Has the current firearms / ammo / component situation changed your shooting habits ?

No. I’m shooting about 300 +/- rounds a month during 2 trips to the range. Pretty much what I’ve been averaging over the past couple of years. Almost all of that is centerfire handgun calibers I’ve reloaded and I’m still developing for accuracy.

Couple times a year (late fall and early spring) I’ll head into the desert for a full-on rifle fest. Will continue to do that for at least the next couple of years and then depending on political environment might have to dial back and conserve my stash.

No. Still shoot twice a week. Still shoot about the same amount of ammo each session. Never been prone to panic.

Yes, but not only due to ammo shortages, but I've also been working way too much. 6-13s make you just wanna veg when you're not at work.

Haha, I have not gone shooting in years. Kids, work fixing cars etc have kept me away from the range.

Not my youngest is in kindergarten so I have a few free days during the week.

A while back I switched to 40 for carry and range. So, I sold my XD9. But, I didn't sell my 9mm ammo.

Since I have a larger pile of 9mm than I do 40 and do not feel like loading some up I bought another XD9.

Yeah I bought a gun to chew up ammo. LOL

Ammo is no problem, I stocked up when it was cheap.

I haven’t been shooting because I don’t go anywhere indoors with the public unless I have to.

Not yet .... Usually go shooting Saturday & Sunday , helps with relaxing after 60hr work weeks. I got in to reloading pretty much at the start of the Covid crap , and was lucky enough to buy enough components before the prices hit the roof.

Yes. I still shoot as many days per week as before, but I take only one or occasionlly two firearms to each range visit instead of two or three and shoot fewer rounds per firearm taken.

Yes, I shoot a bit less. At current prices ammo would cost more to replace than I paid and future availability is uncertain.

I've only skipped some weekly range trips when the range appears overcrowded, not because of ammo conservation. But now that winter approaches will likely go twice weekly. Will shoot more rimfire because that's what I have the most of.

Not really. I'm probably not going to be able to shoot all the ammo I've stockpiled before I die (hopefully my daughter can sell it all off and pay for an Ivy League education, thanks again, Hillary). Still shooting on my own as much as I can, trying to make up for the three months the ranges up here were closed.

I am gonna take up single action revolver shooting next, though -- couple of nice cowboy guns I've been lusting after. That'll probably help me conserve some ammo, even.

stompah said:

Haha, I have not gone shooting in years. Kids, work fixing cars etc have kept me away from the range.

Not my youngest is in kindergarten so I have a few free days during the week.

A while back I switched to 40 for carry and range. So, I sold my XD9. But, I didn't sell my 9mm ammo.

Since I have a larger pile of 9mm than I do 40 and do not feel like loading some up I bought another XD9.

Yeah I bought a gun to chew up ammo. LOL

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Your post scares me.

You carry a gun but haven't been shooting in years. You know those skills erode without use?

I still go to the range once a week, occasionally twice but I do watch how much ammo I'm using and set limits for myself. Some would say my ammo stockpile is good but I don't feel that way as there is a lot of uncertainty going forward.

Yes because I’m in a place in life where replenishing supplies isn’t super easy, for now.

No real change here. A typical range trip involves ~50-60 centerfire handgun rounds, 20-40 centerfire rifle rounds and a few hundred or so rimfire rounds. With a few shotgun shells thrown in occasionally.

Work, family obligations and range availability have had more of an effect on my shooting than the current ammo situation. I'm pretty well stocked, enough that I can shoot for a few years before I have to change up my shooting habits.

I can spend more time in front of the reloading bench as well, I have a decent supply of components on hand.

If this continues for a year of two, I will probably make some changes. Shoot more of some cartridge types and fewer of others, depending on availability. I also have a couple of bows and a few airguns I can shoot.

The current problem is not if you are actively managing your stockage- if you have enough ammo to continue a 1000 rounds per month lifestyle for the next 20 years, then good for you. Most people don't, but that doesn't mean range trip isn't possible, just not a ammo dump session.

The problem is people who have no situational awareness and have been blowing through ammo during the last 6 months like everything was "normal". They now complaining that they only have 1/2 box of Blazer 9mm left over from Uncle Earl and why can't they buy all they want at $.20 a round.

Speedo66 said:

Ammo is no problem, I stocked up when it was cheap.

I haven’t been shooting because I don’t go anywhere indoors with the public unless I have to.

Click to expand...

+1. Now we are in hunting season so my free time is mostly devoted to attempting to apply metal to the meat.

Have been shooting my shotguns and .22's more---not touching my stockpile of the "good"(9mm&5.56) stuff------have been wanting a .22mag rifle for quite a while and went ahead and bought one with .22mag one of the calibers easily available around here.

So I'm shooting quite a bit, just different stuff.

I used to go to my pistol club with indoor ranges only about twice a month. Now I go about once every two or three months. Mostly its due to concern over Covid19 and the reality that more members seem to be going to shoot than ever before (I guess because there is so much less to do with spare time with theaters closed, sports venues closed, etc.) But the ammo shortage plays a role as well and the last few range trips I have made have involved shooting only 22LR of which I have what might be a lifetime supply at my current rate of shooting. In some calibers I am down to only a few hundred rounds so I don't feel too comfortable shooting those rounds while I am unable to buy more. (I checked out MidwayUSA today for 9mm and there are about 10 pages of listings, every one of which is "Temporarily Unavailable" or worse.)

Nope and Covid didn't either. Sitting on a good supply of ammo and components that will get me through. And if I run out, I'll do something else.

I still go to the range about 2x a month but shoot only 50 rounds of 22 instead of 100 for warm up. Still have plenty of loads for my center fire.

"Has the current firearms / ammo / component situation changed your shooting habits ?"
No, not really. I still have a pretty good supply of ammo and components. The shortage of legal to shoot mule deer around here sure has put a damper on my spirits though - even though I'm not using up any ammo this deer season.

Yes. Range sessions are down from once a week to 2x monthly. 9mm and 5.56 expenditures are at 25% of previous monthly rate. I saw this coming and invested heavily in 22 LR; as a result, most training is being done with 22 LR.

I came out of my Summer camp and was awakened to the huge surge in ammo prices.
Im not at all happy about the amount of ammo I have left and put a halt to general plinking and target practice, a very dear and favored sport in our family.
"But" I have plenty of Black powder guns, rifles, shotguns, fowlers, and a little cannon, just because..... and have actually made a couple pounds of Black Powder, thats just as good as the substitutes ive had to deal with. fact is, in cold weather REAL Black Powder will ignite easily and safely, while Sub is a real pain.
I have the ingredients for quite a few pounds more, but Im getting 100 shots or so from each pound, I wont need to make any for awhile.

Ive been clay shooting (Im outta clay pidgins now) with the Fusil, its quite the sport! Now to find a local source of flint and see how self sufficient I can get ?

Yes. A moderate reduction in trips to the club.

Despite good reserves of ammo, am waiting to see what changes in the public’s perceptions are in Dec-Feb before I resume much practice with 9mm ammo.
The main problem is caused by too much Graphic news in most people’s’ lives,—and It Never Stops

if much anxiety still exists this winter, would then continue to use .22LR and 7.62x39 on a somewhat normal basis, but use very little 9x19 ammo.
Also have a .32 Auto (Sauer 38H), but normal .32 Ammo prices seemed almost monopolistic/oligo.—even two years ago.