What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

Ok, I'm ready to buy a rifle, I think a .22 is the best way to go. My reasoning is to buy a rifle that other people might have the most ammo for in a pinch. I've done some research but with no definitive answers.

Any thoughts?

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

I really like my ruger 10/22 It's very accurate and fun to shoot

I'm sure some are gonna tell you that the 22 has no stopping power

But I can put 8 out of 10 rounds in an area the size of a SAE at 30 yrds
I think that may stop a person

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

What is your goal with the rifle??

You just asked the equivalant of what is the best golf glub?
It would depend on what you were trying to do.

As to common ammo If you include the military it would be .223(5.56x45) after that .308 (7.62x51)

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

By "In a pinch" I assume you mean when SHTF. This is just my opinion but if you are buying a rifle with the fear of there being no more ammo available I would buy a AR-15/M4 type firearm. This is my reasoning. There are probably millions upon millions of rounds of 5.56mm or .223 cal in private hands, police stations and military installations. That's a lot of ammo that will be floating around in the event of SHTF (assuming this is your worry). Much, if not most, of this ammo will be brass cased and may be reloaded by those that have stockpiled supplies. Parts, mags, etc are readily available for AR's and there are a lot of people out there with knowledge of how to work on these guns.
You mentioned that you liked the idea of a .22 cal rifle because the ammo is so plentiful. I agree. I've got a few .22's too. Did you know that you can buy a .22 cal conversion kit for a AR15/M4 for under $200? You just replace the bolt carrier group and the mag. It takes about a minute. There's videos on YouTube. Extra magazines that go with this kit can be a bit pricey but going this route would allow you to have a common, reliable, decent defense rifle and also allow you to put away massive quantities of cheap (.22)ammo.
To summarize, if you get an AR type rifle you can put away .223/5.56 ammo for self defense, hunting, etc and also be able to change the bolt carrier group and shoot .22LR for training, hunting or when the larger and more expensive caliber runs out. You get two rifles in one. This doubles your chances of being able to find ammo "In a pinch."
This is just my 2 cents. I look foward to reading what others think about your question.

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

I would guess .223 as well...lot of ARs out there for SHTF.

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

Loaded ammo is the most often stockpiled type.

:111: oh, I just HAD too :111:

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

Bought all 4 bricks of Federal .22LR that my Waldo-Mart had on the shelf yesterday. First time in months they've had any .22 bricks. $14.97 a brick. Stock up while you can get it..

If you shoot somebody in the cajones with a .22, I bet that would take him down. :rofl:

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

.223/5.56 would be my guess.

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

+1 buying a .22 for a first rifle is an excellent idea.
It's very inexpensive to target shoot .22 and ammo is abundent.The Ruger 10/22 is a very good choice.If you can find a "Pre-Owned" 10/22 grab it!
It s a great caliber for small game/varmits,plinkin' and practice getting familiar with a rifle (if its your first gun).

My guess for the most abundent ammo in the country would be 12ga.
.556 is a common military round, I wonder if alot of that caliber is "Tied-up" overseas?

Also never sell your first gun..you'll only regret it

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

In a pinch you need to worry about having your own ammo, the last thing I would sell, share, or let people know I have is ammo they could then use agianst you after finding out what your resources are.

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

Ain't that the truth!
I bought my first love in 1977

http://i661.photobucket.com/albums/u...Python4LFT.jpg

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

there are simply no "Bad Guns" to own.get what you can afford,and what you can afford to feed.I hear so many on here, and other forums,push the AR-15, its ok, I used one in battle, and honestly, would have preferred my enemy's rifle, Its finicky,expensive to buy,and expensive to repair.BUT its accurate,and uses common ammo.common as in many rifles use it,not easy or cheap to find anymore.but if extreme accuracy isnt your concern,as in closer range or urban areas, get about three SKS rifles (around $250-350 each) or a couple AK-47s and also use cheap common ammo. If you just want a plinker,or just want a basic gun,get a 22. a Ruger 10/22 costs almost as much as a SKS BTW. a basic WWII bolt action battle rifle, Mauser,Enfield are around that price as well, a Soviet Nagant rifle can be had for around $100, and shoots like a 30-06.

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

Shear numbers would be 5.56 NATO followed by 9mm NATO. I doubt anyone has an accurate count of all of the military stockpile locations let alone the inventory in them.

