Ammo shortages and new shooters

[M1911]

I know that some folks have suggested that there must be some conspiracy causing the ammunition shortages. I'd like to give you an alternate theory: there are many new shooters entering the sport and buying guns. Instead of buying a box of ammunition, they're buying a case (if they can find it).

I'll offer as evidence my experience tonight. I've been an officer at the Wayland Rod & Gun Club for 8+ years. In years past, we would typically get between 0 and 2 new applicants at a monthly meeting. Three applicants was a rare event.

Earlier this year, at one meeting we had 8 new applicants. Tonight we had 8 new applicants. In other words, in two monthly meetings we had as many new members join as we would normally have in an entire year.

 

[atilla]

i am not sure what the average is at my club but i know i've met two guys through NES that were local that both joined the club.

 

[Kenny474]

I agree with you 100% on the abundance of new shooters. I have had 3 of my friends that never owned a firearm recently purchase new guns. And now they come to the range with me every week. I also see more people at the range than I am used to seeing. It's good to see more people buying guns. That means more people to protect the right to keep and bear arms!

 

[twortley]

Not sure about new shooters (I'm one) buying a case! Though I have been allowed to buy *3* boxes whenever I buy a new gun, over the normal 2. LOL

 

[SMagee]

Well I'm one of those guys. Best friend went and got his LTC. We kept talking and realized with the Govt going the way it's going it's "get it now or never get it". So I got mine. Between the 2 of us we have bought 8 different pieces in the past 2 months. My wife has her application in, and I am getting my brother to put his paperwork in as well. So in 8 weeks 1 guy has added (or will add) 3 to his one.

Ammo is a bitch to find, so I have my first reloading book and am reading it. After the second book is devoured I'll start reloading. But we ARE the problem. I personally feel my right to own a firearm could possibly be gone in the future so I figured I'd hopefully get "grandfathered" if it happens.

Plus I got to old to play Paintball competitively and need another expensive hobby to suck up all my money and time. Are there any gun sponsorships out there in this world? j/k

So yeah I'm putting in my app for Haverhill next Tuesday and need a carry gun, shotgun, and rifle to make my setup comfortable for me.

So I'm doing my part to help the economy lol.

 

[CRSIII]

I pissed through 130 rounds of 5.56 this afternoon. Someone kindly painted the steel plate at the 300 yrd line orange! (am I contributing to the shortage?)

 

[MetalgodZ]

I pissed through 130 rounds of 5.56 this afternoon. Someone kindly painted the steel plate at the 300 yrd line orange! (am I contributing to the shortage?)

Did they hang it? If not, let me know and I'll bring out chain, bolts, & a dril the next time we go. I believe I also have some plate lying around to donate.

I've been slowly collecting more ammo. Mostly .22LR at this point, but also whatever .223 I can get, and hopefully 9mm starting tomorrow. I'm well on my way to my .22 legal limit, but well under on the rest.

 

[Dench]

ammo seems to be a tad bit easier to get this month then last, but i am still very disappointed in the industry and the huge gap in products.

 

[Lugnut]

I honestly can't understand why people "collect" ammo... all I can say is I shoot hundreds of rounds per week and getting components is a PITA! What I buy... I will shoot.

Think about it guys... do you really think they'll ban ammo anytime soon???

 

[Lugnut]

ammo seems to be a tad bit easier to get this month then last, but i am still very disappointed in the industry and the huge gap in products.

How can you blame the industry for this???

 

[Kenny474]

I agree with Lugnut, if you don't plan on shooting it, leave it on the shelf for someone that does! I don't understand hoarding ammo and never shooting it. I keep a small amount in my cabinet, but I don't hoard the stuff. I see no need in 5 cases of ammo sitting in my cabinet when there isn't enough to go around. Seriously, it isn't going to be banned anytime soon! Leave some in the stores for other people to have fun!

 

[CRSIII]

Did they hang it? If not, let me know and I'll bring out chain, bolts, & a dril the next time we go. I believe I also have some plate lying around to donate.

I've been slowly collecting more ammo. Mostly .22LR at this point, but also whatever .223 I can get, and hopefully 9mm starting tomorrow. I'm well on my way to my .22 legal limit, but well under on the rest.

Now why the hell would you do that! It's not hanging, but there's one to the left that someone painted that swings.

 

[cekim]

I tend to assume that it is a demand side issue as well...

