.40 Smith & Wesson S&W ammunition
Josh Wayner for TTAG
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We talked to a prominent upper midwest firearms retailer yesterday who confirms what this press release from Ammo.com reports. In addition to food, water and Kleenex, Americans are stocking up on guns and ammunition as Coronavirus blooms multiply around the country.

The retailer we talked to said he’s seeing a noticeable uptick in sales as the news of COVID-19 infections expands. But we wouldn’t have guessed that the caliber that’s seen the biggest increase — at least according to Ammo.com — would be .40 S&W.

From Ammo.com . . .

As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) hits the US, it’s not just hand sanitizer and flu medications that are flying off the shelves. While Walmart and Target are running out of emergency essentials and “currently unavailable” is popping up on various Amazon searches, the rush to be prepared has also reached the ammunition industry.

Recent analysis shows that online ammunition retailer, Ammo.com, has seen a significant increase in conversions and sales since February 23, 2020. The company reports that this surge corresponds with the public concern regarding the COVID-19 virus. According to Google Trends, starting on February 23, American interest over time (the site’s measurement matrix) of the term “coronavirus” has quadrupled, increasing from 22 to 100.

When compared to the 11 days before February 23 (February 12 to 22), in the 11 days after (February 23 to March 4), Ammo.com’s number of transactions increased 68% and the company has seen a conversation rate increase of 45%.

Alex Horsman, the marketing manager at Ammo.com, said of the surge, “We know certain things impact ammo sales, mostly political events or economic instability when people feel their rights may end up infringed, but this is our first experience with a virus leading to such a boost in sales.” Horsman continued, “But it makes sense. A lot of our customers like to be prepared. And for many of them, it’s not just facemasks and TheraFlu. It’s knowing that no matter what happens, they can keep themselves and their families safe.”

When it comes to actual sales, Ammo.com’s increase varied among calibers and brands. Calibers that saw the largest increase include:

Top sales increases in brands went to MBI ammo with a 179% increase and Federal ammo at 176%. Other significant growth included:

Sales also varied by state, with North Carolina and Georgia coming in with the largest increase (179% and 169% respectively). These were closely followed by Pennsylvania (140%) and Texas (128%). Other states that saw a big boom are:

The company also mentioned that the price of gold has started to rise (5.35% in the last 30 days), which tends to correlate with an increase in the sales of ammunition. Interested parties can learn more about the connection through the company’s infographic: Are Guns and Ammo the New Gold?, a 2011 data study.

ABOUT AMMO.COM

Ammo.com is an American retail online ammunition store that offers great prices, fast shipping, and live American customer support. It also uses a real-time inventory management system that keeps the site constantly up-to-date on stock, ensuring no surprises come checkout.

The company provides an array of information and resources in its Resistance Library. Ammo.com’s mission is to arm Americans, both physically and philosophically, to fulfill the Founding Fathers’ intent with the Second Amendment, to protect the country from its government by keeping the state in check. That’s why it’s known as America’s Pro-Freedom Ammo Source. Follow Ammo.com on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram.

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198 COMMENTS

  1. What is up with panic buying? Are people planning to shoot their neighbors just to stay healthy? SMH

    • That’s the idea. When the people who say the virus is fake run outa food they are gonna try and take it. You gotta buss a cap in dat ass

        • Moron, that one is so old and busted that even Facebook labeled it fake news. You need to update your talking points.

        • the travel bans and quarantines are just practice for when a real pandemic rears its head.
          8billion? shut up already.

        • Pop a cap in Scarbough ass for that lie, the piece of white trash. Or just poke his but cheek with an ice pick, they should both make it hard for him to sit for a week or so.

        • (You mean people like Donald Trump)

          Anyone who repeats THAT little “fake news” morsel reported by CNN and MSNBC (almost like they planned it?) is just another low information, useful idiot… I would suggest to anyone who feels that primal urge to look like a fool on a string that you should at the very least go to the actual source that is being quoted where millions of people heard exactly what POTUS said and understood exactly what he meant in the context that Mr. Scarborough conveniently failed to convey to his small group of weak minded followers……

        • Hey, Fortyniner, your TDS is showing! “TRUMP BAD!” Do you sometimes think about anything else? Not ever? It must be terrible way to live…

        • “ President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, falsely claimed on Friday that the coronavirus “is contained” in the US. Another senior Trump official, counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway, made a similar though slightly less definitive claim, saying that the virus “is being contained.”

          Facts First: Experts say the US has not come close to containing the coronavirus. They also say the small number of tests conducted in the United States so far has prevented the government from getting an accurate picture of how widespread the virus truly is.
          “In the US it is the opposite of contained,” said Harvard University epidemiology professor Marc Lipsitch, director of Harvard’s Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics. “It is spreading so efficiently in so many places that it may be difficult to stop.”
          “In my scientific opinion and based on the available information, the situation is not contained,” said Aubree Gordon, associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Michigan.”

        • “The president responded to whether U.S. schools should prepare for the virus:
          “I think every aspect of our society should be prepared. I don’t think it’s going to come to that, especially with the fact that we’re going down, not up. We’re going very substantially down, not up. But, yeah, I think schools should be preparing and, you know, get ready just in case.” He added: “We have it so well under control. I mean, we really have done a very good job.”

          His claim about cases “going very substantially down” was false and contradicted what the secretary of health and human services and a top official from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had said moments earlier in the same news conference: that they expected “more cases.”

        • Can we banhammer Miner’s commie ass already? He keep posting quotes without citation as if they were argument and regurgitates lies so blatant that even Facebook had to label them fake news.

        • “I don’t think it’s going to come to that, especially with the fact that we’re going down, not up. We’re going very substantially down, not up.”

          Sergei, do you honestly believe that the number of cases in the United States is going down, as Trump claims?

          Or do you believe that President Trump did not claim the number of cases are going down?

