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And, once again, the problem is US. When did the shortages end? When the panic stopped. When did the panic stop? After enough people realized that the sky had not, in fact, fallen.

The gun and ammo dealers in my area
have been stripped bare by the hoarders
waiting in line, buying all available ammo, etc.

I've seen it personally. When it was the 22lr,
I'd posted about it on the sites I used and
got called the worst kind of a liar and worse.


The hoarding and panic buying happened then,
and is happening now. The same thing happened
and is happening now with loaves of bread and
packages of toilet paper, so I can't understand
why it's so hard to believe that it would happen
with firearms and ammunition

Yes prior to the Clinton/Obama era primers were $10/K, they went to $35/K. Now the sky seems to be the limit al though I recently purchased small pistol primers for $40/K and large rifle primers for $65/K. The SPP were a real stroke of luck to find at that price. So fuqk the gougers, anyone who pays $3-400/K for primers is just S-T-U-P-I-D !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Since it’s obvious that nobody is going to change what they think about the causes of this situation, I’ll just offer a few observations, maybe combined with a question or two.

First, what sort of person, in the middle of a famine of sorts, brags about how much of the goods in short supply he has, and worse, posts pictures of those goods for the starving to see? The word “prudence” has been used a lot lately in regard to the shortage. Well, dangling that sort of stuff out like that ain’t prudent, kind of mean actually. Maybe it’s the anonymous nature of the web that makes them feel it’s okay to taunt others with their abundance, however it was acquired or when.

Second, why do people who have experienced this before, at least twice now, allow it to happen to them yet again? This situation didn’t happen overnight, it took five or six months to develop during which time supplies could be found with just a little bit of searching. Before that, everything was available at good, even bargain prices, for several years. Maybe my perspective is skewed by the fact that my time is my own and playing with guns is my main activity, but the signs were pretty clear almost a year ago that things were getting tight. I can’t imagine letting myself getting really short of any non-perishable that I use regularly, and making special trips to pick up one or two things is a huge waste of time and gas. Living in a semi-rural area where selections are usually limited has made me rely more and more on online buying to get what I want or need, not just what the locals have. Makes it pretty easy to stay ahead of one’s needs, be they TP or gunpowder.

It took a while, but the lack of ammo has finally impacted the activity at my local shooting range. I was there a week ago Saturday to transfer a shotgun to a buyer and they were running a class for CC, but no one was shooting, and they sent one of the RSOs home. It’s been tapering off for a while, with the spray and pray crowd the first to disappear. A few days earlier I was there to shoot, and had the range entirely to myself for most of the couple of hours I was there. Very convenient for me, but not very good for the owner and the employees. I hope it doesn’t lead to restricted operating hours. In contrast, on my last trip to a small LGS that I use for consignment sales sometimes, it was pretty packed. They assemble ARs and also trick up handguns, so they apparently have some stuff to sell. Not much ammo in evidence, except .300 BO and some .40 and buckshot. Have avoided the other nearby shop because they might have a gun I might be tempted to buy, and I’m trying to quit.

Finally, while it’s important to keep abreast of what’s happening or potentially happening with regard to gun control legislation, panicky posts about every whackdoodle bill introduced by our foes in Congress and the legislatures only feeds the sense of doom driving the famine. Some of what’s being proposed might happen, but a lot of it is the same old stuff we’ve seen for decades, just dusted off and polished mainly to keep the GC crowd happy and the donations rolling in. So far, Biden has backed off on his promises on GC, along with a bunch of other stuff. It bears watching, but not obsessing as yet.

Every Wednesday a line begins forming at least 30 minutes before the local sporting goods store opens. Why Wednesday? That's the weekly inventory delivery day and the only day that popular factory ammo will actually appear on the shelves.

Now, there's actually plenty of ammo on the shelves there, if you're a 6mm anything shooter, or any cartridge with WSM, RUM, or the like tacked on to the end of it. Oh yea, I forgot - there's a couple boxes of .50 BMG left too.

Wandered into the store on a Thursday afternoon (I now avoid Wednesday's) to pick up another box for storing handloads and Mother of God - there was a clerk stocking the shelves with boxes of Federal factory .308 ammo! "late delivery", he said.

'Course, it was all gone pronto.

