David LaPell writes [via [Ammoland.com]: I recently had a discussion with a gun owner about the availability and cost of ammunition. Only a couple of years ago, it was scarce and expensive — when you could find it. Did he think the availability of conventional ammunition could ever get bad again? He laughed . . .
With Donald Trump in office, gun control laws at the federal level were likely to be impossible. Besides, there was plenty of ammo out there. So what was there to worry about and why bother with ammunition hoarding?
So is ammunition hoarding crisis over? Have we nothing to fear, or are we just lulling ourselves into a false sense of security?
The History We Should Learn From?
Up until the last year or so, the availability of ammunition in many places was scarce, especially for popular calibers like .22 Long Rifle and .22 Magnum. The cost skyrocketed — to put it mildly.
I remember seeing a single fifty round box of Federal .22 Long Rifle ammunition with a price tag of $22 on it. I recall the owner of another shop taking five hundred round bricks of .22 LR, splitting them up and putting a hundred rounds in a Ziplock bag and asking $15 for each bag.
There was a lot of hoarding going on, and a lot of price gouging. There were stories, some true, of big box store employees hiding ammo for their friends, while many people tried to hunt down what they could just to have on hand.
We now seem to be in a time of ammunition plenty. Even here in New York, I can get as much .22 LR ammo and other caliber ammunition for reasonable prices.
You can find .22 Magnum ammunition again when a little more than a year and a half ago, I didn’t see a box of it on a shelf anywhere for over six months.
No one is rushing out to line up at the local big box store waiting to see when the truck delivers the ammunition so they can get their three boxes. But we should be very mindful that those times can very quickly come back again.
To Horde or Not to Hoard?
While “hoard” may seem like a mean, selfish word, gun owners shouldn’t wait to a political or physical disaster to buy “spare” ammunition.
I don’t mean gun owners should run out and grab every box of ammo they can afford and/or carry. Panic buying is part of what got us into the mess of high prices and no ammunition in the first place, and there’s only so much ammunition you can store/use/sell.
But a sensible gun owner should always have plenty of “extra” ammo on hand.
If you have a .22 Long Rifle, I can’t tell you how much stored ammunition you should have at all times. That depends on how much you and your family shoot and your idea of how long any future ammo-buying difficulty might last.
I would indeed have more than a couple of hundred rounds stored-up. The same goes for .22 Magnum. 9mm? .45? That too. And certainly I’d keep a thousand of so cartridges of any less mainstream caliber your firearms require.
How hard is it to build up a supply? Not hard at all. When you go to the gun shop and you have a few extra dollars in your pocket, grab a box of ammo while you’re there.
Paying a few dollars here and now is better than paying three or four times that much if you really need it and there are ten guys after the same box. It is like investing in your IRA, a little at at time pays off big.
The Next Ammo Shortage Could be Worse
What at one time might have been far-fetched, is now becoming more like a probability that, eventually, somewhere at some time in this country, there will be another ammunition shortage. And it could be sooner than you think.
In a couple of years we may well endure another change in power in Washington, swinging, perhaps wildly, to the anti-gun rights left. They already have ammo in their legislative sights.
Consider the new ammo buying laws in California, where it’s no longer legal to have ammo delivered to your door, where residents will soon have to have a background check for each and every ammunition purchase.
It could be a sign of things to come. Especially if you live in New York, where the same provisions lie (temporarily?) dormant in the SAFE Act.
The new terms and conditions will drive up the price of ammo. And create the possibility of limiting ammunition purchases. Choke the supply, increase the demand (by choking the supply), and prices go soaring. Again. Only worse.
You make an emergency kit with food and water stored in case of a disaster. You [should] put snow tires on your car when winter comes. You put smoke detectors in your house in case of a fire. Why wouldn’t you at least keep some ammunition aside?
You don’t wait until you’re in an emergency before you secure the means to deal with it. I say ammunition hoarding is a good thing and I plan to keep stocking up. You?
