Ammo

[vmonkey]

It seems every 4 years or so we have an ammo shortage. This latest shortage does seem like the worst one to me; maybe a combination of a nation wide shortage and CA's limitation on buying online.

I feel sorry for new gun owners and more casual shooters. They are truly limited in options for training. My buddy just bought his first gun at age 50. He told me he has 2 boxes of ammo that cost him $60 (I think). I'm not sure if that is target ammo or self defense but how does one familiar with this new tool when you can't really shoot it (let alone improve). If he only has target ammo, he's at a bit of a disadvantage for self-defense...

My wife is clueless on the situation. She made a comment like "you couldn't just go to NV and buy?" I told her about the empty shelves at the Reno Cabelas and the Bass Pro in OR. While I am fortunate to have been stocking up when I could buy online, I will use this conversation as the "go ahead" to pick up when I can.

[the86d]

Bass pro in Vegas "IS" CLEANED OUT... like NOTHING there at all, but some odd-balls I have never heard of...

They DID have a couple people looking at those scary pistol gripped pew-pew rifles though...
but THEY don't have a problem with them, only politicians that don't look at actual FBI murder data... do... ... ...

[edgerly779]

Buy a pellet gun or airsoft closest to model you shoot and practice. Your hand to eye co-ordination will improve. Lots fun also get some flipping/ spinning bb gun or 22 targets.

[the86d]

Buy a pellet gun or airsoft closest to model you shoot and practice. Your hand to eye co-ordination will improve. Lots fun also get some flipping/ spinning bb gun or 22 targets.

I did this last shortage, and we had a blast with self-cocking single-hand crossbows, air rifles (pellet mostly), re-curve bows and such in the back yard.

LOTS of fun...

[harbormaster]

Anyone buying a first gun for defense today - God I hope they are steered towards a shotgun because with limited practice its the easiest to use. The ammo still relatively affordable and available too. My advise to all others is to buy what you can, accumulate what ammo you can, and wait on the training until its more reasonable. Its not like the zombie apocalypses just started and the hoards aren't hitting peaceful neighborhoods yet. Do the part you can - if you can accumulate do that.

[Rob454]

It seems every 4 years or so we have an ammo shortage. This latest shortage does seem like the worst one to me; maybe a combination of a nation wide shortage and CA's limitation on buying online.

I feel sorry for new gun owners and more casual shooters. They are truly limited in options for training. My buddy just bought his first gun at age 50. He told me he has 2 boxes of ammo that cost him $60 (I think). I'm not sure if that is target ammo or self defense but how does one familiar with this new tool when you can't really shoot it (let alone improve). If he only has target ammo, he's at a bit of a disadvantage for self-defense...

My wife is clueless on the situation. She made a comment like "you couldn't just go to NV and buy?" I told her about the empty shelves at the Reno Cabelas and the Bass Pro in OR. While I am fortunate to have been stocking up when I could buy online, I will use this conversation as the "go ahead" to pick up when I can.

I just bought air guns in the style of guns I have a d I practice with those in my garage. I have t gone shooting except for some shotgun but I reload a lot more shotgun than rifle or pistol even though I load those too occasionally.

A air gun be it rifle or pistol in the same model as you have for defense is the best way to keep training. You can also train with snap caps just to keep or develop muscle memory.

[whutsup40]

Anyone buying a first gun for defense today - God I hope they are steered towards a shotgun because with limited practice its the easiest to use. The ammo still relatively affordable and available too. My advise to all others is to buy what you can, accumulate what ammo you can, and wait on the training until its more reasonable. Its not like the zombie apocalypses just started and the hoards aren't hitting peaceful neighborhoods yet. Do the part you can - if you can accumulate do that.

Don't know where you are but shotgun ammo is almost no where to be found and if you do they are charging you your arm or leg!! lol Even shotgun reloading supplies are scarce!!

[the86d]

I just bought air guns in the style of guns I have a d I practice with those in my garage. I have t gone shooting except for some shotgun but I reload a lot more shotgun than rifle or pistol even though I load those too occasionally.

