Regardless of whether you're an avid shooter, casual shooter or an enthusiast, by now you should be aware and/or are aware of the severe ammo shortages.

Ammo is almost nowhere to be found, online nor at retail stores. Many, if not all such ammo retailers are now severely limiting quanities... Some limit sales to one box per day per customer!!!!....

Best business to be in at the current time, high volume mass production of ammo manufacturing strictly for the retail customer... Even if you charged double the price, would you still be able to fill all the orders?

>>>>Answer: NO!

 

It's the same here in the east I don't shoot much anymore and haven't bought any ammo lately but from what I hear 9mm ammo is all but impossible to get in our neck of the woods.

 

Fortunately I have some of the other calibers and have been picking up a box or two each time I'm near the right store. I watch for the popular ones just in case, but haven't been lucky to be there at the right time, if that is even possible.

The lesson here is just how easily our government can run us all dry without ever bring it to a vote and something needs to be done about that. Their next step will be to make owning large quantities of ammo illegal, if it isn't already. Their definition of large may only be a few boxes.

Bud

 

After the last stupid scare...I made it a point to get a box or two of what I would use the most every month or so if it was on the shelf. I probably have 1000 rds each of both 9mm and .45. That's just the cheap ball ammo. I have about 300 rds each of premium defensive stuff that I've had for a while. Only shoot one mag of that each time to the range...and those visits have lessened quite a bit, so it will last quite a while. Of course I have a couple of hundred of each of my other calibers as well, .22 (well...a lot more than a couple of hundred for those), .25, .380., 16ga, 20 ga.

Even though I live in one of the gun friendliest states and we have 3-4 good gun shops within 10 miles of me....NO ONE carries reloading supplies!! Even the rinky dink local gun shows..nothing! I should have bought a bunch of powder and bullets back in VA. I have about 3000 pieces of .45 brass and plenty of primers....but the price and shipping on powder and bullets is just crazy...at least last time I checked.

I don't believe the Gov is buying huge amounts...at least not that much more than the past...it's just been publicized more. Even then...the contracts are for 5 yrs IIRC and the major manufacturers can turn out millions per day per production line. Lake City alone produces over 1.4 billion rounds per yr just for the military (as of 2007). Add in all the commercial production lines out there and you are talking a lot of rounds! Here's an example..... .45 is not a standard military/LE round except for Special teams....why is it hard to find? Prob one of the top three in pistol ammo sales (along with 9mm and .40) so you know it's being produced 24/7.

I'd bet one major problem with finding it (and all the others) retail or online is shipping and storage.....esp for places like Wally World. They simply cannot store large quantities of hazmat.
It gets sold, an order is placed for the max amount (prob a case or less), it comes in 3 days later and sells out that day. Cycle repeats. It's not like Campbells soup.

 

Hornady had a nice little blurb on their site explaining how much of their production goes to government sales and how much they are running their machinery.

I'm already seeing availability increasing and prices softening. A couple years ago 9mm and .223/5.56 were my volume practice ammo's with .308 for some recoil tolerance. Those calibers became very scarce so I had to switch to less popular ones for practice. Who knew .30-06 would be cheaper than .308?

People are basically stupid. I've been in stores several times when people were buying for calibers they did not own simply because the ammo was available. If nukes were tossed and we're all driving around in Mad Max vehicles I could understand buying whatever's available but the hysteria is just that. Hysteria. Like 4 years ago I just wait it out and some bit of normalcy returns. Idiots eventually run out of money for ammo they won't use and can't afford.

Perhaps I'm too young but I don't recall the run on ammo during the Clinton administration but there have been two crazy runs on ammo in very recent history. The first when President Obama's inauguration neared and the second round coinciding with his second inauguration. I am not saying he had much will or power to actually cause change but the fear in society is/was there and caused people to hoard ammo.

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I don't reload but I am starting to hold onto my old brass just in case.

 

I have seen shortages of the common ammo already mentioned However, I believe it is only people stocking up, or buying to resell on online sites. "normal" hunting ammo is fairly easy to find.

Before this gun craziness I jumped into my 3rd AR15 build. The lower, of course is multi-caliber, but the upper is a 6.8mm SPC. I can not find ammo OR brass to load my own. The same goes for my buddy that just built a 300 Blackout, however the nice thing about the 300, is that the parent case is a standard .223/5.56, so he is able to make is own ammo pretty easy. I think any ammo that fits in an AR platform will be in short supply.