David LaPell has been a Corrections Officer with the local Sheriff’s Department for thirteen years. A collector of antique and vintage firearms for over twenty years and an avid hunter. David has been writing articles about firearms, hunting and western history for ten years. In addition to having a passion for vintage guns, he is also a fan of old trucks and has written articles on those as well.
You had your hair done? New shoes? New dress? New nails? Damn it just freakin tell me!!!!!
Oh sorry RF had flashbacks to my ex wife saying “Notice anything new?”
I keep a healthy stock of my big 5. 5.56, 7.62×51, 7.62×39, 9mm, 300blk. I reload for a few calibers for milsurps, but if it starts to get ugly, I’ll add some of my calibers I normally buy rather than reload.
That mole… that mole…. that MOLE!!!
In an interview, Helen Mirren said, “It is a ghost story. I mean…I don’t think that it’s an anti-gun movie, as such. It’s an anti-making-money-off-the-sale-of-armaments movie.”
Californian here. Before our new ammo laws, I kept around 1,000 rounds of each of the five calibers I shoot regularly. After the passage of the new ammo laws, but before they went into effect, I bought around 22,000 rounds of ammo. Over two thirds of that is centerfire. Now I’m getting into reloading. I always advocate buying it cheap and stacking it deep. If another round of panic buying happened, I would be fine.
Absolutely hoard. Buy up in the cheap times, let a little out onto the market in the hard times. I would rather hoard ammo than gold and silver.
It’s universal currency.
I likely have enough in various calibers to put food on the table for the rest of my life, I may stop when there is enough for my kids’ lives. My grandkids will probably be on their own. Buy now, save later!
I fear, according to the anti’s including a lot of LEO Chiefs, I has me an arsenal. More than 30 different guns. But I also has a supply of ammo for a small country. 😉
Online ammo sales and live in Ohio so no special permission state issued card. Have 5,000 round alone of 762X54R, really need to find me a Dragunov. Maybe I went overboard a bit. For a few years a spam can was under 100 bucks. 10 cans plus adds up. Also surplus 5.56 ammo for a while.
I am not a hoarder. I just like to collect shiny little tube shaped pointy things.
A recent email from a popular online ammo distributor suggested that firearms/ammo suppliers across the country stocked as much as they could in anticipation of a Hillary presidency that failed to materialize. Once the current surplus — and attendant lower prices — is back to normal, increases in metal prices will drive prices up again, probably this spring.
I maintain a full pantry of vittles and a healthy retirement account, but I consider it prudence, not “hoarding.”
Reloading is the ultimate in hoarding.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcE0aAhbVFc
Centerfire ammo keeps for decades, probably for a lifetime, especially military ammo, which is sealed against moisture better than civilian ammo.
I’ve heard that rimfire ammo doesn’t keep nearly as long, but does anyone know how long rimfire ammo keeps? I still have plenty of rimfire ammo I’d stockpiled back in early 2012 when it was cheap, before the panic hit.
I have some .22LR that my dad bought 40 years ago. It still shoots fine.
I think it makes sense to store it in air-tight containers and keep out of humid environments.
This very much. I’m in a humid climate (Portland area) and a lot of the 22 ammo that I bought during the drought that are just in cardboard containers is nigh worthless now. Seriously about 30% failure to fire rate on some of the boxes and they’re less than 5 years old- and that’s my good ammo, not aguila or armscor.
The stuff that’s in sealed plastic containers bought around the same time is fine.
I have people give me really old ammo that was their father’s, etc; except for one round that was corroded, it ALL went bang, including rim fire. As with lots of things, storage conditions; moderate temperature and humidity. Have used lots of 50 year old Remington 22’s with zero issues, for instance.
“hoard” is just a meaningless deliberate personal insult. Save such insults for directing at progtards
Buy a 100 rounds a week. Shotgun, 22lr, 9mm, 45ACP, whatever. Then buy what your going to shoot when you go shooting. You can stockpile a fair amount this way. Only you know what your comfort level will be.