At least ammo IS coming IN. Can't keep up with demand. Lines of people looking or buying the 'limit' the stores will sell to one customer.


Jerry

I have a friend that sold most of his reloading stuff, powder, primers, bullets, and his two AR's when the panic started. Then he called me and wanted to borrow some powder until powder got back on the shelves.

When he heard that I found a dealer with primers on the shelves he said: "Why don't you go and buy him out? You can sell that stuff on the internet and make big bucks?"

I'm still a bit pi$$ed off regarding this friend's greed.

Whatever portion of this that’s driven by new gun owners trying to get ammo for their new toys should drop off once they have “enough”, since most aren’t going to shoot much. Re-sellers will continue to do what they do when they can as long as they can. Since I don’t understand what drives real hoarders (as opposed to the simply prudent), I have no idea at what point they’ll decide they have “Enough”.

That’s an easy “no”. Let him starve.

I understand new gun owners and panic buying but what I don't understand is you can't even find bullet molds Sheesh...

You might look at CastBoolits.com for molds for sale.

Thanks I'll check them out. Thought I might keep my habit going by shooting up the 50lbs of wheel weights I have sitting around.

While I’d refuse to let him ‘borrow’ powder, I’d not be so quick to condemn him for suggesting participation in a settled facet of living in an economy that fosters the idea that money can be made on situational problems. That’s not to say one SHOULD, but varying degrees of greed and narcissistic economic behavior do exist.

Besides, our friends do not always come packaged up nicely with zero issues. It’s why we all commit to varying levels of friendship with a wide range or moral estimates and trust.

The reason some stores are getting more ammo and components than others is not a mystery.

During the Obama panic I talked to several manufacturers about the situation, and they said they tended to ship big orders to long-time major customers, whether chain stores or on-line companies, before sending it out to smaller customers. This is also basic economics, as it's a far more efficient way to distribute high-demand products.

Don’t know him, so can’t comment on his motivation.

If he was my friend, I’d laugh at him.

Should also note that cell phones and the Internet have also increased how quickly stuff is sold out. During the Obama panic it was common to see people in the rimfire section of a store taking photos of anything in stock, and sending the photos to friends--which is why the common 2-box store limits only slowed sales slightly. (Then there were the resellers who didn't just change their hat when they went back in the store to buy more. Some had complete outfits in their vehicles, and one was bragging here about that very "system.")

Then there are the folks on the Campfire who post on the Classifieds when they discover an on-line company has something in stock--the reason it's often gone in the few minutes it takes other Campfire members to log onto the site--or pay for it. Which is why many on-line sites are clogged up.

I’d file that under “Just in Case”. I bought some Lee molds and a furnace the last time around as a last-ditch source. Still in the boxes since I’d just as soon do do-it-yourself dentistry as cast bullets (okay, not quite, but I’d rather pay someone else). Got some free lead too. Might dig it all out if I get bored or need some .58s.

Don't know the answers, a guy I used to work with has 30-06, 223, and a 7-08. His wife and kids shoot the 7-08 , he uses the 06 they check zeroes and kill 4-5 deer for the freezer. Pretty simple really I warned him of the last 2 ammo shortages way before they happened. He still got caught with low supply and none availible
Seems he'd rather spend his pocket money on beer and pizza than a box of shells for the inventory to take care of his needs. I don't think helping him out with ammo I had and could spare has taught him anything but call bob he'll bail me out. The ammo companies don't make much more than they can sell in a NORMAL use pattern and production wise aren't set up to double or triple their out put anyway but 24/7/365 work schedule change. They certainly can't change panic buyer habits. The bottleneck is primers why would you sell them as components when if you use them to manufacture factory ammo you can't make enough to exceed your numbers of them to assemble factory ammo with a greater profit margin. That simple and it drives the price up on primers being held to resale for profit. Know how much stuff you need to take care of your own needs do not let any sob define what you need. This is 2021 but it's been the same for awhile " The day has come and gone where, one can buy what one wants, when one wants, for what one wants to pay". That damned simple. I don't worry to much about what people don't have, because they aren't prepared. Mb

As the Bible doesn't say... "This too shall pass".

Yep, and it will catch some of the resellers by surprise, like it did the guy I mentioned earlier who had a garage full of rimfire ammo marked with "Obama panic" prices, after the panic had dissipated.