HorizontalMike
US Veteran
But you didn't get the memo... All TVs in nursing homes are to be replaced with checker boards!
How Will Ammo And Prices Now Be Affected
- Thread starter Ruger Nut
- Start date
- Status
But you didn't get the memo... All TVs in nursing homes are to be replaced with checker boards!
uncleted327
Member
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2012
- Messages
- 508
- Reaction score
- 791
Bolt actions and shotguns are safe? I'm not sure about were you guys live but around me hunting ammo of all varieties and buck and slugs dried up months ago. I'm not talking about 223, I'm talking about 30-06, 270, 243 ect. The local Bass Pro ammo aisle has other items in it now because there's nothing available.
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2012
- Messages
- 4,608
- Reaction score
- 7,820
Sometimes, the panic begets the shortage. Other times, the shortage begets the panic. Sometimes it's even both at the same time....I think that's where we are.
Due to political and social issues a panic buying spree formed at precisely the time the virus caused supply chain shortages. It's not just ammo, there's all kinds of supply chain disruptions (combined with increased) demand out there if you look for them.
RV's are in short supply and prices on used ones are way up. Dealer lots are empty or they aren't dealing. Try buying an outdoor patio heater.
First the supply chain has to get repaired then we have to work through the demand. This is going to take a while. Predictions are tough but I figure maybe in a year things might get back to normalish. Could easily take two. All of this assumes the status quo is maintained as far as regulations go.
When you next get the opportunity lay in supplies. It seems the rolling shortages are the new normal. Even if you don't reload you can trade primers for ammo and 10,000 primers takes up a lot less room than 10,000 rounds of ammo.
Due to political and social issues a panic buying spree formed at precisely the time the virus caused supply chain shortages. It's not just ammo, there's all kinds of supply chain disruptions (combined with increased) demand out there if you look for them.
RV's are in short supply and prices on used ones are way up. Dealer lots are empty or they aren't dealing. Try buying an outdoor patio heater.
First the supply chain has to get repaired then we have to work through the demand. This is going to take a while. Predictions are tough but I figure maybe in a year things might get back to normalish. Could easily take two. All of this assumes the status quo is maintained as far as regulations go.
When you next get the opportunity lay in supplies. It seems the rolling shortages are the new normal. Even if you don't reload you can trade primers for ammo and 10,000 primers takes up a lot less room than 10,000 rounds of ammo.
nipperdog
Member
The only Bright Side to this situation, Waiting time for a Point at my Local Range has decreased Probably because of the lack of Available Ammo
After the coup de grace in Jan I expect that 1k of 9mm I bought last February will be my last bulk purchase.
Next year it'll be a struggle to afford a box of 50 IMHO.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
With the vaccine imminent the pipeline and production should widen.
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2015
- Messages
- 1,361
- Reaction score
- 1,584
A vaccine will certainly help. But I have read that ammo manufacturers feel they got burned after they spent a lot of money buying expensive equipment to increase their capacity only to have the market and prices collapse in 2016. They do not intend to make the same mistake this time. I have no doubt they will be running their existing lines 24/7 after the vaccine if they are not doing so already. But given the pent up demand it is going to take a while for supply to catch up with demand.
Protected One
Member
This past Saturday I was out browsing at a local pawn shop, hoping to find a spyderco knife for $3, like another forum member last week. 
While I didn't see any such deals on folding pocket knives I DID score a set of katana's for $40, which made me very happy.
As I was leaving the shop I noticed that they also sold firearms, and had a surprising supply of ammo....mostly 9mm. TulAmmo, Blazer Brass, Sellier & Bellot, and the box of Federal pictured below!!!
Glad I'm not in need of ammo right now.
While I didn't see any such deals on folding pocket knives I DID score a set of katana's for $40, which made me very happy.As I was leaving the shop I noticed that they also sold firearms, and had a surprising supply of ammo....mostly 9mm. TulAmmo, Blazer Brass, Sellier & Bellot, and the box of Federal pictured below!!!
Glad I'm not in need of ammo right now.
Attachments
scoobysnacker
Member
It's quite the interesting situation.
Like most of us, I'd like to go shooting, but until we get a better handle on what's going to happen, I'm reluctant to dip into my current stash. I'm also reluctant to pay current market prices on common ammo, that may well plummet in a year. So I'm sitting on my 9mm pile.
The one thing I've done recently, is explore the more obscure calibers. I'm not GUN shopping, I'm BARREL shopping, with the idea being this-
if I can convert a gun I already own into a caliber very few people are seeking, then I have opened an avenue to add MORE ammo to the mix, and increase (not shrink) my stash.
2 such pistols have been re-purposed by me now. Until this started both were chambered (solely) in 9x19 Parabellum, enjoyed, and waited their turn in the rotation going to the range, depending on my mood that day.
