I would say it would have to do with your available cash flow. Can you afford to invest in ammo for weapons you don't own? That being said, if you bought those boxes of .270 you could list it for trade for factory new ammo in another caliber and end up with what you could actually use.

 

If you are not planning on buying a .270 or a .375 in the future, I think it would be a waste of good money. Buy ammo, even if expensive, for weapons that you own. I will never turn down free factory loaded ammo, but to spend money on something that I won't be able to use is something I cannot justify in my budget.

 

James Wesley Rawles would certainly agree that it is a good idea.

 

We each need to do our part for the panic. If you go by Walmart at the end of the day and there is nothing but a few odd ball rounds, those same rounds will be there tomorrow.

If we each just buy one box of odd ball ammo, the entire cabinet will be empty. Sure, if you want a chance of getting something you can shoot, get there early before that days shipment is sold out.

Keep the shortage going -- if only as a political statement.

 

If a particular caliber is on your short list then I would say go for it. Funny I was just thinking today about picking up some 9mm even though I don't own one atm. I would like to in the future and even if I don't that caliber it would have a high value from a survival or ammo shortage perspective. Not quite so with those dusty boxes left in WalMart. And if they are there today then they will be there tomorrow...

And from an investment perspective historically these do best when some sort of perceived rarity exists from the moment of purchase.

 

You've got 9 milli at your Walmart??? Huh.

 

Agreed, I'll grab the last 30-06 boxes before the X-Tex Magnum rounds.

. . . but to see a 100% empty case. . . just as a political statement.

Oh, we will have to buy a lot of Shotgun Shells in 00 Buck down to bird shot. They have a lot of that and shotgun shells will always be useful. Wallyworld still has good stock on that.

 

I have some small amounts of ammunition in calibers I don't shoot, that I ended up with for one reason or another (leftover from when I shot my uncle's gun or something like that).

I do have some AK and AR magazines despite not owning an AK or AR ... a hedge against the future ... in case I end up with one in the future and there's a 10-round cap, or as trade bait.

 

Ammo lots do expire.

Well at least in the military they do...

 

Not in any timeframe you'll need to worry about in your lifetime. Properly stored ammunition will easily last 50 years, maybe longer. The key is keeping it dry and out of temperature extremes.

 

I've shot Mortars from the Vietnam Era (within the last 5 years).

It all still went boom.

In any case, the shelf life before rotation is somewhere between 25 and 50 years.

 

I worked for a contractor that tests munitions. We shot 8" Powder, primers and fuses,that was made in the 1940s, no problems. Shot alot of 81mm Morters, 2.75 Rockets in WP from Nam era, 105mm al kinds of stuff that was stored all around the world, even 16" stored in Matagascar from WWII, no problems. I dont know about rifle and pistol ammo.

 

Sure... why not? I would not buy odd calibers that I could not easily use as barter/trade. I bought several thousand rounds of 5.56 before I had a rifle knowing I was going to be buying one at some point...same with .308 come to think of it. I have finally dicided that I need (ok want) a .45. I am wishing I had bought some ammo in the past, but will just wait it out at this point.

As for the particular calibers you mention. I dont konw they would be high on my list of investment ammo, unless you plan to own them.

 

Hell I can't even find ammo in calibers that I DO shoot.

Not gonna spend my money on stuff I can't shoot.

 

buying ammo for guns you own = prepping
buying ammo for guns you don't own = hoarding

 

A couple of years back I sorted through all my gun stuff and gave away various ammo that I no longer had guns for (some was from the days I had a FFL and sold them) I had hung on to them for +20 years. IIRC there was .25ACP, .41 Mag, 30-30, .38 (forget but was not the Special), 7mm. I also tossed out several thousands of small pistol primers and a few trays of rifle ones.

When I sold off several guns last year I gave away all the ammo that went with the guns to the buyers.

So to answer the question; No, I would not buy ammo for guns I do not own. Though I did in the past.

 

If nothing else it could make good trading material. Might be able to find some one that has what you need and trade them what you have. If you are planning on buying one in the near future that is even more reason to buy now.

 

I have always bought ammo and magazines for firearms which I do not own. If you are wise with your purchase (ie don't stock up on really weird calibers), I view it as the same as silver. I have some AR mags but have never owned an AR. Now is a great time for me to sell some. Use your head, buy for what you own first...and use your head.

 

I have bought ammo in the past that I did not have a gun to shoot it with but that was mainly due to it being a really good deal. 8mm mauser ammo hunting grade for 3 dollars for 20 rounds.

