Got Ammo?
“A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition.” ― Rudyard Kipling.
Guns Save Lives brought up a very good point Wednesday, noting that the next logical target of Obama Administration sanctions on Russia for the ongoing war in Ukraine is Russian ammunition. An importation ban could halt the importation of Barnual, the various “Bear” brands, Herter’s, Tula, Wolf, and other Russian-made ammunition virtually overnight.
Yeah. I seem to recall somebody saying that around here five months ago: Why even the most isolationist and unconcerned Fudd should care about the Ukraine -- Poof! There goes the Russian ammo supply.
Owens continues:
Our advice would be for shooters to estimate their projected ammunition usage in each caliber they own over the next year, and then see if they have enough cartridges in their inventory for each caliber. You do know how much ammunition you have, right?
Sounds like a silly question but it isn't. I often ask the same question of newbies and get blank stares. And those who do know how many rounds they have generally have little idea how many rounds get expended in modern combat. A hunter looks at three boxes of .30-06 silver-tips and figures he's good for a couple of years. An infantryman, even a designated marksman who doesn't spray and pray, looks at 60 rounds as enough for the next half-hour -- if the enemy doesn't push real hard.
Do yourself a favor and pull an inventory of everything you've got ammo-wise. Inspect it. Look at it critically. Is it good enough for plinking but you wouldn't want to bet your life on it? Then segregate it and count it differently. How is it packaged? Long term storage in tuna cans? Okay, but do you have enough to reload quickly when the rounds are flying both ways? That is, how much of it is in stripper clips and bandoleers?
Ask these questions now and you won't be terminally embarrassed later.
13 comments:
Good call Mike. At least we still have IMI to play with.
Wolf , Red Army, PPU, Wolf gold, and some "Bear" ammo are all made OUTSIDE RUSSIA. Obama's BS "boycott" won't effect the market much at all. About 80% of ALL "soviet block" ammo is made outside Russia and will not be effected by anything but another ginned up "ammo panic"(Only Tula and Barnaul still make ammo in Russia for US "export")
I would not count on IMI being around. Obama is anti-Israel. If it is still here next then great. The great ammo shortage can come back over night.
Those of is that have been paying attention for the past 20 years already know the answer to these questions. Those that don't risk being mowed down.
I have to question this somewhat. We are not infantrymen, even if we are in rebellion. We CANNOT act as if we are going to expend 50,000 rounds (or whatever the current statistic is for infantry) for every enemy killed. We should be thinking in terms of 10 rounds or less for every enemy killed - or we shouldn't be shooting. The job of rebellion is not identical to the job of invading and occupying another country - the sorts of things infantry does today.
Another point is, how many enemy do we kill before we are killed? As soon as we get one or two, we are good, and everything beyond that (including survival) is gravy. The ruling class CANNOT stand up to us and trade one for one. They just don't have that many thugs.
Which is not to say that we shouldn't stock up on ammo. If nothing else, it is a great trade good.
Now in Injia's sunny clime,
Where I used to spend my time
A-servin' of 'Er Majesty the Queen,
Of all them black-faced crew
The finest man I knew
Was our regimental bhisti, Gunga Din.
It was "Din! Din! Din!"
With the bullets kickin' dust-spots on the green.
When the cartridges ran out,
You could 'ear the front-files shout:
"Hi! ammunition-mules an' Gunga Din!"
Din! Din! Din!
You Lazarushian-leather Gunga Din!
Tho' I've belted you an' flayed you,
By the livin' Gawd that made you,
You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!
-- A pertinent quote from "Gunga Din" (pronounced Gunga Dean), Rudyard Kipling's ode to a British regiment's Muslim water bearer.
Kipling's imagery and music echo strongly in this piece and the text reminds us that affection, loyalty and service can come from the least expected places in the most desperate of times.
Full text: http://www.bartleby.com/103/48.html
The only time I've had too much ammunition was on take off. regards, Alemaster
May I suggest that for IIIpers, the operable MO in the event is more likely to be channeling the Boer "commandos" that bedevilled the British for two wars and much of the late XIXth century.
Kipling made the point quite well here:
"Piet" (third stansa)
"An' when there wasn't aught to do
But camp and cattle guards,
I've fought with 'im the whole day through
At fifteen 'undred yards;
Long afternoons o' lyin' still
An' 'earin' as you lay
The bullets swish from 'ill to 'ill
Like scythes among the 'ay.
Ah, there Piet -- be'ind 'is stony kop --
With 'is Boer bread and biltong an' 'is flask of awful dop;
'Is Mauser for amusement an' 'is pony for retreat,
I've known a lot o' fellers shoot a dam' sight worse than Piet.
Dutchman -- you can appreciate this, I'm sure.
Anon,
It's true that a lot of ammo from the former Soviet bloc comes from countries like Ukraine, Romania, and Serbia, but the Russian manufacturers still represent the majority of that supply. So even though we could still buy, say, Romanian ammo, it's going to be hard to find and expensive because everyone else in the market is switching over to them too.
If you're interested in stocking Soviet calibers, my personal favorite is Golden Tiger. They still make it true to milspec, with lacquered cases, and sealant on the primers and case mouths. Get it while you can.
Golden Tiger is my stocking ammo. I use the polymer coated stuff for range ammo only. It's not nearly as good as the old lacquered stuff when it comes to long term storage and weather resistance.
Hi Mike,
Yeah, what Rudyard said!! 'Whenever I pass by the ammo shelf I usually end up tossing a box or two in the buggy. Also I write the purchase date somewhere on the box. 'Oldest out first is my usual drill.
Gunfire!!! The Sound of Freedom!,
III%,
skybill-out
The only time you have too much ammo is when you're on fire.
The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire. The only time you have too much ammo is when you are trying to swim with it.
Anyone who reads this article and say's to themselves 'Gee Goober, maybe I better start stocking up...' needs to check their pulse.
Too late now. Good luck and happy hunting.
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