How Much Ammo Do I Really Need?? 

Who is watching during the great ammo rush of March 2020?

Having been in the military and been to Iraq and Afghanistan I can say that having a lot of ammo is good and bad. If you don't plan on moving around and you just are staying in one place and plan to defend that place then having a lot of ammo is a good idea. If you plan on moving, especially walking, you will not be able to carry thousands of rounds with you. Having to carry hundreds of rounds of ammo in Iraq/Afghanistan is punishing on the body. Water is the most valuable resource

I have too much ammo.... ...Said no one ever.

If you know how much ammo you have, you don't have enough

i know most people think 22 is small and you say stock around 2000 rounds well i think it is a very versitile round it will kill large game and yes a human if the shot is dead on and if not take another shot it only cost 3 to 10 more cents so i feel if you can find it stock up as much 22 as you can find and its great for plinking and keeping you sharp

Zombie = every non-prepper when SHTF comes Just FYI....

Never enough ammo. ;-)

I'm a firearms instructor. When I go to the range I always bring new ammo. I won't break the seal of ammo I stored away for long term storage. I do refresh the desiccant packs once a year.

Great tips and a viewpoint on some things I never considered. Im gonna start putting a few hundred rounds aside each month and build up that way. Thanks.

Just stumbled across your channel! Loving it that there is Canadian gun channel on RU-vid. I currently load my own ammo, so stocking up became easy. Most of the ammo I shoot I reload, so I currently have somewhere in the realm of 5000 7.62x39, 3500 9mm, 1000 7mm rem mag, 10000 22lr (bought it while it was available), 1000 birdshot loads in #6 and #7.5, 250 slugs and 250 00 buckshot. Topping off the pile I have 1500 rounds of 7.62x54r. Started stockpiling due to the fact I live in a national park and can't buy ammo in my town, but work near a range so I shoot daily. If I'm unable to load, I still have ammunition to shoot.

Nice quality video ! I started reloading some rifle calibers last summer and its totally worth it. Gonna start reloading .45 Acp soon, I think everyone should consider it even if you only shoot once a month. It does not cost much just start small and build up slowly with the caliber you shoot the most with.

With out even watching the video. I will answer. You can never have enough Ammo or magazines or magazine capacity or guns. Good day.

Excellent video. Well thought out suggestions. Much appreciated.

Great video! We also need to remember to have a propper ammo and magazine ratio.

Good video. Very well presented. I too built a stockpile of the calibers I shoot and then replace what I use as I go along. However, I do replace the old with the new.

Oh yah, forgot to say good job on the videos. It's nice to have some Canadian stuff.

I'm glad I took your advice! what happened it the US recently with the Nitrocellulose ban it wouldn't surprise me if Canadian government does something similar. I also have common calibers that I keep a huge amounts of and hope I don't see the day they ban key ingredients that make smokeless powder. I won't disclose how many rounds I currently have but I will say I need to stop buying soon otherwise my floor will give way into the basement.

Overall, highly agree with you (gives me an excuse to buy more this summer). I will note two things - "Train with what you shoot" applies primarily to long range/precision shooters. It does make a substantial difference - but most long rangers hand load their own ammo anyway. When it comes to shotgun; if one does any form of competition or even non-competition clay/bird shooting, one can expect at least 300 rounds a DAY; if the day is spent wholly on the range. Often shotgun ammo is sold by the case, 10 boxes of 25 rounds if memory serves; Ive seen guys buy the cases by the dozens in anticipation of a clay weekend. (Often official competition shoots supply, or even mandate, their own ammo.) Also - reloading is your friend; but can be daunting with the shortage of powder as of late.

Some think 3k is a lot, but many can tell you that it ain't. The more ammo the better...

Well done. I like your philosophy. My numbers would be a little different but the philosophy the same. Quick story, I bought a gun I had wanted for a long time, Model 60 Marlin. No big deal, didn't need it, always wanted it. Somehow I had the cash and it was on sale. That seemed the day after the .22 ammo dried up and stayed scarce for a long time. When it became plentiful again it was about 5 or 10 times more expensive. When I was a kid, .22 shorts were 65cents for 50 at Western Auto.

