Target Shotshells -- The New Unobtanium ?

[bushmaster1313]

A few weeks back I was able to order 10 boxes (250 rounds total) of 20 gauge #8 Winchester AA target shells for $89. Full retail price but I did not complain. Now I do not see any ammo of this type at any reasonable price.

Have target shotshells become the new Unobtanium?

 

[Hair Trigger]

I've seen a fair amount of Winchester and Estate (Federal) dove/target loads (#7-1/12 and #8) in 12 gauge at Academy Sports. I didn't see any 20 gauge of anything. I bought ten cases of the 12 gauge last summer so I have plenty for now to shoot skeet and clays with.

 

[OldK22]

Yes. At least in the short term. Winchester announced that February 1 all ammunition and components are increasing in price. 5% on target shotgun shells. More on other ammunition and quite a bit more on components. There has been a run on shotgun shells here locally and other places as shooters started to worry about the coming shooting season. We have a very large locally owned sporting goods store that always has pallets of target shells on the floor (40 to 50 pallets). Not so anymore. Was in there Saturday and they had a 10 flat limit lead or steel or any combination of both. I have been shopping there 10 years and they have never limited sales. I asked why at the counter and the manager said they had a guy on the phone that morning that wanted to purchase all their remaining inventory at their retail prices. The local walmarts (within 30 miles of my house) all have a one box limit per customer but that really does not matter as all the shelves are empty. Drove an hour and a half to a small gun show out in the middle of nowhere Saturday morning and it was wall to wall people (town population of 500) and it looked like several thousand showed up for the show. All were purchasing ammo and were paying full retail plus. Tried to stop in two gun shops on the way home from the show and there was a 30 person waiting line to get in the door of both shops.
Typical trap shooter around here shoots 300 to 700 target tournaments every weekend once the season starts. Heck I usually shoot a flat practicing every week.
We have had ample warning that our sport would see tough times ahead.

 

[krunchnik]

I purchased 3 boxes of 100 shells at Bass Pro here in the Memphis area-all 20 gauge and they had a bunch-these were all Winchester 7.5 shot.

 

[J. R. WEEMS]

20 Gauge

I seem to have all I need at this time. Loaded a bunch last winter, of both lengths. 28 Gauge as well. Can load 12 gauge but just dont shoot it any more. Getting old ya know

 

[tops]

The only shotgun shells that I have saw for sale were $100. a flat. I have enough too last for awhile so I'm going too wait and see what happens down the road. If they stay at $100. I will be forced to curtail my shotgun shooting. Larry

 

[scooter123]

I typically shoot 150 to 200 rounds every weekend. In order to save some money I've set up to reload every caliber I shoot Skeet with, so 410, 28, 20, & 12 gage are simply a matter of spending time in my basement. My concern is in components because 410 hulls are currently unobtanium. Sadly they are also the hulls with the shortest reload life, so I am really looking forward to the end of this current surge in demand.

 

[Muss Muggins]

Local big box, hardware and farm stores don't have anything that goes bang when hit with a firing pin. Shotshells were the last to go. LGS's have some ammo, which they have been parceling out a box at a time, and they've also been buying from customers to resell at low profit margins . . .

 

[Dave Lively]

Apparently so. Just a few days ago I posted a thread asking what they cost last year. When I went to actually buy some all the places I saw them at just a week or two ago were out.

 

[JH1951]

IMHO it was/is only a matter of time until shotgun shells follow the same path of 9MM, 38 Spl., etc. The popular calibers for self defense are now not available (at least at a reasonable price). Most folks like us have a shotgun or two sitting around, and they likely are not the first choice for things other than home defense. Now people cannot feed their first or second choice, so they are buying ammo for their lesser favorites, the shotguns. If that's all that you can get, you'll likely settle for it. Better that than nothing at all. People are not comfortable in the current atmosphere and are taking steps that they had hoped they would never have to take. The news rates somewhere on the scale around depressing and downright scary. Don't forget to fill up your freezer, too.