Ammo

[rodmkr]

Didn't know where to put this so decided here was best place.

How much loaded ammo do you keep on hand and how do you store it,
ie: 50 round boxes, 20 round boxes, loose
Have never kept more than 20 rounds loaded for any rifle or pistol before but m considering loading most of my brass.
Would like to know others ideas .

rodmkr

 

[Ian]

I'm sorry, that information is classified.

I'll give you a hint, though. I live less than two hours from the Mexican border and one of my uncles, Daniel Cloud, was murdered at the Alamo.

 

[Bret4207]

Hundreds, maybe thousands in total, in everything from factory boxes to MTM type cases to large Zip Loc freezer bags.

 

[rodmkr]

Guess I better start saving the empty ammo boxes in the trash at the range then.

 

[Jeff H]

My ammo goes into what quality used factory ammo boxes I can lay my hands on, ziplock bags, speed strips, some MTM ammo boxes and recyclable food containers. Probably not the best for someone who stores a "lot." I just don't keep enough loaded to justify investing in something more appropriate.

I don't keep a lot loaded in deference to keeping common components freed up for whatever I need/want when I need/want. I've learned my lesson. I'm still using up 556 brass I prep'd and primed in 1994. Since I use the 223 for jacketed bullets, I don't shoot it much and a few hundred cases takes me a long time to use up. Meanwhile, during the drought, those primers in the 223 cases taunted me when I wanted to shoot something else that used small rifle primers. I never ran out but it bugged me.

 

[fiver]

did you know a commercial 'drum' of powder is 35 lbs?
those same drums will hold 10,000 9mm rounds... just sayin,,,
it don't take 35 lbs of powder to make 10-k 9mm's it does however take 180lbs of lead..... not that I'd know about any of that.
5 gallon buckets with lids are good too, but I prefer the 3 gallon size and ammo cans for bulk storage.
for just 500-1500 rounds or so, MTM type boxes are great and look nice on the shelf too.

 

[Rick]

I quit bulk loading and bulk casting years ago. Bout every time I tried that, before I could come close to using it up I either didn't own gun anymore or the load had changed significantly or . . .

Now I'm old, retired and hopefully a bit wiser. I cast and load what it is I want to shoot now. No more re-melting down 50 pounds of cast bullets that will never get used. No more wondering what to do with all this ammo I have nothing to shoot it in. Keeping it simple these days.

 

[358156 hp]

I use MTM boxes too. Ammo count? I couldn't even begin to guess.

 

[Brad]

How much loaded? Not near enough. I have the components to load 30-50 K rounds.
I tend to be bullet and brass rich and ammo poor. Time may be an issue?

 

[popper]

I load what I need but sometimes forget to put a note in the jug as WHAT I loaded.

 

[smokeywolf]

Like to store loaded ammo in MTM boxes when practical.

Should have more loaded than I do. 30-06 and 45-70 gets shot the most, so that's most of what is on hand.

 

[Chris]

Hundreds, maybe thousands in total, in everything from factory boxes to MTM type cases to large Zip Loc freezer bags.

Same here. I got the stuff to make a lot more.

 

[freebullet]

Well........

More than the smallest town police station, but less than the entire combined us armed forces.

My general rule is, if I know how much, it ain't enough. Coffee cans, ziplocks, surplus cans, plastic cases, buckets, bags, whatever I can grab. Never could load it all if I tried, it is simply a revolving door. Another 2-3 year panic wouldn't affect our ability to shoot. Gotta hedge the panic prices.

 

[358156 hp]

How much loaded? Not near enough. I have the components to load 30-50 K rounds.
I tend to be bullet and brass rich and ammo poor. Time may be an issue?

30-50K? Well, it's a start...

 

[fiver]

it's funny though, I know a couple of guy's that only load shot shells.
all they ever say is they are out of something, got 2 cases of wads and only one bag of shot,
load up on shot and your out of primers, it's always something..

 

[KeithB]

The biscuits and the gravy never come out evenly...

 

[Ian]

Cookies and milk don't, either.

 

[RBHarter]

Boxes , trays , and ammo cans . I once set a goal of X per cartridge on hand and a full batch of nominal practice ammo ....... I made it on 3 cartridges .....then I got lazy .....

 

[JonB]

I like 50 rd boxes...plastic boxes like the MtM or recycled ammo boxes from the dumpster...it's all good.
IDK how many total?
I collect copper pennies also, I store those in recycled mayonnaise jars, IDK how many of those I have full either?
Here's the kicker, whether pennies or cartridges, if I knew how many I had, then I'd know I didn't have enough

 

[Winelover]

I use just about everything to store ammo. Military ammo cans to mayonnaise jars, plus everything in between.

What's on hand depends on caliber, frequency of use and number of firearms chambered for that caliber. I have four 22 rimfires and since it's not reloadable, I keep a lifetime or two, supply on hand. I have a 20mm mortar surplus ammo can full. Way back when promotional ammo was selling at $8.90 a brick, I would buy four bricks and store them in that mortar can. It got so heavy that you have to slide it to move it. Didn't even realize, I had accumulated that much............till I retired and moved to Arkansas.

Thirty eights and 9mm is what I shoot the most. Majority of my remaining stash is of those flavors. Only keep a few MTM boxes of my hunting ammo, on hand..............once I develope a load it prefers, with a particular bullet weight/style.

Unlike some, I never sold a firearm I purchased...................so I don't worry over having too much fodder for any of them.