Coronavirus panic Ammogeddon 2.0?

[PolarFBear]

Took a tour of my LGS this afternoon. A small shop in NE TN. Really expected it to be closed. No. It was open. I noticed that the inventory was down by about a third. Good stock of ammo except for 9mm and .380. But, they did have some; no self defense just plinking ammo. Bought the last pound of 2400 for my reloading bench. I did see a really nice SP101, 3 inch barrel, .327. It was a bright polished stainless model priced at $549. Like a crow I am drawn to bright shiney things. The owner said last week swamped her. This week has been slow. Stopped at the supermarket. Bread was back on the shelves, milk was almost gone and NO butter. Didn't check the "paper" isle. Cheers to all -- and, wash YOUR hands.

[Onward Allusion]

They must be planning on race riots going through residential areas.

Not race riots. More like desperate individuals in need of cash or other necessities during these increasingly dire economic times.

Don't believe? We had an employee robbed at gunpoint in front of his house yesterday. Took his laptop, phone & wallet. Not a horrible neighborhood either. Granted it was in a Baltimore suburb . . . Gonna get a lot worst before it gets better. Guberment check or no check. $600 additional per week during unemployment or not.

[FITASC]

it was in a Baltimore suburb

That says it all right there..................big urban areas with lots of racial diversity and disparate economic classes will see more of that than other places.........

[Onward Allusion]

^^^
That's the irony. The cities generally have the most liberal anti-gun populace. These are the same folks who want guns & ammo when they realize the crap may hit the fan.

I've already shared the story of my rabid anti-gun ex-wife, Y2K, and her demand that I bring my AK's home from storage at my parents. Here's another more recent story . . . My son's fiancee's family are also rabid antis. Guess who they are planning on hitting up for guns & ammo should crap hit the fan??? Yes, this actually came up in conversation between the future in-laws and my son during dinner!!!

Boys and girls, THIS is why there is a guns & ammo panic every time something bad happens. You have bunches of anti-gunners who don't own guns realizing that they can't protect themselves.

[doofus47]

Maybe this will make more people believers in the "better to have it and not need it" theory in relation to self defense.

[GarandTd]

I'm not left wanting for guns or ammo this time around, but I will say this whole pandemic thing has certainly shown my weeknesses and alerted me to what I need to fucus more attention on in the future.

[stinkeypete]

I've trained with blades and it makes me really nervous to see people mishandle a knife>
I've trained with firearms and it makes me really nervous to see people mishandle a firearm.

When I was a kid, I took the DNR Hunter Safety Class so I could go hunting. It was about six meetings with a group of us boys and an instructor, going over safe handling in hunting situations. We learned a lot. Then we were allowed to go hunting.

I just cringe at the big box gun stores, watching adults waving handguns around, flashing the whole darned store, themselves, the clerk.. clearly unable to control the muzzle and clearly not understanding how to operate the firearm in any way... yet they walk out of the store with a handgun.

There ought to be some common sense. People are not born knowing how to use this powerful tool.

[Ignition Override]

Onward Allusion: That's a real shame, in a suburb. But past years also saw this happen in this area.

I know two guys who were either robbed or pistol-whipped after stepping put of their cars in driveways in a fairly safe 'east Memphis' area (Our former house), east of the Univ. of Memphis at Goodlett, south of Central Ave. But the other guy who told me was in a nice suburb, Collierville TN, quick car getaway access to 385.... These events happened over the last ten years.

As for Baltimore, another Delta pilot (just before I retired) was 'jumped' in 2015 or 2016 by three thugs while walking around on a layover, probably just outside the Baltimore Harbour where they put us during the longer, non-airport layovers.
No idea how badly he was hurt, or whether he actually was outside the Harbour at all. No other info was known/remembered by the pilot in the Atlanta Airport who told me.

