So are we seeing the beginning of the end of the Ammo Crunch

[Wildbillz]

Hi All
Just wondering what your thoughts on it were. Going by the Wallmart index? Things seem to be getting better every week. I see more and more on the shelf, and it stays in stock for a good while. The only caliber that still seems to go out as fast as it shows up is 380acp, and even that has started to show up in varrious places.

I don't see the private sale ammo being snapped up the way it was. Reloading supplys are starting to show up again. Powders and most of the primers can be had. Primers are still hard to get in some places. But Wolf brand ones have been in continues stock at several places for a few months now. Pull down bullets are starting to show up again.

Is it the economy (no one has the money to buy?) or is supply starting to catch up with demand?

Prices still need to come down a bit as far as I can tell.

Thoughts ?
Wild Bill

 

[lilquiz]

It is getting better.Factory ammo is in stock, but as you said gotta watch the prices.I am still having to order common calibers of reloading componets online, due to unavailability or prices. My shooting buddie who is a "wolf" lover , recently stated his 223 is now down around 21 cents a bullet.I can still reload cheaper.

 

[GoingQuiet]

I am seeing unsticking cross the board. I just managed to get an order for 45ACP last week and 380 will be in in a few weeks.

 

[MinnMooney]

Not only is there more ammo on the shelves but I've been have no trouble finding primers and powder for reloading. I guess that the hoarders have finally got their fill and they're seeing the prices drop a little so they are getting scared that, now, they won't be able to buy 100,000 primers at $33/1000 and then sell them on Gunbroker.com at $60/1000 like they started doing just before the Obamination Coronation.

I hope all of those "re-sellers" hear about a shortage on widgets and go around trying to buy up all of the nation's supply........................... only to lose their shirts at a later date!!

Just blowin' off some pent-up anger.

P.S. Someone tell me when a brick of .22's get down to $6 or $7.50 ($5 on sale) like they were in '06 and '07.

 

[ArtP]

I use two benchmarks. One, a very popular internet source for reloading suppies - www.powdervalleyinc.com which hasn't got much better as far as inventory goes. The other www.rrarms.com has gotten more stuff, but it's a secret.

The more expensive internet sources, seem to have more in stock, but prices have not come down.

I long ago gave up on local sources. When I can buy internet powder for $17 pound vs. $31 locally, it doesn't take too many to make up the hazmat.

I know buying on the internet hurts our local business, but that's not my responsibility. I've been forced to look out for myself. It's the local legislators who have ruined my livelyhood and theirs that need to be accountable.

 

[wally]

I hope so!

I stocked up well before prices doubled, but I'm starting to run low on a few calibers, .22 being one of them, and it hurts to pay $17 for what had been $9, but at least WalMart had five boxes last week -- this is maybe a month's worth for me and my wife.

 

[BCCL]

It seems to be slowing down locally here as well.

Most WM's and local gun shops are for the first time in a good while are having a steady supply of the major pistol calibers.

 

[loadedround]

Still haven't seen any 380 ACP ammo in any of the gunshops or Wally World stores. They keep saying that it comes in and is gone in a day or so. It's critical for me yet...still have a little stash.

 

[jbkebert]

I was in Walmart in Holton, KS yesterday. They had 6-8 boxes of 100 round Winchester white box .380 acp in stock at $35.95 per box. I had thoughts of buying them out but didn't buy any. I still shoot alot of .380 50-100 rounds per week but I am getting ready for a TX hog hunt. I was a good boy and left the stock for the next guy. Wally world also had a large stock of .45 acp, 9mm, .357 sig, .40 S&W, .38 spc, .357 mag, and .44 mag. Not the cheapest prices I have seen in years but certainly better than last years prices.

 

[SaxonPig]

I saw 380s offered at the last couple of shows. Seeing more of everything including primers. But prices are still very high.

Seems like just a couple years ago a buck a round was reserved for the big magnum calibers. Now, plain ol' 30-06 and the like are priced at $25+ per box of 20. The last time I bought surplus 5.56 I paid $99 for a thousand rounds. Just saw an ad offering the same ammo for $429.

Hoping the market will correct but no sign of it yet.

 

[Maia007]

I have seen "unpurchased" .380 95/FMJ sitting on the shelves for 3-4 days in a row the last couple of weeks here. Either RemUMC or Blazer Brass.

.380 has been easily available for about a month now here.

 

[WoofersInc]

Everything is back around me except 45 ACP and 380 ACP.
The Walmart shelves are overflowing with everything else though.

