How Much Ammo to Stockpile: A Realistic Guide for Shooters and Preppers

You Don’t Need 50,000 Rounds… But You Do Need a Plan

You ever meet the guy with 20,000 rounds of 7.62×39 and no food in the pantry? Yeah—don’t be that guy.

In the prepper and shooting world, there’s this myth that more is always better. More ammo, more mags, more bulk buys. But what if you’re just hoarding rounds without a purpose? Or worse—what if you don’t even know what you have?

Whether you’re a weekend range junkie, a course-taking training junkie, or someone thinking ahead for a potential SHTF scenario, the question is the same: How much ammo should I stockpile?

This post cuts through the noise and breaks it down by caliber, use case, and category—so you’re not just stacking crates of ammo in your basement like it’s currency, but actually building a system that supports your training, defense, and long-term readiness.

Let’s dig into the numbers.

The Three Ammo Categories (And Why Most People Screw This Up)

Before we get into the hard counts, understand this:

Your ammo should be divided into three specific categories:

1. Range Ammo – for the range, training courses, and matches. This is what you burn through.
2. Ready Ammo – loaded mags, staged gear. This is what’s on you or near you when it counts.
3. Reserve Ammo – your deep storage for true grid-down, SHTF, or supply collapse scenarios. You don’t touch this unless society cracks.

Most people only have range ammo and think that’s “stockpiling.” It’s not.

You need all three categories, specific to the calibers you use.

How Much 9mm Ammo Should You Stockpile?

• Range Ammo:
  • 250–500 rounds/month if you’re regularly training or hitting classes.
  • If you’re serious, courses like ECQC or Sentinel Concepts handgun classes often eat 1,000+ rounds.
• Ready Ammo:
  • 6–10 loaded mags per pistol = 100–150 rounds per gun.
  • Double that if your spouse or buddy carries too.
• Doomsday Reserve:
  • Minimum 5,000 rounds per person.
  • If your handgun is your go-to in a crisis, this is the bare minimum to stay proficient.

Quick Math Example:
One shooter, one carry gun, training monthly =

• 6,000 rounds/year (training)
• 150 rounds (ready)
• 5,000 rounds (reserve)
• Total: ~11,150 rounds

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How Much 5.56 Ammo Should You Stockpile?

• Range Ammo:
  • 300–500 rounds/month if you’re training or attending rifle courses.
• Ready Ammo:
  • 10 loaded mags = 300 rounds.
  • That’s a full 210-round combat load with a little extra buffer.
• Doomsday Reserve:
  • 5,000 rounds per person.
  • Planning for two shooters? You’re already at 10K.

Tip: Run quality brass-cased ammo. If you’ve got a 20″ barrel, even bulk 55-grain FMJ performs well out to extended ranges.

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How Much 12-Gauge Ammo Should You Stockpile?

• Range Ammo:
  • 25–50 shells/month to maintain proficiency.
  • Buckshot practice is expensive, but necessary.
• Ready Ammo:
  • 100–150 shells. Stored in side saddles, bandoliers, or shell cards.
• Doomsday Reserve:
  • 250–500 shells minimum. Include both 00 buck and slugs for versatility.

Note: Shotgun shells degrade over time faster than brass—store in a cool, dry place and rotate often.

If You’re Just a “Weekend Warrior”…

Let’s say you’re not training monthly. You’re just trying to have enough on hand if things get weird.

But if you’re serious—training monthly and prepping long term—this bumps up fast:

Tips for Storage & Rotation

• Use labeled ammo cans with silica packs inside.
• Label by caliber and date. Shoot older stuff first.
• Store in a cool, dry area—preferably off the ground.
• Stick to one mag pattern per platform. (Glock for handguns, PMAGs for ARs, etc.)

Final Thoughts

You don’t need 50,000 rounds unless you’re running a militia. But you do need enough to train, fight, and outlast a supply chain collapse.

Start with a plan. Build your ammo categories. And Train.

And if you’re burning through 147-grain 9mm poly from HOP Munitions like many of our customers are—we get it. That’s why we’re here to keep your stockpile topped off and your training pace sustainable.

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