Ammo panic calming down or supply picking up?

[sw1834]

still hard to find

I walked into a small gunstore in Mills, Wyoming today. As I was standing there the brown truck pulled up and brought in a few boxes. There was one other person in the store, and he asked if any of the boxes had .22 in them. The boxes were labeled Cabelas and he was selling it for $15.00 a hundred. we both passed, at 75.00for 500 rounds. But i'll bet it's gone by tomorrow.

 

[Razer1]

I was at Gander Mountain this morning, arrived a few minutes before opening, there was a line like it was Walmart on Black Friday - doors opened and the rush began ... to the "limited" ammo section. As I was checking out I saw a guy with 3 boxes of CCI Tactical 22LR I asked how much it was and his answer reveals everything...

"I don't know and I don't care"

They still had a number of ARs and MP15-22s when I left but no more CCI Tactical...

I had the same experience at my local Gander here in Iowa yesterday Morning. I got there 30 minutes before they opened and was 12th in line and by the time they opened at least 20 more ppl were in line. I grabbed .223 ammo (have 1k of .22lr already) and I also ended up looking around quite a while and actually bought a handgun I had been thinking about for a while, but by the time I left the shelves were pretty much bare and a line was still formed outside the door :/ So the pannick buying defintely is not letting up here at all.

 

[sarge1967]

I stopped by my LGS yesterday. He has started to see AR's trickle in. He got 5 this week and built 2. He said he put out 500 rounds of .223 in 20 round boxes the other day. He said it lasted 3 hours and that is only because he put a 3 box limit on them.
I asked about primers and powders, he told me that they are no where to be found in our area. I asked about .22's and he said no way. He told me this is the worse he has seen it. Far worse than the last time Obama was elected.

 

[David LaPell]

So we have quite a few members here who seem to be well stocked with ammo and yet I keep reading that they are in the store and looking to buy. I know America is still a relatively free country, but somehow I'm missing the point.

Because here in NY thanks to Cuomo's UnSafe Act you can no longer buy ammo online, and I don't reload for shotguns so that forces me to buy there, and I do get whatever .22 I can find. Not to mention if I have guys who are looking for ammo that I work with, I tell them what is available.

 

[Boz]

I can shoot for the rest of the year on what I bought last October, because I never let my supply fall below a set amount.

Do you have a plan at the end of the year? I have no reason to believe that the ammo shortage will be over by then. The only reason my ammo supply will last a couple of years is because I don't shoot my rifle all that much. Plus, I don't have the patients to sit lurched over a mouse button to buy on-line or want to be a part of the feeding frenzy. I refuse to be a goldfish.

 

[Majorlk]

]Do you have a plan at the end of the year?[/B] I have no reason to believe that the ammo shortage will be over by then. The only reason my ammo supply will last a couple of years is because I don't shoot my rifle all that much. Plus, I don't have the patients to sit lurched over a mouse button to buy on-line or want to be a part of the feeding frenzy. I refuse to be a goldfish.

PANIC!!!!!!

I'll deal with that after summer. I may have to stop shooting .22s and concentrate on my handgun combat skills.

 

[Ilike9mm]

When I get low on ammo: I feel naked (like a nightmare), standing in front of a laughing crowd.

What are they laughing about?

 

[rburg]

Gawd I sure hope the panic runs for a couple more days. I'm selling down a lifetime hoard and happy for the opportunity. Tomorrow I'm taking about 14,000 rounds of 22 and 1000 of 9mm to the Lexington gun show. It will finance my next vacation or pay back all I've bought over recent years. When the shortage ends, I'll even consider some restocking. Maybe. My decision to sell is based on how little I currently burn up and the fact that I still have way too much.

I assume this ammo shortage will end exactly the same way the other ammo and primer shortages have. Over time the Walmart will see a few boxes remain on the shelf as the next delivery is coming in. Even then someone will bring his wife and adult kids in and buy them out a few times. Then one caliber will be restocked. This cycle we see it happening with .380. It also looks like 12ga hasn't really sold out at all. Maybe I'll just go and buy them out. Just for fun. I also assume the ammo being bought isn't being fired. That part is probably good because eventually people will relax just a little and not feel the need to buy all they can.

