I went to the range this weekend to shoot. The range/store manager told us that due to a "shortage in getting ammunition", he could only sell ammo that was being shot at the range. He could not sell any ammo to anyone to take home. I noticed that at some gun stores, the ammo pickings are getting "lean", too. Are people starting to hoard their ammo for the 'zombie reawakening'?

This has been going on since the lockdowns started back in March when there was a surge in new gun purchases and people fearing a shortage started stocking up on ammo. I think it had started getting better, but then the riots and unrest exacerbated the situation, starting it over again.

You may have to go to online sources for ammo. There's a recent thread on ammo availability in the Ammo subforum that may be of interest to you.

Supply and demand. Here 9mm is really hard to get locally. Not much online either. Expensive too. If you can find it, 9mm seems to have gone from about $8 or $9 a box to $15 or more. Ranges have the same restrictions you ran across.

There may be some hoarding, but every LGS here is basically sold out of 9mm carry guns. Between the corona and the riots, all the "I'll never own a handgun" crowd is buying handguns and ammo. Before, my local LGS/range was running a CHP class once a month. For the last couple months, they've been having 3 per week.

.40 is easy to come by.

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Vegan by proxy.

Shelves are empty in CA, NV, OR and WA.

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213th FBINA

I believe ContinentalOp is correct. First it was first time gun owners, now it's the civil unrest situation. I've been buying 5.56 lately and it's rationed as well as hard to get (two or three box limit per day). All other ammo is also in limited supply and has purchase limits.

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Support Israel!

During the ammo "crunch" of 2012-13, there was no shortage of 12 gauge 'business' ammo: buck and slugs. Everything else had been bought up. Now, even the 12 gauge loads are unavailable. I looked online at a major ammo dealer's website: virtually everything out of stock. Same for Midway. This has been the case for weeks.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

I was in my pal's shop last week. I picked up four boxes of 9mm, half of what he had, and a few boxes of .357. I primarily shoot .38 Special, but he had none.

He's having trouble keeping hardware in stock, too -- suppliers are either out or rationing most things. He got in a new Model 60 two weeks ago -- it was in the case less than 24 hours. $575 out the door. No wonder.

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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

Sure makes me glad I reload and have a decent stock of components on hand.

Saturday's Orlando gunshow had very little .22lr ammo @ $.15/rd. 9mm ball was $250/500 rd case. .223/5.56 was $450/1K which was a bargain if you're out. I gave a 550 rd "Wally box" to the Doc and one to my A/C guy, another guy got a box of 9mm and .38 spl. That's all I'm giving away for this "panic." What's the old saying: "P*** Poor Planning on your part does not create an emergency for me." Hopefully next Spring will bring back something resembling "normal." Joe

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Behavior Creates Destiny

I am a regular member on this forum and also another one that mostly discusses a well known German brand. Both forums have had frequent posts for many years about the concept of buying when things are "quiet" and warnings about how frail "quiet" can be. I don't want to seem unsympathetic but I would think most of us read about the ant and the grasshopper when we were very little.

While I agree with those sentiments for old birds like me, we all should realize that there are young people coming along every day who have just turned old enough to make legal purchases of guns and ammo. It's tough that someone like that is hit with this mess.

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You're shy a few manners.

Went to the Tulsa gun show a few weeks back. Same day as the Trump Rally actually. First show of the year that hadn't been cancelled so didn't really know what to expect. There was a decent selection of hardware and ammunition. Really no shortage of much of anything. Only problem I thought everything was overpriced by 20-30%. Didn't realize at the time the state of the gun market. And no I still haven't contracted Covid-19.

