Deficit Reduction Plan (not OT)

[Ysabel Kid]

Yep, it may sound like a political post, but it is not, really. Okay, I may swerve in my analogy, but it is really meant to be very-much gun related, and depending on what you shoot, levergun-related!

With all the talk about the debt-ceiling and the need for deficit-reduction, I got to thinking about this in relationship to my ammunition inventory. I have kept track, for many years, of my ammunition supply. I actually have goals for each and every caliber where I have a firearm shooting the ammunition in question. I basically have them broken down into “major calibers” (those I shoot often and/or are meant for personal defense), “intermediate calibers” (those I shoot, but not as often as the “major calibers”, and/or guns/calibers not meant used in my primary defensive weaponry), and of course “minor calibers” for those I shoot little, or the ammunition is just darn expensive. Obviously these aren’t my primary “go-to” guns for defensive use, though any of them could be called to duty should the need arise. I guess it would have probably been more accurate to label the categories “frequent”, “intermediate”, and “infrequent” – but I didn’t, and I’m sticking with my original classifications until I hear better ones!

So, for most of the guns in “major” I would like to have a minimum of 500 rounds for each gun I have in that caliber. I have four guns shooting .45 ACP, so that translates to 2,000 rounds – as a minimum. I have a bunch of .22 Long Rifles – and the ammo is relatively cheap – plus you tend to shoot a bunch of it every session – so the minimum is 20,000 rounds of inventory. For a “minor” like my Arisaka 7.7 Japanese, 20 rounds is sufficient unless I find a steal on ammo for it. You get the drift.

Well, I am close on hitting my goals for most of the calibers, but still shy on others. I have a surplus in other calibers, where I have bought ammo on sales and such.

So where does “deficit reduction” come in you ask? Good question!

What the on-going debate concerning the debt-ceiling and deficit reduction should teach anyone with a modicum of intelligence and economic savvy is that we, as a country, are on an unsustainable trajectory. We are spending much more than we take in. The so-called deficit reduction always yapped about in Washington is really no more than cuts in future increases in spending, not actual decreases in spending – what you and I would actually consider a “cut”.

So how will we actually cut the deficit? By reducing spending and/or increasing revenue – preferably more of the former.

So how will I reduce my “ammo deficit”? Aggressively – of course! None of this *****-footing Washington-type steps. I’ve decided I am going to purchase 2 times the amount of ammo I shoot of a specific caliber if I am running a deficit on it. This should eliminate said deficit fast – and still enable me to enjoy shooting my favorite guns.

See? Easy as that. Make a plan. Make it bold. Make the darn decision and just do it!!!

[Griff]

The really, really, really sad part is that I understood this...

[AJMD429]

Many people have a dozen firearms yet only a box or two of ammo for each. Far more prepared is the person with only one or two firearms and adequate ammunition.

The trouble is, the fascists and socialists (two major political parties) in this country foster the mindset that anyone who is "prepared" for anything must be "up to something".

In many states, there are laws prohibiting 'stockpiling' of food or other supplies, such that the personal supplies of one individual who was prepared can be seized by 'the authorities' and supposedly given to the 'less fortunate' who spent all their money on ice cream and movies.

WHY ON EARTH our nation has such an anti-gun, anti-preparedness mindset is beyond me.

Then of course many of us would have to abandon our homes anyway and just take what we could; too many idiots I know have the attitude of "Well, if anything ever happens, I'm going to head over to Bill's house - he's prepared for anything..." When I hear someone say that it makes me just want to ask them if they really think that somehow it's ok that just because they know Bill, when something bad happens that THEY didn't prepare for, they can just trot over to Bills, and demand he hand over his food, or water, or firearms, or whatever. It's rough enough to try to store a month's worth of food for your OWN family for if the stores are closed; if ten friends just "drop by" and expect to share it, then all of a sudden you're down to three days of food. Same would be with any other hard-to-get item, including ammunition.

Most likely we don't face a sudden armageddon type thing like in Twilight Zone, but more of a socially-deteriorating situation just like Argentina, Greece, and other capitalist-gone-socialist nations.

[jnyork]

The whole thing reminds me so much of Popeye's buddy Wimpy: "I will gladly pay you Thursday for a hamburger today".

An increase in the deficit is NOT reduced spending, no matter how much they spin it.

Throw the bums out. All of them.

Remembering the .22 ammo shortage of less than 2 years ago, I keep at least 4 cases on hand now for my rimfire lever guns and components for at least 1000 rounds for each of my centfire lever guns. 20,000 primers is NOT hoarding.

[pdawg.shooter]

With the exception of shotguns, I keep at least 1000 rounds for all my guns but one. Shotguns I stopped at 500. My .458 mag has only 200. Figure 200 .458s will be plenty out here in western Kansas.

[rjohns94]

I am currently loading for my newly reaquired 1886 in 45-70. I just ordered some 405 grain lead bullets and and when I get them all loaded, i should be good to go there. I am set in .22lr (for my 1911 conversion kit). I have two firearms in .45acp, i'm set there. I am good for all my BP firearms. 20 gauge needs some help, but that will be set by end of dove season. 12 gauge is way good. 9.3 x74R (along with lesser plinking rounds of 9mm Makarov) is low but at a good level. 30-06 only at 40 rounds. But I haven't shot the Winchester it goes in so I'm ok for now. .22mag needs some more... and 9mm is ok. So I need to keep getting well. I will take your cue YK, and continue to bring home some ammo to fill the low spots. thans for making the need perfectly clear for us.

