Ammo Madness...Have You Done This?

[MikeinnLA]

I'm looking for a particular model Mini 14 in .223 which hasn't shown up anywhere yet. So the other day I'm in Wally's and (of course) there's no handgun ammo, but there are 5 40 rd boxes of .223 at a decent price, so I picked them up. As I was walking out, I thought to myself, " You idiot...you just bought 200 rds of ammo for a gun you don't own." Am I crazy, or has anyone else done this?

Mike

[Knight]

I did it inadvertently once, bought a box of production .30-06 off the shelf for my Garand that I just bought a few days prior. Literally hours before I go out shooting, I feel like I'm doing something wrong and I do some research on accepted ammo types for Garands. Gives me chills just thinking about what might have happened had I shot it.

Incidentally, anyone want to buy a 20-round box of Federal 180 gr .30-06?

[Tony Sopranno]

I did it inadvertently once, bought a box of production .30-06 off the shelf for my Garand that I just bought a few days prior. Literally hours before I go out shooting, I feel like I'm doing something wrong and I do some research on accepted ammo types for Garands. Gives me chills just thinking about what might have happened had I shot it.

Incidentally, anyone want to buy a 20-round box of Federal 180 gr .30-06?

I was in Wally's yesterday buying among other things cat litter. I walked past the ammo case and they had nothing but some 17HMR ammo and some .308's.

Crimmie... 17HMR HP's in stock at a good price!

I almost bought some for a little needle gun I have, just to buy some live ammo. But HP's always jam in that gun, I suddenly remembered...

I was like a strung-out crack whore needing an ammo fix. ...It's time to start doing some brass prep-work to calm my nerves a bit. If that fails I can always clean some guns which I hate doing, or whip up some new gun cleaning snake-oil concoction. Then if still jittery, I'll just have to inventory all that gun related paraphernalia I've bought over the past year, and never really used. Oh wait, maybe it's time for that trigger job I've always wanted to do!

[wellerjohn]

Last summer I bought 1000 rds of .40 reloads at a gun show, then bought my XD to shoot them with a couple of weeks later. Seemed normal to me..

[anyracoon]

Most of the time I end up with dies, brass, bullets & conversion kits way before I get the gun.

[Jonathan Doe]

I have about 1,000 rounds of 22 Magnum ammo, and I don't even have a gun for it. I don't know what to do with it.

[11Z50]

Ammo may well become a type of currency. I have always bought as much ammo as I could afford, especially when I come across a deal.

Every time I buy something at wally world, I buy a box or two of whatever ammo is available just so I can check out in sporting goods, where the line is short, if there is a line at all. If you buy a few boxes a week, you'll be amazed at how big your stockpile will get in a short time.

I don't see this as panic buying or paranoia, just smart shopping. Same reason people buy at Costco!

[ar15newbster]

For the last 5 months(while waiting for an AR) I have not only purchased over 1000 rounds of .223 but have also bought reloading equipment and components . Still no AR. Barely started DROS yesterday on a Stagg 2T that I found in stock at DD'S Ranch. Still waiting for another Stagg that was oredered in November with no clue when it will be here.
Can you say BLACK RIFLE DISEASE?

[Alexjr1967]

I just picked up 1000 rnds of wwb in 9mm ... I don't own anything in a 9mm for that matter I don't even own a handgun yet (3 more days glock 22 in dros). but the walmart value packs .... I had to jump on it ... Time to buy a conversion barrel or....?

[Beelzy]

Punk!

Buying all that .223 like that.

[CSACANNONEER]

I have about 1,000 rounds of 22 Magnum ammo, and I don't even have a gun for it. I don't know what to do with it.

I'll loan you a NAA revolver in .22mag. I figure that it should take you about a week or so of constant shooting to shoot it all. Seriously, if you want to play with it, all you have to do is come by and pick it up.

[CSACANNONEER]

I've bought dies for calibers I have never owned. Does that count?

[freonr22]

ive started to get into reloading, purchased powder cause it was on the shelf, thinking ill figure out a way to make it work, got a progressive press, ordered a casefeeder, now i realize the 1929 30-06 prolly isnt going to shoot the ton of rounds im goin to load for it.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=150814

[duck814]

The way things are going, it seems smart to buy ammo before you buy a new gun. It would suck to buy a new gun and have no ammo to shoot it.

[Tony Sopranno]

AN INJECTION OF SOME COMMON SENSE:

There was a significant "primer crisis" previously, after Clinton took office, probably 1994. There was rumored to be planned legislation that primer manufacturers would be required to make and sell only primers that had a shelf life of one or two years. It caused panic among the reloading community at large. Primers and loaded ammo went flying off the shelf. The shortage lasted a year or so...

At some shows (now) people are walking out with cases of ammo. Someone comments that there must be bargains inside. The reply is "No, not really. But if you wanna get it you need to pay their prices." ...Prices that were over $400/thousand -- nearly twice what places like Cabella's are asking -- if they have it, which they generally don't. ... Loaded 223 ammo with bullets under 60 gr is hard to find unless you're willing to spend more per round.

And why don't the manufacturers increase production? Because it takes a major investment in capital/equipment -- and with credit as tight as it is, they won't commit, or can't afford to produce any more. Especially if they believe there is a 'crisis' which will be short lived -- why in hell would they want to invest in added equipment simply to address a demand that will, in time, go away?

No one really knows why there's a shortage, but I strongly suspect that people are, in most cases, just stocking up because of their perceptions of political uncertainties.

It causes a shortage... and others, who only want enough for the year (or less) get panicked and buy it at GunBroker at clearly absurd prices. Others see all of this and decide they need to stockpile too -- a vicious cycle. Once it starts it goes nuts and is out of control in no time at all.