How much self defense ammo?

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I know that you can never have enough ammo, but what percentage or how much is hollow tip self defense and how much is just target ammo. Wondering cause if ever in a pinch you would obviously just use the fmj ammo.
 
I'd say I have 50-100 rounds of each caliber I carry for self defense. Every so often I will run the oldest box though and buy a new one... I don't trust multi year old rounds for protection.
 
I try to use the same for both practice and carry, that way ther are no surprises. That being said I do use a lot of FMJ ammo for practice only due to price.
 
LOL. I think I have one 50 round box of 9mm self defense ammo. the other 950 rounds are Remington UMC.
 
Get as much as you can afford. Its not going down in price.

I recently picked up 500 rounds of Winchester Ranger in 9mm for $32/box of 50.

Mind if I ask where? I've been looking to up my stash of RA9TA and can't find any anywhere, for any price.
 
I only shoot what I practice with. So if you're carrying something specific, you should buy a lot of it and shoot it.
 
Get as much as you can afford. Its not going down in price.

I recently picked up 500 rounds of Winchester Ranger in 9mm for $32/box of 50.
I stocked up with Speer Gold Dot +P JHP in 2008 at about $8/box. I'm going to cry when that stuff runs out and I have to buy JHP again...
 
Mind if I ask where? I've been looking to up my stash of RA9TA and can't find any anywhere, for any price.

I bought it in the classifieds here.

http://www.northeastshooters.com/vb...of-Winchester-Ranger-T-series-9mm-147-gr-RA9T

The guy was selling it for $400 shipped. I told him I'd drive to him and pay him $335 for it. (So I was wrong, I paid 33.50/box) We met about 5 miles from my house.

We both won. He didn't have to hassle with shipping, and I got it cheap. The only one who lost was UPS.

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I stocked up with Speer Gold Dot +P JHP in 2008 at about $8/box. I'm going to cry when that stuff runs out and I have to buy JHP again...

I've been using federal HST for the last few years. Shortly after buying 10 boxes, I came up with a recipe for my reloads that has similar recoil and feels pretty much the same. Since it only costs me about $5.30/box for my reloads, its a big money saver.
 
Where are you guys getting JHP for those prices? I'm regularly seeing most kinds a lot closer to 1$ per round. Truthfully I shoot almost all 115gr FMJ, and every so often carry ammo after it has been chambered a few times. I would shoot a lot more of it though if it was 25-30 cents per round.
 
Where are you guys getting JHP for those prices? I'm regularly seeing most kinds a lot closer to 1$ per round. Truthfully I shoot almost all 115gr FMJ, and every so often carry ammo after it has been chambered a few times. I would shoot a lot more of it though if it was 25-30 cents per round.


I usually get 50rnds of Federal HST's for about 18$ a box. Online is your best source.
 
How much? Depends on what you're prepping for I guess.

Most people probably only have a few hundred, if even that, for each caliber gun they have. I guess most people have more range/ball/FMJ rounds than SD/JHP rounds but, IMHO, it should be reversed.
 
Where are you guys getting JHP for those prices? I'm regularly seeing most kinds a lot closer to 1$ per round. Truthfully I shoot almost all 115gr FMJ, and every so often carry ammo after it has been chambered a few times. I would shoot a lot more of it though if it was 25-30 cents per round.

Its not that hard. I'm a big fan of sgammo.com. Nice people. You must know someone in NH or RI or VT or even CT who can order it for you mail order.

They're out, but the last time they had it, they would sell you 1000 rounds of hst for $579 with 18 shipping.
 
I carry a 5 shot .357 loaded with hornady 158 grain JHP. When I visit the range I fire the 5 that have been in the gun......and practice with 158 grain target ammo. Then load fresh hornady loads on the way home and repeat........I try to keep two boxes (50 rounds total) of my carry ammo in the safe and purchase a new box when I'm down to one box (25 rounds). Just can't afford to practice only with SD ammo at over $1 a round.
 
