How many rounds of ammo to take?

Prerylyon

Veteran member
Apr 25, 2016
1,334
511
50
Cedar Rapids, IA
mallardsx2, You kind of touched on a question that I was gonna ask...... how rounds do you bring to camp and how many rounds do you carry when in the field?

This is my “go to” package......belt worn over clothing with, knife, diamond sharpener, and 14 round leather cartridge pouch ( very comfortable, and quiet)! I like to use as many leather components in the field for their quietness in brush.....I avoid synthetics as they tend to be noisy. Though.....I’m stuck with my synthetic stock on my rifle! 🤔

I’ve used that pouch since the late ‘80’s.....not sure if it’s still manufactured! memtb

That's a really sweet set; that may be my leather working project this winter; try to make me one. 🤠
 
  • Like
Reactions: THelms and memtb

buckbull

Veteran member
Jun 20, 2011
2,124
1,293
when i travel west I always take a primary and secondary rifle with 2 boxes for each rifle due to being different calibers. If both rifles shot the same ammo I'd only take 2 boxes total; but in my case my secondary rifle is a .30-06 and primary is either a .300 win mag or .25-06. depending on game animal.
 
I'm with, buckbull, except I carry 1 box each for my primary and secondary rifles, and don't feel handicapped. For this years WY muley trip, it will be an open sighted Savage 99F in 250Sav backed up by a Montana in 7-08. I fly and have to be careful how much weight I put in my Pelican case.

I carry an extra 5 rounds with me in a leather ammo wallet, in my bino harness.
 

taskswap

Very Active Member
Jul 9, 2018
523
379
Colorado
I take 2 boxes. If I'm serious about a trip (elk) I get to the area a day or two ahead of time to set up camp and I find a local range. There's almost always one within an hour's drive no matter where you go. I test my final zero there with the same ammo I'll be hunting with.

On the hunt I carry a full mag in the rifle plus a spare (full) mag in my pack. For luck or emergencies, I carry a loose round in a side belt pouch. The reason I do this is I have not one but TWO hunt buddies that have (not even kidding) had a mag drop out of their rifle. It's not a daily event but if you're scrambling through timber it's totally not impossible either.

The other box stays in the truck. I've never needed it, but if I did, better to have it and not need it than vice versa.
 

memtb

Active Member
I guess that I’ll also answer for my wife! 🙂 She generally carries around 15 rounds in the field, counting the 4 in the rifle and the balance of the box at camp. If we were hunting out of state, another 20 round box would travel with us!

However, I don’t know why we carry so much ammo......in over 30 years of hunting, I’ve only seen her fire more than once a very few times!

As our rifles , are both Model 70 Winchesters, have same scopes (Leupold 3.5-10 CDX), have the same zeros, have virtually identical bullet trajectories. We can use the other’s rifle as a back-up if need be.....the only real difference is fit. Hers would be a bit short for me, and mine a little long for her. But, as a temporary “back-up”, we can adapt! memtb
 

RICMIC

Veteran member
Feb 21, 2012
1,966
1,706
Two Harbors, Minnesota
My upcoming elk hunt partners were reluctant to do much shooting because they have been unable to replace their ammo. You can find 30-06 ammo now, as long as you are willing to pay the price. One of the guys would likely tuck more dollars in a G-string during the road trip if we let him make the stop than he would ever spend on ammo. Geeesh!!! At out last planning session, I sold two boxes from my hoard for what I paid for them and told the guy to shoot them at the range before we go. We'll see.
 

Colorado Cowboy

Super Moderator
Jun 8, 2011
8,075
4,301
82
Dolores, Colorado
My upcoming elk hunt partners were reluctant to do much shooting because they have been unable to replace their ammo. You can find 30-06 ammo now, as long as you are willing to pay the price. One of the guys would likely tuck more dollars in a G-string during the road trip if we let him make the stop than he would ever spend on ammo. Geeesh!!! At out last planning session, I sold two boxes from my hoard for what I paid for them and told the guy to shoot them at the range before we go. We'll see.
Yeah … ya gotta practice, practice, practice.
I shot so much over the last year I burned out my barrel and had to replace it before my Antelope hunt. There’s no substitute for practice.
Winchester is spot on. There is absolutely no substitute for rounds down range. The current ammo shortage is another reason to reload. Tailoring a load to your own rifle is not the only benefit as everyone can see with todays ammunition situation.
 