[armoredman]

I went to m,y local pawn shop to pick up a new firearm I had ordered. Shelves were well stocked with rifles, shotguns and pistols. Ammo was lower than usual, but they never really carried a whole bunch. The BIG change was when my Brady check came back "delayed" - yes, I know, shoulda had my CCW permit, but I let it lapse years ago, not really needed out here. They had some 7.62x39mm ammo, (caliber of the firearm I was picking up), and I picked up three boxes for under $9 each. Red Army Standard, never used it before. 4 days later I was back in the store for my firearm, and the next change was the guy at the front door monitoring traffic, can only have 4 people in the store at once. I picked up the BREN 2 MS and there was still some Red Army Standard ammo on the shelf, picked another box.
Around the corner was CAL Ranch, handgun shelves were about 1/3 empty, all ARs were gone, but AR style shotguns were on the shelf. 5.56mm ammo gone, none of the bullets I use and small pistol/small rifle primers vamoosed. Not put, just thought I'd check. One box limit on ammo, what was left and whaddya know, Tula 7.62x39mm stocked out of place, 40 round boxes for $9 each, picked one up. It's a caliber I don't use very much, didn't have a WHOLE lot stocked away, need to make some more.
I always liked to have some extra stuff tucked away for bad times, and just accelerated it a bit before the panic started. When I get a break from work, (VERY "essential" employee), I will hit the lead pot and cast up more bullets in 7.62x39mm and 9mm. I don't blast ammo to blast ammo, gave that up decades ago, (cooking off a Mini-14 gives you the idea that you might be shooting too much/too fast), so I even if the rifle I am shooting has a 30 round magazine, it likely will have no more than 5 rounds in it whilst I am shooting.
The water isn't going to shut off, water plants are damn near automated, I think we would have to have more than half the city down before we didn't have enough people to keep the water and power on. Canned food expiration dates are more like good suggestions if the can isn't bulged or rusted, so while Dinty Moore might not be everyone's first choice for dinner, it has meat and potatoes in it. I have also been buying more takeout from a one good local restaurant, like to support the local economy when I can.
I have given supplies to the neighbors on each side of me - one works a low paying job and the other is out of work now, as solar installation isn't really moving much. The first guy said thank you both times, the second said nothing, but if you have to get a thank you for giving, then it's not really giving. I just don't like seeing hungry kids.
The first neighbor was gifted a 38 revolver, and 6 rounds of ball ammo. I gave him all the 38 ammo I had left, 12 rounds of 158gr LSWCHP FBI loads in two speedloaders and speedloader pouch. I wish I'd had more 38 to take him to the range, but I haven't had a 38 in years and gave a lot of it away over the years. Oh well.
However, well before this all started I met my goal of an AR in every room. Here is my son learning how to use his.

[PolarFBear]

Armoredman, can you post your recepie for your 7.62X39 on the reloading board? I cast for most everything but reluctant for the SKS/AK/Mini-30. What powders do you use and do you need to use a gas check? Thanks.

[amyacker]

I dropped by Van's Sporting outside Cullman Saturday morning. Lots of customers, but they seemed to be primarily interested in the fishing section; Smith Lake is gonna be busy this summer. Hospital OPDs are empty, Many doctors and practitioners are now opting telemedicine solution for visual consultation

I was on target few days back, only groceries and medicines are shelved up.

[Ignition Override]

.223 ammo: Good news for generic brands in/near Fairhope AL, around the Eastern Shore. * I Don't Use .223, but it's a very good sign.

My brother visited two gun stores today.
They both had Plenty of the lower-priced .223, and he stated that prices were up only 10% or so compared to the pre-panic prices.

NEWS Flash: my brother Finally told me that those shops have a "customer Quota" on ammo sales.....

Are the Ammo Flippers/Scalpers now having limited success with reselling at a good profit?

It's always a matter of time until the Flippers are stuck with tons of ammo that is very slow to sell. I can't to watch these people squirm.
A few months after the Newtown panic, a single seller (Gunbroker) in Keene NH tried to sell over 50,000 rds. of 7.62x39, all at once. "Schadenfreude".

[cc-hangfire]

About 3 weeks ago I went to Academy Sports (the only store with a large ammo stock in this 50k population town since the Walmart handgun betrayal), and got the .32acp range ammo I needed. All the popular cartridges (9mm, .38spl, .467mag, .223/5.56, 7.62, 12 & 20ga) were gone and the other calibers were thinly stocked.

I have my supplies of ammo thanks to the Obama-era education I got. If you need to stock up in any area (staples & TP included), my advice is pay attention and “panic early & beat the rush!”

