More people buying ammo instead of another gun?

[texasgun]

Agreed .... guns are definitely priced right at the moment....

I just got a brand-new recent production Steyr M9-A1 for $480 and that includes two 17rd magazines.

Heck - I can even get 30rd Pmags and 17rd Glock magazines at good prices.

Ammo - not so much. WWB 100rds is $26 at my Walmart (if they have it...) and cheapo TULA goes for ~ $23 / 100rds (if they have it).

Pre-panic I could pick up WWB for $22 / 100rds (available anytime) and TULA for $19 or less. Heck - I ordered online 1,000rds of Blazer Brass 9mm for $19/100rds incl. shipping back in 2011.

 

[aka108]

There are a lot of firearms being sold to people who never owned them before and most of the guys I know a long term shooters have purchased new guns to add to what they already own. There is a lot of ammo on the shelves wherever I go but just not much in 22rf, 38ACP, 9mm and 45ACP. These are the size that most people are buying arms for and they are stocking ammo as fast as they can.

 

[texasgun]

i'm still curious to know what people actually do with their 9mm ammo / 5.56 ammo they bought at the height of the panic for 50 cents/ 90 cents per round....

 

[larryh1108]

I'd say they shot it. No point in trying to turn it.

 

[Ignition Override]

Sam 1911:
Do you anticipate that .22LR will "be back" at prices similar to what we had before the panic? If so, maybe within a year?

It would be nice to Not need the SKS to be almost the only primary plinker. Most of that ammo heap is reserved for retirement.
Maybe we will be fortunate enough to see Russian 5.45 back at normal prices, if the ATF decides to acknow. its arrogance and arbitrariness on that issue.

 

[Potatohead]

You do know there's going to be "the glut of all gluts" with ammo soon...Their will be stuff sitting on the shelves for months on end (years?) eventually..whenever everyone has their belly full and pushes their chair back from the table, that is.

The ammo/component folks know it's coming too, im sure.

That's all I got..no point really.

 

[larryh1108]

I agree on there being a small glut in the future. It may be next summer for the powders and .22s. Regular CF ammo seems to be near normal. However, we have to live and learn (again). IF Hillary gets elected in 2 years it will start all over. If anyone here, today, gets caught with their shorts down in 2016 they have no one to point their fingers at but themselves.

 

[john762]

...spend your money...

If I can't find ammo to pick-up at a "fair" price, I look for another semi-auto in .30 caliber that fires 7.62x39 or 7.62x51. A 30-06 Mauser is always a good "loaner". I've had my personal weapons for several years & now pick-up rifles for future generations. My contribution to ..."save the children". ...

 

[pretzelxx]

I honestly can't see myself spending that much on ammo. I cast bullets and it's far cheaper than jacketed. So, I'm actually more likely to buy new guns, same caliber or not, to increase my collection. Small as it may be, some day I want more than I can shoot. Why? I love guns in general, and they last a lot longer than ammo. You can trade them pretty easily as well.

 

[theotherwaldo]

Being unemployed and having way too much time on my hands, I'm busy turning several hundred pounds of wheel-weights and other lead into several hundred pounds of bullets, ingots, and lead soldiers.

It's something to do while the employers are slowly going over my resume. Time to fill a position in my field can be as long as a year and a half.

 

[Sam1911]

Sam 1911:
Do you anticipate that .22LR will "be back" at prices similar to what we had before the panic? If so, maybe within a year?

My gut-level guess is about a year from now, but with in a gradually increasing "inverse snowball effect" curve. Right now it is better than it was. A few months from now it will be a little better yet...and on and on.

The industry folks have said expect "normal" in two years as their new plants come on line. I don't think it will take folks that long to get "dem belly full" as Bob Marley would say.

 

[Praxidike]

My gut-level guess is about a year from now, but with in a gradually increasing "inverse snowball effect" curve. Right now it is better than it was. A few months from now it will be a little better yet...and on and on.

The industry folks have said expect "normal" in two years as their new plants come on line. I don't think it will take folks that long to get "dem belly full" as Bob Marley would say.

Sam is right...

Well I was searching for .380 target ammo, and just came back from a hole in the wall mom and pop shop. I went there a few times last year looking for 22lr ammo, but they were always out. I just walked in the door from going there today (30 minutes ago) and scored a brick of 22 and a few boxes of .380.



They had a whole display case of bricks of 400 American Eagle 22lr along with several small of 50 from various companies. I couldn't believe it... The even had some lined along their gun display case... Slowly but surely, it looks like it's coming back, but the sad part about that is it's coming back at a higher price.... With in the past year the prices I've got at walmart and just now is .10 cents a round...

 

[Ed Ames]

A local store had .22LR in stock last week at $1.99 per 50 for high velocity or $3.49/50 for subsonic "suppressor" ammo. I was told they had bricks earlier in the day I was there.

Same store this week had a large pile of Thunderbolt .22LR for IIRC $3.50/50, which seems a bit ridiculous until you remember that the only local store that has had .22 in stock continuously wants $10/50 for the same stuff.

 

[Wildbillz]

Maybe we will be fortunate enough to see Russian 5.45 back at normal prices, if the ATF decides to acknow. its arrogance and arbitrariness on that issue.

