I just got into 22 a few months back (now I have a Colt, 15-22, and ARX160) so I've been on an ammo hunt for a while.
I've been visiting the ammo case at Walmart for over 20 years - light on groceries this week? Think I'll just cruise by the ammo case and see what's on sale! (remember when ammo used to go on sale?).
Having no luck finding 22, I learned the rules of the Walmart ammo game, and showed up every morning just before the 7am ammo rollout for 8 weeks - got 22 ammo twice in that time.
Ye olde Spidey sense got to tingling, so I went to work - learned how to monitor their inventory, built a spreadsheet (looking for patterns / delivery schedules), etc. Since doing so, I've managed to get all the 22 ammo both I and two friends need in short order, but here are a few things I've found.
1. Was told the 7am ammo rollout policy did not originate with Walmart, but was suggested by LE (home office told me this).
2. 7 out of 10 stores I visit the system works as it's "supposed" to - inventory is tripped as ammo arrives, somewhere past 4pm or so, it goes from the truck to the locked cage in the back (along with guns), and is rolled out at 7am the next morning.
3. At least that's how it's supposed to work - in the other 3 out of 10 stores I visit, I find I have apparently crapped in somebody's sandbox! Ammo shows IN STOCK (did not yesterday, so something tripped inventory), yet no one in the store can find!
4. I've discussed this with Bentonville a couple of times - it has worked its way back down the chain, and I've been called by a few store managers - one has taken action to correct the problem - I steered her to ammo showing IN STOCK, but they haven't had for over 3 weeks when I went looking for it - she corrected the inventory within 2 hours. The rest of the managers are paying lip service to the problem, but are doing nothing about it.
5. One reason some Walmart ammo shipments may be lacking, is I have found many cases where they think they have 20 boxes on hand, but there is none (if they think they have 20 boxes on hand, would it be reordered?).
6. On my last investigation at our local store (there is a lot of ammo stashing for friends / flippers, etc going on), I happened upon the last box of Winchester 333 on the shelf - got home and checked online inventory, and it showed IN STOCK (meaning they have more than 5 boxes on hand). After a couple of hours of no change, I printed the sheet, took it to the store, had a manager use her handheld scanner on the barcode at the empty shelf, and she said they show 7 boxes on hand! After lots of gyrations and movement (but no action), they threw their hands up and said we don't know where it is! I told her it's on the premises "somewhere", and I have no doubt that inventory will update as somebody gets it out of its hiding hole and sells it to friends, etc.
The next morning, it had gone from IN STOCK to LIMITED STOCK, so boxes had been sold. I printed out the sheet, paid 'em another visit, and while at the customer service desk, got the gal to run the code on the printout - she said they showed 4 boxes in stock. I asked to speak to the store manager, and after a 45 minute wait, another flunky was sent instead (not the first time this has happened) - she punched in the code I gave her on her handheld, and reported there was 1 box on hand! I laughed and said in the 45 minutes I've been standing here waiting on you, 3 boxes of the missing ammo have been sold!
She had the gal at the customer service desk check her system, and sho' 'nuff, she now showed only 1 box on hand (she verified to the area manager that when I arrived at the desk, there were 4 on hand)!
Bottom line?
1. There is MUCH more ammo coming into Walmart than you think - it just depends on whether your store is operating per corporate policy (no stashing / hiding / holding ammo, and it's first come, first serve), or whether your store has a rogue employee or more hiding ammo for friends / flippers.
2. Walmart may not be ordering some ammo, as they think they have X number of boxes on hand, but do not. I find this most often with smaller (easily stolen?) boxes. I have pointed out to our local store on more than one occasion that they show ammo in stock, yet the shelf is bare and has been for some time - so far no one has been interested in correcting the inventory.
BTW - I actually caught one local employee bringing ammo from the back (no 223 in the case, was told there was none) - I could tell she knew the gentleman she was yakkin' with, and I overheard her tell him "give me just a minute".
Instead of leaving, I hung around the next aisle, and every 30 seconds or so, I made a pass by the ammo aisle and glanced down the aisle to see what was going on. On about the third pass, I saw her locking the ammo case - she had placed one box of 223 in the case, and was selling the 3-box limit to her buddy (remember, there was NO 223 in the case, and I asked).
I also went in one morning @ 7am after an inventory trip - same gal asked me what I was after - I flipped open my printout, and she reached under the counter and produced 3 boxes of Federal AutoMatch.
Both corporate and local management have told me it is against company policy to store ammo ANYWHERE but in the locked cage in the warehouse, or the ammo case.
