Is the 2020 ammo situation getting better or worse -- Your Observations

The Freak Factor

TTSH said:
I remember clearly that back in the dark days following Newtown, .40 S&W was the only common range ammo left on the shelves in my local Bass Pro (and there was plenty of it). Back then, the advice was good: Have a .40 in the collection if you want to keep shooting. :)

Today, it is still true to a degree. As we speak, the only handgun ammo I can find in-stock to buy on-line is .40. The difference is that it is all self-defense ammo and very expensive. :o

I was also in a shop last Tuesday and what do I see left on their otherwise bare pistol ammo shelf? :confused: Sure 'nuff... four 50-round boxes of .40 range ammo at $20/box. :eek:

So it still holds true, but probably not to the same degree as it did during the 2013-2014 post-Newtown ammo crisis. :cool:
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In addition to having a .40 in the mix, I operate the same plan always....

When things are normal - slowly stockpile at the right price

When the “Freak Factor Hits” - buy early and buy deep. Then let everyone fight over the scraps. By that time, the hay is in the barn.
 
Cellar Hound said:
In addition to having a .40 in the mix, I operate the same plan always....

When things are normal - slowly stockpile at the right price

When the “Freak Factor Hits” - buy early and buy deep. Then let everyone fight over the scraps. By that time, the hay is in the barn.
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The key, of course, is in being able to spot the ammo crisis brewing. :)

I was already more than good in all the popular handgun and MSR calibers except .38 Special. My .38 Special ammo purchasing had not kept pace with my .38 Special revolver purchasing over the past year or so. Fortunately, I got in just before things got stupid crazy and I'm all set now. :)

But now a new crisis: I have my first vintage .32 S&W Long revolver on the way in and I have not one round of .32 S&W Long ammo in the entire stash. :eek: I'm looking for bulk, but it now looks like I'm going to have to settle for crumbs.

Lesson learned: In the middle of a national ammo shortage crisis, make sure you've bought the ammo before you buy the gun! :D
 
Bass Pro Shops in Cincinnati had 2 boxes of 50AE. Thats it for handgun ammo. They had zero 30-30, but lots of 30-06, 270, other hunting rifle round and shotshells. Pretty sad.
 
Early on in the pandemic ammo all but disappeared. Then things got better slowly. After the certain-political-party run cities started going to manure, ammo tanked again.

The local Academy had 4 boxes of .357 SIG V-Crown ammo on the shelf with some .300 BO and 170 grain SUBSONIC .30-30 ammo, 6.5 Creedmore, and .350 Legend. There was lots of shotgun ammo from #9 shot up to #2 Steel, but no slugs or buckshot.

I have enough .38 Special and .357 Magnum for "social work" and even have enough 9mm if I don't go nuts. If things go real bad, I'll open the 400 round can of 7.62x54R and break out the Model 38 carbine.

The last ammo I bought was when Walmart was closing out their handgun ammo and got a 250 round box of Winchester 115 grain 9mm steel case for $26.00±. If I get down to that, it'll be headshots only.
 
Skeet 028 said:
I almost bought some of that in Billings the other day...but just didn't need it...then...bought a Sig 365 on Sunday...wish I had bought some now...but still don't NEED it
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I was a little surprised at how many boxes were on the shelf.
I like the Sig and would love one but with money being tight, if I got one I think my wife would use it on me.
 
This was my local hunting supply store that I have never been in until August 17. This was all the powder they had in stock and they had a few thousand primers on the shelf. Price per pound was somewhere around $25-$35 a pound as memory serves. Not killer bargains but if you need a pound of powder it’ll load your hunting rounds are a few hundred handgun rounds for competition.

Plenty of Unique, CFE Pistol, H335, H380, and most Reliant rifle powders etc.
 

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elm_creek_smith said:
The last ammo I bought was when Walmart was closing out their handgun ammo and got a 250 round box of Winchester 115 grain 9mm steel case for $26.00±. If I get down to that, it'll be headshots only.
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Speaking of Walmart, let's see a show of hands: How many here think the current ammo crisis is far worse because Walmart chose virtual signaling over the needs of its customers. :mad:
 
TTSH said:
Speaking of Walmart, let's see a show of hands: How many here think the current ammo crisis is far worse because Walmart chose virtual signaling over the needs of its customers. :mad:
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I'll vote no. It's an interesting idea, but I think it's way more complex than "Walmart did it."

IMO, COVID and the riots made for a really significant run on guns and ammo that put pressure manufacturers. COVID created all sorts of supply chain issues with trucking that's made it hard for ammo manufacturers to get lead so they could make ammo and primers. Probably made staffing challenging for ammo manufacturers too.

Walmart's a convenient whipping boy, but I don't think this one is their fault.
 
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bigben55 said:
Bass Pro Shops in Cincinnati had 2 boxes of 50AE. Thats it for handgun ammo. They had zero 30-30, but lots of 30-06, 270, other hunting rifle round and shotshells. Pretty sad.
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I’ve seen the same thing regarding 30/30 ammo. I bought a couple boxes before things got really crazy, probably for the same reasons as everyone else - that handy, fast-shooting, reasonably powerful little carbine might not be as outdated as some folks think.
 
Dicks Update: Just went to the same Rutland, VT Dicks.
Now all they have is some brand called Sintered.
9mm 100 grain FMJ box of 50 now $35.00!

Glad I bought the Blazer. (I just shot one box.)
Plus .38 and .45 same brand same price ratio.
They also have boxes of other premium self D for high prices.
 