Assuming you are gearing up for SHTF, determine how many you intend to arm. Qualify them on a regular basis. Fix them a bugout pack including a battle ration of ammo. Rotate your stock.

Make it fun. We take vacation and meet at the farm with new provisions for the packs. We call the sheriff ahead of time but he still usually makes a token appearance so he can let loose with an AK. Change into the old clothes, eat the old MRE's and fire the old ammo at everything from milk jugs to old cars. Once the guns are cleaned and the packs are restocked we crank up the jams and sear some flesh, (Remember! 1 beer = 0 guns). Camp overnight then wake up, pack up and head to town. The rest of the vacation we strive to be so stereotypically touristy we make your eyes hurt.

BTW: While a .22 is fine for getting squirrels and rabbits, they rarely stay still long enough to put more that one round at a time on target. Nor do they have any concept of Camouflage, Cover and Concealment. Sight in and practice with the cheapest, load the packs with armor piercing and an incendiary every 5th. If you are ready for the worst, anything else is a cakewalk.

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

Some good answers here.

Compared to folks here, I know nothing.
But I do know that the state you live in may be a factor on what kind of gun you get.

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

22 LR : 7 reasons why it should have a place in your survival gear.

Being by far the most popular cartridge world wide should be enough, but there’s much more. Indisputably the most versatile caliber, the 22 LR is a terrific general purpose round.

Left to right: 22LR, 9mm, 357 Magnum, 308W and 12 Ga. Don’t let size fool you. Even though not the most appropriate for the job, the 22LR has saved more than enough lives in self defenses encounters since its creation.

1) It’s cheap, small and light. And not only cheap, no other caliber comes close in terms of bang per buck. Today this is an issue of great importance, and will be even more significant as the crisis gets worse: Even these days you notice it in the firearm’s forums. More and more people can only afford to shoot only 22LR, and maybe an occasional big bore box once in a while. Regarding wieght and size; Remember when you just want to go for a walk and maybe shoot something that seems to require shooting? like a twig, leaf, frog, or mouse that happens to run by? The little rascal is just begging for it. He’s probably thinking “you’ll never hit me! you’ll never hit me!”. Other calibers would mean considerable weight to be carried, but with the 22LR you just grab a handful out of a 550 Value Pack, and throw it in your pocket or in your bag and you’re good to go, knowing you have about 200 rounds of ammo. More than enough to spend the afternoon plinking. 200 rounds in their cardboard boxes take somewhat the same space than a box of 50 rounds of 9mm. Something to consider when backpacking.

2) It’s great for plinking. There are hardly better ways to spend and afternoon than plinking with your kids. Try shooting balloons, sticks, or invest in a couple of metal targets in various shapes, or do some of your own. The “cling!” sound never gets old.

3) Perfect for pest control. Even though air rifles are good enough for smaller rodents, the 22LR has more authority and can even manage medium sized animals with the right ammo if the shots are well placed.

4) For occasional warning shots (in a safe direction) to send the right message to the occasional poacher or petty thief, without wasting a hard earned dollar every time you do so. (Warning: What you read here is for entertainment purposes only. Respect the laws that apply to you. Don’t do stupid things that can land you in jail)

5) Finishing wounded game or farm animals for butchering, killing sick animals with a merciful head shot.

6) It works for self defense. You usually have 10 rounds in autos an 9 or 11 rounds in some revolver cylinders. The 22LR sure isn’t perfect but as they say, still more effective than a sharp stick or foul language if you ever need to defend yourself. I’d go for Stingers or even better, the slightly heavier CCI Velocitors. Remember: 22LR kills people everyday.

7) Almost no recoil. Just perfect for the novice shooter, specially those that are a bit scared about guns and/or recoil sensitive. Some people just can't handle anything bigger or with more recoil because of health issues. For them a 22LR loaded with good ammo fits the bill.

Bersa 22LR pistols.
I knew how important it was to own a 22LR but it took me a while to find one I really liked. I tried and owned many, and there was always something I didn’t like. Usually it’s a matter of reliability. 22LR guns are very picky and not nearly as reliable as big bore calibers. The ammo itself is of questionable quality sometimes, specially in their bulk presentation where you’ll often find rounds that either need an extra strike or just refuse to fire at all. I owned some that were very accurate, but weren’t reliable enough, and the commands where just too different.

