Ammunition types you keep on hand?

[grumble]

Just curious as to what ratio of "plinking/target/range" ammo vs. "protection" ammo you keep on hand?

Myself, I'm probably 10:1 target:protection. I'm thinking I need to increase the protection piece.

For clarification, I'm referencing 9mm luger and consider target/plinking as 115gr FMJ and JHP. I consider Speer Gold Dot 124gr. +P JHP to be protection.

[GeekwithaGun]

currently I have a 50/50 mix of 9mm, Speer lawman 115 gr FMJ and Speer Gold Dot 124 gr JHP + some +P from a prior buy.
enroute is ___ # rounds of .308
other on hand 50/50 of low recoil 00 buck and 1oz low recoil slug for 12g
some .22lr rounds

not a hoarder and all was purchased before the Dec 14 shooting in CT except the .308

[grumble]

I have some UMC JHP that i've categorized in my own mind as target/plinking - thinking it could go either way as it's expansion is pretty good.

I'm thinking that I really need to up my protection side to get to 1:1 ...

[troglodyte]

I don't know my ratio but it greatly favors practice ammo.

I have a few boxes of "self-defense" ammo that pretty much sits. I do run a few rounds through each gun just to check funtion every so often.

Here's my take. I try to stock up on practice ammo to practice with and also to fall back on. The way I figure it if times get bad I will not have the opportunity to put very many self-defense rounds though my firearms. I will either be 1) hiding, 2) dead, or 3) carrying a rifle. In the event I happen to expend all my self-defense rounds I can always fall back on the practice rounds (mostly FMJ).

Regardless, while I have a very modest "stockpile" I don't relish or expect to live through much of an extended fire fight so I primarily buy practice rounds unless I find a deal on SD.

[xb12s]

Some of that depends on how much you shoot I suspect. I keep about a 4:1 or 5:1 ratio. I don't really care about the ratio really. I mainly just like to have at least 3 boxes of personal defense ammo for each carry gun (mine are in different calibers). I shoot through about two magazines of it each month (function testing I guess, although I think I've shot enough of it to know that it runs fine). I like to keep a small store of practice ammo in reserve in case you can't find what you want at the price you want. Given supply/demand/price situation, I will probably start buying more of it when I have the opportunity or find the right deal. This goes for both types really. If ammo price spikes or shortages occur, I would likely shoot no defense ammo during practice and only shoot the cheaper rounds.

[Gameover]

I dont buy to much "self defense" ammo (unless it a GREAT deal) for the fact its to darn expensive compared to fmj. I go through about 3 boxes a year just to make sure it functions through my carry options. If I had to put a ratio on it 1000/1 would be somewhere close. I keep a good amount of 7.62 on hand but cant shoot it anywhere near to where I live(man I miss those arizona deserts).

[pbwalker]

Ammunition types I keep on hand? Any and all I can get my hands on. I'm what most would call a hoarder.

But yeah...I generally keep about 10 boxes of SD ammo for each caliber, but a lot more FMJ ammo. Off the cuff math, I'd say my ratio is also about 1000:1, round for round.

This does not include .22LR ammo as that is cheap and (was) plentiful. Easily the most versatile caliber anyone can own, and it's easy (or was easy) to pickup 5000 rounds each time I stepped foot in an Academy, BPS, Cabelas, or found myself "window shopping" online. Suffice to say, I need to get a new safe, or move my ammo out of it. I'm out of room.

[Ericstac]

I don't really keep a whole lot in stock but now I'm regretting that. I probably have 5 boxes of dove shot 12g, 8 boxes of FMJ 9mm, and 1 50rd of rem UMC .223.

I consider any ammo protection ammo. If it puts a hole in a body it works.

[DLBConductor]

I try to keep a minimum of 1,000 rounds of FMJ practice ammo and 300 rounds of JHP defense ammo in both 9 mm and .45 ACP. In addition, I keep 1,500 rounds of CCI .22 LR for my Ruger Mark III Target pistol.

After finding the best brand of defense ammo for each of my handguns, I try to keep 150 JHP rounds of that specific brand marked and available for each gun. For defense ammo, I always test fire at least one full magazine from each new box just to test that particular batch.

Ideally, I like to have a minimum of three magazines for each pistol; two loaded with hollow point defense rounds for EDC and one with FMJ ammo for practice.

[Dave2]

For defense ammo, I always test fire at least one full magazine from each new box just to test that particular batch.

That sounds like fun and all, but the ammo that I use comes in 25 rounds/box vs 20 rounds/mag for my P226... seems like there wouldn't be enough left after being tested.

[daveboyd]

I keep about 75% plinking and 25% self defense.

[texanjoker]

No specific ratio. I do have enough duty 223/40/9/12 gauge on hand that I could go to work immediately during a disaster. I also have a lot, but NOT enough target ammo.

[flechero]

the ammo that I use comes in 25 rounds/box vs 20 rounds/mag for my P226... seems like there wouldn't be enough left after being tested.

I bugs the crap out of me that no LGS's I frequent carry 50 rd boxes but you can buy your defense ammo in 50rd boxes and bulk- it's much cheaper and IMO, you really need to prove a round in your gun before dedicating it to carry. There are lots of places that sell premium defense ammo in bulk. Here are a couple places I have purchased from fairly recently:

http://www.prestostore.com/cgi-bin/stor ... 7&pg=26854" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.ammunitiondepot.com/default.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

To stay on topic, I try to always keep a few boxes of defense ammo on hand. For fmj, I buy in bulk 1-2 times per year so my "stock" varies- I reorder when I get down to a couple hundred rounds.

[Skiprr]

If I had to put a ratio on it 1000/1 would be somewhere close.

Now that's a big ratio. I'm nowhere near that; my guess would be about 30- or 35-to-1 because I have, in the past, bought defensive rounds in batches of 250. That's handgun ammo only I'm talking about, and doesn't count .22LR: that's for plinking only, at least for me, and that would skew the ratio.

I don't really think I can make a distinction between range and defensive rounds for long-gun ammo in calibers of .223 or above. At that point--and out of a 16" or longer barrel--you have effective defensive ammo regardless of whether or not it's designed to expand on impact. For rifle ammo, I could draw lines between practice, match, and hunting rounds, but not practice/defensive.

Same pretty much holds true for shotguns. A .410 with #9 shot isn't much use in self-defense anyway (unless it's against a small snake), and when you get to #4 buckshot and larger in a 20 gauge or, preferably, larger, I don't think there's really a valid distinction between range and defensive ammo. Winchester and others have come out with loads that are specifically designed for self-defense, but 00 buck in a 12 gauge is gonna be effective no matter what you call it.