Stocks of .223/5.56mm Are Dwindling

[JayPee]

Since the announcement that the BATFE will ban M855/SS109 ammo, I've been keeping a casual watch on some busy ammo sales sites and have noticed that stocks of .223/5.56mm loads are dwindling at a fairly rapid albeit not frantic rate.

This morning I checked on three of them that had a total of 323 loads listed for sale, and only 68 loads were in stock, which means that only 21% of the usually stocked loads are available. On one site it was 27 available of 68 total, on another it was 27 of 136, and on the third one it was 13 of 52.

Of the three, only Palmetto State Armory still has some of the .223 and 5.56mm hardball style loads available in bulk quantities, and I'll bet it won't last more than a day or two, if that long.

My conclusion is that .223/.56mm ammo evaporation isn't as radical as at other times in the past, but it's definitely there.

FWIW

JayPee

 

[Tony50ae]

You knew it was going to happen. And I was contemplating on buying some. Though I know most people are going to get the m855, its a sure bet a lot of people are getting misinformed and thinking all of it is getting banned and buying any 5.56/223. So instead of me buying ammo, I bought an AR instead and look what happens lol. I do have ammo on hand though since I also own a mini 14. I am just not as stocked as well as I want to be. And no money for awhile since I bought the AR.

 

[CoRoMo]

I've been monitoring this thread over at ARFCOM: http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_5/1718622_IN_STOCK_M855_thread_.html&page=1

Yesterday, lichter50 posted this link to Cabela's site and they had each of the different quantity boxes in stock. I was quite surprised and almost cashed in all my Cabela's points to get some while it was available. But I didn't.

They are sold out now, less than 24 hours later.

Other links in that ARFCOM thread, like the Brownells link... sold out now.

 

[ku4hx]

Are you limiting yourself to M855? I bought some M855 in bulk quantities a few months back because at the time it seemed like the thing to do. Lately I've been buying Wolf Gold and my AR guns really like it. And since it has reloadable brass boxer primed cases it's a double win for me.

It'll be regrettable at more than one level if the M855 stuff is banned, but there are viable alternatives out there and right now the prices are pretty good: 1,000 Wolf Gold 55 grain delivered for $315. That works out to 31.5 cents/shot and I can barely beat that with once-fired brass if I load 'em with jacketed bullets.

At Widener's right now: FXM193BL Lake City 5.56 55gr MCBT M193 AMMO $187.00 / 500 and WFG223 - Wolf Gold 223 55gr FMJBT w/c - $314.95 / 1000 Prepaid

If GunBot.com would work for me I might could find more.

 

[Thermactor]

How does Widener's "Prepaid" price scheme work? Does Prepaid mean that shipping is included, or is it paying for something that isn't yet in stock but will be at a later date?


One local Wal-Mart (Ronald Reagan Highway and Colerain Ave in Cincinnati) has been playing extreme hanky panky with the ammo display case over the past two days.
One night they refused to open the case saying that it was closed, come back the next day.
Yesterday around 7 I was told that the case was in a "Service Area" and that it was "closed" (On a weekday? At 7pm?) and another associate later told me that someone must have taken the key home.
Needless to say, there are many boxes and a couple cans of Federal M193 in the case, as well as a can of ZQ1 M855.
I expect them all to disappear if a real 223 panic begins in earnest and the associate who 'lost' the key suddenly finds it and calls his friends with the five o clock shadows to come clear out the stock.

 

[MachIVshooter]

If you shoot much 5.56 and hadn't been stocking up over the last year while it was available and cheap, shame on you.

If you are not able to sit back and watch the frenzy, knowing that you have sufficient stocks, but instead are contributing to the huge sucking sound that is the vacuum being created as all flavors of 5.56 fly off shelves and out of warehouses, shame on you.

The exact nature of the next catalyst was not known until this last weekend, but anyone who has paid even a little bit of attention over the last 8 years knew that sooner or later, one way or another, this was coming. And anyone who thought that only M855 would be affected was delusional; .22 LR and gunpowder were pretty far removed from the ire of the anti crowd post-SH, yet you are hard pressed to find either in quantity more than two years later, and are paying, at minimum, 50% more than pre-SH.

Those who haven't figured it out by now are a lost cause. The panics and shortages are entirely predictable these days. The only people who have an excuse are those who literally just came of age.

 

[Thermactor]

Oh and also please consider these things:
1) M855 took up about 60 percent of the AR platform ammunition market. (wild guess) This will be taken off the market.
2) After Sandy Hook, but before the BATFE Valentines Day announcement, it took a while but the M855, M193 and other loads eventually met and exceeded demand, prices came down, and stocks became quite plentiful.
3) Immediately after the Valentines Day Massacre, the M855 on the market all got sucked up by collectors and investors. Since it will be banned in a month, they won't even bother trying to make a panic batch of them, or to import some real quick. It's just gone.
4) So now more hands are clamoring for the M193 and other ammunition.
5) Remember Obama's sanctions on Russia? I think that includes Russian ammunition. I think it includes Wolf 223 ammunition. That was a huge part of the AR ammunition market too. Cheap Russian ammo will no longer be forthcoming if the suppositions in 5) are true. Other East Bloc countries may step in to produce equivalent products for our market, such as Ukraine, so this could go either way.

