Any improvement?

[Junk Yard Dog]

Things are not getting better so far as ammo or guns availability goes, not around here. The latest is gunshops calling the customers they know have big collections and asking if they want to sell on consignment for whatever price they want to ask. They will take any gun, from the cheapest to the most expensive, and will sell them all. Ammo and reloading gear, unopened box's of components. I can understand this, if you don't have inventory then you don't have a business anymore. Better to be a second hand shop, than no shop. I think I mentioned in another thread about the guy down in NYC who paid $200 for a box of 25 birdshot shells who doesn't' even own a gun yet. The latest rumblings about more gun control has only fueled the fire. My friend at the flea markets who was amusing me with reports of what ammo was selling for has gone quiet on the subject because nobody seems to have ammo to sell They were putting out ammo marked up three and four times or more it's worth from a year ago, and people bought it all. Even the oddball stuff that only chambers in elephant rifles, or tiny pistols sold. He watched as people pulled out cash and bought this shit without even trying to bargain because if they had the guy standing behind them would have bought it the second they put it down. I never thought I would see the day when a beat up common single shot 12 gauge would go for the price of a higher grade Remington 870, and you can forget about finding any 870 for sale even if you do have the twenty or more C notes to pay for one, not around here. People have to follow the Covid rules at the shops, a few customers in at a time, the rest waiting in their cars lined up around the block just on the chance they can get one box of 9mm that day.

Gone are the disparaging remarks regarding some of the lower priced pistols and rifles, the ones known for maybe questionable quality. These are now gold, because it's not what you want anymore when the desperation buying starts, it's what is available.

[Sonny]

You're gonna hate me for this but I got this in an email today.

Yup still lots up here....... for now.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Not me, I made sure to stock up on anything I might need years back. I don't need anything during this time of insanity. The prices you list there seem high to me.

[Sonny]

Subtract 20% and that will give you approx value in US dollars but it's still better than $200 for a box of birdshot.

[SA1911a1]

I did a hundred fifty mile loop a few days ago, and the gun shops have no used handguns, no ammunition and a bad attitudes. They still have some hunting rifles and plenty of plastic fantastics at over-the-top prices. They should be thanking their lucky stars that they sold their whole inventories, but no, they are heartbroken because they sold them too soon! About the only place that has used handguns is Gunbroker, and they are getting prouder and prouder of them. You know that when Buds is short of inventory there is a problem. I am thinking about picking up a Beretta M-1951, just because they are there....In Tallahassee there is a really uppity store that caters to the owners of the huge plantations just across the state line, in Georgia. I called asking about a CZ RAMI, and yep, they had one, priced $100.00 above mfg. list price....frack 'em.

Early this week, my son bought about 40 pounds of mixed ammo from the family of a man who became to senile to be around what must have been a hell of a gun collection. When my boy gives me an inventory, we are going to offer up for sale what we don't shoot. There are some calibers in there that I was totally unfamiliar with..... I scored .44 mag. and 44 spl., he is keeping a boat-load of mixed .06 from the haul. You folks will get first shot at the rest of it (pardon the pun)

[AMCHornet]

My dad bought two Glocks last year and almost 1000 rounds for them. Took a while and some patience, but he did it.

The gun stores around here have secret stashes of ammo that they reserve for people buying new guns from them or for hunters. You can show them your tag and they'll pull out a box of soft points for you. They understand that some people rely on that to feed their families.

There are private sales going on. I bought two boxes of 12ga 3" buckshot off one of my loyal customers last week for pre-COVID price. Did I need it? No, but why not?

[millman]

Do you have any .40 S&W in that haul?

[Junk Yard Dog]

Do you have any .40 S&W in that haul?

You should have said something, I had four box's from a bulk buy five years ago that were useless to me. I sold them to the guy who manages the business next door to us two months ago. He's a good guy, but could have gotten by with two box's. I expect to see a miscellaneous collection of ammo that belonged to a friends late father in a couple of weeks. I will check it for .40

[Junk Yard Dog]

My dad bought two Glocks last year and almost 1000 rounds for them. Took a while and some patience, but he did it.

The gun stores around here have secret stashes of ammo that they reserve for people buying new guns from them or for hunters. You can show them your tag and they'll pull out a box of soft points for you. They understand that some people rely on that to feed their families.

There are private sales going on. I bought two boxes of 12ga 3" buckshot off one of my loyal customers last week for pre-COVID price. Did I need it? No, but why not?

Last year was just before all this ramped up. I bought a Remington 870 magnum with slug barrel new in the box from 1984 for $375. Today I could flip it for two grand. I am not, but I could, the buyer would be a shithead I would never sell any firearm to who has been making these offers for everything " badass" like the Glock's, AR's, AK's, " tactical" shotguns like the 870 can be. Like I said, asshole, tactical my ass, my 1903 will blow a hole in him like the Lincoln tunnel trauma plate and all, how's that for tactical? I guess in NYC you would have had to pay $400 for the two box's of shotshells, you hear this shit with people buying at such inflated prices and you just want to bitch slap them. Ask what the fuck is the matter with them, $200 for 25 rounds that fit a gun they don't own? These are likely the same assholes who strip the grocery shelves when they hear it might snow so I can't get a lousy dozen eggs. A buck a round for .22 long? Thousand bucks or more for M39's? These mental midgets are destroying this hobby.

[millman]

Do you have any .40 S&W in that haul?

