How Much Ammo Do I Need In Case SHTF?

[MechAg94]

I was thinking that if you had enough neighbors, you would have a night watch.  I guess that is hard with just one.

For me, my 200 lumen surefire does a good job of illumination. 

[S. Williamson]

Buy a gun for every single caliber ever made.

Including a Dardick, GyroJet, .455 Webley Auto, .408 CheyTac, and 2 Bore.

It's the only way to be sure.

[Jamisjockey]

I was thinking that if you had enough neighbors, you would have a night watch.  I guess that is hard with just one.

For me, my 200 lumen surefire does a good job of illumination. 

No it's very true.  I'd just be nervous about arming someone who might have no fire discipline and light one off at the wrong time. 

[MechAg94]

No it's very true.  I'd just be nervous about arming someone who might have no fire discipline and light one off at the wrong time. 

I don't disagree, but the same could be said for anyone including your neighbors that already have guns.  The stress will bring out the "best" in people.

[wmenorr67]

Helps if being able to secure a neighborhood like JJ can when you live on a cul-de-sac.  Harder to secure a street when it is a secondary artery between two primary ones.

[RevDisk]

I agree, except the common caliber I'd be scrounging from the NG would likely be 155mm. 

I like my property. Just wish I had more acres, but I got it cheap enough to pay the place off in a few years. It's not out in the far boonies, but not in a densely populated area. Judging from the neighbors, I doubt that many folks would actually GET far enough up the ridge to bother me. I'm not building a fortress (not needed, and too much attention), just...  well built.

[Lee]

I'm either paranoid, or a planner (hopefully more of the latter), but I've thought through multiple SHTF scenarios for my neighborhood, and considered which of my neighbors would be the best defenders (and who I would be willing to arm if need be).  My choices would be mostly women, for a number of reasons.  Number one - nearly all (maybe all) the men are anti-gunners, who golf every weekend, own no tools, and think that hunting is something that only a toothless hillbilly does.  They golf, drink beer, and watch sports. A few mow their own grass. The women understand survival better, and what is at stake.  I think they would be more willing to kill bad guys to protect their families....and would likely be quick studies.  I think they would better conserve ammo.  More importantly, I don't think they'd turn on me or my family.  A few well placed mil surp rifles, along with a medium range barrage of buckshot, .223 and pistols would discourage all but the most motivated.

[MillCreek]

^^^ Good thinking.  Plus there is that whole 'rebuild the human race through unchecked breeding' thing to think of.

[Jamisjockey]

I don't disagree, but the same could be said for anyone including your neighbors that already have guns.  The stress will bring out the "best" in people.

True.  Only one that I know of has a gun, and I could probably keep him from doing something stupid.  The rest I'm not sure I could even consider arming them in all but the most dire circumstances.


Yeah the culdesac gives us a reasonable advantage.  Obviously, the more intrepid attackers could come over/through the fence in the back, but the average looter probably isn't going to go to all that trouble.

[Balog]

I'm finding it more and more difficult to picture wide spread societal breakdown to the point ravening bands of looters would be roaming the suburbs and you'd need prolonged 24/7 over watch. Well, barring a pandemic or meteor strike etc. It seems to me that even in the event of currency collapses in Argentina or the Weimar things were not at that level. Unless one envisions a return to the literal dark ages where men forget how all that fancy technology stuff worked (and lost the ability to decipher the texts describing it) then having 50k rounds of ammunition seems to be a bit impractical. Especially if other items (food creation, medical care, ability to actually use all that equipment etc) is neglected. Not being negative towards anyone who does see that as a strong possibility, just my own viewpoint these days.

[Harold Tuttle]

If the S hits the windmere to level 11, a flintlock and a keg of powder will get me by.

[AJ Dual]

I'm finding it more and more difficult to picture wide spread societal breakdown to the point ravening bands of looters would be roaming the suburbs and you'd need prolonged 24/7 over watch. Well, barring a pandemic or meteor strike etc. It seems to me that even in the event of currency collapses in Argentina or the Weimar things were not at that level. Unless one envisions a return to the literal dark ages where men forget how all that fancy technology stuff worked (and lost the ability to decipher the texts describing it) then having 50k rounds of ammunition seems to be a bit impractical. Especially if other items (food creation, medical care, ability to actually use all that equipment etc) is neglected. Not being negative towards anyone who does see that as a strong possibility, just my own viewpoint these days.

Your viewpoint isn't at all unreasonable. The odds are mainly in favor of "tough times" rather than total SHTF. As Micro's pointed out, Rome survived as an Empire for several centuries longer after the Republic had fallen. Barring an asteroid or WWIII, I'd lay money on a "at least the trains run on time" sort of American future, maybe up until the ages of anyone on this board's great-grandchildren.

And plenty of modern "first world" nations have and are faring worse than what we've got going on right now, without America's massive economic "momentum" (or land, agriculture, or resources) for lack of a better term. Nobody is expecting Greece to look like "Mad Max" or even Sarajevo, even if there's total default and a withdrawing from the Eurozone over there.

Although OTOH, according to Ferfal's blog and articles on these events, armed gangs going house to house DID happen to some degree, way above the "normal crime background rate" for Argentina. Bad enough that most folks needed (but did not have) a LCMSR and fortified doorways. He also pointed out that the rural folks generally fared worse in these attacks, since the looters could occupy the home for a few days/weeks, and er... "play" with the occupants with little chance of being heard. Playing the odds, row houses in a good middle class neighborhood was actually your best bet, since your neighbors, and potential help was often just a wall away. If the family did get wiped out, at least it was quicker.

And in places like SA, as I'm sure Jocasee can tell you, razor wire and security gates inside one's own home are commonplace.

[Balog]

Oh absolutely AJ, I was actually thinking of ferfal when I wrote that. I guess to me there is a difference between sharply increased home invasion robbery and the Rodney King riots being replayed nation wide, far from urban centers, for an extended period of time. And the latter seems a staple of survivalist fiction.

[Jamisjockey]

I'm finding it more and more difficult to picture wide spread societal breakdown to the point ravening bands of looters would be roaming the suburbs and you'd need prolonged 24/7 over watch. Well, barring a pandemic or meteor strike etc. It seems to me that even in the event of currency collapses in Argentina or the Weimar things were not at that level. Unless one envisions a return to the literal dark ages where men forget how all that fancy technology stuff worked (and lost the ability to decipher the texts describing it) then having 50k rounds of ammunition seems to be a bit impractical. Especially if other items (food creation, medical care, ability to actually use all that equipment etc) is neglected. Not being negative towards anyone who does see that as a strong possibility, just my own viewpoint these days.

I fully agree with your statement.
My primary número UNO concern is being in a hurricane zone near a major metropolis.  Everyone points to Katrina, but I'd liken my possible scenario to be more Andrew-like. 
I have several hundred rounds of ammo for all my calibers except my .30-30.  The cheapest and easiest gun to feed and stock for is my .22.  My  mad max fantasies say "keep several thousand rounds of deuce deuce on hand".  I intend to buy more .22's in the next few years. 
Nobody wants to be shot.  I stand by the belief that the .22 is one of the best "oh *expletive deleted*it, society has collapsed!" calibers.  You can walk out the door with a long gun and a hand gun and several thousand rounds in your pocket.  Is it a bad ass man stopper? Nope.  But in a pinch, several well placed hits will get the point across.  My 10/22 is a tack driver.

[Regolith]

I have several hundred rounds of ammo for all my calibers except my .30-30.

You should change that. .30-30 is probably one of the cheapest non-milsurp major centerfire cartridge, and lever-action .30-30s are handy rifles.

[Lee]

I also bought an air rifle and a few thousand pellets for small SHTF game hunting.  My right arm has served me well for many years and is not likely to give out for awhile. 

[lee n. field]

The cheapest and easiest gun to feed and stock for is my .22.  My  mad max fantasies say "keep several thousand rounds of deuce deuce on hand".  I intend to buy more .22's in the next few years. 
Nobody wants to be shot. 

"Several" thousand?  There was a while during the Great 0bama Ammo Famine when .22 bulk pack was all I could find.  I ended up with somewhere in the neighborhood of 8-10 thousand rounds.

Just hope Winchester, Federal, et al are geared up for Round Two.

I stand by the belief that the .22 is one of the best "oh *expletive deleted*, society has collapsed!" calibers.  You can walk out the door with a long gun and a hand gun and several thousand rounds in your pocket.  Is it a bad ass man stopper? Nope.  But in a pinch, several well placed hits will get the point across. 

Nobody's going to stay hanging around with someone plinking at them.

My 10/22 is a tack driver.

Note to self -- take the 10/22 out more.

[lee n. field]

You should change that. .30-30 is probably one of the cheapest non-milsurp major centerfire cartridge, and lever-action .30-30s are handy rifles.

As cheap as 7.62x54?

I note that a lever rifle is more cast bullet friendly than an autoloader.

[Regolith]

As cheap as 7.62x54?

7.62x54 is milsurp.

[MechAg94]

If you need more range, thinks like 17Mach2 and 17 HMR are nice rounds also.  17Mach2 costs about $60 for 500 rounds.  I converted my 10/22 and can do 1" groups at 100 yards most every time out.  More than good enough. 

If you have the money, something suppressed would be valuable in a situation like that to help stay concealed. 

[MechAg94]

I would think the defensibility of a cul-de-sac would depend a lot on what is behind it.  If there are just more houses, fine, but if if there is a street, bayou, or right of way, you are vulnerable.  I know the wood fence on my house is not a very good barrier.  I would say most of the boards are tight, but I can't say they all are or would stay that way.

[birdman]

Well, I don't know the "right" answer, but I don't like having less than 1k rounds per weapon (preferably 2k), plus 5k in 5.56 and 10k of 22LR.  And a minimum of 5 magazines (10+ preferable) per weapon, 20+ for common ones (AR, FAL, etc).

[Jamisjockey]

You should change that. .30-30 is probably one of the cheapest non-milsurp major centerfire cartridge, and lever-action .30-30s are handy rifles.

I've been stocking shotgun and handgun ammo mostly.  Intend to pick a few more boxes of .3030 this year.

If you need more range, thinks like 17Mach2 and 17 HMR are nice rounds also.  17Mach2 costs about $60 for 500 rounds.  I converted my 10/22 and can do 1" groups at 100 yards most every time out.  More than good enough. 

If you have the money, something suppressed would be valuable in a situation like that to help stay concealed. 

Twenty twos are pretty cheap to suppress. 


My next ones will likely not be magazine fed, to feed my post apocalyptic fantasies.  Tube fed lever or semis I think. 

[Jamisjockey]

Well, I don't know the "right" answer, but I don't like having less than 1k rounds per weapon (preferably 2k), plus 5k in 5.56 and 10k of 22LR.  And a minimum of 5 magazines (10+ preferable) per weapon, 20+ for common ones (AR, FAL, etc).

A big thing to consider is a) if you are prepping for anything and b) what are you prepping for?

[birdman]

A big thing to consider is a) if you are prepping for anything and b) what are you prepping for?

I'm prepping for my hobby of shooting...a lot, other than that, nothing in particular :)