Ammo shortage finally getting better???

BrianID

Member
From my observation it seems like the ammo shortage isn't as bad as it has been. I've seen more ammunition on the shelf at stores and available online the last month than about any other time in the last 18 months. I even bought some shotgun shells at a reasonable price for shooting doves recently. That was my first ammunition purchase in about 2 years. I even bought some powder and bullets at a reasonable price recently. Besides purchasing some brass a couple months ago and muzzleloader supplies last year, I don't think I have made any other reloading related purchases in about 2 years.

The shortage is still really bad but for me it just doesn't seem as bad as it has been. Hopefully everyone will stop purchasing from the "scalpers" selling ammunition and reloading components at ridiculous prices.

What has everyone else noticed? Is anyone else optimistic that the shortage will improve over the next 6 months?
 
Around here most the ammo I see is calibers very few people are shooting. The popular calibers most places are over priced for it. Doesn’t affect me though as I reload. I expect things to get bad again before it improves much.
 
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Powder is trickling in a little better. Very few to no primers. Places that do have them are gouging. A week ago Bass Pro had CCI 450's for $7.99 per 100. I didn't need any so I passed. They do seem to have pistol primers in stock. Very little loaded ammo and the only bullets are mostly large caliber or heavy for caliber 22. Can't really say its better. Powder I was paying $34 for is now $44 but that may be the new normal. I hope not but I don't see prices coming down anytime soon.
 
With the ban on Russian ammo I think the light got further down the tunnel...

As of now, I am seeing a bit more on the shelves. You can buy all the steel shotshells you want at Walmart but no cheap promo loads. I'm really glad I'm not in need and feel for those who are. It most definitely affects how much I shoot but I'm good for years if I don't add any new calibers lol.

A lgs has had primers most of last winter for $100 a brick and nobody was too interested. Now it's pretty much what they go for so I don't like that trend lol. They had plenty of shotshells for awhile at $65 a case so I bought a few and haven't seen any since.

What I hear is that most consumer goods are going to be in very short supply very soon. Truck tires are hard to get for instance.

It's unreal how a manufactured virus and a bunch of liberal polititians have brought the whole world to it's knees. What a crap show.
 
Originally Posted By: 204 AR
It's unreal how a manufactured virus and a bunch of liberal polititians have brought the whole world to it's knees. What a crap show.

They're purposely pushing the U.S. to the "Great Reset" aka
one world government. Think the vax passport is a good idea?
It's just a foot in the door to eventually control every facet
of our lives. If successful, ammo and gun control will be the
least of our worries.

In this area, if one just wants shotgun shells, there's a fair
amount of them.
 
Originally Posted By: pyscodogVery few to no primers. Places that do have them are gouging.

I've noticed the same thing with primers. They have been very difficult to find and when you do find them, they are often way overpriced.

Originally Posted By: GCPrices are set to jump 30% at the first of the year.

I think pyscodog is correct, we are going to see a higher price as the new normal. I think that is going to be true for everyrthing, not just ammunition and reloading supplies. Gas, food and everything else we purchase is just going to cost more in the future due to inflation.

204 AR and DannoBoone,

I'm also not too optimistic about the future of politics in our country. Unfortunately there are too many people that depend on the government to service and believe government is the solution instead of the problem.


I did buy dove loads for $6.99 for a box of 25 which I don't think is terrible. It isn't a great price compared to 10 years ago but it is at least an acceptable price to pay. Charging $0.10 per primer or $1.00 per 223 fmj is just ridiculous.
 
I'm an old codger and remember when you could get a couple of gallons of gas and a pack of smokes for a dollar so everything today seems high to me. I do realize that those days are long gone. As we all are seeing, wages are going up just to get people to come to work. You can't live on minimum wages these days. That being said, companies still want their profit, people want more money paid in wages and benefits so the only thing left is to raise prices. I use to mow lawns for $5. Try to get a kid to more your lawn for $5 today. LOL!! I seriously doubt we will ever see primers at what we were paying a year ago or powder either. I don't like it but I can live with a slight increase in prices but I won't be paying gouger prices until I have no other options and then I'll pizz and moan about it.
 
Originally Posted By: pyscodog I don't like it but I can live with a slight increase in prices but I won't be paying gouger prices until I have no other options and then I'll pizz and moan about it.

I'm right there with you. I'll live with a slight increase but won't pay ridiculous amounts unless I have no other options. My initial plan is to not shoot any gun that is ridiculously expensive to shoot and consider selling that gun if I still can't find ammunition or reloading components within a year or two.
 
Anybody notice 410 shotgun shells are non existent? At least in south arkansas, north louisiana and out around dallas/ft worth. Can find 20,12,28
 
I was in a Tulsa shop today looking for some Sierra 80 grain Blitz and a nice lady came in wanting 223 soft point bullets. Its the store I use to work at so I am familiar as to where stuff is. Her husband was on the phone and asking her to get him Hornady and they didn't have any but did have Winchester with a 55 grain SP bullet....$34.95 per box. She got him four box's. Then he also ask me for 22-250. They had one box of Winchester and it was $39.39. I wanted to talk her out of buying it buy it was not my place and the husband said go for it. That's pretty steep for what he got.
 
