# What kind of ammo do you store



## ltburrows (Dec 8, 2014)

So recently I've been thinking. Only 1800 rounds that I have for my handgun are ball ammo. But I wouldn't cc ball ammo so why would I store it? So what I've come up with is, if SHTF I want to have my carry ammo in my hand gun to protect myself, so that what I'm going to store. 
What does everyone else have stored?


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

I store everything I percieve a need for, 99.5% is ball ammo.
Ball has been around for over 100 years and has done the job quite well.
One thousand round of ball is better to have on hand than 200 rounds of super preimum do all specials for the same price.
Shot placement counts for more than pre engraved expandable rounds.
Learn to shoot better.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

I store a mixture of ball and hollow point. The ball rotates out faster due to practice. The hollowpoint that is carried in my cc guns gets fired when at the range and replaced with store bought when required. I'd guess 70/30 ball to high performance in the house usually.


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

I train with ball ammo for the most part and carry hollow point in all my CC's. I do practice with personal protection rounds on occasion to test compatibility with the gun and to practice with the rounds. But most of my storage is ball ammo with a smattering of Hollow.


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## SDF880 (Mar 28, 2013)

Ball, HP, SP and shells Most of the common calibers, 12GA, and 410 for wife.


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## Urbanprepper666 (Apr 19, 2015)

I keep a mixture of ball and hollow. I mean I buy according to prices sales deals ect.. I try to keep as much stored up as possible for as long as possible it depends how often im at the range ect... at any given time never less then 1k rounds for each of my toys that's the least!


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

I have what the guns like. Based on accuracy, reliability and bullet type. I use and have some ball for cheap practice, most of mine are custom reloads. Tested and practiced with in each gun. I have no plan on using ball in a SHTF scenario. If I have to shoot I want the nastiest ammo available. I'm not risking the families and my life with ball or cheap FMJ and having to shoot something a few times. Bang flop in one shot.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Mixed. 85% ball. 15% other. In real estate there are three rules. Location, location and location. As long as it feeds properly, ammo has the same 3 rules. Can't kill it if you can not hit the vitals. Ball is less expensive so I practice more, hence more precise.


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## 1895gunner (Sep 23, 2012)

Actually I keep much smaller amounts of ammo for each caliber I own since I reload. Maybe between 200 & 300 rounds of each. Now for supplies to reload each caliber. I'll just say more than enough for my lifetime regardless of the number of skirmishes (I mean hunting trips).

I trust my reloads as much as most folk trust factory ammo. I've never had any issue with thousands upon thousands of reloads fired.

1895gunner


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

I store everything I can get my hands on.


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## csi-tech (Apr 13, 2013)

all ball in my stockpile. Premium for EDC.


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## just mike (Jun 25, 2014)

For CC I use Barnes TacXPD, Pretty pricy even when you buy the bullets from Barnes and reload. The vast majority I have stacked back are 200grain RNFP lead. They function in all of my 45's and hit hard and are quite accurate. Big plus is I have the dies to make as many as I have lead for and I have a LOT of lead. Carrying 45acp ball ammo would not bother me at all, 9mm ball does not make as big a hole as 45acp but it does have very good penetration. Like another poster said Location-Location-Location!!!


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

.22,.25,380,38,9mm,357,45acp,45colt,30-30,30.06.308,7.62X39,.223,5.56, 50, 12ga,20,ga. A lot of it is ball but we do mix it up. Not going into how muh just that it is enough.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Chipper said:


> I have what the guns like. Based on accuracy, reliability and bullet type. I use and have some ball for cheap practice, most of mine are custom reloads. Tested and practiced with in each gun. I have no plan on using ball in a SHTF scenario. If I have to shoot I want the nastiest ammo available. I'm not risking the families and my life with ball or cheap FMJ and having to shoot something a few times. Bang flop in one shot.


I assume you are referring to handgun ammo.

M-80, M-118, M-852, 30M2 ball or AP does a real good job of stopping people with one round.
I would not consider any of these cheap, especially the 118 and 852.
I stopped reloading a long time ago, however, I do use premium grade handgun ammo in my EDC pieces.
Some mags, caliber dependent, are alternately mixed (stacked) with armor piercing truncated conical bullets along with the premium rounds.
I don't need premium ammo coming out of a subgun, ball will do nicely. The synergistic effect from a three round burst is terrific.


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

If it goes bang and causes holes, I stock it.


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## SecretPrepper (Mar 25, 2014)

I second " what the gun likes".