        • Okay, you just continue to run your head with a bunch of shit that has nothing to do with your initial post proving what? In the grand scheme of things nothing you say will make one bit of difference, just like it makes no difference to you that all the folks that died in Wash state were in the same facility and all had critical respiratory illnesses before the virus or that every other death attributed to the virus in the U.S. were in the same shape… The fact of the matter Is simple, if you are going to get sick you’ll get sick, if not you won’t and if you are too weak and too old to fight it you will probably die.. It doesn’t matter that all of a sudden you’ve become enamored with searching for actual facts but while you’re at it you could look up all the shit Trump and his people have done to help stem the spread of this virus AND prevent the panic that the media and the Democrats are attempting to foment, (ooops sorry that would be heresy to the party). Bottom line, nobody gives a damn what you say or how much you skew the context of other peoples statements, you are only marking yourself as a left wing libtard wasting whatever credibility you might have had on bullshit that nobody cares about so when and if something that really matters comes along no one is going to give a shit what you have to say… It probably doesn’t help that everything you’ve posted appears as a response to the original bullshit lie that you posted to start this…. TRUMP/PENCE 2020-24-28-32-36————————————

        • “nobody gives a damn what you say or how much you skew the context of other peoples statements”

          I am not posting what I think, but rather the actual statements of Trump and his administration.

          I am not ‘skewing’ these quotes in anyway, just letting their own words speak for themselves.

          It is unfortunate that the current administration is seemingly oblivious to the reality of the situation, and worse, is attempting to convince citizens that the number of cases is dropping when the evidence is to the contrary.

          Again I ask, do you not believe that Trump made public statements that the number of cases in the US is dropping?

          And do you, like trump, actually think that the number of cases in the United States is less now than it was a week ago?

        • “TRUMP/PENCE 2020-24-28-32-36”

          Either you are math-challenged or you’re advocating that trump/pence ignore the constitution of the United States of America and serve more than two terms each as specified in our Constitution.

          Do you believe ignoring the constitution’s term limits is patriotic?

          Or do you just yearn for a king?

        • Are you REALLY so brain dead that you can’t recognize a simple fucking joke or is that commie “hate everything that mentions the BAD ORANGE MAN” gene so deeply embedded in your little brain that it blinds you to everything else and you just automatically attack anyone and anything that mentions the current and future (for the next four years, 10 months and 14 days) POTUS Donald J. Trump and does not contain some kind of hate filled bullshit tirade…. I’m truly going to enjoy this brief time in history because it must seem like an eternity to assholes like you.. Just imagine a strict Constitutionalist 9th Circuit majority, AND a Conservative majority in the SCOTUS for the next 30/40 years.. All of your bullshit rants and attacks on EVERYTHING Trump won’t change the inevitable….. let’s see (D Trump 20, D Trump Jr 24/28, Ivanka 32/36, Eric 40/44 and Barron 48/52) that should do it… If I had felt the need to spend as much time and energy on everything Obama/Biden did to fuck this country over for their own personal gain as you do TRUMP, I would have probably just had a 10 mm snack to end my own misery (hint, hint caliber optional)… But, by all means continue your little personal clown show (you can be quite entertaining) and keep looking over your shoulder wouldn’t want that nasty Corona thing sneaking up on you…. Happy Trails HATER, see you in the funny papers…

        • Now this is priceless…watching AstroTurf commies ague with real commies, and the real commies even defending Facebook as a credible news filter, while pretending to support the 2nd Amendment.. You can’t this kind of entertainment ma unplaced online😂.

        • First, I got to know, how did Obama fuck this country over for his own personal gain?
          Details, please. I mean, did he overcharged the Secret Service hundreds of thousands of dollars for staying in this hotels?

          You know, I’m beginning to understand why you Trump supporters have trouble grasping the true nature of reality. When Trump himself edits video, and posts it in an attempt to rewrite history, it’s easy to see how Trump supporters are so confused.

          “Donald Trump retweeted an edited video of Joe Biden seemingly endorsing Trump for president, and responded with “I agree with Joe!”
          In a speech in Kansas City, former vice president Biden said, “We can only re-elect Donald Trump if, in fact, we get engaged in this circular firing squad here.”
          However, Dan Scavino, Assistant to the President and Director of Social Media at the White House, tweeted an edited and misleading video of Biden that showed him saying: “We can only re-elect Donald Trump.”

          Is this what you mean when you talk about someone ‘skewing’ a quote to fit their narrative?

        • You claimed that Trump called the Corona virus a hoax. That is patently untrue. Doubling down with more irrelevant bullshit doesn’t make your original claim true. Moreover, your original claim was so false that FACEBOOK called it false.

        • Miner49er says:
          March 6, 2020 at 14:16

          “people who say the virus is fake”

          You mean people like Donald Trump?

          Only morons believe this…

    • Ballistic Idiot,

      I am not planning to shoot anyone for any reason. I am PREPARED to shoot anyone who poses an imminent, credible threat of death or grievous bodily harm to me and/or my family.

      It is possible (although I believe very unlikely) that covid-19 virus could cause such widespread and prolonged disruption of supplies that neighbors who run out of supplies could become so desperate as to attempt armed robbery of neighbors who still have supplies. Since that is a possibility, many people believe it is prudent to be prepared in case that comes to pass.

      I believe THAT is why many people are arming up: not so they can attack their neighbors, rather so that they can defend themselves from their neighbors if their neighbors attack.

      • It’s not even really for defending yourself against desperate neighbors. I’d give some food to all the neighbors I know, if they needed it. I’d rather last two months feeding neighbors than last six while my neighbors starve. If I starve because I tried to help others, I’ll deal with it. My hope is in Christ and the Resurrection at any rate.

        I do have guns and ammo to defend my family and friends from violent criminals.

        I guess I contributed a bit to this rush. I placed an order for some .223 and 7.62×39 ammo this week. I already had a reasonable supply but thought it wouldn’t hurt to add a bit more.

        • I bought 2 AKs I’d been lusting after and ammo. Also some 6.5 Grendel, you know, for the weekend.

        • +1 on being a good neighbor
          I am trying to stock up myself – searching for .000009mm ammo so I can kill the virus directly, but the smallest I find mention of is .9mm and even that does not appear to be commercially available.

        • First build a small precision zip gun then get a coil of 0.011 mm stainless steel wire, cut to appropriate length grab a huge ass electron microscope and happy hunting…

        • I ordered a 1260 round case of 7.62×39 brass last night because that’s what my Windham AR likes to eat, I had no idea folks were panic buying, I just needed some good brass stuff for my rifle. My brother had suggested some 45 ammo but I’ve got a big ass plastic bin of that stuff and I could start my own 9 mm store so if I contributed to the panic, my bad? Not…. Just doing what I would have done regardless of the presence of (or not) some “killer” virus…. If you need it buy it, hell if you don’t need it and just want it, buy it anyway… You can NEVER have too much gun chow on hand…..

