Ammo shortages (now 2016)? What are you seeing out there?

[Smurf Hunter]

It wasn't bad as rants go, but it veered off topic and didn't really help us. <- that's my rant 

So does the relatively abundant inventory in MN tell us anything?

While I like AR-15s, if for no other purposes than to annoy AK guys, I have noticed select number of higher end complete uppers become available.  I still have not seen BCGs. That suggests that the backlog following the panic black rifle purchases just might catching up.

[UnderTheRadar]

Lacey Cabelas had steel case 223 ($6.99 for 20) 9pm last night, limit is now 5 per person.  Last Friday they had complete AR's for $1100; I didn't look this week.  Cheap plastic AR mags in volume for $25.

[nelson96]

Cheap plastic AR mags in volume for $25.

I saw those mag's when I visted there on Wednesday . . .  They looked VERY cheap, no thank you.

[endurance]

Magpul came through and dealt us Coloradoans a solid before leaving the state.  I just got five 30 round Pmags with the window for $15.95 each.  I hate to see them go, Alabama is getting a good company.

[pokeshell]

It wasn't bad as rants go, but it veered off topic and didn't really help us. <- that's my rant 

So does the relatively abundant inventory in MN tell us anything?

While I like AR-15s, if for no other purposes than to annoy AK guys, I have noticed select number of higher end complete uppers become available.  I still have not seen BCGs. That suggests that the backlog following the panic black rifle purchases just might catching up.

It was a long couple weeks, and it was nice to let my mind wander about guns.

[ag2]

I saw 5 or 6 trays (100 rounds) of .22LR CCI  on the shelf at Walmart yesterday.  I think it was priced at about 6.97 per tray.

[nimzy88]

CCI must be shipping well now, our shop had several thousand rounds of .22LR in the other day and sold out by the end of the day at $9/100

Also had a stack of cases of steel core wolf 7.62, no .223 yet in shop.

[Roundabouts]

Our local Bi Mart is empty now.  Shelf after shelf empty.  Clark county WA

[11 Bravo]

New Cabela's just opened in Grandville, Michigan, so they are very well stocked daily. Tons of Herters (Tula) .223 and 7.62 in stock. The .223 is going for $6.97/20 rds....not great, but not bad....but the .22 is cleaned out.

[Smurf Hunter]

Has this supply situation caused anyone to consider adopting "weird" calibers?

I've routinely seen .357sig, 10mm and on the rifle side everything but NATO/milsurp rounds.

In the current context, even the super exotic 5.7mm pistol rounds don't seem as ridiculous.

[NWPilgrim]

Powder Valley got in a bunch of Hodgdon powders and lasted at least through yesterday.

I'm doing OK for now in all my standard calibers, and have too much invested in what I have to switch to something else. If I were starting off I would definitely be looking for something in an available caliber such as  .204, .243, .257, .260, 7mm.  Not sure which AR15 calibers are available these days but 6.8 or 6.5 might be worth considering.

When I was stocking up aggressively (2007 and 2011) I focused first on a few calibers to ensure I had plenty of those: .40, .223, .30-06 Garand, .22LR in CCI/Blazer, and 12 ga buck and slugs. Only after that did I supplement with ammo and components for secondary calibers such as .30 Carbine, 9mm, .45ACP.  I did very little additions if at all to .308, .38 and .44 mag (I no longer had a .44 anyway).  Now that I once again have a .44 that is the only cartridge I ended up short on powder for, bullets are still easy to get for it.

My SIL came into the shooting sports just during the previous dry spell (2009) because he returned from overseas station.  I gave him stuff to get by at first and then he stocked up like mad in 2010-2012 so he is good to go.  Lesson learned: when it is available and reasonably priced, stock up for a years worth at least.  Then you can coast through the next shortage.  I am sure we will continue to have periodic shortage due to politics and economy swings.

[Bolomark]

local gun store has .223 pmc bronze 25rd boxes 11.99 limit 25 boxes a day.
getting better.

[PorcupineKate]

Has this supply situation caused anyone to consider adopting "weird" calibers?

I've routinely seen .357sig, 10mm and on the rifle side everything but NATO/milsurp rounds.

In the current context, even the super exotic 5.7mm pistol rounds don't seem as ridiculous.

DH shoots .357sig.  I can find boxes of ammo for him but no powder or bullets to reload that caliber.  Luckily he doesn't shoot it that often.. 

I am really looking forward to getting .22lr easily. 

[4bull]

The best i have heard was a case of .223 going for 700. today . No .22's in sight .

[16onRockandRoll]

5.7 is not a good option, at least in this context. Over the last 6-8 months, the supply has dried up. Many places putting it on BO for 6+ months, and then extending the estimate as the deadline gets closer. I think it has to do with DHS and I think some other agencies using it as a duty round.

[ADKwarrior]

Has this supply situation caused anyone to consider adopting "weird" calibers?

While it may not be a weird caliber, where i am there is tons of 7mm. Even Wallmart has a bunch, seems no one buys it out side of deer season maybe.  Thats all we have here though everything else is nonexistant. 

[Smurf Hunter]

5.7 is not a good option, at least in this context. Over the last 6-8 months, the supply has dried up. Many places putting it on BO for 6+ months, and then extending the estimate as the deadline gets closer. I think it has to do with DHS and I think some other agencies using it as a duty round.

From what I've read, also sounds like a hassle to hand load.

