Buying ammo has become a game to most

[cyprant]

So how much do you suggest one keeps on hand to weather these storms? Enough to shoot for 1 year? 5 years?

I shoot a lot of 9mm a year (4-6k)

Just wondering what you all think

 

[HeadlessRoland]

I think buying ammo has become sort of a game to some. Buying in excess, stashing ammo, taking the wife so she can buy a box. Just sayin!! I think its a game we've all been playin.

I'll play it until they bury me, and I will beat you to it every time.

Hint: some people are very easily bribed.

But that's your only hint.

 

[bstewrat3]

I am playing the game, but I haven't resorted to the online cheats yet.

 

[churchmouse]

I'll play it until they bury me, and I will beat you to it every time.

Hint: some people are very easily bribed.

But that's your only hint.

I have 2 friends that are search hounds. They love the search and the deal making that is part of the gun hobby. At least it is to them. Before limits they would call me with the currant deals they were finding. I would do the same for them. We would make purchases and exchange the goods/cash at a later date when convenient. This was before the madness and not for re-sale. We kept our reserves up to speed this way.
With the imposed limits it is no longer a viable tactic.

 

[hornadylnl]

I have 2 friends that are search hounds. They love the search and the deal making that is part of the gun hobby. At least it is to them. Before limits they would call me with the currant deals they were finding. I would do the same for them. We would make purchases and exchange the goods/cash at a later date when convenient. This was before the madness and not for re-sale. We kept our reserves up to speed this way.
With the imposed limits it is no longer a viable tactic.

With all this talk about flippers being greedy, I don't get it. It's like the junk haulers. Put a free ad on Craigslist for $20 worth of scrap metal and look at all the responses you get. I had a guy drive 20+ miles in a clunker truck to pick up about $30-40 of various metals. You'd have thought I gave him gold bars. But you ever notice these scrappers always look trashy? They'll spend hours of their time and gas to make a couple bucks.

Same thing with the flippers. Even without box limits, how many trips do they make to get a single box on average? How much time and gas are they investing? And people actually think they're getting rich off of this? I think both the flippers and buyers are stupid. I just don't participate. But I also think both parties have the freedom to do what they want with their time and money. I don't always like what the free market bring but I like the free market. Much better than the alternatives.

 

[churchmouse]

With all this talk about flippers being greedy, I don't get it. It's like the junk haulers. Put a free ad on Craigslist for $20 worth of scrap metal and look at all the responses you get. I had a guy drive 20+ miles in a clunker truck to pick up about $30-40 of various metals. You'd have thought I gave him gold bars. But you ever notice these scrappers always look trashy? They'll spend hours of their time and gas to make a couple bucks.

Same thing with the flippers. Even without box limits, how many trips do they make to get a single box on average? How much time and gas are they investing? And people actually think they're getting rich off of this? I think both the flippers and buyers are stupid. I just don't participate. But I also think both parties have the freedom to do what they want with their time and money. I don't always like what the free market bring but I like the free market. Much better than the alternatives.

I see the trash pickers and scrapers on a daily basis and you are correct, they are a dirty bunch. I get hassled all the time for copper scrap and have had ladders and tools stolen by these characters.

Depends on what you are flipping how much you make.
If you are sucked into buying at the inflated prices you are either unlucky in your timing or just an idiot.

 

[hornadylnl]

I see the trash pickers and scrapers on a daily basis and you are correct, they are a dirty bunch. I get hassled all the time for copper scrap and have had ladders and tools stolen by these characters.

Depends on what you are flipping how much you make.
If you are sucked into buying at the inflated prices you are either unlucky in your timing or just an idiot.

If I sold a bulk pack of 22 for $50, I'd make almost $40. But I'd have at least an hour of my time invested any way you shake it. Not worth my time.

 

[TheDude]

Says the man posting on an internet forum. LOL

 

[churchmouse]

If I sold a bulk pack of 22 for $50, I'd make almost $40. But I'd have at least an hour of my time invested any way you shake it. Not worth my time.

