Cost/Practicality Justified?

[sabo954]

I currently have a Ruger Mini 30 that I am satisfied with it's performance.

I was told in passing by someone at work that eventually, especially if there is some sort of major nation-shaking incident, that 7.62x39mm for it would be harder to get than the .223 for the Mini 14.

Do you think that in a national crisis scenario, that the supplies of available 7.62x39mm would dry up before supplies of .223? And even if so, would it justify the cost of me adding a Mini 14 and the high-cap mags that go with it to my collection? :confused:

[Art Eatman]

1. I really doubt it.

2. In a "need" situation, a 1,000-round stash doesn't take up a lot of room, and would be more than required for any rational scenario.

3. Reloading is easy, and is another way to ensure against shortages.

:), Art

[HorseSoldier]

In some absolute, post-apocalyptic Road Warrior style scenario, 7.62x39 in the US would probably run out before 5.56mm did. I don't know that I'd consider that sort of scenario as a criteria for buying a weapon and such, but if it is a concern for you, reloading, like the previous poster suggested, is something you should be looking at for any caliber. In something like that, you're far more likely to lose access to steady supplies of ammunition due to disruption of transportation networks and commerce before literally all the 7.62x39 within CONUS is shot up.

[Northern Sod Breaker]

Barring something drastic the 7.62X39 will always be availible. Even Remington make shells in 7.62X39.

[roscoe]

The federal government has been cutting off the supply of 7.62x39 so that AK owners will not be able to help with the Resistance to the UN invasion, planned for later this month. You read it here first! Don't worry, you can trade women and children for ammo (most calibers) on the black market after the invasion starts.

[Death from Afar]

There is always the possibility of a zombie hoard as well.

[john in jax]

Roscoe I've got two questions:
Do you have to wait for a crisis to start bartering?
How much ammo do I have to give you to take my wife?

[snolden]

Generally speaking if you fire more than 5 or 10 shots in any single engagement AND LIVE to tell about it, you will have the pickings of a decent amount of ammo.

the key here is living to tell about it. Each shot you fire means more time you spent in range of their weapons and dramatically reduces your chance of surviving, EVEN IF YOU WIN.

So remember, stash enough that when you need it it is there, but even 5 or 6magazines should be enough for jsut about any scenario.

With that said, I do have several thousand rounds of ammo for all my rifles and several hundred for each of my pistols, since ammo prices are increasing pretty rapidly right now.

But to answer your question, in order of availability, I would think .22 LR, 30-30, 30-06, .223, .308, and 7.62x39 would all be pretty easy to obtain thru barter should the stores close down. Other calibers such as .243, .270 will be more difficult and only available in small quantities. Beyond that buy a reloading press and components for the calibers you own and become a brass scrounger.

[glock23777]

Ok this is going to cause a stir. I would like to keep about 10,000 rnds of ammo for each calliber of weapon that i own. At this point I'm quite close to this plan. It is in a temperature and humidity controlled environment. I also know of several resupply sources. I also reload for the family and we keep powder, primers, and projectiles on hand.

[hpg]

Not to worry, if we are invaded they will bring plenty of 7.62x39 with them. hpg

[thejeanmachine16]

Thats an excellent point

[davlandrum]

Maybe we can buy it from Glock, or do the barter thing....:D

[M1911]

Ok this is going to cause a stir. I would like to keep about 10,000 rnds of ammo for each calliber of weapon that i own. At this point I'm quite close to this plan. It is in a temperature and humidity controlled environment. I also know of several resupply sources. I also reload for the family and we keep powder, primers, and projectiles on hand.That's going to create a stir? Why would that be. You want to keep a bunch of ammo, go buy a bunch of ammo. Why should we care?

Besides, Chloe hacked the server and back-traced your ip address. They found where your stash is at and the black helicopters are on the way :rolleyes:

[Limeyfellow]

You also have to take into account the US military in such siturations are bound to grab as much 5.56mm as they can for their own purposes. We are using so much we even have to import from the likes of Taiwan to supply the need amongst others since they require about 500 million rounds a year right now so have to get an extra 300 million rounds from what they have now. Now imagine a conflict inside the US and the inability to import rounds from Taiwan, Israel and so on. The US military would quickly run through the dwindling stock supplies it has left and whats left in the country in the civilian market.

[BUSTER51]

Rosco,I was not aware of the possibility of the ammo trades you mentioned ,what could I expect for 2 sealed cases of Norinco non corosive steel core green box ? :rolleyes:

[dfaugh]

As someone else mentioned, if you need more than a few hundred rounds for your various guns, things have reached a point where your long term survivability is close to zero. At any given time I probably have a total of 2500 rounds, in different calibers (and shotshells)....Mainly because I buy in bulk, when I can get a good deal. If that's not enough to survive a crisis, well, then we're well and truly screwed.

I keep a few hundred rounds of 7.62x39, 9mm and 00 buck for defense (and survival hunting, in a pinch), and a few boxes of .22LR and birdshot for subsistence hunting. Plus maybe 100 or so rounds for my "long range" rifles. If that won't get me through, I'm not sure what will.

[Mannlicher]

Go ahead and by the Mini, or an AR just because its the 'right thing to do'. Your worries about ammo supply are probably unfounded. Don't forget that all the definitions and terms used in this thread mean different things to different folks. Gun loonies want more ammo, the casual hunter or plinker could get by with (god forbid) 'less'. :D

[Cpl Punishment]

If you are really worried about ammo supply, and are really talking about surviving and not slugging it out with enemy battalions on your lonesome, you can pick up a Mosin Nagant and about 5000 rounds of surplus ammo for the price of a Mini-14. And I mean only the Mini, no magazines, ammo and such. Factor those in, and you can buy another 5k on ammo for the Mosin.

