Ammo shortage and limiting sales

[Smokester653]

Really wondering why there is such vehement opposition to limiting sales of ammunition if the store chooses to do so is there that much hysteria and panic? Why is the government always mentioned when it comes to limiting sales or the shortage itself, is it really the goverments fault or ours? Does anyone have any concern for their fellow man or is it every man for himself?

 

[Smokester653]

Really wondering why there is such vehement opposition to limiting sales of ammunition if the store chooses to do so is there that much hysteria and panic? Why is the government always mentioned when it comes to limiting sales or the shortage itself, is it really the goverments fault or ours? Does anyone have any concern for their fellow man or is it every man for himself?

 

[ladder13]

Every man for themselves.

 

[whitecoyote]

It's threads like these that create "hysteria and panic"!

 

[GatorFarmer]

Rationing things just tends to make people want it more. At least with wide open sales, maybe one guy got all he wanted. Ration sales and everyone wanders around wanting more. Plus they'll buy things they don't need - such as if the limit was two boxes per caliber, someone will buy two boxes of everything perhaps, even if they only wanted 9mm.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

Some boxes of 50 9mm are going for $60 now. Good thing I hoarded when the hoarding was good.

 

[BobsSmith]

I am glad I horded 9mm & 45. Been gradually stocking up this past year. I don't even shoot much! Just wish I had "horded" more 38 & 357.

In Cali, they are trying to require permits and having a limit of 50 rounds of ammo a month. While I do not think it will pass, you just never know!

Bob

 

[Old 44 Guy]

Bob; I used to live in Clayton,Ca. Moved out to the Sierras in 1967. It was getting crazy then but really is now. Moved to Oregon 6 years ago. It's better here but we have to watch our State Govt. very closely.They want to bring Calif. politics here someday.

 

[redlevel]

Originally posted by Dick Rumbaugh:
Bob; I used to live in Clayton,Ca. Moved out to the Sierras in 1967. It was getting crazy then but really is now. Moved to Oregon 6 years ago. It's better here but we have to watch our State Govt. very closely.They want to bring Calif. politics here someday.

I remember way back in the 70s seeing a sign at one of the Presidential Nominating Conventions carried by someone from the Oregon delegation:

"DON'T CALIFORNICATE OREGON"

 

[BobsSmith]

Hi Dick...

I used to spend a lot of time in Clayton years ago. As you know it was pretty much a small town. It has grown so much now, I get lost there.

I have been through Oregon. Beautiful state. I hope you are able to keep Cali politics out of your state.

Best

Bob

 

[41 nut]

Every man for himself while the majority of shooters are in panic mode. It has been created by the panic buying of the shooters.

 

[kcoruol]

I bought 4 boxes of .380 ACP today for $16.95/box.

4/29/09

 

[MrPhil]

Until we can get replenished, we are limiting ammo sales for our membership range and to gun buyers. 99% of folks are understanding. We've got a couple thousand members who would be very disappointed if we closed our range for lack of ammo.

 

[rburg]

Any private business can decide who to deal with and who not to. You can't decide that based on an outlawed reason, like religion or skin color, but you can do a reasonable (open to defination) restriction for business reasons.

I think stores like Wallyworld are probably doing everyone a favor when they make their limits. The one guy who gets ticked off can go home and nurse his own wounds. But the other few dozen who maybe get a few boxes are elated. Chances are the volume purchaser didn't go there for anything else but ammo. And the small purchaser probably did. From a business perspective, the product still sold out in a very short period of time.

And I define that short period as being prior to any restock. Business entities need to keep as many customers as they can satisfied.

The guy buying thousands of bucks worth of ammo at a time won't be patronizing the store when the shortage eases up. He can then buy it on line or direct for a lower price. And the incentive to resell it will be gone as well. But the small guys will still be patronizing them well into the future.

I wasn't overjoyed around election time when I conclued my 22 cal stocks were lower than I wanted them to be. I didn't grumble when I was limited to 10 boxes. I did the logical thing, I went to the store a few miles away. It took me a little time and a little gas, but my normal travels took me pretty close to them. I didn't grumble, I accepted it. And when the fat guy at the one store sold me 20, I smiled, took them home, and declared my buying exercise finished.

 

[Jack Flash]

I agree with Dick. It is a courtesy to the customers to set a limit when there is a run on a particular commodity. People tend to get swinish when there is a scarcity of anything. Why sell it all to one or two people?

$60 / 50 for 9mm?

I had been buying 9x19 and .45ACP on a regular basis from WallyWorld a few months ago when I could get the 100 count Winchester WhiteBox ammo for less than the components would cost me. Maybe I need to rent a table at the next gun show...

 

[GoGators]

Originally posted by kcoruol:
I bought 4 boxes of .380 ACP today for $16.95/box.

4/29/09

With that luck, you should've bought a lottery ticket too.

 

[stiab]

Just wish I had "horded" more 38 & 357

I bought 1200 rounds of .357 for $185 at an auction a year ago, best move I've made lately. But, I have always hoarded ammo, long before the current situation, just because I like it. I have no problem with stores limiting sales if they need to. I bought 3 50 round boxes of FMJ yesterday at Clark Bros. in Warrenton VA, UMC 9mm, Federal 9mm, Atlanta Arms .45, and the total with tax was under $60.

 

[GatorFarmer]

Originally posted by stiab:
I bought 1200 rounds of .357 for $185 at an auction a year ago, best move I've made lately. But, I have always hoarded ammo, long before the current situation, just because I like it. I have no problem with stores limiting sales if they need to. I bought 3 50 round boxes of FMJ yesterday at Clark Bros. in Warrenton VA, UMC 9mm, Federal 9mm, Atlanta Arms .45, and the total with tax was under $60.

Clark Brothers used to have high ammo prices even before the panic. The added cost was to allow for use of their "free" range. About two years ago, they wanted 16 dollars a box for American Eagle 9mm.

 

[stiab]

Clark Brothers used to have high ammo prices

Yes and no. While I agree that most of their ammo is very high (ex. 38Spec +P for $48.95 a box), some of it is extremely cheap, because they take it in with guns. It is one of the few stores I know that resales old ammo, even if not full boxes. I bougth the box of old (WWII) 38 Super ammo there for $9 that you might have seen in my post on the S&W ammo forum. When posted on the IMI forum I was offered $150 for it. Recently they had 1970's vintage .308 Win 150 gr. hunting ammo for $10 a box, many boxes of similar vintage 30-06 for $15 a box, including Silvertips. The box of 9mm 124 grain Federal 1980's vintage ammo I just got for $16.95 was next to a box of current mfg ammo for $10 more. I have bought several boxes of older wadcutter for $10 a box, full boxes of old Western 45acp for 12.95, etc. If you look thru their inventory for older ammo that is new to their shelves, they price it very reasonably.

 

[Centenniel]

The local Walmart posted a sign stating they would limit ammunition purchases to 6 items per day per customer. I really hope this "shortage" will be over soon.