And so... I’ve always wanted to get into reloading, and just placed the order for the last equipment & components I need to get started. And in non-gun related matters, I also just planted the biggest garden I’ve ever had, too. Trying to stay a few steps ahead of the herd.

They’ll be criticism of hoarding or going to extremes. I see it as my duty to society to take care of myself & my family; that way, we aren’t a burden on others in time of crisis and can be in a position to share with neighbors in need, both vegetables and ammo.

[armoredman]

PolarFBear, my go to load for 7.62x39 cast is the excellent NOE 129gr bullet, drops at .314, sized to .311 with a standard 30 cal gas check, powder coated, over 21.5 grains of Accurate 1680, ( only powder I really like for this caliber), at a COAL of 2.18.
Hope that helps.

[stagpanther]

Almost 20 years of reloading and I have more than enough of everything I need--I guess this is one time when a reloader has a clear advantage over the factory-only ammo crowd. My big mistake was doing an FFL transfer and my rifle is sitting in a LGS's purgatory until they have the time to process it.

[stagpanther]

PolarFBear, my go to load for 7.62x39 cast is the excellent NOE 129gr bullet, drops at .314, sized to .311 with a standard 30 cal gas check, powder coated, over 21.5 grains of Accurate 1680, ( only powder I really like for this caliber),

CFE BLK and shooter's world blackout are very close to 1680 in good results for x39 if you can't find 1680.

[armoredman]

CFE BLK I have seen locally - CAL does not carry Accurate products, but I won't be running out of that powder really soon. Jacketed bullets for that caliber, now THOSE are harder to find right now.

[luger fan]

NOTHING here.

[Mannlicher]

Gun stores and ranges are open here in North Central FL. Not much available in 9MM or .380. Not much .45 ACP or .223 either.

[zoo]

Gun shops remain open out on the west coast of Arizona on the boarder of California on the Colorado River but products in those stores are getting just plain scarce.

Not much better on the internet either. Check out current availability of assembled AR uppers and lowers.

[rickyrick]

Well My wife and I got sick, my prepping supplies paid off as I haven’t been able to leave the house for the last 3 weeks. Did get some gun maintenance done when I got to feeling better. Now back to my soul-sucking job on Tuesday. Believe it or not, I got 3 interviews lined up within the next two weeks, even in this climate... next goal for the year is to go out and shoot more, as I haven’t much in the last couple of years. I’ve even kept up on my resolution... to not delve into politics on TFL. Things are looking up. Oh and I lost 25lbs before I got sick and couldn’t exercise, soon to continue.

[Ignition Override]

* California temp ruling: No background checks to buy ammo.

See topic on this forum, for those who missed it.

District Judge Benitez. Notice the word >> Temporary <<, but still a precendent, no?

[PolarFBear]

Needed a new kinetic bullet puller. Went to my local, NE TN, gun store (LGS). Still lots of new firearms but prices were UP 15%. I could tell the guns still on display from six weeks ago had been re-tagged. Very thin on 9mm and .380 ammunition but plenty of .22. The used gun selection was down by 66%, Still lots of Kahrs in stock. Shot guns were sparse but a decent supply of used rifles. And, no kinetic bullet puller! Those stats on April background checks must be accurate. My stock of lead and primers is diminished.

[Mike38]

Five days ago I stopped in my local Rural King farm supply store to pick up a couple boxes of Eley Club .22LR. They have it for $5.79 which is a great price. It was the only .22LR they had on the shelves. The centerfire ammo was about picked clean. I asked the guy behind the counter, Pandemic scare? He laughed and said that particular Rural King sold $40,000 worth of ammo in two weeks. He though it odd that I only bought 100 rounds of Eley. I told him that will last me two to three weeks of rimfire bench rest practice. He's used to selling to plinkers that shoot 500 rounds a session, and now of course the hoarders. I'm well stocked up on plinking .22. I learned from the last great shortage to keep two years worth on hand.

[cslinger]

Yeah, I don't get my panties in a bunch over panics. Its not first, surely will not be my last so I have what I would imagine I would ever NEED as well as a fair amount of want.

Buy when times are good. Sit back and marvel at the the bad times.