I wanted accuracy of course, but I also wanted something that had the typical controls found in a defensive auto. I also wanted it to be reliable and if it ever had to fill a defensive role, a gun that could be carried in the pocket for social purposes. Of course there are much better alternatives, but 10 rounds of CCI Velocitors will ruin anyone’s day. The Bersa Thunder 22 falls easily into a jacket pocket It’s accurate enough for small critter and the occasional medium range shot around a farm. Get some old cans and sticks placed against a safe background and it’s a great way to spend the afternnon with some buddies without hurting the wallet to much.
The Bersa is surprisingly accurate for its size, most reliable 22LR handgun I ever owned.

I came close to putting several bucks down on the counter and buying a nice Ruger, but why fix it if it ain’t broken? I just bought another Bersa 22LR (the blued one). The blued one is actually a model 23, prior to the Thunder series and has no slide release lever which I don’t care for much anyway. Both have adjustable sights and the Thunder had quite some customization done by a previous owner which makes it a tackdirver. It has a red plastic insert which helps during fast shooting. You shoot when the round dot comes at eye level.

I have an IWB (inside the waistband) for them, so it can be used to practice defensive shooting drills. I highly recommend the Bersa to anyone looking for a general purpose 22LR auto. I also like the idea of a 22LR revolver, but had a Taurus )4 that would fail to shoot half the cylinder ( so much for the revolvers never fail load of bull) A S&W 22LR revolver with a 3 or 4 inch barrel might be just perfect. If you find any of those old “Kit” guns in good conditions they are worth buying.

The survivalist side of me wanted something that would last forever. That could take hundreds of thousands of rounds and never worry about an aluminum frame stretching. The 23 is a bit heavier, but the all steel construction makes it such a gun. Solid as a brick. Heavier, but still as compact both easy to carry and shoot.

That’s it for now guys.

Take care folks, and have fun!

Edited to add: Ammo for the Bersa: If I remember well, Bersa recommends heavier than 38gr., High Velocity. The customized Thunder 22 is very sweet, and will shoot anything. The blued Model 23 has a slightly stiffer spring and I've had a couple failures with lighter and standard velocity. It needs a bit more power. With high velocities of 38 gr or more I never had a problem with either gun. I read somewhere (was it the Model 23 manual?) that Bersa tests their 22 LR with Remington Thunderbolt 40gr., and that's the type of ammo that functions the best. I never had problems in either Bersa using that ammo. GO heavy and hot.

Fernando

aka Ferfal

half way down on this link:

http://ferfal.blogspot.com/search/label/Firearms

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

Double E that is a handsome wheelgun you have yourself.
It's a bonus having the option of being able to shoot .38,.38+P and .357 aswell.
Multiple ammo calibers = Great SHTF sidearm.

..Holy gun porn:emotions16:

..appologies on a semi- thread Hi-jack

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

I would venture to say .22lr, .223/5.56, 7.62x39, .308/7.62x51, .30-06 would be the MOST common in the country and I'm sure some other hunting calibers I've missed.

I would venture to say that owning a rifle in any of these calibers is not a bad idea, as there isnt likley to be a true shortage (as in none being in existance at all) in this country.

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

.......12 Gauge?

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

These are the most common ammunition types stockpiled in the U.S. currently:

Rifle
===
.22 Long Rifle
.223 Remington/5.56 NATO
.30-06 Springfield
.308 Winchester
.270 Winchester
7.62x39

Pistol
====
.22 Long Rifle
9mm Luger/9x19
.40S&W
.45ACP

Shotgun
======
12 Gauge
20 Gauge

Hope this helps!

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

I was just thinking of Rifle Calibers, but yes, 12 ga absolutley. 12, 20 and .410 seem to be the most common of the shot gun calibers, so having one in those calibers as opposed to say 10 or 16 isnt a bad idea either.


Also, to add to my previous post, most larger sheriff departments and even many local P.D.'s, especialy now that they get additional funding from DHS, will have on them or in their car a 12 ga shotgun, a .40 cal glock (some are going back to 9mm too or carry a 9mm or .380 as a back up) and an AR 15 in 5.56.

