A Word to the Wise:

[plodder]

Not that it will do any good, but I would like to remind all those who were crying "Hoarder", "Greedy" and other less cordial names at people like me who maintain a sensible stock of ammo and reloading supplies during the last run on supplies that now is the time to prepare.

In the past couple of months I have been adding to my stockpile of .22 LR ammo, "sensible" quantities of primers, powder and bullets for my favorite calibers and firearm assembly components. It does not take a rocket surgeon or brain scientist to see what is going to happen as we get closer to this election and, heaven help us, if the predicted landslide occurs.

Right now there is plenty of decent quality .22LR out there for .07-.08 cents per round, primers at 2.7 cents apiece, powder at $20-25/lb and common bullets at .07-.09 cents each. AR lowers can be had for $40 each, decent BCGs for $80 and the list goes on. No, the prices are not like they were pre-Obama, but I'll wager that in 2 years we will look back at these as "the good old days".

Some may call this hoarding, I call it preparation and planning. Do with this advice what you will, but in year 2 of the Hillary reign while I am continuing to shoot at my normal rate, don't question my methods.

Buy now!

 

[Hangingrock]

The endless cycle of THE SKY IS FALLING I realize my commentary may be construed as rude and counter productive to the OP intent. This endless cycle is so-so old.

 

[Jlr2267]

The endless cycle of THE SKY IS FALLING I realize my commentary may be construed as rude and counter productive to the OP intent. This endless cycle is so-so old.

I read the OP as advising to be prepared so we don't repeat the panic buying cycle. If folks have a good supply there (hopefully) will be less of a rush in the Fall.

I happen to agree that now is the time to take inventory and adjust as you see fit. The only thing I find more annoying than panic induced buying is the complaints of those who "can't find ammo"

 

[Robert]

I wish I had the budget to devote to buying the reloading supplies I want. The sad fact of life is that it is simply not possible. So I buy what I can when I can and tighten my shooting belt so to speak. I do not begrudge those that are able to stockpile ammo or components. I do have issues with selling them at hugely inflated prices in times of want, but that is between them and the buyer. I wont pay those prices. It is the old story of the ant and the grasshopper.

 

[ColoradoShooter77]

I'll just say that I'm all set, powder, primers, 22 LR ammo, components for 9mm, 223, and 40 cal.

I can easily shoot for 2 years on what I have now.

 

[hso]

When its cheap stack it deep? Good advice for many many years before it became a question of availability instead of good deals.

 

[csa77]

yeah i remember paying 3.8 cents per primer and 25-28$ a lb for wsf or titegroup.

I found titegroup for 15$ a lb
spp fiocchi in 1500 round boxes for 2.4 cents.

 

[dekibg]

I am pretty much all set for a while with how much I can afford financially to shoot / have time to shoot, plus a reserve that I will not touch.
I am not going to contribute to emptying shelves just b/c something happened somewhere or there are speculations who may get elected and what that person will do.
I remember clearly several months ago, after mass shooting in Oregon, there was a member here that posted new post titled
"I just spent my whole paycheck on ammo".
My thought ( not reply) was " Wow, good for you ! Now, how smart was that?
What did you accomplish ? if you go to the same store a week from now, you will see the same inventory"
I agree with OP in general about one thing : if you find a really good deal on something, buy it .

 

[2ifbyC]

I’ll always remember the toilet paper buying panic induced by Johnny Carson on the Tonight show. If you have the necessities in life, you should not let fear drive you to unreasonable extremes.

How much ammunition should you have on hand before anticipated fear compels you to buy more? How low should your ammunition levels go before fear demands you purchase more? These are rhetorical questions that only you can answer. For me, I can manage shooting a little less until the prices become reasonable. I like shooting but I have other hobbies as well.

 

[PabloJ]

The endless cycle of THE SKY IS FALLING I realize my commentary may be construed as rude and counter productive to the OP intent. This endless cycle is so-so old.

What you have there is what is often referred to as right wing conservative "bubble". In that "bubble world" they get bombarded daily with predictions of terrible news and what terrible things MIGHT happen. Places that dish this out usually sell: survival seed (regular seed at very high prices), survival food, gold coins at twice their value,.....You see there are people out there that realized they can make a fortune by selling stuff to scared folks and that is why they strive to keep them in constant state of terror. Don't fall for it.

