Until recently I have been focusing efforts and money towards food stores, general gear, etc. Now it's time for me to take a serious look at having the ammo to defend my supplies from those who may be less prepared and most inclined to try and steal mine.

So, for those of you who stockpile ammo for your handguns (I have the long guns taken care of already) what type of ammo do you stockpile FMJ or JHP? Also any tips of retailers that can help make this part of my orverall plan cost effective?

Have some of both on hand, and stay away from Wal-Mart and Acadamey sports for your ammo. They have good prices at times but the quality is inferior. I have been told by a supplier who says the manufacturers save money when selling to them by cutting powder. I don't know if thats true or not but I have more misfires when using ammo from them.

Stock whatever shoots the best. If you want the best price, reload.

My stock of 'good' (read: expensive) ammo is fairly thin. I've got a couple of boxes of Cor-Bon DPX for my .45 in addition to my carry ammo. However, I buy practice/plinking ammo in bulk, so I've usually got quite a few rounds of FMJ .45 and .223. At the moment, actually, I've got over 1000 of .45 and 500+ .223 since I just stocked up, but as time goes by that'll dwindle to a few hundred of each before I feel the need to buy another case.

If the SHTF, I wouldn't feel undergunned shooting ball in either of these calibers. The 55 grain .223 FMJ fragments and does some serious damage and .45 ball is a reasonably good stopper. Pretty much any military rifle caliber is going to be effective, even shooting ball (since that's what they're designed for, after all). Pistol calibers are another matter. I wouldn't feel confident shooting ball ammo out of anything smaller than a .45. There are quite a few failure-to-stop stories with 9mm ball coming out Iraq and Afghanistan. These smaller calibers really need JHP to be effective.

A bigger stockpile of DPX for both guns is on my list, but it's pretty pricey.

You might try Streichers. They carry all the Federal Tactical goodies at reasonable prices. I stocked up a while back and they were as cheap as anyone else I was aware of. The bad news is that prices have gone WAY up since I bought from them.

http://www.streichers.com/ProductList.as...;s=ItemPriceASC

I would recommend you spend some time in whatever gun shop in your area has a good reputation. Make some small talk with the owner or manager if possible. Don't expect the 18 year old part time help to have a vast experience base. Try to have the discussion with someone that actually has a significant interest in long term storage.

You are trying to learn and get some recommendations that actually work! You don't have to learn the hard way. The inexperienced clerk might, for example, recommend that you get into reloading to save money. The fact that the brand:model of handgun you have is known to be unreliable and unsafe with reloads will not be in his experience base.

The inexperienced BIG BOX clerk may knee jerk to "WOLF BRAND" ammunition because you used the "CHEAP" word. The fact that it may ruin your weapon is not of his concern. HE DOESN'T HAVE ONE!

Think about your questions carefully. Ask the question that will get you the information you are looking for.

i.e. - "...what type of ammo do you stockpile FMJ or JHP?..." My answer to this is - BOTH! My magazine for a bear in the tent has FMJ:JHP:FMJ:JHP:FMJ:JHP.................. My magazines for the next time someone hollers "HOLDUP" is Federal Hydroshok.

JHP - expansion, shock, damage
FMJ - penetration

I always equate ammunitions and defensive firearms to parachutes, brakes and heart surgeons - don't use a CHEAP one! If you ask for a CHEAP parachute, don't be surprised by what you get.

Now that you have the ammunition, storage is your next topic of interest. Ask your new friend about humidity, corrosion, chemical vapor, temperature and vibration.

Discussing one's stockpiles (of any kind) in public, as the internet is, is akin to discussing the amount of gold coin one has sewn into the cuffs of your shirt-tails whilst upon a pirate ship.

That analogy eludes me.

I visualize a 60 year old Marine fondling an M204 while gleaming over an M60. He sits on the upper deck of the recently boarded pirate ship. He is surrounded with a cache of black tipped belts of 7.62x51(Black Gold). His reputation precedes him. No one takes his gold.

I don't think gatormba was exactly revealing the location of some gigantic treasure. I find it hard to imagine someone tracking him down so that in the event of a SHTF they can drive across the state/country to try and grab 500 rounds of 45 ACP.

The folks known to be in possession of 500 rounds each of .45 ACP and 7.62 would be the exact ones that I would leave alone during SHTF.

Exactly, I was simply wondering what type of ammo people accumulate for the situation, not necesarily how much a person has.

And I agree completely...those people I know that have ammo are the ones that I will be avoiding...they have the ammo for a reason and I don't want to be that reason!