2020 has been an interesting year in the firearms industry. We went from full availability of any product (and even some sales) to an all around drought in supply. This was due to many factors, but it shows us that supply can be affected for many reasons, the chief reason being demand.
How Much:
People ask how much ammunition they need. Usually, this question is in regard to a training class, or monthly maintenance drills, but I recommend a longer term approach. If we start looking at our ammunition in TIME not in QUANTITY, we can get an accurate look at how much ammunition we really need. For instance, if you only go to the range once a month to shoot 50 rounds, you still need 600 rounds to make it through a year long ammunition drought. If you take 2 classes a year that require 1000 rounds each and do 150 rounds per month maintenance training, you need almost 4000 rounds per year. Find out how many rounds you would ideally shoot per year and then concentrate on acquiring at least a years worth of ammunition or more.
Buy Low, Don't Sell:
Ammo is selling at a premium right now due to lack of availability. The free market dictates that a fair price is what the public will pay. Right now we have high prices, but when demand slacks, we can see much lower prices. Just like airline companies, we have to buy the fuel for our guns when the price is low so we can sustain times of higher prices. The goal in a ammo crisis is to keep shooting your normal routine to stay proficient, as this is necessary for skill retention. So when the price drops, start looking to stock back up on what you have used, and maybe even a little more than you think you need. If we all do this, we will see much less demand when it seems like there should be a shortage.
Don't Forget:
We cannot neglect calibers that we do not often shoot, or ammunition that we don't use as frequently. Defensive hollow points need to be rotated regularly, and hunting ammunition can be in high demand or go out of production. Remember to apply stockpile criteria to all of your supplies (even if you hand load) and make sure that you have enough for a reasonable amount of time.