How long would what take? You don't indicate what you want to know.

The time to buy silver or gold is yesterday. I'd suggest waiting for the rally to break as I'm sure it will. Don't listen to the hype, it comes from manipulators nearly always. I'm an investor/trader for my living. At the moment I'm sitting on $33,000 in stock market gains that I want to put largely into precious metals. My instincts have me sitting on the sidelines for the moment because I know the prices will correct soon enough.

Nothing ever moves in a straight line in this world. If you look at a five or ten year chart on silver, you'll see proof of what I'm saying. The trick is to be patient and get the most bang for your buck. Don't hand the gains to a dealer! And when you do take the plunge---spend no more than half your wad initially. Then wait and watch and learn how silver moves. On down turns, move in and add to your position. By moving this carefully, you minimize opportunities to move foolishly.

Good luck!