A air gun be it rifle or pistol in the same model as you have for defense is the best way to keep training. You can also train with snap caps just to keep or develop muscle memory.

BE ADVISED: MY Beeman break-barrel 1000 FPS .177 Pellet airgun can put a Crossman Premier 7.9gr domed pellet THROUGH (side to side) a 2-liter capped-bottle of water, and the end to end test showed it WOULD work well as a "bad decision, breaking-in re-evaluator" if in flesh... ... ... and legal to use for SD in my city/sphere of influence.

A life-long friend of mine got a semi-auto shotgun recently, and said he didn't want to kill in intruder, just defend his family and kids...
He doesn't know even a bird-shot shell at 7 yards spreads only ~7-inches... AND at ~7YD the bad-guy would suffer exponentially-worse wounds, than say a 9mm, or a 40 Cal J-HP...

[CWL]

He doesn't know even a bird-shot shell at 7 yards spreads only ~7-inches... AND at ~7YD the bad-guy would suffer exponentially-worse wounds, than say a 9mm, or a 40 Cal J-HP...

Not even close to "exponential"

Birdshot (say #7.5) wouldn't penetrate more than 4" while 9mm and .40sw JHPs would generally penetrate the FBI recommended minimum 12"-18".

BG hit with birdshot might suffer an ugly surface wound but 9mm & .40sw would penetrate to depth that would destroy organs & shut down CNS.

[Librarian]

Not even close to "exponential"

Birdshot (say #7.5) wouldn't penetrate more than 4" while 9mm and .40sw JHPs would generally penetrate the FBI recommended minimum 12"-18".

BG hit with birdshot might suffer an ugly surface wound but 9mm & .40sw would penetrate to depth that would destroy organs & shut down CNS.

AND, legally, it would still be using a deadly weapon so no benefit there from birdshot, and for myself I cannot understand choosing to use something less effective if 'shooting someone to protect my family' would be the right thing to do in that circumstance.

[whutsup40]

No bird shot in any of mine!! You break in and you will not be walking out period!!!!

[ZapThyCat]

Not even close to "exponential"

Birdshot (say #7.5) wouldn't penetrate more than 4" while 9mm and .40sw JHPs would generally penetrate the FBI recommended minimum 12"-18".

BG hit with birdshot might suffer an ugly surface wound but 9mm & .40sw would penetrate to depth that would destroy organs & shut down CNS.

Maybe not exponential... but can you imagine the surgeon trying to clean that wound? The recovery, if he did survive, would be a nightmare.

Of course, then you get sued...

[the86d]

Not even close to "exponential"

Birdshot (say #7.5) wouldn't penetrate more than 4" while 9mm and .40sw JHPs would generally penetrate the FBI recommended minimum 12"-18".

BG hit with birdshot might suffer an ugly surface wound but 9mm & .40sw would penetrate to depth that would destroy organs & shut down CNS.

Maybe not exponential... but can you imagine the surgeon trying to clean that wound? The recovery, if he did survive, would be a nightmare...

~1 1/8oz #8 = ~492.1875 grains of lead shot going 1000+ FPS is substantially more, even if a ~7" of spread, while not penetrating as much, w/~4x as much scattered lead as a 124gr 9mm, or just under 4x for .40 ACP I last bought for him... during our prior range trip, before Cali had ammo restrictions...

https://youtu.be/zaR1EVybUgc?t=8m0s

More nerve endings a'tingling from surface/skin-wounds, so he got that right as far as bad-idea deterrent/notice would be taken upon flesh-entry...

[deckhandmike]

Bird shot? You guys are special. Dove shake off #7 and fly away. Let me say that again, it’s not a sure bet on a quail, let alone a mighty dove. Can’t even reliably kill a turkey with normal birdshot. Go shoot some live meat for real world experience. You can kill a pig with 9mm.

No hunter (person who actually kills stuff) would ever use birdshot for self defense. It’s laughable.

[harbormaster]

Choosing

AND, legally, it would still be using a deadly weapon so no benefit there from birdshot, and for myself I cannot understand choosing to use something less effective if 'shooting someone to protect my family' would be the right thing to do in that circumstance.