Ammo Shortage merged threads, aka UberUltraMasterAmmoThreadOfPower

[Walkalong]

I'm not trying to start conspiracy theories. I really am frustrated that buyers are being targeted as the source of the drought.

Who else is causing it except for the ones buying it at a record pace? Do you really thing someone is dumping everything the manufacturers are making in the ocean or something? Sounds like starting a conspiracy theory to me.

Simple economics. Folks are buying it as fast, or faster, than they are making it. It is already getting better.

 

[christcorp]

You have realize that the demand prior to the panic buying (That's what it is); was pretty low. If Walmart was only getting in 5-10 boxes of ammo a day on average; that was more than they were selling. Do that for a week or two, and you've got 100% fully stocked shelves. If you think back, you can remember the same ammo sitting on the shelves for days/weeks at a time The 5-10 boxes they received a few times a week was simply to restock. Unfortunately, because people are paranoid, panic buying, MANY NEW gun owners, etc... they are selling more than they are getting in. Then couple that will the same thing happening at other retailers who are also making LARGER ORDERS than they NORMALLY would have been doing, and the production can't keep up.

Yes, most of it is hoarding. The majority of gun owners don't shoot on a regular basis. The problem is perception. People who visit firearm forums such as this, PROBABLY shoot guns on a somewhat regular basis. But if you include every single person on every firearm forum, you wouldn't probably make up 1% of all gun owners. I.e. I doubt there are 800,000 gun owners on the forums. Many here consider hoarding to be thousands and thousands of rounds. The average gun owner simply has a gun or two for protection, and they normally would have a box or two of ammo and almost NEVER went out and shot it. Throw panic is and if each person bought 10 boxes of ammo (Just in case) and you could be looking at about 80 BILLION rounds of ammo. Then, throw in police, military, and other law enforcement and export requirements, and you can see where the problem is. YOU; meaning shooters on the forums; are NOT THE NORM! Hoarding in the real world can simply be 5-10 boxes of ammunition. If you look at the rifle ammunition available, it's pretty much keeping up.

The supply will catch up, but not until the average gun owners have the amount of ammo that they believe is "Enough" in case ammunition is controlled by the government. Once they think they have enough, they won't be buying much more. Then it will be back to those who buy ammo simply to replenish what they shoot. But I guarantee that ANYONE who has a gun, more than likely has considerably MORE ammo today in their house than they had a year ago. Even if it's only 5 boxes instead of 1. Do that for 80 million owners, and the demand goes nuts.

 

[Six]

The local gun stores and pawnshops seems to have plenty of ammo, but they also charge more than Walmart, Dicks, or Sportsman's warehouse.

IMHO the shortage used to be absolute, across all stores. Now it's a shortage largely localized to the stores that haven't raised their prices. If Walmart started charging $17 for a box of WWB 9mm, you'd see the shelves fill up again.

At least around here, if you really need to find ammo, it's not difficult.

Primers are a different matter.

 

[doc2rn]

Time for ya'll to invest in the one thing that hasn't disappeared shotguns and shells. They havent run out of any of those, not once the entire time there has been a shortage goin on. Time to look at a Judge if pistols are your thing.

 

[loneviking]

Although Christcorp makes some really good points in his last post, the demand is still going to remain high for some time, with supplies low. Two reasons:

1. The military/law enforcement need. Their bullets need primers, primers are what continue to be almost non-existent. If you are a manufacturer, which do you want---a contract with the government to supply millions of your product for a guaranteed price, or open market supply and demand? Obviously, you would go with the contract. Until the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan wind down, the shortages will continue.

2. Pent up demand. This is the demand from guys like me that couldn't afford to buy 1,000 rounds last fall and we've been sitting darn near empty for months now. I'd love to shoot with the local IDPA club, but I can't afford much less find the 9mm ammo. I can reload, but I can't get the primers. I have an Appleseed shoot coming up that I could sure use 2,000 or so .22's for, but I'm just now starting to see the little boxes of 50 coming back on Wallys' shelf for three bucks a box. No bulk packs to be found anywhere.

I would also love to get my hands on about 200/ 100 gr. 'Plinker' Speer .30 cal bullets for the '06 Springfield. No luck, nobody has 'em. As soon as they hit the stores for any sort of affordable price I'm buying.