I wouldn't hold my breath on that.

http://www.atf.gov/press/releases/2...and-classification-7n6-545x39-ammunition.html

WB

 

[SFsc616171]

Since I cannot afford a non-production Colt Diamondback, I am planning to round out my revolver battery with a Rossi 851, possibly with a good set of walnut grips.

Instead of loading up on plus-p ammunition, I am slowly procuring my supply of 148-grain wadcutter rounds, and 158-grain semiwadcutter utilitarian rounds.

I do believe in keeping my Speedstrips, Safari III's, and Jetloaders at the ready.

'The time' doth come.

 

[ol' scratch]

Not really ammo, but components.

I have a few more firearms I would like to have which are a few more than I really need . I am a C & R collector too, however. I did find some $65 blemished lowers that I couldn't pass up and now I have a few more projects. I would like a precision bolt action rifle, probably a Savage Model 10 T and a precision semi auto built on an AR, probably in 6.5 Grendel, but I haven't ruled out a .308 built on an 80 percent receiver. I have to do some more research on parts compatibility for .308 AR's. I am also considering a SPR clone, a short barrel and a dedicated .22 AR.

All of that is on the back burner, however. I am focusing on components. The ammo scare didn't surprise me. I have enough to shoot, but I would like some more components, particularly 5.56 brass and .308 bullets. I would also like to get some more pistol powder, but I am set for the moment. I have about 5000 bullets in various calibers both pistol and rifle powder, several thousand primers for pistol, large rifle and small and more .45, 9mm and 06' brass than I would really care to count. I can stretch my dollar further and spread out the expense when I buy components.

 

[theotherwaldo]

Just bought an 1893 Mauser in 7mm as a way to celebrate my return to employment. (I'm going to have my own library!!!)

-Of course, last week I bought the molds, gas checks, powders, primers, and dies to reload 7mm Mauser... .

 

[Sniper66]

I am certainly buying ammo differently. Never used to have more than a few extra boxes, but learned that I could save money so started buying more. When Galyan's in KC sold out to Dick's Sporting Goods, they put all their .22LR on sale, including their Federal Gold Medal. So, I bought all of it and it lasted me about 10 years. A gun shop was going out of business in Missouri and were selling their stock of Winchester Target standard velocity .22LR. My brother bought 15,000 rounds (30 bricks); now he is supplying me. Those experiences taught me to stock up when I can. I will do that even more now, whenever I get the chance.

 

[Lhshtr]

I'm a Newbie and I seen your list of ammo and amounts, I have to ask; what about 12ga, you know the blaster. Keep safe out there.

 

[lxd55]

depends on what you want. 00 gonna cost a little bit. bird shot little less. some come with 5 rounds and other 25. just remember they call it a scatter gun for a reason.

 

[Lex Luthier]

There is a great comfort in knowing that one has enough. New toys are fun, but the satisfaction of knowing your armory is complete as it needs to be is priceless.

 

[Wildbillz]

Willdbillz: Quite true, about the temporary or even longer-term ban on the so-called "armor-piercing" variety.

Even though at first I had no idea what "7N6" was, the public perception seems to be that the ban already did, or easily could (in the future, because some of it it is Russian) include common non-corrosive 5.45 ammo.

And it well could in the future cover the commercial ammo coming from overseas. This is one of the reasons I stocked up when I could. Also when I saw a deal on reloading dies for 5.45x39 in a group buy, I jumped in. I try to keep a supply of reloading components for all my calibers. I will also buy dies for calibers that are popular that I don't shoot, if I can find a deal on them.

WB

 

[Ignition Override]

"A snowball curve".

It must be the opposite of a geometric curve, because for quite a while, the increase is too flat and subtle to notice?
If so, it parallels my learning "curve" with any high-tech concepts.

 

[kimberkid]

I was not caught unaware of the coming panic. I stocked up on loading components right after the 2008 elections.Since I don't shoot factory ammunition the shortages have had zero effect on me except in 22 RF ammo. I have maybe 100 rounds of 22 long rifle for the rare occasion that I need it.

Even though i reload, I have a few cases each of factory loaded/sealed 223, 7.62x39 & 308 ... and at least 1K of Turkish 8mm I bought 10-12 years ago for $39.95 IIRC; so I'm doing ok but I've reduced my shooting by 1/2 or more. I laid in a couple 5k rnd cases of 22lr in '10; its just cheap sidewinder stuff ($140/5k back then) I would like to have some better stuff for targets.

Recently, I've bought some some extra powders ... which made me pretty well set for the components I have. I usually shoot lead but have also picked up some plated flat nose 45acp to load for the suppressor i finally got to bring home. The only loaded ammo I've had to buy is .357 as I recently bought a Rhino 357 ...

 

[jrdolall]

Pistol powder. That's all I am really short on.

I could stand another case of 380 target ammo. I have enough 38,357,45 and 9mm, both factory and reloads, to last me 2 years.

I have replenished my 22 ammo and stand at just over 25k rounds with virtually all of it coming from Cabela's. I did buy a box of sub-sonic locally last week.

When things regulate I intend to increase my 22 stash to 50k rounds and as much powder as it will take to reload 4 handgun calibers up to a 2 year supply.