Shooting Less & Enjoying it Less

[rgitz]

I don't know how many of you are experiencing the same feelings.
For years I would consume 1000 rounds of .22 LR plus some .38 spl and/or 9 mm every weekend.
Now with the new economy-administration that has changed. Started maybe 6 -7 months ago when ammo started drying up. While I have a good supply of ammo on hand I just don't get the same bang out of shooting.
This past week I went to Southern California on a business trip, while on the road I stopped at six WalMarts between Compton CA and Palm Springs. None of them had any handgun ammo. There were three boxes of 44 Mag in La Quinta, two boxes of .22LR in Santa Ana.
If anyone has heard this situation is going to turn around I'd sure like to hear that good news.

 

[rgitz]

I don't know how many of you are experiencing the same feelings.
For years I would consume 1000 rounds of .22 LR plus some .38 spl and/or 9 mm every weekend.
Now with the new economy-administration that has changed. Started maybe 6 -7 months ago when ammo started drying up. While I have a good supply of ammo on hand I just don't get the same bang out of shooting.
This past week I went to Southern California on a business trip, while on the road I stopped at six WalMarts between Compton CA and Palm Springs. None of them had any handgun ammo. There were three boxes of 44 Mag in La Quinta, two boxes of .22LR in Santa Ana.
If anyone has heard this situation is going to turn around I'd sure like to hear that good news.

 

[Dyerbill]

I still plink with my 22lr guns and some 12ga target shooting but anything else is too hard to replace the ammo.

 

[Iggy]

You are being assimilated along with the rest of us.

When was the last time you had home made vanilla ice cream?

 

[84CJ]

I have noticed a slight increase in availability here. It seems that timming is everything at wal mart. Most recieve ammo daily around here (couple boxes to few cases). Problem is ammo scalpers or something of that effect show up at stocking time and early in the morning buy it all. This is the case at the wal mart next to my work place.

Oh Shooting less & enjoying it less, It is true

I am shooting 22's a lot more.

I have no proof only wishful thinking that things will get better.

Dont panic and buy from scalpers. I cant beleive people will pay twice what ammo is worth.

 

[conn ak]

Originally posted by Dyerbill:
I still plink with my 22lr guns and some 12ga target shooting but anything else is too hard to replace the ammo.

The noble .22 is getting me through the current and permanent high price of ammo. Just bought 550 rounds for $16

 

[m657]

I've had more opportunity to go to the local club lately. And I reload which eases this supply problem a bit.

 

[S/W - Lifer]

I think what is happening is your common sense is over-riding the entertainment factor. Not only is ammo more expensive, it is becoming harder to replace. In other words, there may be greater value to the ammo than just dollars and cents. Why burn it up on a lark?

A thousand rounds of .22 ammo is can be quite a bit when used right.

 

[johngalt]

Shooting is still one of the activities I enjoy, but I do wonder if I should be more conservative with my ammo supply. I don't know how long I have to make it last.

I'm more concerned with the economy than my guns, in particular my savings. I've worked for about 20 years now, saving and investing, living within my means.

It infuriates me that through no fault of my own, my savings have been destroyed by irresponsible parasites taking loans they had no hope of every paying, and now I am being looted to bail them out.

Whatever I have left that hasn't already been destroyed, will be taken through taxes and hyper-inflation in the future.

I guess I was the sucker for taking responsibility for myself.

 

[Wheelgunner840]

Even when ammo was plentiful and prices were half of what they are now, I would go through stages when I just lost interest in shooting for a while. It usually would last for a couple of weeks every now and then.

Buying a new gun really gets the desire to shoot back, and adds a lot of fun to what can at times become mundane. An inexpensive plinker is all that may be necessary. Surprisingly, one of my favorite new guns is a simple bolt action Savage .22 LR. I have a blast with that rifle, my 10-22, and a couple of .22 handguns.

I have been picking up a value pack of .22s whenever I see them. The 550 pack of Federals is still around $13.95 at our local Wally world. I may pick more up today if they have any in stock.

I think we will see the shortages come to an end soon, as the demand drops off a bit. Prices on guns will also drop as soon as the supply/demand balances out.

Sometimes taking a little break from shooting is a good thing. When you get back into it, it will be with a renewed interest.

WG840

 

[Gutpile Charlie]

I have a rather large supply of ammo...spread across numerous calibers. For the past couple of years I've been shooting monthly with a group of guys that do military rifle bench rest. We shoot M1s, 1903s, Mosins, etc. Each saturday match consumes about sixty rounds. After this, we pull out the military rim fire trainer rifles and do likewise.

This past saturday I just begged off. Since I'm unable to replace this ammo now, I just don't think it would be prudent to continue consuming it?

Now every time I leave the house I try to check out the ammo sources. I will occasionally scored a box of shot gun shells, on rare occasions a brick of .22 and even more rarely 20 or so rounds of .223 or 7.62x39. The rest of the stuff is just impossible to find....or at a price that you would want to pay.

I'm in the save and horde mode right now.