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Klaatu Barada Nikto

Was just down at Cabelas.
22LR, most handgun ammo, gone.
Rifle calibers, spotty.
Good inventory of Shotgun Shells.
Not sure they had every option in every gauge, but if you need shot to send down range they got it.
Interesting as to what’s left.
Like .17 cal Hornet. Some more .17s.
218 Bee. 204. Etc.
Stopped at Big 5 on the way home, scored 1,000 rounds of Aguilar 22LR.
First time I ever had any of that.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

My biggest woe is that a lifetime supply of ammo ain’t near as much now is it was when I started hoarding near on to 30 years ago. :-((

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Georgia On My Mind

All it takes is one election, and the resulting exercises in executive authority to completely change things as we know it. While sympathetic to new gun owners, have been through assault rifle bans, magazine capacity requirements, multiple ammo shortages and off /on again reloading supply shortages. If you were not stocking up, you may have missed the boat.

Course all the resulting shortages may be attenuated by a certain generations passing, and the resulting estate sales.

Buy it cheap, and stack it deep has been my motto for decades.
It’s funny how people I told this ignored me, and now expect me to help supply them.

Not going to happen, from Sandy Hook on, it’s been a roller coaster and many just ignore the good times, then cry when it’s lean out there, I’ve lost any sympathy I might have had after this latest scare.

And it’s just going to get worse as election time nears.

Something something, learn from the past or repeat it?

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Hold my beer and watch this!

AMEN to that brutha'!
Plus at least 1000-2000 of every caliber I shoot (and more than that of some of them).

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

I'm kind of like that one armed deputy in Unforgiven...

"I don't want to get killed for lack of shooting back."


WR

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God, Country, Family

I buy most of what I do buy in "larger" quantities from Sportsmans Guide. Most of what they have on-hand is the "odd-ball" cartridges. After perusing their site tonight, they are taking orders now for ammo that should be delivered to them sometime in November.

At the moment, my greatest concern is finding adequate supplies of lead and wheelweights at reasonable prices! Fortunately, I have all of the business-oriented molds that I need!

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Judge control not gun control!

I'm glad I worked on stocking up Groundhog Arms before all of this started.

It seems to be coming back in spurts and waves. Also getting there close to delivery time.

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No baby we aint

If you had asked me a year ago (when I was still buying 9mm for 15-17¢) if anything even remotely close to the post-Sandy Hook ammo shortage insanity would ever happen again in my lifetime, I would have said "Impossible"! And yet were are again... this time made even worse (for many) by Walmart getting out of the business.

No, don't fret about me. I am all set times ten. But watching it happen all over again just 7 years later is fascinating. I am in awe at what 9mm bulk range ammo is selling for today... if you can find it at all. I should be selling rather than buying.

And God bless the reloaders, but that's not for me. I dumped that lunacy 40 years ago... not going back. It's obviously great for some who have the time and inclination, but I have neither. Besides, brass chasing is not allowed where I shoot and I have no free source of lead. I'd save nothing for my time.

Right now, I'm worried most about the small dealers who depend heavily on ammo sales to pay the rent, but can't find any to sell. As I've said before, these are very strange times we live in.

Buy cheap, stack deep is how we have been doing it every year since Sandy Hook if not before. Every year buy a case of something, whatever it is. At least one case of something. I don't think there is a caliber we use regularly without having 1,000 and typically more of on hand. Wendy admits where we have our ammo stored that 12 gauge buckshot and 5.56 cases are stacked up to her butt level with most buying done when plentiful and less expensive.

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KM
S&WCA 3110 S&WHF 625

Near me in south-central PA, ammo pickins are slim. LGS has no .45 ACP, 9MM, or .22 on the shelf. Their remaining supply, which is small, has gone to the back room so that one box of ammunition will be available for customers that purchase a handgun. And the way handguns are selling, they anticipate running out by the end of the month. Their suppliers are unable to ship popular calibers. When they do find some the price is two or three times what it was last month. Went to the store last night and overall sales were brisk.

I just bought an American Classic .45 Commander, and had a hard time finding .45 rounds for it. Two local stores and Dunhams were out. Midway is out. I drove a half hour to another gun store who had around 800 rounds in stock. I grabbed 300 of them and may go back next week for more I hope.