 

[dekibg]

secondly, as one of the moderators here said it once :
" I hate it when people complain about the cost of unnecessities"
let's be honest : we need only certain amount of guns and ammo to protect our families and maintain our rights. I am not to determine how much is that for anyone, do what you can and what you have to do.
But, when we go to the range and blast several hundred rounds in a day, that is a hobby, not putting meat on the table nor defense situation.
We choose ( me included) shooting as a sport/hobby, and that is the relatively expensive one.
If only 22 lr ammo I can find at the moment are Minimags that are around 10 cents each, I am not going to have same range day as if I took with me cheap Thunderbolts or something similar

 

[benEzra]

The endless cycle of THE SKY IS FALLING I realize my commentary may be construed as rude and counter productive to the OP intent. This endless cycle is so-so old.

In Massachusetts, the sky actually *did* fall this past month; those who had not already gone out and bought the rifle they always wanted but never got around to getting, now are felons if they go get one now.

If shooting is important to you, and you think prices might rise, it is not alarmist to hedge against the possibility of decreases in availability.

What you have there is what is often referred to as right wing conservative "bubble". In that "bubble world" they get bombarded daily with predictions of terrible news and what terrible things MIGHT happen. Places that dish this out usually sell: survival seed (regular seed at very high prices), survival food, gold coins at twice their value,.....You see there are people out there that realized they can make a fortune by selling stuff to scared folks and that is why they strive to keep them in constant state of terror. Don't fall for it.

I followed well-intentioned-but-naive advice like that right before the original Federal AWB passed in 1994. My lifelong-Dem dad reassured me "That won't pass; this is America." Finances were tight for me at the time, so I put off buying the Butler Creek folder I wanted for my Mini-14 until I paid some other bills first, since I was newly married and my then-wife had just graduated from college. He was wrong, the Clintons *did* ram the ban through. So I waited ten *years*, following the repeal attempts closely, and finally bought the stock I wanted in October of 2004 (yes, I could have gotten one anyway after, but it would have been technically a felony). The original Clinton ban was *the* event that propelled me into political activism.

It is neither right-wing, nor conservative, to point out that the leading candidate for President has pledged to ban sales of modern-looking rifles, or that her predecessor tried to dramatically constrict the supply of .223/5.56mm ammunition by executive action, and that there are any number of executive actions she could take to move the ball on both of those bans her first day in office (or that her lame-duck predecessor could do tomorrow, for that matter). That leads to a significant probability of a buying rush should she actually win the election, meaning prices may rise and availability may decrease. Hopefully temporarily, but that is not a given. And again, hedging against adverse circumstances is not a "conservative" trait, it is an intelligent one. I wish I had acted with more foresight in 1994.

Those in Massachusetts who pooh-poohed the possibility of a new, sweeping AWB, and anyone who listened to them, are now stuck with what's already in their gun safes, whereas those who went out and bought what they wanted have what they wanted. Such black-swan events not only can happen, they *have* happened within the past month.

 

[Hangingrock]

PabloJ: What you have there is what is often referred to as right wing conservative "bubble". In that "bubble world" they get bombarded daily with predictions of terrible news and what terrible things MIGHT happen.

Yes! the doom and gloom that prevails. That's what I'm talking about!

 

[Leanwolf]

Ahhhhh, it can't happen here. Not in the good ol' USA.

None of our elected politicians would ever violate their sworn oath ..............

Would they???

L.W.

 

[Ironicaintit]

That reminds me....I need to go shopping!

 

[Sheepdog1968]

I do agree this is a good time to stock up. There will be another shortage. It's frustrating to not be able to shoot when you want to because you can't find ammo.

 

[larryh1108]

WIse words from the OP. Heed them or ignore them, it's your choice. If Trump continues to shoot himself in the foot, our next president will be HRC.

Now, to some, it doesn't matter. Fine. It's their life. No one has the right to tell anybody how to live their life.

Others see that she has it in for gun owners. She has professed it for years. She has made it a top priority in her agenda. She is driven to make our lives miserable any way she can. It is her mission.

