Guns and ammo remain a bit hard to find these days. I am absolutely aghast at the prices 9mm, 223 and other calibers are bringing. I started preparing against an unsatisfiable demand like this many years ago. I am very much not concerned with my own gun/ammo/mag situation. But…I find it interesting how many people who identify as ‘preppers’ or ‘survivalists’ are frantically trying to source this sort of stuff. I suppose if you’re a relative newcomer to the game it would be understandable that you’re a little light in the ammo department… but I read some discussion forums where people have long histories of being ‘preppers’ and they’re moaning about how that can’t get ammo. Not sure how that works. Guns and ammo are, literally, the first thing most people buy when they decide to get into preparedness. How can you have been a survivalist for any length of time and not have a goodly amount of ammo on hand? Ok, yeah, if you had a house fire…or your spouse took it all when she ran away with her boyfriend…or your meth-addict nephew stole it all outta your garage…or a hurricane washed it all out sea….maybe I could understand it. But otherwise….nope.
Whats the local market like here? Armscor 9mm, which is pretty low tier stuff, is clocking in at around $0.75 per round. I see .223/5.56 going for$0.90. I haven’t even got a number for .22 LR because I almost never see it. Magazines are still fairly abundant, but the guns themselves are getting scarcer. Primers may as well be made out of unicorn farts. Oddly, shotgun shells aren’t terribly scarce. As I’ve said before, the Current Situation is proving a few things out…like the fact that this nation runs on .223 and 9mm. (But if you have a .40 S&W, you’ve got a better chance of finding ammo then pretty much anyone.)
Everything I read says not to expect the situation to change this year. And thats before the Biden gang gets their deranged mitts into all the ‘commonsense’ legislation they want to put forth.
For the umpteenth time in the last year, the Current Situation is making me think that my ‘unconventional’ lifestyle may not have been a bad idea…especially in regards to the stockpiling of ammo. Interesting times.
I’m with ya, I have plenty but I can see where people are panicking since the ammo they have on hand could end up being all they may be able to get fit a long time….. the age old question….how much ammo is enough?
Exactly.
I have enough ammo and components on hand that, combined with dry fire, I can maintain enough skill to not completely suck at shooting, defend myself and mine, and keep food on the table for what can reasonably be expected to be my “active years”…but not enough for my sons to maintain that after I get benched.
I’m still buying when I can afford it and the prices aren’t outrageous, which is to say very, very infrequently.
I work at a gun store in the North East. Many of our customers have never owned a weapon ever! With the influx of new shooters to the market this accounts for a big part of the
shortage. Add to that preppers adding to stock piles and I see the ammo situation going on for awhile.
Much of it is also a phsycosis type of mental symptom that those people are displaying. Kinda like the toilet paper freaks last year. There is too much ‘Merican talisman attachment wrapped up in Muh guns and ammo stuff. This is like a dope fiend’s behaviors getting next fix satisfactions as a priority over everything else. Food, water, secure sheltering, life support gear, is as or much more important than being all queered up in guns and crates of ammo. Just saying.
We’re limiting our shooting to what we can acquire. The only thing that has come out of stock is defensive ammo for testing new guns.
Here in southern Minnesota, firearms are reasonably available with prices from reasonably to high depending on the type of gun.
Magazines are available and at normal prices.
Ammo is spotty with prices reasonable to high depending on the retailer. The stuff moves quickly when it arrives. 9mm & 45acp has been the most common available with 40 &10 a little behind.
People with 38s, 357s or 380s won’t be shooting much unless they already have it.
Steelheart
I’ve got what ive been told is a crazy amount of ammo but am not digging into it. I’ll buy a box here or there to shoot or let the kid shoot. It’s at inflated prices but I won’t pay crazy ones. Worth a few bucks here or there (above the cost of the ammo on inventory) to keep the stash flush.
What was “a crazt amount of ammo” two years ago is comforting now.
It’ll be interesting in the future to see if “experts” (or ex-spurts) change their tune about common vs uncommon caliber recommendations.
We’ve been paying attention to what’s available in the area and online for that exact reason.
Steelheart
My local gun shop was gutted like many others. But there was an abundance of .357 Sig on the shelf. There was also a sign that said “Not for revolvers”. I asked one of the employees if they really have to put this sign up. She said if we don’t they will try and bring it back. My head nearly exploded. Oh, it was $47 for a box of 50.
While I have “a few boxes of ammo” I’m hesitant to shoot it for practice because I don’t know when i can replace it or at what cost.
A friend mentioned that Federal emailed him they are making 32 gauge shotshells. Thats what we need. More production capacity dedicated to esoteric ammunition.