Just went to the Cabela's in Noblesville, IN yesterday afternoon. The Gun Library was closed, due to "not enough employees to man". The used guns were moved out into the new gun cases. This store usually has a huge stock of guns of all kinds, along with shelves stocked with all calibers of ammo; not now! Used handguns took up 1 small display case, new handguns in 2 cases and spread out. Maybe 12-18 new long guns, about 7-8 used. Handgun ammo took up an end cap and was 50% empty; no 9mm and only a few boxes of 40 & 45. Rifle ammo was better, but no 223/5.56. Now if you want shotshells, they had it stocked on shelves and on the floor!

Reloading supplies were GONE! Plenty of reloading accessories but didn't see any presses. I remember the first time I ever stepped foot into this store, I was amazed. Yesterday I was amazed again, but not in a good way. I'm glad I have what I have, ammo and reloading components and equipment. You'd be hard pressed to get started in these times! :-(

Well I get the demand for 9mm, 38 spl, and even 45 acp, but 22 LR target ammo? What are people going to DO with that??

Ever get shot in the chest with a few rounds of 22lr? It might not be the best but it will get the job done

I’ve been shooting more with my .22 Compact at the range vs my Shield or G26 to ration 9mm. I still practice with them both but maybe 50 rounds a trip vs 200 before.

I have plenty of 9mm but don’t want to pay prices right now to replace what I shoot. I have a lot more .22 on hand and it’s easier to find right now.

I need to start reloading.

I shoot 10-20 times as much .22 as I do in larger rifle and pistol calibers. I can practice sight alignment and trigger pull with a .22 a lot cheaper than I can with a .357M and 30-06. Larry

Stopped by one of my LGS's yesterday. Did not see any ammo for sale and only 3-4 used handguns for sale. The new handgun cases were maybe 20% of normal. Like others I am well stocked. Did see one crazy person locally trying to sell Tul 9mm for $35 per box. Crazy times for sure.

If needed, with a 15-22, one can put 25, 40grain rounds down range as fast as a trigger can be pulled and have 5 more mags ready to go. Small caliber but alot of firepower!

accurate bullet placement no matter what caliber will always take precedent over amount of rounds fired - JMHO

Pretty much anything they need to.

Person decides to renounce violence and throws his rifle deep into the brush. Everything is hunky dory for a while until a bear attacks. Boy did he scramble looking for that rifle.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

It keeps coming around, but it seems these “emergencies” are coming more frequently. When the availability of primers and 22 ammo got tight in an unmentioned previous administration, I built up a working supply of both. In good times, when I use some, I try to replace it with twice as much if it is reasonably priced. My supply of everything is sufficient for at least one “emergency shortage” or a minor Zombie Apocalypse without worrying about running short. Like they taught me in the Boy Scouts, “Be Prepared.”

Froggie

Don't you wish we could go back to worrying about when large scaly things inevitably find a way to escape from Jurassic Park??

I concede that just about everyone here is more prepared, and more capable of repelling anything from locusts to Zombies, and a better shot, AND has a bigger stash of every possible calliber, canned water and etc...

However... I would still think that if you are watching your disposable cash climb in direct proportion to all the Friday nights you couldn't spend it at your local watering hole, you would buy more self-defence ammo. Or another shotgun (plenty of shells for those on the shelf where I live!)

A local LGS employee told me last weekend that the cheapest ammo in 9mm and .38spl is going first. He had NO 130 gr target ammo in .38 spl, but he DID have a pile of .38 hollow point, LRN, and somethuing I can't even pronounce that is guaranteed to kill zombies, lawnmowers, and disable small-ish Velociraptors... all without leaving the barrel of my gun.

So in summary, I suspect that new gun owners may be buying the cheapest ammo they can, because they just spent $500+ on a firearm.

He got killed though...

Prepped for Y2K and still have more than I can ever shoot. Had plenty to offer my SIL after he bought a new Glock in CA but couldn't get 9mm to load it let alone practice with it. He's good now and I'm still sitting on a pile. I guess I over did it a bit, but no regrets.