Now, we all know she can't do a lot on her own. She needs a cooperating congress to pass legislation. She knows her predecessor tried and failed to do much in the area of gun bans. She watched and learned. She is not stupid.

So, there are those who believe she will go after the ammo. If you can't afford/get ammo, your guns are useless. So, she will do whatever is in her power and whatever she thinks is in her power to make ammo as hard and expensive to get as an NFA item. She will neuter us to show us she is the boss. Yes, she is that vindictive and a control freak.

Have an AR in your sights? You can get a nice one now for ~$500-$600. If you want one then now is the time to get one. Will it be an NFA item at this time next year? I guess if you don't think so then you will find out soon enough.

So, what does all this mean? It means different things to different people. Buy ammo, don't buy ammo. I don't care what you do. You have your chance to hedge this carnage if you want. It is your chance to be able to shoot when you want instead of when you can.

But hey, the sky isn't falling, is it? Nothing but fear mongers. Everything is blown out of proportion. Right? HRC won't try to do a thing because she is too busy running the country. Uh huh. Yeah. If you say so.

 

[Ed Ames]

This is very good advice, but I suspect that it especially resonates with those of use who have lived in states with restrictive laws, or who are old enough to have been impacted by the AWB and similar.

The sky may not be falling in Oklahoma this year, but it really is falling. If you don't see that, you are in a conservative bubble/echo chamber.

 

[CDW4ME]

who are old enough to have been impacted by the AWB.

I remember 1994 (22 years ago) wishing I had bought a lot more Glock magazines.

2008 (8 years ago) I remember severe ammo & reloading shortages.

Somebody that is 21-22 now was 13-14 during the 2008 rush and not old enough to have been concerned with it at the time.

Waiting to close to the election or after it may result in not being able to obtain things at the price they are now.

 

[Warp]

I remember 1994 (22 years ago) wishing I had bought a lot more Glock magazines.

2008 (8 years ago) I remember severe ammo & reloading shortages.

Somebody that is 21-22 now was 13-14 during the 2008 rush and not old enough to have been concerned with it at the time.

Waiting to close to the election or after it may result in not being able to obtain things at the price they are now.

Somebody who is 21 now would have been 18-19 during the epic banic of 2013+

 

[Ed Ames]

Somebody who is 21 now would have been 18-19 during the epic banic of 2013+

Yes, which means their entire experience is the improvement side of the curve. Theywere legally barred from the market when the problem started so it didn't really impact them. All they have experienced is things getting better. That's an incomplete perspective.

It is exactly like people who first entered the house market after 2008. All they have ever seen is property values going up, so that's their entire experience and perspective, never mind that there are still houses that would've sold for $500k in 2007 sitting on the market at $200k today. Not everywhere, but in some places.

 

[ColoradoShooter77]

I'll be buying another upper from Palmetto come Labor Day, they'll probably have a huge sale.

 

[Hangingrock]

I enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1964. With that said I've witnessed and have experienced the varied fluctuations and measures in regards to gun control related issues and laws. Thus I am no stranger to the subject and consequences there of.

But what's nettlesome is the Sky Is Falling - Chicken Little prevailing attitude when the herd stampedes. So what are you going to do take out second mortgage, raid the retirement fund, children's education fund or simply sell your oldest child into slavery to acquire additional weapons, magazines, ammunition, and reloading components???????

All is lost, I say all is lost and we have not even had the Presidential election yet.

Yes I hear you with your I'm just being prudent - Yes right!

 

[Panzerschwein]

The more panic, the worst it gets. I'm just bracing for the inevitable crunch. I know it's going to happen, and it's going to happen for no good reason just like last time. We're getting ready to go back in time to 2012, but this time I think it's going to be even worse than ever before.

And you know why?

People are ignorant. That's why it's going to happen. Us, the shooters, are going to be the cause of it. Not Hillary.

Just like last time and all the times before.

 

[Speedo66]

I have 50 year old ammo that has been stored in every possible bad way. Hot attics, cold garages, damp basements. it still goes bang every time.

If you see a good deal on ammo, it never hurts to stock up. It won't go bad.

AIM Surplus sent me an email with an ammo sale including Russian 9mm for $7.95 a box. I don't need any, but that's a heck of a good price for plinking ammo.

Smilar savings on Russian .223 and 7.62x39.