[d3nni5]

From what I've read, also sounds like a hassle to hand load.

bulkammo.com has it for a $1/round right now.

http://www.bulkammo.com/bulk-5-7x28-mm-ammo-57x28mm40grtmjfederal-500

I was recently introduced to this round at an NRA class I took.   Supposedly it is a nasty little bugger, particularly w/ armor peircing rounds.   The instructor had both an FN 5.7 pistol and an AR platform similar to

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aqx7UKvnIN0 

The guys from Moss Pawn and Gun got a cool youtube video they recently did on an FN P90.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heWuhDADCu8&list=UUWJHDMgKWWvOsdyRF3HPVEw&index=3

[endurance]

Has this supply situation caused anyone to consider adopting "weird" calibers?

I've routinely seen .357sig, 10mm and on the rifle side everything but NATO/milsurp rounds.

In the current context, even the super exotic 5.7mm pistol rounds don't seem as ridiculous.

I'm seriously thinking about a 10mm for the first time.  Not purely because of this, I was kind of moving in that direction anyway since I want a handgun I can legally take big game with.  My intention is not to use it for hunting, per se, but rather for the simple task of taking a final kill shot with, since technically, it's illegal to use your 9mm to do that task here.  Also, since magazines are now restricted to 15 rounds, having 16 rounds that have more stopping power than a .357 magnum sounds like a winner to me.

10mm has always been expensive to shoot.  Now it's just as expensive as it ever was, but when everything else doubles in price, suddenly it doesn't look so expensive by comparison.

[EagleSteel]

I'm seriously thinking about a 10mm for the first time.  Not purely because of this, I was kind of moving in that direction anyway since I want a handgun I can legally take big game with.  My intention is not to use it for hunting, per se, but rather for the simple task of taking a final kill shot with, since technically, it's illegal to use your 9mm to do that task here.  Also, since magazines are now restricted to 15 rounds, having 16 rounds that have more stopping power than a .357 magnum sounds like a winner to me.

10mm has always been expensive to shoot.  Now it's just as expensive as it ever was, but when everything else doubles in price, suddenly it doesn't look so expensive by comparison.

Yeah tell me about it. I bought 60 rounds of 300 Blackout from gunbroker.com because I could not find it anywhere else. I paid $2 a freaking round!

[chrisdfw]

I sold ~7000 rounds of 22LR for ~1200 on gunbroker... its ridiculous out there, I expected maybe 0.10 a round, but put it up for auction and averages over $80 a brick, I can't believe it.

I'd be a little embarrassed to quote someone $80 a brick, but apparently a free market set the price. buyers also paid shipping.

The market is crazy. But if you had zero, I guess you do what you have to do.

[EagleSteel]

I sold ~7000 rounds of 22LR for ~1200 on gunbroker... its ridiculous out there, I expected maybe 0.10 a round, but put it up for auction and averages over $80 a brick, I can't believe it.

I'd be a little embarrassed to quote someone $80 a brick, but apparently a free market set the price. buyers also paid shipping.

The market is crazy. But if you had zero, I guess you do what you have to do.

Yeah, I finished building my 300 Blackout last week. So I wanted to be able to run a clip through it and have a loaded clip so that it's, like Jack says, an over priced club. The good thing is I have over 1,000 rounds of .223 for both of my AR15.

[chrisdfw]

Yeah, I finished building my 300 Blackout last week. So I wanted to be able to run a clip through it and have a loaded clip so that it's, like Jack says, an over priced club. The good thing is I have over 1,000 rounds of .223 for both of my AR15.

I'd do the same thing, if I had NONE, or very little, I'd pay what I had to pay. But right now, I can order cases of speer gold dot or federal hydrashock for the same price people are paying for cheap FMJ rounds. If the price is the same I'd tell people to go for the good stuff.

I bought 500 rounds of 77gr OTM 5.56 ammo for about 90 cents a round, which is the same as SS109 is going for... and the 77gr OTM goes for 90 cents a round all the time, so I know which I'll buy.

The case of the 10mm is a good example, if 9mm is selling for $1 a round, I'd consider the 10mm. I actually like the idea, for a backwoods pistol that can pull double duty as a defensive handgun. Maybe my next discounted Glock might be one of the 10s. (if I can fund enough mags and ammo, I never buy a firearm unless I can procure at least 1000 rounds of ammo and 7 mags at the same time, except my 50bmg, since that is a very special purpose weapon)

[d3nni5]

except my 50bmg, since that is a very special purpose weapon

Everyone needs a squirrel gun. LOL

[endurance]

I almost closed the deal on trading a Remington 7400 and 700 rounds of 5.56 for a PTR-91.  Didn't quite work out, but really, it's the price of ammo that almost sealed the deal.  He couldn't afford to shoot either his 5.56 or his 7.62, so he was almost willing to part with one for the ammo for the other.

[nelson96]

I almost closed the deal on trading a Remington 7400 and 700 rounds of 5.56 for a PTR-91.  Didn't quite work out, but really, it's the price of ammo that almost sealed the deal.  He couldn't afford to shoot either his 5.56 or his 7.62, so he was almost willing to part with one for the ammo for the other.

Dang it . . .  Keep on him, I would like a review.  How close do they resemble the HK91?

[16onRockandRoll]

It's built on the same tooling. VERY similar to the HK. All of my customers have been really happy with theirs.

[ouphie]

I was just at Walmart in Bend, OR and overheard the clerk talking to a couple customers.  They had received a large shipment of .223 FMJ in ammo can, but were limiting the stock on the shelf to 6 per day.  The manager wanted to "make the sales last longer".

All in all, not terribly surprising.  There was very little ammo in general, but no noticeable change in price.

[Lone Yankee]

Up here in Cow Hampshire you can get most anything you want but probably not more than a box or two at a time.  -LY

[PrepperJim]

I broke down and bought 500 rounds of .223 on bulkammo.com for $389. I just want to be able to shoot my AR-15 every once in awhile and be ready for zombies. I could not take it anymore.

I need to get a .22 conversion kit. I'll troll the forums on that.