Is ammo supply shrinking again?

[Teachu2]

As the supply has been getting better, I've been buying to avoid getting caught short again. Since the majority of my shooting is 9x19, .22lr, and .45acp, that's what I've kept tabs on...and I've seen less availability and increasing prices for the last month or so. I expected that as November approaches, but has anyone else noticed this trend? Maybe just tax returns getting invested in ammo, but my usual sources online are out of most of what I prefer, and ammoseek.com is showing rising 10-15% prices and shrinking supply.

Or maybe it's just more guys like me are stocking up more than we ever have before. I haven't had this much on hand since I quit competing back in the '80s.

 

[yugorpk]

Its guys like you buying up the ammo so you don't run out when the next whatever happens. Enough people do that and the supply channels get strained. You end up like me with 30,000 rounds in the garage

 

[ih772]

Plenty of ammo in my area, even .22 bulk ammo is readily available.

 

[cat_IT_guy]

Rim fire still the one area that seems scarce around here. 22 is usually available but it's usually pricy target stuff or bottom end. Haven't seen bulk packs at Walmart in years. 22 mag and 17 hit or miss. No issues with 45 or 9 around here. 2 walmarts in 15 miles and both have, not to mention bass pro, dunhams, etc.

 

[hemiram]

I bought a 300 rd brick of Mini-Mags today for $29.85, less my discount for being "family" of the store owner. They only had 4 bricks left, but they had hundreds of the little boxes.

 

[DaisyCutter]

I think the flow of ammo being produced is likely barely able to keep up with regular demand. Once you get even a small percentage of shooters feeling the urge to hoard, maybe only a single digit percentage, then consumption becomes greater than production.

I'll never 'need' to buy ammo again, if it became scarce then I'd scale back my routine round count. I mostly handload anyway. It would be a long time before I have to tear into my retail boxed stuff.

 

[GRIZ22]

Rimfire seems hard to find. Plenty of 9x19 and 45 around for very good prices.

 

[DeoreDX]

Rimfire seems hard to find. Plenty of 9x19 and 45 around for very good prices.

Regular 22LR isn't too hard to find. You still have to look for it but you can find it. What I have a hard time finding is 22Mag and 22 Shorts.

 

[340PD]

Running short like my local Walmart with hundreds of boxes of 9MM for $9.97/bx with no limit, and three brands of .22lr.

In my opinion, it is threads like this that helps create our own shortages.

 

[ATLDave]

Up next: A thread that asks if banks are running out of cash on hand to see if we can spark a run on the banks.

These shortages are 100% caused by herd panic behavior. Knock it off.

 

[JohnnyFlake]

It sure doesn't seem that way to me, at this point anyway. Of course if some crazy gets off on a shooting spree it will start all over again.

I must say the slower availability for rim fire ammo, especially .22, is evident, but I think that is created by the manufactures, so they can keep the price ridiculously high! If people would just stop buying .22 for six months or so, I truly believe prices will come back to reality. That's just me!!!

 

[LoneGoose]

Teachu2, it seems to me that more people are shooting more often. I say (for your centerfire calibers) shoot them up, save the brass, and sell the brass to reloaders to get back some of the cost of the ammo. Or take up reloading, a rewarding and relaxing hobby. I wouldn't worry about a new ammo drought.

 

[Browning Guy]

I was talking to a guy that produces commercial reloads and he said that for years the winter months was when he built up inventory for the "shooting season" that starts with the coming of warm weather. Lately at winter gun shows with everyone grabbing what ever they can, he has a hard time building any kind of stock pile for his warm weather demand. If you consider the traditional crowd and add to it the number of "new" shooters added the last few years it creates a considerable amount of ammo drain created with the start of warm weather. Another consideration is the type of guns going to ranges today. In times past you had mostly "hunting" type rifles, bolt actions, levers, single shots, etc. Now days you see mostly semi-autos, the ones that are soooooo much fun to go "rock and roll" with. As a uncle and grandpa trying to load for nephews and grand kids trust me, they use a LOT more ammo than the old bolt guns do! All told for various reasons warm weather is gonna create a tremendous drain on supply.

