Ammo shortages (now 2016)? What are you seeing out there?

[nelson96]

Yep, let's get back on topic here. This thread is about ammo shortages, not AWB or any other legislation. As mentioned, there are other threads for that topic.

That said, I visited my local Cabela's today and they still have tons of misc ammo on the shelf.  I even found a couple boxes of Hornady .338 Cal 285g BTHP Match bullets.

[SteveandTracyinKY]

When I was gathering my stuff for a trapping trip recently there were signs in almost every sporting goods store I went to that basically all said "No .223 guns or ammo". It was amazing. I had a hard time even finding descent .22 ammo.

[robertov416]

They have us all talking like this is about to go into effect... in essence, they haven't even introduced the legislation and we are all talking about how we are going live after it's passed, like they have won.

Talk about putting the cart in front of the horse...

Bingo!!

[A Pawn]

I was up at my local Wally World early last Sunday morning and cruised by the ammo case on the off chance of finding ammo. Bingo! Lady was putting four 100 count boxes of Federal .223 on the shelf of the glass case, and at $34.95 at box!!! Thirty seconds later they were out of .223 again..  Oh the joys of shopping before the sun rises!...

Oh, by the way. She had also just stocked several 5 count boxes of Military 00 buck for $4.49 each!....Many found a good home that day...

See you on the other side... 

[badey]

My local Walmart has plenty of ammo, as does my local Dick's.  Walmart's prices have actually dropped over the past 2 weeks.

[Burton]

Local gun show this weekend wanted 1$ per .223 round

[backwoods_engineer]

Local gun store is rationing .223 at (2) 50-round boxes per customer.  This from their Facebook page.  Price not specified.  I am not buying until it calms down. 

[endurance]

I just got back from one of our area's larger black rifle gun stores and thanks to a gun show being in town this weekend, it was actually sane and you could get in without waiting in line for the first time in a long time.  They're fine on ammo, but they didn't have any super cheap stuff.  Remington 9mm going for $150/500, which isn't really that bad for new brass in a retail store.  They were out of high performance 9mm rounds.

They had a decent amount of Pmags, but were limiting it to five per customer and were charging an inflated $22/mag.  Not scalping, but definitely inflated.

They had hundreds of ARs and AKs on the shelves, but all of them were already sold.  They're just waiting for background checks, which are now over seven days backlogged.  They said they're still getting ARs and AKs in on regular shipments and are selling first come, first served every morning when they open.

[lowland farmer]

I'm not seeing any shortages of ammo, despite Obama winning re-election.  I think manufactures geared up big time for higher production.

What are you guys seeing?  I don't want to go out and buy a bunch of ammo when I don't need to.

Thoughts?

I just ordered 2,000 rounds of AK ammo (though I have plenty) and learned it will be March 18 before they have it in stock again. I have plenty of 30 round mags but wanted a couple 20 round "tanker" mags for my SBR Krink, as I carry it concealed sometimes (legally) and the 20 round mags are lighter and easier to keep hid under a coat, but the price of mags are waaaaay up and there are no Bulgarian tanker mags for sale, just plastic crap. I have a few ten round steel mags that will do.

[oley454]

In WI the "assault rifle" calibers are hit or miss along with 9mm and 45.  However oddball calibers are still in stock.  Prices are also creeping up.

[pokeshell]

All AR and AK varients are GONE. The AK pistols have gone up $150 from century arms at Fleet Farm. I am waiting to hear back at the loacl one as I was going to purchase one, but they did not have anyone that could do handgun sales working that late. Went back next afternoon, and they jacked the gun up $170. I was the only person that had asked about the gun(they could not do a hold). Anyway, hoping they sell it to me for the regular price Monday.

Ammo was fully stocked, and much was onsale. They had a whole new shelf setup with 750 round tins of Russian and Cineese ammo in both AR (3 sizes) and AK.

No magazines over 10 rounds, for ANYTHING.

[nelson96]

Starting to see primers being affected here locally.  Common primers are getting slim but "small rifle" primers are gone.

