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Ammo Shortage Question

BullieBred

BullieBred

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Can some tell me how scarce ammo became back in 2008-09? With the presidential election coming up I was thinking it might be a good idea to make some bulk purchases now so that I don’t get left out in the cold. I usually buy a few boxes here and there to stock up but it's not enough to last me more than a few trips to the range.
My question is how bad was that past shortage? Did months and months go by and you still couldn’t find the most popular calibers at any stores? Or was there just a shortage for a few weeks and soon enough Wally World was fully stocked?
 
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I was always able to find ammo, albeit at about 30% over current prices at least. There arlways seemed to be hunting caliber rifle rounds .270, 30-06, etc

I do remember it being VERY aggravating trying to find 7.62x39 and .45acp. It was available if you looked but it would take me 3 stores and I'd only find 3 boxes of ammo at a time.

I'm not sure if this election will effect prices the same way again but I will most likely pick up a few cases of 7.62x39 before November's election just to be safe(I don't really need a reason anyways)
 
I remember Walmart cases being empty except for shotgun loads, and rifle ammo. 9, 38, 357, were there in tag only. It may have seemed like they never had ammo because I didn't go everyday. Possible I just missed the shipment days.
 
I never had any issue finding ammo at my local gun shop. Yet the gun range I regularly go to (AFS) was ALWAYS out/low on popular calibers (.223, 40). So I guess it depends where you purchased it. Yet if you have the money I suggest you buy in bulk because you save $$ in the long run as well as have the peace of mind only having a house full of ammo can give you.
 
Thanks for the replies. It sounds as though I would have no problem finding ammo for a spontaneous trip to the range.
 
You can never go wrong buying ammo today rather than next week or month. Ammo prices don't go down, they go up. Buy accordingly.

Unless a draconian law prohibits manufacture of ammo, someone will always fill the demand, but it will always come with a higher price tag.
 
Radtekk said:
This begs the question: "How much can I legally store?" I sure there's a sticky or link, but help a brother out typing on his iPhone...
Click to expand...

In MA

10,000 rim fire
10,000 center fire
5,000 shot shell

And I believe 5 lbs of powder (but don't quote me on that one, I think there is some requirement to get permission from the Fire Chief or something)

Let me see if I can dig up the link for that

Here's an old thread http://northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/threads/2744-MA-law-regarding-Amount-of-Ammunition
 
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Radtekk said:
This begs the question: "How much can I legally store?" I sure there's a sticky or link, but help a brother out typing on his iPhone...
Click to expand...

Without a special permit, I believe the limit is 10K rounds centerfire, 10K rounds rimfire, and 5K rounds shotgun. All you need is a permit from the FD to exceed this. I've gotta be close on centerfire and rimfire. I can still buy plenty of shot shells.

The numbers sound like a lot, until you start buying surplus by the crate.
 
Before that time period, I could order ammo for my PD(3000 rds.5.56, 7000 rds. 9mm, 500 rds. 12 ga. buckshot) and get UPS delivery the next day most of the time. When the shortage occurred, it took over six months to get my order in. Speaking to clerk's at WalMart, they told me that some deliveries of the popular calibers consisted of two to twelve boxes.... quite often they were out of 5.56, 9mm,.45,.40,.38
.357 and other centerfire handgun ammo.
 
Buy now there is no way it will be cheaper later. You will save more then the small amount of interest you're going to get in the bank. It was hard to find the cheaper 9 and 45 rounds we were using for plate and target shooting. Most of the distributors have been saying getting restocked on guns and ammo is harder now then it was 6 months ago.
They are still making plenty but with election fears and 2012 world ending people are buying at a faster rate and stocking up on it.
 
In my experience, you could find it just as easily as ever. You just found it at a much higher price.

Basically everyone in the business tried to scare everyone into a buying frenzy and that jacked up the demand and the price. It will happen this time around too.
 
I look at ammo the same as tuna or paper towels: buy it cheap and stack it deep. I would no more buy ammo one box at a time than I would buy one roll of toilet paper.

It doesn't spoil, and it WILL get used.
 
Ammo prices fluctuate, but 45 and 357 were scarce in 2008, especially in hollow point. I was stocked well except for 357. I'm working on it again.
 
Thanks for the answers, that's kinda what I thought I remembered:) It sounds like it doesnt natter whether center-fire is pistol or rifle caliber... My only rim-fires are .22 so that's a fairly easy choice.

Now, is there any way to get .45 PD/HP ammo at anything approaching a reasonable price? I have plenty (at least I think so) in other calibers, but I'm usually seeing about $1/round. I'd like 3-400 rounds, but I don't have the $ at those prices:(
 
Radtekk said:
Now, is there any way to get .45 PD/HP ammo at anything approaching a reasonable price? I have plenty (at least I think so) in other calibers, but I'm usually seeing about $1/round. I'd like 3-400 rounds, but I don't have the $ at those prices:(
Click to expand...

Buy two or three boxes every week. You'll build up a stash pretty quick.
 
ScottS said:
I look at ammo the same as tuna or paper towels: buy it cheap and stack it deep. I would no more buy ammo one box at a time than I would buy one roll of toilet paper.

It doesn't spoil, and it WILL get used.
Click to expand...

