Ammunition Availability

bandaidman

bandaidman

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Feb 11, 2001
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For the first time in a long time, I found practice ammo on the shelves of the stores I visited today.

Most had box limits, but all had practice rounds available in most calibers. The exceptions being .22LR and 9mm.

Was able to find 5.56 and .45 in winchester white boxes/umc/pmc . I remember when I used to complain about cases of .223 costing more than a $100. C'est la vie

I used to have trouble finding .380 even before the events of late last year. I could have bought 1000 rounds today at prices comparable to 5 years ago.

Hopefully things are improving
 
No such luck where I live. A 50 round box of 22LR still costs over $10 for the cheap stuff (Thunderbolt, Wildcat, ...).
 
Still no luck here out in Hawaii. I've really been hesitant to go shooting lately.
 
Wharn said:
Still no luck here out in Hawaii. I've really been hesitant to go shooting lately.
Click to expand...

Same here. I would love to go shoot some of the new .22s I picked up cheap when everyone was dumping them to buy ARs and AKs but I can't replace the ammo. Last week I found a 325rd box of Federal Auto Match and was so surprised to see it I paid the $30 for it. There are a few places that have big stocks of ammo but they are selling by the round. At $.15 a round, I'll pass. The rounds I shoot the most: .22LR, 9mm, 7.62x39 and .30-06 are still in very short supply.

I really don't think the shortage is that bad any more. Stores are getting ammo but people clean it out before it hits the shelves. I was going fishing a couple weekends ago and had to stop by Wally World on the way out. At 0600 there were literally almost 30 people standing at the ammo counter waiting for the guy to unbox his shipment. As I walked by he was counting off what he had and the next guy in line says "I'll take everything you have!" And the kid sold it to him. and I've seen this same guy at the local Dick's and other places doing the same thing. It's these jack holes that are causing the shortage by hoarding.
 
Everything has been available by mailorder last couple of weeks. Even bought 4 brick of .22lr at normal prices plus reasonable shipping.
 
I just read a article in a gun magazine on the subject. The shortage is due to mostly to hoarding and panic buying. Some of the ammo makers are working 3 shifts and can't keep up
with the demand. There also seems to be a shortage of raw materials. (lead, copper and brass) Much of the ammo I see for sale is imported. (Russia, Serbia, and others.)

There is a another factor that I can't discuss here because it may be political. ;)
 
I saw bricks of .22's for $26.99 on the shelf of one local shop today. These people who are paying the big bucks are going to be sorry. Just like the ones who paid big bucks for those ARs!! It will be back to normal soon if you just wait it out. I would shoot 177 cal bb guns before I would pay $120 for a brick of .22's! :D
Kevin
 
Availability is getting much better for most calibers around here with the exception of .22 long rifle and 9mm
and for some odd reason .380 auto...

I think things are working themselves out in the supply and demand department. I still can't
find large rifle primers or very much powder but things are starting to turn around for sure
 
Its been the hoarders that caused the shortage all this time. Idiots gobble up anything they can get, some of them spending their bill money to buy ammo or an AR or something. I'm starting to see ammo slowly increasing on the shelves around here, but no .22lr or 9mm yet. It'll be back. In the meantime I've been spending ammo money on accessories for guns or of course... knives.:D
 
kda89508 said:
I saw bricks of .22's for $26.99 on the shelf of one local shop today. These people who are paying the big bucks are going to be sorry. Just like the ones who paid big bucks for those ARs!! It will be back to normal soon if you just wait it out. I would shoot 177 cal bb guns before I would pay $120 for a brick of .22's! :D
Kevin
Click to expand...

I hear that. I've seen WASR 10's (El Cheapo AKs) go from $400+/- to almost $1200 in some local shops! I was just in one of the larger local shops the other day and noticed they had lowered their prices from $1169 for a WASR to $979, what a deal! Luckily I bought my Polish Underfolder right before the scare and paid less than $500 for it with a bunch of mags and accessories.

Every now and then at Wally World or Dick's I'll find a box of 7.62x39 that was busted open or something and passed over by the hoarders.
 
I went to cabelas and my lgs yesterday and the both had ammo in everything but 22LR. Cabelas only had a few boxes of 9mm but my lgs looked to have several cases on the shelves. I was pleased to see they both has 308 and 223 in stock too. My guessing by mid-fall things will start to get back to normal.

Scott
 
RussB said:
Availability is getting much better for most calibers around here with the exception of .22 long rifle and 9mm
and for some odd reason .380 auto...
Click to expand...

.22s and 9mm have always been among the most popular calibers. With the proliferation of CCWs, the gun makers flooded the market with small .380 pistols
which sold like hotcakes. The ammo makers were caught off guard, but have more or less caught up with the demand for .380.

Some of hoarders think that WTSHTF .22 ammo will be the best currency. Maybe.....maybe not. ;)
 
The Wally World here is still pretty much bare, unless you need deer hunting ammo or are fighting in WW2. Nothing in pistol calibers.
 
I know you are talking about local finds but there is still a tool to help for online searching if you do not mind mail order. You can use gunbot (google it) to find stock and prices online. It auto-refreshes every so often with updates. I've noticed that it, too, has listed more availability with different types, brands, and caliber of ammo as of late.
 
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