 

One reason......................:



I am sure there are others. Just can't think of any right now.

 

Am I a believer that our government is partly the cause of the panic buying of ammo, reloading supplies and guns? As it was in the past anytime a Democrat gets into office. Best thing to happen to the entire gun industry, IMO. A Democrat in office....

Worse yet, our government officials make the mistake of using the words, gun ban. Dumb Dumb Dumb. That wording creates the panic buying we are presently seeing. IMO. More appropriate wording word have been, restricting sales of guns in the classification of assault weapons. You can have such weapons but must meet tougher restrictions in order to due so. Same can apply to the ammo they use but none of the other types of ammo.

If the government is suppose to be the entire cause for shortages of guns, ammo and supplies, buying it up faster then American industry can produce it, then why is reloading supplies so low? Equally, why isn't foreign suppliers filling the void? Is there a world wide shortage??? One would assume ammo importation would fill the voids. Yet imported ammo is also in short supp. Why?

Are we and other countries arming rebels in foreign countries causing such shortages? Do we also supply them with reloading equipment and supplies to fill their ammo needs???? Many possible causes and questions but no logical answers...

Now this usually slow forum topic has another thread open for disscussion.......

 

Hoarders. They seem to have more money than sense. Many gun stores are charging nearly double for certain hi-cap handguns and rifles..AND PEOPLE ARE PAYING IT. Reloading supplies are scarce. No brass in 45 or 223. No primers. I found some primers at a gunshow that were selling for $150/box. They used to be $38. Even Midway is COMPLETELY out of ALL sizes and brands!
I am waiting for the madness to end...but its been a LONG wait this time around.

 

Yes, I totally forgot to mention primers. They are very hard to find, even at shows.

 

Hoarders.

Doomsday preppers.

IMO all one in the same.

Do they really think there is a need to hoard ready made ammo, reloading supplies to cause such drastic shortages???? And if so why? Do they really and honestly think there is a need? For what purpose? In case our government turns against us?...

If so, they really think their hand held guns will be any defense against a well armed government? Against drones, attack helicopters, tanks, missiles, etc? ... Against any one or more large groups of armed citizens or bandits out to attack them for their supplies, etc? Oh Really?

Guns stores charging double and or much more then double. My point exactly in prior posts. Out this way gun shops are charging several hundred dollars above retail for all or any guns... IMO that's fine and okay. Same has applied to surcharges on fuel efficient vehicles during periods of fuel shortages. Supply and demand sets the retail price. Fine with me.

But not for reasons of hoarding!!! And even then, are we saying ammo manufacturers (world wide) are not able to keep up with demand???? Oh Really?

Here in my state, already one with very restrictive laws, there are 40 additional pending legislative restriction laws pending. (???) YEP! One being a tax per round of 5 cents!!!??? No mentioning of any specific caliber mind you. Just 5 cents per round. And yes. AR's can fire 22 caliber rounds! Imagine having to pay 5 cents more per round on 22's? How much is that additionally for a 325 round box?... YIKES!

But I bet once this state and possibly several others having such pending legislation exists. Which means once the bill(s) is/are passed ammo supplies in abundance will suddenly appear?...

Now that's a conspiracy theory at it's best.... For those whom believe in such and would suspect to be a cause of shortages of all gun related items...LOL!

 

1.6 Billion rounds headed to HS might explain part of the shortage.

 

Yea, but that's just a normal purchase contract and large contracts are a normal part of the business. Now if we had a big shooting war that could consume enough ammo for both training and fighting to make a difference. I don't even remember bad ammo shortages during either Gulf War.

 

IMO, the final shoot out was a total disaster!!! Shame on those officers shooting skills while armed with AR's!!! As I understand the news stories heard, the suspect was already shot and injured day prior. Discovered in a land docked boat on a trailer in a backyard. An already wounded, bleeding, hungry and likely disoriented stationary target.

Two officers armed with AR's and at least two 30 round clips each fired (total 120 rounds) back at him. Word has it somewhere around 60-600 rounds total fired!!!??? Boat displayed enough holes to appear like Swiss cheese and yet not one new officer fired round found it's mark???? Oh Really???


