New Guns versus Ammo and Reloading Supplies.

Amputee Marksman

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I know quite a few friends, acquaintances who have been scooping up various guns "while they are still available" or something like that. I know that some of them have what I would call insufficient ammunition and/or reloading supplies.

Me, I have taken the exact opposite approach. I thought I had a pretty good supply of ammo and reloading components. Come to find out I was/am lacking but much better off than a lot of people I know. Since this started in February/March I have consistently spent $300 - $500 a month give or take on ammo and reloading components. I have avoided the crazy high prices but still paid way more than I should have if I had stocked up last year. Never though I'd wish I could get the prices I paid back in May and June.

My point to a few of these guys is, what the hell good is your new gun if you don't have any ammo and can't shoot it or shoot your other guns.
 
No one on this site is of more limited means than moi, so in crazy times like this it's a dilemma: Should I be spending my (limited) funds mostly on guns? Or mostly on ammo and parts (or for you reloaders, reloading components)? 🤔 Can't really go after both.

The good news in my case is that I am in pretty good shape on guns and most ammo. I am finding that gun prices are much too high right now to consider buying. So for me, it's all about adding ammo in those few oddball calibers where I am low... and adding parts because Biden says he will be going after gun parts as well as guns and ammo. :cool:
 
Spend your cash on what makes you happy.
These friends of yours do they even shoot ?
My friend bought a AR back when obama ran obama sale II. He bought a pre ban ( pre 1994) carbine , ten 20 round mags , 1000 rounds of ammo , spare parts . He zeroed with the 25 meter target , check his impacts at 100 yards . All was good. Gave it a good cleaning and stuffed it away for "that day"
He keeps his shooting skills from getting rusty by shooting air rifles and 22s.
He bought another 1000 rounds mid 2019 just because prices where good.

Sadly 80% of my personal friends with guns just have them. They dont shoot them or even go to the range ?

Really has nothing to do with anything but I do know people with enough guns and ammo to last for decades but they dont have enough food on hand to get past a few weeks of rough living.
 
I had a lower and was always meaning to build it. I did the build in April and May so it would be done and I scooped up 6k of ammo before it got crazy price. In fact, I started scoopoing up the ammo as soon as decided to do the build. I guess my point is what good are a bunch of guns with no ammo? To each his own though if that is what makes them happy.

I also have been a lot of 22 shooting in the last few months to keep the expenses down.
 
It seems as though there are many forum members that just buy guns and do very little shooting. To each his own, I suppose. To me, if a gun doesn't get shot frequently, why have it?
Many seem to agonize over what's in stock for ammo and the high prices, but many aren't going to shoot it, even if they procure it.
So far, it's still a free country regarding purchasing decisions, so go with what works for you and have a ball.
 
The only thing I've really been contemplating buying is a good imported semi-auto shotgun like a Beretta or a Benelli. I can't decide what the odds are that they would be included in a potential AWB ban.
 
Ammo is too over priced right now to be buying if you don’t have too. I have a comfortable amount of ammo, so I don’t need to buy ammo now.

It’s like the stock market. I buy on the dips, not the highs.

I did hedge my bets with gun purchases against a potential AWB with dems controlling both legislative and executive. But ammo will return.
 
Holding out for the debate between
  • Burning up ammo like no tomorrow to keep my leet skilz honed to a razor's edge.
-vs-
  • Haven't shot a round in months to keep my stockpile too deep to even move it to my safe house.

Shoot someone elses ammo to keep up your L33T SKIL7. Problem solved. Combat roll Left.
 
Combat roll Left.
4twh2g.jpg
 
The only thing I've really been contemplating buying is a good imported semi-auto shotgun like a Beretta or a Benelli. I can't decide what the odds are that they would be included in a potential AWB ban.

How much time we got you think?
Can't even find a reasonable Mossberg pump. $200 Mavericks going for $500 plus I don't think so.
 
How much time we got you think?
Can't even find a reasonable Mossberg pump. $200 Mavericks going for $500 plus I don't think so.
Agreed, I've passed on a few recent sales because the mark ups were so high. But unfortunately I feel like you either pay high now or wait and pay even more if they implement an AWB that includes imported firearms.
 
The only thing I've really been contemplating buying is a good imported semi-auto shotgun like a Beretta or a Benelli. I can't decide what the odds are that they would be included in a potential AWB ban.
Just look at the Canadian ban list...don’t forget canucksfukdemocrats they are in bed since Clinton days
 
Agreed, I've passed on a few recent sales because the mark ups were so high. But unfortunately I feel like you either pay high now or wait and pay even more if they implement an AWB that includes imported firearms.

Isn't there already an AWB on imported firearms ???
IIRC, that's what 922r is all about, a certain percentage of parts must be of US origin to be legal for sale here.
That's why PSA and others now build AK's here in the US.
 
