I'm wondering how much ammo per firearm or ammo type everyone keeps or what the appropriate amount is normal. I don't know what, if any, is the legal limit on the amount of ammo a private citizen can have in their home in NJ but I want to make sure I keep an adequate amount without looking like I'm about the overthrow a government. I have 3 firearms that uses 3 different rounds and I want to make sure I have enough of all 3 varieties.

Keep as much as you can afford. There is no restriction other than the market. 

it's a bad time to stock up on ammo!  In normal times I would say 1,000 rounds of each is a bare minimum.

There is no limit on how much ammunition you can own.

Brings to mind a movie,  First rule of fight club is don’t talk about the fight club. 
When anyone asks me how much I keep on hand.  My answer is always the same.  I have an ample  amount for my needs.

With that said, in normal times, a thousand rounds of each caliber (double that for 22lr) might be a decent  start.   Great that you are getting back into shooting(per your introduction).  However a terrible time with respect to ammo availability and price.

There are also lots of ammo inventory videos on youtube. Recommend watching a number of them. They will inform your decision on how much you need or can afford. The frequency of your range trips and rounds shot per trip are a consideration.

 

 

1,000 rounds per firearm, more if possible, but now its whatever you can find and afford at this point. You can always check the WTS section on here. Thats how I been buying ammo. 

Don't just think of it as ammo reserves... Look at Defense ammo + Practice Ammo.

If you have a shotgun, Birdshot won't do much except dust clays.... vs having buckshot or slugs - which you can use for defense or hunting.

Range ammo can be used for defense in a pinch, but you're much better off having some defense type ammo... or hunting type ammo.  A Jacketed Soft Point round for hunting will do a lot better than a FMJ round in a pinch.  

1 minute ago, Krdshrk said:

Don't just think of it as ammo reserves... Look at Defense ammo + Practice Ammo.

If you have a shotgun, Birdshot won't do much except dust clays.... vs having buckshot or slugs - which you can use for defense or hunting.

Range ammo can be used for defense in a pinch, but you're much better off having some defense type ammo... or hunting type ammo.  A Jacketed Soft Point round for hunting will do a lot better than a FMJ round in a pinch.  

Yes, I do have defense ammo for both of my pistols (Hornedy Critical Defense). I only use the cheap stuff at the range.

2 hours ago, Tonester2 said:

is the legal limit on the amount of ammo a private citizen can have in their home in NJ but I want to make sure I keep an adequate amount without looking like I'm about the overthrow a government.

In this state, anything over one box worth is considered an arsenal. So, bottom line, get what you can get and afford..

"He who dies with the most ammo... wins!!"

5 minutes ago, Sniper said:

"He who dies with the most ammo... wins!!"

I keep telling my wife that but she won't listen!

1 hour ago, JohnnyB said:

I keep telling my wife that but she won't listen!

Ha.. mine finally gave up. Now when she sees the UPS guy approaching, and getting a hernia, she just shakes her head, and walks away.

Persistence grasshopper, you got to wear her down... I just tell wifey, it's either I buy ammo (and other fun toys), or I get a girlfriend.. you choose... 

Having survived the primer scare in the 90s, I have enough.  At least 100 rds of 9mm and components to load 100 rds..

8 hours ago, Sniper said:

...anything over one box worth is considered an arsenal.

How do they define a "box"?

8 hours ago, Sniper said:

"He who dies with the most ammo... wins!!"

If you die with ammo left then you haven't used all of your fire power. I'd rather die after using up every last round I have to try to stay alive. Ammo, like money, is useless until it is being used. I want to die poor and ammo-less.... after I've taken care of my loved ones of course.

The saying goes buy cheap stack deep.  
   
Unfortunately right now with prices and availability this isn’t the answer. But if the market comes back down remember to grab deals even if you don’t “need” it. 

example: after the whole 2008 ammo fun. Any time I saw 9mm at 15-17cpr I’d buy it regardless of need. Same thing with my other calibers I had set price ranges where if I saw quality ammo at those prices i’d buy regardless. 
 