This ain't over yet, not by a long shot.....

 

[22-rimfire]

No, the shortage is not over yet. Consumer pent up demand is akin to being back ordered at a retail level. Many of us are "back ordered". I had thought supply and demand would reach equilibrium by the end of the summer, but I don't believe that it will happen until next year now. But the supply is already better than a few months ago now. That is good.

 

[huntsman]

Time for ya'll to invest in the one thing that hasn't disappeared shotguns and shells. They havent run out of any of those, not once the entire time there has been a shortage goin on. Time to look at a Judge if pistols are your thing.

SSHHHHHHH.......I'm not done buying yet.

 

[Mags]

My backorders from Midway USA just shipped! It was mostly bullets for reloading but they were backordered since February.

 

[FEG63ISFINE]

Two Wal-Marts here in town 10 miles apart one has 9,25,44,45's,223,7.62x39 & they said they had 5 boxes of 357 Monday and it's sold out. The other store has 2 box's of 25's and shotgun shells, dude there said he isn't getting much in.
All gun shops around here (Eastern Arkansas) has ammo coming in left and right. I'm L/O so when I'm out I go looking around like ole lady's at the goodwill. I figure right now is about the time the administration will start talking taxing ammo.
So buy now I think.

 

[Tamlin]

Ammo Rape

Just have to say this is why most Mom and Pop stores aren't getting my business.

First, I understand ammo availability is very limited. But today, I happened to call my local Sportsman's Warehouse, to see if they had any ammo in stock. SW: Jjust got a shipment in today - what are you looking for?" Me: "9mm, .38, .357, .45, .44 special, .44 mag . . ." SW: "Got 9, got .45, got .357, plus a couple of boxes of expensive .44 mag, but that's it. But, can only sell two boxes per customer, per day. So what you want?" Me: "How much is .357?" SW: cheap Blazer 158 jhp, $17.99." Me: "how much is 9mm?" SW: "cheap Blazer, $10.99" Me: "what's the expensive .44 mag?" SW: "WWB, hollowpoint hunting loads, $38." Me: "Please hold 2 boxes of .357 - I'll be right there." SW: "no problem."

So I head out to pick up my "steal." Decide to stop in at local Wal-mart on the way. NOTHING in stock - zip, zero, nada. Customer buying fishing license: "Mom and Pop gunshop on X street has ammo in stock!" Cool - after I buy my two allotted boxes from SW, I head to M&P. Me: "got ammo?" M&P: "yep, whatcha looking for?" Me: "9, .38, .357, .45, .44spcl, .44 mag" M&P: "yep, got it all." Me: "how much?" M&P: cheap stuff, but it's what I got. 9mm is $20; .38 is $25; .357 is $29; .44 is $44." Me: [stunned silence]. M&P: "and my supplier just raised their prices a buck a box, so when this stock is gone, the prices are going up." Me: [stunned silence]. M&P: "ammo ain't gonna get any cheaper." Me: "well, thanks, goodbye."

No wonder they have ammo in stock. I'm going back to SW tomorrow.

 

[CTSigLover]

I am not sure why you feel you got "raped"... you did not buy anything from the M&P after all.

I think it is ironic that on a board dedicated to freedom and liberty, some bash free market capitalism when they think goods are too expensive.

The seller set a price, his prerogative, you rejected it and did not buy, your prerogative.

You can always go elsewhere... and to those who say all ammo is too expensive, well thanks to capitalism, your ultimate recourse is to start your own ammo company and do it better.

America! What a country!

You seem surprised that when demand out paces supply, prices go up. I would be surprised if they didn't.

And this from a "registered independent"...

 

[Rembrandt]

It's called the free market.....you didn't get raped, you simply chose to shop where supplies are limited. Mom & Pop may or may not get the same volume discounts the big box stores do, prices they set is the risk they take for owning their own business. It's a balance of chasing away customers or keeping them. No need to whiz in your cornflakes because they didn't have the price you wanted.

Your job is to do the shopping, not set the price for a business you don't own for products you want.

