Ammunition as Currency, etc

I am curious if anyone on ATS sincerely collects and stores ammunition for possible use as currency in a SitX. If so, what do you collect, and why?

Even if you don’t stockpile for this reason, what do you personally consider the bare minimum to store per gun or caliber?

If you just collect for your own firearms, do you buy the types and brands with which your guns perform best? Or do you pick up whatever is on sale?

I am just interested in how different folks approach this.

Thanks!
1080

I remember the idea that ammunition could be traded came up in an earlier thread, and I thought it was an interesting scenario.

But, what someone pointed out, was that it would be dangerous for people to know that you have ammo, because then you would be a target.

Anyways, I can see someone handing you money, loading their gun, then taking their money back. Ammo might be more widely traded in a city environment, or a compound or such, as they wouldn't be afraid of each other. Then, I could see it being bartered, just as any useful items will be.

I honestly don't know why we don't have a barter system in place today. That would really provoke agriculture and craftsmanship.

reply to post by ThreeDeuce


Good point, ThreeDeuce. I guess the transaction itself could get sticky if you weren't careful. I think I personally would just want to hoard all my ammo for myself. Gosh, I'm so selfish!

1080

Well, its not that because of the ammo that it will become a sticky situation.

It is the fact that people will do whatever necessary to protect their families and provide for their families. Many people will lose their morals in a situation like this.

But, in a compound situation, you might not be in danger.

What someone pointed out on another thread, is that the knowledge and capability to reload ammo is critical. Even the most storage you can get will run out eventually. Since you can use many different accelerants, SitX, ammo will go further if you reload yourself.

I could easily see the scenario in which you need to trade ammo for food.

Originally posted by TenEighty
Even if you don’t stockpile for this reason, what do you personally consider the bare minimum to store per gun or caliber?

Bare minimums would be determined by the type of scenario you are planning for. A general guideline would be 300 rounds per gun and caliber you own. If you plan on fighting a war, you'd better stockpile a lot more! The whole goal of survival is to keep a low profile. You don't want to engage in shootouts. Even hunting will draw attention to your location and the fact that you have a gun and ammo.

If you just collect for your own firearms, do you buy the types and brands with which your guns perform best? Or do you pick up whatever is on sale?

I prefer buying a little of both. Unless your a competition shooter, the off-the-shelf stuff will do just fine in most cases.

Not being a current gun owner (not allowed to) but an ex-pistol shooter and re-loader I would say that reloading is a desirable skill for those who can when in a TSHTF scenario. A lot of British shooters used to re-load their own because of the expense of the ammo. Its probably cheap as a maccy d in the US.

As for trading ammo, no bloody way in hell. I have said before on another thread that it would be very ironic to be shot by someone using ''your own traded ammo''.

I purchase a variety of ammo. Off the shelf stuff on sale for caliburs I dont use, but their are alot of weapons that fire it, such as 30.06 and .223. Weapons I dont use, but Im sure there will be some laying around. I also purchase particular brands for the weapons I use. I also reload myself and stockpile brass, primers, powder, etc... Reloading isnt all that difficult and is really a no brainer in a survival scenerio.

As for barter? If I truely know and trust the person, and if its something I dont need, fine. If its some random person, no way. Personally, as far as barter objects go, I prefer to stockpile "sin" items. Booze, tobacco, etc... If someone wants to trade for a bottle of 151, they obviously arent starving and pose no threat. If someone wants to trade for food or weapons, they didnt prepare, and I need to watch out for them.

Survivalist were advocating the stockpiling of ammo 30 years ago. I can recall an article in "Mother Earth News" that was claiming that .22 rounds would be the new currency in a situation where providing small game for feeding the family became necessary. Large caliber rounds wouldn't be practical, due to the noise that would attract unwanted attention if trying to lay low. Escape and evade knowledge will be far more valuable than large caliber fire arms,if things get so bad that ammunition takes the place of money.