For Christ sake all shots missed???!!! Suspect was a stationary target!!! for all intensive purposes. Suspect still alive??? and without not one new shooting injury??? If such is any display of how unskilled shooters the officers where/are, no wonder the HS needs 1.6 million rounds of ammo!!!

...

Even my new young adult student shooters do a far better job!!!...

I do not believe any of us, as novice, casual and or experienced shooters, could display such poor shooting skills!!!

Corrections welcomed if I got any of the above wrong.

 

I think things might be looking up a bit. Stopped a a couple of sporting goods stores this weekend.
Ammo is still in short supply, but there was Aluminum AR 30 round mags for $15, about $5 higher, and there was some ammo. However, there was no .22LR or pistol ammo, but there was 5.56 and some other AR calibers such as 6.8mm ($32 a box ) No 300 blackout though.

I am not similar with the shooting story your are referring to but in the "trade" it is called target saturation.

 

It's also called killing the witness so he won't talk. Failing that (incredible as it seems) I suppose you could "persuade" a doctor to fix it so he'll never talk.

 

Target Saturation? Oh Yeah. I heard that one before. Know all about it too.

Just wondering if the officers doing the shooting knew exactly what the target was...???... The "Suspect" or the "Boat?"...

Fact remains. Suspect is still alive. Now the real tax payer expenses begin....

Us tax payers may have supported both suspects with welfare aid, etc. in the past before the tragedy but the trial and jailing expenses have already begun.

Regarding the boat. The owner will not be compensated for the boat damages. In the trade, as it is referred to above, that's part of the "Collateral Damage." Donations are being accepted to replace that boat for the owner.

According to the news interview with the owner, he doesn't even want another boat... Existing boat was no longer used and owners now to old to even use it... More $$$ down the drain....

 

Another cause for an ammo and gun shortage....

Congress (both sides of the isles and those in the middle or on the fence)... have decided to arm the rebels!!! Yep! In the news. Arms and ammo (ours ='s yours and mine) to be sent if not already there. (???)

Longer duration of shortages expected. Continued Higher prices are bound to result. And, to add insult to injury, we shooters pay more while also paying the expenses for arming rebels too!!! Up goes the debt!!!

Maybe, by the end of this decade supplies to and for us shooters will return to normal. (???) The NEW normal that is. Less supply equals more $$$... Or plenty of supply but still more money.

The debt. Might be able to be paid off by end of this century. But until then us living tax payers will bare the burden, smile, look happy and pay our taxes! When we assume the room temp it can be passed off to our grand kids and their kids....

 

Personally I don't believe we will send enough ammo to significantly affect domestic availability.

I am noticing that ammunition availability is getting better. My local Walmart occasionally has 9mm for a day or so and my local gun store's shelves are getting more full every time I stop by. They still have limits on the amount you can purchase and some calibers are still nonexistent but it's slowly getting better. After 8 months looking I was able to finally find .410 bore 2 1/2" #6 shells for my Judge.

I do have to spit when I see online sights like Cheaper Than Dirt selling steel cased Silver Bear .308 for $25 a box. I suppose I should say more power to them if they can find an idiot to pay that price but gouging is gouging. Black market out in the open I suppose.

 

Stopped by the sporting dept at our local wall-box and caught an interesting comment from the manager who was there. When I asked if they were still getting any bricks of 22 in, he said some, but all of the popular ammo is sold before it arrives, never reaches the shelves. Add to this, I visited a new small dealer and he said he had some of the good stuff, but needed to combine it with his gun sales or no sales. Who is going to buy a gun they can't get ammo for. Can you imagine how many boxes of ammo the big dealers are sitting on to support their sales?

Bud

 

GI2

Nope. Cannot even begin to imagine...

No gun purchase no ammo sale?????...

Availability Limited? Yep.
Quantities Limited? Yep.
Supply Gone Before Shelving? Yep!
Prices Higher? Yep.
Shortages Likely To Continue. Yep.
Ammo Mfg. Great business to be in. Yep......

Let the GOUGING begin...

The GOUGING will continue until the moral (Not the ammo supply) improves...HA HA HA.........

 

And the ammo shortages and price GOUGING continues.... As does the reloading supplies!!! For those whom reload their own. Shopping for ready made ammo or reloading supplies? Prepare to fork out HUGE bucks!!! If you're lucky to find any.

