Helping each other out through the ammo shortage

[SQLGeek]

I know it's my fault for not prioritizing my money while I could to ensure adequate supplies, especially of JHP so I guess having to pay ridiculous prices on ammo I can't find is just salt in the wound.

[gigag04]

I know it's my fault for not prioritizing my money while I could to ensure adequate supplies, especially of JHP so I guess having to pay ridiculous prices on ammo I can't find is just salt in the wound.

I'm with you, my earlier comments weren't to insult. Just to realize that getting when I can for what I want to pay is not guaranteed.

I wish I had more but not going into debt or breaking budget then or now to increase stock. I'm sitting ok, but have cut training down.

[TexasCajun]

Right now we need to be helping each other by practicing some voluntary moderation in our ammo purchasing.

Nice try. The fact is that ammo can be had in decent quantity & at a decent price. Have people been buying more than they have in the past? Sure. Has there been a panic with the shortages? Yep. Will this go on forever? I hope not. When it's all said & done, this is a real life lesson in the theory of supply & demand. Pointing fingers & trying to place blame won't change anything.

[CC Italian]

I know it doesn't help those looking for pistol and rifle ammo but remember that birdshot in 12 and 20 gauge is still cheap. The last few weeks I have been taking both to the range and having some much needed shotgun practice. I haven't seen an academy or walmart out of either so far. It will at least give you your range fix for a lot cheaper. 100 rounds for about 20 bucks. Not to bad!

[Skiprr]

The fact is that ammo can be had in decent quantity & at a decent price.

We're all waiting with baited breath...

[flechero]

The fact is that ammo can be had in decent quantity & at a decent price.

We're all waiting with baited breath...

I guess if you live near Freedom Munition's store in Houston, then you would be good to go for several calibers. I think that it's a tough go most places still. The occasional academy or walmart score is about all for most people.

Aside from that, you can get it online if you happen to be on the site within a few minutes of it being posted... I usually lose it in the time it takes to type out all the ship to info. I need to work on upping my wpm!

[fickman]

I have a neighbor who is relatively new to shooting. . . I believe he got his first handgun last year. I willingly sold him a 50 round box of WWB 9mm for $15 so he can take an advanced handgun course this month. No need to price gouge him. I'd rather have somebody else learning, doing the right thing, and becoming a staunch 2A defender.

As far as the "you should have been prepared" sentiment. . . there's lots of reasons somebody may not have been, not the least of which is they could have just recently turned 21, gotten home from overseas with the military, be coming out of financial struggles, or be a recently converted anti.

I agree with the sentiment. . . have a goal, buy what you need, help somebody out if you can. I've been impressed with ammo and AR prices in our little community here, even during the toughest times.

[Beiruty]

We should make a constructive effort to "pull in" Walmart pistol range ammo and make it available for CHL members at cost. It is incentive to meet FTF!

[TexasCajun]

The fact is that ammo can be had in decent quantity & at a decent price.

We're all waiting with baited breath...

I think I meant to follow that statement with this: it just takes some work. I periodically check the Academy & Carters Country stores near home & work. I also periodically check gunbot.net. The online angle is a lot easier if you register & pre-fill your payment & shipping info before you get a strike.

In doing this, I'm able to shoot every couple of weeks & replenish. Granted, since all of this started I haven't gone to the range to just blow through a couple of boxes. My range sessions are much more focused & goal-oriented now. But I still have fun.

[n5wd]

From my experience at the Fort Worth gun show this last weekend, it appears that ammo is beginning to be more plentiful, and prices do seem to be coming down.

There were several vendors that were out of .22, 9mm and .45 - they seemed to be the ones that had the best (closest to pre-scare) prices. Then there were others that had lots of everything you wanted - they were the ones that were charging the exorbitant prices.

For example, managed to score some boxes of 333 count .22 hollow points for $25 each on Sunday. And while, yes, that's more than I paid last year, it wasn't outside of what I was willing to pay now (especially since I hadn't been able to go on Saturday morning). There were others selling the same boxes of 333 for $50-60, and more than a couple of folks trying to get $80-90 for 525 packs. They carried their ammunition home with them for the most part. I didn't price any 9mm stuff, since I've still got a case+ at home, but my son was looking for 40mm for his Beretta 96, and most of that was still pretty high.