In part because of this, obvioulsy, these calibers will always be common and accessable, even if they way to access them is a pure survival techinque in SHTF:fan:


EDIT:

DOnt forget, Americans have a love affair for the .45 ACP. It was one the hardest to find handgun roudns during the height of the recent(still ongoing) shortages because of the hordes of people snatching it up. .380 at the same time was almost impossible to find(and is still quite difficult) because most companies stopped making it so they could use their dies to make 9mm out the butt. Just stuff to keep in mind when choosing calibers.

If you're REALLY worried about future ammo shortages, learn to reload! Its on my short list of things to do in the near future.

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

Id avoid the .40S&W at all costs unless you have access to police ammunition dumps. the .45 and 9mm are by far the most common.

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

The most common "rifle" calibers int he US in terms of sales are:

.22 Long rifle
30-06
.223
.308
.270 Win

For handgun it is the:
.40 S&W
.45 acp
9mm

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

I have to disagree here...

The fact that LEOs are using .40 S&W creates availability.

During the "ammo shortages" earlier this year, while .45, .380 and even 9mm were scarce, .40 was usually available, even in HP!

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

22 lr FTW!

Try to fit +/- 500 rounds of another rifle caliber (center fire) in a coat pocket. :RockOn:

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

And, what other caliber can you pump 500 rounds into your assailant without experiencing the unpleasant legal problems that go along with actually killing him? :biggrin:

J/K... works OK if you pump enough rounds into a vital area!

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

I noticed that as well and it made me think seriously about .40 S&W. I like to minimize calibers among weapons, but if I find a deal on a .40 cal, I'm gonna pull the trigger on it, so to speak! :signs14:

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

:biggrin:

Well iiiiiffffff I was confronting (defending my life) an assailant with 22lr (if that's what I had on me) there would be some Jerry Miculek action going on in the perpetraters face I'll tell you that.

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

That's what they call lightning speed. That reload was phenomenal!

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

Get a .22 for your first gun. No need to develop a big flinch while training on expensive ammo.

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

Thanks yaw'll, each and every one of ya!

First off, I'm no newb but certainly no expert either. I sold all the guns except for 1 when I moved to CR, a Glock 19, and now I'm refitting sota speak, now that I'm back in the states. My thoughts were kind of calculating, in that one might have the best gun on the planet but w/o ammo it's a paper weight. So, I tried to find the stat for the ammo issue in order to help me decide what particular rifle would be best. Yes, it's for a SHTF type of scenario by and large but also taking into consideration that I would also be doin' some huntin' as well.

Here's what I've come up with and I'm very open to any critiques.

I'm gonna buy an inexpensive .22 LR of good quality. They do come in handy as they also hate those damn traffic surveillance camera's too.

I'm also gonna go with the .223. From what I've researched thus far the Kel-tec SU-16 seems to be the direction I'm heading, even if I have to save a while longer. I'm also looking at this purchase as more of a multi -tasking type of firearm so it's worth more of an expenditure.

Again thank you for your input, keep it comin'. Special thanks to Gaillo and AZliberty, I couldn't find those stat's to save my ass.

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

You have a glock 19 and are looking at a SU16. Have you thought about the Sub 2000 that way ammo and mags are interchangable with the Glock?? and it is a nice shooting rifle to boot. I can hit a 12 inch disk out to 100 yards with it.

For my wife's BOB I have a sub 2000 so it is interchangable with the mags me and the wife carry. I would most definatly shoot a deer or person with a 9MM +p hollow point. The rifle fits in the side pouch of the bag perfect and I have 3 glock 18 mage (33rounds each) for the rifle and then each pistol gets 5 mags of 15. That is a whole lot of shooting for a small package. My bag has a 12 guage and 50 rounds.

Probably not enough ammo for a prolonged zombie attack but that is why it is bugging out I have much better things for offensive operations.

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

Excellent Max, I don't know how I missed it? Went right past it on the index page. I think it will certainly fit my needs to a tee and the fact that mags are interchangeable with the pistol is one hell of an upside. Problem solved me thinks.

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

They make a sub 2000 for glock 17 mags and glock 19 mags you can run all 17 mags if you wnated and hold 17 rounds (sticks out 1/2 inch) or you get the sub 2000 in glock 19 (harder to find but they make it).