I keep around 500 rounds 3006 for my main rifle. 500 for a backup 223 250 00 buck and 250 #6 for small game. I use 2 shotguns one high capacity and one for hunting Another 150 for a 444 marlin. And lots of arrows and 3 recurves. I aslo have someone who reloads spot on for me.Saves a lot of money when I get extra I get ammo with it. I plan to stay put I'm in a Suburb of a big city. The one issue I have with storing thousands is rounds is this. Ammo is heavy if you must get out you will have to leave most of it behind. Which is a total waste. Anyone who has humped even hundreds of rounds will tell you I've done it many times. Also most people myself included firing 300 rounds of rifle ammo gets boring fast also a lot of people can't afford to shoot 300 rounds in a day 20 to 25 thru the rifles keep them sighted then on to skeet. I agree with you replace what you shoot because you never know. Thanks for your video. Well done

Great info for us new sportsmen out here!

Mr Rod Giltaca is Canada's voice in P.O.V he makes clear statements for sport target shooting as well as Hunting in Canada. The Man sets a fine example for everyone in my books. 😎.

I purchased surplus ammo cans. I cleaned the inside and outside. Left it open over night then put my ammo boxes inside. I did not leave the ammo cans open for a week. Its been about 8 months now. Shouldn't be a problem right?

Good points all. I appreciate the conversational approach to your videos.

I'm averaging about 1000 rounds a week right now in 9mm. That will pick up once the season starts. To stay even reasonably competitive with a pistol you need to shoot at least once a week and dryfire a lot more than that.

16" AR 15, 11.5" AR 15, two Glock 19's, 100 AR mags(mostly 30 round pmags), 50 Glock mags, 7500k XM193, 2000 .223, 4500 9x19mm is my personal standard.

Great video.... What are your thoughts of storing ammo at a indoor storage facility?

To a freedom fighter, “Never ever run out of ammo” is dogma anyday.

Low grain target ammo is not sealed from moisture and corrosion as well as lets say business ammo is, is that correct? So storage of target ammo can cause problems, you always want it functional. My gun store sell ammo from different countries, where ever that can get it the cheapest price and pass the savings on to me. How do I check the stats or confirm the reliability of different ammo? (it is amazing how many countries make ammo) ..

I completely agree with the 3,000 rounds. But I tend to treat that number as a minimum. I properly store it all in cases with air seals and rotate it all out. So I’ll typically keep a few hundred rounds over 3.000. But I don’t see a point in shooting 22 if your working with 5.56, 308, 9mm and 12 gauge. I also keep some of each that came from the factory air sealed that’s just weight in the bottom of my safes.

Yeah, yeah...zombie apocalypse is a big joke until it happens.... My pistol sessions usually start with a couple of hundred rounds of .22LR through my M&P22 or Sig .226-22LR conversion, and then 100-200 rounds centrefire. You can get some quality practice in that way and still stretch out your ammo supply nicely. In general my rule is one open case and one case in reserve [case = 1000 rounds]. I'm not a fanatic about having a huge supply of ammo but I'll stock up when prices are good. I'll also stash away a few hundred rounds of quality tactical ammo, but I see little point in having more. If TSHTF, my strategy is to avoid gunfights, not engage in them.

I rotate magazines and ammo , use up older ammo first and always underload a magazine (auto feed ) by a round or two for guns sitting around house for self protection ( relieves tension on spring) have ammo cans in my safe next to guns dehumidified , if you don't believe in having guns laying around house ,ask burglar to pause while you get firearms out of safe and ready , for some reason it bugs me to have ammo sitting around long periods of time ,even in idea conditions

Great vid, new fan here, thanks a bunch!

another good tip is to keep at least 2000 rounds locked up in 50 cal cans , on stripper clips and bandoliers, and that will be your SHTF supply along with whatever else you have in your storage plan.

3000 rounds 5.56.. damn, I might need to save up seeing as that 77grain stuff is what I want for shtf

New faux brick background! :)

Those bricks behind you are enormous dude xD

I like to keep the same ammo cuz each different type shoots a little different example I have a savage modle 111 in 300 mag at100yds I shoot a 3/4 inch group on bulls eye with winchesterxp3 180gr if I put in the federal power shock 180grrounds through it I shoot the same group but 2 inches high and 1 inch left

I'm blowin' through my stockpile of 7n6. Can't stand the stuff, but I figure shooting it is better than shooting my growing stockpile of new production 5.45x39mm ammunition. I have to head to the store today to buy more 9mm to replace what I shot Sunday, February 18, 2018.

I keep lots for the 5.56 and 9mm and some, like 100 rounds for .308 and 30-06. 150 grain for the .308 and 180 for the 30-06. I have my reasons for the loads on the .308 and 30-06. For a 7.62X39 I load up and store lots of 123 grain FMJ's and expanding ammo. I'm of the opinion that you can never have too much ammo, however you should have other things too, like food and water plus clothing for the season. Probably be handy to have gas masks and pills in case of nuclear fallout......I almost feel stupid saying that but given the world we suddenly find ourselves in it's not that far out there, neither are the masks. A pandemic could wipe us out as throughly as a nuclear war.