[myntalfloss]

Well, I just got back from my 3rd weekly ammo search of all the Walmarts and Academys within 40 miles. Of course, I found squat.

As I was riding, I wasn't thinking "Darn that Obammy for trying to take my guns". I was thinking that I'll sure be glad when all the 'black helicopters a'coming' idiots finally get their ammo stash topped off, and maybe then there'll be some ammo for the rest of us. But, apparently, there is no such thing as 'enough'.

Yeah, the anti-gun nuts ARE TRYING to restrict our gun rights but the pro-gun nuts HAVE TAKEN away our ammo. We're literally dry firing ourselves in the foot. (We'd be shooting ourselves in the foot if we had any ammo.)

I blame ignorance and human nature. They're like sheep and they only have two speeds; graze and stampede. Correction, make that one speed, they've been stampeding for over 5 years now.

Sorry about the rant, but this just pisses me off and I had to get it off my chest.

Semper Fi

[SigP250]

Well, I just got back from my 3rd weekly ammo search of all the Walmarts and Academys within 40 miles. Of course, I found squat.

As I was riding, I wasn't thinking "Darn that Obammy for trying to take my guns". I was thinking that I'll sure be glad when all the 'black helicopters a'coming' idiots finally get their ammo stash topped off, and maybe then there'll be some ammo for the rest of us. But, apparently, there is no such thing as 'enough'.

Yeah, the anti-gun nuts ARE TRYING to restrict our gun rights but the pro-gun nuts HAVE TAKEN away our ammo. We're literally dry firing ourselves in the foot. (We'd be shooting ourselves in the foot if we had any ammo.)

I blame ignorance and human nature. They're like sheep and they only have two speeds; graze and stampede. Correction, make that one speed, they've been stampeding for over 5 years now.

Sorry about the rant, but this just pisses me off and I had to get it off my chest.

Semper Fi

Hey I couldn't agree more buddy! I been finding little ammo as I go, I got enough hollow points in my safe to have a piece of mind. I do blame ignorance too, its completely ridiculous how hard ammo is hard to find and some pro-gun nuts are taking every piece they find when others do need it too. I had one guy tell me at Academy he is getting ready for the next civil war, that concerns me that he was being serious...

[myntalfloss]

Thanks Sig,

Can't tell you how surprised I was to find a postive post as the first response. I have a history of being vilified for pointing out the obvious and I appreciate your response.

[alvins]

I know it doesn't help those looking for pistol and rifle ammo but remember that birdshot in 12 and 20 gauge is still cheap. The last few weeks I have been taking both to the range and having some much needed shotgun practice. I haven't seen an academy or walmart out of either so far. It will at least give you your range fix for a lot cheaper. 100 rounds for about 20 bucks. Not to bad!

when walmart was selling my favorite shotgun shells i would buy several boxes every weekend.Lately i have been buying them at academy buying all they had.i have pretty decent supply now.and i have noticed the price has gone up recently.

[jmra]

Thanks Sig,

Can't tell you how surprised I was to find a postive post as the first response. I have a history of being vilified for pointing out the obvious and I appreciate your response.

I probably fit your definition of a pro gun nut. But I think you guys may be overlooking what is probably the greatest factor in the ammo shortage - 2.78 million background checks processed in the month of December. There is no way to determine how many guns that equates to as multiple firearms can be purchased at the same time under one background check and people with a CHL forego background checks.
Here is a little graph that is interesting:

These are background checks for the first 3 months of several years. As you can see we are continuing to set records. Combine the first 3 months of this year and this past December and you are talking almost 10 million background checks in 4 months. Again, this does not come anywhere close to determining the number of guns sold due to reasons stated earlier. The number of guns sold is much higher.
So, what does this have to do with the ammo shortage?
1. Many of these purchasers were first time gun owners who immediately went looking for ammo. When they saw there wasn't a lot available they bought everything they could find.
2. Many who were not first time buyers bought handguns in a caliber they did not previously possess. When they saw there wasn't a lot available they bought everything they could find.

As far I'm concerned these people aren't gun nuts. They are just people looking for ammo just like you during a time that gun sales are thru the roof and ammo manufacturers just don't have the ability to produce ammo fast enough.