Stupid Ammo Question

Looking for bulk 7.62x39 ammo myself. Prices and availability are currently "irrational".....

I was told that about $6 a box was "average" for my caliber - a little less in bulk. But who knows now? It is crazy out there.

If you happen to catch bulk ammo in the stores (good luck) expect a small mark up. 2nd hand from resellers like private individuals it's available, but anywhere from .75-1.00+/round for plinking ammo.

~$600 per 1000 rounds.

Depends on the load. Cheap foreign steel-cased fmj is much cheaper than Nosler Custom with premium hunting bullets.

At minimum 50cts a round for brass, Ive seen some steel cased for as low 30cts. I think AIM has it for $6/20rds of wolf, but they rarely have it in stock and when they do get its gone fast.

223 is going for $750-$800 per 1000 online. $850-$1000 at the gunshow last weekend. I doubt if you will see much available or affordable before March or April.

According to AmmoSeek.com, there are no .223/5.56 rounds available for less than $0.99/rd

Diligence pays off.

I've been finding 3 to 5 box limits on Independence, Winchester, and PMC for 8.99 to 9.99 per 20 rounds at Sportsmans Warehouse and PSA lately. I've also heard from the clerk, after they were sold, that Walmart is still getting in a case or so at a time. Though not too often.......

I no longer look for it, I figure the manufacturers will catch up soon enough.

I did see some online piece of work asking $30.00 for a 20 round box recently.

I ordered 500 rounds of Federal 5.56 for $325 from Natchez this week...best deal I've seen lately. I stumbled across it at 0300 in the morning, must have just been posted and it was gone in no time.

Yes,diligence does payoff as I was one of many that caught the MidwayUSA notification on this past Tuesday of 500 round lots of Independence 223 for $219.99.
I received it yesterday via the old brown truck.
Be patient.

You will pay dearly. If it was me, I would tough it out until July. In all likelihood nothing will happen, and supply will catch up with demand with furious vengeance.

about .75 - $1.00 per round.
This is not a good time for those who were unprepared.

While I have plenty and can load plenty more back on 12/27 while Cabela's was taking back orders I ordered 800 rounds (4 EA. 200 round Remington) for $300 with free shipping. Got an email yesterday saying they expect delivery 28 February so I should see my ammunition around early March. Considering the cold and snow lately around here March works fine for me.

I would suggest constantly checking the websites of the major retailers constantly as many have done and hope to get lucky. Beyond that figure on $0.75 to $1.00 a round which is foolish to pay unless you really want the stuff bad.

Ron

Check Slickguns.com multiple times a day.

223/556 and 7.62x39 has actually been fairly easy to find at normal prices here locally. I picked up 124 boxes of WPA & Polyformance 7.62 for $5/box of 20 and a case of 5.56 ss109 for $359 along with 10 boxes of American Eagle Tactical Tracer 5.56 @ $11/box, and 3 Federal "value pack" 100 round boxes 223 for $31/box. You just gotta catch em on the right day but the "deals" are still out there.

And although it's raised in price my buddy ordered two 500 round cases of Brown Bear 7.62x39 from CTD for ~$500 last week and let me get 500 of them for $250. My suggestion is keep checking online multiple times a day and stopping at any stores that sell ammo whenever you have time. You'll eventually find SOMETHING at a decent price.

offthepaper said:

This is not a good time for those who were unprepared.

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When is a good time?

helotaxi said:

When is a good time?

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Uh, never would be my best guess. What we see playing out today is nothing new. The causes have varied but the effect is always the same. People who enjoy shooting on a regular basis should always maintain a stock of ammunition for just such droughts. Reloaders should always maintain a stock of components for just such occasions. When things go wrong as they have in the past, have now and most certainly will in the future the idea is to be prepared.

While Midway and other suppliers do get shipments of ammunition in they go fast so the trick is to stay on top of their websites if you want ammunition. Use the NOTIFY buttons! while not a surefire solution to your woes it can't hurt and obviously use those buttons on items they expect to have in stock again soon.

Ron

^^^My point exactly. Panics are not the time to realize that you didn't learn anything during the last panic. By the time you realize that you should have prepared, it's too late, thus the idea of being prepared. You never know when the next round of "stupid" will come along, though presidential elections are usually a pretty good indicator.

I learned quickly during the '08-09 silliness as I was just getting into reloading at that point and found components almost impossible to get almost overnight. The fact that my local source, Sportsman's Warehouse, was about to be liquidated by corporate without any warning to the locals and thus was being cut off seemingly inexplicably from resupply made it that much more difficult. As a result I stocked up when things were plentiful and cheap after the "crazy" died down and the market was flooded. End result is that I'm sitting pretty now and for the most part, the only awareness that I have of supplies being scarce is from reports on the various gun forums.

I went to a gun show near South Bend yesterday and it was $1000 for cheap brass cased .223, and I saw Wolf steel cased .223 for $900. Those prices are per 1000 rounds. I did not see many bulk ammo buyers...

This is not a good time for those who were unprepared.

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It never is!

My buddy and I were looking at ordering a case of 5.56 to split right before Christmas, but decided that with taking care of kids and trips at Christmas, we couldn't afford it.

We made a choice and have to live with it, and that includes having a thin ammo stash.

newglockguy said:

I'm taking this as a lesson for the future. I plan on getting into reloading with my buddy at the end of the year, once I graduate. My current apartment I live in is too small and I don't have the funds to start on my own. I'll stick to shooting pistols for now while I slowly build up my stock and can find a bulk amount that won't require me to give up my first born and a vital organ

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Life is full of priorities and face it, there are things that come before guns. However, just remember good things come to those who wait and once you have a good education and a good job, then guns and family will fall into place. An apartment will make way for a home that includes a nice gun room and reloading area.

Ron