Ammo Obsession?

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Vincent1966

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While I realize the ammo crisis is not over (far from over for some, after reading the posts in General Gun Discussions) I am slightly concerned that I am buying out of obsession. I do a lot of driving on a daily basis. In the course of a day, I might pass 2-3 Walmarts and 2-3 Academys. Then, the next day, same scenario but different Walmarts and Academys. Each store still limits but some stores are more liberal than others. Even with the limits, I can easily come home with 3 boxes of 223 (20 rnds each), 3 boxes of 556, and 1 box (50 rnds) of 9, 40, or 45. Sometimes it is a lot more. Aside from the amount I have stored, I have used some of it to test new guns/rifles/shotguns I've purchased.

I find it challenging not to stop at the stores as I am passing them. Academy makes it easy for me. I can walk through the outside doors, look at the CS counter, see what is there and then make a decision whether to go in through the inside doors to make a purchase or not. Walmart is a little different, but, most ammo lockers are near automotive which has its won entrance. Go in through Automotive, make the purchase and come right out.

I think I have healthy amounts of ammo, but if I pass one of these stores, I am going to stop. Do I have an obsession? I welcome your comments.

MC
 
risky post.......some might call you part of the problem.

but to answer your question, i don't think it's a problem, it's affected all of us in different ways. i've plussed up my ammo stores a bit since this madness started, and i've tempered it a bit over the last few months. i have more ammo on hand now than i usually do, but i'm also still shooting moderate amounts.

i don't hit up wally world or LGS outfits that often, but when i do, i might grab something if the price is acceptable. with the availability we have right now, i'm a bit more inclined to pick up a box if i can use it. in the past, i may have gone without, knowing i could easily get it the next week.

i'm not the guy waiting in line to buy the max amount of ammo, then listing it online or marking it up 100% and selling at a pawn shop. those guys are doing us a disservice. what you're describing is a normal supply/demand thing and will balance itself out eventually.

stand by for heavy rolls though with your post.
 
I do the same with with reloading supplies. For some supplies, I have far more than I am going to use but I can't get other stuff so I trade and make it work. I have no doubt that my problem is an obsession.... I would say that, as long as you are not going into debt or skipping meals to do so, you probably are ok:)
 
if all of the various factors (time, gas, price, quantity) are acceptable to you, then you're fine. if you're buying because of an OMGTEHAMMOZ!!! mentality... then there's something to be concerned about.
 
Why buy now? This is the worst time to be buying ammo. Unless I see a good deal I'm not going to buy anything this year - I'll be using what I've accumulated in the past.

What you're doing is like investing in real estate in 2006 or buying gold about 18 months ago.
 
Well... :uhoh:

Truth be told, I stocked up well before the "panic" when supplies were plentiful and prices were reasonable. At the time, folks thought I was crazy. :D

Lately, I've bought some low quantities at high prices of calibers I needed, or only to replace what is getting used at the range. And I'm not happy about it.

Bottom line, if you feel you need it and you can afford to pay the price, do what you think is right. :cool:
 
Double Vision said:
Truth be told, I stocked up well before the "panic" when supplies were plentiful and prices were reasonable. At the time, folks thought I was crazy. :D
Click to expand...

Same here ... but I still had to make some concerted mental adjustments over a period of time to curtail my impulse to keep adding to my stock.

Recently, the one thing that helps me the most is the relatively outrageous prices that I see ... but I still feel that tug to buy more, y'know?

I even find myself resisting the urge to buy ammo in calibers that I do not (yet) own because the price looks good.
 
As suggested in Post #3 I think the important questions are:

1. Why am I buying ammunition?

Is it because of Obama's and his lackies all out declaration of war to disarm as many Americans as possible, restrictive gun laws being passed in your state, lack of faith in the economy, lack of trust in the government or a giant meteorite hitting earth causing the breakdown of society due to a new ice age?

You are not alone that many Americans fear more government gun control laws on Federal and State level, I just heard the economic forecast on the radio that predicts flat or little growth through the 4th quarter of this year and the daily news about the extent of the IRS targeting of conservatives and the collecting all telephone calls made by all Verizon customers. However I think few Americans really consider earth having new ice age due to a meteorite hitting us.

2. Is buying ammunition causing you and your family to go hungry, are you skipping paying bills or having arguments with your significant other about your buying?

On the other hand giving up something, such as smoking, to buy ammo could be considered a very good thing as smoking is proven to be bad to your health.

These are only questions you can answer.
 
... but I still feel that tug to buy more, y'know?

I even find myself resisting the urge to buy ammo in calibers that I do not (yet) own because the price looks good.
Click to expand...

Oh, don't I know it! :D

About the only reason that I haven't gone into a 9mm pistol is the scarcity and price of ammo.
 
risky post.......some might call you part of the problem.
Click to expand...
This is a difficult post, no doubt. I'd been thinking about it for days, but I was really nervous about actually posting it. Not necessarily because of the anticipated comments I would receive, but because in creating this post, I needed to be sure what I was trying to achieve by posting this. Definitely NOT trying to be part of the problem but this is a real concern to me in my small world.

With that being said, let me add a little more info. Before this "crisis", I was happily shooting competition with my Glock 17 (9mm). I was shooting about 100-200 rnds a week. I had heard others were using 350 rnds a week. They were very good on the circuit and that is where I wanted to be, so that was where I was headed. Prices were still a concern then, so I started looking into reloading. Even then, I had dreams of being part of a 3-gun competition, so I started building my first, of what I thought would be many, AR15.

