Like most out there I have been trying to buy some ammo. I don't want to hoard, just add a few boxes of the various calibers that I like to shoot at the range, 32, .380, 38, 9mm, 44 etc.

The local Big Five gets a delivery and restocks their shelves every Monday morning around 1030. I stopped by at 1015 to find 15 guys sitting around on ice chests waiting to buy whatever they put put out on the shelves. Come back at 1045 and every box was sold and gone {no limits per customer}.

Fortunately the LGS gets ammo in bulk and while the prices are absurdly high from just a few months ago they do have it on the shelf with reasonable limits. Picked up a box of 500 rounds of 9mm for $300 {one box per customer}, 300 rounds of .380 for $130 {one box per customer}, a box of 44 mag for $45 and 5.56 was 150 rounds for $130 {2 boxes per customer}. Threw in a package of shoot and see targets and walked out for $872.

The 9mm, and .380 I will be splitting with my best friend and the 5.56 is for him as he just got a nice Colt AR and has been unable to buy a single round anywhere for the last 6 months {I bought him two boxes}. We get together every couple of months and head to the local range. Next month will be the first time he will be able to fire his new rifle and he just added a Glock 9mm to his collection so it should be a fun trip.

I try to keep at least a couple of boxes of every caliber in my armory but 32 and 38's are next to impossible to find at any price. I jumped on the .380 and was damned glad to find some more 9mm. I've given up on finding any 357's and 22 Mag's are just a distant memory. Shotgun shells are still somewhat available and still have a couple of bricks of 22's.

My understanding is that the manufacturers have not slowed production, if anything they are cranking it out as fast as they can. I doubt that will change as there is so much money being made so other than hoarding why is ammo so hard to find...regardless of the price?

Simple answer? The guys on the ice chests.

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The best I can with what I got

Wonder if this is showing up on craigslist or ebay. Looks like our own is doing it to us again.

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9tenz

Gunbroker and other sites is where these people are selling the ammo they are waiting for. I have plenty of 22 but I went onto GB and saw sales of 5000 rounds of CCI Mini Mags all the way up to $1400.00 per case. This is not for sale but sold so someone is buying it at those prices.

"the prices are absurdly high from just a few months ago"

My guess is that they only get a small allotment of ammo, yet still have to pay the same overhead (utilities/rent/mortgage/salaries/etc.) out of the meager sales they are able to make.

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You're shy a few manners.

I encourage ever shooter out there to start reloading. Every
cal mentioned I load for and have a great supply of brass, powder,
bullets and primers. And for you younger guys, when you buy
components, push yourself and buy primers by the sleeve (5K) bullets
by the thousands and lots and lots of powder. When this is over, it will
happen again. Everyone gets advice. Only the wise profit from it.

Am glad you found some rounds at what might be considered a reasonable price now a days. However by learning through multiple previous experiences combined with planning ahead, am not worrying about availability..... yet. Given the record numbers of gun sales, possible future of regulations and changing population curves, the scarcity is not unexpected.

I agree with this statement. There are scores of ads for ammo on the local firearms forum, all quantity offerings at insane inflated prices. My first thought when this all started was that guys were taking advantage of the market to sell off ammo stocks surplus to their shooting needs. But with the quantities being offered it is obvious these guys are speculators profiting off the current situation. It pisses you off for sure, but it is the law of supply and demand and our economy has shown that capitalism works as an economic engine.

You just have to get there earlier...beat them at their own game.

I found a small gun shop near me yesterday out in the country. Believe it or not they actually have ammo, guns and more! I asked for a box of 38 special which they had in stock at a whopping $90 for a box of 50! This is getting insane. No thanks, they could keep it at that price.

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

With prices like that no wonder that they have ammo in stock.

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BTDT, Got The T-Shirt

Remember this the next time people start in with the “support your local Mom and Pop gunshop” stuff. I’d bet some of the ice chest vultures cited above work for smaller shops.

What a strange world where the big box stores are our true friends.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Sure makes me glad I reload and have a decent supply of components.

OP here and a couple of posts reminded me of something that happened about 12 years ago when Obama was first elected. Everyone went spastic, he was going to take all of our guns and ammo etc., etc. and much like now ammo was outrageously priced if you could even find some.

The local Walmart gun guy told me that every Tuesday when they got their ammo shipment the LGS would send every employee they had to be in line when their incoming stock hit the shelves. They each bought the max allowed, dutifully took it back to their shop where it was marked up about 150%. Funny how some things just never seem to change... sigh.

