The Ammo Shortage of 2013 We have seen the enemy and the enemy is us.

[Guest TankerHC]

This is a good article, I think everyone will disagree with some of it, and agree with some of it. One thing I disagree on is the "and it is us" part. The reason I say that is because someone who I know and have dealt with at a certain Academy told me that they get plenty of ammo in and have been getting ammo in, all Calibers they carry. (This was about a month ago), I was told the problem (And its not their problem) that they know who the regular customers are that come in every week or two and buy their ammo and leave or look at a few guns or whatever. Since the AR's came back out and ammo started hitting the shelves with no limits, the same 5 or 6 people show up every delivery day and are waiting at the front door when they open, come in, buy everything on the shelves (The most wanted calibers) and leave. .223 was rolling in, in limited quantities, .22 is coming in, some other calibers, but the same guys are there every delivery day and get all of it. .44 Mag was another one, I wanted to shoot my Henry and asked if they would be getting any in "Yep, but you better be here early, before we open up, we have the same people come here, they will be here and they will buy all of it". Shooters shoot it, and I dont know if these people are shooters or not, but 2 purchases a week showing up every week, and buying everything on the shelves, the most popular calibers, seems suspicious to me. But then again they may really be shooting it or building their stash.



http://www.alloutdoor.com/2013/06/12...kly+Newsletter

[frankmako]

sounds like the ammo is going to/for re-sales at gun shows at a higher price.

[Sidinman]

sounds like the ammo is going to/for re-sales at gun shows at a higher price.

Well if the stupid azz people would quit buying that inflated price ammo, then they would stop.

[diablo982]

I'm not having much trouble finding the ammo I shoot (9mm, .380, 22lr, .223). Seems Academy has plenty in-stock late in the day, and other stores have it too, albeit at inflated prices. If the retailers can get ammo in stock the secondary market will dry up, which I believe is happening. I'm not seeing as many posts for ammo on armslist, GOC, etc. It reminds me of AR sales by April/May of this year. The supply caught up, demand tumbled and the prices returned to normal.

[jeff43]

I hadn't saw any 22 LR at WalMart since Dec. or Jan.That's where I buy most of mine at.I'm not close to a Academy or anything else.I'm in good shape on all my ammo and reload a lot of my ammo,so I'm not too worried.I would like to see the 22 ammo supply come back so if I want to stop by WM and pick up a couple of boxes I can.I do still see a lot of stupid ammo prices on GOC,same overpriced crap posted over and over everyday.Looks like they would figure it's TOO HIGH after a while.

[JAB]

Looks like they would figure it's TOO HIGH after a while.

 

This just gave me a thought.  In the last election, there was a candidate who said he was of the "Rent is Too Damn High" party.  Maybe in the next election we need to see an "Ammo is Too Damn High - and Scarce" party.

 

As I said, just a thought.

[jeff43]

[quote name="JAB" post="1001646" timestamp="1374081870"]This just gave me a thought. In the last election, there was a candidate who said he was of the "Rent is Too Damn High" party. Maybe in the next election we need to see an "Ammo is Too Damn High - and Scarce" party.

As I said, just a thought.[/quote
We need a Everything Is Too Damn High Party.
Ammo,guns,gas,insurance,doctors,food,Just trying to live is Cost too much! Edited July 17, 2013 by jeff43

[Paisan]

 someone who I know and have dealt with at a certain Academy told me that they get plenty of ammo in and have been getting ammo in, all Calibers they carry. (This was about a month ago), I was told the problem (And its not their problem) that they know who the regular customers are that come in every week or two and buy their ammo and leave or look at a few guns or whatever. Since the AR's came back out and ammo started hitting the shelves with no limits, the same 5 or 6 people show up every delivery day and are waiting at the front door when they open, come in, buy everything on the shelves
 

 

Just this morning, my local Academy raised the one-box-per-caliber limit to 2 boxes per! Where are the stores with no limits? I'll be the evil, ammo-mongering ba$t*rd just this once...

 

[jtmaze]

I saw an add on FB today that had a 325rnd brick of 22lr for $50. I almost got ugly with the guy but let it go. I hope he has too shoot it all himself.