Even selling something you want or need to get rid of is time consuming. Pics, setting up the add, answering questions and offers etc. Then if you have to drive out to meet the buyer. I have never made a real profit selling a gun if you take time, effort, fuel/mileage into the equation.

There is a conquest mind set for some who flip. The deal is the perk for them. To double money invested is the goal. Free market, yes it is. Car salesman mentality (I know more than a few and they have this mentality) yes it is.
If you use scalpers for your tickets you need to plan a bit better.
If you are jumping into guns because you feel they may be outlawed, again, planing.

 

[hornadylnl]

I have a coworker who does flea markets on the weekend. He's come into work on Monday and say he made anywhere from $500-1000. I don't think he ever once accounted for his time and expenses. He thinks he's in it for the money. It has to be more of a hobby than anything.

 

[led4thehed2]

I try to check to the 'Get Your Ammo Here' thread every day, but it seems I'm never checking it at the right time! I always seem to come upon the posts about ammo available locally a few hours too late, and find the 'none left' posts. I had some extra time Friday morning so I checked all the supermarkets and sporting goods stores on the way to work: nothing available in calibers I needed.

I've only been fortunate enough to walk into a store an stumble upon ammo that I needed once. The Dick's Sporting Goods store in Sandusky, Ohio had 14 boxes of 20 gauge buckshot and no limit.

 

[LarryC]

Well, we have avoided it for now so we can miss the ridiculous prices for sure.
We won't miss out on the new, higher, price paradigm that follows every ammo run yet.
In time we'll pay but not near what a lot of folks are paying and face it, only the new owners should be in this boat.

To have owned a gun of any type during this administration and not had the forethought to put some ammo back for a rainy day is YOUR fault alone.
Use this as a lesson and make changes to how you do things and life gets a lot easier.
I do pity and even help the NEW gun owners with ammo when I can though, I don't want them discouraged do I?

This doesn't diverge from anything I have said so far if you bother to actually ready rather than interpret.
The collective "WE" are causing this to last simply by going to one of the many listings of stupid priced ammo, to include CheaperthanDirt and other large retailers who are thinking this is their cash cow, and buying from them. Instead we punish them by not buying and making them wish they never bought all this ammo with little Jonny's College fund thinking they could send little Billy too. I am all for free markets, that's why I say what I do in fact. By not buying and asking the rest of you to not buy that too is how a free market works.

BOYCOTT THE GOUGERS IF YOU WANT THIS TO STOP!
(I think I will make that my sig line for a bit...)

I have to admit this changes my opinion of your views. I felt you were disparaging people that "hoarded". Yes my son and I have many thousands of rounds in storage - and have been buying and storing for over 20 years. I have not (nor will I) bought or sold any ammo since last October. Did buy a few components - not anything we "had to have", just items that were priced fairly at Gun Shows.

We don't "need" anything for at least a few "years" to continue our range shooting. I will continue to "amass" components and ammo when the prices return to normal or sales occur.

And YES, I would help out new shooters if I "knew" for certain they needed it for practice or safety -(at NO CHARGE).

However I still don't consider anyone a "Gouger" for buying low and selling high. Still a free country, I believe many of the people practicing this will be stuck with a LOT of ammo that will sell for less than they paid! (No sympathy for them either).

I do think the people buying and selling ammo have possibly taught some people a lesson. Probably a few (hopefully many) will now put off that weekly trip to eat out and instead invest in some ammunition to store! I have very little sympathy for those who have been shooting for over 2 years that have not stocked up on ammo. The messages were sent very clearly when Commiebomma was re-elected!

 

[jgreiner]

Watch those generalizations you are making. I've purchased exactly one box of ammo since this BS started and that was for a new-caliber gun. Many who paid attention to the "firearms salesman of the year" for the last four years running are able to avoid paying higher prices. I feel sorry for true newbies who just bought their first gun recently, but don't assume that everyone is playing the same game you are.

Actually, the only ammo i have purchased since the mess started, has been .45 acp ammo, for my new gun I got for Christmas. And surprisingly, it's not that hard to find. I have about 600 rounds in the cabinet right now, if I find some decent prices, i may add some more.

