What's the obsession with sam walton's place and ammo anyway?

[Andy Griffith]

I'm just asking.

Before the craziness, a work'n man couldn't afford to buy ammo from them if he had at least a decent independent retailer or two around him (which I do) that were competitive.

I know availability will get back to where it was, as I know folks are running out of Franklins for unimportant discretionary spending on anything other than food, gas, electricity, etc...- at least in my area.

I'm just beating myself up for not clearing out some ancient stock for gold before I had my boating accident.

I'm stocking up on pellets now. *devil grin*

 

[the ringo kid]

Im guilty--just picked up a 100 rd pack of Winchester 9mm, 2 boxes of American Eagle .22 and one box of 7.62 x 54 R --but not from WM--but from Academy.

 

[the ringo kid]

PS, my "obsession" isnt with WM since they are more miss than hit--so it's w/ Academy instead.

 

[murphydog]

They are a national chain that still sells guns and ammunition (most remember the ones still in business that used to do this), and so people can compare their experiences.

I've seen a little more ammo at the local WM recently.

 

[sophie]

The obsession with WM around here still seems to be strong and the employees tell me there is still a line in the mornings between 5:30 and 7:00 am to buy ammo. I check their ammo displays and they are still pretty sparse around here. Their prices have been held in check for the most part and some of the hoarders are still lining up to buy and then going to the gun shows and asking astronomical prices for the ammo.

Not me buddy.

 

[chipking]

Even before the madness the WM prices were much, MUCH better than any of the local retailers and gun shops in my area. I could do a 100 mile round trip and find slightly better prices and a better selection (of top of the line ammo types) but for most of my needs the local WM was the best and cheapest choice.
That's why
Chip King

 

[Malpasowildlifer]

It's weird here: the Big 5 gets more 9mm, 45 ACP and 22 LR each week than Walmart. The 22 goes quick, but the 9mm will last pretty much until the next shipment. 45 ACP is pretty much always available now at Big 5. They got 9mm Silvertips but they are like $60 bucks for 50. Lot's of 44 mag too.

 

[pharmer]

Large retailers that used to sell firearms:
Kmart, Woolco, Sears, Western Auto, 2 guys from Harrison, R&S stores, Monkey Wards, and about 50 others.
Large retailers that still do: WalMart. I don't count Bass Pro, GM, Dicks, Cabelas as they are sporting goods retailers. Not much to choose from any more. Joe

 

[the ringo kid]

The obsession with WM around here still seems to be strong and the employees tell me there is still a line in the mornings between 5:30 and 7:00 am to buy ammo. I check their ammo displays and they are still pretty sparse around here. Their prices have been held in check for the most part and some of the hoarders are still lining up to buy and then going to the gun shows and asking astronomical prices for the ammo.

Not me buddy.

We have a gun show this weekend--ill be taking notes of who is still selling high. Ive never spent with any of them before--and most likely never will.

 

[SoMoMule]

Went to local gun show last weekend in SW MO. Winchester White Box 9mm 100rd. $30-45. Some vendors had pallets of 9mm, .223 at reasonable prices but you had to buy case lots. Stopped by Bass Pro on the way home from work today (the mother store in Springfield), nothing on the shelf in 9 but two pallets of ammo in the isle. They had 5-6 cases of the WinWhite/100, $28, could only buy one. Stopped by Wally World, no 9mm at all. Academy had Rem. for 15.99/50. You can buy all the 40 you want at any of them, 50/100/250 at normal prices. The 22 is still the overpriced ammo around here, none in the stores unless you catch them at the right time. Bought some Federal 325 pack .22 for $18 at Academy one Sunday morning. WW is not the place to shop for ammo.

 

[Boge]

9mm ball ammo has hit approx. $15 per 50 and this will kill shooting sports IMO. The ammo makers conveniently saw fit to slip in a 15% - 20% price hike since last Dec. and they may have killed the goose that laid the golden eggs as far fewer people are shooting nowadays and using less when they do.

 

[the ringo kid]

Went to local gun show last weekend in SW MO. Winchester White Box 9mm 100rd. $30-45. Some vendors had pallets of 9mm, .223 at reasonable prices but you had to buy case lots. Stopped by Bass Pro on the way home from work today (the mother store in Springfield), nothing on the shelf in 9 but two pallets of ammo in the isle. They had 5-6 cases of the WinWhite/100, $28, could only buy one. Stopped by Wally World, no 9mm at all. Academy had Rem. for 15.99/50. You can buy all the 40 you want at any of them, 50/100/250 at normal prices. The 22 is still the overpriced ammo around here, none in the stores unless you catch them at the right time. Bought some Federal 325 pack .22 for $18 at Academy one Sunday morning. WW is not the place to shop for ammo.

I was at Academy yesterday and bought the one box still on the shelf of the 9mm Winchester WB 100 rd box. It was I think $24 and change?? I also bought a box of 20 cartridges of ammo for a Nagant (American Eagle) for $9.99 and two boxes of 50 rd 22 lr for me (American Eagle) which were about $2.17 each. The 22 is still being with 2 box limit--but everything else is whatever you feel like buying. I almost picked up a few boxes of Winchester 9MM for about $14 each but--didnt so I could get another wooden Wild Life ammo box.