First one was a Chinese Norinco Tokarev; I added the 7.62 Tok barrel for under $60, and picked up some surplus ammo. The results pleased me so much I looked further, leading to my next move-
Second one is a Star Model B Super. Like the above-mentioned Tok, I had been shooting that in 9 Luger. I added a 9 Largo barrel and some Largo ammo, and it also seems to be a fine conversion.
7.62 Tokarev and 9 Largo are generally more expensive than 9x19 Parabellum, but NOT right now. There ARE surplus supplies around if you can find them, which are significantly lower, and mostly require you to clean the gun with an eye towards preventing corrosive salt issues. Ballistol moose milk seems to be an easy method, and if you use Ballistol anyway, that means minimal cost difference. And a side benefit is that you will tend to clean the gun far more thoroughly than if you were shooting "clean" ammo, so you get a better look at your gun.
New stuff is also available, and although the cost is higher, you also don't run the risk of corrosion nearly as much.
It's a bit tougher to find 9mm Largo or 7.62 Tok (or 7.63 Mauser), but you're also not racing against a million new gun owners to buy some. So if/when you do find some, you have a bigger window to decide if it's worth it, or not. If you find 9mm Parabellum, you need to be ready to buy now, or it's gone.
*Added for clarification: even new manufactured ammo in these calibers, if you can locate them, are lower, or at worst equal to, the current price of new manufactured Parabellum. I did a search on one of the ammo engines, best deal I can find for 9x19 brass-cased fmj right now is 70 cents a rd. I can get new Largo for 60 cents, and new 7.63 Mauser for 70.
Surplus is currently going around 35-45 cents a rd
Like most of us, I'd like to go shooting, but until we get a better handle on what's going to happen, I'm reluctant to dip into my current stash. I'm also reluctant to pay current market prices on common ammo, that may well plummet in a year. So I'm sitting on my 9mm pile.
The one thing I've done recently, is explore the more obscure calibers. I'm not GUN shopping, I'm BARREL shopping, with the idea being this-
if I can convert a gun I already own into a caliber very few people are seeking, then I have opened an avenue to add MORE ammo to the mix, and increase (not shrink) my stash.
2 such pistols have been re-purposed by me now. Until this started both were chambered (solely) in 9x19 Parabellum, enjoyed, and waited their turn in the rotation going to the range, depending on my mood that day.
First one was a Chinese Norinco Tokarev; I added the 7.62 Tok barrel for under $60, and picked up some surplus ammo. The results pleased me so much I looked further, leading to my next move-
Second one is a Star Model B Super. Like the above-mentioned Tok, I had been shooting that in 9 Luger. I added a 9 Largo barrel and some Largo ammo, and it also seems to be a fine conversion.
7.62 Tokarev and 9 Largo are generally more expensive than 9x19 Parabellum, but NOT right now. There ARE surplus supplies around if you can find them, which are significantly lower, and mostly require you to clean the gun with an eye towards preventing corrosive salt issues. Ballistol moose milk seems to be an easy method, and if you use Ballistol anyway, that means minimal cost difference. And a side benefit is that you will tend to clean the gun far more thoroughly than if you were shooting "clean" ammo, so you get a better look at your gun.
New stuff is also available, and although the cost is higher, you also don't run the risk of corrosion nearly as much.
It's a bit tougher to find 9mm Largo or 7.62 Tok (or 7.63 Mauser), but you're also not racing against a million new gun owners to buy some. So if/when you do find some, you have a bigger window to decide if it's worth it, or not. If you find 9mm Parabellum, you need to be ready to buy now, or it's gone.
*Added for clarification: even new manufactured ammo in these calibers, if you can locate them, are lower, or at worst equal to, the current price of new manufactured Parabellum. I did a search on one of the ammo engines, best deal I can find for 9x19 brass-cased fmj right now is 70 cents a rd. I can get new Largo for 60 cents, and new 7.63 Mauser for 70.
Surplus is currently going around 35-45 cents a rd
Last edited:
Telecaster
Member
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2015
- Messages
- 2,783
- Reaction score
- 5,028
If diminished Covid fears encourage more ammo production and distribution, then that'll certainly help. But there's another factor, which we're not allowed to discuss here. 
I believe that this demand factor outweighs the supply factor caused by Covid. It would probably be prudent to buy whatever ammo is reasonably priced while you can. Don't pay $120 for one little box of 9mm, but even if you think you don't need more .22LR, and it's not wacky-priced, I'd suggest buying a box or two anyway.