Recent articles in gun magazines regarding American made ammo production claim manufacturing is going 90+ MPH 24/7. No ammo manufacturer claims to have any in warehouse storage. Made, packaged, loaded onto pallets and driven by forklift directly through warehouse onto delivery trucks. Destination, middleman wholesalers then to retailers.

Pricing. Sky high, if you can find it in the caliber wanted.
22LR brick. $150.00??????????...YIKES... 22WMR. Supply. NONE!!!... When will price and supply level off??? No body knows!!!!????

What have you discovered about supply and pricing in your area? Likely the same. Shortages and HIGH prices. Sure puts a CRIMP on target shooting....

GI2

 

I was in my local Walmart this morning and for the first time in a couple years the ammo display was full and the lady was unpacking more. I got some 22LR and as soon as I left the counter a steady stream of people appeared. Each buying their three box limit. I looked at hunting clothes for a bit and when I walked by the counter on my way out all the 22's were gone and there were once again empty spaces on the shelves and there was still a line of people buying ammo. Folks are still in panic buying mode. Still, over $7 for a 100 box of CCI hollow points is about twice what it was before Obama took office.

 

Yep. Have to agree. Ammo shortages in most all calibers still exist. Those that retail ammo still place limits on purchases. Number of shooters in all the categories at both indoor and outdoor ranges has diminished. Drastically reduced the new shooters. Classes for them have been cut.

Problem is or might be what the near future holds. Likely when supply exceeds demands, might take a while for shooters in all categories to discover the ample supplies and return. For now, it hurts small gun shops. Plenty of guns but still very limited ammo supply. Which have also reduced gun sales. Hard to sell a gun that you can't easily get ammo for... Or having to pay dearly for!

The hoarders and preppers abound still. Price does not seem to deter them. They search and drive for miles. Store gets them in occasionally from miles away. Cash in hand too!... Oh Well. Back to what I said all along. Never mention BAN anything. Creates this type of PANIC buying....

 

So, how much is enough? I currently have more ammo than I have ever owned, which was at most a hundred rounds or so. But even with much more than that, I still watch the shelves and can usually find a couple of boxes to add to my collection. I also have a list of ammo my friends are looking for and grab that if it shows up.

Where do I draw the line? I know people who have historically had 100,000 rounds plus. I have no idea what they are hording now. I'm no where near that collection, but still feel guilty at times, but it does seem like a good investment.

Bud

 

I was at our local Cabala's store and was able to find some 6.8mm SPC for $18 FMJ and $22 for V-max. I was quite happy to see that. My buddy was calling around everywhere for 300 Blackout and did find one box of premium ammo for $30. It does appear to me that the manufactures are catching up as .223, 9mm, .45, .40 and .380 are all in stock with prices close to "normal".

It is all supply and demand. As mentioned above the demand is still high, and prices will reflect that. I wish I could buy a 22lr loading machine.

 

I don't know what's enough but I too feel that I should have more. I recently checked my inventory of ammunition with Barnes bullets and realized that I have a small fortune just in them and should cool my jets. After all, how many rounds of premium hunting ammunition do I need? In my life I've only had to shoot one animal twice. A couple rounds to verify that my scope is still where I want it then a few rounds when hunting. That puts me at about half a box of the stuff a year.

 

How much is enough? When do you have enough? 2 Excellent questions... To which there really is no answer that pertains to each shooter.

Hopefully, once supply exceeds demand prices will come down some. I doubt that will happen. Why would ammo makers want to make less profit? Same applies to most retailers. Sell ammo for less? Unless competition demands it, doubt prices will be much lower any time in the near future.

Hoarding now to sell surplus supplies at a higher profit in the not to distant future may seem like a money maker if prices continue to rise in the future. However, may not be a good investment if prices ever come down in the future. A condition hoarders dismiss and/or ignore presently. Price at this time does not seem to deter them presently...

Excuse me. Have to exit stage left. Guns to clean, targets to resupply and ammo to inventory.... Just in case I need a larger personal ammo supply...LOL!...

#1 Holiday gift HIGH on my wish list is:
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AMMO.....
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Oh Yeah.
Did I mention what the only item that's on my Christmas Gift Wish List?????

AMMO...

BEER & CHEER TIME: