Ammo shortage, but

I work at a gun range where ammo is readily available, but we limit customers to a certain number of boxes.

I've noticed that the demand for 380, in particular, has skyrocketed, in just the last few days. None of us have been able to figure it out.

I can understand why some of the rare calibers are increasingly expensive. But 380 is a common caliber.

I'd love to sift through all of the theories and find out the real reason why ammunition is hard to find. Wish I had stock in Monarch right now.

I hear you loud and clear, Jim. My job there is part time, and I can't afford to buy ammo at those prices.

Ammo prices at gun ranges are always high, it's just the nature of the beast. But keep in mind, they've got to sell them for a profit in order to stay in business, and they're probably not paying a whole lot less wholesale than you'd buy ammo for at Walmart or Academy, or online.

It's not 'price gouging' or taking advantage of customers. Ammo is harder to get for everyone, including retailers, for reasons that no one has conclusively presented on this forum or elsewhere.

Even though customers commonly come in and ask to buy cases of the stuff- even at these high prices, we turn them down. We've got a gun range to operate, and if folks can't find ammo elsewhere, they can find it here, and they can depend on it.

Whats sad about the current ammo and gun prices is somebody WILL pay that much for it, even $50 for 50.

I work at a gun range where ammo is readily available, but we limit customers to a certain number of boxes.

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in this current situation, i think this would be a good thing for all the stores to do, to spread the wealth of ammo around a bit. of course, voluntarily, not forced by some government agency. look guys, when you have to build a munitions dump, you have to much ammo! the rest of us need some too! and certainly not at a buck a round for 380! i am pretty glad i reload. otherwise, my guns would be expensive clubs. but with the shortage of components, they might be anyway. this paranoia HAS TO END!

I don't buy ammo at retail unless it's from Walmart, the only half-decent prices there are. Went to the range last night and when the associate asked if I needed ammo I asked what the Federal 9mm was going for. When he told me 17.99 I laughed loud and hard, and showed him mine and explained I got it for 12.50 after shipping(bought it in a 1000 round lot, the particular box was a year old and loose so it was probably 11.99 in actuality, granted the Winchester Whitebox 100rd packs are cheaper by the 50, but it's what I had right then, and decided to stash the three 100rd packs I had bought earlier). Asked about .357 magnum and it was 24.99, laughed again, and .38 Speciall was 19.99. Guess the ranges don't want my ammo buying business then. So I wouldn't take the extra two dollar charge to shoot (ten bucks an hour, and two bucks extra if you bring your own ammo) I got some cheap .22 Magnum(just stashing it for my Heritage Rough Rider) which couldn't be gotten much cheaper(maybe a buck after shipping, for fifty rounds).

The range is maybe half a mile from my house so the gas to go to the nearby public range(an hour and half away) balances. I'd say they are just trying to stay in business but they have always been crooks. Had asked them about ordering me two Romanian Tokarevs TTC in 7.62x25, and even told them where they could get them off Century Arms, and they told me 279.99 for only good rating, went ahead and got them from J&G Sales and after FFL transfer and shipping came out to $260 a piece(when I ordered three), and they were in excellent condition. It's all about competition, they don't want to play, they won't get my pay, just a shame here in Orlando and round about I can't find a home ffl guy to pay to do my transfers.

Will do you one better.

I was in the LGS the other day. They happen to be the only ones in town with any kind of ammo stash. I quickly figured out why. He had piles of .45 acp red box american eagle labeled at $64.99.

You heard me. 50 shells for 65 bucks. 50. 65..

same brand 200 round pack .223 were sitting on the shelves at 199.99 per box.

Again there were piles of it. The only thing I can figure is that he's got it priced so that no one buys it. I think he wants to be able to keep it on hand as it may well be worth more to him as stock than as cash in the bank..

He used to have a bunch of mil-spec 2-3/4" 00 buck 12 ga at 5.95/5 and it's all gone.

meanwhile shelves across town are bare. academy, wallmart and the local shops don't have ammo to sell. this guys has loads of ammo.

seems smart to me.

or taking advantage of customers

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In some cases that is true, I have read of dealers in some states who are wiping out walmart and selling at their store for markup,

Gun Ranges and Gun Shops are different animals. I have no problem paying a premium to buy ammo at the Gun Range. They don't buy in the same volume as Wal-Mart or Academy, so their cost is higher; but they're also saving you the inconvenience of buying your ammo at another location. It's also nice to know that even if I can't buy a 1000 .380 at Wal-Mart, I can buy a box at the Gun Range to shoot my little pocket pistol. Of course, if their "premium" is too high, then I won't buy a box and just may not pay to shoot anything else that day. Free market at work.

