How much Ammo is “Enough”?

[Franco]

Simple, there is no such thing as "Enough ammo".

 

[ACE (in CT)]

Someone mentioned having ammo for guns you don't own ...

Many years ago, When cleaning out my grandfather's stuff, I found a mostly full box of .32 Winchester Special ammo. Not knowing much about it, and never having known Pop to shoot anything but .35 Rem for deer, I of course decided I had to keep it. I had. the thought in the back of my head to look for a deal on a Model 94 ... but it never happened, Seems everyone with a model 94 thinks it's made of gold. The box sat in a gun safe for maybe 15 years until a conversation with a friend lamenting having a .32 with no ammo available anywhere. I don't think he truly believed I knew the difference between a .32acp and a .32WS until I handed him the box, still tied up in an old bakery string, like a proper Italian does it. I should ask him if he ever shot anything with it, I had forgotten all about that story.

Anyone else have old ammo for a gun you don't own, or never owned?

 

[krish]

That is reasonable minimum at first glance but the problem is for storage space and for some calibers the price.
If you have 10, 20, 30 rifles or more, then it becomes the issue of storage capacity.
I have seen some collections of people on the forum, and it would be impossible to have that amount of ammo with all those guns at home!

Then the price:
Imagine 700 NE? impossible to have 2k quantity of ammo. (for 100 USD per round, 200.000 USD worth of ammo for one caliber only)

Lets put it this way:
I have ammo that all my safes are 100% full.

I agree with you. I dont have doubles or calibers like 577 which cost $100 a round.
For most of my Big bores j keep sabout couple of hundred factory rounds. How ever I keep enough components to be able to load 2k rounds.
Krish

 

[krish]

That is reasonable minimum at first glance but the problem is for storage space and for some calibers the price.
If you have 10, 20, 30 rifles or more, then it becomes the issue of storage capacity.
I have seen some collections of people on the forum, and it would be impossible to have that amount of ammo with all those guns at home!

Then the price:
Imagine 700 NE? impossible to have 2k quantity of ammo. (for 100 USD per round, 200.000 USD worth of ammo for one caliber only)

Lets put it this way:
I have ammo that all my safes are 100% full.

You are right.
I dont have any caliber that cost $100 a round. Most is about mid $20 a round. For such calibers i keep about 200 factory rounds and keep enough components to load 2k rounds.
Krish

 

[rookhawk]

Very interesting thread called ‘How many Guns are Too Many?’ Some also took the opportunity to discuss/ comment there about ‘How many guns are enough?’ That got me wondering, How much ammo is enough?

Some ammo is easy to find, or usually is. Years ago, I’d just replace what I had shot after a hunting trip or range session and call it good. Oh sure I might pick up a little extra here and there, or buy something new but since supply was almost. Always available, I was never worried. That changed drastically and I suspect many or most of us started buying and storing more, when we could find it.

For example: I ended up with my Grandfather’s deer rifle in .35 REM, I had just 1, not quite full, box of 200gr Corelocks. That became a quest, and several years later I think I’m set for another generation or 3.

So, what’s your thinking on how much ammo is enough? I’m looking forward to the (expected) very varied Comments.

For near extinct calibers, I don't think you can have too much. My definition of near extinct would be: 318WR, 333 Jeff, 350 Rigby, 280 Ross, 577NE, 450/400 3.25", .465, 425NE, 475, 600/577 REWA, etc. (And double it for those above that are rimless but a rimmed version also exists)

For non-extinct, 100-200 pieces of brass and the correct bullets for the caliber are enough. (e.g. 470NE)

For the super-common calibers, I don't worry at all about having all the goodies, I spend my money owning enough of the popular powders, primers, and brass to not be a victim. You can always figure out later on that you needed more powder for one than another, or more primers for one than another, provided you have enough unassembled components.

 

[ACE (in CT)]

During the last administration, when the ATF had it's zero tolerance policy, a small LGS owner died, and his daughters were too afraid to continue the business, for fear of getting in trouble.

They had a slow and long "going out of business sale" for everything except firearms, that probably lasted 4+ months. I bought some odds and ends, mostly some ammo, magazines and some Black Powder/MZ components, but I resisted the urge to buy cartridges in calibers I was pretty certain I would never own guns for. I guess truth be told, I was probably afraid I might just have to buy some real expensive rifles since he had a fair stock of big bore stuff.

I remember 9.3x??, .416 and .458wm specifically, but there was some other oddball stuff. That was before I had been to Africa, and found this forum, Looking back, I bet I would have been about to pass along a few boxes to guys here. Oh well, an opportunity missed.
Not the first or the last one I'm sure!

 

[MS 9x56]

Depends on what you are using it for.

 

[Safari Dave]

Someone mentioned having ammo for guns you don't own ...

Many years ago, When cleaning out my grandfather's stuff, I found a mostly full box of .32 Winchester Special ammo. Not knowing much about it, and never having known Pop to shoot anything but .35 Rem for deer, I of course decided I had to keep it. I had. the thought in the back of my head to look for a deal on a Model 94 ... but it never happened, Seems everyone with a model 94 thinks it's made of gold. The box sat in a gun safe for maybe 15 years until a conversation with a friend lamenting having a .32 with no ammo available anywhere. I don't think he truly believed I knew the difference between a .32acp and a .32WS until I handed him the box, still tied up in an old bakery string, like a proper Italian does it. I should ask him if he ever shot anything with it, I had forgotten all about that story.

Anyone else have old ammo for a gun you don't own, or never owned?

This has been my "Achilles Heel," a couple of times.

My brain thinks that only way to handle that precarious situation is to buy a gun that chambers it....

Can it be dealt with another way??????

 

[MS 9x56]

If I don’t own a rifle in that caliber I don’t buy it. My issue comes up when I trade a rifle and no longer have a use for that ammo. I usually give it or sell it to a friend that has a rifle that uses it.