I am not new when it comes to guns, but last year I got a "re-awakening" so to speak. I am no expert when I comes to guns, but I am trying to get there. I was shooting a variety of guns regularly. I've bought/sold/traded a small number of firearms and could easily run through a lot of ammo. This was before the "crisis". I don't think I am part of the problem for doing something I was doing before. Hope that helps.

And no...neither my family nor my other passions are suffering financially or otherwise. I am not overpaying for ammo. 223/556 about $10.00 on average. Don't get anything too much more than that.

Appreciate the comments!


MC
 
MAn i feel your pain. It is an obsession. U want it if u cant have it. The joy of the hunt kinda thing. I was doin it too til my wife jerked the rug out from under me! I have that kind of personality too, ive gotten myself into trouble with many things like this over the years. im worse than you probably, so im not trying to lump u into my boat necessarily. I dont re sale mine for a higher price though...just sit on them like a mother hen and theyre my little chicklets...
 
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I've always had more ammo/components than I need ... for a variety of reasons:

Sometimes it's at a price that you just know it's not ever going to be cheaper.
(back in the days of "Paragon ... several thousands of rounds of 7.62 X 51)

Or, it's a wierd caliber that you know will be around for only a short time.
(well, bullets anyway ... several thousand 5.45 Hornady "seconds")

Or, it's milsurp that's vanishing or is someday going to.
(.30-06 and .303 HXP and 8 X 57 and ... someday ... 7.62 X 54R)

Or, it's primers and powder.
(shooting up to 5K rounds a year eats components at a rapid rate)

I didn't mean to be part of the problem, but since I'm not a pistolero, I can't be blamed for scarce pistol ammo ... now with rifle ammo, I might be guilty as charged.:what:
 
If you're out and about anyhow I see no issues with stopping for ammo and as long as you're not relying on credit, if you're making ammo runs and carrying a balance on the CC then I question your judgment but hey that's the American consumerist way.

I don't consider those who are in a position to add to their ammo pile part of the problem instead the problem child are the ones who freaked out and just bought anything just to buy and if they put it on credit they'll get their comeuppance.
 
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The only ammo I picked up (when I was able to find it) was two boxes of .45 acp bought months apart from each other after the ammo shortage started..., to replace what I shot from last year. I haven't bought any ammo other than the .45acp since the shortage, but I also stopped target practice and plinking and will wait until I can freely buy ammo again.

I refuse to wait in a 2 hour line again in hopes of buying a box of ammo, my time is not worth it. I will check Meijers or Walmart to see if they have ammo if I shop there for other items, but I won't go out of my way or pay over the top prices. Other things are more important than looking for that last box on the shelf.
 
Wow, this is great! Lots of comments. Kinda like we are sitting around somewhere having a beer/soda/smoke discussing stuff.

Here is more...
Before the "crisis".
Man, I just got this Glock and Mini-14 at auction. I have some 9mm, but no 223. I'll buy a few boxes.

Hey, I got this 308 I want you to hold for me. Well, I don't have any 308...I'll buy a few boxes.

I just got this LCP (.380). I'll buy a few boxes and try it out.

Hey, this guy wants to trade a 1911 for your mini-14. I'll get some 45 ammo and 223 before we go to the range.

You need to teach your kids about gun safety. The 10/22 you just got would be perfect to get them started. I'll buy some ammo.

That was me before the "crisis". Just trying to figure out what I've become now...

@midwest, No, I don't do long lines, have never woken up earlier than my normal schedule to stand in line. Never paid ridiculously high prices for ammo.

@huntsman, Not taking away from my family. No credit card. Always cash/debit.

MC
 
Well, I am don't think its bad. if you are low and need some then by all means do so. I for one am buying ammo to shoot. I can go through a couple of hundred rounds at the range per visit. In other words, I am shooting it faster than I can find it. Shooting is a perishable skill and requires practice to maintain proficiency. I am also trying to store up a good cache for classes I plan on taking in December. So, I say by all means get what you can when you can as you never know when you will be able to get more. For those that are saying to wait that is all fine and dandy for those of you that are sitting on 100,000 rounds but most of us are not. I also buy as I can afford it because I find shooting expensive. And, I am not going to wait because I figure at the very least of all of this, even if no new legislation is passed, I doubt ammo will ever be at great prices again. This is probably pretty close to the new normal, sadly.
 
If you have enough, but you feel uneasy not stopping you a little bit of a problem.

If you feel compelled to stop and are very uncomfortable not stopping you're getting to a more serious issue.
 
Just about anybody, anywhere, that is still buying ammo, is definitely part of the problem. The loons are trying to say it's the govt; it's all the hoarders buying anything and everything they can, that is the problem.

Look how fast AR's came down in price, almost normal. Supply got in balance with the demand, plus you couldn't find ammo for them. Which helped slow up the demand. But the ammo zombies, waiting outside the store in the dark.....
 
I don't think it's an obsession. IMO that's the way it should be done if you don't want to be without ammo during shortages. When I see ammo on sale or going for a fair price, I buy extra so that I have what I consider a healthy stockpile.
 
You SOB! Getting all of our ammo! How dare you! This shortage IS ALL YOUR FAULT! You should be ashamed of yourself, my goodness, people these days....

Just kidding
 
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