Finally did it.

[herrwalther]

For years I got ammo as presents or bought in store. After visiting the local Walmarts, Bass Pros, Academies, and small guns stores I could not find any hollow point ammo I was willing to buy. If I did find HP ammo it was usually unknown to me stuff like Monarch or the new Train and Defend ammo from Winchester. Or stupid prices like $30 for a 20 round box of Hydra Shok.

So I ordered ammo for the first time ever online. Got a 50 round box of .40 HST. Shipping seemed a little high for 1 box ($12) so I will order more in future orders to spread the cost around.

 

[Legionnaire]

That’s a good start! Let us know when you start reloading!

 

[Jim NE]

I have a CZ 40 P that seems to like Fiocchi 165 gr. ammo more than anything else, so I started ordering online for the times I couldn't find it locally. Yeah, ordering in quantity is the only way to go.

The key to being economical about ordering ammo is to always be on the lookout for deals. It seems like on one place has the best prices all the time.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

We generally buy from SGAmmo, their prices are as low as anyone else and they're customer service is equal to or better.

We started buying online after The Great Obama Ammo Famine caught us short. I sat down and did the math once and we were paying right around $12.00 a box for Blazer 9mm when Walmart was selling it for $16.00.

I prefer Speer 124 +P Gold Dots for self-defense and those aren't even available in a 50 round box around here. Even the 20 round boxes are close to a dollar a round. 1 case (1000 rounds) would last me 3 years rotating every year and I'm certain it's cheaper now than it will be in 2021.

I don't have a number goal for ammunition if I can afford it I buy it. We have a certain amount budgeted to ammunition from each paycheck and when we have enough to buy a case we do.

 

[herrwalther]

That’s a good start! Let us know when you start reloading!

Already do. Just for rifles at this point. Eventually I want to get setup for pistol ammo.

We generally buy from SGAmmo, their prices are as low as anyone else and they're customer service is equal to or better.

That is where I ordered from. Good prices for bigger boxes of ammo.

 

[FROGO207]

IMHO Getting set up for handgun ammo is a small expense in tools as you already have most everything but the die sets. Hopefully you saved your brass too. Just need the consumable parts and you're off. I can build premium JHP ammo for less than it costs to buy crap plinking ammo these days. Also I don't need to rely on who has what brand/weight ammo in stock anymore either.

 

[somethingbenign]

My local range lets me order ammo through them for what are really good prices and since it is coming in on the same truck as their rental ammo they don't charge shipping. I have never heard of another range doing this but never asked before either so I don't know if this is common practice. Might be worth asking to see what they can do.

 

[Hokie_PhD]

If you already reload rifle, then doing pistol as mentioned above seems like a no brained. Get a set of dies and the consumables. For the cost of the consumables and a little time you’ll have custom ammo cheaper than the low cost stuff.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

SGammo. When I want hollow points, they get my business.

 

[TTv2]

yeah, the key to buying ammo, ammo components, or magazines online is to buy in bulk. If there's a certain amount it you want to buy, save up and buy it all at once.

I normally buy during free shipping deals from places like Midway, Cabelas, or Brownells. If you want the see the lowest prices for ammo online, try to find out the UPC of it, copy and paste into the search bar at https://gun.deals and it will show you what's available, but it doesn't list every store.

Here's what comes up for 165 grain .40 HST 50 round :
https://gun.deals/search/apachesolr_search/029465094478

 

[Old Dog]

SGammo. When I want hollow points, they get my business.

SG Ammo is my go-to. But I order only 500 or 1000 round cases, with their prices, it makes the shipping cost well worth it. $450 bucks or so for a case of good defense ammo goes a long way ...

 

[herrwalther]

If you already reload rifle, then doing pistol as mentioned above seems like a no brained. Get a set of dies and the consumables. For the cost of the consumables and a little time you’ll have custom ammo cheaper than the low cost stuff.

I plan to. My reloading bench isn't setup at the moment. And I haven't loaded a rifle cartridge in a couple years. Irony is I got a 45ACP die set 3 or 4 years ago and haven't even opened it yet. Dies were on sale for $25 if I remember right. And the only 45 I have right now is a safe queen 1911. I don't think I would ever load SD ammo at home, but have no problem making practice ammo. I use a single stage press so it would be small batches of whatever ammo I make.

 

[larryh1108]

Target Sports has HST for $0.60 a round. Free shipping for a case (1000).
They are great to deal with.
https://www.targetsportsusa.com/fed...hst-jacketed-hollow-point-p40hst2-p-3544.aspx

 

[herrwalther]

Had a huge issue with the delivery portion. I received 3 packages yesterday: new watch, the ammo, and a medication refill from the VA. My mail carrier decided to THROW THE AMMO AND MEDS into my yard rather than leave it in the mailbox. So I had a meeting with the local postmaster already about that. Thankfully SGammo wraps their ammo up in plenty of packing peanuts, so the rounds don't look damaged. If I can find time today they will get tested at the range.

 

[Drail]

All of the shipping companies thank you very much....... I wonder who gets all of the money for the Hazmat fee? I took up reloading 30 years ago to save money and now I'm still paying through my nose for components.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I never ordered ammo online either until a few months ago when I couldn’t find 158 gr 38 +P LSWCHP. It doesn’t appear Remington loads it anymore but you can still get WWB.

That worked out so well that when I got my Remington 7400 in .280, I was thinking I was going to have to immediately buy dies for it. Nope. Close out special on Federal Premium 150 gr Partitions. I plan to shoot this gun very little and hunt with it a lot so 4 boxes aught to last a little while.

 

[rpenmanparker]

I search on www.ammoseek.com. The entries are listed in order of increasing cost per round. I just look for the cheapest cost for what I want at a store that shows below average shipping charges. Then I often look more closely at the results to find a store with free shipping. Academy, for instance, ships ammo for free. Now that is how it ought to be.

 

[Snowdog]

I load for all my handguns, but when I comes to defensive ammunition, I only use factory fodder (typically HST for everything).

I also use SG ammo, but I shop around to see if anyone is having either a sale or a "buy x-amount, receive free shipping" or a goody such as an ammo can.
I use AmmoSeek for this.

I think the last time I bought ammo at a LGS was back in the late 90's. I've always mail-ordered or (after my introduction to the internet) ordered on-line.