Nice thanks. My numbers are aligned with yours. Maybe 1000 rounds for the bolt action long range.

Good points. I have a different perspective. I will not own a non performing firearm. I go to the range do less than 2 moa within 10 rounds I am good. I do take 10 rifles. I do not shoot junk ammo I practice with what I may have to seriously use. Now for fun I will (if I have it ) a bunch of junk through M4 for fun. Shooting in fun, defending yourself is different. My whole tactical ideology is one shot one kill.

I am impressed with the information you've provided over the course of your video series,.. now based on the topic of ammunition storage, I have a question for you. Do you recomend (or have you personally already done so), provide information to your local fire department regarding the quantities of ammunition stored in your residence? I ask this, only because as a former 'first responder/firefighter'... I was always concerned to the results of a fully involved fire on a residence where such ammo may (or may not) be stored. Sometimes there are indicators to observe that potential firearms and/or ammunition are in the residence, and often times there are not. So.. may I ask what would be your recommendation to your viewers on this subject. Understandably, nobody wants to be on "any" type of list that can be used maliciously to keep records on gun owners... (hence the dosbandment of the LGR) but on the other hand, if the owners of such residences are away when a fire may overtake the residence... there is an immediate and "unknown" disaster that could unfold to the first responders by either exploding caches of ammunition or individual rounds being set off from the heat. Just looking for some discussion on this matter and the question posed. Thanks kindly, and keep up the great information videos & training. Peace!

My baseline is 1000 rds per firearm. Some ammo I use greater amounts ie, 9mm, 22cal, 223

hi Rod ,,, imformative vid. iam lucky i have 3 shooting ranges on my ranch..i shoot 2 to 3 times a week..but i dont go nuts with the ammo its just to much money..to burn thru a lot at a time..we live in the states and ammo here. is costly....also sold my 22 rifle 22l is hard to find and way over priced..we have plenty of ammo,but my wife is an avid shooter also...so we have to be careful of how much we shoot and keep track...well good luck with the up coming election,hope you win..

WELL beyond what I can afford since my aneurysm and epilepsy took me down, I can't even afford to pay ATTENTION! However, I already stored some and I practice with BB's, pellets and 22LR. I know that isn't good enough but it beats giving up and selling my guns.

It's magazines you won't have enough of. Hang on Mr. ZOMBIE pause while I reload my two extra mags...I'm dry.

Having seen the 22lr ammo completely dry up for the last 3 years I'd say if its economically feasible I'd stock up on what ever number I'd expect to use for the rest of my life. I now have 3 22 rifles that are useless. If I'd have seen it coming I'd have stocked up on AT LEAST 10,000 rds and maybe as many as 20,000. Could even sell half of it and quadrupled my $$$

last 4 years here in the Calgary area Colt 45 lc was missing,

Damn.. I thought you were going to say smaller amounts. I have some shopping to do.

live in the north, learned to save brass and reload.

Out of curiosity, you say you keep 1000 rounds 'for years' and don't touch it. Why not just have 3 tins with 1000 rounds each (I believe they - just - fit in a 50 cal tin), and rotate through them, replacing as you go? Just curious, as I tend to do the rotation, but otherwise keep to the 2-3000 rounds (either loaded or equivalent in primers, powder and brass). ??

How Much Ammo Do I Really Need?? Just one more box. Lol

hey Rod, do you buy firearms from Canadians?

I'm pretty sure I read the Canadian law stated you can store "reasonable amounts". So I believe if you shoot a lot or can justify having lots it could go your way with a Judge. I still think more is better and the fact that it keeps getting more expensive is reason enough to stock pile. I need way more, wish I could afford more and tell my wife I can always sell it for more than I paid for it......Just remember in all the post apocalyptic movies, everyone has guns but nobody has any bullets!!!

On a tight budget with a family. Buying the components for .223/5.56 for 500 rounds at a time as cash permits and loading my own ammo. Saving a ton of cash. Can produce 500 rounds for about half of factory. Would be even much cheaper if I did not have to buy brass to build my stockpile.

I have a question for you . Should a person have a pistol in each of the popular calibers for shtf or just one thats your favourite ?

