Ammo Panic Ending?

Swifty Morgan · March 31, 2020, 01:21 PM

I'm seeing sites saying shipping times are back to normal, not that I noticed a difference during the initial insanity.

What does everyone think? Is the ammo panic ending, or should I buy my weight in .22 LR?

Onward Allusion · March 31, 2020, 02:15 PM

If you shoot lots of 22LR, then buy buy buy. Don't do it because of the panic, however.

Hal · March 31, 2020, 02:16 PM

New gun owners are finding that the single box of ammo they bought ith their new gun goes a long way - - when there's no place to go shoot that new gun.

mk70ss · March 31, 2020, 02:50 PM

FedEx just dropped this off on my porch 10 minutes ago.

johnm1 · March 31, 2020, 03:16 PM

I went on my normal weekend walk through my local gun store. I do most every weekend. There wasn't a lot on the wall as far as guns go, but they had AR's and some stuff left. They received some ammunition and I was able to buy what I needed for 22 magnum. 22 LR was in stock and his prices were normal. His stock wasn't what it was, but I got the impression the run was over.

He said it might take a year or so to build up the inventory and I mentioned that is probably not a bad problem to have. But he did say that as long as people kept coming in/buying while he built up the inventory it would be fine. I kind of see his point.

Logs · March 31, 2020, 03:51 PM

Most of the gunshops here are sold out of 9mm and .40 s&w

Swifty Morgan · March 31, 2020, 04:42 PM

Found two really nice deals on Mini-mags today, but I passed them up. Thought I'd give someone else a chance.

Not sure about it, though. Seems to be very good ammo, I go through a lot, and a good deal is a good deal, even when there is no panic.

mr bolo · March 31, 2020, 05:00 PM

no end in sight, the ammo shortage could take a few years to get back to normal, it's happened before, I stopped shooting my 9mm & 45 for 5 years because of shortages / ammo limits / price increase

just few years ago dealers wanted $40 for a box of standard 9mm 115 gr fmj range ammo

and $100 for a box of Winchester WWB 100rd value pack 45 acp 230 gr fmj range ammo.

MarkCO · March 31, 2020, 05:05 PM

The panic is over for the most part. Supply chains take a bit to react and we had a surplus. Going to go by my LGS today and take a look.

**Aguila Blanca** · March 31, 2020, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hal

New gun owners are finding that the single box of ammo they bought ith their new gun goes a long way - - when there's no place to go shoot that new gun.

I doubt many of the new, panic buyers had any intention of taking their new guns to the range. I'm sure they bought them for the sole purpose of defending their castles against the hordes of marauding toilet paper thieves during the pandemic.

Swifty Morgan · March 31, 2020, 05:57 PM

I was weak and ordered some Mini-mags. I keep thinking about having a K31 and very little to shoot, as well as only a few rounds of 7N1 out of a can I thought would last forever.

I figure I should be able to forget about buying .22 LR up into 2021, but what if I'm wrong?

I should go buy some more just in case. And some toilet paper.

MarkCO · March 31, 2020, 07:39 PM

My LGS (suburb of Denver) was generally stocked, but at a little lower levels than before.

They have several new and used pistols, rifles and shotgun. They had all common caliber of ammunition.

Kreyzhorse · March 31, 2020, 09:03 PM

I'm going to try again this weekend, but ammo was pretty much wiped out last weekend in Kentucky. I've got some in reserve, but want to find some 9mm and 5.56 to shoot.

littlebikerider · April 1, 2020, 12:51 AM

There's an ammo panic? I didn't notice, I was busy handloading. :-)

....but rimfire shortages really get to me...

Hal · April 1, 2020, 05:09 AM

Quote:

I doubt many of the new, panic buyers had any intention of taking their new guns to the range. I'm sure they bought them for the sole purpose of defending their castles against the hordes of marauding toilet paper thieves during the pandemic.

Yep - there is that aspect too.
I didn't want to pop the cork and let that genie out of the bottle though..

Prof Young · April 1, 2020, 11:43 AM

For the most part the only ammo I buy is 22 LR, 22 mag and shotgun ammo. Everything else I reload myself.

I buy 22LR when it's on sale and I can get it for less than 5 cents a shot. The 22 mag I buy when I need it, same with shotgun ammo.

Anyway the practice of buy 22LR when it's on sale (and I don't get more than a brick at once) has led to seriously large amount of 22 lr ammo on hand. My wife noticed and wondered about it. I told her that if the apocalypse fables actually come true . . . it will become currency! We are not preppers, but she was okay with that.

Life is good.
Prof Young

TruthTellers · April 1, 2020, 12:40 PM

I think it is along with the food panic buying. People were concerned that we were going to be locked inside our homes for months like in China, but that hasn't happened and it's doubtful it will, so it's not preparing for the end of the world anymore. Now it's more like weathering a viral storm that is going to be with us for another 6 weeks.

I did do one panic buy for primers last week online after seeing everyone was sold out. $40/1000, plus tax and the $20 fee, but I made sure to get enough so I could load up while the range is closed.

