Ammunition has changed my mind... has it changed yours?

[kcmarine]

Up until recently, I was dead set on getting an AR-15. 5.56 was plentiful and relatively cheap. Then the wave came, and 5.56 is worth its weight in gold. That's a great thing if you had tons of it stocked up and don't want to shoot it anymore, but not so great if you're like me: short on cash, and limited to what's available locally.

Now, I'm changing my mind. I'm getting a 12 gauge of some type because of ammunition costs and availability. I figure that I can walk into any sporting goods store in America, look at their ammunition selection, and find a case of quality 12 gauge ammunition. It won't be as cheap as it was, and it just might be a target load, but it'll be available, and inexpensive compared to some rifle ammunition. All I need the ammo for is practice, anyways.

Has the price of ammunition changed your mind on what kind of firearms you are planning to buy? If so, how drastically?

I thought this would be an interesting thread. Thanks for the replies in advance. Keep it civil.

 

[H2O MAN]

Sort of...
I dumped all of my AR kit and retained my M14s, AKM and 12 gauge.
I then picked up a .45-70 Guide Gun because it hits hard and it's cheap to reload for.

 

[nathan]

Thats right, 12 g will always be there in no shortage today and tomorrow. The recoil itself will knock off most people. Hehhehe. But I love my Remington 870 7 shots will rifle sights.

 

[PPGMD]

Exception of a short time after the election 223 has never been a problem locally.

 

[Kurt]

If only a shotgun could do, what a carbine/rifle can . . .

 

[Dunkelheit]

Yes. I oiled up my assault rifles and stored them. I´m well stocked with 5,56x45 and 7.62x51 now, but i will not spend them until new supplies will be avaible. I plan to buy a Winchester94 in .357Mag and start to think about reloading.

 

[kcmarine]

Indeed. I've got a Saiga though... that part's covered... now I want something I can shoot without worrying about how I'm going to afford or find my next batch of ammo.

 

[jakemccoy]

The only guns I shoot for fun are my .22 lr and my 12 ga.

I also have guns in .40 S&W and .308 Win. I don't shoot them for fun anymore. It's just not fun shooting when all I can see is dollar figures going down range.

 

[Hickwithstick]

Changed my Mind the other Direction

It's kind of funny that the availability of ar-15 223 ammo made you not want one anymore. I had the exact opposite happen, while searching in vain for 9mm ammo for my wife and I's pistols all we could find was 223/5.56 ammo by the cases so we bought her a DPMS AR-15 in the 5.56 caliber for mothersday, Just got a 308 DPMS yesterday for my fathersday present. (I kow its ealy but I hae the patience of a horney billy goat.

 

[Badlander]

I have gone A different direction also. Blasting away with todays ammo prices is not as much fun. I have gone to 30-30 and 45-70. I reload for them and don't shoot them up as fast.

With the 45-70 things only need shot once!

 

[sernv99]

I am shooting more sporting clays and skeet now vs. my semi-auto rifles and handguns. I bought only enough ammo for my .45 and 10mm for self defense situations. I'll keep my .308 and .223 semi-autos since I can find ammo in those calibers more often but am looking to sell my AK 'x39 due to availability of cheap import ammo. I don't think we will see the good ole days for quite some time especially for import 'x39 ammo, maybe in a few years. So for me, it's a waste to have guns sitting idle in the safe. That's why I went out and bought a Krieghoff K80 and been putting a flat of shells through it every week

 

[22-rimfire]

I don't take ammunition availability for granted now as I used to. On SHTF threads, folks always say that the common stuff will be most available. Available from whom?

 

[sherman123]

no, but I'm with servn9 I've been shooting shotguns constantly as I can't find any handgun anywhere most of the time. Every place around here, even private gun shops, are out of everything but carry ammo and wal mart never has bulk packs of .22s

 

[MMCSRET]

No, I cast bullets and handload everything I shoot. I did buy a new 327 Magnum, justcuz, so I had to buy a box of ammo to start with . There isn't any component cases out yet. First factory ammo I've purchased in 30 years at least.

 

[outerlimit]

When you can buy factory loaded premium bullet .243, .270 or .30-06 for about the same price as surplus old fmj 5.56x45mm, it's not a very hard decision.

 

[ThomasT]

I have quit buying guns and ammunition for the time being. I have a pretty large collection of guns and ammo out the wazoo. If I found a good deal on ammo I would buy it but I doubt that will happen since I'm not looking.

I did load some 20ga shells and shot my old single shot savage. I couldn't find any 20ga buckshot so I loaded my own with some #1 buck I have had for 20 years. It shot a far better pattern than I would have thought at 30 yards.

Also I found a barrel for my ted williams model 200 (winchester 1200) that had been cut to 19". I haven't tried it out yet but I'm real happy to get it.

 

[awspence]

I had planned to buy an AR15, and saved all the money. When the time came, i decided to buy a pistol caliber carbine instead. my 9mm CX4 is extra cheap to shoot, and totally fun. I am not regretting my decision at all. Now maybe one day I will have an AR in addition to the CX4, but that is a different story.

 

[browningguy]

Hasn't changed my mind, still have four .223's and don't plan on losing any of them.

 

[fastattack]

Prior to the election, I didn't think I had a need to stock any more than what I needed - say a few hundred rounds per caliber and a few thousand primers. That has changed. When ammo and reloading supplies do become available, I will make sure I have enough to ride-out the storm.

I'm casting now, but does anyone other than me notice how the government has slowly been demonizing lead? It too will eventually be banned. Get it now boys!

 

[rmt22]

this is a great topic....

I use to shoot often but had a child and stepped away for a couple of years. Well a few months ago I started looking to get back into it and I was shocked.

I have bought a few (7) handguns over the past 20 years but I had settled that my 1911 .45 was my shooter and enjoyed the accuracy and the experience.

After analyzing the shortages I realize that .45 is going to be cost prohibitive so I informed my wife I needed to purchase ANOTHER handgun that could be an everyday shooter in a cheaper caliber (9mm). She was not happy but I explained the math to her and she agreed it made financial sense.

So I purchased a sig p239 and I am moving to 9mm in near term. I will probably start reloading eventually.

 

[Valkman]

Nope, as long as I have reloading components I'll shoot all the .223 and .45 I want.

 

[ScotZ]

I guess I am flexible. Call me Gumby. I shoot what I can get. My "SHTF" ammo is just that, I am not rotating stock is all. It has nothing to do with my monthly shooting allowance. I have not shot my SIG .40 in months but I shoot trap or target because I can get 12 ga and .22 . Even 7.62x39 seems to becoming more available. I really believe this will shake out and we will return to normal. This shortage will last only as long as the panic does.

 

[rdhood]

I was in my local gun shop two days ago, and they have wolf .223 stacked up around the floor. AT LEAST 25 cases of 1000

 

[Ed Ames]

No.

The last 3 years have gradually pushed me away from semi-auto designs for range guns (I don't mind losing a case or two during a hunt or self defense incident but I'm tired of recovering 50% or less of my brass every range trip) but hasn't changed my mind about anything.

 

[RP88]

it changes which guns I shoot, thats for sure. There is a bit of Wolf .223 around me, but I hate shooting wolf through my AR, and there isnt any x39 Wolf for the AK (the only gun I will use wolf in at the moment). The AR and AK have become the safe queens, and the .22s are the new heavy use guns.