Sorry to say it, but if you don’t reload or have a stockpile of ammo, it’s gonna be a rough Road for awhile.

We're going to the range later today but I've already told my son we won't be burning up 300-500 rounds like we usually do since what we will be shooting is 9mm and 223 and resupply on either looks dicey for a while.

Stopped by my local Bass Pro for reasons unrelated to ammo, but I had to stop by and check. Well, the shelves were pretty much empty of all centerfire pistol & MSR ammo... except .40 S&W!

Man, that brings back memories of the post-Newtown days! Déjà vu all over again!

Sorry for the blurry photo, but the lights were off in the Bass Pro. They were only letting 50 people in at a time. You had to wait outside until someone left. They also encouraged you to get what you need and get out fast!

The big surprise for me was that .22 LR ammo was still available. No, I didn't buy any. I'm good for now!

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A few local shops are out of some calibers, especially 9mm.

This is one reason Ive never been a fan....or understood, why people stick to one caliber. I have friends who sold off .40/45ACP guns to stick with 9mm guns......yet in times like these.....cant find 9mm ammo.....yet there is plenty of .40 and 45 in my area.

I get owning multiple calibers can get expensive however it never hurts to have them around especially when ammo is scarce.

I have plenty, but got on waiting lists at a couple of the big ammo sellers. I just came into some cash and will spend it if the price is right.

Buying a few cases of 9mm to see you through shortages is less expensive than buying guns in multiple calibers hoping you can buy ammo for one of them.

While there is no logical reason for it I have found guns are like kids. You have to feed all of them all the time.

IMHO, at today's inflated prices do not buy any more ammo than what you need to operate the guns you already have or will acquire in the near future.

I do not suggest taking advantage of another's misfortune. However, with the downturn in the economy many will be willing to take less in selling a gun than what they would have insisted on just a month ago. If you have gun money burning a hole in your pocket, take some of what you won't spend on overpriced ammo and get a good deal on a gun you might not have otherwise been able or willing to afford.

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Buy American
Vote Responsibly

My friend sold his home and moved to Phoenix a few years ago. He had a hard enough time transferring a hundred or so guns (it seemed like that amount) to the mainland so he asked me to help him out with his ammo.

I ended up buying something like 30K cartridges (a lot of .22s but more centerfire rounds by far), 50K primers and about 40 lbs of powder.

I've sold off a lot of that through the local gun shows and our local forum but I still had enough to where I recently sold some .308 and 5.56 at a tidy profit.

Just before the pandemic became serious I managed to pick up nearly 2K .38 rounds, 3K 9mm and 1+K of .308 and M2 Ball. The timing was perfect--I had cash and people I knew or just met had ammo they wanted to get rid of. I've yet to make a decision about selling some 9mm, the .38s I'm keeping to feed my new Smiths.

I probably have enough cartridges to last me 10 to 15 years but the thing is this--I decided long ago to be prepared to buy entire collections, accumulations, estates, whatever, with the goal of flipping most of it to fund other buyouts. I enjoy doing it, I know my local market very well and I treat people fairly and I deal honestly. I have repeat business from some guys, I get referrals from others and most of all I help people who sometimes get stuck with more stuff than they know what to do with.

I have fun doing it, I've picked up some very nice keepers along the way and I've managed to help more than a few people with their problems.

I don't resent the term "opportunist," I'm more of a problem solver.

Well the intersection of renewed interest in ammo and enforced confinement to my home has had an interesting result. I’ve been in the habit of picking up ammo as it becomes available at reasonable prices. What has happened when it arrives home, it seems to get stashed in random places and forgotten. The aforementioned result is that as I stumble across these random stashes, I’m finding I have more ammo than I thought... not just enough to defend my toilet paper stash and aquarium chemicals now, but I’m probably ready for the ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!!
Organized people never make the exciting discoveries I do.
Life is looking better all the time.
Froggie

It’s the millions of people who are unemployed and broke that worry me.