Stock up now, boys and girls, and build your inventory while prices are reasonable ’cause you never know.
Define hoarding. I was a Boy Scout. I call it being prepared.
A production quality that’s roughly 4 billion times better than ours?
Groucho Marx told the story of visiting W.C. Fields and that his attic was full of booze.
Groucho said “Bill, prohibition has been over for years”.
“But it may come back….” said Fields.
True that…..
Purchased a 49/56 CA 308 conversion in the 90s and love it. Virtually never jams, super reliable. I know many of the CA conversion were horrible….I got lucky. I have a scope mount on it with a 44mm 4X scope on it. Makes a wonderful hog hunt rifle. Tight shot groups at 100m. Can’t say enough good things about it. Haven’t found an ammo that jams it up. From cheapest TUL to Federal Vital Shok. Until it breaks and can’t get parts, will use it over an AR-10 for pig hunting any day. Hefty rifle but same weight/length as an AR-10 (predicated on barrel you use of course)
She’s shooting cup and saucer without a cover garment, when it’s about concealed. She also gets her shirt caught when holstering. The IWB strap is missing, but she’s not carrying IWB so it makes sense to remove it.
The crossdraw guy, he’s got a terrible grip too as already noted. And his pistol isn’t fully holstered when he goes to draw.
The Asian…didn’t see anything noteworthy other than he looked afraid.
And someone didn’t police their .223/5.56 brass at the range.
But really, a few seconds in and I saw the unpolished, untied combat boots, and this old NCO just couldn’t get past that. The sergeant voice in my head just screamed “UNFUCKYOURSELFPRIVATE!” and I’m not actually sure that was in my head.
If I have the space to store it and the money to buy it. ( or in my case buy reloading components) I say stack it cheap and deep.
The mole is on the right … now it’s on the left … now it’s on the right
Madness?
In a time of darkness, a blind man is your best guide. In a time of madness,
Look to the madman to guide you.
When she closed the door the Carrera had transmogrified into a Jaguar
No Glock mags in their guns….
I think I may be a stockpile, not a hoarder.
Just scored another couple hundred rounds of .375 H&H.
I probably have more than I’ll shoot, but it was free, so what the heck?
Tom, where can one score couple hundred of free rounds?
WTF Farago?
“vaguely Indian/Pakistani man emerging from a Jag”??
Thought that was a vaguely Jewish man: y’all look the same, after all. Is that your point, Farago?? xD
Maintain AT LEAST a 3-5 year supply of all your calibers at whatever rate you normally shoot. That’s reasonable and you can withstand any droughts without without overpaying and without curtailing your shooting activities. Especially center fire ammo. It will last manydecades if stored properly. Rimfire ammo needs a little more attention but quality stuff will easiy remain reliable for 20 years or more.
Other than that, load up whenever you see a deal.
For once I watched the video…and I’m sorry😩😖😟😧
His gun magic ly turned in to a hammer fired gun @ the 0:50 mark; In the holster close up shots they’re all striker fired pistols
I don’t know anything about bird hunting, but have to wonder why the victim was downrange of another shooter (who he knew was there).
Also have to wonder why anyone would want a damned goose.
In other gun/cop news three Utah County Sheriff’s deputies were shot, one fatally, in Colo Springs this afternoon.
“Mr. Meyer told Fox he was glad to share his story because “people don’t hear enough good stories from responsible, gun-owning people.”
…no fault of yours, Nine, but that is precisely what he meant.
🤠
Why would anyone remain living in Massachusetts, or any other Liberal Nazi state. Leave! Now! Trust me, you will foind a job in another state that allows people to be free.
Gasp! Will no one think of the children and pass a law against this heinous caliber of war that has no legitimate sporting purpose?!?
(do I really need a sarc tag?)
A fair way to handle this would be to call 911.
“.9mm Still Deadly!”
9mm. FIFY.
Psychological issues is one reason. Stuff just isn’t getting treated, instead you get an award just for showing up.