Never was a big fan of that mil-spec 00 buck stuff.

As the "One" was gun salesman of the year (and maybe the century) he doesn't need to tax ammo to death as a means of gun control which has been suggested he may do.

The shops are pricing it out of "range" for him.

same brand 200 round pack .223 were sitting on the shelves at 199.99 per box

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1$ a round? i thought $399 for a case of federal M193 was getting high.

While I don't agree with price gouging, I doubt he would charge that much if no one paid it. (If no one does, he will soon be out of business!) That is the reality of a free market society. Its not really realistic to expect people to sell their wares for a low price, just to be a "nice guy." The market determines the value of any given product, the store keeper only determines the price. Notice the difference between value and price. If he is being greedy, and no one is paying it, then he will suffer. If somebody wants to pay that, you cant blame the shopkeeper. Not a popular viewpoint I realize. I guess we could ask the government to regulate it more and implement subsidies,,,NOT! Let the market work it out.

I bought two 50 round boxes of remanufactured 9mm yesterday and gladly paid $17.50 a box. Its quite literally the only 9mm left in town. Its just nice to be able to go shoot something other than .22 again.

If I ever saw a shop gouging for ammo or guns like 50$ for 50 .380's, I wouldn't stop at a personal boycott. I would make sure every other shooter I saw knew about it, I'd write about it all over the internet, and anything else I could think of to scare some sense into the shop's owner. If he was silly enough to buy ammo at a wholesale where he needed to charge that to make a profit, then he still needs some sense scared in him.

Just my two cents worth.

Cabelas still has lots and lots of everything. Just figure paying double what you paid at Walmart two years ago and you won't be disappointed. Although... if you are military you get a 10% discount

price gouging

just got back from rounds at local stores in Savannah area. no ammo at walmart or any other place i stopped. CRAZY! Walmart had a price of $29 for 45 acp but none available. went to bass pro for a fishing rod and they had a shelf of Win syx 45 training 230 fmj that was $23.53 with tax. told me that was a bargain and would all be gone by closing. i thought golf was expensive!!!!!!!!!! well, good-by guns and golf (gear in mothballs) and hello fishing where a dozen shiners in fla is "only" $15. really, what the #?*@ is going on? did the oil people buy all the ammo factories? i refuse to be "raped" and hope they all go broke. which they will if they count on my business!

Again there were piles of it. The only thing I can figure is that he's got it priced so that no one buys it. I think he wants to be able to keep it on hand as it may well be worth more to him as stock than as cash in the bank..

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Until it sells, the stock is only worth what he paid for it originally, not what the market value is.

All I know is that he's the only cannibal on the congo that's got more than a spittles worth of ammo around here. and it's worth every bit of the market value untill he sells it, at which point it'll be worth however many ever depreciating dollars he gets for it and the guy that walks out the door with it now owns the value of it.

I've bragged on here that my local pawn shop has plenty of ammo, and they still kinda do compared to most places. I went in today and saw that they had about twenty five fresh boxes of .45 LC Winchester Cowboy loads. I asked for six boxes. My buddy at the counter pointed at a sign that read: "Ammo Shortage. Only One Box per Customer. Sorry"...

He said the store owner wanted everyone to have a chance to get some.

At least the price was still $34.95 for a box of 50, which isn't bad for that particular brand and load.

I have to respect that.

Les

it's GREAT to be old enough to have enough ammo to shoot all you want till you go belly up. jwr

I've noticed that the demand for 380, in particular, has skyrocketed, in just the last few days. None of us have been able to figure it out.

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Maybe its because in the last few months every gun maker and their uncle has come out with a new .380.

Ruger, Kahr, Sig, Taurus, Magnum Research ... I'm sure I'm missing a few.

.380 is very popular for concealed carry as it is often considered the lightest SD load that is still effective. I used to carry one myself. The price flipped a few years ago and I moved on to bigger, better and cheaper. But it is still a good round.

CCL's have risen exponentially in the past few years and I imagine that the use of .380s has as well.

The great thing is if you reload it is really cheap.