        • Maxx, I went with Barnauls steel cased hps. I’ll let you know how it shoots. Rob Ski on YouTube raved about it’s cost effectiveness.

        • sometimes cost just is not a factor, 38 cents a round including shipping 63 pounds of ammo ordered Fri scheduled for Sun delivery and $30.00 sales tax does not fall outside of my comfort zone for brass ammo, but I still use steel case (silver bear) for my AKs.. Always interested in new stuff… want to try some red army, but will NEVER use wolf again (split cases get old quick)… tula is okay but not for the Windham…

        • “I’d rather last two months feeding neighbors than last six while my neighbors starve”

          Well said! Having friendly neighbors is a huge quality of life in good times, in bad times it could be life or death.

      • “Be Polite…Be Professional…Have a Plan to kill Everyone You Meet”. Gen. James N.” Mad Dog” Mattis
        I too do not Plan to shoot anyone…I will shoot Everyone who attempts to take or harm what is mine. As far as panic buying ammo. Not needed here. My plan has been executed since the SARS and Swine flu viruses. Mother nature is the smartest and most evil of all threats We face. One which will eventually Win.
        When Humanity Dies…It will be with a Whimper…Not a Scream

        • Marines know how to break shit and hurt people. A person needs to think long and hard before they create a situation that turns the Marines loose.

    • Well, they were throwing rocks and bottles at a cruise ship docked in California yesterday so who knows what people in the FREE world are thinking…..

    • I don’t buy much ammo. I stocked up somewhat recently with news of all this. Not because I expect the world to end but because I expect all sorts of disruptions and it makes a lot more sense to have a supply on-hand. Plus, ammo is pretty cheap and probably won’t be as the typical lead-in to the election happens.

      • The election ramp up will = price increases. Of equal concern is transportation disruption if a bunch of folks get sick. Forget ammo deliveries.

        • I found last couple of boxes of Hornady Z-max .224 projectiles on sale about a year ago. They shoot great, since they are A-max with a green tip.

      • Yeah, I’ve been doing a lot of walking lately.

        Plenty of people to talk to, give them a hand with their efforts. You know, a little technical assistance.

        • “Let me guess… and Pwrserge is Mother Abagail?;-)”

          Serge would make an *excellent* ‘Trash Can Man’, and he could detonate the Neutron Bomb our Possum is building in his burrow… 😉

        • It’s not over yet, there’s already a more deadly and more virulent strain mutation in China… Give the assholes in charge time they will eventually get what they’ve been working on for decades… In the past 20 years no less than a dozen never before heard of viruses have appeared but failed to take hold robbing groups like WHO and CDC from blowing in all heroic and shit and saving the world from the devastating pandemic they’ve been predicting for as long as I can remember…

        • The resident of 666 5th Ave, Babylon on the Hudson, of the lineage of King David.

          “The curtains flew then he appeared…saying don’t be afraid… “

  2. Just what we need, more people buying in to this hype. Notice how this is taking airtime away from the flu, which has killed way more people in this country than covid-19 ever will.

    • bryan1980,

      And you know for a fact that covid-19 virus will cause a trivial number of fatalities and lost productivity days compared to influenza because … ???

      Here are three simple facts that are worthy of significant concern:
      (1) The overall fatality rate is around 2%. I suspect the fatality rate for reasonably healthy people under the age of 60 will be roughly the same as influenza, perhaps around 0.1%??? (Editorial comment: I am well under 60 years of age and very healthy — last year I was literally on death’s door — no joking — with influenza.)
      (2) This covid-19 virus appears to be significantly more contagious that influenza. Note the many instances where a single person infects their entire family and multiple neighbors and co-workers.
      (3) There are no vaccinations and no anti-viral medications for covid-19 virus. That means it could spread far more prolifically than influenza and be far more fatal.

      Even if covid-19 virus only causes 1/3 the deaths of influenza (and that is pure speculation at this point), that is still a significant impact on society.

      • DHS said the mortality rate could be anywhere from 0.1 to 1 percent. To put that into perspective the revised death rate for the 1919 Spanish flu was about. 0.7%. I actually think that we had a more robust society in 1919.

        If you want to make an analogy to the flu, it’s the flu before 1940 when we didn’t not have antibiotics. The only reason the flu is no big deal today is antibiotics and vaccines for flu and pneumonia. Prior to to these medical advances flu was a big deal.

        • Antibiotics kill bacteria not viruses. Flu/influenza/Corona are viral not bacterial pathogens. Antibiotics won’t directly help.

          The could help if your viral infection leads to a secondary bacterial infection (like bacterial pneumonia).

        • Art:. You know I said that, right. COVID-19 progresses to viral pneumonia for which no real treatment. That is why I made the analogy to fly before 1940.

        • “‘The droplets that carry viruses do not stay suspended in humid air as long, and the warmer temperatures lead to more rapid virus degradation,” says Elizabeth McGraw, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics at Pennsylvania State University.

          Human activity also changes in summer months, says Thomas Bollyky, the director of the Global Health Program at the Washington D.C.-based Council on Foreign Relations. People spend less time indoors—where they tend to be in closer contact with each other, making it easier for the virus to spread—in the summer.'”

          keep spreadin’ it. nobody knows, erring on the side of caution is good here, past practices are usually effective. not always. but by all means shriek and panic if you must. i am drivel to the truth.

        • i read the harvard link. certainly not a damning condemnation of my suspicion. almost silly of you to offer that alongside the term drivel.
          the key takeaways include get outside, absorb some uv, and consume some dairy. humidity good, office space bad. except for the movie.

      • Not even worried about the death rate so much as how many infected will be seeking medical attention at the same time paired with it’s apparently high infection rate.

      • Although the official incubation period is 2 weeks, based on news reports I would guess the actual incubation period is 3-4 weeks with mild symptoms at best in the 1st 2 weeks.

        • That is an artifact that grows with the epidemic. They count from first contact. In a month it will 45 days and in two months 60 days. Once the epidemic takes hold it becomes impossible to determine which contact actually passed the virus. I doubt the incubation periods exceeds 7 days. Like all cold viruses, COVID-19 is most communicable before symptoms show. Add to that many people will never show symptoms yet be highly contagious for a period of time.

