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Ammo, where are you?

Artymoon

Artymoon

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Why is the Ammo Gone? | RECOIL - the 2020 Ammo Shortage

"In the early stages of the COVID-19 lockdowns, the media began reporting on a surge in firearms sales across the United States. Fast forward to almost August, and everyone is asking where did all the ammo go? Online retailers are out of stock, you can't get rounds from big box stores, and what ammo is available is either limited in quantity or highly priced. According to reps in the ammo industry, demand right now is 10x higher than during the 2013 ammo shortage."



Crazy times. How's everyone doing with their ammo? Hard to find in your area? Getting lucky?
 
Artymoon said:
Crazy times. How's everyone doing with their ammo? Hard to find in your area? Getting lucky?
Click to expand...

Dunno about any one year being rough to find ammo, seems like every year since the 1998 when I started shooting a lot and year round every year had a dry spell. I learned early on if I wanted to keep shooting competitively and that means lots of practice I needed to buy in bulk as often as I could. I buy in 'lots' bullets, brass, primers, powder and cases were bought as a run to be as consistent as possible.

But stands to reason that after all the sheeple stampedes to buy anything black over the years any rumor or fear will have a lot more panic buyers in the market.

I have a few thousand 308Amax, 16 lbs Varget, few thousand CCI primers, few thousand pieces of brass and 1,000+- rounds loaded and stored in ammo cans.

Not awaiting the zombies, back in the day 2,000 rounds would barely make it through a comp/training season. These days sadly I fire a few hundred rounds a year so I'm not too worried right now. Pistol is a few hundred- bought two 250 packs a few months ago. I really don't use the pistol much, I should but I don't- Rifle marksmanship has always been my wheel house. Now I'm curious, I'll stop by Academy and see what they got, Walmart always sucks... :peace
 
Another reason to buy guns in standard calibers, like 9mm, 5.56mm and 12 gague.
 
I usually pick up a box or two of ammo whenever I happen to be someplace that sells it. Would much rather have it and not need it than need it and not able to find it. One benefit from having multiple firearms in Multiple calibers is having a better chance of being able to find some ammo for at least one of your firearms

Also investing in a reloader and supplies goes a long way
 
The non-standard rounds like British .303" will surely be the first to disappear.
 
notquiteright said:
Dunno about any one year being rough to find ammo, seems like every year since the 1998 when I started shooting a lot and year round every year had a dry spell. I learned early on if I wanted to keep shooting competitively and that means lots of practice I needed to buy in bulk as often as I could. I buy in 'lots' bullets, brass, primers, powder and cases were bought as a run to be as consistent as possible.

But stands to reason that after all the sheeple stampedes to buy anything black over the years any rumor or fear will have a lot more panic buyers in the market.

I have a few thousand 308Amax, 16 lbs Varget, few thousand CCI primers, few thousand pieces of brass and 1,000+- rounds loaded and stored in ammo cans.

Not awaiting the zombies, back in the day 2,000 rounds would barely make it through a comp/training season. These days sadly I fire a few hundred rounds a year so I'm not too worried right now. Pistol is a few hundred- bought two 250 packs a few months ago. I really don't use the pistol much, I should but I don't- Rifle marksmanship has always been my wheel house. Now I'm curious, I'll stop by Academy and see what they got, Walmart always sucks... :peace
Click to expand...

Sounds like you are doing just fine. I'm set with .22lr, decent with 9mm. Which is mainly my collection. Last purchase was a 5.56 and that's been extremely tough to get ammo for. Academy has been the best big box store price by far. When I travel, I'll search store's inventory along my route on the off chance I get lucky. Over the last month or two though, even that is getting tough. Talking to store rep, he said as soon as a shipment comes in, they've sold out by 11am.
 
Artymoon said:
Sounds like you are doing just fine. I'm set with .22lr, decent with 9mm. Which is mainly my collection. Last purchase was a 5.56 and that's been extremely tough to get ammo for. Academy has been the best big box store price by far. When I travel, I'll search store's inventory along my route on the off chance I get lucky. Over the last month or two though, even that is getting tough. Talking to store rep, he said as soon as a shipment comes in, they've sold out by 11am.
Click to expand...

In your recent experience, which ammo disappeared off the shelves first ?
 
Chillfolks said:
I usually pick up a box or two of ammo whenever I happen to be someplace that sells it. Would much rather have it and not need it than need it and not able to find it. One benefit from having multiple firearms in Multiple calibers is having a better chance of being able to find some ammo for at least one of your firearms

Also investing in a reloader and supplies goes a long way
Click to expand...

Absolutely and I agree with having several types of calibers. The last time I've seen any on the shelf was over 2 weeks ago. If I see any coming up, I'll most likely buy extra. Which of course just perpetuates the issue.:3oops:
 
Rich2018 said:
In your recent experience, which ammo disappeared off the shelves first ?
Click to expand...

9mm, .223/5.56 are like unicorns right now. When I see one on the shelf, I have to double take just to make sure I didn't imagine it.
 
Artymoon said:
9mm, .223/5.56 are like unicorns right now. When I see one on the shelf, I have to double take just to make sure I didn't imagine it.
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Really 9mm and 5.56mm ?

But surely they're the most common calibers ? (plus 12 gauge for shotguns).
 
Rich2018 said:
Really 9mm and 5.56mm ?

But surely they're the most common calibers ? (plus 12 gauge for shotguns).
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Yes they are two of the most common calibers which also means they're two of the most common guns sold. Add in all the new owners and people adding to their stock, mfg's can't keep up.


Even 12ga buckshot is harder to find. Birdshot is easy to get.
 
