Carrying ammo when the SHTF

[Hooker]

I am just about finished with my BOB, need to add a few more things. It's a reasonable weight for carrying so I'm not really concerend about that, but...

If the SHTF, ammo is a different story. How do you plan to carry it? I am attempting to store 500 rounds for each gun I have. That's a thousand .40cal and 500 for the 12gauge. What will be the best way to take it with me?

Aside from making the girlfriend carry it

 

[bigg cheese]

If I felt the need to carry that much, it'd be in my truck.

One mag always in the gun with me, one in the console, two in my go bag, and a plastic container with 50 rounds, and i still think that's excessive for me.

 

[leftsock]

If you have a bug out plan with a destination, could you store some there?

 

[cosermann]

There are only so many choices, right? I mean, cache it, carry it yourself, have someone else carry it, pack animal, use something with wheels (cart, bicycle, vehicle, etc.) - there are only so many ways to transport stuff or cause it to be where you want it when you need it.

Weight and bulk of ammunition should be factors folks consider when thinking about such things (i.e. weapon systems) - as it has the potential to change transportation needs dramatically.

 

[grunt soldier]

it also depends on how far your going. it would suck but you could definitely suck it up and carry that ammo for 10-15 miles ( or i could at least ) but if your talking about walking 40-50 miles thats going to be annoying and cut down on a lot of other important items you will need to take. caches are good options and having a good amount of it stored at your bug out location would be a huge help. if for some reason cars aren't working a bike w/ a trailer would be a great other means.

 

[irishfan]

it also depends on how far your going. it would suck but you could definitely suck it up and carry that ammo for 10-15 miles ( or i could at least ) but if your talking about walking 40-50 miles thats going to be annoying and cut down on a lot of other important items you will need to take. caches are good options and having a good amount of it stored at your bug out location would be a huge help. if for some reason cars aren't working a bike w/ a trailer would be a great other means.

That is the best option

 

[ChalupaCabras]

Well, 1K 40 rounds and 500 12g rounds would come out to be roughly 100lbs.

That's too much to carry more than a few feet... but it should all still fit inside of a 'Pelican Case' or something similar. I would either keep it ready to roll, and throw it in the trunk of your vehicle, or cache it somewhere along the way.

 

[Hap Hazard]

What's actually going to be carried on my person and what's in the bag are two different amounts of ammo. I can comfortably carry ten 7 shot speed loaders and two M14 mags on the belt(along with the revolver, of course!). There's a lot more in the bag but you could get seperated....just one of those things that's possible. Shotgun ammo will probably limit you as much by bulk as by weight and if it's your primary longarm you might consider slugs if you're out in the open. I can imagine ranges exceeding buckshot capabilities pretty quickly; the slugs should give you maybe 100 yards which still puts hurt on you if someone else has a rifle.

Different companies make mag carriers which hold at least six high caps(maybe more?). Can't remember their names but you can check Dillon's website, they had some last catalog I got and an outfit called Olangapo Outfitters makes a really nice shotgun over the shoulder style grab 'n go system which might help your out a bunch. I've got their grab 'n go for M14 mags and it's a great one.

 

[sloughfoot]

Since you have apparently offered to be my "ammo boy". I suggest a little red wagon to carry your lifetime supply of ammo. I am just off highway 3 north of Ft Wayne and I and my pals will be grateful for the re-supply. You just come walking by and we will be glad to take it off your hands.

Believe me, I really am laughing with you....

 

[Hooker]

Thanks for the responses and ideas. Maybe I am being a little overzealous with my stockpile, but you never know how many zombies are going to show up at the same time.

 

[dieselman]

ive got a 4 mag pouch for my AK that has both a shoulder strap and belt loops starting off with a 75 rd drum in the gun and 4 30 rounders im about set.

 

[RichardR]

I don't go real heavy on ammunition in our BOB's, a couple of spare rifle & pistol magazines & a dozen extra shotgun 00 buck shells is all.

I do have an ammunition resupply bag that is kept at the ready, w/10 extra AR15 magazines & 10 extra pistol magazines, along with another dozen shotgun shells, but we'd only be taking the ammunition resupply bag if we are able to bug out in our truck.

 

[Sanguine Samurai]

I'm bored so bear with me.

I agree with Chalupacabras that that is too much ammo to be carried à la man-animal. I went on a relatively short backpacking trip last weekend to test out my grab-n-go bag and I was tired of my 50 pound pack after just a couple of miles. Not I'm not going any further tired. More annoying really. I definitely didn't wish for it to be any heavier. I also think you are better off using something with wheels, preferably powered buy an engine. All I was carring with me last weekend was a glock 26 and three full mags including the one in the pistol (+1 in the chamber), and as I was hiking I kept thinking about removing the 200 rounds of "bug out" ammo from the bottom of my pack to make room for more food and water the Thursday before the trip. I'm glad I did. I still ran out of water the second night. I took 4 liters. I'm pretty sure that ammo is never goning back in that bag. My eyes were opened a little on that trip. I decided that I am going to have three bags.
1.) The same pack I took with me last week will be my primary grab-n-go bag.
2.) I will have a duffle style bag for ammo, extra gun related material, extra food, extra water, and extra first aid/medical needs. This will be the "if-n-when" bag". I'll take this bag in the car if time and circumstances allow for this luxury.
3.) The third will be an "on-the-go" bag. I hate to use the term E.D.C., but for lack of a better turm, E.D.C. type bag that is smaller and limited but capable of getting me home if the need arises.

