Not all that far back one could buy a brick or sleeve of .22LR ammo for $6.99 and shoot all day long. Today if you can find that same brick/sleeve in stock at your local shop or Walmart it will cost closer to $50 and with the gun grabbers on the march it is sure to go up or go extinct. Our government is constantly buying massive quantities of ammo and also using gov. authority to get the orders before you and me. This is NOT ammo for the Military but rather ammo being stockpiled for the purpose of keeping it out of our hands. If our government agencies actually needed so much ammunition it would be prudent for the gov. to build their own manufacturing facilities and leave the retail markets for us.

I am limited by money and storage. If I had more of those I would store more. However, if I had more money I would also use more ;) which would make me buy more. Beyond money and storage constraints, it just depends on personal needs. Do you own firearms only for defense? Or hunting? The apocalypse? Buying ammo in bulk is also cheaper. Buy in bulk and slowly use it. Until another sale.

Well, I can tell you what's right for me, and you can draw conclusions from that.

Mrs. Animal and I shoot a lot of 16 yard trap, so we buy 12 gauge AA Light Target and 16 gauge Fiocchi target loads in 250-round cases and generally have at least one full case plus some around.

I generally buy XM193 5.56mm ammo for our AR-15s in 1000-1200 round lots and usually have 4-5k rounds around at any given time.

At the moment I probably have 5000 rounds of .22LR (CCI Green Tags are almost impossible to find these days!) Also probably 500 rounds of .45ACP, 500 .45 Colt, 300 or so .243, .30-06, .338 Mag, .45-70, .260 Remington and so on. I think Mrs. Animal keeps about 2-300 rounds for her .357 and her .40. Add to that a bunch of odds and ends for guns we don't use as much.

Our rule of thumb is to have a year's supply for recreational shooting of all types, for all guns we use regularly.

Indeed, that's one way people with less knowledge gain knowledge. Share some of your knowledge or online sources to learn more? Post a separate topic for discussion if you like. thanks in advance.Its an area where, I think, many people will need more knowledge, and possibly sooner than expected.

More or less. (mostly less) I carry a Glock 19, 9mm, my wife carries a Springfield XD, 9mm (and I have a backup Glock 19,) so I figure a few thousand here, a few thousand there will take care of my needs. I do love my AKs and have quite a few cases for them. And we shoot off our back deck weekly, so too much is still not enough!!

This is coincidental. With the expense of Christmas behind me, I decided yesterday that I would start stocking up on extra pistol ammo this week. Maybe buy a box of shotgun shells too.
Next month I'll buy more pistol ammo.
I'm living off my retirement and SS, so I'll stock up a little at a time.

I have only heard a question such as this asked by a person without knowledge of firearms or shooting. There are not only variables as to the number of rounds (how much) but as to which type and by type I mean load, powder, primer, and bullet type.

Right, what you do specifically is your business. I was asking to learn more about how to determine what is right for me.

Good points, DrZ. Thanks. One of many currencies in a sane world.

"I'll not be carrying a lot!"
At least not without some assistance ;^)

Why 10k rounds?
If you have two guns of the same caliber (e.g., pistol and carbine) is it still 10k per gun?
Thanks for the reply, jjj.

A lot behind this question, and it depends on what you're preparing for. To maintain proficiency, it's a good idea to keep several hundred rounds of your selected caliber on hand. If you have survivalist mindset, having a thousand rounds of rimfire (22 long rifle and/or 22 magnum) ammunition, 200-300 rounds of shotgun ammo (12 or 20 gauge), and a thousand rounds each of selected high power rifle and handgun ammunition should keep you prepared for any circumstance and well able to hunt for provisions. I suggest that even people who don't own a gun buy ammunition of the most popular calibers, as if things really do fall apart, ammo will be a valuable medium of exchange (the new currency, so to speak).

10,000 rounds per gun.

Keeping in mind, 1000 rounds of 7.62x39 weighs about 38 pounds, I'll not be carrying a lot!!!!

Depends on who is asking. If the question comes from a government functionary, or a belligerent progtard making a petulant demand for justification, my reply is "none of your damn business."

But since this query, in this forum, is out of genuine curiosity, I would say "as much as I want." The key point is I, not anyone else, will decide how much I need.

Thanks, pirate. That's the kind of analysis I was hoping to see when I asked the question.

Thanks Zen. That's the kind of analysis I was hoping to see when I asked the question, which, imo, is becoming more pertinent every day.

Depends. Defense in place, attack and run, hunting, can you reload, long range or semi-auto range--lot's of variables.

As much as I want.

You can't know thats why the question is moot.

My rational is as much as you want or think you need. You should practice frequently and rotate and replace the old with new ammo as you shoot it up.
1. Are you urban or rural
2. What type of situation to you in-vision having to use it, other than practice.
3. What type(s) of weapon do you have.
4. How many people in your household will be called upon to defend, if that's your strategy.
5. If you plan on changing locations in a situation, how much can you reliably carry. You don't want to leave any behind for the not so nice guys.

As for me. It's lots and lots of each type I need.

OK, what rational basis for the decision?
Just trying to get some discussion on the rationale, not prying.

I think that's an individual decision.

I agree.

OK, how to make that determination in advance?

one more than what you needed.