Ammo Shelf Space Gone

[Dan_Eastvale]

Days of Beanie Baby et al panic buying are a thing of the distant past..

[CWL]

Stores are actually paid by manufacturers for occupying shelf space, what level on shelf, at end of aisle, etc.

No reason to keep any empty when there's money to be made

[naz]

anyone remember the ticket system they used to have at the toys r us for video games they should do that with ammo

Yes, or the lottery system to buy video cards that some online stores have

[tabascoz28]

My sportsmans took the prices off the non existent primer shelving. They also put what powder they had out on the shelves, thought it was a mistake.

[Flintlock Tom]

I've been checking the shelves at Buy-Mart every week or so; this last week the "Ammo shelves" were filled with rifle scopes.

[Mr. Beretta]

Sportsman's and Scheels here reorganized all ammo areas.. Down to a small one shelf area... And still empty..

A permanent move????

My son was in St. George last week. He visited a local FFL. The store's name was Dixie ?. The only handgun he saw in the place for sale was a Ruger GP 100. $850! Plus zero ammo in the place.

A couple days later he stopped at the Brass Pro in Los Wages. Again, zero ammo on the shelf.

Anybody who thinks this ammo shortage situation "ain't off the charts" is either high or delusional or both.

[Dano3467]

I have also seen many empty ammo shelves.

As much as I wanted to buy a new firearm. for a while now.

I have put it all on hold, till ammunition comes back. (& some sanity returns to the market)

Mean while, I'll just have to enjoy what I already have, & I'm ok with it.

[FightYouRightNow]

& I'm ok with it.

mmmhmmm

[FightYouRightNow]

does anyone remember a time worse than this regarding ammo? not sure how much recency bias there is

seems real bad man, definitely not comfy

[TrailerparkTrash]

...After Gavin is recalled and when Trump assumes the helm again in 2024.

[tuna quesadilla]

does anyone remember a time worse than this regarding ammo? not sure how much recency bias there is

seems real bad man, definitely not comfy

I was around for the Obama panic buying of 2008-2009ish and the Sandy Hook panic buying of 2013-2014ish. The current situation is by far the worst I've ever seen.

One thing I distinctly remember about the Obama panic is that an enterprising person still could buy ammo pretty much on-demand--They would just have to know when the truck came at the Big 5 or the Walmart or whatever, and go very early on that day. The retailers all enacted quantity limits, too (Walmart's infamous limit was 6 boxes per person per day), so the ammo was rationed out pretty fairly IF you arrived early enough and on the right day. A single 1000rd case of 9mm would service four customers (6 boxes each to the first three customers, and the last 2 boxes for the fourth customer).

Another thing about the Obama panic was that retailers, other than Cheaper Than Dirt (F them forever), didn't really raise prices very much. I remember being up one night cruising all the ammo websites to see if anyone had 9mm in stock, and happening upon a case of Wolf 9mm at Graf's. I bought it up instantly. I just pulled up the email receipt from 2009... it was $245 shipped for the case of 1000. That's a little high for that era, sure, but it's not a rip-off. Nowadays, when retailers do have 9mm in stock, we're seeing them list it for $500 to $700 a case.

During the Sandy Hook panic in 2013-2014, people started using tracker websites like Ammoseek to find ammunition in-stock online. This made it way harder to score those random in-stock deals from online retailers, but it was still possible to get the in-person deals if you were vigilant about stalking the truck deliveries.

The big thing that's different this time around is that it doesn't seem like the brick and mortar retailers are getting anything. And when something comes in stock online, it sells out in minutes because of scalpers with automated bots buying it up. This is by far the worst ammo shortage I've ever seen.

My personal recommendation is to hunker down for awhile and try to do as little shooting as you can tolerate, while finding another hobby to pass the time. The supply of ammo will gradually recover, but it will take some time.

[HOGDOG1955]

i know here in the salinas area we had 2 walmarts in salinas and one 15 minutes away in gilroy that all sold ammo. we also have big 5 and at the time had hunters supply and dicks sporting goods here in salinas. and lazos in gilroy and lokeys in morgan hill.also at the time we could mail order ammo. the worst it got at walmart here was a 3 box limit. now walmarts dont sell ammo, hunters supply moved to monterey and dicks **** in their nest so most dont shop there. so now its turners and big five as i dont even know if dicks still sells ammo. so glad i spent lots of time and money hoarding as i even have ammo for a gun i dont have yet.

I was around for the Obama panic buying of 2008-2009ish and the Sandy Hook panic buying of 2013-2014ish. The current situation is by far the worst I've ever seen.

One thing I distinctly remember about the Obama panic is that an enterprising person still could buy ammo pretty much on-demand--They would just have to know when the truck came at the Big 5 or the Walmart or whatever, and go very early on that day. The retailers all enacted quantity limits, too (Walmart's infamous limit was 6 boxes per person per day), so the ammo was rationed out pretty fairly IF you arrived early enough and on the right day. A single 1000rd case of 9mm would service four customers (6 boxes each to the first three customers, and the last 2 boxes for the fourth customer).

Another thing about the Obama panic was that retailers, other than Cheaper Than Dirt (F them forever), didn't really raise prices very much. I remember being up one night cruising all the ammo websites to see if anyone had 9mm in stock, and happening upon a case of Wolf 9mm at Graf's. I bought it up instantly. I just pulled up the email receipt from 2009... it was $245 shipped for the case of 1000. That's a little high for that era, sure, but it's not a rip-off. Nowadays, when retailers do have 9mm in stock, we're seeing them list it for $500 to $700 a case.

During the Sandy Hook panic in 2013-2014, people started using tracker websites like Ammoseek to find ammunition in-stock online. This made it way harder to score those random in-stock deals from online retailers, but it was still possible to get the in-person deals if you were vigilant about stalking the truck deliveries.

The big thing that's different this time around is that it doesn't seem like the brick and mortar retailers are getting anything. And when something comes in stock online, it sells out in minutes because of scalpers with automated bots buying it up. This is by far the worst ammo shortage I've ever seen.

My personal recommendation is to hunker down for awhile and try to do as little shooting as you can tolerate, while finding another hobby to pass the time. The supply of ammo will gradually recover, but it will take some time.

[dawgcasa]

The amazing thing for this go around of ammo shortages is that ammo manufacturers have significantly ramped up manufacturing capacity, yet the shelves are still bare. I remember the Obama era shortages too, but even then you could still pretty easily find a a couple 50-round boxes, somewhere. Now everything, every caliber, is just not there. I remember the good old days walking into Ammo Bros and there’d be multiple pallets on the floor, each stacked with 1000 round cases.

I looked at a 50 round box of 9mm FMJ I have in my collection from around 2014 that had a price tag of $12. Now, I’m seeing prices of $100 for a box of 50 rounds, when you can find it.

I’m fortunate that I had built up a pretty good quantity of ammo across all my various calibers before the SHTF a year ago, both HP and FMJ. I gifted some 9mm ammo, and a spare Glock 26, to my eldest son because he had only a shotgun for home defense. But I’ve suspended going to the range to practice since its impossible to replace any ammo I consume at the range.

Anyone have a good recommendation on a dry fire practicing product? Mantis, etc.?

[PoorRichRichard]

I was in the So Cal Bass Pro earlier today. Same deal. A full aisle gone from when I use to work there a few years ago.