One of the biggest problems I have is that I own far more than 5 different calibers. I'd like to agree with you but seriously, I don't dislike any of my firearms (all of them have a purpose and a place) so I tend to stock up on what's cheap and then move on to the next once I feel like I've got a good working supply. What am I stockpiling right now? 00 buck from walmart. Why is it cheaper than I've seen in years? My last kick was .30-06 korean surplus stuff. They were almost giving it away at the time.

You can never have enough ammo or food storage

You can NEVER have too much! I try not to shoot on my own supply (SHTF pile).

IPSC shooters are down-loading their ammo? Considering they have to meet a power range consisting of velocity, bullet weight and caliber, they can't be down-loading much.

4 feet by two feet by two feet. trunk full and locked up and i have half .22, 1/4 full of 7.62 and ten boxes of .270 and 303 and 1/4 full of shotgun. i live on an island so i need the stalk and i cycle through it. shoot the old stuff. and tones and tons of pellets in .22 and .177 for the highpower airguns.

Is ammo pricing a seasonal thing? What would be a tell tale sign that ammo is going up or when is a time that ammo typically goes on sale?

When I was putting together one of my "EDC packs", I had laid in 100 rounds of 22 LR to just have in the bag just in case, paid $5,00 for both boxes. After the "Great 22 Shortage" hit and I had ran up to get a few boxes of 9 mm. A guy in line was trying to get some 22 LR and with the current price I unloaded the both boxes of premium 22 LR for the cost of 100 rounds of 9mm. So IMHO 22 LR is one of the best trade goods you can have, and yes I had way more then 5000 Rounds lock away in my storage. Long live the Republic and support Canada by Buying maple syrup.

Another thing to think about. If ever SHTF situation comes, Ammo will be like currency to barter with. I have crates of spam cans hermetically sealed for just that scenario. Aside from that, if ever ammo ceased to be made, I have in place the means to reload, including ample supplies of gun powder, primers and projectiles. Aside from that, I keep a rotated stock of 1000 rounds of shotgun ammo, 5000 rounds of .22 ammo, 1000 rounds of long range hunting ammo, 5000 rounds of pistol and revolver ammo, 5000 rounds of .556, and 5000 rounds of 7.62x39. Better safe than sorry.

NeverEnoffAmmo

Hard to find .22LR in central alberta people are gobbling it up like crazy.

What about graboids, shiekers and Askblasters?

All the ammo, Always, All the time!

ALMOST have enough, Been saying that for the last 10 years. Maybe NEXT year I'll have enough. Got ammo cases under the bed, in the closet, in the attic. Even found 5,000 rounds of 22lr I bought about 3 years ago when I was cleaning out the hall-way closet under the stairs. Vacuum sealed, off course.

*☼ in 2014 a zombie virus apocolypse may have been a laughing matter: im from 2021 - and if you are reading this, you ARE the resistance 0_0.* Gr8 vid.

Do you live in the city or heavily populated suburbs? If yes, how much can you carry along with all your other survival supplies? If you have to bug out, and I mean on foot, most of your stash will be left behind! How many out of gas dead cars will have a bunch of ammo in them that they could not carry away? That is why .22LR or .22WMR is such a good choice! You can carry a thousand rounds easily!

I like the video do you know where I can get tracer ammo for my Ar15 in Canada.

Great video ! Police your Brass ! And when you shoot one hundred or more bullets then RELOAD ! If you stockpile three thousand bullets, then stock pile enough to reload two or three times ! And if your Primers go bad after two years then cycle through your Primers to keep them under two years old... Be GREEN ! tjl

12 gauge:160...308:435 Match...223/556:3600...40 S&W:700...45 acp:1960...22 rimfire:7075...9mm:1750....(Loaded 223/556 in 30 round Mags:450...45 acp in 13 round mags:130)

As a basic shooter you need enough ammo to fill all your magazines twice… Bare minimum. Then you need more mags.

You can never be too rich, too thin, or have too much ammo! 😎🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

I'm going to show my wife this vid once I get my PAL and 1st rifle LOL

Id love to stockpile 3000 rounds of each caliber I have. I only have 1000 of each at the moment. I shoot about twice a month 50 rounds per trip of each gun I bring (max of 3 centerfire + 1 rimfire I bring at a time.) although I do always bring 100 rounds of each just in case I feel like shooting more. I need to start resupplying my .22 stockpile. I'm down to less than 1000 rounds of it I just can't find brinks of decent quality .22. Everything is that cheap bulk 555 that won't function in my 10/22 or shoot a decent group in my CZ 455. I may break down and start buying it by the individual boxes or 100 round plastic cases that CCI does. I just tell people, the more the better. Ammo lasts a sticken long time.