 

[Biggfoot44]

(Before the madness) - Wallys are everywhere , and the ones that still sell ammo ( about half) were fairly consistant , and if you had a gun or prefered load thereof that passed the WalMart test , you could be assured of steady supply anywhere , at reasonable prices. It would take a major sale at a LGS to come close to matching WM prices. ( Of course the LGS had bigger selection , and better odds of counter help able to give a semi-intelligent answer.)

( In current times ) - after long having had entirely bare shelves other than from 0800-0930hrs on delivery days , they now range from having some stock to having almost everything except popular cals. Can't remember last time saw .22lr @ WM. When ammo is found , is at pre-panic prices.

By the time Dicks arrived in my area they were primarily a mainstream sports and casual clothing store , with a small hunting/ fishing dept in the corner , so I don't really consider them an Outdoors Store like the others mentioned. Their pre-panic prices were a bit higher than WM , but more likely to have basic ammo in popular pistol cals. It was minor thrill to find occasionally in stock bricks of .22lr , but at $40 , still not ready to stock up.

Meanwhile my largest LGS will usually have lower end fmj in stock. But at $25-30 for 9mm , and .$35-40 for .40,.45 (per 50) . Somewhat comforting to be able to be assure of getting Somthing , but at those prices once you have absolute minimum supply on hand at home , you only buy addition for direct range use , and in reduced quantities. ( Did I mention the $50 10mm , an hour+ drive , and greatful to find it at all ? )

 

[chud333]

Only ammo i buy at Wallyworld is .22LR and it's not been
available for some time now. Its just a habit of mine to go
check the Sporting Goods section when the wife and I are
buying our weekly groceries there. They are getting alot of
the popular calibers back in stock now. Around here anyways
the LGS's are NOT even close in ammo prices. If they we're
i would much rather buy from them. I'll keep rolling my own
centerfires and looking for good buys on my rimfire rounds.

Chuck

 

[alwslate]

Since I handload I rarely buy any centerfire ammo by the box. I bought
several case lots from net sellers of rounds that I don't load for. But
most of my 22 ammo came from Walmart because they usually had the
best prices around.

 

[Dream to Dream]

I'm just asking.

Before the craziness, a work'n man couldn't afford to buy ammo from them if he had at least a decent independent retailer or two around him (which I do) that were competitive.

I know availability will get back to where it was, as I know folks are running out of Franklins for unimportant discretionary spending on anything other than food, gas, electricity, etc...- at least in my area.

I'm just beating myself up for not clearing out some ancient stock for gold before I had my boating accident.

I'm stocking up on pellets now. *devil grin*

Year and a half ago, I bought two cases of 9mm and 3 of .223 Rem. My dad looked at me like I was crazy.

Flash forward to a month ago. He told me quite plainly that next time I can get a couple cases of ammo, he'll cut me a check for two cases of .38 Special and some bricks of .22.

 

[Murdock]

I reload for .45 ACP and .44 SPL/Mag, but (at least not yet) for 9mm, so I do check Wally's. Earlier this week they had 3 250-round boxes of Remington 115-grain hardball.

I bought one and left the other two, which surprised the clerk. At about $0.27 a round it's still a little steep, and I'm sure things will get better. And it will give somebody else a chance to buy the other two.

Besides, if we stop being driven by paranoia, it will get better sooner.

 

[Harrison]

In many smaller communities the local Walmart is the ONLY place you can purchase ammo. LGS are not on every corner and are seldom competitive in their prices. I recently bought primers in a LGS in a small city. $10/100 is not what I would call competitive. Their loaded ammo was priced the same. Walmart sells plinking ammo at a fair and decent price and has a small selection of hunting ammo, or at least in my area they used too. The nearest big box sporting goods store from me that has a large ammo selection and good sale prices is 200 miles away. All the LGS within driving distance that have ammo, loaded or components must think it has solid gold bullets judging from their prices.

 

[blujax01]

.... At about $0.27 a round it's still a little steep, and I'm sure things will get better. ...
Besides, if we stop being driven by paranoia, it will get better sooner.

I dunno, Man. $13.50 a box is about as low as you're ever going to see it again, IMO. I hope I'm wrong.

I am not about to tell you what you should do but as for me, since I'm predicting a "Total One Party Rule" beginning in '14, I'm preparing for the worst - more shortages, taxes on anything even remotely related to the shooting sports, etc.

And every time I see reloading supplies, I buy. A lot.

If that's paranoia, so be it. But at least I'll have ammo...

 

[millisec]

Your right I really don't like Waldomart either but here's the deal.

1) They have been for some years the largest retailer of ammo in the US. That is they sell more ammo than any other retailer.
2) They are everywhere. If local does not have it then there's always another close by.
3) At least speaking in terms of Florida and NC, even before the several recent crazes dating back to the original election of Obama, if they had it then it was cheaper than anyplace else locally. That would be LGS, Dicks, Basspro and Gander. Granted sometimes I could find it online cheaper (counting shipping and no taxes). WM seems to have a good relationship with Federal and Winchester which I like to buy when I need extra factory ammo(9/45/223/12g). Even if no one else has it WM usually manages too at a reasonable price (improving today but still hit or miss).
4) I buy guns from LGS or online and not Walmart. I might but they never have anything I want (at least in store).
5) My issue with the other places is they are still charging top dollar for ammo and still have not adjusted. Many places (especially gunshows) are still trying to price gouge.