Where is the ammo, pricing and who's getting rich

[JH1951]

This, my friend, is a very true statement...... and if given the thought that it deserves, a scary one too.
Reminds me of my father-in-law who one day sent me to his hallway closet to get a light bulb. I got there, opened the door and found at least 100 bulbs and about 250 rolls of toilet paper. I had to ask him what was up. Response: "I lived through the Depression and ran out of TP. Ain't gonna happen again. I hope it never happens to you."

The American people can sense that something just isn't right. Look at how many firearms have been bought in the last few years. They've set all kinds of sales records.

A lot of people I know who used to always keep a box or two of ammo now have large stacks of it.

Our entire economy is based on a one or two day supply chain. The ammo manufacturers simply weren't equipped to absorb the sudden jump in sales, and with the uncertainty associated with taxes, gun laws, and various business regulations, are scared to speculate on the future and expand at this time.



I'm hoping the same thing doesn't happen with gas, food, or toilet paper. I think you'd be frightened to learn how fragile our industrial supply chain actually is.

 

[gregintenn]

This, my friend, is a very true statement...... and if given the thought that it deserves, a scary one too.
Reminds me of my father-in-law who one day sent me to his hallway closet to get a light bulb. I got there, opened the door and found at least 100 bulbs and about 250 rolls of toilet paper. I had to ask him what was up. Response: "I lived through the Depression and ran out of TP. Ain't gonna happen again. I hope it never happens to you."

The light bulbs are already gone.

 

[Arik]

What online sites are always out of ammo? I buy from SGammo and Aim Surplus. They are always in stock and with good prices. Palmetto has plenty of smmo. I have not seen ammo problems in a long time.

Here is my LGS in the last few months just on 22lr

Here is SGAMMO

And one from Aim Surplus

 

[schgsd]

Two different wally worlds two different locations. Local one has had zip ammo for the last few years. Mostly win white box 45 and 40. Next town over the case was full of just about any caliber you could want. Kinda funny if you ask me why one should have almost nothing and the other fully stocked?. 22 ammo forget about it. Haven't seen any for sale in a long time. Only reason I hit the local one is that occasionally they have the wwb 45 jacketed hollow points in there on rare occasions. Still have some of the old speer "45 cal flying ashtrays" and that's for social calls. Frank

I spend a lot of time in the drivers seat for my job. It means I get to hit a lot of Walmarts for ammo. I see what Frank is talking about at several of them. Consistently poor stock or no stock. Most of those are not the newer huge supercenter stores. I have one fairly local to me, never seemed to have ammo, clerks never nearby etc. I complained online about that store pointing out numerous other stores in the area had stock and asked what the deal was. I also mentioned that it was local knowledge a certain LGS was sending 5 or 6 buddies in to shop quite regularly. That store has improved

Hard to beat their pricing and my MO is to buy just a few boxes each and every time. I rarely see anything online that matches what I pay once you factor in shipping. 5.56 ZQ is still $9.97 a box of 30 and I just bought two 100 round containers of Tulammo Brassmaxx 9mm for $23.97 ea. yesterday.

I'd surely get a tongue lashing if "SHE" saw me spend $240 on a case of 9mm but $48 every now and then flies right under the radar.

 

[vipermd]

The local walmart had rem 225 count for 11.17 and Federal automatch for 18.97 this morning, limit of 3 bricks per person. It was listed on Brass Badger, No, I did not go I still have a months worth!! Be Safe

 

[Arik]

My local Walmart has ZERO! NADA! ZIP! ZILCH! NOT ONE ROUND OR SHELL. Why? Because not all Walmarts sell ammo or any other firearm related stuff. So as far as I'm concerned you really can't judge the ammo situation based on Walmart.

 

[gregintenn]

My local Walmart has ZERO! NADA! ZIP! ZILCH! NOT ONE ROUND OR SHELL. Why? Because not all Walmarts sell ammo or any other firearm related stuff. So as far as I'm concerned you really can't judge the ammo situation based on Walmart.

You know, I find my quality of life gets better the more I stay out of Wal Mart.

 

[F75gunslinger]

i listened to an interview with one of the ammo makers, and they were talking about 22 ammo in particular. They said that the productions facilities that make 22 ammo have been at full production for some time, and the only way to make more was to either expand the facility or build a new one. But the cost of either , looking at it over time, wasn't something that the ammo maker was willing to speculate on. Spending millions on a new factory for making .22 , when they don't really make a lot of money when it is sold, isn't good business. The centerfire stuff makes more per round in profit,and they can change dies and make different calibers as the need arises. The shortage of ammo is due to people hoarding it, and by people that are buying up everything they can find to sell at higher prices for a profit.

 

[hoc9sw]

After a couple of years at the same range, seeing the same folks, I'll have to say that a big part of .22 purchases go to consumption.

There are several guys I see enough to visit with and swap guns for test fires. Each of them will shoot no less than a 500/525 brick, one actually is there most of the day and blows through a bucket of 1400 Rem GB.

In that same time I may fire 200 rounds, if using the .22 compact, or only 50-70 for the revolver.

It would be fair to say that I have seen as much .22 fired in a night on a small range as my local WM gets in a week, if not a month.