Wonder how many times you folks have gone by your local Walmart's ammo case, didn't see anything there, and thought they were out?
I've been visiting the ammo case at Walmart for over 20 years - light on groceries this week? Think I'll just cruise by the ammo case and see what's on sale! (remember when ammo used to go on sale?).
Having no luck finding 22, I learned the rules of the Walmart ammo game, and showed up every morning just before the 7am ammo rollout for 8 weeks - got 22 ammo twice in that time.
Ye olde Spidey sense got to tingling, so I went to work - learned how to monitor their inventory, built a spreadsheet (looking for patterns / delivery schedules), etc. Since doing so, I've managed to get all the 22 ammo both I and two friends need in short order, but here are a few things I've found.
1. Was told the 7am ammo rollout policy did not originate with Walmart, but was suggested by LE (home office told me this).
2. 7 out of 10 stores I visit the system works as it's "supposed" to - inventory is tripped as ammo arrives, somewhere past 4pm or so, it goes from the truck to the locked cage in the back (along with guns), and is rolled out at 7am the next morning.
3. At least that's how it's supposed to work - in the other 3 out of 10 stores I visit, I find I have apparently crapped in somebody's sandbox! Ammo shows IN STOCK (did not yesterday, so something tripped inventory), yet no one in the store can find!
4. I've discussed this with Bentonville a couple of times - it has worked its way back down the chain, and I've been called by a few store managers - one has taken action to correct the problem - I steered her to ammo showing IN STOCK, but they haven't had for over 3 weeks when I went looking for it - she corrected the inventory within 2 hours. The rest of the managers are paying lip service to the problem, but are doing nothing about it.
5. One reason some Walmart ammo shipments may be lacking, is I have found many cases where they think they have 20 boxes on hand, but there is none (if they think they have 20 boxes on hand, would it be reordered?).
6. On my last investigation at our local store (there is a lot of ammo stashing for friends / flippers, etc going on), I happened upon the last box of Winchester 333 on the shelf - got home and checked online inventory, and it showed IN STOCK (meaning they have more than 5 boxes on hand). After a couple of hours of no change, I printed the sheet, took it to the store, had a manager use her handheld scanner on the barcode at the empty shelf, and she said they show 7 boxes on hand! After lots of gyrations and movement (but no action), they threw their hands up and said we don't know where it is! I told her it's on the premises "somewhere", and I have no doubt that inventory will update as somebody gets it out of its hiding hole and sells it to friends, etc.
The next morning, it had gone from IN STOCK to LIMITED STOCK, so boxes had been sold. I printed out the sheet, paid 'em another visit, and while at the customer service desk, got the gal to run the code on the printout - she said they showed 4 boxes in stock. I asked to speak to the store manager, and after a 45 minute wait, another flunky was sent instead (not the first time this has happened) - she punched in the code I gave her on her handheld, and reported there was 1 box on hand! I laughed and said in the 45 minutes I've been standing here waiting on you, 3 boxes of the missing ammo have been sold!
She had the gal at the customer service desk check her system, and sho' 'nuff, she now showed only 1 box on hand (she verified to the area manager that when I arrived at the desk, there were 4 on hand)!
Bottom line?
1. There is MUCH more ammo coming into Walmart than you think - it just depends on whether your store is operating per corporate policy (no stashing / hiding / holding ammo, and it's first come, first serve), or whether your store has a rogue employee or more hiding ammo for friends / flippers.
2. Walmart may not be ordering some ammo, as they think they have X number of boxes on hand, but do not. I find this most often with smaller (easily stolen?) boxes. I have pointed out to our local store on more than one occasion that they show ammo in stock, yet the shelf is bare and has been for some time - so far no one has been interested in correcting the inventory.
BTW - I actually caught one local employee bringing ammo from the back (no 223 in the case, was told there was none) - I could tell she knew the gentleman she was yakkin' with, and I overheard her tell him "give me just a minute".
Instead of leaving, I hung around the next aisle, and every 30 seconds or so, I made a pass by the ammo aisle and glanced down the aisle to see what was going on. On about the third pass, I saw her locking the ammo case - she had placed one box of 223 in the case, and was selling the 3-box limit to her buddy (remember, there was NO 223 in the case, and I asked).
I also went in one morning @ 7am after an inventory trip - same gal asked me what I was after - I flipped open my printout, and she reached under the counter and produced 3 boxes of Federal AutoMatch.
Both corporate and local management have told me it is against company policy to store ammo ANYWHERE but in the locked cage in the warehouse, or the ammo case.
Wonder how many times you folks have gone by your local Walmart's ammo case, didn't see anything there, and thought they were out?
Last edited:
