is going to be recommended for your AR.

For the .45 ACP and the 9 mm Luger ammo just shoot the cheapest brass or aluminum cased FMJ (full metal jacket) stuff you can find like WWB (Winchester White Box), BB (Blazer Brass), etc. Some people will use the steel cased Russian ammo but others dislike it and claim it does nasty things to firearms. I use brass cased ammo because the ranges I shoot at only allow brass cased ammo.

For Home Defense (HD) and Self Defense (SD) you don't need too many rounds and any name brand JHP (jacketed hollow point) will do the job just fine. If you are thinking L.A. Riots or Katrina preparation probably a few hundred rounds of SD ammo would be just fine as you could use the practice ammo in an all out zombie attack/SHTF situation. If you are thinking just regular HD/SD you are probably good with maybe 40 rounds (two boxes). Chances are you'll never need the ammo for SD just like the chances are you'll never use the fire extinguisher but it is nice to have around just in case.

Some people recommend that you shoot off a couple hundred or more rounds of your chosen SD ammo so you can see if your weapon will operate with that ammo without malfunctioning. Not a bad idea.

Don't forget to lube your weapons as required by the manufacturer too.

When buying ammo feel free to stock up with years worth of practice ammo in reserve but don't go spending the rent or food money to do it. Ammo isn't going anywhere. There is a nationwide shortage of ammo that looks like it is breaking slowly and that means eventual greater availability and decent if not falling prices. Walmart is a great place to buy cheap practice ammo but they've been running short so don't panic if you go there and the ammo case is empty.

Nothing is happening July 1st. Who ever said something was going to happen on July 1st either has their tin foil hat on too tightly or was trying to sell you something.

Welcome to Calguns.

[408teach]

I haven't bought anything yet. I thought ab 2062 could go into place on the 1st? If I have more time that's good. In which case which brands should I buy? I'd rather pay a little more for something cleaner

[Beelzy]

Wow!

Somebody picked the wrong calibers to stock up for, 3 of the most popular
and out of stock ones.

Good luck.

[AlexBreya]

I haven't bought anything yet. I thought ab 2062 could go into place on the 1st? If I have more time that's good. In which case which brands should I buy? I'd rather pay a little more for something cleaner

For 9mm and .45, blazer brass is cheap and of good quality. Normally found in walmarts, but they're alway out of stock now. There is no legislation of any sort that will ban ammo or guns anytime soon.

[408teach]

Thanks a lot for the info. The AR is 14.5", 1 in 7", chambered 5.56.

[Rob Roy]

The law about ammo sales restrictions is to take effect in 2010. How often do you shoot? Personally, 1000 is not enough.

[408teach]

Since I only have one gun right, not often. When I finish the AR I'll start going more.