    • Well, the experts say there’s nothing to worry about, everything will be fine. Here’s an exact quote from one of those experts:

      “Well, I think the 3.4 percent is really a false number. Now, and this is just my hunch, and — but based on a lot of conversations with a lot of people that do this. Because a lot people will have this and it’s very mild. They’ll get better very rapidly. They don’t even see a doctor. They don’t even call a doctor,” Trump said.
      “You never hear about those people. So you can’t put them down in the category of the overall population in terms of this corona flu and — or virus. So you just can’t do that,” he continued. “So if, you know, we have thousands or hundreds of thousands of people that get better, just by, you know, sitting around and even going to work — some of them go to work but they get better.”

      • It is a false number because you only know about the people who went to the doctor and were tested. Anybody not sick enough to see a doctor doesn’t get counted. During the H5N1 scare a few years ago researchers went back and examined tissues samples of people alive in 1919 and found virtually everyone had the flu. It dropped the mortality rate by 2/3.

        And bozo, it is clear the President that infected people went to work not knowing they were infected and still got better! My grandmother went to work with flu in 1919 and she made another 20 years.

        • CDC isn’t even testing people that are obviously sick with symptoms. Have to have BEEN to Wuhan and have symptoms (extra points if you have been astigmatic for 27days). The CDC buffoons have only tested in the last weeks a tiny # because they are pathetic broke dick morons – “could only verify that 1,895 people have been tested for the coronavirus in the United States, about 10 percent of whom have tested positive”

          https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/health-news/exclusive-the-strongest-evidence-yet-that-america-is-botching-coronavirus-testing/ar-BB10QiF4

        • South Korea is currently sporting a Case Fatality Rate of 0.6% because they got to work testing everybody they could which undercuts the death part of the ratio. Seems it’s more widespread and more mild than we thought.

          The US CFR is currently around 5% because the only people we’re testing are those who are very ill or have had connections to hot zones.

        • South Korea is using a come one come all “drive through” type of testing which takes anyone whether or not there are symptoms and without consideration of degree of infection so their numbers are going to be different and probably more representative of actual infection vs. mortality…

        • My great grandmother was a hospital matron during the 1919 Spanish Flu epidemic, and died after treating many patients. My grandfather was in an army tent watching his mates die writhing in agony that he was powerless to help. He picked up his pack and marched the ten miles back to his home. Even a low overall death rate can mean pockets of high mortality. We lost many people in the Wairarapa, New Zealand.

      • Every part of that quote was 100% accurate. That is exactly what has happened, is happening, and will happen. It is what has, is, and will happen for every epidemic and pandemic going back a century.

        Troll harder.

    • This is the stupidest line of thinking that I’ve gotten so tired of hearing recently. You’re not clever for pointing out that the flu, which has been around for 500 years, has killed more people than a virus that began spreading two months ago. You’re dense for thinking that the latter is somehow not a big deal despite it spreading exponentially and having a mortality rate 20x the flu (2-5% versus .01%).

      I guess if you’re 25 years old and don’t care about anyone over 60 it’s not a big deal for you, personally, as the mortality skews heavily as age increases. But if you have relatives over 65, consider that the lethality is in the double-digits. It will be much more if the healthcare system cannot cope with the need for mechanical ventilators.

      Imagine if, every time an older person got “the flu,” they had a 15% chance of straight-up dying.

      • Hear, hear!

        I owe you (Hannibal) a cold beverage of your choosing if I am ever in your neck of the woods.

      • Prior to the introduction of antibiotics what do think the mortality rate was for people over 65? Even today the mortality rate could be as high as 15% for those who are hospitalized.

  3. One thing I saw at the gun store when the ammo shortage was on was that .40 S&W was always available. 9mm and .45 acp not so much.

    • Yep. I purchased my first 9mm because I figured it was the universal round and I could get it anywhere. In my area the first round to vanish was the 9mm. The stores always had .40 S&W.

    • I think one reason .40 might be selling heavily now is because you can get the guns at rock bottom prices.

      • Indeed. PDs have been abandoning it in droves and returning to the 9mm, so you can EASILY get an LEO trade in Glock 22 or 23 for $300

  4. I’m wondering if the surge in .40 ammo sales is partly due to the bargain prices of so many .40 firearms these days? I picked up a PX4 in .40 for $220 a while back, and I’ve seen SIG 226’s going for $300-$350 at several of my LGS’

      • I have both. Streamlined to 9mm except for one handgun in .40 S&W because I still have a boatload of ammo for it that will last me for an estimated four years of continued training with it. Otherwise, I prefer modern 9mm loads.

        TEHO

    • A lot of people getting their first handgun are probably going for .40 S&W because of all the bargains out there.

    • Could also be that a fair number of folks bought their first, and only, self defense pistol back when .40 S&W was the hot caliber. They then bought their one box of shells, shot half of them, and put gun and ammo into the closet somewhere.

      Now they are dusting them off and figuring it might not be a bad idea to stock up on some ammo. Meanwhile, those who’ve been shooting 9mm and .45 ACP have been shooting up and buying ammo on a regular basis since forever.

      • .40 is my primary caliber with most of my semi autos in it. Hope it doesn’t become vogue all of a sudden. I liked that it was always available when others weren’t.

  5. I don’t get it either,,& please tell me why toilet paper & paper towels have any thing to do with the virus.
    Stores around me are running low or already out.

    • If you decide to self isolate — stay in your house for a week (or two or three) while a local outbreak burns itself out — TP is one of the last things you’ll want to run short of.

        • You never wiped your ass in the woods with leaves? City boys. What are you going to do?

        • Hannibal, didn’t say I preferred leaves. Although, they were a step above the TP they gave us in C-rats.

      • Exactly what Dan said. We should all have an ample stockpile of TP/wipes (and feminine hygiene for the ladies) for any event. Here in SoCal, we’re collectively awaiting the next Big One. The last one in ’94 shut down water & gas lines, and stores were empty for weeks due to the severe interruption of trucking while the roads were being repaired (and the various freeway overpass collapses).

        • I Haz a Question,

          Please consider writing a brief article for this website on how widespread and how long the 1994 earthquake disrupted the effected areas of California.

