Cosmoline
Member
I realized recently that my arsenal has shifted very dramatically since the Big Crunch began. Before it started, my main guns were:
AR-15 carbine
AR-15 retro
M-1A scout
Various .357's and .44 Mags
One Mosin-Nagant
Some black powder cartridge rifles
Now I have:
Six Mosin-Nagants
Makarov
AK-74 clone
The AR's and M1A were sold off along with the ammo because they just got too expensive to feed and the selling prices were good. I still have the .357 revolvers and some single actions, but my use has declined as I cannot get resupplies of even basic powder. I figure I have enough for maybe 200 more .357 reloads and then I'll be completely out of suitable powder. The powder shortage has also curtailed my handloading experiments for things like the 8mm Lebel, since if I use the rifle powder for those I won't be able to use it for my main rifles.
The only thing I can still find reliably for cheap locally is 5.45, 54R and 9mm Mak. So that's what I've gone over to. I still shoot the BPCR's as well since they run off BP which I can find. 5.56 has come back in supply but it's pricey and the stock tends to vanish.
But I've also noticed there have been hoarding runs on 5.45 as well. One man bought about 15 cans of it a few months back and we just now got another barge of it. That in turn encourages hoarding by the rest of us. 54R has yet to be hit by this, but I've increased my reserves just in case.
Alaska is an extreme case, so I'm not sure how widespread this sort of thing has been. Anyone else had that level of change in the gun closet?
AR-15 carbine
AR-15 retro
M-1A scout
Various .357's and .44 Mags
One Mosin-Nagant
Some black powder cartridge rifles
Now I have:
Six Mosin-Nagants
Makarov
AK-74 clone
The AR's and M1A were sold off along with the ammo because they just got too expensive to feed and the selling prices were good. I still have the .357 revolvers and some single actions, but my use has declined as I cannot get resupplies of even basic powder. I figure I have enough for maybe 200 more .357 reloads and then I'll be completely out of suitable powder. The powder shortage has also curtailed my handloading experiments for things like the 8mm Lebel, since if I use the rifle powder for those I won't be able to use it for my main rifles.
The only thing I can still find reliably for cheap locally is 5.45, 54R and 9mm Mak. So that's what I've gone over to. I still shoot the BPCR's as well since they run off BP which I can find. 5.56 has come back in supply but it's pricey and the stock tends to vanish.
But I've also noticed there have been hoarding runs on 5.45 as well. One man bought about 15 cans of it a few months back and we just now got another barge of it. That in turn encourages hoarding by the rest of us. 54R has yet to be hit by this, but I've increased my reserves just in case.
Alaska is an extreme case, so I'm not sure how widespread this sort of thing has been. Anyone else had that level of change in the gun closet?