Now that at long last I have a local source for my preferred .45 ACP JHP loads, I need to figure out how much fresh ammo to budget for each year, This is for defensive ammo, not range ammo.
It’s more expensive now considerably more expensive.
It should go without saying that my FMJ range ammo could also be defensive if needed, but I prefer JHPs
Winchester JHPs come in 50 rd boxes, Out of caution I like to fire a sample from a new box just to be on the safe side, say 5 rounds.
That leaves 45 rounds left in the box. If I load my three 8 round magazines +1 in the chamber, that leaves 20 rounds in the box.
Not much left!
So I’m thinking two boxes will give me a comfortable supply
Next year I’ll shoot the loaded mags and the rest of the opened box, add the unopened box to the Ready Reserve locker (for the next ammo shortage) and buy two new boxes.
Does this sound like rational plan?
Sounds good to me.
I’m using 2 boxes of 20 rds each for 2 years.
2 magazines of 16, plus 1. That leaves me 7 extra for testing and replacing if needed.
I “test” my defensive ammo twice a year on my current EDC handgun, and a PCC I also use for home defense. So I purchase one box (20 rds) for each test. I use half the box for each firearm per test. I prefer to use Underwood Xtreme Defender 90gr.
I now have 3 years supply for my EDC and home PCC with extra mags. Kept in a safe with dehumidifiers. I used to just buy enough to refresh, but in case we have another “shortage” I don’t want to go through not finding any again.
Having been a responsibly armed American for, well, awhile now, having seen several cycles of availability crashes and what can happen to prices, and not having any expensive interests or hobbies beyond firearms to speak of…and if I’m being totally honest I can be a bit of a snob for what I perceive to be the “best ____”
As such, I have a full case of 1k rounds of Federal HST put back. It cost me less than a new Glock when I bought it, though.
If I were buying into .45 Ammo today, I’d want 200 rounds leftover, reasoning being to have enough I can test and prove an entirely new pistol on it if need be (call that 50 rounds minimum of that particular load) while still having enough to load all mags in rotation multiple times
Absolutely
Back before the shortages, I would usually take one of my two EDC pistols to the range regardless of what I was practicing with that day. My first shots would be with the mag I had been carrying in the gun with the SD ammo. At the end of practice I would load my spare SD mag and an extra bullet and be ready to go till the next practice.
This way I knew I was rotating ammo regularly and I get to prove that the firearm was ready to go had I needed it. Because of this I used to buy by the case to keep prices as low as possible and have extra on hand so I could wait till the next good deal came along before buying more.
With current prices I am now unloading my precious stash of reasonably priced self defense ammo before I start my practice and only firing the SD mag once every 6 months or longer. But I’m still working to keep my SD ammo stock topped off in case of future supply and price issues. I wouldn’t feel comfortable with anything less than a couple hundred rounds of high quality SD ammo that I knew worked well in my firearm. That way I know I could stretch my supply for several years if I had to. If I ran out and couldn’t get more then I would have to try whatever new brand I could find and buy a bunch extra to test for reliability which could get even more expensive in the future.
I bought deals when I found them…9mm, bought Hornadays HP, have a couple boxes left from 6-7 years ago, that and my few boxes of IMI HP are good in my subcompacts. Got a deal on Winchester Ranger 147+p from SGammo about 4 years back, bought 500 rounds, shot some, loved it bought another 500…probably have 6-700 rounds of that left…gave a couple boxes away as Christmas presents during the last ammo shortage. Got bro-hugged 
.45 acp, got a still wrapped in cello purchase, 200 rounds HST, and will try that when my PMC hp stash runs low. Happy with the PMC. Not sure how much I have, which is the way I like it… if you know how much you have, you don’t have enough 
Can’t answer your question as my crystal ball is fogged up…which is why I buy the way I do…or should say…did 
. Took advantage of a shipping deal over the weekend, however, and will be back to “no empty can, no empty cooler” status shortly. Coolers make good incognito storage.
Seeing that Winchester white box is the preferred choice of the OP and it’s probably one of the most cost effective options, why risk being in the same situation a year from now?
Thanks Matt for the words of wisdom!
I have 300 rounds of Federal Law Enforcement HST .45
As for carry I have the two mags with 7 rounds and 8 in my EDC.
I have two mags of 25 and 26 in my home Protection .45
That is just me though! A Marine is always ready if SHTF!
20.00 a box of target with no limit on it but SD is 34 and only 25 rounds sierra brand
I still occasionally see 9mm HST on sale at the equivalent of $40 for a box of 50 if you buy bulk. My small pre shortage stash of HST and Gold Dot cost me about 40 cents a round shipped if I’m remembering right. Don’t think we’ll ever see that price again.
Yeah ! I know
I have maybe 5 years of 45acp for my 1911 45acp all factory duplication loads i found in my hornady reloading book as well as 9mm for browning high power, now on the revolvers 38 special about 2 year for each,2 years for 30 cal. carbine and 3 years 45 long colt. All factory duplication loads, all work in my gun’s better than store bought rounds, i have been reloading for 55 years and still working with all components that i bought back then. The key to that is keep your power dry and primers, have a brass cleaner and take care of your press as you would depend your life on it. Stay Alert Don’t Get Hurt. 
Picked up the last two boxes of 230gr JHP at the LGS today. After the ammo drought here in CA, I’m grateful
I’m a bit more extreme. I shoot out my SD ammo in my carry firearms about every 3 months. I use Hornady. I keep substantially more. Whether SD or range I stay at +1000 rounds of each caliber, on hand in a dehumidified safe. I use a First in/First out system to keep my ammo reasonably fresh.
I only have handguns in .45
I use .45, 5.56, .300 B/O, .308, and 12 gauge slug/00Buck. With multiple platforms that use that ammo.
The little 20 round boxes are generally a ripoff. I usually order 50 round boxes or whole cases from various online places for cheaper than big bix stores usually sell the little 20 round boxes.
Ive always been a Speer Gold Dot fan. 124g +p in 9mm or 200g +p in .45. I usually try to shoot atleast 100 rounds or so of them every coupoe months. If you train with standard ammo but carry +p understand that there WILL BE A POI shift and without actually training with what you carry, you dont 100% know how its going to preform or that it even will preform
Good plan. Personally, I will not rely on a brand in my defensive firearm that I had not put at least 50 rounds through ahead of time. For that reason, I am using the same five brands now as I started with 7 years ago. I watch these for sales and keep my stock up accordingly. Ballistics aside, the best round for your defensive use is what works best (most reliably) in your firearm.
Have a very small stash of SD ammo and bunches of range ammo. To me if SHTF I don’t think any of us would care if its SD or ball as long as it goes bang and can stop an attacker. I wouldn’t be thinking/worrying about it passing through either. Might hit another attacker too.
Given the choice I would prefer to have quality SD ammo on hand during a SHTF scenario. Along with reducing the chance of an unwanted pass through in a chaotic situation where friends and foes might be mixed together, you get the slight but noticeable increased chance of the expanded bullet hitting something important and stopping the threat a little more quickly. When faced with multiple threats in a desperate situation where outside help is unlikely I’d want every advantage I can get.