          Most people only think about a snowstorm, hurricane, tornado, or forest fire in terms of disrupting an area. While those events certainly do disrupt an area, various entities begin making inroads for resupply quite literally the next day. Thus, an area (in the Lower 48 United States) is never totally isolated for much more than a couple days. From your brief description, it sounds like a BIG earthquake could easily isolate an area for two weeks and quite possibly longer.

        • Dunno if Dan/TTAG would accept or consider something written by me (I’m only a participant like anyone else here), but thanks for the vote of confidence. I’ve written articles and led classes in the past, so perhaps…

        • I lived in OC in 94, and still do, but did not see a shortage of supplies. I would love to hear from your experience on the 94 quake as its only a matter of time that we have another shake out. Please submit!!

      • “…— TP is one of the last things you’ll want to run short of.”

        Huh? In my bathroom at home, I have a shower.

        No TP, hop in the shower for a soap and a rinse. You will be far cleaner than with TP…

      • The British Army’s ration of TP was one sheet per day. Actual instructions advised to use one finger to clear the arse of debris, then use TP to clean the finger.

        It was the Sahara Desert after all.

    • NordNeg,

      The explanation is simple. People are anticipating:
      (1) At best — governments asking/requiring hundreds-of-thousands of people to stay home for anywhere from two to four weeks.
      (2) At worst — significant supply-chain disruptions and low/zero inventory of crucial items due to illness/fatalities and quarantines.

      I am not yet convinced that either outcome will be widespread. Even so, if such events only affect 10% of our population, do you want to gamble on going without toilet paper for a few (or maybe even several) weeks? After all, there is only a 1 in 10 chance (from my previous sentence) that you will not be able to buy toilet paper for a few weeks, right?

      Well, even at just a 10% probability, many people do not want to take the risk when they can spend an extra $40 or so and ensure that they have enough toilet paper to last a month or so without resupply. And there is no downside to that strategy: worst case no shortage ever comes to pass and you simply use up your extra toilet paper anyway since it has an infinite shelf life.

      Obviously, people are applying this very same strategy to other crucial items as well, such as food, water, ammunition, and even energy storage (e.g. fuel, propane, firewood, etc.)

    • time to install that bidet you’ve always wanted.
      seriously, if you have running water you’ll be ok. boil the sponge.

      • When I lived in the Middle East the bidets were mostly used by the Muslim families. If a bidet was installed in a Christian household it wasn’t used as often, in a potable water crisis I wouldn’t have hesitated as I could be fairly confident (at least in family and friend homes) that the bidet was the cleanest water source in the bathroom.

        • The shower water, just as clean.

          This where those shower head ‘wands’ works *nicely*…

        • don’t disagree strongly, but in my experience the was often a lot of calcium and mineral buildup along with residue from soap and cleaning products on the wands/shower heads. Less “appetizing”? The bidets were almost always pristine and never used. In the end it was ideal to not drink from the tap due to risk of water contamination and there was a separate potable water line in each house, but water is water and boiling/filtration can take care of a lot of things.

          Aside…it was always fun to see another American who had never experienced a bidet encounter one for the first time. The joke was to get them to turn it on. More times than not they would be staring down the bowl while turning the knob and take a stream of water to the face.

  6. We need to be leery of the hysteria around this virus while also being cautious of the disease’s capabilities. Needless to say, it’s not surprising .40 cal saw the jump in sales; lots of guns around are chambered for it. Likely they’ve just been sitting in safes, but ammunition is still widely available.

  7. As I’ve said before the virus itself doesn’t really worry me, the potential panicked overreaction to it does.

    Earlier this week my wife asked me to stop at the grocery store for a few odds and ends on my way home. I picked a store that usually has no shortage issues due to it’s location. Even when a big snow storm is coming it doesn’t tend to run short on much of anything.

    It was partially obliterated. No rice, beans, canned goods, bottled water, hand soap almost no flour, sugar or cornmeal. The medical aisle was decimated. Paper products were in short supply as well as baby wipes. The list goes on.

    I just came in for some cereal and sliced cheese and I wandered around for a good 20 minutes in amazement at what people were panic-buying. It was entirely non-sensical. Soap, hand sanitizer, TP, Kleenex and such I get but rolled gauze, 20lb bags of rice and bottled water? Dafuq? And it’s not even 3pm yet. On a Monday.

    My wife’s parents report the same phenomenon in the parts of the Twin Cities area. They say it occured after news reports that the CDC expects that area to get hit by this disease due to a largish Asian community.

    People are pretty strange sometimes and do very odd things when scared. “Panic fucking kills”.

    • Seen some of this too. Walked thru the pharmacy section of a Sam’s Club and all the gloves were sold out. We use them in caring for a disabled family member, along with wet wipes and adult size pull-ups. The things that vanish from the store shelves in a time of panic are always surprising.

      One of the places I work has clean rooms where workers wear special suits and the air is highly filtered. They are having problems getting hold of face masks, normal attire in a clean room. So they have been re-purposing hair covers.

      At least I read that the GoJo company is ramping up production on Purell hand sanitizer. So while folks are panicking, at least some factory workers are getting some overtime pay.

      • With respect to GoJo I believe that as of Monday handsan sales were up 179% year over year. Interesting and understandable stat but bar soap does the same thing and it’s not booming like handsan and liquid soaps.

        I’d like to think that with respect to ammo people are reasoning that if panic gets out of hand then they might need the ammo. Thinking that this is a chain of cause/effect that down the road might cause unrest or something.

        Somehow though, based on my experience with people, I doubt they’ve thought it that far through. People who follow that process generally probably have a pretty deep stack of ammo. Just like preppers aren’t likely to be panic buying rice and rolled gauze at this point.

        I think it’s a symptom of “gotta do something” thinking that leads people to naturally desire acquiring stuff because it’s tangible evidence of having done something even if that something isn’t necessarily the best something or even a useful something.

        Sorry to hear about your shortages there at Sam’s. That’s an obnoxious problem to complicate an already undesirable situation.

        • I have had exchanges with the cool kids who ridicule preping. These are the people you need to worry about because more than those who are merely passive and wait because those are the ones who will be a danger because they are entitled. I have seen them in many of my Red Cross deployments. They are the ones who show up dazed and are generally PITA.

        • tdi:

          I would tend to concur with your analysis.

          Personally I look at those people and wonder if they know what “pantry” means. But I guess that’s like some kinda old timey idea from before the 24hour fast food joint that “will never close under any circumstances”.