44caliberkid · April 1, 2020, 12:45 PM

Not to be a smart ass, but can anyone else say, I don't have any of these shortage problems.

MarkCO · April 1, 2020, 01:38 PM

I don't have any shortage problems.

In fact sold off some excess.

stinkeypete · April 1, 2020, 01:39 PM

Better to be a smart @ss than a dumb @ss.

Hand loading can be as easy as making a grilled cheese sandwich or as complex as you care to take it.

Then I see people selling things and say “for sale, sig p365. Carried every day but never fired plus one box of ammo” and I just read it again and again, stunned.

burrhead · April 1, 2020, 06:29 PM

Quote:

but can anyone else say, I don't have any of these shortage problems.

I don't have any of these problems. I shoot once a week, reload everything I shoot except 9mm and .22, and live at the edge of the earth. My wife or I go to town 4 times a year and stock up on food we don't create and other supplies. I'd guess I have enough components to shoot at my current level for 21/2 to 3 years.

Shortage? What shortage.

DMK · April 2, 2020, 10:12 AM

Quote:

I don't have any shortage problems. In fact sold off some excess.

Same here. Sold some guns and ammo to some friends in need.

I've learned the lessons and have been stocked up since the last two panic buys (what was that about a decade or two back now?).

I was even buying a case of ammo every couple months for the past year to hedge my bets against the upcoming presidential election. If Biden get's elected folks will go crazy again like they did when Obama got in.

Road_Clam · April 2, 2020, 02:43 PM

I panic purchased all my reloading supplies 2 years ago. Can't see any signs of an ammo panic from my basement...

brasscollector · April 2, 2020, 03:54 PM

Sold a friend a little bit of factory 45 auto SD I had laying around. Said he didn't realize he was down to his last 5 rounds

and the local farm n barn was picked bare. Whatever, I didn't give him a break on the price.
My only 'panic' is realizing my local reloading shop is out of 280ack brass...oh well that can wait.

littlebikerider · April 2, 2020, 09:35 PM

I was in our local small LGS yesterday. He said the distributors are pretty much sold out of ammo and looking at a restock date around the end of April. Which is really not that long, considering a lot of ranges are closed anyway so not as much shooting.

March 31, 2020, 01:21 PM	#1
Swifty Morgan Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2018 Location: FL Posts: 634	Ammo Panic Ending? I'm seeing sites saying shipping times are back to normal, not that I noticed a difference during the initial insanity. What does everyone think? Is the ammo panic ending, or should I buy my weight in .22 LR? __________________ Selling a gun is like selling a child, without the relief over not having to pay for college The Bill of Rights was written largely to prevent rudeness. Infringement doesn't have to be catastrophic to be intolerable.

March 31, 2020, 02:15 PM	#2
Onward Allusion Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2009 Location: Back in a Non-Free State Posts: 3,133	If you shoot lots of 22LR, then buy buy buy. Don't do it because of the panic, however. __________________ Simple as ABC . . . Always Be Carrying

March 31, 2020, 02:50 PM	#4
mk70ss Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2008 Location: Tennessee Posts: 1,642	FedEx just dropped this off on my porch 10 minutes ago. __________________ Say when.....

March 31, 2020, 03:51 PM	#6
Logs Senior Member Join Date: November 26, 1999 Location: BLUEGRASS STATE KY USA Posts: 1,782	Most of the gunshops here are sold out of 9mm and .40 s&w __________________ NRA LIFE MEMBER

March 31, 2020, 04:42 PM	#7
Swifty Morgan Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2018 Location: FL Posts: 634	Found two really nice deals on Mini-mags today, but I passed them up. Thought I'd give someone else a chance. Not sure about it, though. Seems to be very good ammo, I go through a lot, and a good deal is a good deal, even when there is no panic. __________________ Selling a gun is like selling a child, without the relief over not having to pay for college The Bill of Rights was written largely to prevent rudeness. Infringement doesn't have to be catastrophic to be intolerable.

March 31, 2020, 02:16 PM	#3
Hal Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 1998 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 8,564	New gun owners are finding that the single box of ammo they bought ith their new gun goes a long way - - when there's no place to go shoot that new gun.

March 31, 2020, 03:16 PM	#5
johnm1 Inactive Join Date: November 26, 2006 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 652	I went on my normal weekend walk through my local gun store. I do most every weekend. There wasn't a lot on the wall as far as guns go, but they had AR's and some stuff left. They received some ammunition and I was able to buy what I needed for 22 magnum. 22 LR was in stock and his prices were normal. His stock wasn't what it was, but I got the impression the run was over. He said it might take a year or so to build up the inventory and I mentioned that is probably not a bad problem to have. But he did say that as long as people kept coming in/buying while he built up the inventory it would be fine. I kind of see his point.

March 31, 2020, 05:00 PM	#8
mr bolo Senior Member Join Date: November 19, 2012 Posts: 432	no end in sight, the ammo shortage could take a few years to get back to normal, it's happened before, I stopped shooting my 9mm & 45 for 5 years because of shortages / ammo limits / price increase just few years ago dealers wanted $40 for a box of standard 9mm 115 gr fmj range ammo and $100 for a box of Winchester WWB 100rd value pack 45 acp 230 gr fmj range ammo.