What I find funny-

Even in the midst of this shortage, there are still some ammo snobs out there

I came across a deal for Tula (steel cased) 223, $250 a case plus shipping and tax. Shipping btw is $13, flat rate, so better than sgammo.
Same place has Tula 7.62x39 for $210 a case.
Total price for me buying 1 of each, $494 to the door.

I mentioned this on another forum, and got the "but... it's Tula junk" remarks.

I get it, I'd rather have brass too. But I've shot this exact stuff, and it runs in my gun. Just clean it afterwards. I'd rather have a case of Tula in reserve, instead of nothing.

My first experience with ammo hoarding was in 1968. Upon passage of the GCA my father went to the hardware store and bought a brick of .22 LR. It was the first time I had seen more than a single box in the house. As I recall he said something similar to the one-armed deputy.

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I need ammo, not a ride.

I have a GSG 5 (imitation HK in 22lr), that when it runs right, can sling a lot of lead fast.

I have a lot of 22lr that I stocked up on, over the recent years.

For whatever reason, I'm finding this rifle doesn't like to cycle with the ammo I have. It's a single shot. Maybe HV or SHV would work better. It didn't used to act this way, it used to gobble the cheap stuff without issue.
I've taken it apart and cleaned it, and still no good. And occasionally (a LOT more often than any centerfire gun), I'm getting a failure to fire on a solid strike of the primer.

That's not something I want to trust my life to.

FYI 38spl FMJ in stock Target sports USA normal prices, notice for delayed shipping

One of the projects we did recently with all going on was do even if just a spot check an inventory.

Just under 60 firearms.

80 or so magazines for AR and AK, mostly AR and the bulk 20 round.

Every semi automatic pistol with at least 1 and mostly with 2 spare magazines.

50 M-1 en-block clips.
50 SKS stripper clips.

Does no good to have the weapons without the ability to reload the weapon.

15,000 rounds. Other than rimfire and shotgun, perhaps 2000, all the rest roughly evenly divided between pistol and rifle, mostly 5.56.

Plus bandoliers, shell holders and magazine pouches.

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KM
S&WCA 3110 S&WHF 625

"Self sufficient" has changed over time. 50 years ago I lived in NJ and could "survive" weeks in the wilderness with very little. Now at 67 and 40 years in Florida, the realities are very different. When I got here there wasn't much else but snakes, spiders, cattle ranches and orange groves. Pretty easy except for "potable" water. Now every critter with a house north of DC is selling out for $1 million and coming down to a "5/ 3.5 McMansion" for $400K and banking the rest (or buying a boat). Literally millions of 'em. Population was around 6 million when I got here, 22 million now. Doesn't help that no one speaks English anymore and ain't the least bit interested in helping anyone "different from us." I'm as prepared as I can be except I could use to be 40 years younger. Joe

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Behavior Creates Destiny

This wave of buying is largely new buyers wanting to defend there home, so many are ending up with 12ga shotguns, and needing ammo to feed them.

Around here at WMT, Academy, and local gun stores the handgun ammo shelves are bare. There is plenty of rifle and shotgun ammo available still.
.22 ammo of most sorts is available.
Steve W

Went to town yesterday, 30 mile drive, to go to grocery store. Next door is a Sportsman's Warehouse. Naturally I went there first, use the bathroom, and check out ammo. Well, the pistol ammo is essentially non existent. A few boxes of assorted self defense ammo, but I did find and buy a box of .38 S&W long ammo. I guess no one else in the area shoots it, as there were about ten boxes of it, Aguila brand. For plinking, it works.

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Kevin in Oregon

This confuses me ..... I have a friend that has a FFL and works out of his home.

I recently picked up a new S&W revolver and he said "if you need ammo, let me know, I can get you whatever you need, in any quantity"

So what's up with that?

Plus GunCrack.com seems to have plenty of ammo for sale.

Is this just a cost thing?

Thanks

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I only take a knee for God

Don’t think I would be posting information listing those quantities on a public forum. Never know who might take a “special” interest in that information, from either side of the law.
Lots of people can find out who you are and where you live in just a few minutes. Some of them aren’t even old enough to drive yet.
BE CAREFUL.