My .22 lr ammo supply is getting low, I am down to 2500 rounds.

 

[LarryC]

So how much do you suggest one keeps on hand to weather these storms? Enough to shoot for 1 year? 5 years?

I shoot a lot of 9mm a year (4-6k)

Just wondering what you all think

In my opinion you should be reloading! For 9mm we (son & I) cast the bullets for almost all loads used for targeting. We do purchase Defense loads - just shoot enough to ensure the firearms are capable of digesting the loads without any issues. The 9mm brass loaded to normal target loads is good for many cycles, (and you can pick up brass at ranges - far more than you lose in reloading). You can reload 9mm for less than $70 a thousand. Even if you shoot with a Glock (barrel doesn't like lead) you can change the barrel and save enough in a year to pay for your reloading equipment and barrel, we have never had problems when using lead with the right lube.

We like to keep at least 2 years supply of loaded ammo in every caliber we shoot plus enough components to reload all ammo at least one time - (usually more).

We are very close to having that supply - some calibers we probably have a lifetime loaded - others a year or so. Some we will exceed that mark if we find the components or ammo at a real good price.

Guess we are true "hoarders". But, I have never seen the "value" of the ammo go down, in many cases it has doubled, tripled or more! It doesn't eat anything, has an unlimited shelf life if stored properly and doesn't really take up a lot of room.

 

[SERparacord]

Actually, the only ammo i have purchased since the mess started, has been .45 acp ammo, for my new gun I got for Christmas. And surprisingly, it's not that hard to find. I have about 600 rounds in the cabinet right now, if I find some decent prices, i may add some more.

My .22 lr ammo supply is getting low, I am down to 2500 rounds.

2502 zombies are in your backyard!

 

[warthog]

My .22 supply is gone.

I gave it to the children's shooting programs around me so they can continue to teach other people's children.
I don't have any kids and I wonder how many of all of the posters here who do have .22 ammo have bother to help out?
If I am able to luck into more, guess what? I'm giving it to the kids.

See, this is helping the "New" gunners out, I also don't mind bringing someone with me and ammo for them if they are new. I'm not talking everyone gets a case to have fun with their new gun, I'm saying I don't mind taking them and their gun and my ammo to the range for a day of shooting. I'll even show them how to clean the gun, then I will go home and not have to clean mine since we shot theirs.

 

[LockStocksAndBarrel]

I try to check to the 'Get Your Ammo Here' thread every day, but it seems I'm never checking it at the right time! I always seem to come upon the posts about ammo available locally a few hours too late, and find the 'none left' posts. I had some extra time Friday morning so I checked all the supermarkets and sporting goods stores on the way to work: nothing available in calibers I needed.

I've only been fortunate enough to walk into a store an stumble upon ammo that I needed once. The Dick's Sporting Goods store in Sandusky, Ohio had 14 boxes of 20 gauge buckshot and no limit.

Just go to the "Get your ammo here" thread. At the top of the thread, click on "Thread Tools" and click on "Subscribe to this thread" on the drop down menu. Then ask for email notification on that menu. Every time the trhead is added to, you'll get an email.

 

[Sniper 79]

I laugh when I see guys forming the ammo line at the sporting goods counter at WalMart. Must be nice not to have anything better to do than sit around waiting for a box of 9mm......

I laught too when you see the same guy roll up at the range and blast it off as fast as he can without hitting a darn thing then jump back in the car leaving the brass lay on the ground. Scary that people like that are carrying at all. Bone heads that watch too much TV.

 

[Jhampton]

I am relatively new into the firearm field but am continuously reading to learn more. I look for opportunities to buy affordable ammo (which is a relative term.) The same goes for reloading supplies. I love learning though so this forum is a great place for me.

 

[gungirl65]

I'm not playing the take a friend with me game because a store has to have it before I can buy it. My game is more just to check into the local retail places weekly to see if they have anything. I don't actually need any but will buy it if I can find it at regular retail price levels. I refuse to give $40-$50 for a box of 50 of anything. $25 or less is my target price.