In sweden we dont have the extreme prices on ammo, at least not on plinking ammo, yet.
I payed about 0.35$ a round for a box of 50 9mm fmj the other Day.
What was more disturbing was that i asked for two boxes of hollow point, and I left with all the 9mm they had, one box of fmj.
We really havent seen much US-made ammo in the last year or two and .22lr in bulk has gone from .05$ to.11$ and the available varietys has dropped.
I better drop by the othe4r Gun store today or monday and buy a brick of .22lr and a box or two of 9mm.
I am well above my zero line in .22lr, 9mm, 12gauge and 6.5 swedish, but i am nowhere near my commander zero line or ILOH line in them.
Another MHI fan,
Steelheart
Aren’t we all?
Quite!
There *is* a distinct demographic that will never be satisfied with their ammo horde and spend an inordinate level of energy lurking around loading docks for the latest shipment. I prep ammo like I prep everything else: buy ‘2’ of whatever individual thing I need. Roll by the ammo counter & pick up one more box (not 12) of 9mm/5.56/.22, whether I need it or it not.
I could easily continue regular range trips for 4 or 5 years, without ever visiting the ammo counter. Hopefully that’s enough to get us back to sane supply/demand again. Who knows? I have neither the time nor passion to stand around in 10 degree weather waiting for 2 boxes of garbage 9mm.
‘hoard’, although ‘horde’ is also appropriate.
Probably not ‘whored’, though. 😉
ROTFLMAO
Down to my last 40 rounds for my deer rifle what with range time and other foo raw I could use some of that
My lightest area for some reason is 12GA, 20GA, and .410, but I am working on that. I think I have a source that could make an AR10, but who knows the price, right? Would it be wrong to sell 22LR rounds when they hit $1 for one round? Onward, through the fog.
Some I think is a error in judgement. Some I know have a SHTF ammo stash “just in case”. But day to day practice ammo? Nope, they just bought when they got low. Some can be explained due to limited budget. The error in judgement is when you have been doing this for years and you don’t currently have enough of anything. Just does not compute. Why do you have two new car/trucks out front and a bass boat in the shed out back and not enough ammo?
Simple answer: “one can never have too much”.
It may be too much when you need to construct a ammo magazine but fire/building/insurance regulations prohibit it.
can’t tell you how many i’ve asked and they say yeah, i’m good but when pressed they have a couple mags and a box or maybe two. some of these guys were soldiers too, so they know how fast ammo goes. of course there is the other end of the spectrum, the guys that hump 1k rounds and twenty mags on their plate carriers. how many firefights do you really think you’ll win?..alone…no air cover…no arty….no drones..no medivac…..
I think there is an element of “more is better” at play.
Most of the like minded individuals I know are sitting on a pretty good pile, and all would like to have more.
“Guns and ammo are, literally, the first thing most people buy when they decide to get into preparedness.” True.
If you classify yourself as a survivalist or a prepper (the latter term I disfavor, probably because it reminds me of “preppy,” a fashion of clothing in years past), you are, by definition, someone who distrusts the “system,” or who distrusts Mother Nature, or who distrusts the negative and violent propensities of their fellow man.
Newspapers and the internet are filled on a daily basis with stories about the last category, whether it involve home invasions or other acts of violent crime. Anyone with “a lick of sense” would conclude that the violent tendencies of their fellow man would increase and intensify if the “system” fails for a lengthy period of time, or if Mother Nature strikes.
With daily reports of violence in the newspapers or on the internet, it is easy to understand that they would likely first turn to firearms as a way of protecting themselves and their families should these events occur.
Thus, the acquisition of firearms usually precedes serious preparedness efforts in other areas. And then there is the reality that acquiring firearms is “sexier” than purchasing white rice, non-fat dry milk, and pinto beans.
Preparing for disasters requires money. As with society in general, there is a huge disparity in financial resources among the prepping community. Yet, it is a rare survivalist who cannot purchase a box of ammo a couple of times a month. If anyone claims now that they did not have the money do this, it is more likely that they chose to spend that money on something else that they wanted more, e.g., a new set of running shoes, a 6-pack of beer, a pack of cigarettes, cable TV, a video game, etc.
Once the China Virus started making news, ammo prices began to increase. I recall thinking to myself that there was no way I was going to pay $.37/round for Federal 5.56 in the spring, given that two brothers were able to split a case in the summer of 2019 for $.25/round delivered. Fortunately, I was sitting on a pile of ammo, so I would still find it difficult to decide to buy more ammo. Fortunately, a few family members listened to my advice to buy ammo then, even at the increased prices, and they are now happy that they did.