That^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ is sig line material if I ever saw it.[smile][smile][smile][wink]
 
Radtekk said:
Now, is there any way to get .45 PD/HP ammo at anything approaching a reasonable price? I have plenty (at least I think so) in other calibers, but I'm usually seeing about $1/round. I'd like 3-400 rounds, but I don't have the $ at those prices:(
Click to expand...

PM sent.
 
MrTwigg said:
Buy two or three boxes every week. You'll build up a stash pretty quick.
Click to expand...

This is actually the best advice inmo, unless you have a lot of extra money burning a hole in your pocket. It definitely hurts your wallet a lot less if you just grab a box, or 2 everytime you go to the gun store, wallyworld, etc., and in my case keeps me out of trouble with my wife who would definitely give me a "WTF!?" if I dropped several hundred on ammo all at once. Slipping an extra $20-$30 a week by is no problem to keep it under the radar.[smile]
 
BullieBred said:
Can some tell me how scarce ammo became back in 2008-09? With the presidential election coming up I was thinking it might be a good idea to make some bulk purchases now so that I don’t get left out in the cold. I usually buy a few boxes here and there to stock up but it's not enough to last me more than a few trips to the range.
My question is how bad was that past shortage? Did months and months go by and you still couldn’t find the most popular calibers at any stores? Or was there just a shortage for a few weeks and soon enough Wally World was fully stocked?
Click to expand...

During the peak of Obamascare common centerfire handgun cartridges were basically unavailable at most gun shops for a couple of weeks. Rifle ammo was affected as well, although as I remember it, not nearly as badly. The hardest caliber to get during Obamascare was .380 ACP. Some of the shops that had ammo were rationing it. (EG you could buy 1 box/caliber or you could buy ammo if you bought a gun from them. ) Then they slowly started relaxing the rules as time passed. WalMarts were completely wiped out of anything common for at least a couple of months. Walmart also had a 6 box limit they put in place because gun shops (and some opportunists) were cleaning out the walmarts. That lasted like a year or so.

If you have the money laying in ammo is always a good idea. If you're not buying your practice ammo in units of 500 or 1000 rounds at a time (or more) you're doing it wrong. I like to have at least enough ammo/reloading materials at the start of the year to get me across a whole season of shooting without having to take a single trip to a gun shop or a single ammo purchase. That way if there is a supply disruption somewhere along the line, you're covered.

I have been contemplating laying in a year's worth of mats for reloading a few months ahead of the election. This way if the tinfoilers go full retard before/during/after, whatever they do mostly won't affect me.

-Mike
 
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FreeWillie said:
10,000 rim fire
10,000 center fire
5,000 shot shell
Click to expand...

Wow! Another retarded facet of MA gun law I was not aware of.

Not that I'm really close at all, but I could imagine getting close. It's surprising how much ammo one can go through if one is particularly motivated to get to the range over the course of a month or two.
 
MrTwigg said:
Buy two or three boxes every week. You'll build up a stash pretty quick.
Click to expand...

This was working well for 9 for me for a while. I haven't really ever found 9 much cheaper than I was able to get it at FS (someone out there is laughing and saying that I suck at life right now :D ) so I was picking up a box or two when I could. I stopped doing that and am now wicked low on pistol calibers. .380 and .357 I am gonna have to see about getting some quantity of.
 
endus said:
This was working well for 9 for me for a while. I haven't really ever found 9 much cheaper than I was able to get it at FS (someone out there is laughing and saying that I suck at life right now :D ) so I was picking up a box or two when I could. I stopped doing that and am now wicked low on pistol calibers. .380 and .357 I am gonna have to see about getting some quantity of.
Click to expand...

Walmart has the lowest 9mm price anywhere save for a few online vendors, but once you toss shipping into the mix there, online is only about $10-$15 better per 1000 over the federal stuff at walmart.

For .357 mag if you are not loading it the best deal is at the NH gun shows, if there is a vendor selling Fiocci there, the price will probably be reasonable.

For .380 it's kind of a toss up between WalMart and the shows.

-Mike
 
drgrant said:
Walmart has the lowest 9mm price anywhere save for a few online vendors, but once you toss shipping into the mix there, online is only about $10-$15 better per 1000 over the federal stuff at walmart.

For .357 mag if you are not loading it the best deal is at the NH gun shows, if there is a vendor selling Fiocci there, the price will probably be reasonable.

For .380 it's kind of a toss up between WalMart and the shows.

-Mike
Click to expand...

Thanks, I am generally averse to shopping at walmart, but I will give it a shot for 9mm. I've actually been meaning to get over there and see what prices are like. I've checked gun shops in MA as well as surrounding states and was always surprised that FS seemed to have the best prices, hands down (usually $1/box of 50 cheaper). I will try walmart though.

I shoulda gotten to that show, but oh well. Gotta stockpile some cash for the next one and hopefully get a decent amount. Least the AKs are well fed. :D
 
One thing you will note about FS, is that their prices are set at a point that makes buying online unreasonable. They don't try to beat Walmart. Right now when I buy brick and mortar, I go to FS for pistol calibers, and Collectors in Stoneham for rifle. Shotgun I had been going to Walmart early on because you could get 15 rounds of buck for 10 bucks - not sure that is still good or not. I did buy 200 rounds of Rem UMC 357 from Walmart about a year ago for less than 80 bucks I think not including tax.
 

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