Hi Adaline,
Nice to have you visit. In my OPINION.... (your resullts may vary)....
1. 22 LR. This round cannot be effectively reloaded. Yes, there are supposed kits out there to allow reloading, but I've never seen one that worked even remotely well. 22 LR ammo is machine manufactured only, so if production shuts down, your Ruger 1022 becomes a paperweight. So, whether you own a 22 firearm or not, owning the ammunition puts you in a good barter position.
2. 9mm. very reloadable, huge number of guns need it, and you probably have one at home too.
3. .45 ACP. Again, a huge amount of firearms out there need .45 acp to run.
4. 5.56/.233 . A very good portion of AR 15 platforms use this ammunition. I try to stay with brass cartridges instead of steel, but thats only because I'm a reloader. If you are buying for yourself, fire a few boxes of steel cased ammo to see if it feeds in your rifle. Brass casings will almost always feed properly. Again.... for bartering in a apocalypse situation? Any .223 is good. Just remember.... 5.56 and 223 are ALMOST the same, but not quite. The rule of thumb is Yes, you CAN fire 223 in a barrel marked 5.56 x 45, but you cannot safely fire (and shouldn't) 5.56 Nato ammunition through a barrel marked .223. If your barrel is marked "Wylde", then the chamber is designed for both .223 and 5.56
Shotgun? You won't go wrong with 12 or 20 gauge shells. #7 shot for birds and small animals, 12 gauge slugs for larger game (deer, etc.). Comes in either 2-3/4 or 3 inch lengths. 2-3/4 is most popular. Reloads easily and almost everyone owns a shotgun.
One off rounds? .380, 38 cal and .357 caliber would be prudent. probably some .40 caliber and 22 WMR (22 magnum) wouldn't hurt if you have the finances to stock it on the emergency shelf.
It's all going to be in short supply, so stocking up is probably a good idea. Thanks for the question, I hope this helps you out.
Again, this is only my opinion. Some others here will certainly have there own thoughts too. And they're smarter than me!!!
Da