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Just hanging with my dogs

Ammunition still easer to get compared to TP!!

I won't pay inflated prices. If I can buy something reasonable, I will. Otherwise, there is no need to waste money.

The Texas AG just told cities and counties they can not close gun stores.

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Dogs are better than people.

I was able to sell 900 rounds of .223/5.56mm ammo yesterday at a tidy profit, so I'm feeling pretty good.

Needed a few boxes of 357 so I ordered on March 29. Already shipped, arriving on April 2. J&G Sales. Ammoseek is our friend.

Things must be getting better. I was in the local Murdoch's today, a ranch supply place, and they had ammo in stock in most calibers including 9mm and 5.56. They were limiting sales to 4 boxes per customer, but it didn't seem to by flying off the shelves.

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Everybody could shoot

Reading this made me laugh out loud so much I had to read it again just to do the same... BRAVO my fellow compatriot! If I'm gonna die let me die laughing!

Went to the local Dunham's first thing this morning. The Sunday/Monday special is Blazer Brass 9mm @ $8.99/box. Was expecting a long line at the door to get in. Didn't happen, I was there at opening and only 1 other person in the store-filling out a 4473. The Blazer Brass was stacked up on the counter and the Asst. Mgr. was stacking up Federal 9mm as well. Cases of ammo on the floor. I asked if there was a limit and she said No, how many do you want? I could only afford 10 boxes, otherwise I would've bought more. I commented that they should sell a ton of it today and tomorrow; she replied "I hope so". I'm hoping this might be a turning point in ammo availability. At least they're not gouging like other places are!! Kudos to the local Dunham's!! :-)

Others are reporting occasional positive signs that the frenzy may be starting to ease. I was pleased to hear that my most recent TSUSA order will be shipped out on Monday.

Well, I had to know if the local Dunham's had any Blazer Brass 9mm ammo left from yesterday. They still had 30-40 boxes left, even after I bought another 10 boxes (sorry I just couldn't help myself). Sale price on this ammo 4 weeks ago was $8.50/box ($170/1,000 rds). Today's price $8.99 box ($179.80/1,000 rds). So I guess I did okay, considering how much some retailers have jacked up their prices!
Now, if everything else would just get back to "normal" :-(

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Sellier & Bellot 9mm Luger Ammo 124 Grain Full Metal Jacket

Sellier & Bellot 9mm Luger Ammo 115 Grain Full Metal Jacket

$215 a case shipped

I have to laugh at some of the gouging going on. I say laugh, but it does irritate me; I just won't be buying it.

I found a shipping label from my last case order:
1 case of S&B 124 gr fmj, from Ammoboard. $174.99, no tax, free shipping. Date- 2/8/20.

Ammoboard has this back in stock, current price $413.50. That's just shameful. And like I noted on my previous post, it ain't S&B jacking up the prices, as someone else has it for half that.

Cabelas also has ammo available. Normal prices if I recall, plus they have their SPRING CLUB DAYS and since the stores are all closed if you call catalog they will honor the $ 75 credit (if spending $ 500 or more) and ship to you at no charge!

Just bought 10,000 rounds of LR at a sick price. High quality shells too.

I recently got some at 5 cents per round and thought that was pretty good.
Larry

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

I think it is safe to say that there was something of a glut in the ammo supply from Fall of '19 until the beginning of concerns about the Plague. Prices from online sellers as well as local vendors reflected this glut and there were artificially low prices to be found. As demand resumed, the glut disappeared and prices went up accordingly.

Part of the increase in demand has to do with the uncertainty as to how local, state and national gooberment officials would react to the crisis... would gun stores be closed? Would new regulations get rushed through?
And so on... early concern by the timid but unprepared started a stampede and the rest, as they say, is history!

Froggie

For those interested, or just following trends- Brownell's currently has Blazer Brass 115 gr 9mm, $219 for a 1k case, coupon code XAC drops it to $199 shipped. It's listed as "in stock".

