...but are we starting to see shortages in ammo again? I've tried in vain to find .45 ACP the past three weekends, and every time I've been to the shop, the shelves are empty of G-d's Own Pistol caliber. There's still quite a bit of 9mm, so it's not all bad, and bulk .22LR is still available (although the price keeps creeping ever higher - the same 550 round box I paid $8 for in 2004 is now $21!), but .45 ACP is nowhere to be seen. I really hope we're not seeing a return to the late aughts, where you *might* find one box of 9mm at a grossly inflated price after searching four or five stores... Or when .380 ACP was selling for $1 a round - or more.
Of course, I just happen to have three different firearms in .45 ACP to test right now...
It's not just ammunition; I've heard from friends that reload that primers, powder, and even brass is getting harder to come by. Parts in general are harder to find, at least the mainstays, so it's not just an ammunition supply issue; there's something going on in the world of gunnie central that, hopefully, will clear up shortly. Ammunition can be stockpiled or manufactured independently; it's a lot harder to machine a new slide stop without all kinds of specialized equipment.
Any ideas on what's happening out there? Last time, we were told it was because of the war effort, that our manufacturing base for ammo and components was working overtime to meet the demand in-theater; with actions in Iraq officially closed and Afghanistan winding down it seems less likely that this is the issue this time. While I love a good tinfoil hat conspiracy as much as the next bitter clinger, more often than not these things tend to boil down to simple miscommunications or somesuch.
Let's just hope the .45 ACP starts flowin' again!
That is all.
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Election season choosing between two anti-gunners. Whether or not they act on their tendencies, people think it's smart to stock up now...
At least, that's my theory.
I've been seeing murmurs around the blogs that Obama will be issuing Executive Orders regarding guns and ammo if he wins re-election, and those sorts of rumors trigger an almost Pavlovian buying reflex in gun owners, as was seen when Obama was first elected. The truth of the matter is that supply is barely keeping up with current demand, so a "run on the bank" situation would empty shelves out quite easily. Unscrupulous speculators may be spreading rumors in hopes of just such a situation.
ok you are paranoid, but are you paranoid enough?
It is a buying frenzey out there
When you find it buy all you can
A big portion is either REelection season, or Mitt executes his move again to a bigger audience.
I have a few orders in the breeze waiting to find a source. This is not a good sign.
BTW, I fired up my press in '08 and it's done probably 20k since then.
According to my gun shop, guns are getting very hard to get in.
I'm still waiting for an order of .45-70 brass and bullets that I placed with my local shop last November. I think that partcular caliber dried up because of SHOT show though. I understand somebody was showing off a working Gatling gun replica, and at 800 rounds per minute it probably shot up most of the country's stockpile in a day.
I haven't noticed shortages in the other calibers I shoot - 9mm, .223, 7.62x54R. 9mm Makarov is always rare. Some of the local guys are having a hard time finding surplus AK ammo. I don't shoot .45 ACP or .380.
It was in the news last year that Black Friday set a new record for NICS checks in one day, and it blew past the old record by like 20%. It's possible all those new guns' owners are putting them to use and outstripping supply.
Whatever it is, I hope the ammo manufacturers realize they can make up for the loss of DoD sales of 5.56 by cranking out civilian ammunition.
Friend of mine was in one of the largest stores in the state the other day. The parking lot was full. The front lawn was full of vehicles. The freakin' HIGHWAY the store is located on had cars illegally parked on the shoulder for several hundred feet. Cases were sparse. He bought the very last Glock in a store that usually keeps 25-30 in stock. All my reloading supply houses are posting shortages and delays. It's 2008 all over again folks, stack em deep it may be a few years. My next step is to start acquiring molds. All else fails I'll cast my own.
I notified 5.56, if you can find it, is up 30% from three weeks ago.
Picked up two Winchester White Boxes of .45 on Saturday from Wallyworld. $36 each per 100.
Part of me almost wishes I had bought 2 more.
You HAVE heard about the recent records in gun sales, right?
Are you paranoid that the hamburger bun market is acting screwy after record sales in hamburger patties?
It might be time to think about re-loading, Jay. Hopefully you have been saving your brass.
Instead of buying your next gun, why not spend the money on handloading gear and supplies?
You can probably teach yourself but I'm sure there are plenty of people (myself included) who would be happy to help you get started if needed.
Not only is it a fun hobby in it's own right but it will open up a whole new avenue of gun stuff to spend your money on.
Reloading is great, if you have the components. In 2008 as the ammo started getting scare I laughed to myself and said "self, let them go crazy buying ammo, you reload and that stuff will be fine. I can always grab a lb of powder and a box of primers". Well, it wasn't fine. As soon as the ammo started to get scarce, powder and primers dried up too, and soon the press was collecting dust and I broke out reserves of formerly cheap wolf ammo. Trying not to let that happen again. As a matter of fact while typing this reply I just got notification that another 41 lbs of bullets (mostly 45acp) is shipping and is due here Monday.
What I was hearing (IGOLD bus, from some guy who knew a guy who worked at Gander Mtn. so take it for what it's worth) is that gun sales are up up up.
I've got enough guns. (yeah, yeah, I know. Does not compute. Null set.) Need more primers, and powder. And it wouldn't hurt to pick up a few common parts, before the dark economic night closes in.
I haven't been able to shoot any .45 I haven't hand loaded and hand cast, for a while now.
Haven't checked the local mart of wal lately, but things are thin everywhere I have been. Word of mouth is that dealers aren't getting backorders filled on guns, let alone ammo.
I've got a small shopping list I need to tick off.
I got through the great ammo shortage of '08 just fine because I had a good stock of reloading components on hand. I recently noticed that cast bullet prices are on the rise too so I'll be casting my own this year.
DHS just awarded a contact to some company for 450 MILLION!!! rounds to some alphabet agency... this shortage might be the intended result.
http://www.teapartytribune.com/2012/03/18/ammunition-contract-with-department-of-homeland-security-u-s-immigration-and-customs-enforcement-dhs-ice/
Yeah, ATK just got an open ended contract for 450M of .40 cal from DHS.
Over five years.
There goes the brass, primer, etc. supply.
You think the gubmint is trying to freeze us out? Naw.
Me, I was going to take six new shooters to the club next weekend and prolly bust 500 rounds of centerfire.
I'm rethinking that.
im seeing it here in middle of no where michigan as well, went through all the big box shops few days ago and there were short of anything you would even remotley consider common, havnt gotten around to the smaller shops yet but that will be the next day or two
Remember also that every manufacturer cranked out a new 1911 model last year. They needed to be fed so demand increased.
And on top of record numbers of new guns out there needing care and feeding...I don't know about where everyone else is, but around here the last few weekends have had sensational weather...and packed at the range. So, I'm betting everyone is getting that new heater out for some fresh air, all at the same time, then realizing they need yet more ammo. Heck, I've gone through about double my usual amount of ammo just because it was so nice out.
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