I believe that this demand factor outweighs the supply factor caused by Covid. It would probably be prudent to buy whatever ammo is reasonably priced while you can. Don't pay $120 for one little box of 9mm, but even if you think you don't need more .22LR, and it's not wacky-priced, I'd suggest buying a box or two anyway.kbm6893
Member
If this ever lifts, anybody who does NOT learn how to reload is a fool. If anything, loaded ammo is gonna be gone after first. A very small percentage of shooters reload. One pound of powder can load like 1300 9MM rounds. 1800 .38 Special. The space needed to store the components is far less than the space needed to store loaded ammo. I have 4000 9MM bullets waiting to be loaded, and 5000 pistol primers, at least. Have thousands of rounds already loaded. It costs me $13 to load 100 9MM rounds. I've been saving brass for years. It's just laying on the ground. When this is over, stockpiling components is gonna be my thing. That and .22 ammo. Only have 15,000 rounds of that.
I learned after Newtown. Never again. I should have been stockpiling more components though. I won't make that mistake again.
I learned after Newtown. Never again. I should have been stockpiling more components though. I won't make that mistake again.
Last edited:
Telecaster
Member
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2015
- Messages
- 2,783
- Reaction score
- 5,028
On top of the Panic Tax.
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2015
- Messages
- 1,361
- Reaction score
- 1,584
I reloaded for many years, quit about 10 years ago and have zero regrets. I have been hanging on to the equipment and remaining components "just in case" but if 2020 has not made me reconsider I hate to think what would. Buying ammo in bulk works just as well as buying reloading components in bulk.
Absolutely not true. If space is an issue you can take factory ammo out of its boxes and store 2200 rounds in a single 50 cal ammo can. The brass and bullets alone would fill the same can. Then there's the primers which should be stored in the factory boxes for safety reasons, cans of powder, brass tumblers, the press itself and all the small items that go along with reloading. I freed up a lot of space when I quit reloading.
I agree that anyone that doesn't stock up when ammo and reloading components become available will have only themselves to blame if they run low during the next shortage. But reloading is not the answer for everyone. I used to enjoy it but it gradually became just another tedious chore. It's cheaper but not everyone finds it worth the time or enjoys it.
Neither of us is a fool, we just have different priorities.
Last edited:
kbm6893
Member
We're gonna have to disagree. I have 5000 primers, easily 7000 bullets, and 15 1 pound jugs of powder in a cabinet under my work bench that I load on. Primed brass on other side of work bench. All tucked in a corner in my garage. 1000 primer bricks take up almost no space. Storing brass takes up some room but a shelf on the other side of the garage takes care of that.
And even in the best of times, I can reload 9MM for 60% less than the WWB that USED to be available at Walmart. .38, .357, and .45 are even more cost effective. It wouldn't take much room to store components for 100,000 completed rounds. Try storing 2,000 boxes of ammo. And the other thing you forget is I don't have to store the completed rounds that take up more space than the components do, so I reload as I need to. I don't need to store 10,000 rounds.
I've only been loading since 2013 so maybe I'll change my mind, but reloading has freed me from this ammo shortage. Yeah, I could have stored 5000 loaded rounds, but not only it have cost more than what it did to reload them, they'd be taking up more space. A friend of mine literally loads as he goes. I doubt he has 250 loaded rounds in his house. He feels the need, he makes them and shoots them.
Last edited:
ggibson511960
Member
Can We Learn From the Stock Market?
Stock markets have "circuit breakers" in place to suspend trading when prices or volume exceed predetermined levels. The monstrous financial market is not exactly comparable to the relatively small arms and ammunition market, but everyone would be well served if there were some dampers in place to soften the wild run ups in prices and bare shelves. Brick and mortar retailers make some effort by limiting purchase sizes, but they don't seem to have helped much. The online broker services might think about creative ideas to soften the panic. I know they serve a vital link in the commerce chain, especially for used items, but increasingly they are conduits for re-sellers of new guns and ammunition bought on speculation, and amplify the problem. Perhaps some mandatory disclosure rules on how long a seller has owned the commodity, reason for selling, etc., to separate legitimate private sellers from profiteer distributors. I know it smacks of big government overreach, but this is getting old and nobody is doing anything to help. Just musing.
Stock markets have "circuit breakers" in place to suspend trading when prices or volume exceed predetermined levels. The monstrous financial market is not exactly comparable to the relatively small arms and ammunition market, but everyone would be well served if there were some dampers in place to soften the wild run ups in prices and bare shelves. Brick and mortar retailers make some effort by limiting purchase sizes, but they don't seem to have helped much. The online broker services might think about creative ideas to soften the panic. I know they serve a vital link in the commerce chain, especially for used items, but increasingly they are conduits for re-sellers of new guns and ammunition bought on speculation, and amplify the problem. Perhaps some mandatory disclosure rules on how long a seller has owned the commodity, reason for selling, etc., to separate legitimate private sellers from profiteer distributors. I know it smacks of big government overreach, but this is getting old and nobody is doing anything to help. Just musing.
- Status
Similar threads
