Judging by the chronically empty shelves at gun shops and “out of stock” notices online, folks seem to be buying ammunition at unprecedented rates. Preppers stock up on things, like toilet paper, by the case. Ammo is no different. So when they buy, they look for bulk ammo deals. But how much ammo do you need? We have built this ammo calculator and written this article as a guide.

As a note, while I am listed as the author here, it’s actually the result of four minds coming together: myself, Steve Markwith, Aden Tate, and my behind-the-scenes web guy who took our collective thoughts and turned them into an online ammo calculator.

The calculator is below, but to make the most sense of your results – and this subject as a whole – it is important to read the article through. It explains our reasoning behind the formulas in the calculator and will help you determine whether they’re accurate for you and how to adjust your results up or down.