THelms

Administrator
Staff member
mallardsx2, You kind of touched on a question that I was gonna ask...... how rounds do you bring to camp and how many rounds do you carry when in the field?

This is my “go to” package......belt worn over clothing with, knife, diamond sharpener, and 14 round leather cartridge pouch ( very comfortable, and quiet)! I like to use as many leather components in the field for their quietness in brush.....I avoid synthetics as they tend to be noisy. Though.....I’m stuck with my synthetic stock on my rifle! 🤔

I’ve used that pouch since the late ‘80’s.....not sure if it’s still manufactured! memtb

Cool rig, .375 AI?
 
  • Like
Reactions: memtb

mallardsx2

Veteran member
Jul 8, 2015
3,811
3,011
All this talk about ammo. I decided to shoot yesterday evening in between the monsoon rains...
I fired each of the deer rifles only 1 time yesterday to check them. Shot the muzzle-loaders also.
Everything hit close enough to the bullseye to satisfy me so I cleaned them and put them in their cases. Waiting for my reloading room before I do too much shooting. :)
 

memtb

Active Member
All this talk about ammo. I decided to shoot yesterday evening in between the monsoon rains...
I fired each of the deer rifles only 1 time yesterday to check them. Shot the muzzle-loaders also.
Everything hit close enough to the bullseye to satisfy me so I cleaned them and put them in their cases. Waiting for my reloading room before I do too much shooting. :)

This summer has been unbelievable at our place. The only time we’re not working.....is when recovering from work! 🤬

I finally got around to doing a zero check on our hunting rifles and my handgun yesterday! It sure felt good to send a few rounds downrange! 15 rounds through my AI, 8 through the wife’s .338 WM, and 5 though my 460 XVR.....WOW, I feel alive again! 😁

Tomorrow......a little hunting while scouting and looking for a good place to park the camper! memtb
 
Last edited:

280ackimp

Active Member
Jul 4, 2017
166
28
New Hampshire
I have always taken 30-40 rounds for hunts where I travel. A few years ago in Wyoming I watched a guy on the range prior to a hunt do some silly things. The range offered a day pass for shooters and we used it to verify zero after a flight. The gent in question got un the bench and used the "Y" shaped steel yoke and some padding under the but stock. That was all that was available to us. At 100 yds he fired 1 shot and started cranking, the second shot also initiated cranking. I looked down into the box of reloads and saw that he had 10/12 loads left. That was all he brought. After round # 3 he reached for the dials and I told him it was probably the bench/rest and not the rifle, after discussion, he turned the rifle back to where he started, concentrated, and fired 2 rounds where they needed. He did go into the bush with 8 or 10 rounds for the hunt. We looked for 280 Rem ammo in the local gun stores and could find only 280AI. Funny, 20 years ago all I could find was 280 Rem as 280 AI had not been popular yet.
Other considerations for round counts 1, distance to gun shops 2, sited in with reloaded ammo 3, availability of cartridges 4, bears ? Firing a few rounds to haze off a bear could eat into your rounds available for hunting. I start with the rounds in the rifle and a full reload on my belt with 1 9 rnd wallet in my pack and a 9 rnd wallet in my saddlebag with the rest in camp. Carrying ammo is no place to be a minimalist
 
  • Like
Reactions: THelms and memtb

JimP

Administrator
Mar 28, 2016
7,070
8,347
70
Gypsum, Co
One thing that people can use to help steady their shots at a target if nothing proper is around and they are traveling is a rolled up sleeping bag, pillows, coats, backpack, or even a soft sided suit case.

All will help to rest the rifle on.
 

memtb

Active Member
One thing that people can use to help steady their shots at a target if nothing proper is around and they are traveling is a rolled up sleeping bag, pillows, coats, backpack, or even a soft sided suit case.

All will help to rest the rifle on.
My (our) shooting sticks always accompany us when hunting.....practice/zero verification should be taken from the expected rest...to be certain of bullet impact and the group size expectations when hunting! memtb
 
  • Like
Reactions: Winchester