Thanks all for the replies. Thought-provoking and educational!
ThreeDeuce, I think reloading is a great skill to have too. Have looked into it a little bit and have some books, but I would like to get some experience with this. I need to spend money on a good grain grinder first though…
Hullo Lloyd, good point about keeping a low profile. I suppose that’s a good excuse to look into archery a little more seriously, and to try making some of those homemade traps I always see in little bitty diagrams. Any experience with homemade traps?
Wotan, yes agreed on the reloading. As far as the ammo being cheap here, I guess it depends on what you’re buying and what you’re using it for. It seems to me that all of it sure has gone up lately.
Salchanra, stockpiling sin items … now that IS a good idea!
Hypervigilant, yup .22 would be a good round to keep a lot of. You could get subsonics too to make it a little quieter.
Thanks again,
1080

Toilet paper will be the new currency when TSHTF. Who wants to participate in SitX with a nasty rash?

I don't collect it as possible currency, though I do have quite a lot of ammo stockpiled in order to Use. If ammo did become the currency, hell yes I would trade it for other supplies.. I have more then i would ever need assuming I don't have to go totally Rambo on some battalion of death troopers..

Nah i don't think ammo will be a good thing to trade. It might be at the begining to begining-intermediate. I have "some" ammo already. and given the worst possible situation it would be handy but it's not a make or break deal if it's not there. Food can be procured in a number of ways that require no ammo. And for the zombie daydreamers out there who might think that they will have to kill a lot of flesh hungry wanderers, things like knives and bows and crossbows and poison and booby traps work far better.

If you want a currency to use I would recommend. sterling silver casting grain. It's easy to weigh out and easily turned into currency by a smith.

Gold or silver jewelry.

Food.

train people in a skill in return for goods and services. People with trade skills will be a hot commodity.

Wotan, this may be a little off subject... But not all of our ammo is cheap here. Lets say for example the rounds I was shooting off last week. My .44 Magnum rounds are 26 bucks for 25 rounds, or 30 bucks for 50 rounds. Practically a dollar a piece is not cheap for fun shooting.

Of course, this is just a standard round, but it is not as common as .22LR.

TenEighty, the best information on traps and such that I found was in outdoors ebooks and survival/guerilla warfare ebooks.
I have not been stocking ammo. I just don't have enough cash to be able to do so. I'm currently trying to get a small amount of food stock.
But, I do plan on buying several boxes of .22LR ammo, because they are cheap, like 500 for 13 bucks.

Whaa, I think most people will be shocked at how many creature comforts we will lose. Toilet paper would suck to lose, but I don't have much room for storage of that. As a society, we would have to rethink sanitation as a whole, because our water use would change, and paper would be a commodity.

A redundant question you all have your guns taken from you.
there is no hiding away with your guns your guns will be confiscated .
witness Katrina people were stripped of fire arms with extreme prejudice
the same is coming for you.
witness now Illinois asking for the Ntl Guard to be used to round up your guns.
witness that all veterans with the slightest head injury will no longer be allow to own guns.
they are coming for yours as well.
You can not join Canada untill you are disarmed
and your joining in 2010
So do not buy ammunition it will be worthless
the Law has your number

Thats okay ThreeDeuce. I just assumed that since there is a huge market for ammo in the States that it would be relatively cheap to buy ammo there as opposed to other countries.

Hehe, I would think Toilet Paper would be much more of a trading currency than many other things to be honest. Its always the simple basic things that people miss the most.

[edit on 6/8/08 by Wotan]

Not to start a debate on facial tissue versus toilet paper, but kleenex boxes might be easer to store. Costwise though i dunno if this makes much sense. Then again if you have room for a plot of corn you could always start yourself a stack of the old outhouse staple... you're not going to be flushing those tho. Prolly not bartering them either.

Ok, that's all i have to say about that, aren't you relieved?
1080

Save newspapers. I buy them anyways, why waste the paper? Work fine for TP and they store well flat inside of large ziplock bags.

Also, you will always have something to read on the toilet.

I have about a thousand rounds per weapon and have no intentions of trading any of it.
Don't plan on trading TP either!

Historically Diggers have traded rations for ammo amongst themselves . So it is feasible that you could use ammo to barter for goods and services . Of course you would have be very careful who you bartered with in this instance . Ammo wouldn't for general use as a currency because of its nature . If someone or a group was to target your stockpile of currency wide spread damage could be done and you could be injured or killed .

Using ammo as a form of currency would be a very bad idea.
If someone is trying to trade with you for it, then there might be a reason they are running low. And it might end up being detrimental to your health.