 

[badam0112]

Went to my favorite indoor range this morning. I wanted to try out my new Glock 27 .40 S&W. Took my 642 .38 Spl along too. I brought my own ammo with me. I had paid $18.99 each for 2 boxes of Remmington .38 Spl about a month ago at the Bass Pro Shop in Orlando. I bought 2 boxes of Blazer Brass .40 S&W for $12.97 each at the local Walmart earlier this week. I ran through half a box of .38 Spl's and shot up one box of the .40 S&W. It took me only about 15 minutes. Of course I had to check out the new and used guns after I was done. I asked the guy at the range what was the least expensive range ammo he had. He said that doesn't exist anymore. He quoted me $35 a box for the .40 S&W and $30 a box for the .38 Spl ammo. I think I will try and get some more Blazer Brass .40 S&W from Walmart soon and just hang on to that for the time being.

 

[Bassamatic]

Even when ammo was plentiful and prices were half of what they are now, I would go through stages when I just lost interest in shooting for a while. It usually would last for a couple of weeks every now and then.

So true. But I've gone for months without fooling around with any guns. Usually in the summer. It comes and goes.

Heck, I've gone to lots of gun shows and came home with nothing, just like being there I guess.

 

[Wayne02]

I never understood the conserve the ammo supply thought process. Conserve some of the self-defense ammo for regular practice and potential use, yes that makes sense. Conserve ammo for future "barter" as a valuable good? Ok, if that is your thing I suppose.

Conserve ammo because it is worth more "dollar wise" than it was when you originally purchased it? That makes no sense to me as I don't view ammo as a "financial investment". It is for recreational enjoyment (and SD, but that is a different category) so who cares what it cost back then and now, just shoot the stuff, isn't that the whole purpose here?

Conserve ammo so you can prolong the number of trips to the range over time? Ok, except the OP said he was shooting less and enjoying it less, so why prolong the non-enjoyment/frustration? Just shoot the stuff at close to normal pace. Wait for resupply to take place and shoot it as well.

With regard to ammo cost, I think we are kidding ourselves if we think there is going to be an appreciable reduction in the price of ammo going forward. So if a guy can't afford to shoot now, they won't be able to shoot in the future either.

I hear a lot of complaining about ammo cost (me included), but at what point do we shooters throw in the towel, use up their remaining recreational ammo and then sell off all their recreational firearms and take up a new hobby???? If the hobby of recreational shooting (not to be confused with SD guns and 2A support) becomes not fun anymore because we are sitting around worrying about our stock of ammo and not shooting, or because we really cannot afford it anymore, when do you quit the hobby???? Is there a line in the sand somewhere for you?????

 

[Old 44 Guy]

I've been reloading since 1954 but only for myself.Recently I've been approached by 2 or 3 other shooters to reload for them.I have some cases, primers & bullets put away for my use. Some of this stuff is pretty old but in my own guns they work fine. Should I reload for others using my components or theirs? I don't want to make any money just do the right thing by them.

 

[2Loud4You]

I still shoot but not quite as much because I don't have thousands of rounds stockpiled. Sure ammo price dictates how much I shoot but I'll be honest, when I'm pulling the trigger, I'm not adding the cost in my head, I'm just enjoying my sport. Hell, I own a 460V and that sure isn't cheap to shoot but that doesn't stop me from enjoying it.

As for Dick's question, if you're reloading for someone else I'd have them supply everything.

 

[Wheelgunner840]

Originally posted by Dick Rumbaugh:
I've been reloading since 1954 but only for myself.Recently I've been approached by 2 or 3 other shooters to reload for them.I have some cases, primers & bullets put away for my use. Some of this stuff is pretty old but in my own guns they work fine. Should I reload for others using my components or theirs? I don't want to make any money just do the right thing by them.

Dick,
I wouldn't reload for anyone else. I know that there are many people that do, but the way I see it, is that I may make a mistake. I haven't made a mistake in any of the 10s of thousands of rounds I have reloaded over the years, but if I blow up a gun, I don't want it to be someone elses.

I have been asked to reload for others, and I always politely refuse. Likewise, I won't shoot anyone elses relods in my guns. Just my opinion.

WG840

 

[gunsmith11]

good reason not to do it, several years ago, I let a guy shoot my gold cup, second round was a squib load, before a could react he fired the third, my gun, my reload, and my bulged barrel.
never did that again

 

[Bat Guano]

Well, if an MG42-like ripping sound isn't your goal, nothing says you have to get ankle deep in brass to have fun.

Cheap fun shooting: any decent single shot .22 rifle or pistol. (yes, one was made in the 1960s, the Sheridan Nocabout.) Ball and dummy with a revolver, rimfire or centerfire. A conversion unit on a centerfire rifle or pistol. Or a muzzle loading rifle or pistol/revolver. I've shot silenced MP5s, Thompsons, and M60s. They all have their fun aspects, and I've enjoyed them all.

From reading accounts of shooting back in the Depression years, they made do. So can we.

 

[Class III]

Dick, Why not teach them to reload? Single stage press, set of dies, pound of powder, box of bullets and primers and they are on the way to a great hobby.

That's the way I learned 20+ years ago.