Roll your own. Keep plenty of.components. I learned that when Obama was elected.

I even have lead and molds for buckshot, slugs, .45, 44 and 38

Lots of bulk rifle and pistol ammo left from the Obama days
 
rickc said:
Roll your own. Keep plenty of.components. I learned that when Obama was elected. I even have lead and molds for buckshot, slugs, .45, 44 and 38. Lots of bulk rifle and pistol ammo left from the Obama days
Click to expand...

Yeah the NRA/'gun' lobby sure made a fat dime off of the sheeple panic buying everything that was black and any brand of ammo that was available. Some real crap ammo was fobbed off on the masses.

Course go back a few years and during the BushII administration at the height of our depths in Iraq finding 9mil, 5.56, 7.62 was damn near impossible. Other calibers were scarce as well- reason given was the production facilities were taken over, re-tooled for the Military's needs.

Be interesting to see if the 'gun' lobby can fuel another run if Biden gets elected...
 
Chillfolks said:
I usually pick up a box or two of ammo whenever I happen to be someplace that sells it. Would much rather have it and not need it than need it and not able to find it. One benefit from having multiple firearms in Multiple calibers is having a better chance of being able to find some ammo for at least one of your firearms

Also investing in a reloader and supplies goes a long way
Click to expand...

Shelves have a fair number of off calibers still in stock. And odd loadings tend to sit. When 22 rimfire was scarce there was some Colibri CB and sub sonic rounds to be had.

I have a few hundred. 38 and 357 to reload. I scored a huge number of Navy 38 cases back in the day. Thicker brass than commercial. Multiple reloads and no split cases.
 
Fledermaus said:
Shelves have a fair number of off calibers still in stock. And odd loadings tend to sit. When 22 rimfire was scarce there was some Colibri CB and sub sonic rounds to be had.

I have a few hundred. 38 and 357 to reload. I scored a huge number of Navy 38 cases back in the day. Thicker brass than commercial. Multiple reloads and no split cases.
Click to expand...


I’ve been interested in taking up reloading. Prob should but I’ve heard supplies can also be hard to come by.
 
Artymoon said:
I’ve been interested in taking up reloading. Prob should but I’ve heard supplies can also be hard to come by.
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I haven't seen that.

Then again I haven't shopped when things were dire. I have perhaps 750+ 158gr and 500+ 148gr slugs. A couple pounds of powder and maybe 800 primers.

I don't reload for self defense....

California lawyers make that iffy. A box of factory ammo per firearm for defense.
 
Artymoon said:
Sounds like you are doing just fine. I'm set with .22lr, decent with 9mm. Which is mainly my collection. Last purchase was a 5.56 and that's been extremely tough to get ammo for. Academy has been the best big box store price by far. When I travel, I'll search store's inventory along my route on the off chance I get lucky. Over the last month or two though, even that is getting tough. Talking to store rep, he said as soon as a shipment comes in, they've sold out by 11am.
Click to expand...

I ordered a couple of boxes of Aguila .380 Acp 95 Grain Full Metal Jacket from Turner's Outdoor and on the very day I had ordered them, California went and canceled home delivery of ammo and I didn't know about that.
Turner's canceled my order and never charged me but they didn't inform me about it.

Not a biggie, the Norwalk location is maybe two miles away, but I will have to go in person to get the usual background check and then pick them up when they're ready.
I just wish they'd informed me!
Silly California nonsense...it's not like bullets can jump out of the box and fire themselves.
 
Fledermaus said:
I haven't seen that.

Then again I haven't shopped when things were dire. I have perhaps 750+ 158gr and 500+ 148gr slugs. A couple pounds of powder and maybe 800 primers.

I don't reload for self defense....

California lawyers make that iffy. A box of factory ammo per firearm for defense.
Click to expand...

Apparently more people are taking to reloading as well as existing reloaders stocking up on supplies. Looks like you have a solid supply to load at your leisure.
 
Checkerboard Strangler said:
I ordered a couple of boxes of Aguila .380 Acp 95 Grain Full Metal Jacket from Turner's Outdoor and on the very day I had ordered them, California went and canceled home delivery of ammo and I didn't know about that.
Turner's canceled my order and never charged me but they didn't inform me about it.

Not a biggie, the Norwalk location is maybe two miles away, but I will have to go in person to get the usual background check and then pick them up when they're ready.
I just wish they'd informed me!
Silly California nonsense...it's not like bullets can jump out of the box and fire themselves.
Click to expand...

Whenever I start to whine about this and that I try to remember there are states that make life a lot more difficult and to be thankful.
 
Artymoon said:
Whenever I start to whine about this and that I try to remember there are states that make life a lot more difficult and to be thankful.
Click to expand...

Yeah, even in Illinois I can go to the store, show my FOID and buy whatever ammo I want that's in stock.
 
rickc said:
Roll your own. Keep plenty of.components. I learned that when Obama was elected.

I even have lead and molds for buckshot, slugs, .45, 44 and 38

Lots of bulk rifle and pistol ammo left from the Obama days
Click to expand...

And get a Colt Dragoon, to fire them from...
 
Artymoon said:
I’ve been interested in taking up reloading. Prob should but I’ve heard supplies can also be hard to come by.
Click to expand...

I used to reload 12 gauge extensively, and even back then components used to dry up for whatever reason. I can recall shortages of lead shot and another time shortage of primers.
 
Artymoon said:
Apparently more people are taking to reloading as well as existing reloaders stocking up on supplies. Looks like you have a solid supply to load at your leisure.
Click to expand...

What's the potential for a catastrophic misfire ?
 
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