Everything You’ve Heard About Stockpiling Ammo Is Wrong

Some preppers say that we should all be stockpiling 10,000 rounds of ammunition, but considering how much money that will cost we should be a little more scientific. Deciding how much ammo you will need involves first figuring out which guns you and your group will use in a disaster situation. It is likely you will need guns for two purposes: defense and hunting. It’s probably wise therefore to train and equip each “shooter” in your party with a long gun (a rifle or shotgun) and a pistol. Therefore only stock ammo for those particular guns, even if you have many others in your safe. As for rounds per gun, consider what most soldiers carry: a combat load of 210 rounds. It’s unlikely you could carry or use more than two loads, so lets say 420 rounds per combat gun. As for hunting, most people only use a few rounds each time they hunt, say three. So imagine you might hunt 2 or 3 times per week. How long do you think you will be in crisis mode? Even if it’s a year you’d only need 365 rounds for each of the hunting guns. Add it together and it’s a far cry from the 10,000 that some suggest. So do your math, train your shooters with their guns, and start building up your stockpile.

Key Takeaways:

There are some weapons, like an AR-15 with an adapter kit or a shotgun, that can be used for both hunting and self-defense, while other weapons are better for one or the other.
The basic combat ammo load of an infantry soldier in a war zone is about 210 rounds, and it is unlikely you will need (or be able to carry) more than two basic loads.
Most people who don’t live in or near wildnerness areas won’t actually be doing much hunting, especially if they shelter in place.

“Each member of your party needs a long gun (rifle or shotgun) and a pistol. As one firearm instructor so aptly put it, “A pistol is what you use to fight with, while you’re making your way to your rifle.” The idea here is that the pistol is always on your person, while you might be forced to put the rifle down, in order to accomplish some tasks.”