March 31, 2020, 05:05 PM	#9
MarkCO Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 1998 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 4,362	The panic is over for the most part. Supply chains take a bit to react and we had a surplus. Going to go by my LGS today and take a look. __________________ Good Shooting, MarkCO www.CarbonArms.us

March 31, 2020, 05:57 PM	#11
Swifty Morgan Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2018 Location: FL Posts: 634	I was weak and ordered some Mini-mags. I keep thinking about having a K31 and very little to shoot, as well as only a few rounds of 7N1 out of a can I thought would last forever. I figure I should be able to forget about buying .22 LR up into 2021, but what if I'm wrong? I should go buy some more just in case. And some toilet paper. __________________ Selling a gun is like selling a child, without the relief over not having to pay for college The Bill of Rights was written largely to prevent rudeness. Infringement doesn't have to be catastrophic to be intolerable.

March 31, 2020, 07:39 PM	#12
MarkCO Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 1998 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 4,362	My LGS (suburb of Denver) was generally stocked, but at a little lower levels than before. They have several new and used pistols, rifles and shotgun. They had all common caliber of ammunition. __________________ Good Shooting, MarkCO www.CarbonArms.us

March 31, 2020, 09:03 PM	#13
Kreyzhorse Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2006 Location: NKY Posts: 12,464	I'm going to try again this weekend, but ammo was pretty much wiped out last weekend in Kentucky. I've got some in reserve, but want to find some 9mm and 5.56 to shoot. __________________ "He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson

April 1, 2020, 12:51 AM	#14
littlebikerider Senior Member Join Date: September 10, 2018 Posts: 131	There's an ammo panic? I didn't notice, I was busy handloading. :-) ....but rimfire shortages really get to me...

April 1, 2020, 11:43 AM	#16
Prof Young Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2007 Location: Illinois - down state Posts: 2,514	Buy when it's on sale . . . For the most part the only ammo I buy is 22 LR, 22 mag and shotgun ammo. Everything else I reload myself. I buy 22LR when it's on sale and I can get it for less than 5 cents a shot. The 22 mag I buy when I need it, same with shotgun ammo. Anyway the practice of buy 22LR when it's on sale (and I don't get more than a brick at once) has led to seriously large amount of 22 lr ammo on hand. My wife noticed and wondered about it. I told her that if the apocalypse fables actually come true . . . it will become currency! We are not preppers, but she was okay with that. Life is good. Prof Young

April 1, 2020, 12:40 PM	#17
TruthTellers Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2016 Posts: 3,962	I think it is along with the food panic buying. People were concerned that we were going to be locked inside our homes for months like in China, but that hasn't happened and it's doubtful it will, so it's not preparing for the end of the world anymore. Now it's more like weathering a viral storm that is going to be with us for another 6 weeks. I did do one panic buy for primers last week online after seeing everyone was sold out. $40/1000, plus tax and the $20 fee, but I made sure to get enough so I could load up while the range is closed. __________________ "We always think there's gonna be more time... then it runs out."

April 1, 2020, 12:45 PM	#18
44caliberkid Senior Member Join Date: May 15, 2017 Location: Iowa Posts: 1,283	Not to be a smart ass, but can anyone else say, I don't have any of these shortage problems.

April 1, 2020, 01:38 PM	#19
MarkCO Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 1998 Location: Colorado, USA Posts: 4,362	I don't have any shortage problems. In fact sold off some excess. __________________ Good Shooting, MarkCO www.CarbonArms.us

April 1, 2020, 01:39 PM	#20
stinkeypete Senior Member Join Date: July 22, 2010 Location: Madison, Wisconsin Posts: 1,344	Better to be a smart @ss than a dumb @ss. Hand loading can be as easy as making a grilled cheese sandwich or as complex as you care to take it. Then I see people selling things and say “for sale, sig p365. Carried every day but never fired plus one box of ammo” and I just read it again and again, stunned.

April 2, 2020, 02:43 PM	#23
Road_Clam Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 2013 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 1,719	I panic purchased all my reloading supplies 2 years ago. Can't see any signs of an ammo panic from my basement... __________________ "To be old an wise you must have been young and stupid"

April 2, 2020, 03:54 PM	#24
brasscollector Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2015 Posts: 526	Sold a friend a little bit of factory 45 auto SD I had laying around. Said he didn't realize he was down to his last 5 rounds and the local farm n barn was picked bare. Whatever, I didn't give him a break on the price. My only 'panic' is realizing my local reloading shop is out of 280ack brass...oh well that can wait.

April 2, 2020, 09:35 PM	#25
littlebikerider Senior Member Join Date: September 10, 2018 Posts: 131	I was in our local small LGS yesterday. He said the distributors are pretty much sold out of ammo and looking at a restock date around the end of April. Which is really not that long, considering a lot of ranges are closed anyway so not as much shooting.