[sirosisofliver]

In Nebraska the WalMarts are sold out of .223, and in some stores the 7.62x39 is gone.  I ran across 2k rds of 5.56 in a small shop, bought all of it as it was still old pricing.  Cabelas in Omaha was out of bulk .223 & 5.56, expensive stuff still here and there.  I am sure more supply will be hitting the shelves by spring.  NoDak arms is NOT raising prices yet on ammo and magazines.  Bulk Ammo had 1000rd .223 for $599.....for a few hours.  I think reloading is my top skill to learn for the 13 in 13!

[theBINKYhunter]

my local sportsmans is bare... unless you want a bolt action or shotgun don't even bother. most 22 variant ammo is gone, no 9mm - even in SD rounds. no 223, some 45, didn't look at 40.

[pokeshell]

Judging from the post here, it looks like it is localised as to where shortage are, at least for ammo. The only place I see any gouging is on armslist. But, no one is paying the premium. Same overpriced guns relisted every few days.

I did find a new AR in .22 fully built out for about $700 at a store. Could that be re chambered into a more usefull round?

[habanero]

http://ammoseek.com/?from=resultspage&gun=rifle&cal=113&grains=0&mfg=&keywords=&sortby=cpr&.submit=Search

This is a great site to find ammo of all calibers.

[nelson96]

http://ammoseek.com/?from=resultspage&gun=rifle&cal=113&grains=0&mfg=&keywords=&sortby=cpr&.submit=Search

This is a great site to find ammo of all calibers.

+1 . . .  Great tool.  I've never seen this before.  Thank you

[Bolomark]

Went to my local gun shop its a two location business. one that just sells retail,  the other with a shop and large indoor range.
I checked their website last night found they had G23 DE been looking for one for a while.called them up at 6:30pm they said the had a couple left.
I got over their right when it opened up,walked out 30 minutes later with one,ammo was surprisingly well stocked they even had cases.I asked the sales man and he said everyone is just waiting for the distributors to move it off their shipping docks. (will see)
they said the buying madness is slowing,and they still had a couple of AR lowers on the wall,might make it one less on the wall.
Was also surprised at everyone waiting in line to use the heated indoor range when it's 30 degrees out( ). it would probably be a good business around here with all the rain and grey we get.

[endurance]

I'm discovering that there's some real advantages to .30 carbine that I never saw coming.  I can still get 1,000 rounds for under $500 for now.  I just can't believe what has happened to 5.56 ammo prices in the last few weeks.

[nelson96]

I'm discovering that there's some real advantages to .30 carbine that I never saw coming.  I can still get 1,000 rounds for under $500 for now.  I just can't believe what has happened to 5.56 ammo prices in the last few weeks.

Seeing the same.

Even before this started happening (many, many months before), I determined that it wasn't worth the cost of supplies or my time to reload if I could buy .223/5.56 ammo below $350/1000.  We're well above that now and will probably never see ammo costs that low again.  That said, I'm not seeing the cost of bullets, casing's, primers, or powder going up like ammo is (yet).

[Rayray250]

I have thought the same Endurance.

When I saw our local gander mountain wiped out save for .22 lr and 30-06.  I guess having common calibers is not working out here as everyone with these same calibers were shopping hard!

I also thought, it only takes the thought of scarcity to promote panic buying. 

[LdMorgan]

I hit more than 100 websites last night looking for .308 Winchester ammo.

Except for a very few that still had a few overpriced (some as high as $60.00/ 20 rds.) boxes, the message was the same: Sold Out--No Back Order.

Not even Midway USA has .308.

[ncjeeper]

I hit more than 100 websites last night looking for .308 Winchester ammo.

Except for a very few that still had a few overpriced (some as high as $60.00/ 20 rds.) boxes, the message was the same: Sold Out--No Back Order.

Not even Midway USA has .308.

Bulk ammo has some right now. Maybe gone in a few hours if you dont order some.

[nelson96]

I hit more than 100 websites last night looking for .308 Winchester ammo.

Except for a very few that still had a few overpriced (some as high as $60.00/ 20 rds.) boxes, the message was the same: Sold Out--No Back Order.

Not even Midway USA has .308.

I found some .308 ammo just a few minutes ago on Cabela's website, and for much less $$ than you mention.  Some of the brands and bullet type/size are not what I would normally buy, but begger's can't be chooser's.

And there are tons of .308 ammo components available for reloading your own.