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## redhawk (May 7, 2014)

I store whatever I can get my hands on...hardball and HP...#8 shot and 00 Buck...JM2C


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## ltburrows (Dec 8, 2014)

Yes I'm specifically talking about handgun ammo. I have nothing against ball ammo at all. The core of my question was how many people store defensive round for a SHTF protection scenario.


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## Medic33 (Mar 29, 2015)

skittles, lots of skittles.


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## Stick (Sep 29, 2014)

What Smitty said, plus bp artillery.


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## alterego (Jan 27, 2013)

I have a couple old 22 shells that went through the wash and are in my coffee can where I throw spare change they are partially green but I keep them their to remind me of good times.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

ltburrows said:


> Yes I'm specifically talking about handgun ammo. I have nothing against ball ammo at all. The core of my question was how many people store defensive round for a SHTF protection scenario.


For my 45 ACP's, I do have a limited amount of Cor Bon +P for this caliber, the rest is hardball (jacketed).
The only 9MM I own is a Walther P-38, it is a range only gun so hardball only.
My Colt 32 ACP is a family heirloom, range only, so it gets hardball.
I own no other autoloaders.
All the rest of my handguns are revolvers, my 2 carry pistols get 44 Special Winchester Silvertip, and 357 magnum 125 grain JHP of various manufacture. Otherwise my fun/farm/general purpose revolvers use lead ball or lead semi-wad cutters. When you are dealing with 45 Colt a lead SWC will get the job done on man or beast no problem.
Three exceptions - the 44 magnum gets jacketed soft points (JSP) to avoid leading the barrel, and on my 38's I keep one loaded with full wad cutters and my nightstand S&W stays loaded with 158 grain lead semi wad cutter hollow point +P (aka The FBI Load).

So, yes, the great majority of my handgun rounds are ball - either lead or hardball.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

Thinking more about it,
all my 41 mag and 44 mag ammo is jhp factory loaded, pmc, remington and winchester.
I also have quite a bit of 45 acp jhp that was issued for my 4566tsw, 500 rnds?.
In 40 s&w it runs about 50% each.

RPD is right, semi wadcutter (keith) bullet are realy effective out of a .357.
This it what i carried in my mod 19 4" and 66 4" before all the new jhp+p came on the market.
I still have 10k of those handloads for my 66's and marlin 1894 carbine.
I gave my brother all the reloading equipment.

If offered ammo, i never turn it down regardless of caliber, always testing repairs.


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## phrogman (Apr 17, 2014)

Majority is ball but I do have some HPs. Ball will be more than good enough for when shtf.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

On a related note, the best all around homestead pistol is a 44 magnum. HOMESTEAD, not self defense. Actually for gun fighting you should use a rifle if you can.
For regular duty, 44 Special will get most jobs done, 44 magnum has plenty of horsepower for anything else.
And in 44 magnum handguns there is one that stands out - Ruger Super Blackhawk. It will handle rounds that would damage a S&W or lesser guns, or cause premature wear even on a Ruger Redhawk.


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## Seneca (Nov 16, 2012)

I mostly store ammo for the firearms I currently have, I keep a mix of practice and field ammo. 

I also keep the ammo, components and dies for calibers I no longer have. I can reload for firearms I no longer have like the 32-20 or the 44mag. to name a couple.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I used to have ammo, but it went in the drink with my firearms when the boat sank right above the Mariana trench.


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## Farmboyc (May 9, 2015)

paraquack said:


> I used to have ammo, but it went in the drink with my firearms when the boat sank right above the Mariana trench.


Man peppers are terrible boaters.


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## shooter (Dec 25, 2012)

I have a mix, probably about 70/30 of FMJ/ball ammo vs HP or soft point. I tend to make sure the pistol has more HP/SP then my rifle ammo as I will be at close range and if that happens I want to create as much damage as possible.

I think in the first few days of a SHTF situation once you fire a shot or two who ever is trying to come at you will move on to other easier targets. And after the initial few weeks people will be semi careful with how they engage others as even a fmj hit will be fatal as you will not have any type of EMS to deal with a bullet wound and IFAKS and most first aid kits are designed to slow bleeding until you can be gotten to a hospital.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

rice paddy daddy said:


> On a related note, the best all around homestead pistol is a 44 magnum. HOMESTEAD, not self defense. Actually for gun fighting you should use a rifle if you can.
> For regular duty, 44 Special will get most jobs done, 44 magnum has plenty of horsepower for anything else.
> And in 44 magnum handguns there is one that stands out - Ruger Super Blackhawk. It will handle rounds that would damage a S&W or lesser guns, or cause premature wear even on a Ruger Redhawk.