I did the same thing I did when I thought Hillary was going to get elected.
What was she planning to ban?
I unloaded every odd caliber and stuck with 4 calibers of weapons. (I had way more than that.) I did keep most of the ammo, you never know.
I picked up some stuff I thought wouldn't be available.
This time around, I got spare parts for everything. Extra pins, springs, bolts, triggers, mags, for everything. I didn't want to get stuck two years down the road with some broken part that wasn't available that rendered my stuff useless.
There is/was plenty of stock at non-rape prices.
There is still a few things I want to get, but I'll take my chances. Always need more ammo.
I did overpay a bit for a few things.
I did sell off some stuff a few years ago cuz I was hurting for some cash and they were quick sells. Wish I still had that stuff..but what can you do.... learn from it. Never again. I'll whore myself out first.
 
I don't see them banning ammo so I'm on the buy guns side. I bought a Tavor X95 and didn't have any ammo for it, I bought a 500rd case of steel that I'll use sparingly for the next 6 months. I've bought 6 other guns I thought might go onto a ban list and I was able to find them on GB at MSRP. I paid more than I would have last year but whatever... If they are banned, the value doubles or triples. Eventually the MFG will stop making them for whatever reason and they will double... Either way, I don't think you can go wrong buying guns now and ammo later.
 
A friend of mine (in Mass) finally got his LTC a few weeks ago.
So he went out and bought his first gun (Taurus G3c) but the shop had no 9mm ammo, so he took it home without any ammo for it.
my buddy did the same kinda. bought a .22 rifle at kittery in early september. they offered to sell him 250 rounds that they held back to let gun purchasers buy, and he declined the ammo offer. he went 2 1/2 months before he could find any .22 ammo for it.
 
Isn't there already an AWB on imported firearms ???
IIRC, that's what 922r is all about, a certain percentage of parts must be of US origin to be legal for sale here.
That's why PSA and others now build AK's here in the US.
Good point, You're right. I'm still worried about semi-auto shotguns being added to a future ban list, maybe I'm just paranoid.
 
I bought a shit load of ammo before the panic, I saw hard times coming. To keep my centerfire stockpile deep, I’ve been shooting mostly Blackpowder (cap and ball/shotgun) and more reasonably priced ammo such as 12 gauge and 22lr. However, I do ration out about 20 rounds once a month to use in my centerfire guns, this way I get the best of both worlds. If the shit truly hit the fan, I would use my blackpowder stuff for hunting and use the centerfire rifle for those monsters which walk upright.
 
The other issue we are facing for reloading is the sporadic availability of any components and the limits set by online retailers. I feel like telling one popular retailer to take the marketing crap off his website about "did you know that if you combine primers and powder there is only one hazmat fee?". Right now I have 3 orders waiting to be shipped, which they will not combine. The reason I have 3 orders is that I lucked into 1K shotshell primers and then they had Clays available 2 days later so I ordered some (yes I started reloading shotgun). A week later I got a text "quick CFE223 is in stock" which I had been waiting on. SO yep ... 3 orders $14.95 shipping plus $19.99 Hazmat for each order.

The days of "who needs powder I'll split shipping HAZMAT". Are long gone and replaced with "limit 2 and take it up the ass with $35 shipping/hazmat for your 2 measly pounds of powder" or even worse "congrats you just won the lottery for getting 1K primers @ $40 into your cart between website crashes. Now double the price with shipping/HAZMAT. "
 
The other issue we are facing for reloading is the sporadic availability of any components and the limits set by online retailers. I feel like telling one popular retailer to take the marketing crap off his website about "did you know that if you combine primers and powder there is only one hazmat fee?". Right now I have 3 orders waiting to be shipped, which they will not combine. The reason I have 3 orders is that I lucked into 1K shotshell primers and then they had Clays available 2 days later so I ordered some (yes I started reloading shotgun). A week later I got a text "quick CFE223 is in stock" which I had been waiting on. SO yep ... 3 orders $14.95 shipping plus $19.99 Hazmat for each order.

The days of "who needs powder I'll split shipping HAZMAT". Are long gone and replaced with "limit 2 and take it up the ass with $35 shipping/hazmat for your 2 measly pounds of powder" or even worse "congrats you just won the lottery for getting 1K primers @ $40 into your cart between website crashes. Now double the price with shipping/HAZMAT. "
I'm torn on whether I like the limits. I know which vendor you're referring to and if they didn't have the limits you'd have an even harder time getting anything at all. So I dunno.
It's just a shitshow nowadays. I know a vendors like Natchez (don't ship to MA so I can mention them publicly) started putting primer limits to 3k down from no limits. And Larry has put 1 case and 1 box limits on certain primers. It's definitely helped allow more people get orders in. But yes the shipping hazmat sucks. Still better than buying from gunbroker.
 
Your friends must have seen the post about the G man cruising around to clubs and giving ammo away.
Reminds me of the psyops used in Vietnam. Only the good guys mixed in overcharged ammo with the enemy's stock and there were many kabooms killing the bad guys. Yeah, not the same but how do you know that wasn't the plan.
 
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