When stored correctly ammo has a long, long shelf life. Can easily be passed down to grandkids etc. Plus in times like now it’s a commodity and can easily be sold for pretty big returns. Another huge benefit you can still go shoot without worry about finding more. There’s no negative to hoarding large quantities in my eyes. 
 

2 minutes ago, 0Jeep4 said:

When stored correctly ammo has a long, long shelf life.
 

I have some stored in ammo cans with silica packets to keep moisture out. I keep them indoors so they're climate controlled.

no one needs more than about double the capacity of their firearm. <insert paranoid thing smiley here>

4 minutes ago, 1LtCAP said:

no one needs more than about double the capacity of their firearm. <insert paranoid thing smiley here>

That might be the only negative thing about hoarding ammo, the people that just can’t and don’t understand it . . . 

8 minutes ago, 0Jeep4 said:

That might be the only negative thing about hoarding ammo, the people that just can’t and don’t understand it . . . 

I guess I'm one of those people.

8 minutes ago, Tonester2 said:

I guess I'm one of those people.

Can you elaborate ? I’d like to understand why. 

1 minute ago, 0Jeep4 said:

Can you elaborate ? I’d like to understand why. 

What I'm saying is I don't understand what he meant by "no one needs more than about double the capacity of their firearm".

9 minutes ago, Tonester2 said:

What I'm saying is I don't understand what he meant by "no one needs more than about double the capacity of their firearm".

Pretty sure they were being sarcastic. There’s a lot of tin foil hat wearing folks in this place. Notice he said < insert paranoid thing smiling> he’s basically doing a meme in text form. 

16 minutes ago, Tonester2 said:

What I'm saying is I don't understand what he meant by "no one needs more than about double the capacity of their firearm".

There was a law proposed, I think in NY, where they wanted to limit ammo purchases to 3 times the capacity of your gun in any 3 month period. Dumb as hell, but proposed nonetheless.

2 minutes ago, Mr.Stu said:

There was a law proposed, I think in NY, where they wanted to limit ammo purchases to 3 times the capacity of your gun in any 3 month period. Dumb as hell, but proposed nonetheless.

OK. I didn't know that about NY so I didn't get the reference.

What girl?

Qty "needed" is also depending on how quickly you go through it. Do you shoot once or twice a year at most or once or twice a week at 500 rounds or more per?

Personally, I am "comfortable" when I have enough to get me through two years at "average" usage. I recently went through a challenge getting to that point with 9mm because my usage went up significantly. 

 

1 hour ago, Tonester2 said:

What I'm saying is I don't understand what he meant by "no one needs more than about double the capacity of their firearm".

 

1 hour ago, 0Jeep4 said:

Pretty sure they were being sarcastic. There’s a lot of tin foil hat wearing folks in this place. Notice he said < insert paranoid thing smiling> he’s basically doing a meme in text form. 

BINGO.

 

1 hour ago, Mr.Stu said:

There was a law proposed, I think in NY, where they wanted to limit ammo purchases to 3 times the capacity of your gun in any 3 month period. Dumb as hell, but proposed nonetheless.

I THOUGHT It was double.....that's what i was referencing in my sarcasm

11 minutes ago, 1LtCAP said:

I THOUGHT It was double.....that's what i was referencing in my sarcasm

Your memory is better than mine. It was double the capacity of the gun every 120 days.

https://wnynewsnow.com/2019/05/31/state-bill-would-limit-ammunition-purchases-for-certain-firearms/

3 hours ago, Tonester2 said:

If you die with ammo left then you haven't used all of your fire power. I'd rather die after using up every last round I have to try to stay alive.

Well, if you have any ammo left when you die, you can always line the inside of your casket with it..

3 hours ago, Tonester2 said:

How do they define a "box"?

My definition is a box would need a pallet jack to move it

1 minute ago, Golf battery said:

My definition is a box would need a pallet jack to move it

That's what I'm talking about. It's all subjective.