 

[coloradokevin]

My personal opinion is that the supply seems to have returned in most cases (I can even get primers again!), but the current prices have still grossly exceeded the rate of inflation in the past couple of years.

By way of a simple example, comparing prices from about 2006-07 versus now:

Winchester white box .223: Was around $3-3.25/box. Now $8-10/box

500 rounds of .22lr: Was around $7-10/box. Now $18-20/box


We can certainly shoot again, but we sure can't afford to shoot as much as we once did!

 

[BullfrogKen]

The local, and usually well-stocked, shop where I get my reloading supplies from just changed it's policy on primers. Customers may now buy in lots of 5k, up from a limit of 1k.

 

[NMGonzo]

I have seen "unpurchased" .380 95/FMJ sitting on the shelves for 3-4 days in a row the last couple of weeks here. Either RemUMC or Blazer Brass.

.380 has been easily available for about a month now here.

I am waiting for the prices to drop to 4 bux for .223 before I take off the .22 conversion off the aR

 

[Matt 357]

Bass Pro Shop in Miami actually has ammo on the shelves! I think everybody as a stockpile now. Unfortunately the gun buying craze is not over so even though hoarding may be over, there are more shooters than before so will be more demand for quite a while.

I got into reloading this year so I stopped buying ammo. I keep a stash of factory ammo for indoor ranges that don't allow reload ammo. BTW, how would an indoor range be able to tell factory from reloads? Scratches on casings?

 

[Phydeaux642]

One of my local guys was telling me that they just purchased a bunch of .223 for $50 less a case than the previous order that they placed. Don't know if it will be reflected in the price at the register, though. He said that all of his suppliers are hurting. They are actually calling him up and telling him to make offers on stuff they have in their warehouse - guns, ammo, etc. I rarely go into a Wally World but I did notice the last time I was there that their Federal .22 had gone up to $18.97 a brick - up from $11.97 a brick two years ago.

 

[wally]

I am waiting for the prices to drop to 4 bux for .223 before I take off the .22 conversion off the aR

I just received an order from AIM Surplus last week for 1000 rounds of Brown Bear .223 for $200. This is $4 a box of 20 ignoring sales tax or shipping.

This is basically the .223 equivalent of Federal bulk pack .22LR from Walmart and is a very good sign to see it drop from the ~$270 last I looked, but when I stocked up about four years ago it was $99/1000 -- wish I'd piled it higher at the time, but seriously, I did stock up with as much as I had space to store, at one point parking my car in the garage with a row of ammo cases underneath in the middle


Academy had a sale of the Monarch (Privi) boxer primed brass 55gr FMJ .223 or $6 a box. I got some as I don't have much re-loadable .223 ammo on hand, should it come to that. They seemed to have had plenty of on hand as I only got over there for the last day of the sale (yesterday).

 

[MinnMooney]

as per Wally (post #18) :

at one point parking my car in the garage with a row of ammo cases underneath in the middle

Huh?! You parked a hot catalytic converter directly over loaded ammo cans? Not cool (pardon the pun).

 

[evan price]

The shortage is over, but the price-gouging will continue until the vendors' boat payments become past due

I'm not buying any surplus 7.62 until they are less than my cost to reload (a quarter per).

 

[PCCUSNRET]

BTW, how would an indoor range be able to tell factory from reloads? Scratches on casings?

Factory ammo doesn't look or shoot as good as my reloads

 

[Ky Larry]

I'm taking a break from buying ammo and reloading components until my birthday in November. I've got enough ammo and components on hand to shoot for a few months. Unless I run into a killer deal, I'm going to let the stuff sit on the shelf. Prices are just too high. Just my $0.02 worth.

 

[wally]

Huh?! You parked a hot catalytic converter directly over loaded ammo cans?

Some people can imagine hazards everywhere! You chamber a loaded round into a hot rifle every time you do rapid fire and they don't just go off by themselves if you stop shooting.

Besides, heat rises, the bottom of the car is closer to the converter than the top of the cases and the cases were in the center the converter is off to the side further increasing the air space. Total non-issue.

 

[Hondo 60]

Originally Posted by Matt 357 View Post
BTW, how would an indoor range be able to tell factory from reloads? Scratches on casings?

Packaging, my friend, packaging

The plastic MTM boxes, or loose in an ammo can is a dead giveaway.
You'd have to put your ammo in name brand paperboard boxes w/ plastic or foam trays

 

[Blackbeard]

I think it's ok to stop worrying about ammo bans, in the light of McDonald. But now we can start worrying about economic collapse causing future shortages and/or inflation. I'd grab some more while you can.