The salad days are over.

Check SGAmmo.com. http://www.sgammo.com/catalog/rifle-ammunition/223-556mm?sort=desc&order=Price
They are a good bellwether for real-time demand.
Their Wolf 223 is all sold out. Their PMC stuff is sold out too. All the cheapest stuff is gone.
They still have very limited stocks of Prvi, some XM193 stuff, and the rest is self-defense loads and specialty stuff that isn't cost-effective for practicing with.
By the end of the week, all they will have in stock will be the hunting loads.

 

[Tony50ae]

The only people who have an excuse are those who literally just came of age.

While I mostly agree with you MachIVshooter I don't on this. At least not entirely. Some may just not have the funds to stock deep. Or other purchases happen. For example, I just bought an AR15 literally just as this happened. Was contemplating on ammo instead. I really wanted the AR though as it is my first. Luckily since I own a mini-14, I have some ammo stocked. Just not as much as I would like. I have just over 700 rounds. No fault of my own as I do buy a small box here and there and was saving up for the new rifle. My hobby budget is only so large.

 

[MachIVshooter]

While I mostly agree with you MachIVshooter I don't on this. At least not entirely. Some may just not have the funds to stock deep. Or other purchases happen. For example, I just bought an AR15 literally just as this happened. Was contemplating on ammo instead. I really wanted the AR though as it is my first. Luckily since I own a mini-14, I have some ammo stocked. Just not as much as I would like. I have just over 700 rounds. No fault of my own as I do buy a small box here and there and was saving up for the new rifle. My hobby budget is only so large.

Prioritization.

People who couldn't afford ammo at 0.30/rd have no business jumping into the fray and maxxing out credit cards at twice the price.

People who could, but instead chose to go to movies, eat out at restaurants, but a new TV, etc. have nobody but themselves to blame if caught with their pants down.

For example, I just bought an AR15 literally just as this happened. Was contemplating on ammo instead. I really wanted the AR though as it is my first.............My hobby budget is only so large..

We all have limits. My hobby budget is not unlimited. Nowhere near it. But again, it's prioritization. Given the current climate, the ammunition market is predictably more volatile than firearms. Any restrictions or bans in the next two years are going to be the result of executive actions; that pretty well takes American made guns off the table. As such, if I felt my stocks were insufficient and had X amount of dollars to spend, ammo would have come first.

I have a good friend who always laments these panics, always wishes he'd bought more. And he'll partake in the frenzy to a degree. Doesn't seem to matter how many times this happens and how much we talk about it, he is just incapable of prioritizing accordingly. He and his wife make good money (more than my family by a lot), and their living arrangements are considerably lower cost. But they make poor financial decisions and are perpetually broke. Love them to death, they're closer than my biological family. But all I can do is shake my head when they find themselves unable to pay for things because they spend indiscriminately. And where the guns/mags/ammo is concerned, I have no sympathy. If it mattered as much to him the rest of the time as it does when he feels the crunch, he could have easily accumulated 10K+ rounds this past year. But instead he has purchased a bunch of stupid crap, and has a meager stock, probably fewer rounds of 5.56 than you do.

 

[ku4hx]

How does Widener's "Prepaid" price scheme work? Does Prepaid mean that shipping is included, or is it paying for something that isn't yet in stock but will be at a later date?

Shipping was included in the stated price.

 

[ku4hx]

If you shoot much 5.56 and hadn't been stocking up over the last year while it was available and cheap, shame on you.

Amen brother. Fool me once shame on you; fool me twice shame on me. Plan ahead; hope for the best but plan for the worst.

 

[ku4hx]

Prioritization.

People who couldn't afford ammo at 0.30/rd have no business jumping into the fray and maxxing out credit cards at twice the price.

People who could, but instead chose to go to movies, eat out at restaurants, but a new TV, etc. have nobody but themselves to blame if caught with their pants down.



We all have limits. My hobby budget is not unlimited. Nowhere near it. But again, it's prioritization.

I'd be willing to bet a lot of shooters have a cell phone and a data plan they pay a hefty monthly price for, attend movies and pay for $8 popcorn (or whatever it is now days) and buy other things they might could do without.

Is DOES come to priorities and thoughtful planning. Even in the midst of the current shortages, I found a vendor yesterday with all the Hodgdon BL-C(2) I wanted. But that little "victory" required daily searches; sometimes more often. Priorities, got to get them right for your chosen hobby or maybe you need a new hobby.

 

[hso]

Folks, BATFE hasn't banned this ammo yet. They're planning on changing the classification which would ban it IF the comments don't convince them that they shouldn't or if Congress convinces them they shouldn't. My best advice is to spend a little time contacting your congresspersons and demand that they stop BATFE from banning the sale of M855 BALL ammo to the public by classifying it as armor piercing when it doesn't meet the definition of armor piercing.