The bottom line is that ammo did not suddenly jump in price by a factor of three or four. There was a window of time for people to purchase ammo as the price of ammo creeped upward to where it is today.
The phrase “you snooze, you lose,” comes to mind.
All of this shortage is proof-positive of the basic truth addressed by Aesop in his classic fable of “The Ant and the Grasshopper.” It should be required reading for survivalists.
I am pretty well set on ammo, but I still like to replace what I shoot, otherwise it’s an ever diminishing asset. I am set on mags as well, but I am still buying as long as Magpul has them in stock and are at pre-panic prices.
You can never have enough ammo. In east Texas I can’t find any reloading supplies. No plain Jane and either. The only thing left in the shelves around here is exotic stuff at hefty prices.
Not being rich I buy ammo when I can afford to. Have a fair stash, but can’t afford to practice and don’t want to use emergency stocks. Would like to have had more stored but it’s as much as I could afford. Lately problems have come up like budgeting $2500 for vehicle repairs and getting hit with $5000 bill for the truck. Or planning $3500 for large animal vet and having to spend $5200. Sometimes you end up having to chose between food or ammo. Food won.
“Not being rich I buy ammo when I can afford to.”
I think rich people buy it when they can afford it, too.
Only when I can afford it. Yep. I don’t need a magic cell phone, a sleeve of tats, a new pickup, or fashionable clothes. I can afford AU, AG, ammo, flour, sugar, oil and filters.
I also think it’s the ‘will I ever be able to buy ammo again’. Moreso if the commiecrats outlaw it. Also, that many are now wanting to train more (or train family members), so need more ammo. I just recently lost a 30yr known ‘friend’ who wanted me to give (not buy, give) him ammo. Been telling him for years past to stock up. Told him sorry no can do and he said we are no longer friends. He’s on the other side of the country, so from a security standpoint I’m not worried he will be showing up middle of the night, but goes to show no matter how well or long you know someone, you still don’t.
Had a “pal” whos’ wife called me a paranoid delusional 2 years ago when she found out I was laying in food etc with part of my inheritance. They called a couple of months ago wanting me to sell them 2k 5.56 for what I paid for it way back when. I didn’t even bother with answering them on it. They did not pass my yearly “friendventory”
Love it. You’re “paranoid”, but she’s probably walking around wearing 3 masks.
Did you say sure, after you sell me your house for what you paid.
Having ammo is great, as is having guns. But buying it and looking at it sitting all pretty on the shelf isn’t a good idea. You have to practice, and dry-fire only goes so far. If you go to the range, a good prepper will want to replace that ammo, and at current prices, that is painful to impossible. The concept of going to a 1000 round training class, already expensive for many, is now inconceivable. So ammo availability and price should be a concern to all of us.
I’m surprised how many people who are preparing for the future either don’t have any guns and ammo, or have a gun or 2 and a box or 2 or ammo…I can see not focusing on just guns and ammo, but to have none or hardly any? Crazy…
The few people I do have sympathy for are those who recently moved from highly regulated states/ cities to more free areas, and I am willing to help them out.
Time for archery ? Just no Rambo black headbands….
Most of the prepared folks I know have plenty, like most of us mentioned. Yes, I would like to replace what I shoot. Totally agree with CZ and stocked up heavy after the big Zero was in office. Fortunately he spent his political capital on Obamacare, and than the house and senate switched and all he could do was bitch about gun control. Those last 6 years, and Trump’s four was the time to buy, I believe most of us did. Like Survivormann99, we dropped the hammer on a lot of ammo in March and early April, paying a little more, but nothing like today’s prices. That was a huge blessings, as we got a lot of rifle hunting calibers, that we normally don’t shoot a lot, therefore don’t store thousands of rounds for. The newbies, the left wing kooks who finally bought their first gun, the ones just coming of age.. Yeah it sucks to be you. Sometimes it’s not even your fault, than again sometimes it is. We have been shooting a lot of reloads we loaded up years ago, definitely not practicing with live ammo as much. More dry firing. On a side note, I know a guy whose dad, retired, chases the ammo delivery trucks at Bass Pro, Academy Sports, etc. Gets in line to buy ammo regularly and than resells it on Gunbroker or even to the gunshops, so that is going on also.
Whenever I go to my local ranges I grab up all the brass I can since being a hand loader for many years that makes perfect sense. And I’ve always had more reloading supplies than I really need but am now glad I did ( although down to my last 1400 small rifle primers ).But being a survivalist/ prepper I also bought lots of factory ammo since 2009 and have a most satisfying stash of that, like the Commander.