After a few months the market settled out as supply began to catch up with demand just as I am sure it will once again. Like the old Pogo cartoon... we have met the enemy and he is us.

The scarcity and high prices are permanent.
There will be some fluctuations year to year, as average prices and availability improve somewhat, but we will never see 2019 prices and supply levels again.
I have stopped all shooting of rifle and pistol cartridge guns, except for a couple of my carry guns which I shoot 6 to 10 rounds of ammo through every six months or so. Ammo has become too precious for me to burn up in target practice. What I have on hand I bought cheap years ago, and replacement costs are scary.
I have several black powder guns and an ample supply of powder, caps, and flints. These guns will do anything I am likely to need a firearm for, so they will be my “ go to “ guns for the foreseeable future.

Sounds to me like they need to build more production facilities!

That's what they say every Panic. And eventually they're giving away ammo and guns again. Be patient. This too shall pass.

There are 5 basic groups of ammo buyers.

1. first group has a good stash built over time, and/or reloads and has components
2. next group owns a few guns maybe, has a couple boxes of ammo that lasts months to years, but they wanted insurance this year
3. 3rd group has guns, but not a deep stash of ammo, and they got hit by the panic, and now things are tight
4. 4th group are the new gun buyers, who need ammo for their guns
5. 5th are the flippers, who buy and sell to make a profit

Now, everyone is looking, but not everyone is buying.

Group 1 is watching, trying to find a deal, or just watching the market.
Group 2 has likely added their additional ammo, they feel good.
Group 4 has spent a couple hundred on their guns, likely that much on ammo for their new guns, and are now good... they will mostly join group 2.

Group 4 and 5 are out there daily, fighting each other for whatever hits the shelves. Group 4 hates group 5, but are the reason that group exists.

Federal is shipping ammo to Bass Pro and Academy. It's $14.99 a box of 50 on the shelf. That isn't far from pre-covid prices, Federal was never the cheapest brand.

I'm in group 1, I don't need any more. If you want to buy it all, good for you. But I'm not going to pay you double to get my share, so I will leave you to choke on it. I have $8 boxes of S&B and Fiocchi. Enough to last, last quite a few years if I have to slow down.
I can go to the range and shoot a magazine if need be, and then ease off. I don't have to shoot 200 rds just because I can, it doesn't necessarily do any good, and right now it isn't worth it.

I can wait you out, until you can't afford to keep buying it, and can't keep storing it.
That time will come sooner if a bunch of us join me in waiting.

And sooner or later, that increased production will fill the shelves, and then deliveries will leave stores overstocked. And they eventually have to run sales to move it, to keep things flowing. And then I will start buying more again.

I happened into a LGS today that actually had some ammo on the shelf. The only ammo that I seriously looked at was .45 ACP S&B ball. It was $39 for box of 50. Were I desperate I would have paid it. I wasn't, so I didn't. Maybe six months ago I did pay $30 for 100 .45 ACP reloads at the range, which I considered semi-reasonable.

The guys on the ice chests aren’t the problem. The people stupid enough to pay their prices are. People stop paying those prices and the ice chest guys disappear. I don’t want to hear about new shooters needing ammo. If I was a first time gun buyer, I’d be forced to buy ONE box of ammo so I could defend my family. I’d fire one magazine or cylinder to verify I could do it, load the gun and not fire another round until this madness was over. $30 for a box of target load 9MM? No way I’d pay that unless I had not one round.

I started reloading after Newtown. I’m low on primers but have thousands of primed rounds ready to load. But when this is over, components will be my new focus.

I went into my local Bass Pro Wednesday and they actually had some ammo for the first time in a long time. 50 rd boxes of 40 for $18.99 and 100 round boxes of 38 and most surprisingly, 380. Both for $49.99. They had a few 50 rd boxes of 10mm too. All range ammo, but it was the first 380 I've seen since this all began.

I wonder if we're reaching a saturation point. Midway has had IMI 9mm ammo for the past several days. They are advertising it quite heavily and I have gotten several e mails. I guess no one wants it at $1.20 a round. I've also noticed on Gun Broker that even though they are getting sky high prices for stuff and seem to be selling it, the bidding activity has slowed some. Where a couple of months ago ammo would have 30, 40 or more bids, a lot of stuff I see is selling with under 10. One of the local LGS's had 45 and 9mm on the shelf for several days and lots of primers that no one was buying. I'm not sure how long they can let stuff sit around before the price starts to drop. The Wal Mart stuff goes quick because it is relatively cheep. So could this be a sign or just wishful thinking? Ammo is not food. Most people can not afford to shoot $1 a round 9mm regularly. There is only so much disposable income available to spend on hobbies. These prices will not last much longer.