One thing that distinguishes this cycle from others is the buyout is taking place during the normal slow sales period. That part worries me just a little because when summer hits normal buying will probably increase. If there's not product on the shelf by autumn, this thing will get worse for a while.

I also expect a permanent increase in prices. It wouldn't surprise me to see the normal price of ammo to nearly double what it was a short time ago. With 22s selling for $50 a brick now, even a drop back to $35 would be welcomed by many shooters. I reject the idea that raw materials are hard to get. If you won't buy at market rates, its unobtainable. But if you're willing to pay the asking prices, you can get all the lead and brass your little heart desires. While I don't buy raw metals, I haven't seen anything that makes me think those prices have gotten out of hand. Sure, they're higher but everything is higher now. Even my favorite chicken place has upped its price from $3.23 to $3.30. Not huge, but I noticed it.

I have no idea how long it takes to get an ammo line started these days. The videos we've seen shows some pretty well automated assembly. One would hope the manufacturers are investing to expand production. The alternative is ugly. Maybe they just plan on weathering the storm, not producing any more or less than usual. No overtime, no new buildings going up, no new machinery being built.

The one thing this is teaching everyone is that you can't depend on manufacturers to have excess capacity they can just start up to fill any demand. If everyone decides they need 50,000 rounds of 22s, this shortage will extend into the years. And by everyone it doesn't have to include the occasional shooters, just the guys who shoot every month or two. We've never experienced a shortage of an easily manufactured product that extends very long. This will be interesting.

 

[Maddmax]

I'm not asking you to shop online. All I'm asking is would you be out buying if this furore was not going on.

I know I would be. The "Mom & Pop's" and LGS's LOVE seeing me walk in the door. That's why I get great deals,"one of" picks and they DO know my cell number. If I place an ammo order when some of them (LGS) are making their regular order,they will let me have it at their cost. Makes their order look bigger so they can get better deals too. I prefer to keep almost all my weapon business local. They also get first chance before I go web hunting parts.

I'm not in any compition,but the Major might get big eyes and a wide grin if he saw my 22LR storage bunk. We think alike on some things

 

[Maddmax]

I also expect a permanent increase in prices. It wouldn't surprise me to see the normal price of ammo to nearly double what it was a short time ago. With 22s selling for $50 a brick now, even a drop back to $35 would be welcomed by many shooters.

It might do that and stay awhile. THEN it will start sitting longer and longer and the prices will once drop again. They will eventually get much closer to the old prices as the buldging ammo incoming starts to sit at the manufactures locations and what storage they have is full to the brim again. Once again filling the pond after the dam burst.

 

[Brian41]

I saw this coming and stocked up on 22lr especially. I haven't even bothered trying to get more as I hear of empty shelves and the lots at my LGSs are jammed. I'm good for awhile at least and will hope ammo is available when I get low. No sense worrying much about it as I can't do anything to change it.

 

[David White]

Boy, I can tell you this. It sucks to be poor right now with this ammo shortage going on!
I was injured at work, six years ago. I have had three operations with another one coming next month so money has been super, super tight.
I saw the writing on the wall but there was no way I could take advantage of it without the money.
I only have about 300 rounds of .40 and about 200 rounds of 9mm.
Both are a mix of SD and range ammo.
I still try to pick up a box of anything (JHP, FMJ), that I can find but its getting harder to do.
It also doesn't help that my wife is a gun hater!
Once things calm down(?), I'll make sure to buy more ammo.

 

[Kinman]

I have more than enough ammunition in the calibers of all firearms I shoot. I had an "extra" AR that I had bought and salted away, my nephew knew I had it and has been trying to buy it off me for years. The other day he called and told me his father in law was interested and would I consider selling it for a grand, I thought to myself sure why not that would mean a decent return on my money. I told him to have his father in law call me, he did and was very interested and then asked if I had any ammuntion to go with it. I told him I did but knew the market was in high demand and wouldn't let it go cheap. He offered $1600 cash for rifle and a case of quality .223/5.56 came by and was happy as a kid at Christmas. So I decided to sell a few cases on a local gun trader for $600, did not have any trouble selling another case for that price, alot of inquiries as to whether I would sell for less but why would I want to do that given the circumstances.
I did a little check on my own by calling the distributor that sold me the ammunition a couple years back, I was told that they were not expecting any true "availability" until late in this year, possibly as late as December and prices will obviously reflect the high demand.

