Limits on ammunition possession

[Guest Abominable_Hillbilly]

It says you can store no more than 10,000 centerfire primers in a residence, but doesn't clarify between loose primers or ammunition.

Where did you get this information?

[Rightwinger]

oh crap

[Guest Abominable_Hillbilly]

I just did some more digging. This is how I understand it, or don't, as the case may be:

Tennessee uses National Fire Protection Association standards. It looks like Tennessee adopts NFPA code exactly as their own. Here's a link to "NFPA 495": http://www.nfpa.org/freecodes/free_access_document.asp

This document provides that no more than 10,000 primers may be stored in a residence. I'll assume that includes the primers of loaded ammunition, not just components.

I'll still have to call the state and the county, but I really believe that this is the case.

Time to build that subsurface poured concrete magazine in the back yard.

BTW..........for any authorities who read this, my ammunition stores contain less than 10,000 primers.

EDIT: Also, my insurance agent told me that my fire coverage is compromised "if you break any laws". Food for thought.

[Paletiger13]

Next we will be like China and be told how many children we can have. Anyone else agree?

[Mike.357]

what do you need so many rounds/primers for anyway?

9999 is plenty.

[Guest GLOCKGUY]

what do you need so many rounds/primers for anyway?

9999 is plenty.

ya this is what i was thinking. i wish i had 9999 rounds

[Guest bang-flash]

The saying that comes to mind goes something like Better to have and not need than need and not have.

And besides 10k is only like .01% of the potential zombies that could attack if the shtf.

[Guest Mugster]

Yeah, its a 10k hard limit. You've got to count rimfire in your total. That can get some of us if we aren't careful. You pick up a 1k rounds here or 1k primers there, next thing you know you've got 10 ammo cans headed to another family member's house for storage.

[DaveTN]

After having read a couple of articles about people being arrested for this,

I have never heard of anyone arrested for stockpiling ammo; can you give us some details.

<O:p</O:p

I read the media spin on the nutcase in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:State>Indiana</st1:State> that implied he was arrested for stockpiling ammo. He was actually arrested for violating a court order, making threats, and being accused of shooting someone’s car windows out. I have not seen anything that says the 80,000 rounds of ammo seized was a crime by itself.

<O:p</O:p

[Sheepdog]

Nothing personal to anyone, but until I see a link to the TN code, I'm calling BS on the limit for loaded ammo. Especially rimfire. 10,000 rounds of .22 really isn't all that much.

[Guest Abominable_Hillbilly]

Nothing personal to anyone, but until I see a link to the TN code, I'm calling BS on the limit for loaded ammo. Especially rimfire. 10,000 rounds of .22 really isn't all that much.

I'd like to see some definitive information myself. It will have to wait until Monday.

I know that the City of Knoxville and State of Tennessee have adopted the NFPA codes. It's stated plainly on both their websites. What's not clear is if the "primer limit" refers to loaded ammunition or just component primers. Also, it remains to be seen whether this is an enforceable "law," or simply a code suggestion with which one must ultimately comply.

[strickj]

I would assume primers are primers.I would also assume,like already said,if one does have +10,000 primers when a fire occurs your insurance would be up in smoke as well,that is if that found out.

[Guest Liberty Seeker]

DaveTN,

You're right, neither case I was thinking about actually resulted in an arrest for the amount of ammo, I guess the media spin just got me thinking it might be a good thing to find out if there is a limit and what it might be. The other case I was recalling was:

http://www.pe.com/breakingnews/local/stories/PE_News_Local_D_web_ammo2.10407c5.html

[Guest Mugster]

I have never heard of anyone arrested for stockpiling ammo; can you give us some details.

<o></o>

I read the media spin on the nutcase in <st1:state>Indiana</st1:state> that implied he was arrested for stockpiling ammo. He was actually arrested for violating a court order, making threats, and being accused of shooting someone’s car windows out. I have not seen anything that says the 80,000 rounds of ammo seized was a crime by itself.

<o></o>

I have a long time friend who's reloading equipment was seized and he was fined some amount, in the 1000's, for storage of too much smokeless and black powder by the fire marshal's office. He's lucky he didn't wind up in jail. I think he was in davidson county at the time.

I don't think the state gets involved in stuff like this. Here's the franklin/williamson county rules on explosives and what not...7-217 is what you want...and that doc lists 1 pound black sporting powder, 2000 primers, and 10 pounds of smokeless powder.

http://www.franklin-gov.com/municode/franklin.t-7.pdf

The rule of thumb (after talking to several marshals) is 10k primers and 20 pounds of powder. Anything more than that, and you're pushing what they will let you store...IE if a neighbor calls the fire department and complains or possibly your landlord. As far as I know, a primer is a primer, even if its stored in a loaded round. And you'd best have it stored properly if someone takes a look.

[Guest CrazyLincoln]

Would a shed be a residence? One may be able to get away with ammo piled up in a shed separate from a house.

[Mike.357]

I just did a quick "round" inventory.

I came up with 6100 rounds of assorted ammunition including 2500 rimfire along with,

550 magnum pistol primers

100 lg pistol primers

500 percussion caps

1.5 lbs smokeless

.5 lb of black powder

.5 lb Pyrodex

.5 lb Pinnacle

300 .38 bullets

100 .45 bullets

150 .454 balls

I think i need to get some more and keep up the inventory. Especially .454 balls

[Guest shadow12]

Mike,

You just need to come out to the range any chance you get and lower your amount, I would hate for you to get busted.

[Mike.357]

You just need to come out to the range any chance you get and lower your amount, I would hate for you to get busted.

I'd come out most every weekend if I knew I could.

I am trying to get to 9999 rounds or supplies that can make that many, LOL

i been running through some rimfire lately. But I try to pick up a box or two of something every week whether I need it or not.

Edited April 23, 2008 by Mike.357

[ZenDog]

They need to change it to 10,000 per resident-- I mean, if the zombies come, that may be barely enough!

[Guest Law of Thirds]

On the flip side: I have yet to purchase my first handgun because I'm waiting on the water bill to show up with my name on it so I can become a TN resident (everything was in my wife's name) and since I know what I'm going to get, I've been buying a box of WWB or other FMJ practice ammo every 3 weeks or so when we go to walmart to get groceries. It keeps me happy and it keeps her from wondering why I'm buying so much ammo at the same time as the gun.

[DWARREN123]

I do not stockpile, I collect!

[Guest mikedwood]

I did a quick check of my ammo and all I found was this spoon, sir.

[averagejoe]

i'm buying ammo for my sons and their kids. as much as ammo prices have gone up in the last year, i'm trying buy it before i can't afford it...

if "they" ever decide to enforce this, well then i'm glad its still in sealed packs since it'll be headed into a cache.

[molonlabetn]

I don't stockpile... I just rotate large amounts by shooting and resupplying .

[Mike.357]

I just bought all the Federal .22 LR the local Wallyworld had, LOL It is only 1800 rounds but the price was decent.