 

[reddog81]

I have noticed the opposite. 9mm can be found for around $.20 per round and .45 ACP can be found for under $.30 online.

My LGS has had 22LR in stock every time I have visited this year - piles of 50 round boxes and at least a couple bulk packs.

I would be stocking up, but I have started reloading and casting my own bullets and have sufficient supply of factory ammo at this point in time.

 

[MechAg94]

It sure doesn't seem that way to me, at this point anyway. Of course if some crazy gets off on a shooting spree it will start all over again.

I must say the slower availability for rim fire ammo, especially .22, is evident, but I think that is created by the manufactures, so they can keep the price ridiculously high! If people would just stop buying .22 for six months or so, I truly believe prices will come back to reality. That's just me!!!

I don't think it is the manufacturers. If there is anything like that, it is the stores themselves and the resellers. I don't see super high prices these days and I notice if bricks are priced too high, most people are not buying.

I see plenty of 22 ammo in my area. The local gun store actually has quite a bit, it just isn't dirt cheap. The prices are reasonable and not outrageous like some of the gun show sellers. Academy stores have it also, but generally only sell 50 round boxes which are more expensive.

It is 22 mag that is still hard to find for me. I have to search online or at gun shows.

 

[rodregier]

March/April is traditional time of year for annual price increases from ammunition and component manufacturers too.

 

[Teachu2]

It must just be me, then. Probably just too choosey on what I want. It'll be back soon - I hope.

 

[joem1945]

As I reload I haven't bought store ammo in a long time. Components are another story. I need a steady supply. I do shoot more since I retired. I save all my brass and I'm usually surprised at the amounts I have ready to reload.

 

[Speedo66]

Haven't noticed, I'm still working off my $8.99 500 round bricks from who knows when.

Stored over the years in hot attics and garages and damp basements, but still go bang more often than Remington Thunderbolts.

 

[hot chili powder]

Ammo available where?

Here in Green Bay 22LR still tricky to get...but it does hit the shelves but goes quickly. As for the other centerfire calibers, lots of it around here. Also, plenty of 17RF on shelves @ a number of places.

 

[Aragon]

Running short like my local Walmart with hundreds of boxes of 9MM for $9.97/bx with no limit, and three brands of .22lr.

In my opinion, it is threads like this that helps create our own shortages.

Agreed.

Remember during one of the earlier shortages where yutzes would post photos of their hoards as if they were their firstborn? Sad...

 

[Compound8.0]

Upstate NY , LGS has plenty off everything except .22 CCI etc. . Another has a back order of a pallet load .22 CCI , when they come in its a two brick limit at $35.00 a brick and plenty of boxes of 50 .
We have a Field and Stream Store that is fully stocked and easy on the wallet and run sales at least every other weeek . I reload 9mm , .38 , .357 , .40SW and .380 for myself and family , have plenty of factory stuff but I refuse to go through the panic or buy into it again . I don't hoard components either .

 

[RCL]

Cabela's usually carries more ammo than anyone else in my area and their shelves seem to be fully stocked, at least with everything but the aforementioned .22's. Prices also seem to have remained competitive with other retailers.

 

[Warp]

I bought a couple boxes of Perfecta 9mm at Walmart today ($9.97/50) and the employee commented that he had sold a lot of them today. They had 4 more when I left, though, and they also had WWB and Federal 9mm, just at a little higher cost.

Its guys like you buying up the ammo so you don't run out when the next whatever happens. Enough people do that and the supply channels get strained. You end up like me with 30,000 rounds in the garage

It's guys NOT like him that run everything out of stock for a year or two when they panic after something happens and start buying everything because they only had a few hundred rounds tops and just expected to buy it just-in-time as they went, though.

Up next: A thread that asks if banks are running out of cash on hand to see if we can spark a run on the banks.

These shortages are 100% caused by herd panic behavior. Knock it off.

Shortages are because of certain political groups trying to, and sometimes being successful at, restricting firearms and firearm paraphernalia (like ammo). It's pretty hard to get upset with gun people for buying ammunition.

 

[txblackout]

bought 2K primers, and 4K cci std vel (.08/each) this week.

*everything* is back in stock.