I also don't blame the manufacturers for being hesitant to dump big dollars on new capacity...

Clearly, even with the new supply of owners, there has been enough ammo put out there to stock them all pretty well (even if the end result is that some are WAY overstocked while others are understocked)...

Once you have a decent collection - you replace what you shoot - so there is that as well - I would assume that new gun owners (with equal concern for future availability as an existing gun owner) are going to purchase more bullets per capita (if they can) for a time until they have whatever they feel is a "good stash"...

It is what it is - I am pleased enough with the message it sends to DC that I will get over the inconvenience and cost. If that message gets through it will be priceless WRT to future ammo prices and availability... If it fails to get through the ammo will be even harder to get if indeed we can get it all...

Quit yer bitchin'

 

[Gooman24]

Well I'm one of those guys. Best friend went and got his LTC. We kept talking and realized with the Govt going the way it's going it's "get it now or never get it". So I got mine. Between the 2 of us we have bought 8 different pieces in the past 2 months. My wife has her application in, and I am getting my brother to put his paperwork in as well. So in 8 weeks 1 guy has added (or will add) 3 to his one.

Ammo is a bitch to find, so I have my first reloading book and am reading it. After the second book is devoured I'll start reloading. But we ARE the problem. I personally feel my right to own a firearm could possibly be gone in the future so I figured I'd hopefully get "grandfathered" if it happens.

Plus I got to old to play Paintball competitively and need another expensive hobby to suck up all my money and time. Are there any gun sponsorships out there in this world? j/k



So yeah I'm putting in my app for Haverhill next Tuesday and need a carry gun, shotgun, and rifle to make my setup comfortable for me.

So I'm doing my part to help the economy lol.

Haverhill Hound Rod and Gun?

 

[jmcclory]

It feels like it is getting a little easier to find ammo on the south shore in the past month or so too.

 

[Gooman24]

I agree with Lugnut, if you don't plan on shooting it, leave it on the shelf for someone that does! I don't understand hoarding ammo and never shooting it. I keep a small amount in my cabinet, but I don't hoard the stuff. I see no need in 5 cases of ammo sitting in my cabinet when there isn't enough to go around. Seriously, it isn't going to be banned anytime soon! Leave some in the stores for other people to have fun!

There are more reasons to have stock of ammo than worrying about a ban. The 2nd is about being ready/able to defend yourself, your family, and the union.

 

[richc]

I honestly can't understand why people "collect" ammo... all I can say is I shoot hundreds of rounds per week and getting components is a PITA! What I buy... I will shoot.

Think about it guys... do you really think they'll ban ammo anytime soon???

Just another perspective... the gun club is literally at the end of my street. The closest ammo supply is 25 minutes away.

I'm not a hoarder or collector, but I also like to make quick, unplanned trips to the range. My son and I did that tonight at his request. I need ammo on hand to do so. We spent half an hour there... just enough to "chill out" as he calls it. He had a stressful day with MCAS tests and tryouts for a new orchestra. It was just a stress breaker of sorts.

I also dislike shopping. Most things I buy these days I buy online. Of course with ammo that is difficult in this damn state. So I am forced to go to the store... UGH!

If I see a reasonable deal on something, or a supply or an ammo I like, I'll buy extra to keep trips to the store to a minimum. Sometimes lots of it to have on hand. Or if a guy at the range is selling some stuff at a reasonable price I'll generally buy it for convenience.

YMMV...

Cheers,

Rich

 

[M1911]

I honestly can't understand why people "collect" ammo... all I can say is I shoot hundreds of rounds per week and getting components is a PITA! What I buy... I will shoot.

Think about it guys... do you really think they'll ban ammo anytime soon???

I try to buy in relatively large quantities and keep a fair amount in stock. That is true of toilet paper and ammunition. We've got a big basement

 

[SMagee]

Haverhill Hound Rod and Gun?

Yeah it's closest to me. And the facilities look good. O.K. Back to topic....

 

[FalArAk]

I agree with Lugnut, if you don't plan on shooting it, leave it on the shelf for someone that does! I don't understand hoarding ammo and never shooting it. I keep a small amount in my cabinet, but I don't hoard the stuff. I see no need in 5 cases of ammo sitting in my cabinet when there isn't enough to go around. Seriously, it isn't going to be banned anytime soon! Leave some in the stores for other people to have fun!

Say for instance I go to a WalMart and see a few boxes of .45,I will buy them. But, given the supply I already have,I will get around to shooting it,just not in this decade.