My buddies come over a couple times a month and we crank out a fair amount of hand loads and yuck it up afterwards with some beverages. But yeah if you are like minded in the survival community and didn’t see this coming I have doubts about your ability to make it when the SHTF.
The very best explanation for the primer shortage. Made me laugh out loud.
Thanks commander.
I held off getting a 300 blackout for years do to the myth that ammo won’t be avail. I build one a couple years ago to carry as a truck gun in bear season. Since this entire plandemic 300 black has been more avail than 5.56.
CZ,
You might want to watch how silver opens at 6:00pm EST this evening.
One may see the start of a classic short squeeze in silver.
I understand there is a push for people to go out and buy silver this week to force the same thing that occurred with Gamestop. Apparently some banks have been short selling silver they do not have. It might be interesting!!!
Yep the monkeywrenching of the Wall St banksters is on. Tried to buy into a kitco silver pool just now but to open and fund a new account takes 1 to 2 business days and who knows where silver will be at that point. They want $29 oz to buy now. Curious to see where that goes.
Don’t be foolish. Go to a coin shop, pay cash and take delivery so that you have it in your hand. Kitco has been accused for a long time to not actually store anything for their pool accounts. If they go bust, you are just another creditor standing in line.
At a local online auction tonight I saw 1000rds of 9mm American eagle sell for $2000.00! Primers we’re going over $300 per 1000! I’ve never seen anything like it.
We’re clearly in ‘mania’ territory now.
I’m seeing close to that in auctions in Houston. TulAmmo 762×39 is there now with auction fees and buyer premiums too. 556 if you even see it is there or higher.
Ordinary 9mmFMJ is $2/rnd and it was $1/rnd just a month ago, which seemed crazy high.
n
It wasn’t a prepper mindset, or knowledge of what was coming, or even that I shoot my guns a lot more than other people – LOL, my ADHD and plenty of time on my hands being retired had me buying ammo (and guns) when I had far more than “plenty”. SO now, I’m selling off some guns (the ones I rarely if ever shoot), and balancing my ammo by trading here and there, so I have enough of what I shoot most – 9mm .223, 22LR and 7.62×39. During the last ammo crisis, I was one of those guys haunting the Walmarts near me, but I didn’t re-sell whatever I bought – I kept it all – I got LOTS of 22LR! Wish I could say that I was smart, but in this case I was just lucky.
In addition to panic, these runs get some people’s competitive spirit going. The shortage is a challenge or puzzle to solve. I can still buy X even though I don’t need X because I am more clever, dedicated, etc. I say this because that was me in 2009-2010. I hope I’m wiser now and have stuck with dollar cost averaging for things. When it is unavailable or can’t be bought with my monthly amount in my budget, I just don’t buy that month.
Part of the issue is when many of us. Yes me included go shopping there is always that “what if” thing rolling around in our heads. So hell. If I’m in Wallies or one of the other places I go I try to get a couple of boxes at least of say 30-30 Win or 30-06. Or maybe 9mm or 38 spl. Now with things so tight and I might add expensive it’s either not enough bucks or no ammo to buy. That’s the ” what if” coming to fruition. I think like anything else a great many folks have plenty of ammo. But when they think about a prolonged fire fight then they begin to fixate on that Oh shit scenario. Totally understandable. But good fire discipline and never shooting till sure of your target saves a lot of ammo. Not every fight will be like those you see in Blackhawk down or 13 Hours.
And remember. More soldiers have been killed with bolt action rifles in 20th century warfare then any other type. Simo Hiya used a Finn Nagant Civil Guardia rifle with open sights to dispatch more than 400 Russian soldiers. Added to the 205 he killed with a Sumoi 9mm submachine gun shows the slower bolt gun was better suited to this man’s extraordinary skills as an outdoorsman and rifleman. The Sumoi was copied by the Russians and chambered for their 7.62x25mm Tokarov round and designated as the Ppsh 41.
I haven’t bought any for awhile yet with what I have on hand I am fairly certain I will be fine. If I can find powder and components I can load some additional rounds. Or pick up a few boxes of factory stuff. As my back up I can still fall back on my front loaders. Got plenty of lead, powder and caps.
I have about 25K rounds for my four platforms. Wish I had more but it is what it is. Numerous “friends” keep begging me to sell them a couple of thousand rounds at “old school” pricing. I just laughed. Did sell 3K rounds of 5.56 62gr Lake City green tip to a colleague for $5000. He was tickled to even get it at that price. I think I paid maybe $750 for it back a year after Trump took office.
I just traded into a pile of .50 BMG. Believe it or not, I traded 5 rounds of .223 for each round of .50 FMJ.