Hunters will need a lot more than 200-300 shotgun rounds. One dove hunt can take up to 100 rds. Sporting clays 100 rds, a good quail hunt 25-50 rounds. I never have enough specially if I do a lot of sporting clays. The problem is they are so large to store.

i got a lot of pistol food saver vacuum sealed with a silicon gel. packed in 50 packs no jingle travel trade & share when SHTF humidity isn't ammo friend KEEP FORSTY

2000 rds of 22LR? If you could even find it here that would set you back around $250. There has not been a box of 22s on any of the 3 walmart's shelves here in over a year.

great vid just subbed

Wait, what??? Zombies aren't real?? But....but....what am I gonna do with all this freeze dried food in my basement? And it took me weeks to put in all that razor wire around my property...

Can you convince my wife I need 3000 rounds so I can go shopping! ;~D

great vid i think 3000 rounds per fire arm meaning if you have 2 rifles chambered in 556 to me thats 6000 rounds and thats with just having the shortage we a having i am stocking alot more because i fear at some point it is going to get harder to get ammo and i love to shoot with my wife and 2 kids and it takes alot of ammo to make them happy and i never want to say we cant go because i have no ammo so again great advice and happy plinking

is hollowpoint handgun ammunition legal in Canada?

I have roughly 10k rounds of 22lr. 1000 shells of 12 gauge ammo 2000 rounds of 9mm 1500 rounds of 40 caliber 500 rounds of 357 mag 500 rounds of 38 special 250 shells for 410. The reason I have so many 22lr ammo is because I have two 22lr rifles and four 22lr handguns. So I have 6 firearms that are chambered in 22lr. So that's roughly 1600 rounds each firearm

As much as you can afford and still be able to eat!

what is considered legal limit of owned firearms?

I buy a 1000 lot of .223 ammo for my mini 14. Coyote killer.

The Zombie apocalypse has already happened is all the people running around with cells in there heads

So i need 10000 rounds of ammo?

I NEED all the ammo necessary to make me feel like I am prepared....Its not a number, but if it was it would be a big one.

I would be more worried about living persons not zombies if/when TSHTF.

.22 LR Remington Golden 36gr PHP Rounds per pound: 133.33 Weight per 100 rounds (lbs): 0.75 1000 rounds is 7.5 lbs .223/5.56X45 (milsurp) Green SS109 63gr Rounds per pound: 37.21 Weight per 100 rounds (lbs): 2.69 1000 rounds is 26.9 lbs

My stockpile is pretty much the same but i keep it fairly small. I have 1000 22lr for my little bolt action. no excuse not to have this as you said, but i don't feel that .22lr is useful enough to justify carrying TOO much of it. i will explain why when i get to my 9mm lol 5000 9mm, I know that seems like a lot, but hear me out... that is split between my cheap ruger, and my Beretta Cx4 storm which is my primary general purpose semi auto rifle. love that little thing. good for defence and small game, accurate enough for birds, compact enough for a carry backpack, uses common rounds and 10 LEGAL round mags, and it is a breeze to clean and maintain. all round my favourite survival gun. 9mm is not ideal for pretty much anything, but it is at least sufficient for almost everything and double the legal magazine capacity makes up for a lot of what it lacks in stopping power. 9mm is also going to be one of the rounds that become rare very quickly. people go though them so fast that even today they are sometimes hard to find due to bulk buying and high volume shooting. 1500 .308 rounds for larger game hunting and whatever my 9mm wont handle. 1500 hunting rounds should mean close to 1000-1500 animals if you are any good. in an emergency survival type situation at 1 or MAYBE 2 animals bagged per week, this means you are fed for almost 15-20 years just off that stockpile. Pair that with your small game you can get with the .22 and the 9mm, and you are pretty much set. I LOVE shotguns, I mean LOVE them. so much fun. that said, I only keep 100 12ga shells. I don't really have a practical application for my shotgun that my .308 won't also cover, so i just consider it predator defence when go into the bush. they are also so common and widespread that you would still be able to find them around 20 years from now if it all went to hell today. great video though. solid points. I might take your advice and increase my stockpile a bit. your values sound pretty reasonable

Overall very good video. One criticisim is 22. Using your example, I would have been out over a year before this video was made. It is still not available in north west Illinois as of Feb 2015. One thing that is for sure is that we cannot predict how long a ammo crisis will last and this one was man made. Not even political, just human panic and greed. So for one's primary calibers, I would suggest going well past the one years amount, as it will not go bad if properly cared for which is very simple.

Answer for shotgun ammo is the Lee load all 50 bucks and primes,powder,wads,and shot.