With no long gun I would take a TC. It will shoot rifle rounds no Ruger will handle.

But 6 out of a M29 is fine with me too.I flip chucks at 50 with 240gr HP.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Farmboyc said:


> Man peppers are terrible boaters.


Now that I think about it, I should have had personal flotation device for everything. 
Not only am I a terrible boater, I don't prep very well either. But, I' learnin".


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

I stock, shoot and carry nothing but the most accurate ammunition for my guns. I haven't bought any ammo in so long that it is difficult to be sure whether it was the late 1970s or the early 1980s. I do have some brass that has been reloaded less than ten times.


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## Medic33 (Mar 29, 2015)

paraquack said:


> Now that I think about it, I should have had personal flotation device for everything.
> Not only am I a terrible boater, I don't prep very well either. But, I' learnin".


ah-ha so it was you driving the boat with all our stuff on it!!! I knew it.


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## Ralph Rotten (Jun 25, 2014)

I store real ammo! To me ball ammo is for the range. If you read Sanow & Marshall then you will find that even the mighty 45acp sinks to a 60% effictivity rate when using ball ammo. 

The ammo I store is all good quality softpoints, hollow points, or even frangibles. About my only RNL ammo being stockpiled are the 400gr 45-70s I load. (and they are supposed to be that way to achieve penetration against large targets.)

Even for my AK, I shoot up the FMJs at the range, and stockpile the hollowpoints. Hell, in my collection is even a box of Super-Vels, the legendary Flying Ashtrays (if you remember those then you are dating yerself!) 

Start reloading, and the price of hollowpoints and other tactical ammo is vastly reduced. No way I could have stockpiled the way I did if I was buying factory ammo. I also stockpile reloading components so I can make even more ammo when the need arises. Also, reloading allows you to tailor rounds to your rifle. Lemme give you an example: Paul S gets about 20 reloads out of his brass because he only resizes the neck*. When I reload, I seat the bullet so it is just touching the rifling to improve starting accuracy** My 243 shoots minute of angle groups.



* & ** These techniques may cause the rounds to be weapon-specific. Neck resizing usually results in a round that will only chamber properly in THAT SPECIFIC weapon. By seating my bulletsout so far, they may not fit another rifle made by a different manufacturer (there is much heated debate over different manufacturer's and how far out they set their rifling from the chamber. )


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## jimrose (Sep 15, 2015)

I reload and so most of my ammo is some type of hunting round. I store these that does not mean I do not reload fmj or ball ammo. But I do not store them. I reload fmj and ball for use at the range. It is cheaper to practice with fmj or ball ammo.


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## alterego (Jan 27, 2013)

I don't normally have ammo

But if I did. There would be lots.


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## TacticalCanuck (Aug 5, 2014)

I store whatever I can get for a fair price. Which is harder to do since the U.S. Dollar is somehow miraculously continuing to get away from mine.

What's wrong with Fmj ammo for defence? I would think a steady shot would be more important.


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## MI.oldguy (Apr 18, 2013)

Anything I can get my hands on that chambers in my calibers.


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## Hawaii Volcano Squad (Sep 25, 2013)

.380; .45ACP; 9mm; 7.62x39; .357 Magnum; .556 & .223; Green Tips!; Shotgun ammo of various types.


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## dsdmmat (Nov 9, 2012)

Live Ammo


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

For each primary rifle (not the few old family heirlooms) 1000+ rnds or the ability to load 1000 rnds
actively used pistols 500 rnds.

Kind of a stupid OP question since we all prefer different calibers. Stock for the guns you hold on a regular basis. 
a thought, If you keep a zillion rounds per rifle for self defense do you really expect to survive that many firefights? 
There are better and less expensive trade items than rifle ammo.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

While I understand the potential dangers of bartering ammo, when things settle down some, I think ammo could be a real handy item for barter.


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## Hawaii Volcano Squad (Sep 25, 2013)

Also you can cache your ammo in multiple places so if you get "raided" by scavangers and they uncover a cache, they don't get it all.
You don't have to put all your ammo in one big pile, even though it looks cool when you do that.


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## ajk1941 (Feb 17, 2013)

I store everything that fits my weapons that I can afford to buy! End of story...


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## whoppo (Nov 9, 2012)

I have just the one box. ..


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## Medic33 (Mar 29, 2015)

marbles and coconuts(for bigger rats).


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