That's back to near-normal pre COVID prices. I generally considered $200 a case as "normal", and would buy when things dropped to $180 shipped.
I think this means things are settling down.

Last shortage during Barry's term, I came up short of .22 rimfire and spent the time shooting .38 Special instead. I had powder & primers and was able to find bullets. I just couldn't find .22 RF and sort of stopped shooting it. I now have sufficient stock of .22 (still not shooting it much), .38/.357, and .40 S&W. I took up 9mm and competitive shooting during the last 3 years. I learned from the past and stocked up on 9mm at low prices before Covid.

I recently bought 1200+ rounds of ball ammo for a fair, but not particularly low, price from an older friend who is slowly getting out of the shooting sports due to his deteriorating eyesight. He sweetened the deal when I met him to buy the ammo by throwing in several partial boxes of various brands. It was good timing. I am breaking in a new pistol and am able to shoot as much as I want during the lockdown. The mixed brand partial boxes were great for break in.

Thanks for the heads up, I just ordered a case. Hope it doesn't go out of stock before it ships.

I shoot 5 gauges (well 4 plus .410) of shotguns, 18 pistol calibers and 7 rifle calibers. I have enough factory ammo to last me to the end of my life and enough reloading supplies to last my son in law through the end of his, but I do buy ammo, when available to replace what I have used. Right now my use is way down, so no need to buy, but I have done some fill in purchases from TargetSportsUSA, without a problem.

Bob

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Sag Harbor & Manhattan, N.Y.

I got an email yesterday that Bass Pro will be delivering 500 rds of 9mm tomorrow. I ordered it on the 30th of last month for $99. Last week, I ordered more 1,000 more 9mm for approx $200.

Well, until I get the chance to go out and use up some of it, my ammo supply looks pretty good. I was low on 38s of all things, so I loaded up another 100 HBWCs on my Dillon... boy, was it gummy from disuse! I can’t decide now whether to limp through another hundred rounds before I tear it down to change primer feeds and start up with 45s or whether it would be better to service it enough to smooth it out, then load a couple hundred more 38s before making the switch. It will be nice to have a bit of a backlog of 38s, since I’m sure I’ll increase my shooting considerably when the departure of the Kung Flu and arrival of nice weather coincide.

Regardless, for once I feel well supplied with ammo, even though with some calibers it will involve assembling it!

Froggie

My Wal-Mart has all kinds of 22 ammo on the shelf.

Brownells still has the Blazer Brass in stock. Had it in my cart, when I realized I could buy it locally for the same price-$9.99 box plus tax. Actually came out a few dollars cheaper for 1,000 rounds, and I don't have to buy 1,000 rounds to get that price. This store usually runs 9mm on sale @ $8.50-$8.99, so $9.99 isn't bad, but not great. I'll hold out and see what happens. :-) Appreciate the heads up tho, some folks may not have access like I do.

As an older member here(in age at least 73 yrs old) I like many members have weathered various ammo shortages come every election cycle, Natural disasters,school shootings and like events. I tend to learn from these experiences and act accordingly. So if I picked up a box or two for my 30-30 I would do the same regarding pistol or shotgun ammo. It all ads up over time. And it does not break the bank. Have a decent selection of powders and bullets and if push comes to shove can cast my own cast bullets. Which is why more folks should get into casting their bullets. While there is sort of a learning curve involved it is a pleasant hobby and saves wear and tear on your valued firearms. I feel sorry for those buying guns and ammo now due in part to the chinese virus. They are so far behind the curve it isn't funny. Case in point,I advised a good friend to get a couple S&W M&P 2.0 compacts in 9mm one for him the other for his wife. And maybe pick up a used Remington 870 12 guage. And did he do anything about this. Nope, nada,nyet, and any other negative you can think of.Really saddens me. Frank

TargetSportsUSA has all the calibers available. not every brand, but still good selection. I ordered a case of federal 223REM on wednesday and it arrived at my house yesterday. They ship UPS and they ship FAST!

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S&W BG380, S&W 915 9mm