 

[moxie]

That's right. It's just a proposal by BATFE. It needs to go through many hoops before it ever becomes law.

There is no need at this point to run out and buy M855, which in my opinion isn't very good ammo anyway. I still prefer plain M193.

 

[JayPee]

That's the whole idea behind the original post - to show that regardless of whether or not the ban is effective yet, there is a run on both M855 and M193 going on right now.

Chances are if you don't go get some, there won't be any left.

 

[Thermactor]

Do you guys realistically think that the leadership of the BATFE, being the organ of the executive branch occupying the white house that it is, is honestly going to say "oh you guys are right! Our proposed rule change is unreasonable. We will drop the subject. M855 shall remain on the AP exemption list. The system works! You guys wrote to us and we listened."?

 

[Baldman]

Ok, I've only had an AR for a little over 2 years and I've never used this ammo, what are the advantages of it over and above that it seems to be plentiful and is less expensive?

That being said I'm not happy that our Gov't is looking at banning an item that has been in civilian use for multiple years. It looks like it is already causing a mini panic based on other posts and will / can impact other types of .223 /5.56as well. The next question is then what will they take away next? Banning more types of .223 / 5.56 ammo to try and minimize the use and purchase of the 'evil' black rifle? I guess my next correspondence should be to my Congress people and BATFE.

 

[Tony50ae]

I agree about prioritization. But with 11 other calibers to feed too, unfortunately 5.56 had to slide a little. But I do agree that people snatching it all up in a panic with the ones who really can't afford to shouldn't. Such is the nature of humans. Good news is with 11 other calibers to shoot, and stocked, I can wait this out!

Oh and HSO your right! Especially since m855 is not armor piercing ammo!

 

[CLP]

Ok, I've only had an AR for a little over 2 years and I've never used this ammo, what are the advantages of it over and above that it seems to be plentiful and is less expensive?

That being said I'm not happy that our Gov't is looking at banning an item that has been in civilian use for multiple years. It looks like it is already causing a mini panic based on other posts and will / can impact other types of .223 /5.56as well. The next question is then what will they take away next? Banning more types of .223 / 5.56 ammo to try and minimize the use and purchase of the 'evil' black rifle? I guess my next correspondence should be to my Congress people and BATFE.

No advantages over many other available ammo on the market or what a reloader can cast themselves. The accuracy of this ammo is irrelevant. The point is that the move to reclassify this as AP to prevent future sales of it is strictly a thinly veiled move to further the gun control agenda. Write your reps.

 

[Thermactor]

No advantages over many other available ammo on the market or what a reloader can cast themselves. The accuracy of this ammo is irrelevant. The point is that the move to reclassify this as AP to prevent future sales of it is strictly a thinly veiled move to further the gun control agenda. Write your reps.

Exactly. It does not matter what the proposal says, or how significant it might seem to someone. (even though it says a LOT, has HUGE implications for other calibers, and means a LOT to a LOT of people) - all of us must speak with one voice. Even Elmer F., who hunts wabbits with his double barreled shotgun.
The ATF won't listen.

But the federal courts might. Our elected representatives might.

 

[Mr. T]

MachIV Shooter I couldn't agree with you more. I had all my ammo purchases made in 2007. Anything purchased after that has been done on a sale/discount basis for me. I stocked up on not only FMJ's, but BTHP's and SP's. We use our AR's to hunt with, so we do have a fair amount of BTHP's and SP's....probably around a 2K each. FMJ's over 10K that's per gun quantities. I saw this scenario in 2007 when the shift in Congress took place. I know this is a politically neutral site, but if you couldn't pick up on what was happening then and what's transpired in between....well then you must be a special kind of stupid. As for those who have come of age after 2007....I feel for you! However don't give up. Buy what you can when you can even slowly you can build up your arsenal!

 

[stonecutter2]

That's the whole idea behind the original post - to show that regardless of whether or not the ban is effective yet, there is a run on both M855 and M193 going on right now.

Chances are if you don't go get some, there won't be any left.[/QUOTE]

until more gets stocked, of course.

 

[OpticsPlanet]

Wouldn't it be nice if instead of responding to these artificial market influencers and panic buying, we directly addressed the cause? No rush on stock, no inflated prices, no game playing...

That's what I dream of...where the BATFE draws a line in the sand, firearm owners collectively step over it and in a united fashion give em the finger....

Someday....anyways, ironically enough that last 2 boxes of 5.56 I bought (several months ago) were the 120rd federal green tip boxes so that's good enough for my "stockpile"

-Matt S.

 

[1911 guy]

I have no use for the M855 stuff. Other than passing a single penetration requirement, it does nothing M193 cannot do better.

Having said that, I am completely against the ATF proposing a ban on it. As has been stated by others in this thread and elsewhere, it has more to do with incrementalism than it does this specific ammunition.

Now is the time to write your reps and make it plain that you expect them to voice opposition and if they don't, you will remember come election time.

 

[moxie]

Well put!