 

[Majorlk]

Gawd I sure hope the panic runs for a couple more days. I'm selling down a lifetime hoard and happy for the opportunity. Tomorrow I'm taking about 14,000 rounds of 22 and 1000 of 9mm to the Lexington gun show.

To each his own, but I NEVER sell my ammo inventory.

 

[Majorlk]

I know I would be. The "Mom & Pop's" and LGS's LOVE seeing me walk in the door. That's why I get great deals,"one of" picks and they DO know my cell number. If I place an ammo order when some of them (LGS) are making their regular order,they will let me have it at their cost. Makes their order look bigger so they can get better deals too. I prefer to keep almost all my weapon business local. They also get first chance before I go web hunting parts.

I'm not in any compition,but the Major might get big eyes and a wide grin if he saw my 22LR storage bunk. We think alike on some things

As would you if you visited me.

 

[Malpasowildlifer]

I have a decent stock of 22 and all other calibers that I shoot: but not were I'd like to be. I'm really good on components and that is what I focused on all last year. The morning after Obama was re-elected, I ordered a case of LP and a case of SP primers. I'm decent on powder, bullets and pretty good with brass.

That is something we should all do; every pay check or every month, go buy, if you can, a brick of 22 LR and those 100 round boxes they usually have of 9mm, 45 ACP or 38 Special.

A buddy I've met on the forum said he's been doing this for years and has accumulated quite a nest egg.

 

[sipowicz]

I was down to a few boxes for my 17, Nylon 66 and 39A. Lucky for me I have friends who plan ahead...my pal has quite a stash of .22 and traded me three bricks today for a few boxes of 9 and .45..and he bought me lunch to boot...if you never had a chicken and brie panini with fig chutney, you don't know what you're missing...

 

[Godhand502]

Here in Kentucky, all I see is 12-guage, 20-guage, .410-Gauge, 30-06, and 17 HMR on the shelves @ Walmart, Bass Pro, Dick's. Gun stores have managed to get small quantities of most ammo, but are rationing it with a 1 box per customer limit. Some calibers like .32 Auto are still impossible to find. 12-gauge slugs are also impossible to find.

 

[$ling$hot]

You want your .22 ammo, read this folks

I'm seeing/buying more and more ammo as well, however, it is ONLY b/c I'm calling these workers/managers out and raising hell! I can't prove they are hiding it or misplacing it for their own personal gain, but I do know I've seen countless people be turned away when there was a damn case or two or better yet, a whole dang pallet filled in back waiting to come out. I've heard so many lies from both the workers and all levels of management, you just don't know what to believe anymore. I had the Telegraph store start incorporating their own "policy"; claiming it was from corporate and against "A.P" policy to sell ammo that is "in stock" (which was locked in the cage) until morning. This was 20:00 and the Asst. Manager said no one could get it and tough **** if you couldn't make it back in the morning. I called their bluff and called 800 WM and was supposedly contacted by a DM today and she said she was looking into this and will get back w/ me come Monday. I requested in writing/email from her where this "corporate policy" might be She was obviously irritated w/ the service I received from these puppets, so they really do care about your experience there!

This goes for calling too. I bought my limit the other night and while waiting in the parking lot for a friend to arrive, I called the store to see how much they sold since checking out 5 mins prior and the manager intercepted the call and said they didn't receive anything on the truck that night!!! Fenton Walmart folks!

Bottom line is: if people stop buying .20/rd .22's on gunjoker and hoarding everything they see, it will eventually get back to normal! Walmart spent MILLIONS on their inventory system - SMART. Use it to YOUR advantage!

Best

 

[22rimfire]

I was at Academy in south Arlington, Tx a couple of weeks ago. They had a factory sealed drum of 5.56 for sale -- XM855 Ball. It was 12,500 rounds of loose pack ammo. Gross weight 355 lbs. Price $6499.