The Survivalist Pledge:

To help all that can be helped,
To defend all that can be defended,
To save all that can be saved,
To free all that seek freedom,
To stay alive as long as I can and stay free as long as I live.

In every survival situation where the routine use of firearms directly affects a person's survival probability (i.e., a soldier at war, a policeman on the street, etc.), eventually a time comes when the ammunition supply may be exhausted. In times of war--during a fire fight--a soldier's life span can be measured by the amount of ammunition he is carrying. In a worse-case scenario, the soldier (that's YOU) will probably not be able to run down to the local gun shop and "pick up a case or two." If you run out of ammunition, the game is OVER. That's something to think about that for a moment.

At this time in the US, you can drive down to your nearest K-Mart and purchase ammunition in military caliber’s of 9mm, .45 ACP, .308 Winchester, and .223 Remington as easily as you might buy a loaf of bread. Not so in many other countries. In most of the world, it is illegal for a private citizen to own a military type firearm. Even should you pass all the paperwork, registration, etc., the firearms you are permitted to buy are almost always in a non-military caliber (such as .222 instead of .223). The concerted efforts put forth by certain power groups to ban and eventually confiscate all private firearms are phases of a PLAN. The plan being to destabilize the US Government, with the eventual abolishment of the constitution, and the establishment of a ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT with the USA being one of 10 global regions. A constitutional republic, with its free, firearm-toting citizens, has NO part in the new "global economy."

How long will the traitors in Washington wait until they attempt to restrict, ban, or confiscate first ammunition for the "evil" assault weapons and then, of course, all weapons? Not long--you can be sure. So no is the time to stock up on ammunition. When considering how much and what kind of ammunition to store, we must differentiate between the three main types of ammunition that you as a survivalist may be familiar with. These are commercial manufactured, military surplus, and commercial remanufactured or reloaded. (Personal manufactured ammunition will be discussed is a subsequent article in a later issue of DIRECTIONS.) Before purchasing ammunition, you must learn a few basic terms that you will see in the mail-order ads.

"BE" stands for "Berdan" priming (NOT easily reloadable), "BX" means "Boxer" priming (reloadable) making it most ideal for most buyers. "NC" means "Non-Corrosive" which is what you want. Stay AWAY from "C" or "COR" which means "CORROSIVE PRIMERS"; these will DESTROY your weapon if it is not cleaned in a few hours. Always assume corrosive if not stated, especially if the ammo is cheap. Beware of inexpensive ammunition. "Commercial manufacture" is the type of ammunition available at ordinary retail outlets. Some of the more common manufacturers are Remington, Winchester, PMC, Hansen, Federal, and Samson. All components are new. Winchester Military, Hansen, and PMC are probably the best priced (best buys are the .22 caliber, 9mm, and .45). Military surplus ammunition is available through mail order.

Unless you are an ordnance expert, I would suggest you NOT buy any surplus ammunition at gun shows. You never know what you are getting. Most surplus ammunition is Berdan primed and is therefore NOT easily reloadable. The best surplus buys are usually .308 Winchester (7.62mm NATO) ranging from $130-160 per thousand. Commercial manufactured .308 is about $240 per thousand.

Commercial re-manufactured, next to reloading yourself, is the least expensive way to stockpile ammunition. Most reloads (especially those for rifles) are manufactured from once-fire GI brass and new components. With reloads, its cheaper to practice with your AR-15 (cost is $125 per 1000 rounds) than your 9mm ($140 per 1000)! Discounts in ammunition purchases can sometimes be obtained in different ways. Dealers (FFL or sporting business) can obtain varying discounts of between 15 to 25 percent depending upon the brand and distributor. Usually a minimum dollar amount is required for the order.

Your survival group should establish one or two individuals as dealers (letterhead, business card, etc) for the purpose of purchasing equipment. An FFL is NOT required for ammunition. On commercial reloads, because you are dealing with a small business (such as yourself), discounts can be negotiated for bulk orders (five to ten thousand rounds) and sometimes for "blemished" or "stained" ammunition. When purchasing military ammunition, you will almost always be purchasing copper-jacketed "ball" cartridges. You will sometimes see the initials "FMJ" meaning "Full Metal Jacket." This is the least expensive. Other initials such as "SP" (Soft Point) or "HP" (Hollow Point) are available, but are much more expensive. In addition, hollow point pistol ammunition is know for its failure to feed, specially in the .45 Government pistol.

"AP" stands for "Armor Piercing" and is designed to penetrate various thicknesses of steel plate. Most available AP ammunition is considered to be "collectors items" and can only be obtained at gun shows for upwards to $1 per round.

The closest most people can come to "AP" ordnance is the new SS109 "Penetrator" round now in use by the military (in .223/5.56mm). It is a 62-grain bullet containing a steel alloy "Penetrator" and is very useful for thick-skinned predators (2 and 4 footed). The least expensive military SS-109 available is late 1980s manufacture Canadian and is available from Golden State Distributors, 630 Mary Ann Dr., Redondo Beach, CA 90278 for $165 per thousand.

For long-term storage, nothing beats the .30 caliber military ammo can available at gun shows for about 2 for $5. Never pay more than $3 for an ammo can. Make sure the SEAL is new. The inside of the can should smell like fresh paint.

Store your ammunition in plastic zip-lock bags of 50-100 rounds. Always use a moisture absorbing desiccant inside the can to keep everything dry. Remember: Invest in "lead"...while you still can!

READERS' ALERT:

Occasionally patriotic people will receive a letter or phone call from the "American Constitution Committee" or "The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity." Often these communications will come with the promise to pay all expenses for a trip to special meetings to bring the US back to the constitution or help unify Christianity. In fact, these groups are two organizations that are connected to the South Korean mystic, Sun Myung Moon (who claims to be Christ).

Those not wishing to become part of the "Moonie" operation will do well to pass up these invitations which are quite misleading as to who is making the offer and what the meetings to be attended are actually about.

 

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