I think if It came down to it there are better things to be carrying in a shtf situation that are worth more in weight than ammo like food and water/water filtering capabilities. 1500 rounds of ammo arn't going to do you much good if all you/me/anyone had time to grab was a bug out bag and start humping it cross country. Even keeping the ammo in an extra bag that can be taken along in the car will be a luxury short lived if the car were to break down. Then it's back to being able to carry only so much before the line of impracticality is crossed.

Not sure if I helped any. I hope I did.

 

[WETSU]

I've said this before. I don't carry ammo in my BOB. Ammo is considered fighting load, and it is 2nd line gear (after EDC load-1st line). For that I have dedicated plate carriers or chest rigs to carry rifle ammo, pistol ammo, smoke, medical etc-operation dependent.

I have plenty of ammo at my base and more at my BOLs. I have ammo I can grab and throw in my Jeep. But I don't carry any in my BOB.

 

[Icarry2]

I agree with some of the opinions to some degree.

If I had to bug out to my closest BOL I would only take what I have as part of my normal EDC plus one fill for the mags.

So for example, I carry 1 10 round mag in my EDC Primary, plus 1 in the chamber, then I have 1 17 roung mag for EDC Primary on my belt.

Thats 28 rounds for my EDC Primary on me.

Then I have 6 rounds in EDC Backup and one spare 6 round mag for EDC Backup in my pocket.

That is a total of only 12 rounds.

In my EDC Bag I have 2 more EDC Primary 17 round mags filled and 50 FMJ and 50 HPs for the EDC Primary and an extra 24 HP rounds for my EDC Backup.

That is 159 rounds on top of my EDC load. Now total is 199 rounds..

My BOB's have 100 rounds for EDC Primary and 50 rounds for EDC Backup.

I normally have 1000 rounds for each weapon and 500 for each backup weapon cashed here or there and at each BOL.

Each vehicle has at least a couple spare mags for EDC weapons.

Each BOL has more weaponry and ammo for each.

If I am fighting my way somewhere then like was mentioned a plate carrier and next level weapon is incorporated in the mix.

Basically no one can tell you what is best, you have to figure that out on your own. My outlook is more is better, but yet if I am Bugging out I want to be fast so no more then a couple hundred rounds. Also unless it is serious chaos I wouldn't take a long gun on my trek to my BOL. There are plenty when I get there..

Oh and remember, I don't know anything so don't listen to me...

 

[warhawk77]

Thanks for the responses and ideas. Maybe I am being a little overzealous with my stockpile, but you never know how many zombies are going to show up at the same time.

I understand where you are coming from. I have been thinking about my gun options so I would have to carry lots of diff ammo for the guns.

I would do BOB with what you need to survive. Then another bag with your ammo, cleaning kit, extra knife, ...

Don't forget if you are talking Zombie get a good hand weapon. That should be doing most of the killing unless you are facing a lot. Its quite and want run out of ammo

 

[Iroquois]

Did you ever consider getting a donkey. They eat forage, carry way more than
a woman, and you can cook them and eat them when you run out of ramen noodles!!

 

[SCAR]

I carry a Glock22 with 2 spare mags on the belt, an AR15 with 6mags in a thigh rig. But in the bag I have .22 conversions with 5mags for the AR and 3 for Glock along with 1000 .22 rounds. I figure its light weight and perfect for hunting small game and if I run out of .40 and .5.56 that its good enough to keep their heads down while I run away.

 

[J_Wales]

You should be able to restock using supplies from the zombie carcasses.

 

[JoshuaW]

I have my EDC gun on me at all times. That is 15+1. I also have a 12 round reload. That is 28 rounds of 9mm HPs. In my vehicle, I always have another 50 rounds, and I typically have a second pistol. In my BOB, I have one hundred rounds of 9mm, three loaded 30 round AK mags, along with 100 rounds of 7.62x39. I have a separate small container that has all my reloading stuff, plus a Lee Handpress. I also have a good size case that has ALL My ammo (typically 1k-3k rounds in each caliber) that can be thrown in a vehicle.

I really dont see the need for excessive ammo in the initial bug out. If it is a long term scenario, or a TEOTWAWKI, then yeah, I might make a larger effort for ammo. Otherwise, I am using the pistol to make sure I get where I am going, and if I run across trouble the way there, I have the AK. Once I get to my destination, I have the AK. If for some reason I did not get the larger ammo stash from my home, I will be with people I trust, and we will have had a chance to asses the situation and decided if we need to retrieve the extra ammo.