Buy gun without ammo?

[tws3b2]

Just wondering if this ammo thing is hurting gun sales, yet. I've noticed that walmart, Dunham's sports and a couple others near me have plenty guns on the rack unlike a couple months ago. But no ammo. I'm thinking if you don't have ammo to shoot why buy a gun?
Actually, I was in Dunham's the other day and they had 6 boxes of 20 gauge and 6 boxes of 10 gauge on the shelf. I been wanting a used 20 gauge single shot fixer upper lately but not really anything new. Anyway I walked over to the gun counter and there must been 20 short barrels/tactical pumps on the wall. I even considered buying a 20 gauge just so I would have a reason to buy the shells. But, I came to my senses and walked away.

 

[1KPerDay]

I even considered buying a 20 gauge just so I would have a reason to buy the shells.

I see no problem with this logic.

 

[BigBore44]

I would buy a firearm in a second today if it was a good deal. Ammo or not.

 

[alfsauve]

Hmm. Maybe now would be a good time for some tacti-cool 20ga semi-auto.

 

[FL-NC]

Wal mart and academy lately have had no ammo and few guns.

 

[Obturation]

Ammo availability hasn't hurt gun prices that I've seen. I settled on my cartridges of choice years ago and the only chambering I'm thinking about adding is 500 jrh. Other than that I'll just buy guns for cartridges I already have everything for.

Just buy what you want and get ammo wherever you can.

 

[entropy]

Wal mart and academy lately have had no ammo and few guns.

My store (the Walmart I work at) actually has plenty of guns, mostly Savage bolts, Henry levers, and a few shotguns, mostly Turkish. No ammo whatsoever, though. Even the 16 and 28 shells that lasted about 4 months are finally gone.

My LGS has decent amounts of ammo, however the only large amounts available for purchase is the ammo cans, and they weren't cheap before all this. No .223 cans left, just 7.62/.308. No centerfire primers, except 209, and they are selling 100 at a time now, $6.99/100. Strangely, he has plenty of M/L caps in, I should have picked up some.

 

[readyeddy]

I bought ammo without gun. A friend was selling a mix of ammo and I just told him I would buy it all. I had guns for all but one cartridge. I guess that means I need to buy another gun.

 

[BreechFace]

Most LGS worth their salt have ammo in the back for gun purchaser's only. At least around here.

 

[beeb173]

$50 for fmj 9mm is unacceptable. Buying another gun at these ridiculous ammo prices isn’t gonna happen. It’s like selling SUV’s while gas is $9 a gallon.

 

[CapnMac]

I'm trying to remember a time where I bought ammo specifically for a just-purchased firearm.

Not sure I ever have, even the once, over forty years.

Mind, I've always held to the old adage "The Bargain is in the Buy," too. So, I'm more than passing certain I have always bought the ammo where that price was best, and the arm where that price was best, those two not being co-located.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

I have bought magazines for things I didn't own, which then made me go buy the pistol.

So, yes, I would buy something I didn't have ammo for (but I have issues).

I do wonder when it will start to hurt sales but so far doesn't seem to, I think it will in the coming months though if ammo doesn't become more readily available and cheaper.

 

[hso]

LGSs are reserving ammunition for gun purchases, but you're not seeing the guns to purchase.

 

[bullseye308]

I was grounded years ago from buying a gun in a caliber I didn’t already reload for, so that simplified things for me. I’ve been reloading since 89 and after a few shortages learned to buy it cheap and stock it deep. I did pull one on the wife, Santa got me a 45 for Christmas the year I turned 45, and I got the stink eye because I don’t load for 45. I reminded her that 10 years prior I bought the stuff to load it for a friend and still had the dies, molds, brass and primers put back just in case. I don’t buy ammo, I make it. Little does she know I still have dies for 7.62x39, 7.62x54R, & 40, as well as brass, bullets, and primers.

 

[Riomouse911]

I’ve won guns on GB and then ordered the dies, cases and bullets that same day. These often arrived before I could take possession of the gun due to shipping time and the 10-day wait.