If you're just looking for a reason to buy a Mini-14, stop trying to justify it, just go out and buy the darn thing! :D

[glock23777]

Good point CP the Nagants are a great option. Then later you can get on of those ARVIN rifles never fired droped once.

[Rube]

Do you really expect this bunch to help you with reasons "not" to purchase a new rifle. Heck yes if you're worried about running out of ammo you should either buy the extra rifle or a bunch of reloading gear!

It's like asking the guys at the corner tavern if they think it would be a good idea to quit drinking!
Rube

[brett30030]

60,000 gallons of water.
10,000 MRE.
5,000 gallons of gasoline.
2,000 foot hole in the ground.
3 extra wives for procreation.
4,000 feet field of fire around my perimeter.
100,000 rounds of spare ammo.

Cost $6,500,00.00

Value when the little green men land:

PRICELESS

:D

Just kidding guys!

[garryc]

]you will eventually reach the point that just cause you want it is good enough. How many guns have I bought for deer hunting? Bunches, more than I could use in a lifetime. Yet it's always the 7x57 that goes. Now I buy guns and just admitt I did it only because I wanted to, I'm much happier now.

[skeeter1]

In anywhere in the US? Not likely to happen. Sleep well.

I reload .38Spl +Ps for both my Smith pocket revolver and the Marlin 1894C, and I've got around 2K loads around here now (for the farm or the range), so I'm not the least bit worried.

[garryc]

Since we seem to be getting into the survival gun mode. Understand that relying on a gun to feed yourself is a fundementally flawed concept.

[Ian2005]

10,000 Rounds! LOL. maybe if you had some mini-gun and your own private ranch to blaze away on :D

Otherwise, I have to say that if you were that lone gunman who managed to survive the apocalypse in an urban combat zone, and you were able to survive after plinking one or two of the bad guys before they were able to call in for reinforcements and their tanks and helo’s, well you would be welcome to pick some ammo if of their bodies. But yeah, it’s your money. Personally, I think the entire Rambo series for $19 would be money better spent.

[dfaugh]

Understand that relying on a gun to feed yourself is a fundementally flawed concept.

Why is that? I live in a semi-rural area, and because there's almost no hunting pressure, there's lots of game. Last night I went to dinner with some friends, and came back to find 4 deer standing in my backyard, not 50 feet from the driveway/house. I have 7 acres of woods that I own, adjacent to another 15-20 acres of woods and fields. I could probably live for days, just popping squirrels. Then there's the woodchucks and rabbits and birds(turkeys and others)..... And of course a herd of deer.... We could eat well for some time, without every moveing more than a few hundred feet from "home"...

[garryc]

Why is that? I live in a semi-rural area, and because there's almost no hunting pressure, there's lots of game. Last night I went to dinner with some friends, and came back to find 4 deer standing in my backyard, not 50 feet from the driveway/house. I have 7 acres of woods that I own, adjacent to another 15-20 acres of woods and fields. I could probably live for days, just popping squirrels. Then there's the woodchucks and rabbits and birds(turkeys and others)..... And of course a herd of deer.... We could eat well for some time, without every moveing more than a few hundred feet from "home"...

That situation would quickley change in an extended survival situation. At first you could drop a few deer and some small game but that would not last long. Secondly is the time factor, you simply would not have time to hunt with all the other things you have to do is a survival situation. As for small game, while it does provide protien is has insufficiant fat for a survival diet.
Knowing how to trap is far better than knowing how to shoot. You don't have to be there with a trap and you can cover a much wider area. Yes you can trap deer, that's why a slide stop is required on a snare, so it can't close to less than 4". A deer in a snare with a 1/4 inch cable isn't going anywhere.

[GeoW]

If SHTF, you would be wise to have planned for a survival situation. Think about it, you have a few rifles and shotguns, you're sitting on a mountain of ammo planning on taking on an invasion. How long you gonna last?

Now if you plan on surviving, you need to polish those skills, learn to live on the land. Read a US Army Survival FM in your slack time. Plan your secluded hide out, have supplies pre-positioned. Dried beans, rice, seasonings, all stored in air tight containers. Water shouldn't be a problem as you know in advance how to purify it.

Just remember, basic survival because you as an individual will not come out on top of any sort of combat at this point.

GeoW

[sabo954]

If you are really worried about ammo supply, and are really talking about surviving and not slugging it out with enemy battalions on your lonesome, you can pick up a Mosin Nagant and about 5000 rounds of surplus ammo for the price of a Mini-14. And I mean only the Mini, no magazines, ammo and such. Factor those in, and you can buy another 5k on ammo for the Mosin.

Already done :D I own 2 Hungarian M44s and am in the process of converting one of them. It is going to have a Monte Carlo stock, scope mounts, and I plan to eventually get a couple different scopes for it, maybe even a night vision scope. The other one I am leaving in the original config. However, I haven't bought much ammo for it as of yet. Is there some place online that sells surplus 7.62x54R for dirt cheap?

Thanks for the great replies. I have decided against buying a Mini 14 at this time solely on the reasons I originally stated. However, eventually down the road I'll probably get one just to be able to plink around with and as a back-up "oh $#!+" rifle.

In the event the situation was that bad, you can bet I'm going to be scavenging anything not nailed down ;)