          But then I also see the reports every year of snow shovels selling out in a place like NY and wonder if people just figured that once Spring came around Winter would be gone… forever?

    • You rubes are the 90% what will be looking for what the 2nd 5% was buying up in the last week (which was when they FIRST heard about the chicom flu). The 1st 5% was already PREPARED unless toping off.

      Mr “my factory uses” – Ask why your employer was so stupid they didn’t have a reasonable supply of essential PPE ON HAND? – because “Just In Time”, Lean SIX drivel/nonsense/irresponsibility.

      Comes out of Chicomland (or needs parts) you’re not going to get significant resupplies for at least 6m. THAT going to impact your life/business/income.

      • the one good thing about this is it’s going to expose our over-dependence on China…and prompt us to do something about it…

        • And if we are really lucky it will be just bad enough to thin the population just a tad, maybe get rid of some of those individuals who go around repeating bogus CNN crap about POTUS and calling people “RUBES” and other such shit without knowing anything about them.. Just sayin’…..

        • ” maybe get rid of some of those individuals who go around repeating bogus CNN crap about POTUS and calling people “RUBES” and other such shit without knowing anything about them.. Just sayin’….. ”

          Right. A virus that asks for your political views before it infects you. What a concept.

      • “And if we are really lucky it will be just bad enough to thin the population just a tad, maybe get rid of some of those individuals who go around repeating bogus CNN crap about POTUS and calling people “RUBES”

        Yes, I’m sure most good Christians yearn for a thinning of the population, removing those they find objectionable.

        There was that one fella that talked about peace and brotherhood and never worn no shoes. Long hair, beard and sandals and a bunch of funky friends, reckon we’d just run thin off if he came back again.

        Hail Trump! Hail Victory!
        It’s the Amerikan way!

    • “Soap, hand sanitizer, TP, Kleenex and such I get but rolled gauze, 20lb bags of rice and bottled water? Dafuq?”

      The rice is for those who may be considering ‘holing up’ in their homes to avoid contact with *anyone*.

      So, a monster ‘grocery run’ makes sense for them…

      • Having a pantry/more than just a couple days stuff on tap beforehand makes more sense, to me at least.

        I just don’t get the idea that people don’t have this kind of stuff on hand. In a place where a winter or summer storm can shut shit down for a week how is not having that, and more, on hand at all times not an SOP?

        Fuck man, in college I never had less than two weeks worth of Ramen and that’s in the dorms.

        • As a rule if they are under 40 they do little to no cooking at home. They eat a lot of take out. Rummage around in their kitchens. Very little to nothing.

          It’s first world problems on a whole other level. They’ve never known hard times and think that the trucks will always run and the shelves will always be full.

          I know 65 yo grandma’s that are tougher and smarter than the average 30yo.

        • Most millennials are not even aware that food must be trucked in to their local grocery store they think it is all manufactured and packaged in a back room on the premesis…

  8. MBI ammo?

    Anyone got any experience with this brand? I haven’t run into them before, and find myself … ammo-curious.

    • The strange thing with the data and the article attempting to tie the ammo sales to COVID-19 is that MBI ammo is all FMJ (at least all the MBI ammo at ammo.com).

      I have a hard time imaging anyone outside New Jersey stocking up on FMJ for use in an emergency.

      • I don’t. You can get like 5 FMJ rounds for the price of a single hollow point. Anyone panic buying supplies right now most likely isn’t great at thinking in advance so I can definitely see the “thinking” behind quantity over quality

  9. one can be wrongfully paranoid 10 20 50 times in a row and live to tell the tale
    not being paranoid the ONE time one needs to be will put one in the ground

  10. With respect to the matter at hand, I believe .40 S&W is a fine caliber choice.

    Benefits:

    Loads with 180 grain hollowpoints exhibit excellent barrier penetration and will penetrate straight through (without any significant deflection) vehicle windshields even when hitting at very oblique angles.

    You get a few more rounds in the same size magazine compared to .45 ACP.
    (Of course you get a few less rounds in the same size magazine compared to 9mm Luger.)

    Expanded bullets are larger diameter for the same depth of penetration compared to 9mm Luger. (Which means a slightly greater probability of incapacitating an attacker.)

    It always seems to be available (in at least one form) during ammunition shortages.

    • drawbacks – less capacity than 9mm, more recoil than 9mm, more wear on pistol, theoretically more expensive than 9mm.

      Only you can decide if the benefits outweigh the disadvantages – but one fact remains that is incontrovertible in the world of caliber debates – Only Hits Count.

  11. If people are stocking up on ammo it has zilch to do with any fear of getting sick. It’s because they’re worried that a democrat might get elected presidente and immediately go to work confiscating guns and ammunition.

  12. Awright I still got 41 rounds of 40😃#2 on the list>223 ammo came from Cabelas on Tuesday. Just got back from the local Aldi with a bunch of gallon jugs of H2O and some other preppy stuff. Funny but all my LGS don’t discount used 40caliber guns much. Insane prices on po-leece trade-in Glock 22/23’s(like $400!). No thanks…

  13. What the comparison of ammo sales omits is the baseline numbers. The baseline for .40S&W was undoubtedly much lower than the baseline for any of the other calibers in the list.

    Now a 410% increase is still significant, but I would bet that the TOTAL sales of .40S&W were still less than the TOTAL sales of 9mm which experienced “only” a 101% increase, and the both were completely dwarfed by total sales of .22LR that experienced only a 29% increase.

    The larger the baseline the less percentage impact you will see for that same surge. Bottom line, Ammo.com apparently sold five times as much .40S&W as they usually do and twice as much 9mm as they usually do, but that might be simply five cases of .40S&W vs 10 pallets of 9mm. You need to look at BOTH the percentage AND the actual numbers to tell what is going on.

  14. More .40 out there? Great, I’m going to have to unstick the cases together when I get range brass. That’s the use of .40 S&W brass as I’m not a swager and making .44 bullets from them.

    That said I will admit the last batch of 40 S&W brass I gave away I had zero trouble doing such.

  15. This is much ado about nothing. The Stand not withstanding this thing doesn’t appear that deadly. A couple of days ago a friend was running around in circles, pulling his hair and howling at the moon. Two confirmed cases had been diagnosed in Florida. I did the math. .0000000002 of 1% of the population. Picked up a few things for the house this morning. Toilet paper, paper towels and bleach among them. Shelves were full. Ammo? Stored more than enough three decades ago. Added a little more here and there over the years. Plenty of grub. Months-to a year. If you wait until the crisis is looming, you waited too long.

