Ever since the current pandemic crisis began, store bought ammunition has become very rare or inconsistent. Popular calibers like 9mm, .45 ACP, .40 S&W, .38, .380, etc, etc, have become scarce in local stores. Now, ammo is widely available online, provided you can pay the current prices, which are usually 3 or more times the normal prices, due to supply and demand. With ammo prices so high, I've had to limit my pistol range time; with my rifle, I've had to eliminate that completely and keep what I already have for home defense. What is everyone else doing with regards to the ammo shortage? I'm quite sure that some others have a huge ammo stockpile on hand to supply their arsenal. There's also bound to be others that re-load their own ammo, and if so, where do you get your primers and bullets?
I've rolled my own for a long time but have always purchased "fodder" to practice with and to take the kids out. There is NOTHING on the shelves here in northern Utah except the occasional 12 or 20 gauge box of shells. Tractor Supply, Cabelas, Scheels et al are bare to the bone. Ammo AND components on the gun exchange are priced way higher than is reasonable. Heineken 0.0 is easier to find. When you shut the supply chains down to control illness manufacturers quickly run out of components to use. Most folks I know have been "planning ahead" for years anyway.
I reload and saw the current shortage coming well ahead of when it hit, so stocked up on powder, primers, and cases for what I and my family shoot.
I have a few friends who re-load and primers are impossible to find in Arizona right now. I personally have a sufficient stockpile of shotgun, rifle and pistol ammunition for myself but the current shortage has cut into my normal trips to the range. I've heard a couple of estimates of when the current situation will return to "normal" ranging from a few months from now to early 2022. It's funny, my daughter lives in Wyoming and she is unable to find any rifle ammunition but handgun ammo is available, Here in Arizona, I can get rifle ammo but nothing for handgun. When she came down for Thanksgiving, we replenished each other's stockpile. My personal opinion, with the current political environment in this country this shortage will continue for quite a while,
I agree, but Covid-19 and associated restrictions here and abroad, along with "panic" buying have all played a role. I think it will be 2022 before the situation stabilizes, based on my widely known "swami" DNA.
Apparently people don't stockpile 30-30 and similar, so the run on it is not like .45 acp, 9mm, 223/5.56, 308/7.62 NATO, etc.
You'll be finding Heinekin 0.0 beer here in Utah before 30-30 or 45-70. There was ZERO ammo at Cabelas yesterday when I bought my boots and the gun counter looks like locusts had been through it. I don't know about the rest of the US or the EU but beef, both cut-wise and quantity-wise here in my neck of the woods has shrunk too.
I've been struggling for a while to keep my stock below the legal limit, so I haven't bought much ammo in the last year (approx. 5k rnds total, I guess). With competitions on hold and restrictions on training, there hasn't been much of a reason to restock. From what I can see, there seems to be ammo on the shelves at online stores, and prices seem to be pretty stable. I know there has been some stockpiling amongst shooters, but in general I think the ammo market here in Norway is less affected by whats going on in the world.
That's probably because the amount an individual can buy in countries other than U.S.A. is limited...thus no "panic buying". We saw this same phemonenom a couple of years ago with .22 LR/rimfire shortages.
Well, it’s not that limited. The limit is based on the safety of firefighters in case of fire. With an optimal mix of ammunition I can store 15’000 rnds without any special measures in place. More can be granted if you have sufficient measures in place. Edit: there is no limit on the amount we can buy. Just for storage.
I haven't seen squat for ammo in stores for ages. Since before the last ammo crisis, I was stocking up. I've got enough 22lr and 9mm to last for quite some time. I also got into reloading for .357, 44mag, 45acp and 38spl (which I shoot more than anything else). Stocked up on reloading components too.
I did the same, stocked up on components, BUT since the doo doo hit the fan and they locked things down, I've used up all of my primers, and unless you're willing to trade your firstborn and a number one draft pick, there's none to be had here in northern Utah.
I never thought of doing that. I reloaded a lot of .223 and bought 9mm. Enough 12 guage to switch to .223. life, so much fun
I used to practice pretty regularly - once a month or so, if I could squeeze in some range time. By sheer luck I had made several bulk purchases to restock practice ammo and service ammo back in the fall of 2012, at some pretty good prices. Shortly after that, there was a shooting incident in the news, which caused yet another buying panic. I stopped going to the range while waiting for that to settle down - I don't like to burn up all my range ammo if getting more is iffy. Then just got out of the habit of going regularly. So end result, I have plenty of ammo for anything I own, both for practice and otherwise. If ever this virus thing ends, I may try to get out to the range and decrease that supply by a box or two.
Just got back home from San Diego to visit our relatives over the holidays. Stopped by a local gun shop to visit a friend and former co-worker. I was surprised to see cases of ammo for all calibers throughout the store. Ammo background checks in CA. have apparently slowed the demand. First time I've seen 38 spl. in over 6 months. Had to pick up a few boxes.
After the shortage at the end of the Obama Admin I have stocked up on the calibers I have (22lr, 327, 357/38, 9mm, 45 ACP, 30-30, 5.56, 6.5 Creed and 12 gauge). The only real change I’ve made is I limit my range time to my carry or HD weapons or my 22’s but no range trips with 6-8 at a time. Most of my shooting is the ranges ammo and I’ll fire off my carry ammo to rotate that at each visit but that’s all I shoot of my stock.
Does californias ammo buying background check system prevent non-california residents from buying ammo?