 

[41022collector]

CT Sig ^5, I keep saying this is a free market system and if people had planned, none of this ammo problem would have even been a problem. If you all wait til the last minute to get your ammo, components and pieces, what do you expect.... a rainbow and a pot of ammo at the end with no lines and 15% below market. Plan, prepare, expect what others are not. I bought all the ammo and stuff I will ever need back in the 1980's and 90's. Just think what ammo and components will be in 2025.

Regards,
Mike

 

[Tamlin]

Yes, SUPPLY and DEMAND. Sportsman's Warehouse has the supply that I demand, at the market price I'm willing to pay. This is CAPITALISM - and I approve! I don't understand what you guys are talking about who are knocking me - I would love to support the local Mom and Pop store, but I just can't do it when their prices are twice what I can get the same goods for from somewhere else. That's the only point of my post.

 

[CTSigLover]

I don't understand what you guys are talking about who are knocking me

I think is is because you titled your short lived thread "Ammo Rape"... when you had not suffered any injury, or been forced to do anything against your will. Perhaps a more appropriate title might have been...

"My local Mom and Pop Ammo store charges more than I am willing to pay for factory ammunition."

Nobody raped anyone- even figuratively- because there was no force or coercion...

 

[FEG63ISFINE]

Rape3 –noun
the residue of grapes, after the juice has been extracted, used as a filter in making vinegar. Origin: 1590–1600; < F râpe < Gmc; cf. OHG raspōn to scrape.

So, sour it my be but not forced. The Ole mom/pop shop that I buy from is about 2 to 3 bucks higher than W/M but I pick up ammo there sometimes just to give them some business. I guess I'm supporting them as much as I can because another M/P shop is 6 bucks higher so I could care less if they close the door.

 

[Mags]

You guys wanna know the trick on how to find ammo at Walmart? Tough I am gonna tell you anyway. Here is what I do. I go to the sporting goods counter right before they close around 10 pm. I ask the guy what is coming in tomorrow. The guy has a list of the calibers he has recieved that night and will stock it at 7 the next morning. He tells me what is coming in and if it is something I want I show up at about 6:30 the next morning to be first in line so I can buy my 5 boxes of whatever it is I want.

 

[moewadle]

Good planning for ones that are not 24 7

but here they are and most of the stocking takes place from around 10 PM on at night. So I go to the two local Wallys about midnight and have scored pretty well that way. One night at about 12:45 AM they had a full case of Win Whit Box 9mm 100 rd boxes on the shelf.

 

[Mags]

Mine is a 24/7 they just don't put the ammo out till 7 am

 

[EvanWilliams]

Exactly. They get a printout. However, it is frequently something I don't need.
Around here, ammo is tight or very expensive. You can get it (mostly) but at high prices.

Today I went to Academy and I'll be damned! They had a shiiteload of 357SIG WWB. I bought two. Guy says they never have it.

 

[Tamlin]

Well, I've been making trips back to Sportsman's Warehouse every day. If rape = force, the Mom and Pop store selling at twice the price is forcing me to buy from Sportsman's. I have bought from other M&Ps who were only a couple of bucks higher, but I refuse to pay for the privilege of getting my wallet totally reamed.

 

[mattyo]

Who's hoarding all the damn .380 ammo!?

I'm all for people keeping stashes of ammo for their own, but this is getting ridiculous. I can't find any .380 anywhere. None on-line,none in the stores. I mean where is it all? It really makes it hard for those of us who don't buy 5,000 rounds at a time to get some. If anyone who could direct me to a place where i could buy some .380 without being raked over the coals it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Dallas Jack]

Look online at Cabela's. I've been told they have been getting some ammo in.

I found some .380 at a gunstore. They had it priced at $99.99 for a box of 50 FMJs.

May be some time before ammo prices start droping. Good luck finding what you need.
Dallas Jack

 

[DRYHUMOR]

$99 a box. Gold plated or what?

I don't see much of it, other than in gunshops on occasion. I sold my 380 last year along with 300 rds of ammo for it. Seems like most folks figure a 380 to be just the right size to carry.

Be a good reason to buy another pistol though.

 

[Towboater]

Bought a few hundred rounds not long ago. About 14 bucks a box at the lcal gunshop. Starting to see more and more of it!