I had to go to Md De and Pa and while there went to see one or two of my wholesale suppliers. Stuff still isn't coming on line very well. Much worse than the last time and the wholesaler told me that they don't expect it to get much better for another year. Yeah..I got some powders and primers but wanted to get half a million. Got 160 thousand.and about 150 lbs of powder..but many I needed were not in stock. The wholesaler told me they have had more than 4.5 million in orders placed since last Sept and haven't received a million bucks worth in the last year. They even had a few CCI Mini Mags in stock. At 32 bucks per brick of 500 rounds..but that has always been a bit more expensive anyway. Guys..it ain't lookin good for the long haul. BTW talked to a friend from Canada and they have no shortage of 22 ammo up there..But if you buy some you can only bring 5 kilos a day...

I'll put my money down that it will be quite awhile longer than a year before things are back to "normal." Not being a doomsdayer but I don't think things will ever be as before.

Guns are useless without ammo. People know this and will not be caught flat footed again. Hoarding will continue for some time.

In Nova Scotia (canada) 22 is around but powder and primers are getting very difficult to find. I managed to find 4 lb's of 2400 and that will cost $150 delivered (including shipping and tax).

Those of us who are intelligent about it will continue to lay in ammo and reloading supplies regardless of the stock available or the political climate.

It ain't hoarding, BTW. I refuse to put myself at the mercy of retail availability
ever again.

When these now almost ridiculous wars finally peter out I think we can expect to see ammunition and components return to normal, albeit slowly because, no pun intended, now that we're gun shy we'll all keep large, personal supplies on hand. Once the troops come home and ammo is being expended solely for training the dearth on the civilian market should ease up. But color me an optimist....

***GRJ***

Here in my area of Sp Texas the supply is much better now. Seeing back to earth prices and increased supplies on shelf.

blujax,
I'm not shedding any tears for the folks who were not well stocked before this crisis. This isn't the first go around and those caught short handed should have learned from past experience. I won't worry about supplies for many moons to come. And I agree with you on continuing to shore up the reserves when available. A day may come when nothing can be found.

Guns without ammo are nothing more than a club.

1 million primers may sound like alot, but Vance's in Columbus, Ohio use to have a shotgun reloading sale, and sell 1 to 2 million w209's in a week every year. A brick is 1000 primers, a case is 5 bricks. 1 million primers is only 200 cases. The Columbus PD use to load their own 38 special practice ammo, that was 70 to 75 cases of Alcan small pistol primers a year in the 1980's. I loaded a large batch of .223 Rem in the mid 80's, and bought all my powder and primers in a short period of about a week or 10 days, I went through around 10 or 11-8 pound kegs of 748, 5 cases of CCI small rifle primers, I picked up 25,000 55 grain FMJBT Winchester bullets and all the used military brass I could locate in Central Ohio. It took several weeks of reloading almost every minute I was home, but ended up with what I thought was a lifetime supply of 223. I've got a few thousand left and am looking at what it is going to cost to do that again. With the cost of the brass, bullets, powder and primers I have 8 1/2 cents in that 80's batch; 8.5 cents is about 1/2 of what the projectile costs now (Hornady $17.99/100 at Cabela's)! Primers are up by almost exactly 10 times. Powder is up almost 4 times. Brass is up 10 to 15 times. The saddest thing is the bullets and primers are way down in quality! The old batch was about .25 MOA quality, the new componits loaded on the same equipment are about 1 to 2 MOA in the same test rifle (which has less than 500 rounds thru it). I couldn't load 308 win that cheap but the new materials are up as bad or worse and the 147 grain FMJBT projectiles are real junk if you can find them! The new match bullets are fantastic, but they are 30 to 50 cent each when available. Federal 210 Match (which are very good) primers are about $39.00/M verses the CCI BR-2 (which were the best ever made)I used to get for $8.00/M. Federal Gold Medal Match 308 is about $22.00/20 or $1.10 ea. but they ain't what they use to be, so we load! Ivan

Neither am I.

I do hope when folks talk about "things going back to normal" that they are not lulled into a false sense of security and go back to living hand-to-mouth (Gun Store-To-Range?).

Alas, that is what happens every time, and every time there is another "crisis" we hear the same-same: "It's not fair!"

The only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history!

As Daffy would say: "Not this little black duck!"

Things never get back to where they were.

Well primers are up(wholesale) 5 dollars over what they were 8 or 9 months ago. Powder up a dollar or so a pound. The manufacturers know now that we will pay ridiculous prices for 22s so don't look for cheap prices on it any longer. Bottom line on a 525-550 box will be in the 22-25 dollar range..probably more in the near to mid future. The gun companies are making what they think we need..not necessarily what we want..and quality is going to H*** in a handbasket. Plastic stocks and grips and stainless steel..Less real gun making work. And then look at Lyman. They used to make more than 300 bullet moulds plus special orders. Now they are down to about 80 give or take a few and no special orders. The guys that make 'em only know how to run a CNC machine. Things are gettin pretty ****** Just my take on matters as they seem to be..but I am an old guy who remembers how things were..and feel they should still be

my crystal ball says that all the New Town New Comers will go back to golf and video games soon. Then there will be plenty of ammo for everybody until the next incident fueled media blitz.

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Dave

It has been hit or miss here in MT since the insanity started. I have seen .22's for sale at near normal prices a total of TWO times since Christmas. One of those times was TODAY at Sportsmans Warehouse. RP 525's for $24 but ONE pack per person!

DID find RP 7 1/2 sm Match primers which I have needed and scored an EIGHT pounder of H-4350 which is almost like finding GOLD. So It was a good day today.

Still need Reloader 15 which has been rare.

But did find several pounds of VARGET the past few weeks so good on that.

I agree....I think the insanity is going to last for at least 1-2 years. People who never stocked up...will keep this going for some time.

FN in MT

If the new gun owners go back to gardening or golf, there should be some good sales on "lightly used, minty" guns.

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S&WHF 366