doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com What's the story on ammo?

I've been loosely tracking the availability of ammo locally and the metallic cartridge stuff is flat getting scarce around here. Shotgun shells seems to be fine (FWIW, I haven't been tracking primers or powder), but I've seen .22 long rifle at the shops going for $150 for 500 round bricks (when you can find it). I've put some stuff away for a rainy day, but I'm wondering if that will be enough. What's the consensus? Will this shortage eventually blow over or will it only get worse?

No answers? Afraid of having drones, Mraps and FEMA camps in your near future?

Think Beany Babies. When the hoarders realize the ammunition manufacturers can make more than they can buy the price will come back down.

Same thing with Bushmasters and other military style rifles.

it will blow over. this stuff has become cyclic. unfortunately the only way to avoid them is to stock up whenit does and sustain that stock until it happens again

There's been a huge increase in ammo buying since 2008 and downright panic buying since the 2012 elections. All types of ammo are in short supply. I was at the local Cabela's about a month ago and one of their salesmen told me they had received a huge supply of 22rf in last evenings shipment and it was gone in a matter of minutes after they opened.
Part of this is due to hoarding and part is due to unscrupulous individuals buying at retail thus cleaning out the store's inventory and jacking the prices up 3 times or so and making a big profit at others expense.
In my own case I've always keep a more than adequate supply on hand and don't really need anything at the moment.
My advice to everyone is to sit tight and supply will catch back up with demand and prices will be adjusted accordingly. This will certainly be the case when the "hoarders for profit" discover they have no customers.
Jim

Similar to the shortages after Obama's first election, but this is more acute because of the current gun control mania. Lots of panic buying by people who have never owned a gun before. I know one guy who never owned a gun until about a month ago, now he has four. He's buying all the ammo in sight, and even buys stuff he can't shoot (wrong caliber) just so he has trade bait. The WalMart that is closest to me gets small shipments about five times per week, arrives in the store about 4:00pm, sold out by 5:00pm. People just hanging around the sporting goods department waiting for someone to wheel out today's load. Also a lot of scalping going on, selling to the unwary or to the newbies by private parties. Those scalpers are probably buying at WalMart and reselling at 300% markup on CraigsList.

I also remember hitting up garage sales after the 2008 election around midterm(2010). I was able to buy up some ammo for penneys on the dollar. The story I'd usually get is we bought this because we though ammo sales would be banned. We didn't really have any use for it so now we just want to get rid of it.


Quote:
"He's buying all the ammo in sight, and even buys stuff he can't shoot (wrong caliber) just so he has trade bait. "

This is funny in one way and sad in another.

Jim

Primers, when you find them, are still very high. Lead shot is near $45.00/25 lbs. 22 ammo is as others noted two or three times last years prices. Lead is not coming down much in the near or long term. Primers have been high for years and most likely will not drop any time soon. The price of .22 ammo will drop back next year I am told. If you look at surplus ammo for military use it is getting to a buck a round. Going bang has never been so expensive. Nontoxic shot is getting to be more reasonable at three bucks a shot when lead is over a buck.

If you have a buddy who has stopped shooting you should offer to buy his unused inventory. Reclaimed shot if you can find it can save you 25-33%. I have all the used primers you need if you are looking for some.

Patience, the nitwits will have more ammo than they can hold soon and then normal future potential buying will be less and the prices will be down and supplies will be up.

Is there any truth to the story that Homeland Security has been purchasing large amounts of ammo for undisclosed reasons?