    • Yeah, I know. At the start of the flu season on November 1st a million cases magically appear.

      There is always a patient 0.

    • The funny thing is that diseases like Ebola are much easier to track and stop because they’re so damn lethal and notable. This is a slow burner. It’s not going to be the end of the world… but I predict that it will have an absolutely massive negative economic impact. 1-5% mortality is low enough for an infection to spread but high enough that it’s very bad news. The only good news is that it seems to pass over kids.

      Florida is not a great example. From what I’m seeing from healthcare workers there are a LOT of cases down there that are not being tested. States differ wildly and I think Florida is one that is keeping its head in the sand. Given the aged population I think there’s going to be a lot of problems in retirement and nursing homes down there in about 3 weeks.

    • You are more WRONG about this than anything in your life. You found out about in on the MSM news a week ago and you’re an expert. And this is Rush’s .2% the man is distracted by his cancer.

    • Wednesday I picked up my new Ruger from its 10 day wait. All the customers in the shop were Asian. They wanted G19s which the shop had sold out of. He was ordering more.

      One Asian dude had already gotten a gun. He was after ammo.

      • “Wednesday I picked up my new Ruger from its 10 day wait.”
        Where do you have to wait 10 days for a gun, my last wait was about 10 minutes for a R.I. 45… Just curious, I don’t want to screw up and accidentally move there…..

        • He is probably few yards from the bike in his avatar. If you see that bike you have gone to far west.

        • Don’t know why I always thought that thing was some kind of badass crotch rocket (cause I never REALLY paid close attention to it) and I don’t have much interest in that type of MC, closest I get is a recently acquired (thoroughly modified HD V-Rod Night Rod Special…. Did not realize it was a “scooter” til you called my attention to it…. But like they say “at least he rides”.. Anyway yeah I get your drift, lived in Huntington Beach in the mid 70s to early 80s, it was cool back then, still rode a Harley, but that’s just me…

        • California, Maxx. And that scooter in my avatar is a running joke between me and my keeper wife.

        • Copy that AND the “keeper” got one of those myself (keeper wife that is) figured Ca. couldn’t imagine anywhere else that you can still buy a handgun with that kind of bullshit law… Guess they want to give you time to decide if you REALLY need/want that new Ruger…..

        • There’s a Trace news article, from today, saying a SoCal gun shop owner sold out all his Glocks and defensive ammo to Asian-Americans.

    • If Asian Americans were carriers of the “Alien Vampire Zombie Virus Apocalyps” (the secret real code-name for Corona Virus), the last thing I’d think of would be to go after them. If that’s where the bug is, I’m going the other way! 🙂

    • Interesting article and is there a “central London” somewhere in Los Angeles? Or is their fabulous example of good old American harassment of foreigners actually an assault from the el famoso “central London” in England? See excerpt below:

      As The Los Angeles Times has reported, since the first novel coronavirus outbreaks in the United States, Asian Americans have experienced intensifying venom, including bullying, racist comments, and harassment. On February 24, a man of East Asian descent was assaulted in central London. One of the assailants reportedly said, “I don’t want your coronavirus in my country.”

      • My Chinese friends in London told me about the Feb 24 attack and they said the attackers were Pakistani Muslims. The police have made two arrests of a 15 and 16 year old males. None of the news articles are revealing their race. The silence speaks volumes.

        • Kind of like when a non white guy kills a bunch ot co-workers with “other” than an AR/AK platform weapon… Yeah?

  16. That’s because .40 owners don’t actually shoot their guns. They bought them in 2008 along with a single box of ammunition. Now they want more.

    In contrast 9mm and .45 owners shoot their guns and buy ammo all the time. Or they reload.

  17. I’m more apt to blame the huge influx of .40 cal police trade-ins hitting the market Rather than the kung flu.

  18. The preppers who make me the most amazed are the bury’rs. Buy up ammo, guns, canned goods and endless sundries and bury them. In layers of sealed trash bags or expensive purpose built containers. Chatted with someone who was coming up with a plan to bury a large shipping container, like a 40 footer, in his family home’s backyard. Mostly he was trying to figure out how to have it delivered, the whole dug, and the massive steel box entombed with no one being the wiser.

    I told him he’d already failed.

  19. The vaccination is here! 6.5 Creedmoor! Just carrying it will protect you, along with simultaneously making you filthy rich and sexual irresistible! Also, it can destroy a toilet, because you can catch it from toilet seats you know.

  20. I was really surprised to see 40SW as the number one best selling round! I expected to see 9mm.

    Now, I’m reconsidering buying a LEO turn-in in 40SW.

  21. 40’s are cheap and plentiful recently. I was surprised how damn cheap the used guns are compared to their 9mm counterparts. Makes sense but it’s funny how fashions change in the gun world.

    I bought a bit of everything. I figure there’s going to be disruption and some panic. After that there is the election. There might not be a better time to buy, price and supply wise, until after November.

  22. I’ve been prepping for the next quake in Socal for years. Last month I lucked into 6 months of freeze dried food when a neighbor moved out of CA and asked if I wanted it all. And since I’m in CA I can’t do any rush on ammo. Damn commies.

    And like someone said, I’m prepared to shoot if needed, but I’d rather starve with friends and neighbors then watch them starve. But I’m not expecting that.

    Fun times acommin!

  23. A few facts from the WHO. They are not perfect either, but are at least more knowledgeable and less politically charged than the CDC. And definitely a more reliable source of scientific information than the trolls on TTAG. Novel corona virus appears so far to be LESS infectious than the current seasonal flu and has a mortality rate of 3.4% vs 1%. These numbers must be tempered by the fact that the true total number of infected is not known for either, but the WHO expects that the true mortality is lower. The strain differences are not currently collaborated by all scientists, but the more recently discovered strains are LESS virulent since the are believed to have been present in humans for longer.

    • The fact that you think the seasonal flu has a mortality rate of 1% means you have no idea what you’re talking about.