And it kind of ticks me off. 30-40 is not shot in high volumes. Who have thunk a run on literally the oldest modern rifle round? Its a hunting round! I just bought a nice JM stamped Marlin 336 and have to figure out what factory ammo the gun likes, and ammo is hard to find. And I dont wanna stock up until I find "the" round. I tried 3 loads last week, found it preferred 170gr to 150gr, so bought 2 different boxes of 170gr but there's 2-3 more I wanna try. Can't find em

sigp220.45 said:
I’ve seen the same thing regarding 30/30 ammo. I bought a couple boxes before things got really crazy, probably for the same reasons as everyone else - that handy, fast-shooting, reasonably powerful little carbine might not be as outdated as some folks think.
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In my area (so-central PA), there isn't much available. When I hear that it is, it is usually a tall tale.
The question seems to be "Is it over or nearing an end?
My opinion: The worst is yet to come. (And I really hope I am wrong.)
There are lots of 'new' gun owners wanting a little bit of it, but I think many more seasoned folks see the storm coming, and they know that if the winds blow the wrong way, it'll be a perfect storm. So, that's driving availability to about nothing, and if things go south, there likely won't be much available in the supply chain for quite some time, if at all, without new 'restrictions'. As a buyer, wouldn't that motivate an urge to put in a few more rounds? I know this is gloom and doom, but, IMHO that's what is driving availability down and prices way up (again). Not everyone laid in a supply. Even many who did have added fuel to the shortage fire by laying in more. At my LGS, people complain about the prices and stomp out. They are back within several days to buy because after they search on-line and there is nothing available, it's kind of 'Well at least it is available.' My LGS is keeping some in the back for new gun sales/buyers, and the retail shelf is pretty sparse. It's available on Gun Broker, yes, but look at what people are paying for it. Money talks, and if things get much stranger, ammunition may become an alternate currency.
I have toured several ammunition manufacturing plants, and I cannot fathom, with production like I have seen, that there could be a shortage.
But, there is. I don't really get it, but the facts are the facts.
 
Ziggy2525 said:
I'll vote no. It's an interesting idea, but I think it's way more complex than "Walmart did it."

IMO, COVID and the riots made for a really significant run on guns and ammo that put pressure manufacturers. COVID created all sorts of supply chain issues with trucking that's made it hard for ammo manufacturers to get lead so they could make ammo and primers. Probably made staffing challenging for ammo manufacturers too.

Walmart's a convenient whipping boy, but I don't think this one is their fault.
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Oh, I didn't mean to suggest that Walmart initiated or caused the current ammo crisis. :o It's pretty clear at this point what combination of factors caused it. :cool:

What I am suggesting is that Walmart no longer carrying handgun or MSR ammo has made the current ammo crisis far worse than it otherwise had to be.

As evidence, I offer the post-Newtown ammo crisis wherein just about all the ammo my friends and I were able to find during that earlier crisis we found at our local Walmart stores. Now, those stores have nothing. :(

In the absence of Walmart, the on-line bulk sellers are tasked with taking up the enormous slack, but it's not working. Why? :confused:

Throughout the entire post-Newtown crisis, Walmart never got into price gouging. There were never any shipping charges. The ammo trickled into the stores and people were able to buy modest quantities now and then without going broke. :)

Just my 2¢. It's not going to change anything. Just need to adjust to this brave new world. :cool:
 
TTSH said:
Oh, I didn't mean to suggest that Walmart initiated or caused the current ammo crisis. :o It's pretty clear at this point what combination of factors caused it. :cool:

What I am suggesting is that Walmart no longer carrying handgun or MSR ammo has made the current ammo crisis far worse than it otherwise had to be.

As evidence, I offer the post-Newtown ammo crisis wherein just about all the ammo my friends and I were able to find during that earlier crisis we found at our local Walmart stores. Now, those stores have nothing. :(

In the absence of Walmart, the on-line bulk sellers are tasked with taking up the enormous slack, but it's not working. Why? :confused:

Throughout the entire post-Newtown crisis, Walmart never got into price gouging. There were never any shipping charges. The ammo trickled into the stores and people were able to buy modest quantities now and then without going broke. :)

Just my 2¢. It's not going to change anything. Just need to adjust to this brave new world. :cool:
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Even if Wal Mart was still selling, a broken supply chain, be it shipping, manufacturing, or raw materials is still a big problem that makes a difference this time...
 
JH1951 said:
I have toured several ammunition manufacturing plants, and I cannot fathom, with production like I have seen, that there could be a shortage.
But, there is. I don't really get it, but the facts are the facts.
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From the Washington Examiner Dec. 2019:

America’s love affair with guns is only getting stronger.

New federal data shows that there are 422.9 million firearms in circulation, or about 1.2 guns for every person in the country.

What’s more, despite years of criticism of modern “assault-style” rifles such as the AR-15 and AK-47, there are a record 17.7 million in private hands, proving that it is the most popular gun around.

And last year alone, the arms industry produced 8.1 billion rounds of ammunition.
 
shocker said:
What’s more, despite years of criticism of modern “assault-style” rifles such as the AR-15 and AK-47, there are a record 17.7 million in private hands, proving that it is the most popular gun around.
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This is a very important fact -- Potentially persuasive evidence that so-called "assault weapons" are not unusual, and therefore protected under the Second Amendment.
 
I’ve loaded nearly 1000 rounds of .38 in the last month. Have another 1000 bullets on the way. Have 2500 9MM bullets ready to load. Then on to the 2000 .223 I have sitting around.

I’m gonna concentrate on stockpiling components. Rarely buy factory ammo anymore. Components a bit easier to find. I only wish I had stocked up more on components. If and when this latest drought eases I’m not gonna make that mistake again. I can surely store the components easier than boxes or cases of ammo.
 
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