Ammo Acquisition

[DraxTheDad]

I want to add to my stockpile of ammo.  I have a few thousand rounds of most of what I use; but would like to add. 

1) Do I look for sales every month and buy one caliber that is on sale.  (Most time complex but most savings)

2) Save for a couple of months and buy large quantities at once?   (Middle for time and money)

3) Do I find a place and buy say one or two boxes of each caliber every month?
(Easiest time, just order the same thing every month)

 

Which method do people tend to use?

I’m honestly thinking if there was an ammunition subscription service, that would be awesome.   Something like I want “10,000 rounds of Federal X in 9mm, and 10,000 rounds in 45ACP, and 10,000 556, but spend no more than $100 per month.”  Then the service would go out and every month send you something like 2 or 3 boxes of each caliber (keeping it under $100), until you’ve acquired 10,000 rounds.  This way it doesn’t break your pocket, and less work for you.

Any thoughts?

[monkeylizard]

If you're worried about an imminent collapse of society, then buy what you can when you can.

If you want the lowest cost per round, then it's usually best to buy in bulk. Use websites like LuckyGunner, AmmoSeek, and AmmoMan to find the best deals. Occasionally I'll find a deal at an estate sale, but lately their prices have mostly been higher than retail.

[BigK]

I'm very cheap when it comes to ammo purchases. I have a price per round that I consider a bargain. I won't buy if I can't hit that mark, but if I find it that cheap, I will figure out a way to fit it into my budget.

For instance, I won't buy 9mm ammo if I can't get it for 25 cents per round including tax and shipping. This means buying at least a case at a time and multiple email subscriptions to find that deal. I haven't found .223/5.56 cheap enough in years, so I kinda stopped shooting it until I get desperate or prices drop (not likely, I realize).

[Scotty]

Everything that BigK said. 
 

Never pay for shipping and tax. This means serious hunting and having a reserve stash of cash for when you find it. There are often deals that sell out in an hour as the  internet is vast and market is competitive. Find the places that don’t charge tax and make a note. Top of my head: beebees, rivertown munitions, Gilbert or Gibson guns in KY come to mind. Sign up for those emails. Hit the free shipping threshold. 
 

Always buy bulk. You’ll pay a huge premium buying little by little. Better to save up some capital and then send it. 
 

Subscription service would be super cool but I fear shipping would ruin it on smaller batches. Surprised there’s not more of this though for people that shoot on a schedule and want peace of mind. 

[Grayfox54]

Buy when its on sale and in bulk. Ammoseek.com is your friend. 

[pop pop]

I purchased Winchester W Box 115 Gr RN from SG Ammo for 1000 for 259.00 but had to pay TN Tax with free shipping. 

[TSG]

I try to buy a few boxes of the weird/less common calibers when I go to gun shows. This makes it easier to get a bulk order done with everything else I need. Ammoseek, F/CF shipping filter, brass only. Sometimes I check places I've ordered from before like Wild Horse or AE Ammo, although I think both charge sales tax now.

[Nikiski Dave]

Ammoseek is my go to.

[Fredumseed]

Prices are honestly fairly stable these days. I recommend first choosing a limited set of calibers, say 5.56/9mm or 5.45/40, etc. Pick a pistol and rifle caliber to focus on. Maybe try to acquire 5k of your primary ammo an another 1k for long range/suppressed work, etc. Bulk purchases will normally save you money on shipping. 

[Defender]

Depends on your budget.  I try to buy at least one box of ammo every time I’m in a place that sells ammo.  I tend to work a certain caliber for a while then change to the next.   A few years back, a friend of mine and I went in together and bought cases of ammo to split.  That built up my stock pretty quick.  Since then I’ve acquired a few new calibers and really need to bulk those stocks up some.