  24. I am hoping most of these buyers just want more of what they already had, because if you wait for the potential crisis to be at the doorstep to get ready, you are asking for trouble. i makes me think of the folks who wait for an hurricane alert to go buy some water. I am prepared for anything that corona virus becomes, including a zombie apocalypse. What makes me laugh is how some people freak out if you cough or blow your nose in public, they need to chill out, it’s not ebola or a chemical weapon, it’s just a strong flu.

  25. I agree with being prepared, but some of the comments by you soy-boys is just too much lol…. ain’t none of ya gonna do $hit if the shtf…. I think you’ll hide behind your wives and children if it came down to it…..
    I will say it’s amusing listening to all the bada$$es talking about shooting their neighbors and whatnot….fkn HILARIOUS

    • And another sector of the ignorance spectrum has been heard from. All that’s missing now is a short novel from “Vlad”… G.W——GI(?), you have no idea what any other person is capable of and unless you actually grow a pair and venture out of your mommies basement you will never find out, which could be a good thing for you…

  26. Btw, this spike in sales happens EVERY TAX SEASON….. don’t be fooled into being a fool lol

  27. The one topic in regards to the coronavirus. No one is talking about is the effects of it getting into the homeless population on the left coast. Once this occurs any ability to quarantine individuals goes out the window . Because many of the homeless won’t bother with health care. This is when the real SHTF situation will come down. Prepare for at least 14 days of self quarantine just for self protection. Probable more like 30 if you are prepared. Like all viruses this one has already began to mutate. A new more virulent strain has already been discovered. Type L. Expect more mutations as time goes on.

    • The homeless are not really the issue. You’ve got cities of people taking no precautions whatsoever. You’ve got people here who have bought the line that “it’s caUses less deathS than the fLu, bro”.

      It’s far too late to contain anything. And isolation would have to be for far more than 14 days, unless you mean self-quarantine when you are ill. Like the flu, it is probably not going to hit everyone at once so there will always be vectors until- or if- a vaccination is developed. Worse yet, as we’re seeing in several other countries, there simply is no medical infrastructure to deal with critical care for respiratory illnesses like this. Triage means that a lot of people simply won’t get help. Not enough ventilators or even ICU beds.

      Nursing homes and retirement facilities are going to need a lot of body bags.

  28. Surprised by the first place finisher – would have guessed .223/.556 based on number of platforms. Could the results be skewed by sales deals on .40?

  29. Well just because there’s been an increase percent wise of a certain caliber doesn’t really mean much.

    If previously they were selling 1 box of .40 and now are sell 4 boxes doesn’t really show much without the actual totals.

    I think a lot of folks have .40’s and not other calibers. Victims of the FBI inspired fad/misleading data that promoted it.

    And now that they see they might actually need to stock up, that’s what they’re doing.

    I’d rather see the totals of all calibers compared monthly over a couple years.

  30. It’s not just about the corona virus. It’s about the liberals infringement agenda and us blindly trusting certain leaders and lawmaker’s who seem hell bent on getting rid of firearms by any means possible. Virginia is proof of this. And now that includes making ammo purchases out of reach by suing online retailers. Back in 2012 after sandy hook certain ammo was sold out or very difficult to obtain. Liberals goals are obviously trying to take away firearms it’s recently become their top agenda and platform now. If they can’t confiscate arms then they will take away access to ammo and change people’s attitudes about guns as much as possible. Its been slowly happening in many states for many years. Its about changing people’s mindsets and controlling free speech look at twitter, facebook, google. Look at their agendas of the past and how they easily changed people’s mindsets. They used T.V. and movies in the past and now they are also using the tech we pay for.
    Now libbies are trying to make nerf toy guns illegal as they tell us that the NRA is evil. They do this because they know they can’t get what they want all at once. It confuses people and makes them think liberals aren’t so bad. Alot of ignorant people vote for liberal causes because many people believe that the ( MSM ) T.V. and Hollywood is cool and know what’s right. Libby viewpoint is the only viewpoint taught in public schools, drag queen story hour, colleges and most of the online tech industry. Disagree and you’re fired.
    As they are all working together in one accord we attack eachother while simultaneously we are oblivious to it. Generally we do nothing about our guns and ammo rights as a whole. NRA being in Virgina and recent law changes in Virginia has become every states ground zero. At the rate we are currently going ammo and firearms will be bartered in the future you can bank on it.

  31. I looked in my safe the other day and thought, none of these firearms, nor any of this ammo is going to protect me from what’s coming. My daughter is an RN, and for the first time in my life, I am scared! Not for me, but for her, and the rest of the healthcare workers who will be on the front lines, fighting an invisible enemy, without proper protective gear because our President, in 2017, slashed the budgets of the departments tasked with keeping us safe from pandemics and ensuring we are prepared for them.

    He cut their budgets again in 2018, but in addition, after a lead physician of a department within Homeland Security, that had been set up to track and prepare for biological threats, gave a speech at a symposium commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the 1918 pandemic, in which she warned that the US was not prepared, nor preparing for the next pandemic he became angry, and fired or forced out its administrators and effectively eliminated the department.

    When asked about this at a recent Press briefing, his response to the reporter was, “That’s a very nasty question!” as he glared at her. He then denied knowing anything about it, looked over his shoulder to staff members behind him, and asked if anyone knew anything about it, stammering something about maybe it was, he didn’t know, “maybe it was Tony, I don’t know?” as he pointed at another reporter for a question. The truth is that it was Bolton, at Trump’s direction, who eliminated that department.

    As a nation, we are facing the biggest threat any of us have ever known, and being led by a spoiled rich kid who’s a compulsive liar! The Democrats say they want to restrict our gun rights, but what good are our guns if the Republicans expose us, and our families, to threats that all the guns in the world cannot defend us against?

    Both political parties have been corrupted by corporate lobbying and contributions that amount to bribes, and our rights mean little to either of them. Our only hope is publicly funded elections with severe penalties for bribing politicians, and an unbiased public broadcasting system not dependent on corporate sponsorship nor political influence from either side.

    I believe that the shootings that have taken place in our schools were related to the pharmaceuticals prescribed for mood related issues, and a fair and unbiased investigation would uncover that likelihood. Right now we all have to come together and support our healthcare workers in any way we can because we wouldn’t send soldiers out to fight a war without helmets and other protective gear, but that is exactly what our healthcare workers are facing, and I am scared to death for my daughter because I know she, and her co-workers are going to march into battle despite the precarious position Trump put them in!

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