[Dirtshooter]

I do know that there are these guys that buy to resell, but about a month ago I was at a Walmart in southern Alabama and was looking for a particular fishing lure, happened by the checkout and the lady asked if I wanted any 22's. Well I almost passed out, they had Thunderbolts in the 50pack bricks of 10 for $39.00 including tax. She said it was the FIRST bulk 22 ammo she had received in 5 months. I was browsing the net looking at reloading components and Midsouth had only 2 types of primers in stock, No 40 cal jacketed bullets, same thing at midway, and Natchez. I think going into bullet manufacturing would be a good business right now!!

[gregintenn]

This just gave me a thought.  In the last election, there was a candidate who said he was of the "Rent is Too Damn High" party.  Maybe in the next election we need to see an "Ammo is Too Damn High - and Scarce" party.

 

As I said, just a thought.

I'm more akin to "The Government's too damn big"  philosophy myself.

[Randall53]

I don't understand why people are still paying inflated prices to resellers. I just looked on gunboat for the first time in quite awhile and it seems ammo is plentiful at very reasonable prices.

[Raoul]

I don't understand why people are still paying inflated prices to resellers. I just looked on gunboat for the first time in quite awhile and it seems ammo is plentiful at very reasonable prices.

Gunbot?

If so .10 to .50 per round isn't any deal.

Edited July 28, 2013 by Raoul

[Randall53]

Gunbot?

If so .10 to .50 per round isn't any deal.

 

Your correct Raoul, for 22lr that is way to much and it's been pretty obvious that it will be the last to recover.  I really only looked at 40SW, 44 mag, 9mm etc that TankerHC and others mentioned in posts. My mistake......didn't really look at 22lr. The CF ammo I looked at was not at pre panic prices, but I doubt we'll ever see that again. The above calibers were nothing at all like the resellers are charging and that was what I was really posting about. The reasons everyone gave a few months ago as to why they were buying from the reseller at gun shows, GB etc....are gone.

[serbu50]

Well, I have thought a lot about this.... and I strongly believe that my purchasing rate and amount has not changed (other than I cant get it)... what has changed, is paranoid people and profiteers who normally never buy it making a living gouging people.... Supply and demand... capitalism at it's worst... unfortunately. I am a firm believer of capitalism, but it has a nasty side to it too..

[Guest TankerHC]

 

 someone who I know and have dealt with at a certain Academy told me that they get plenty of ammo in and have been getting ammo in, all Calibers they carry. (This was about a month ago), I was told the problem (And its not their problem) that they know who the regular customers are that come in every week or two and buy their ammo and leave or look at a few guns or whatever. Since the AR's came back out and ammo started hitting the shelves with no limits, the same 5 or 6 people show up every delivery day and are waiting at the front door when they open, come in, buy everything on the shelves
 

 

Just this morning, my local Academy raised the one-box-per-caliber limit to 2 boxes per! Where are the stores with no limits? I'll be the evil, ammo-mongering ba$t*rd just this once...

 

 

Not sure if there are any. Its more than one person, (Or was, havent talked to him in a couple of weeks) but they were coming in and grabbing up everything in all the popular calibers. Not hard to empty shelves like that, especially if you can get 3 or 4 friends or family members to go with you.

[JAB]

At this point, I don't even blame folks who are buying for their own use who buy as much as they can even if they won't be shooting it, immediately.  After all, if you happen to find some .22LR (for example) on a shelf at a 'normal' price, who is to say when you will ever see it, again, or that you might not be able to find any the next two or three times you want to go shooting?  I'd rather those folks buy it, if they can, before the scalpers have a chance at it.  It is the folks who are buying only to resell at profiteering prices that I would like to see take a good, swift kick in the nether regions from a Belgian draft horse.

Edited August 1, 2013 by JAB

[superduty]

At this point, I don't even blame folks who are buying for their own use who buy as much as they can even if they won't be shooting it, immediately. After all, if you happen to find some .22LR (for example) on a shelf at a 'normal' price, who is to say when you will ever see it, again, or that you might not be able to find any the next two or three times you want to go shooting? I'd rather those folks buy it, if they can, before the scalpers have a chance at it. It is the folks who are buying only to resell at profiteering prices that I would like to see take a good, swift kick in the nether regions from a Belgian draft horse.

I agree.

Who knows what will come down the pike next and further the anxiety of shooters and negatively affect availabilty even more?

Being prepared is good- the scalping is not.