Originally Posted By: zheltonAnybody notice 410 shotgun shells are non existent? At least in south arkansas, north louisiana and out around dallas/ft worth. Can find 20,12,28

That really is due to a shortage. They are running mostly 12/20 now to keep up with demand, and 16, 28, 410 are in a shortage. Similar to how rimfire companies ran .22lr and didn't produce any shorts for a while.

The rest of the "shortage" is due to people buying everything they see. Ammo mfg are making more rounds per day than EVER right now, there is no overall shortage. Its just people are hoarding and buying it all the second they see it on the shelf whether they need it or not (was toilet paper in shortage last year? or did people buy 10 years worth because they were scared)

Now people are starting to realize they don't need 100,000 rounds of ammo, and the shelves are starting to retain stock.

Prices will be high for a long time, it will take several years of constant stock and normal material/labor costs in mfg before any prices come down.
 
Was in the local Rural King today, LOTS of .223, .308, 12 OOBuck, 9mm, and .22LR.

The .223 was about $9 a box I think, .22LR was $6, and the .308 was $20.
 
Originally Posted By: Bowhntr6ptWas in the local Rural King today, LOTS of .223, .308, 12 OOBuck, 9mm, and .22LR.

The .223 was about $9 a box I think, .22LR was $6, and the .308 was $20.


Those are livable prices.
 
Originally Posted By: Kevin23Originally Posted By: zheltonAnybody notice 410 shotgun shells are non existent? At least in south arkansas, north louisiana and out around dallas/ft worth. Can find 20,12,28

That really is due to a shortage. They are running mostly 12/20 now to keep up with demand, and 16, 28, 410 are in a shortage. Similar to how rimfire companies ran .22lr and didn't produce any shorts for a while.

The rest of the "shortage" is due to people buying everything they see. Ammo mfg are making more rounds per day than EVER right now, there is no overall shortage. Its just people are hoarding and buying it all the second they see it on the shelf whether they need it or not (was toilet paper in shortage last year? or did people buy 10 years worth because they were scared)

Now people are starting to realize they don't need 100,000 rounds of ammo, and the shelves are starting to retain stock.

Prices will be high for a long time, it will take several years of constant stock and normal material/labor costs in mfg before any prices come down.




Where are you seeing 20 gauge? Shelves here have 12 and 2& gauge.
 
Wal-Mart has had a few box's of 20 gauge on the shelves. A few is about all though. I think Sierra quit making ammo. Seems there is never anything in green box's.
 
since big green has come back online things have seemingly gotten a little better.

as noted - people are still hording because they havent been able to find it for so long.


this whole russia thing has driven the panic hording up a bit, but hopefully it'll level off soon.


all the new shooters arent helping anything... they're playing catchup to those of us who have been shooting for years and understand that having ammo on hand not only prevents needing to rush to buy when one of these shortages hits, but also hedges against price increases.
 
Stopped at Runnings in Hinsdale NH yesterday, picked up a pound of 3031 for $34.99, and Titewad for $21.99 that didn't seem too bad. They had a couple other powders and a few odds and ends of ammo, 223,and a .17 of some sort was being wheeled in. the Federal white box promo was only being sold by the box for $9.99 so I passed. Good to see some stuff back in stock.
 
We had a gun show in my town this week-end. This is only the second one and its help at Rhema Bible college. Seems rather strange to be as its also a church, but none the less. I met a guy coming out as I was going in and he was shaking his head and said Man ammo prices are ridiculous. I said What did you expect?? Primers were $125 a brick but that's about normal gun show prices. One guy had powder, H4895-$73, CFE223-$73. Had some IMR powder and it was $65 and up. So was his Reloader powder. Strangely, I didn't see anyone buying it. Go figure! I bought a pound of CFE 223 for $34 at a local shop just last week. There was a guy selling ammo and his prices were high but if you didn't have ammo,at least he wasn't bending you over.
 
The supply of in stock ammo and reloading supplies continues to improve at places I have checked the last 3 weeks. I’ve seen more ammunition, gun powder, primers and bullets in stock. If it the trend continues I’m optimistic for 2022. There may even be some decent sales around Black Friday or Christmas that will make purchasing large amounts of ammunition seem like a good idea. I probably won’t be finding primers for as low as $0.03 each or 223 ammunition for as low as $0.25 each anytime in the next 6 months but if I can at least find it in stock for reasonable prices on a consistent basis I’ll be happy. I have purchased more gun powder lately for around $30-$37 per pound. Not great prices but at least I’m finding the powder I want in stock for a price that doesn’t make me feel scammed.
 
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