Round Count

[OVERKILL]

 Okay, assuming you have at least one of each of these, how many rounds of ammunition do you think you should keep for each?

1) Rifle- long range, chambered in a powerful cartridge, lets say for 300 yards and longer.

2)Carbine- Mid to long range, probably in an intermediate cartridge for use to 300 yards, with distance 200 and under being more common.

3)Pistol Caliber Carbine- A longarm. Basically a short rifle that fires small, low powered rounds meant for handguns. Range of 100 yards and less.

4)Shotgun- Probably a max range of 50-70 yards with slugs and 30 yards with buckshot. Good choice for around the home base since carrying much ammo gets real heavy.

5)Handgun- Sidearm for close range of probably 25 yards and less, mostly a last ditch implement. Small and handy so it can be with you whereever you go.

6)Bow/Crossbow- how many arrows/ bolts would you need? Range is not much better than a pistol, but may see more use as it is quieter.

 Feel free to add input as to my descriptions or useful range as well.

[Robin Holmes]

I carry 30 rounds for my crossbow. Useful range? Roughly eighty feet, if I've got the wind with me.

[OVERKILL]

 All right, we've got 30 rounds for the crossbow/bow. Are you planning on reusing the bolts? If not or if so, how would that change the number of rounds assuming you were going to survive long term?
 Assuming you had the other tools available, how much ammunition would you keep for each?

[Robin Holmes]

Unfortunatly, the design of the bolt means it's not reuseable. However, given the tools to make more, I can optimally carry about three hundred bolts. I'd need a pair of bandoleers to make it work, and it would decrease my shooting speed from ten bolts in about that many seconds, to four bolts in twenty seconds. Although, it'll also shoot arrows, javelins, and rocks.

[Admin]

For me, I think the scenario will have something to do with dictating how much ammo I'll have.

If I'm grabbing the Bugout Bag, then I'll be limited to what I can carry, if I'm hunkered down somewhere, then I'll probably have more of everything, and maybe the ability to reload.

[OVERKILL]

 So give us a count of what you'd have at the ol' homestead and a list of what you'd have in the bugout bag. I think my bugout bag would vary depending on if I'm in a group or solo.
 If I'm solo and traveling only having what I can carry on my back I'd probably only take two weapons - a rifle and a pistol. I'd probably try to carry about 100 rounds for the rifle and 100 for the pistol, although I'd give serious thought to carrying only 50 for the pistol in order to carry an extra 20 rounds of rifle ammunition, as I don't expect the sidearm to see much use.
 If I were in a group traveling, I'd try to carry something to makeup for other shortfalls of the group. I'd still have the pistol and about a hundred rounds but may also carry-
 Carbine - With lighter weight ammunition than full sized rifle ammunition, I'd probably try to carry at least 200 rounds.
 Pistol caliber carbine - I'd try to carry at least 250 rounds, possibly more, again depending on weight.
 Shotgun - 50 rounds of 00 buckshot, 20 slugs and 5 or 10 shells loaded with #4's or 5's for small game  (gotta eat).
 For the bow, you also run into the size problem, where arrows are long and get in the way, and just plain harder to pack conveniently. I'd have a quiver of six on the bow, I figure if I lash a large back quiver to either side of my pack holding at most 2 dozen each, I may be able to carry a maximum of about 54. I guess they may be reusable if not damaged too badly, but would you really want to carry around skinny sticks covered in zombie goo near the rest of your gear?
 I tried to be realistic about  how much ammo I could carry for a long period of walking. I don't know the exact weights of any of the amounts or types, since the weight would change depending on the specific cartridge or load. I guess you could load your other essentials then cram any remaining space with ammo, as it could be dropped if it became too heavy, but I don't know. I guess I need to load up a heavy pack and carry it five mile and gauge my fatigue, then adjust the weight until it feels about right. Any suggestions or comments on that theory would be appreciated.
 I also have no idea how much to stock at a residence, bug out location, base, fort or whatever you may call it, I'd really like some input and opinions on that from anyone (even lurkers).