With my first .41 Mag, which I bought in a gun store, I was on Amazon for the dies in the parking lot after filling out the 4473 and Starline and MBC the moment I got home. I had about 150 cartridges loaded so I could go shoot the day I brought it home . (This was pre-pandemic idiocy of course.)

Stay safe.

 

[3Crows]

This is kind of a chicken or egg type question. If the gun is on the rack and I like it and it is one on my list, ammo or not, I am buying it. Buy it and the ammo will come. If I have to, I will load my own.

 

[lionking]

I'm less inclined to buy a gun right now if ammo isn't available or is priced sky high but there are exceptions, for instance a local gun store recently had a Uberti 1866 with 24" barrel in .45 Colt, I might get one after handling it later this year even though I know Colt ammo probably isn't going to be around or affordable in the next two years.

Only two guns I'm on the lookout for now, a USP Expert in .40 and a Auto Ordnance M1 carbine because I have plenty of ammo in .40 and a decent amount of .30, I keep getting outbid for the M1 carbine though, another victim of the panic buying.

Sorry to say but I think it will be at least two more years if not more before the panic and shortage starts to get better......

 

[Mars5l]

I've been buying ammo for firearms i might or plan to buy. Maybe not a stock pile but a few boxes incase I do come across a gun I want I'll have something to shoot. Have 2 boxes of .32 auto and 2 boxes .380. If I come across some regular price British .303 or Arikaka I'll grab some.

 

[LightninST]

I bought ammo without gun. A friend was selling a mix of ammo and I just told him I would buy it all. I had guns for all but one cartridge. I guess that means I need to buy another gun.

Soooo what do we need to help you pick out Ohh you forgot to mention the caliber!

 

[22250Rem]

About 6 years ago I was buying 22 Mag. ammo despite the fact that I had never owned anything so chambered. But I always wanted a handgun or long gun in 22 WMR and I was determined to own one someday. Figured that someday when I get one I'll be all set for ammo and if I don't get it now I'll pay more later because ammo seems to go up at least annually. When I retired in the spring of 2016 the LGS had a used Ruger Single 6 Convertible trade-in sitting in the case; the price was right, and It was love at first sight, and I already had 22 WMR for it sitting at home. Otherwise I could have just used the 22LR cylinder in it for awhile. Either way it's a sweet shooter.

 

[brewer12345]

If it is something I can get dies for, I can usually find or have a suitable mold and can scrounge some once-fired brass. Then I will entertain buying something in a cartridge I don't already load. In today's market, that means only weird stuff that is off the run. If I ran across a nice 30-30 lever at an attractive price I would be heavily tempted to buy it and hope to either luck into or pay up for dies, simply because I already cast suitable bullets for it.

 

[jmorris]

I’ve done it both ways, “well, now that I have this ammo, might as well...” and have bought firearms that I requested pet load information and even some of the components and/or dies to accompany the firearm.

 

[Hokkmike]

LGSs are reserving ammunition for gun purchases, but you're not seeing the guns to purchase.

This is the case where I live. Most say 2 boxes with the new purchase. Happily, ammo seems to be coming back. I have been able to pick up 9mm, 45 Auto, .380, and 223 locally with no problem.

 

[wcwhitey]

Bought two revolvers in the last month and a half. My LGS makes sure you don’t leave with a gun but no ammo. The range that I shoot at also has the same policy, they put aside some ammo for new gun buyers before they put the rest on the shelf. In my case I bought guns that I reload for but I still purchased carry ammo just in case. Hated the $1 a round prices for second shelf ammo.

 

[DTL]

I added another 9mm last month and just bought a .380 this week which I will be able to bring home after the 30 day wait passes. I've done OK with 9mm and .223 if I shop carefully and a LGS is loading .380 new brass at a very good price for these times. He loads by order and I placed a 5 box order for FMJ and bought 3 boxes of ARX on line to try as my carry ammo.