[Wyldk2]

The person who calls walmart 6 times in one day and then argues with the clerk when the ammo isn't there, plus the caller/arguer supposedly has an app on his phone that tells him when ammo shipments arrive and what is on the truck. You think he's a scalper or a regular joe?  I think the first one.

 

The app for android does not exist. I'm not sure if the Apple one exists either. I think the guy was trying to pull a fast one.

[diablo982]

The person who calls walmart 6 times in one day and then argues with the clerk when the ammo isn't there, plus the caller/arguer supposedly has an app on his phone that tells him when ammo shipments arrive and what is on the truck. You think he's a scalper or a regular joe?  I think the first one.
 
The app for android does not exist. I'm not sure if the Apple one exists either. I think the guy was trying to pull a fast one.

I've got the app on my android phone. Its just the basic Walmart store app.

[crossfire]

The person who calls walmart 6 times in one day and then argues with the clerk when the ammo isn't there, plus the caller/arguer supposedly has an app on his phone that tells him when ammo shipments arrive and what is on the truck. You think he's a scalper or a regular joe?  I think the first one.

 

The app for android does not exist. I'm not sure if the Apple one exists either. I think the guy was trying to pull a fast one.

Any app that shows what  is in stock pulls it's data from the stores data base. If the data base is updated from the shipping manifest before unloading the truck the balances you see many not be right. If its updated after unloading and everything is checked in the balances should be good. Either way just because it shows up as being in stock doesn't mean its on the floor ready for sale.

 

As far as being a scalper or a regular Joe. From everything I've read in the Ammunition and Reloading forum, if he is in front of you in the line he is a Scalper, Hoarder, Reseller and a no good SOB. If he is behind you he is a Shooter, Sportsman and all around Regular Joe. :rofl:

Edited August 2, 2013 by crossfire

[JAB]

Any app that shows what  is in stock pulls it's data from the stores data base. If the data base is updated from the shipping manifest before unloading the truck the balances you see many not be right. If its updated after unloading and everything is checked in the balances should be good. Either way just because it shows up as being in stock doesn't mean its on the floor ready for sale.

 

As far as being a scalper or a regular Joe. From everything I've read in the Ammunition and Reloading forum, if he is in front of you in the line he is a Scalper, Hoarder, Reseller and a no good SOB. If he is behind you he is a Shooter, Sportsman and all around Regular Joe. :rofl:

 

Nah.  The last time I actually found .22LR in stock at Walmart there was another guy in front of me who bought both boxes of Winchester 550 (this was before the one box per limit.)  I had to settle for a couple of the the 325 boxes of Remington that were left.  I didn't think he was a scalper.

 

I do admit that I was a little ticked, though, because I was there before he was.  I was standing at the ammo case (which had no .22LR) waiting to ask if they might have some under the counter.  The clerk walked up and was walking toward me when this other guy walks up to the counter, catches the clerk's attention, and asks if they have any .22 under the counter - so the clerk helped him, first, and he got the better deal on (IMO) the better ammo.  If there had only been the two boxes left, I would have said something about having been there, waiting, first (not that I am sure it would have done any good.)  Since there was at least some kind of .22 left, I just let it go.  That was probably four or five months ago, now, and today I'd be excited to see that Remington bulk stuff in stock.  Oh, and that Walmart location apparently now has a policy that they will not keep any ammo under the counter - if they have it, it goes in the case.

[Reaper]

I've bought quiet a bit of 22 throughout the "scare" and none of it has been resold, excluding what I picked up for friends and simply recouped my money on. Some of it I stumbled on to by simple good luck or "karma" as it may be but I have also been the guy calling every walmart in a reasonable range of me when the ammo comes in.

 

The enemy is among us as some here already know and I gladly point out who they are any time I am asked.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Well, before you say "the enemy is us", you might consider the events that caused the rush. It always takes

a governmental intrusion, and some incident that caused it. I see a political enemy, rather than simply blaming

it on "us".

 

When was this a problem before? Did a shortage just happen? Never!

[pcrc11]

Was at Wal-Mart in Halls around no0n and they had 12 100ct boxes of CCI mini mags on the shelf for 7.97 a box. Could not believe it was there that late in the day and even better yet I left all 12 boxes there. For the first time in a long time I just didn't feel the need to buy any and it was also the first time since early January I have seen any 22 for sale that wasn't at a gun show.