Right now I am keeping my eyes open for any caliber I own or my buddies own that is a decent price. I don't want hoard ammo that other people need for their rifles.

If I do find the caliber I need such as 22lr bulk packs I buy as much as I can afford.

 

Ha Ha, I've done this. A few years ago when I was in "Ammo Acquisition Mode", I would stop at the Walmarts I passed while out working around the city. It became sort of a game to see if I could score some paydirt. One time I showed up and all they had was 10 boxes of .44 mag. I was so tired of walking out empty handed that I scooped it up. To be fair, I was considering a Marlin 1894 in .44 mag at the time, but I haven't gotten it yet.

Mike

 

The only time I buy ammo in a caliber I don't own, it is because my friend is letting me shoot his firearms at the range to try them out and I don't want to cost him a lot of money. I supply my own ammo for that.

 

If you actually can find ammo on clearance, it would make sense.
But seeing the market as it is, everything is at regular price or jacked up.
At regular prices which would sound like a deal now, I would still purchase what I can use.

 

I'd say,if it's NATO or the equivalent,go for it. And .9m/m,.45 cal and .380-.40 to some extent as these are common and popular with some..Chances are in an emergency the likelihood of comin across firearms that chamber these is pretty likely...357 and revolver cartridges will also be a good bet...All this,funds permitting...Heard from somewhere to all you Oh.dwellers,Dunhams in that state is closin it's doors in some locales,they had a decent selection the last time I was in one near Dayton,fairborn area...

 

I, too, buy ammo for guns I would like to have, in addition to the ones I already have. Also parts and mags.

A firearm is a system. In addition to the firearm, you need mags, ammo, bore brushes, etc. Without any one of these, the system is useless. Which component you buy first may be a matter of priority, but ultimately, you need all of them.

Right now, Fudd guns are reasonably priced and extremely available. So are odd caliber ammo for them. The Fudd guns will likely not be banned, so there is no rush. But the ammo may run out, because the factories are all focusing on .223/5.56 and 7.62 right about now. If I were considering a .25-06 or a .243 or a .300 WinMag, I would start buying the ammo now, and getting the gun second.

In the case of "assault weapons," mags are the most important component. I have 100 mags for the G3/HK91/PTR91, but no rifle to go with them. They were $1.97 each (I missed them at $0.97 ea.) 2 months ago. Now they're $10.00. Once the rifles survive the ban, I'll get one. Or three.

 

I do the same. I still have a box of 50 HK 308 mags I bought from Tapco (back when they were heavy into gun parts) for $0.50 each but never owned a HK/PTR. Also have about 50+ comblock 5.45 mags but no rifle at the moment. Ammo is the same way, probably 3k of 5.45 but no rifle.

I was given almost 1k of 8mm mauser but have never owned a Mauser rifle.
I frequently buy mags and ammo for guns I don't own but want in the future (if the price is right).

I regret not buying 50 cal ammo back when it was only $1 a round.

 

Buying ammo for guns I don't have? Nope. Hell, I'm selling ammo for a gun I don't have anymore. (.308) I rented a table at the gun show in Crown Point, IN this weekend. Stuff to trade is nice, but I'm still working on getting other stuff I need first... My prepping is going slow. I'm kinda hoping we got some time.

 

Most assuredly I do. Particularly in 270 243 and 30-06. In my head it goes something like this........

I buy up the ammo
Gun owner can't find ammo
Gun owner gets frustrated and sells gun to me
Gun owner thinks he's got one over on me because there is no ammo
I make no comment that I have plenty of ammo in his calibre

Sounds better in my head but yes I do especially for those 3 calibres as they are fairly common around here. I would own any of them if the situation presented itself for the right price. Especially the 30-06. I will even buy reloading supplies for them if the price is too good to pass up. Besides I have friends....... but I do agree stock up on the stuff you currently have a use for first.

 

ammo would have very high value in numerous various instances, gun/ammo ban, civil war, martial law, shtf, wrol, invasion by foreign entity etc etc

 

Unless it's a common round that is sought after, I say no. Put that money into things you can make immediate use of after shtf. I think alot of people imagine that after shtf, barter markets will just spring up overnight and you will be haggling away. Not gonna happen, at least for many months. People will be to scared to step outside take a p*ss, much less gather in public. Trading up with immediate neighbors will probably be as good as it gets.

 

This. Too many people envision a Mad Max before thinking of the logical The Day After