Is this wrong ?

 

[RyanDaLoop]

Did they hang it? If not, let me know and I'll bring out chain, bolts, & a dril the next time we go. I believe I also have some plate lying around to donate.

I've been slowly collecting more ammo. Mostly .22LR at this point, but also whatever .223 I can get, and hopefully 9mm starting tomorrow. I'm well on my way to my .22 legal limit, but well under on the rest.

Just curios. But what exactly is the legal limit for ammunition capacity per caliber ? I never knew there was one.

 

[Business]

It may have started from new shooters buying more of the ammo thats on the market. But if it was just that the manufacturers would have been able to step up the supply for said demand. but since at the first hint of a shortage everybody with a gun started getting as much as they could find. Thats what in the end is making it so hard to find ammo now. Just like how they always say if all of us stopped buying gas for a day it would drop way down in price. I bet if we all just chilled out on the ammo hording for a month you'd see the supplies come way up and prices go back down.

 

[jobowker]

Just curios. But what exactly is the legal limit for ammunition capacity per caliber ? I never knew there was one.

I don't believe it's a limit per caliber - IIRC it's x number of centerfire, x number of rimfire, 1,000 primers, only so much powder, etc or else you need a permit.

If you search I'm sure you'll fine a thread with the specifics.

 

[hikerlt]

Think about it guys... do you really think they'll ban ammo anytime soon???

If ( when) Obama signs that UN Treaty, it will effectively ban the sale of reloading components, and make the precatice of reloading ammunition to be an "illegal" practice......

 

[ShadeWPI]

The UN treaty wont make reloading illegal. The treaty is the governments promise to enact specific laws, they would still need to enact those laws before it would become illegal.

 

[Big_Red]

I honestly can't understand why people "collect" ammo...

I agree with Lugnut, if you don't plan on shooting it, leave it on the shelf for someone that does! I don't understand hoarding ammo and never shooting it.

There are more reasons to have stock of ammo than worrying about a ban. The 2nd is about being ready/able to defend yourself, your family, and the union.

I don't know about the rest of you but I am getting ready for the Zombie attack. Need mucho ammo for that

 

[seanc]

yet another perspective.. Right now I guess I would be considered more of a hoarder. I don't get to the range nearly as ofter as I would like. When I go I tend to shoot a lot. I will generally go through 300+ rounds of pistol ammo and generally 100+ rounds of rifle. And all bets are off if the nfa goodies come out.
So, I have been buying up ammo where i can. I generally prefer to buy by the case but cost wise and availability wise that has not been possible lately.

now the conundrum. I have what ammounts to about 4 trips to the range. but due to the cost of the ammo the prospect of blowing through 200-300 in a couple of hours has led me to shoot less and buy more lately.

 

[JoeyB]

Say for instance I go to a WalMart and see a few boxes of .45,I will buy them. But, given the supply I already have,I will get around to shooting it,just not in this decade.

Is this wrong ?

No. I don't understand why people wouldn't want to save some for the future.

And I apologize as I'm a new shooter who buys ammo when he sees a good deal. Having a nice supply just makes me feel better

 

[cekim]

The UN treaty wont make reloading illegal. The treaty is the governments promise to enact specific laws, they would still need to enact those laws before it would become illegal.

Well, doesn't that make us all feel better?

So, we should happily support the ratification of this treaty because procedurally it might take a while before Congress gets around to enforcing it?

Classing MA thinking - "don't worry about this scary law, we'll only use it on the really bad people"...

Laws and Courts are supposed to error on the side of letting bad people go for the sake of protecting the rights of the good people... "Even when it hurts" is the unstated standard set forth by the Constitution... (i.e. the 4th, 5th and 10th amendments).

Anything else is subject to abuse and we've seen that over and over again in this state and throughout history. If you find yourself in a politically or socially unpopular group - failure to adhere to this standard puts innocent people behind bars, to death and generally SOL when it comes to the police and courts...

 

[namedpipes]

I was a new shooter in the mid 80's, and after ~10 years married a woman that dislikes guns so they took a back seat. In the past couple of years I've revived my interests and I WISH TO GOD I had stocked up back then on $0.15 .308 instead of the $1.50 per round they're getting now...

Think about that for a bit. If the next 20 years shows another ten-fold increase in price, you'll be looking at $15,000 for a case of 1,000 rounds.