I'm in group 1. The only thing I needed in 2020 was .40 S&W when I bought some 3rd Generation pistols.

Luckily the LGS had plenty on the shelf at pre-pandemic prices and I bought a few boxes each Saturday. So I'm good.

I still have a boatload of .44 Magnum light reloads from my late brother and a sweet 629-1 6" to shoot them out of.

I think I'll start using them up. And when ammo gets back to normal, I'll pick a few boxes of .40 caliber every time I go shooting.

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BTDT, Got The T-Shirt

Glory stories:

Just a 1-2 years back Federal was running rebates and I got a case of 9mm for $135!! Grabbed a case of 45acp for $180!!
Bought a case of 9mm NATO in a new ammo can for $200 no rebates!

I'm well stocked but now realize I lack enough 38 special. Prices go down I'm getting 3 cases asap!

I like the idea of reloading but I don't shoot enough to get into reloading and I don't really need another activity to obsess over.
Being fully involved to do it right (ie Obsession) has its own requirements.
I know me - I would have to have the latest whiz-bang do-hickie to hang on at least one of my 3 or 4 presses.....

Right before covid i bought 1k rounds of 9mm
For $8.50 a box
And 1k rounds of 45 ACP for $14.00 a box.
American made speer brass ammo.
Soon it will be back to overstock & prices will fall.
I guess its worth what people pay at the time.

I'm in group 1. Started buying mostly components and some factory ammo every month after the last shortage. Now I'm trading stuff I have a lot of for stuff I want or need. Not selling anything though.

I did just buy 340 rounds of 7.62x39 for $70 yesterday, which brings my stock in this caliber up to 2000 rounds. That is the one caliber I haven't started reloading yet. This is the most significant purchase of ammo or components I've made in months. When the panic ends and prices come down again - and it will - components for reloading this round will be the first thing I stock up on.

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

That reminds me of a local guy here. Everyone talks about how he's the only guy with a good selection of ammo. I stopped in a couple weeks and ago and noticed no ammo was priced. I asked about his steel cased Russian 45acp. He told me "$1.00 a round and it's going up".

There is not a shortage. Just check on line and see all the high dollar ammo. All you want if you want to pay their prices. The problem is the hoarders and gouges. I bet most of the gun shops have ammo stuck back for those who buy guns. I know our local Gander Outdoors does. They also have a lot more shotgun ammo on the shelves. I am not a hoarder and I hope I have enough to get through this. Certainly not a gouger because what I have is not for sale. I will help out a friend if need be. If you have a good supply then good for you but hope you are not a gouger.

There is most definitely also a shortage, if there wasn't the high online prices wouldn't exist and brick and mortar stores would have supply. My local BPS used to have a whole aisle of ammo, both sides. For the last 6 months their entire ammo selection could fit in a large shoebox, and typically in a very small shoebox...

Hit Cabelas today at the right time as a truck arrived this AM. Was able to get 3 boxes of 9mm brass case, 3 boxes of .380 and 500 CCI Blazer .22 for a good price! Happy, happy, happy!

I think things are beginning to come around, at least in some areas.

One of the other sites I frequent is mostly local.
This was from today, after noon, regarding one of the local Academy stores
This was posted on same board, on Tuesday
So the big box stores are getting stuff in, and the prices don't seem bad (no idea about the cost of .270, assuming that is fair).

I get the sense that if we calm down and quit paying the scalpers, things will be back to reasonable soon. There was a month or so where nobody could find anything (or weren't posting it). Now, these finds are getting pretty common.

I went into a Walmart in another town yesterday, and just for fun went by the sporting goods counter. Surprise, surprise - they had Stingers and 22 magnums (two different kinds) for normal prices, and no limit! I got five boxes of Stingers and one of the magnums. The clerk said they just came in the day before and she had sold a lot. They probably had 25 boxes when I left. I was wanting some Stingers for my Bersa last spring when the drought started so this worked out good for me.

In my region Academy gets shipments Mon-Wed-Fri.
Sometimes there is a line, sometimes not.

The reloader's ability to survive a drought isn't very different than a non-reloader's. A reloader with components to build 5K rounds is in the same position (drought survivability wise) as someone who has 5K rounds of commercial ammunition. The reloader IS able to be prepared with 5K rounds worth of components for less $ than it costs to buy 5K rounds of ammo....that is an advantage.

