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Old 04-05-2010, 10:34 PM
guitar1580 guitar1580 is offline
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Default Why is ammo scarce?

I thought the ammo drought was over. I just placed an order, and had to take the bottom of the barrel in most calibers.

Some websites have backorder dates of Dec. 2010.... and my local dealer says he's had some ammo back ordered for almost a year.

I recall there being a run on ammo after Barack Hussein Obama was elected, but I thought that was all over with.

Does anyone know what is going on?

Josh P
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Old 04-05-2010, 10:46 PM
millbilly millbilly is offline
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I can buy everything but 380 and 45 acp everything else is on the shelf at wally world
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Old 04-05-2010, 10:50 PM
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Basic law of supply and demand. Supply is fairly inelastic, because ammo makers are geared up to produce X number of loaded rounds, primers, etc. Demand for the last year and a half has been X+, maybe even X++. Inelastic supply and very elastic demand make for shortages.

Then you have the hoarders, like me. Ammo will never be as cheap as it was three years ago. I buy all I can afford, when I can afford it. My goal is to die at 95 with 100,000 rounds of loaded ammo. Cause of death to be shot by a jealous husband.

I know a bunch of people who buy a whole lot more ammo than I do, because they can afford more than I can. Many people on this and other forums have said they will buy ammo when all us hoarders sell what we have bought. We are accused of hoping to make a profit. Ain't so. Most of us will shoot it up eventually, or leave it to our heirs.

You better buy it while you can, 'cause it ain't going to get more plentiful, and no cheaper, either. Right now, my local store still has pallets and pallets of most handgun and rifle calibers, because they buy it by the ten-wheeler load. Their prices are pretty high, though.
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Old 04-05-2010, 10:53 PM
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In central Virginia everything is in abundance. The Wal Marts run low on handgun ammo, but the gun stores and Dick's Sporting Goods have full shelves.
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Old 04-05-2010, 10:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by redlevel View Post
Their prices are pretty high, though.

There is one gun store I go to that charges $30 a box for Golden Saber handgun ammo. Totally ridiculous.
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Old 04-05-2010, 11:02 PM
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In central Virginia everything is in abundance. The Wal Marts run low on handgun ammo, but the gun stores and Dick's Sporting Goods have full shelves.
That pretty much seems to be the case around here. Wal Marts run out of .45ACP because they are still selling at the same price they were a year ago, and they are probably still getting the same amount of ammo. Last time I was in a Wal Mart they had three 100 round boxes of .45 ACP and I bought it. The local emporium has, as I said, pallets of the stuff, but their price for WWB or the equivalent is about $16 per 100 higher than WM. Bottom line is that right now, most people can get all the ammo they want for most calibers if they are willing to pay for it. I started hoarding in 1993, and I can look for bargains. I'm still buying some ammo just about twice a month, though.
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Old 04-05-2010, 11:23 PM
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Last time I was at my local dealer (on Friday), he had .25ACP, .32ACP, .380ACP, 9mm, .38super, .38 spl, .38 spl+P, .357sig, .357Mag, .44spl, .44Mag, .45ACP, .45LC, .454, 50 AE and 500 Mag.

Wal Mart is hit and miss... mostly miss. Gander Mtn is stocked but that because ammo costs twice as much.
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Old 04-06-2010, 06:38 AM
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My last trip to Wally World, I saw three 250 Round Mega-Packs of Remington UMC in 45ACP, and three 100 round value packs of WWB 45ACP. They must of had 15 or more 100 round value packs of WWB 9mm, and at least that in the 50 WWB. Had plenty of 22 even in bulk packs, and .223. Still no 380ACP I could see, but they did have a coule 100 value packs of WWB 38 Special--which I hadn't seen on the shelf before. Kind of funny though on the 45ACP, the 100 WWB were cheaper per bullet than the Remington UMC Mega-packs.
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Old 04-06-2010, 09:26 AM
Nicksterdemus Nicksterdemus is offline
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Between Waly & Academy there's not much of a shortage if you're looking to pick up a box or two.

Howevah, the gun show season looms and everyone will go through a feeding frenzy the previous week; wishing to beat the tourists to the punch.

You would be advised to call if it's a special trip coz the shelves aren't overflowing by any stretch of the imagination.

I don't shoot often or that much when I do.

At one time I tried to maintain a thousand rounds per caliber.

That's whittled down to 200-500.

Now, I'm looking at the herd wondering which ones should go and take their ammo w/'em.

Ole St. Nickster might have to make a list and check it twice.

Still, it's fun every now and then to bust a cap or two...
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Old 04-06-2010, 03:34 PM
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Even if they make more, the days of cheap ammo are over. Copper is $3.60 a pound; lead, zinc, antimony and aluminum are at all time highs. The environmental regs will only get worse. In the next 20 years it will become illegal to fire a lead bullet on "public" land unless said bullet can be "recovered." Joe
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Old 04-06-2010, 10:20 PM
HOUSTON RICK HOUSTON RICK is offline
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You can get anything that you want at Academy Sporting Goods in Houston if not Wa-Mart. The small gunshops are also well stocked. Only 380 is sometimes in short supply. i bought 3 value packs of 45 ACP at Wally World last week. Good Luck.
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Old 04-07-2010, 04:29 AM
Nicksterdemus Nicksterdemus is offline
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Go Academy!

I finally broke down and snagged a CC so I get 5% of purchase towards a non expiring gift card.

Gnd mnt, home of the over-priced ammo, used to be 5, but have dwindled to 2% in store.

Academy mails you a loaded plastic card while gnd mnt sends a paper coupon and it expires four months from being issued.

I didn't use my last one, so over the holidays gnd mnt tells me to use their card a couple of times & receive a 20 clam gift certificate.

Hell, they're just renewing the gift card that I didn't use before.

Gotta use by the twenty-second as I recall.

Probably price match a box of ammo from Academy...
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Old 04-07-2010, 07:21 PM
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I had been waiting to get Federal .22LR bricks at Wally World, no luck. But today they had Federal solid 40gm lightning for $1.77 a box, 12 boxes 600 rounds $21.54 not bad. Of course Ms. Scoutsdad came to the rescue for the 6 box limit.
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223, 22lr, 25acp, 380, 45acp, certificate, remington, umc

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