How much Ammo before you die?

[rhodesbe]

One thing that bugs me about ammo hoarding is how unrealistic everyone assume quantities need to be.

If you ask this forum "How many rounds is enough?" You'll get answers ranging from 1,000 rounds to 20,000 rounds 'just to be safe'.

In Edwin Hoyt's "The GI's War", he gives a breakdown of just how many bullets the average GI armed with a Garand fired in combat: 450.
Not during training, not during one fire mission, not during one deployment: 450 rounds total, throughout a combat 'career'.

If I'm not mistaken, the standard combat load for an M4 armed 'operator' in today's army is 7 magazines. 1 in the rifle, 6 on the webbing. A total of 210 rounds.
In talking with several ex-solders (Marines and Cav guys) they say they very seldom expended more than two mags in an 'average' action, and when they did it was bad news.

I know this type of thing is highly subjective, but it just irritates me that some people think they'll be around for enough gun battles they actually need thousands of rounds. I'd have to think your chances are much greater that someone shoots your ass dead before you swap even a single mag.

Agree? Disagree?

 

[twoguns?]

I Agree ?
Its for "the children"....All of them!
Trained Shooters makes PaPa relax a Little!
I'm just glad they all let us know where its at....

 

[uncle money bags]

It irritates you? Wow.

 

[rhodesbe]

It irritates you? Wow.

Yes, it does. When hoarding chokes the supply for recreational use so significantly it hurts the hobby and drives prices to absurd levels, yes.

 

[Old Fart]

Agree as a whole.
Some will survive long enough to need 20,000 rounds.
Most will be lucky to hunker down and need 1,000.


Edit: If someone planned ahead and has a buttload of ammo good for them.

 

[uncle money bags]

Yes, it does. When hoarding chokes the supply for recreational use so significantly it hurts the hobby and drives prices to absurd levels, yes.

Alrightythen.

 

[338Shooter]

They have Uncle Sugar to resupply them back at the FOB. Three firefights of 2 mags would wipe them out. A person without an Uncle Sugar should keep enough ammo to resupply themselves and maybe a couple others through a few fire fights. I don't think 10k rounds of 556 is to much when you consider that and being able to shoot it for practice or training.

Buying 10,000 rounds because Uncle Sugar is on the TV rambling nonsense is the problem. They didn't need it before the news, they probably don't need it after but they're going to buy it anyway. People that will never shoot a thousand rounds in their lives buying as much as they can find.

 

[JD8]

Comparing modern day combat to ammo needs for the upcoming Zombie invasion isn't exactly logical.....

 

[Old Fart]

Well if we're talking Zombie War then there is no real limit on how much you need.

 

[rhodesbe]

They have Uncle Sugar to resupply them back at the FOB. Three firefights of 2 mags would wipe them out. A person without an Uncle Sugar should keep enough ammo to resupply themselves and maybe a couple others through a few fire fights. I don't think 10k rounds of 556 is to much when you consider that and being able to shoot it for practice or training.

Buying 10,000 rounds because Uncle Sugar is on the TV rambling nonsense is the problem. They didn't need it before the news, they probably don't need it after but they're going to buy it anyway. People that will never shoot a thousand rounds in their lives buying as much as they can find.

This is a lucid answer to the "why?" question.

However: no one dutifully practices with ammo they paid $1 per round for. It just satiates some kind of worry to have it sitting on a shelf somewhere 'just in case'.

Your point about the ridiculousness of the government and the media in this situation makes good sense to me. However, hoarders share in the 'ridiculousness' as well. Gun fights tend to have negative outcomes for everyone involved.