The key in either case is foresight (scars) to be sure and be stocked up prior to the drought - whether it's stocking up on components or finished ammo.

Have you looked for reloading supplies lately?

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Merle, retired
western PA

Probably not - because like many around here he took this advise after the last shortage (or even before then) and he doesn't need to buy anything right now.

Right now isn't the time to take up reloading - but just as soon as this shortage passes, that's the time to start.

I believe that is what he's advising.

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

Banner day at the LGS for me. 4 (50 round) boxes of .22lr hollow point, same amount in .38 special and a few boxes of 12 gauge. Surprisingly they had a fair amount of ammo on the shelves.

And when it does pass and prices drop, they'll reason that things will stay that way and not stock up, because history doesn't repeat itself ... Until it does.

Best "Stocking Up" story. Guy on another forum , turn of the lastcentury. Bragging about his 200 20/30 rnd M16 magazines, pictures of them all stacked up for display.

When asked about ammo, he admitted he didn't have enough 5.56 to even fill 1 20 rnd magazine. Thread dried up pretty quick after that admission. Still makes me chuckle.

Rob

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Strange days have found us

At about noon today I noticed a email from Midway that they had 556 in stock. This reminded me that I wanted to do some window shopping of air soft stuff, haven't been able to get to their website since, looks like they crashed the site.

Exactly.

Many GB ammo auctions start the bidding at a penny...it's the late comers and sleepers who come up with the ridiculous prices that match or surpass the set prices of the greedy online retailers.

It's shocking to me that people will pay $3/rd .44 Special, or $4-5 for a single 00 Buck shotgun shell. Not shocking to me that they blame the sellers and "hoarders" instead of themselves. Glad I don't need to pay that much.
I'll never have 100K rounds of ammo stored up, and i refuse to complain about people who do. Good for them!

I'll say this one more time; the ONLY way to control prices of anything:

DO NOT BUY....no matter how much it hurts.... DO NOT BUY

J.

Nah. No interest. I’m glad you enjoy it, but it’s not for everyone.

There’s more than one way to skin a cat. I just buy factory rounds when they’re cheap and stack them deep. These panics don’t affect me either.

One of my LGS got in 1000 boxes of Blazer in 50 ct. boxes. Two days later they still have over 850 on the shelf. Priced at $4.99/bx with two box per person limit. I thought it would be gobbled up in a day.
Across the highway, Scheels was unloading three pallets of Winchester M855 at $114.95/bx of 150.

Was out looking for 16ga shells yesterday. Didn’t find any, but did find three boxes of 300 savage, 280 rounds of 30 carbine soft points, three boxes of 6mm Remington, and some 30 cal bullets all at pre-Covid / panic prices. Wasn’t exactly cheap, being all hunting ammo, but at least it wasn’t inflated.

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1SG, USA (Ret)

I'm a Category 1 guy. I watched my Dad make the largest ammo purchase of his life (a brick of .22LR) when the world ended in 1968. I weathered the Clinton gun bill apocalypse, survived the Obama panic and expect to see the end of the COVID/Biden/peaceful protest drought if I live long enough. My only ammo related purchases since last March have been components for calibers I didn't previously reload and deals on factory ammo that I would have been a fool to pass up in normal times ($15/50 .38 Super, $5/20 .280 Rem, $10/20 .35 Whelen and $0.50 per box .22LR).

I am not shooting as much as I did a year ago, but that is due more to other factors (family obligations, weather) than any concern over running out of ammo. I fully expect my estate to include ammo and components.

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I need ammo, not a ride.

I'm Category 1. I started buying ammo in earnest after Ob's reelection. For a long while big online wholesalers were my goto. Now none can get their usual stock. Fortunately, I have less than I want, but more than I need of all of my calibers.

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Heavily armed old man.

Nope. Not permanent. Things will swing back at some point.

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S&W Accumulator

I stocked up a long time ago and every time the crisis is over I stock up again. I had promised a friend of mine a pack of venison sausage. He called today and said that if I meet him halfway between Hattiesburg and Jakistan (Jackson,Ms.) he would give me a 20 round box of .357 magnum. I don't look a gift horse in the mouth so I didn't ask him what kind it was and I was going to give him the sausage anyway. I was very surprised when he handed me a very new looking 20 round box of Black Talon. Now, do I carry it or sell it? I'm leaning toward carrying it.

My (former) LGS sent out an email blast that it had "limited amounts" of 9mm, at the "give away" price of $39.95/50. Thank you, but no.

Chuck