It's not all hoarding. I won't say there isn't hoarding / reselling, but there is a fair consumption.

 

[Mack]

Well the same IMI is selling for about 8.5 to 10 cents a round outside the U.S. Military buddy just shipped back several 1200 round boxes and paid equivalent of $112. per box. Thanks to the good ole USAF shipping was free. And before you ask- he cannot disclose the place purchased due to being on mission at the time.

So someone is making a buck somewhere even at .30 - that is triple what he paid. Even putting in shipping costs should do no more that double the price.

All I hope is he is willing to share at that price.

Are you saying your friend bought cases of 5.56 ammo overseas and smuggled them into the U.S. on an Air Force plane? I don't know what the exact regulations are but Customs will only allow a small amount of user ammo without an import license. And don't forget the 11% Federal Excise Tax. By the way Wideners is selling the IMI M193 1200 round cases for $349 which seems quite reasonable to me.

 

[TeaDub]

i listened to an interview with one of the ammo makers, and they were talking about 22 ammo in particular. They said that the productions facilities that make 22 ammo have been at full production for some time, and the only way to make more was to either expand the facility or build a new one. But the cost of either , looking at it over time, wasn't something that the ammo maker was willing to speculate on. Spending millions on a new factory for making .22 , when they don't really make a lot of money when it is sold, isn't good business. The centerfire stuff makes more per round in profit,and they can change dies and make different calibers as the need arises. The shortage of ammo is due to people hoarding it, and by people that are buying up everything they can find to sell at higher prices for a profit.

This makes sense to me.

Each area of the country seems to be different on supply. Locally, pretty much all centerfire is available at somewhat reasonable prices. The only thing I really buy locally however is 22. While still spotty, it is available more often than not at 6-8 cents per round. I don't shoot as much rimfire as before. My centerfire needs are filled online. The prices beat my local Wally World and is much more consistent. Self Defense ammo is much cheaper online.

 

[smith17]

Well the same IMI is selling for about 8.5 to 10 cents a round outside the U.S. Military buddy just shipped back several 1200 round boxes and paid equivalent of $112. per box. Thanks to the good ole USAF shipping was free. And before you ask- he cannot disclose the place purchased due to being on mission at the time.

This example is not comparable. That is coming from subsidized product or maybe black market.

 

[M3Stuart]

Around here; the Cabela's, Academy and LGS has all you want, sans .22, at about 'normal' prices.

Lead and primers are everywhere...pistol powder is spotty but still available if you look for it, and it won't be what you're looking for but it will work.

 

[johngalt]

Around here, center fire ammo is plentiful but expensive. .45 and .38 are both .50/round. .357 is more like .60-.70/round. The fancy self defense stuff is 1.00 or more.

.22 is still unobtanium. CCI standard velocity is only available mail order, last time I looked it was $50/brick.

In comparison, pre 2008 I could get .38 and .45 for .20-.25 and bricks of CCISV were $27.

I used to get Remington corloc 3006 for about .40, now it is close to 1.00

 

[Big Stick]

I have no issue finding what I want for ammo, at reasonable prices, including .22lr. However, I recently bought a Hornady LNL classic kit with all the goodies and components to load some .38/357(and get the cost down to <.20/rd), but have yet to pull the handle on a charged piece of brass, because pistol powder has become the .22 of 2015.....

 

[F75gunslinger]

Also keep in mind that m y great communist state ( NY ) has now outlawed internet sales of ammo . IF I can find something online, and IF the seller is actually willing to ship to NY, he has to ship to a dealer in order to sell here. Most won't ship ANYTHING into NY anymore because of the new laws and all the changing regulations involved. Sucks...i have a couple of calibers that you'll NEVER see on a local gun shops shelves.

 

[ameridaddy]

LGS around Richmond, Virginia have adequate stocks of ammo at decent prices (no great bargains but no insults either) In reloading, some popular calibers of brass are available, and plenty of primers and bullets are back in stock after a two year drought. Lots of rifle powders too, but I have not seen a single pound of any pistol powder in over a year. Powder wise, the most glaring absence is any of the Accurate line of powders. An occasional rifle canister, very occasional, shows up and is usually for the big rifle/magnum end of the spectrum.
I have enough pistol powder to keep me going for quite a while, but I really wanted to try some HP38 for its reportedly good metering qualities. I believe 2010 was the last time I saw any of that.

 

[Argonnakid]

Have you tried Colonial Shooting Academy in Richmond? The one down here in Va Beach has had some pistol powders once and a while. Or Greentop's up I95 ?

 

[littleriver1]

Have you tried Colonial Shooting Academy in Richmond? The one down here in Va Beach has had some pistol powders once and a while. Or Greentop's up I95 ?

I frequent Green Top with disappointment abounding. A year ago they would get pistol powder from time to time. Lately the powder shelving space has been given over to shot shell cases. You got to question that motivation with 3 or 4 isles of reloading equipment next to that. Every time you go in there, there will be 4 or more guys walking that isle scratching their heads and going to the next isle to buy bullets. I really think they just gave up and stopped trying order any powder. It's still a great store though.

 

[dcxplant]

The light bulbs are already gone.

We went 100% LED, no more need for bulbs!