[mklwhite]

In many states, there are laws prohibiting 'stockpiling' of food or other supplies, such that the personal supplies of one individual who was prepared can be seized by 'the authorities' and supposedly given to the 'less fortunate' who spent all their money on ice cream and movies.

Really? I mean I am not doubting you or anything, I genuinely had no idea. I knew some places/states where real weird about ammo, but I had no idea about food or other supplies (unless of course ammo might be considered "other supplies"). Know I have heard (not seen the law or anything) but if certain emergencies exist that they ("The Man") don't want you hoarding... but I always thought that meant of resources actually acquired during the emergency.

[Ysabel Kid]

I seem to recall a story about someone up in PA or OH getting nailed for "hording food". They were literally stocking up an old fall-out shelter with... you guessed it... food and supplies in case of economic turmoil and/or civil unrest. Supposedly this somehow interfered with interstate commerce (I guess because much of the food they had grown themselves) and the Fed stepped in - arresting the couple and confiscating their stores. I don't recall what ever happened in the case.

I can almost - almost (but not quite) buy the argument to prevent hoarding during a natural disaster. But before? Pul-ease! The better method is to allow pricing to escalate to naturally accomplish two very needed things: people won't horde if prices are high (they buy what they need immediately), and other rush in to supply what the market needs - as indicated by the higher pricing.

Don't believe this? Here's an example.

A retailer has bottled water. Before the hurricane, he sold it for $1.00 per bottle. After the hurricane, demand increases, while supply drops - because no one can get in to re-supply the area. Economics 101: what happens when demand increases and supply decreases? Prices increase. Why? Well certainly part of this is the profit motive, but also the retailer realizes that he will need to pay more himself to get more supply, so he has to charge more now so he can secure the extra supply. So, what is the net result? If water now costs $3/bottle or $5/bottle, people are less-likely to buy more than they need (unless they too anticipate prices to rise and/or no additional supplies to come in). Water is available to more people rather than consumed in excess by few. Retailers outside the area see an opportunity to make more money and expend the extra efforts to get the needed item to the area of demand. The retailer himself is able to spend more to get additional supplies in. The situation is short term, as supplies increase and back to Economics 101, when supply increases while demand remains static, what happens? Prices fall.

Enter the government. They demand the retailer sells his water for $1.00/bottle lest he be charged with price-gouging. He does, and people buy in excess, wiping out his inventory. Now no one else is going to get water, and there is no incentive for anyone outside the area to expend extra effort or money to ship it in.

Bottom-line: Government interference in the market - or in people's daily lives - almost always results in a worse situation.

Wow, I just hijacked my own post!

[AJMD429]

Bottom-line: Government interference in the market - or in people's daily lives - almost always results in a worse situation.

YK, I wish some time-warp would swap you and Mr. Obama places. Granted, I'd rather not have an anti-gun moron on the leverguns forum, but it would be worth putting up with if we could have you be President...

[RIHMFIRE]

well..... according to some of the tallies here.....
I must be at a budget shortfall...holy stuff...
I just looked and, I am nowhere near any of those numbers....
I better get busy...,in fact, I am completely out of some....

Keeping numbers like that, for calibers like 38-40, 44-40, 38-55, 32ws, etc...
would certainly be tough.... I reload them as I need them....because I only have
so much brass....

[mklwhite]

Bottom-line: Government interference in the market - or in people's daily lives - almost always results in a worse situation.

To quote Malcolm Reynolds "That's what governments are for... get in a man's way."

[ollogger]

as far as ammo inventory goes, im normal then

[Ysabel Kid]

Bottom-line: Government interference in the market - or in people's daily lives - almost always results in a worse situation.

YK, I wish some time-warp would swap you and Mr. Obama places. Granted, I'd rather not have an anti-gun moron on the leverguns forum, but it would be worth putting up with if we could have you be President...

Thanks AJ, but I'd get lucky to get half a dozen votes the first time I'd run, and wouldn't get any if I ran for re-election. I want to see the budget actually CUT - not just reductions in the growth of future spending. I'd whip out a copy of the Constitution, which would reside permanetly on my desk in the Oval Office, and look at it with every bill that came before me. If the bill could not specifically point to the exact enumerated power in the Constitution that allows for whatever is contained in the bill, I'd veto it on the spot. My favorite Presidential quote, by Madison (the father of the Constitution), starts "I cannot undertake to lay my finger upon that cluase of the Constitution...". Most of my focus would be on trying to eliminate an unconstitutional federal department each and every day!

[jnyork]

In many states, there are laws prohibiting 'stockpiling' of food or other supplies, such that the personal supplies of one individual who was prepared can be seized by 'the authorities' and supposedly given to the 'less fortunate' who spent all their money on ice cream and movies.
.

I'm not flying the BS flag yet but I want to see a link to even one of these laws.