I got a sub 2000 in the glock 17 configuration. I found it for a great price and shortened the magwell /handle to take the 19 mags (not hard if you posess some mechanical skills I used a sander and file for clean up). Nice easy point and shoot rifle. I wanted a single point sling on it. The single point sling is nice because the rifle does not weigh much so it hanging off your neck is pretty easy. And if you wear a large pack most any other sling system does not work.
I used a 1" scope ring and mounted it at the colar on the stock tube I could have sandwiched a plate in there like a AR-15 can but you have to make the plate etc. and the scope ring was virtuly free.

If you have questions or need some pictures just let me know.

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

Id certainly be interestd in some pics of the handy work! Never hurts to know a few more gun modification techniques ;)

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

I didn't really understand your 1st paragraph max, sorry. I understood that the 19 was available in 30 rounds mags as well and that's what I'm pursuing, of course I'll some 10's/? too.

I'd love to see some pics, especially your scope set up.

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

Glad you got some good info!

I wonder what responses you'd have got if you asked what the most common ammo lost at sea is in the US?

:biggrin:

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

It probably would have already been traded for some gold or silver!!!!

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

NO scope. I use a scope ring for the single point sling mount I will have to photo and show you. The only place to mount a sling is all the way back on the buttplate, so I made a new mounting spot.

I will try and explain the first paragraph better bear with me.

You can buy the rifle configured for glock 19 mags or 17 mags stock from the factory. I bought the rifle configured for 17 mags because it was sitting there for $200 less and because I am pretty handy with tools.

The rifle configured for glock 17 mags means the 19's were to short but I bought the rifle and shortened the mag well Instead of shoping till I found the glock 19 version of the rifle.

Now with a glock 19 sized mag well I can fit glock 17 (17 rounds),18 (33 rounds),19 (15 rounds)mags into it with out a problem 19's fit flush, 17's stick out 1/2 inch and 18's stick out about 6 inches. 10 round 9mm glock mags regardless of modle are a mag made for a hi-capacity mag prohibited state

If I had left it alone (stock 17 mag well) I could have put in glock 17 and 18 mags just fine in my pistol and rifle they would have just stuck out of the pistol. I already own lots of 15 round glock 19 mags so I wanted to put them into use.

I hope that is clear as mud now I will try and take some photos of what I am talking about soon.

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

Much clearer dude, thanks for the clarification, I was a little lost. I'm damn handy too but want to get it right off the git go.

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

As promised: My bail out rifle and pistol combo.

The 3 mags I was talking about

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...P1010027-1.jpg

Loaded in a glock 19 pistol

Glock 19 mag 15 rounds
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...x/P1010031.jpg

Glock 17 mag 17 rounds

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...x/P1010032.jpg

Glock 18 33 rounds
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...x/P1010033.jpg

Now the kel tec rifle stock. Notice the bottom grip screw to bottom distance

http://www.gunblast.com/images/Kel-T...0/Mvc-001f.jpg

My kel tec modified to take glock 19 mags notice the same distance points.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...P1010034-1.jpg

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...P1010037-1.jpg

now loaded with the mags

Glock 19

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...P1010028-1.jpg

Glock 17
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...P1010029-1.jpg

Glock 18
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...P1010030-1.jpg

Sling single point mount using a 1" scope mount to clamp on the tube the only sling mount is the cut on the butt stock.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...P1010036-1.jpg

Folded (Glock 19 for size comparison)

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...x/P1010038.jpg

In the BOB Small pouch holds 3 glock 18 mags in a pouch that I can hang around my neck
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...x/P1010039.jpg

BOB ready to go.

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h1...x/P1010040.jpg

The mag well mod was done with a disk sander and a burr motor to make the mag pull out half moon in the front. it took about 15 minutes to do then another 10 to clean the rifle I did it because the glock 17 rifle was available and at the price I wanted to pay the grip is fine my pinky drops under and cradles the Glock 19 mags (think shooting a Glock 27 aka baby glock).

Recoil is minimal and yes I can hit things at 100 yards it has a ghost ring type setup with a fiber optic front blade that can be adjusted for windage and elevation.

Re: What is the most common ammo stockpiled in the US?
 

The most common ammo will be what you have stored up. Get what you can while you can.