I carry a 5 shot .357 loaded with hornady 158 grain JHP. When I visit the range I fire the 5 that have been in the gun......and practice with 158 grain target ammo. Then load fresh hornady loads on the way home and repeat........I try to keep two boxes (50 rounds total) of my carry ammo in the safe and purchase a new box when I'm down to one box (25 rounds). Just can't afford to practice only with SD ammo at over $1 a round.

THIS!

I shoot my EDC and spare mags dry every range trip, then use similar target ammo. Before leaving the range for the day, the mags get reloaded with SD ammo. I buy it whenever I see it and can stomach the $. Buy 2 shoot one. I don't keep a shit-ton of SD handgun ammo, because if you really need SD past a single incident, you should be using a rifle anyways.
 
I've probably got a hundred or so rounds of 9mm, but it's various kinds. Probably only 20 rounds of what I regularly carry.

For 380 I've only got a dozen or so extra, but I carry buffalo bore in my 380 so it's pretty costly to stock up on.
 
How much? Depends on what you're prepping for I guess.

Most people probably only have a few hundred, if even that, for each caliber gun they have. I guess most people have more range/ball/FMJ rounds than SD/JHP rounds but, IMHO, it should be reversed.

Not calling you out on your opinion, just curious "why" you feel the ratio should be reversed? I look at most HP ammo as being more for the purpose of not over-penetrating. If I need more than 2 mags in a handgun, then that tells me that I'm either in over my head for just having a handgun, or in a gunfight, and in either of those cases I'd be grabbing a rifle or scattergun anyway, so I personally feel like a box, or 2 of JHP for each caliber of carry gun I own is plenty at any given time. If I feel like stockpiling ammo, why would it be ammo that costs $1 a round when I can stockpile 2-3 times as much FMJ?
 
I like to keep between 60-80 of defense rounds, I always use at least 9 each time I shoot. But for practice rounds FMJ 400-500 in my safe at all times 100-200 in my range bag. Just never have enough...!
 
Right now I think I have about 200 rounds of 9 and 200 of 40. I try to shoot it off every 3-6 months so I can keep fresh ammo in my EDC
 
How much? Depends on what you're prepping for I guess.

Most people probably only have a few hundred, if even that, for each caliber gun they have. I guess most people have more range/ball/FMJ rounds than SD/JHP rounds but, IMHO, it should be reversed.
I sort of disagree here. Ammo is big bucks.....I carry HP ammo daily for self defense........and I think it is common knowledge that the chances of me actually needing my side arm in a self defense shooting are small....that said I train with my ccw enough and keep about 50 rounds of HP ammo on hand. As far as my stockpile of practice / shtf ammo I can buy fmj ammo at half the cost of SD hollow points and my stockpile for the shtf situation should be FMJ anyway.....I'm not worrying about overpenetrarion if the ammo is for defending my property if tshtf. Bottom line I'm on a budget......and I can buy a hell of a lot more fmj for the $ when stockpiling for shtf
 
I sort of disagree here. Ammo is big bucks.....I carry HP ammo daily for self defense........and I think it is common knowledge that the chances of me actually needing my side arm in a self defense shooting are small....that said I train with my ccw enough and keep about 50 rounds of HP ammo on hand. As far as my stockpile of practice / shtf ammo I can buy fmj ammo at half the cost of SD hollow points and my stockpile for the shtf situation should be FMJ anyway.....I'm not worrying about overpenetrarion if the ammo is for defending my property if tshtf. Bottom line I'm on a budget......and I can buy a hell of a lot more fmj for the $ when stockpiling for shtf

I disagree. If ammunition is targeted for further regulation, or if ammunition becomes more scarce, the premium JHP that I rely on for defense becomes more important, and more valuable. I've determined that a minimum floor on that is worth it, and if you order in bulk becomes reasonably priced. I also reload premium Gold Dot bullets, and keep those components on hand.
 
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