You should have said something, I had four box's from a bulk buy five years ago that were useless to me. I sold them to the guy who manages the business next door to us two months ago. He's a good guy, but could have gotten by with two box's. I expect to see a miscellaneous collection of ammo that belonged to a friends late father in a couple of weeks. I will check it for .40

Thanks.
I have some for if I need it, but not enough to take my .40s out to shoot.

[Sonny]

You guys still have gun shows?

I ask because ours have been shut down due to covid but I see Calgary has one booked for June 26th. Lets hope more shows open up.

[millman]

You guys still have gun shows?

I ask because ours have been shut down due to covid but I see Calgary has one booked for June 26th. Lets hope more shows open up.

I haven't been to one, but they are going on.

[awalker1829]

No improvement here in Arizona-store shelves are bare. I’ve got enough 9mm to get me through to next year and am shooting just enough to keep competent. Right now I need more rifle brass and bullets, so I’m scouring the internet for those items.

[Rongo]

Local Gun Shops around here are well stocked on everything. Prices are up some but not stupid up. Ammo is about what it's like all over; Spendy. But they have it in stock.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Local Gun Shops around here are well stocked on everything. Prices are up some but not stupid up. Ammo is about what it's like all over; Spendy. But they have it in stock.

Well, I can see it now, half the members here are speed dialing truck rental services to secure bulk ammo transport and googling travel instructions to your location, the other half are calling friends and family who might live closer. In a day or two every gun shop near you will look like the ones here, empty .

[Junk Yard Dog]

I have been interviewing big box gun stores about how much ammo they are getting in. They all have told me that they are only getting in one third of what they used to get. Where is the rest going if we are told ammunition factories are running 24/7 ? I can understand people buying it up as soon as it gets in the stores, but it's not getting in the stores.

On line sellers, small flea market and gun show sellers, small town hardware stores now in the ammo business. Lots of ways ammo gets sold that isn't involving old style stores. Tack on every ammo seller small and large all of a sudden selling double the normal volume in every state of the union, even triple, and you can figure out why the ammo makers can't keep up. Might have taken the store six months to sell an allotment of this or that ammo a year ago, now they are doing it in six days.

[Lavitias]

I have been interviewing big box gun stores about how much ammo they are getting in. They all have told me that they are only getting in one third of what they used to get. Where is the rest going if we are told ammunition factories are running 24/7 ? I can understand people buying it up as soon as it gets in the stores, but it's not getting in the stores.

On line sellers, small flea market and gun show sellers, small town hardware stores now in the ammo business. Lots of ways ammo gets sold that isn't involving old style stores. Tack on every ammo seller small and large all of a sudden selling double the normal volume in every state of the union, even triple, and you can figure out why the ammo makers can't keep up. Might have taken the store six months to sell an allotment of this or that ammo a year ago, now they are doing it in six days.

Local shop is still getting ammo in but their selling it as quick as it comes in. Other local stores are also selling it as quick as it comes in. At some point sales outpace production. It's the same problem with semiconductors in auto manufacturing right now. Top it off you had tons of new game consoles and other electronic products come out this year. Along with all the auto manufacturer's cutting back their orders last year and the supply is just not there anymore. Everyone wants semi conductors but no new factories have come online. Add in Covid protocols and some even shut down in the case of some of our suppliers every other week because half the work force is out due to contact tracing.

Either everyone has to slow down on their buying which isn't likely in current political climate or new factories need to be made. Also unlikely because eventually things will get back to normal and then all those companies are stuck with a check for a new factory that the sells just don't support anymore.

In short welcome to post 2020.

[Darryl]

One would think that this buying frenzy would hit an equilibrium at some point!

You have any idea how much ammo is being made right now? At these prices, the manufacturing would be at it's highest rate of manufacturing. At some point it has to start to drop off.

What worries me is, where will the prices be when they hit that point? This is all caused by the present administrations stance on firearms and the lack of support of the Police. I have friends that have never own a firearm in their life, buying one now! Previously anti gun, now buying firearms.

Anything self defense. Anything ammo. Anything reloading.

What ticks me off the most is, I can't even find casing, primers, powder, for my obsolete ammo firearms because all the manufacturers are making "popular" calibers and have stopped making "older" caliber products. So, I can't even go shooting. Very frustrating.

Darryl

[Junk Yard Dog]

Sooner or later people have to run out of money, or room to store ammo, or not. At the start of Covid it was toilet paper, now it's weapons and ammo. I was sorting a box full of odd leftover rounds last night. As I lined up a bunch of .45 acp from WW1- 80's I couldn't help but think as I placed each round in the row, $5, $10, $15, $20..... When I went to grab some .22 rounds I saw not cartridges, but box's full of money. Who would have thought a fine steak dinner with all the fixings in an upscale restaurant were I have to wear a jacket and tie would be cheaper than a day at the range with my Garand. Antique cars are now back to being the more affordable hobby. I live in a world were a liberal customer will in one breath be extolling the virtues of modern education methods, and how terrible fracking ( I thought he said fucking at first) is, while with the next breath asks me if I knew were he could score some 9mm. I could have written this book twenty years ago but nobody would have believed it.

[Darryl]

I just re-stored all my ammo this last weekend.
I was startled at how much ammo I had!
All I could see is the cops coming over and arresting me for nothing and spreading all that ammo and stuff on the lawn for the Media to take pictures of the "crazy guy" stores!

Darryl