[robertov416]

I found some .308 ammo just a few minutes ago on Cabela's website, and for much less $$ than you mention.  Some of the brands and bullet type/size are not what I would normally buy, but begger's can't be chooser's.

And there are tons of .308 ammo components available for reloading your own.

I'm newly into reloading (as one of my 13 skills), and am having difficulty acquiring all the dies/shellplates I want due to the frenzied horde nabbing everything I just had the bad-luck of trying to get right now.  But you're right... I've seen plenty of brass, powder, and bullets... although primers seem pretty thin right now in the 3 local places I've looked.

[PrepperJim]

I was traveling for the final 2+ weeks of 2012, just as the Sandy Hook tragedy happened. I did not have a chance to stock up on ammo and now it seems like I missed the boat.

I received two Academy gift cards for Xmas and tried to buy some ammo. There was not a single box of .223 available and I noticed that there were no AR magazines and no AR's in the rack. Really, this has gotten out of control.

I am now happy that I bought my AR just after the election and got approximately 200 rounds of .223 prior to 10/14. But, I am now reluctant to go to the range and put more than 50 rounds through the new weapon for fear that this ammo shortage will last for some time.

Seriously, this blows a hole in the theory that commonly available calibers is the way to go. If everyone wants .223, then .223 will be the first to fly off the shelves. This also blows my belief that the stores cannot be cleaned out in anything less than a full blown crisis. There is nothing on the shelves and we are not in collapse mode. It has me rethinking a lot of my preps.

Thankfully, I have plenty of 9 mm and shotgun shells. I did not look at those for availability today. Maybe I should have.

[nelson96]

Seriously, this blows a hole in the theory that commonly available calibers is the way to go. If everyone wants .223, then .223 will be the first to fly off the shelves. This also blows my belief that the stores cannot be cleaned out in anything less than a full blown crisis. There is nothing on the shelves and we are not in collapse mode. It has me rethinking a lot of my preps.

I'm sure many have varied opinions on the reasons for consolidating to commonly available calibers.  A few of my reasons are . . 

• If I'm hunting away from home and I need more ammo
• If SHTF and I run out of ammo, a neighbor or passerby may be able to help me out
• It's easier to barter with, all the time

Any scenario that will give way to common calibers flying off the shelves will also take uncommon calibers.  And uncommon will probably be gone first, simply because there is less on the shelf to begin with.

When people are hoarding particular types of ammo and the day comes that you find you can't get ammo anymore, if I've failed to stock up myself, my hope will be that I have a rifle that uses the ammo that was hoarded the most.

.

[chrisdfw]

Seriously, this blows a hole in the theory that commonly available calibers is the way to go. If everyone wants .223, then .223 will be the first to fly off the shelves. This also blows my belief that the stores cannot be cleaned out in anything less than a full blown crisis. There is nothing on the shelves and we are not in collapse mode. It has me rethinking a lot of my preps.

I think the better reason for commonly available calibers is the price of stocking up is lower. I think in a real shtf, you better already have what you need.

I probably have 2000 or more rounds of 5.56/.223 ammo, and I won't be firing it until I know I can make or get more.

Thankfully, I have an AR upper in 5.45x39 which I have over 10,000 rounds of, and I have a 22LR conversion kit and 40-50,000 rounds of 22LR so for the duration of the ammo shortage these will be what I am using.

As a matter of fact, I can't find a bolt for my latest AR build, so the 22LR kit will serve as the bolt for that weapon until I can find a BCG.

I've learned a lesson on building ARs, I got caught with a few barrels, some stripped lowers, but without any upper parts. I tend to buy in bulk when I get stuff on sale, but can't build a complete rifle despite having what some people would consider a great collection of parts. In the future I will be more moderate in my bulk purchases and spread them out. The bright side is that I have sold enough stuff to pay for my dream rifle.

[mike77]

Stopped by two area Wal-Marts today to look at the ammo selection. The first was out of all 9mm, .380 and .223. They were low on .22LR and .38SPL, but had a fair amount of everything else including shotgun ammo. The second had 2 boxes of 9mm FMJ left and were low on .22LR, and .380. Out of .223 but a good inventory of everything else. I should have bought some of the shotgun shells or .22LR while there. Tomorrow I guess.

[ag2]

My Walmart was all out of .22LR, 9mm, .40, .223, 30-30 and a few others.