Pharmaceuticals is another. Too many side effects.
And finally, yes, bullies. And no, you’re not allowed to defend yourself anymore, you get in trouble for that. So these kids take it until they snap.
I have found the source for these weapons of micro destruction:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060397/
Ya’ know I commented on a FB gun page about .9mm…dude didn’t get my funny. “What is your point sir?” And it’s EVERYWHERE. Duh 😩😖😟😧
Never happened…I mean it’s obvious that this guy doesn’t do 3 hours of crossfit a day, so how in the world was he able to successfully use his firearm in defense of anyone?
Uh…yeah, that was sarcasm for those of you who haven’t had that morning coffee yet.
> We now seem to be in a time of ammunition plenty. Even here in New York, I can get as much .22 LR ammo >and other caliber ammunition for reasonable prices.
RF has moved from Texas to New York?
“Police subsequently recovered a .9 mm handgun, loaded with the exception of one bullet”
Does this mean a round in the chamber, full -1 in the magazine?
what is a .9 that is 1/10th of a 9mm or 1mm pretty big gun for bullet size
‘But we didn’t have high-powered machine guns when this all started.’
Sure we did. You just didn’t know about it; and turns out, like the Men in Black say, you were happier about not knowing. But ignorance or denial of reality doesn’t change anything.
But we didn’t have high-powered machine guns when this all started.’”
Unless you lived before 1886, you likey did your dad chose not to buy one, and that is no excuse to deny us the right to own one.
Gun control is anti American… period.
No go and whine about something else leftist.
If you read it in Rolling Stone that’s a pretty good indication that it never happened.
Yesterday, I had never heard of her. Today, after ten years of struggling in Nashville and her career going nowhere, she shoots her mouth off in a publicity stunt. She’s just aiming for a career jump start, probably crossing over to pop music.
Pass!
If I am ever asked to leave a place open to the public because I exercise my 2nd amendment rights I will sue the establishment. If gay person can sue a bakery for refusing to make them a wedding cake then a legal cwp holder can sue for being denied their constitutional right. It is time to go on the offense with these gun free zone businesses and let them hire attorneys and pay fines and penalties for blatantly denying constitutional rights of citizens.
As a New Englander who values my rights protected by the 2A, any gun with ‘Yonkers, NY’ on the slide is a double hell-no.
Take the $100 gift card and use it to feed five homeless citizens.
Its not hoarding, it is investing. Taking a page from the bankers, use dollar cost averaging theory (purchase a diverse group of stocks on a regular basis). When I need 800 rnds, I buy 1000 and set the extra 200 aside. Repeat every month and bingo, you are set and after 5 years you are in good shape. No clearing off the selves of wally world, no paying too much, etc…
1) Guns save a lot more than they kill
2) Gun owners are generally friendly and responsible people. If you don’t believe me, go to a shooting class.
3) Gun safety is for everyone, whereas gun owning/carrying is not.
How does the porting take away from the utility of the revolver?
There already is a port, the barrel to cylinder gap.
“. . . it also generates a blinding flash of light on either side of the gun in low to no-light conditions.”
Are ported guns really that bright? Does it matter with that short of a barrel? Seems to me that if you’re in that dark of a place for long enough to let your eyes adjust, you’re in the category of stupid places with stupid people at stupid times.
Regardless of that, you’re shooting someone that you can’t see, which means you presumably don’t need to see him, right? Unless you’re an irresponsible punk shooting at shadows.
I just don’t get the real-life situation here or the reasoning behind this . . . maybe someone can enlighten me.
No they are not. I have a ported .45ACP Taurus Tracker with a 4″ barrel. The fireball upon shooting isn’t any larger or more obnoxious than any other fireball from any other 4″ revolver I own.
Folks make big assumptions about this based on “common sense” I guess. Same “common sense” that brings us such splendid gun control suggestions.
Waiting for the “Maybe if it comes in 10mm” comment….