[Admin]

I think I can answer for the bugout bag... If I'm hunkered down someplace, I'm gonna have as much ammo as possible, period.

I can tell you what's in my bugout bag right now, and I'll try to explain it...

My goal in taking off is survival first and foremost. I'll dispatch all the Zombies possible while pursuing that goal, but a lot of my time will be spent in avoiding Zombies until I can get to, or create a secure a safe and protected base of operations. To that end, if I'm living nomadic, I'll want to be quiet and quick, but maintain the ability to defend myself from Zombies and from other survivors.

My bugout bag currently contains a .22 caliber AR-7 survival rifle, a .22 caliber pistol and a .45 caliber pistol. I've got 500 rounds of .22 ammo, and 100 rounds of .45 ammo.

Depending on the situation, I'll grab other guns and related ammo as I see necessary. I keep some ammo and related things like magazines or stripper clips loaded up in bandoleers and ready to go.

I like the idea of having a good pistol caliber carbine, but I haven't gotten one yet. I wish that Kel-tec made the sub-2000 in .45 but they have no intention to make one by all accounts. Maybe one day...

[OVERKILL]

 If you had a 45 ACP carbine would you drop one of the other guns in your bugout bag? How would that change the amounts of ammo you'd carry?
 I forgot I have a 32 ACP adapter for my 303 British. I could carry quite a few more rounds for it than full power rounds (I'll weigh a round of each and see how much difference it could be, they are also much smaller). They are much quieter out of the long barrel than out of a pistol, and in a vastly different class than full power 303's in terms of noise. This would allow a quiet way to kill game for the pot.
 I really could use some advice on minimums to keep around the house. I'm really bad to shoot up all my ammo as fast as I can load it up/buy it. I try to keep a box of 12 gauge shells handy and a few slugs and a buckshot load or two, it's my go to gun for birds and critters in the garden, rats stealing the dog food, coyotes or things that go bump in the night. I also try to keep a full cylinder or magazine for whatever gun I'm carrying to work, although I've ran around with as few as 3 cartridges in a magazine because I shot all the others that day. Any input regardless would be nice on this.

[Robin Holmes]

Always have at least one spare clip for anything you plan to use with any regularity.

[OVERKILL]

 What if it doesn't use clips, but uses magazines?

[Robin Holmes]

Spare magazine, then.

[Admin]

I *try* to keep at least 100 rounds of anything that might be useful for survival loaded and on hand, but sometimes I fall short of that goal. I think I only have 6 rounds of .32 S&W long loaded. but I've got 200+ rounds of .45 loaded. Sometimes the circumstances make a difference too. I haven't had a chance to cast in a while, so my projectile situation is kinda dismal, to the point that I even bought some hornady swaged .314 SWC at the last gun show.

I do keep the ammo in my Bugout bag separate from my "normal" round count. I might cycle through the ammo in the B.O.B. but only when I'm replacing it with fresh ammo.

I do have all the components to reload most of my ammo handy at home, which is fine if I have the time to do it, but if I'm in a hurry, I'm screwed. I have lead to cast, but not a lot of cast bullets, I have primers, powder and brass. So, as long as I have time, I'll have ammo.

[OVERKILL]

 Thanks, I may be able to keep that much on hand. Anyone else have any other opinions?

[Labdwakin]

Gotta agree with Admin... BOB round count is totally separate from standard stock. For myself, BOB has 500 rounds of pistol carbine/pistol ammo and 100 rounds of 12 gauge 00 buckshot.  If I'm having to grab a bag and go, I want it to be as simple as possible.  I shoot a LOT so my homestead round count fluctuates between 1000-2000.

[OVERKILL]

Gotta agree with Admin... BOB round count is totally separate from standard stock. For myself, BOB has 500 rounds of pistol carbine/pistol ammo and 100 rounds of 12 gauge 00 buckshot.  If I'm having to grab a bag and go, I want it to be as simple as possible.  I shoot a LOT so my homestead round count fluctuates between 1000-2000.

 Me too, it seems money and ammo are 2 things I cant hold on to.

 By the way, welcome to NOZOMBIES, Labdwakin.