Ammo is tough to find right now

5.56 and 9mm are very difficult to locate online. It can be done. I was able to score this morning to replenish what I recently shot but wow.

One vendor I follow just dropped prices on 1000 round lots by $50 across the board yesterday morning. Hopefully a good sign.

I have quickly realized that loading “bulk” 223 on a single stage kind of blows….so on the bright side I may have found justification for a turret press. Now whether or not my wife sees it as justification may be another story

I’m sure firearms aren’t easy to find either. I read that when the pandemic started the #1 selling firearm was a personal defense shotgun. Have to imagine that is still the case only in even higher demand.

gim wrote:

I’m sure firearms aren’t easy to find either. I read that when the pandemic started the #1 selling firearm was a personal defense shotgun. Have to imagine that is still the case only in even higher demand.

Gotta have something to stand watch over all that butt wipe they hoarded. I wonder how many people who are buying these home defense guns have a lick of gun handling experience. Especially if there are kids in the house.

From what I understand no permit or background check or training is required for shotguns.

Bob Sanseaver was on the radio yesterday preaching the end of the world because of recent events. He had gun dealers on and also business dealers. His premise was no ammo no guns because everybody was stocking up. Talk about a jack-wad, he learned well from Tommy B.

I’ve been diligently checking 9mm ammo when I hit certain stores. Got lucky yesterday at the Brooklyn Park FF on a city trip. Nabbed 1000 rds, price was not great but it’s better than some I have seen recently.
Some places are pretty proud of their ammo these days…

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Dutchboy wrote:

From what I understand no permit or background check or training is required for shotguns.

A handgun permit is required to purchase a pistol grip shotgun. I don’t know if you meant pistol grip when you stated “shotguns” but I was referring to a personal defense one which is generally regarded as one that has a pistol grip.

Tom Sawvell wrote:

I wonder how many people who are buying these home defense guns have a lick of gun handling experience.

Ya that’s likely an issue but as long as they can legally purchase one, there’s nothing you, I, or law enforcement can do about it because of the 2nd amendment. Hopefully they are stowed away responsibly and safely at home. Civil unrest causes fear and fear causes panic and gun ownership is a way of making people feel safer.

Dutchboy wrote:

From what I understand no permit or background check or training is required for shotguns.

Bob Sanseaver was on the radio yesterday preaching the end of the world because of recent events. He had gun dealers on and also business dealers. His premise was no ammo no guns because everybody was stocking up. Talk about a jack-wad, he learned well from Tommy B.

I believe a NIC’s form and background check is still required for all firearms purchased from a gun dealer – Including a shotgun. I believe there are a few additional step involved in a permit to purchase ( For handguns )

fishthumper wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dutchboy wrote:</div>
From what I understand no permit or background check or training is required for shotguns.

Bob Sanseaver was on the radio yesterday preaching the end of the world because of recent events. He had gun dealers on and also business dealers. His premise was no ammo no guns because everybody was stocking up. Talk about a jack-wad, he learned well from Tommy B.

I believe a NIC’s form and background check is still required for all firearms purchased from a gun dealer – Including a shotgun. I believe there are a few additional step involved in a permit to purchase ( For handguns )

Could very well be the case. I’m not a gun guy so I was going off of what I thought I heard on the radio.

fishthumper wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dutchboy wrote:</div>
From what I understand no permit or background check or training is required for shotguns.

Bob Sanseaver was on the radio yesterday preaching the end of the world because of recent events. He had gun dealers on and also business dealers. His premise was no ammo no guns because everybody was stocking up. Talk about a jack-wad, he learned well from Tommy B.

I believe a NIC’s form and background check is still required for all firearms purchased from a gun dealer – Including a shotgun. I believe there are a few additional step involved in a permit to purchase ( For handguns )

This is correct, ALL firearms purchases (sans muzzleloaders) are subject to a background check if conducted at a storefront licensed to sell firearms. Its the AR/Pistol/Pistol grip shotguns that require the additional PTP or PTC.

waldo9190 wrote:

This is correct, ALL firearms purchases (sans muzzleloaders) are subject to a background check if conducted at a storefront licensed to sell firearms. Its the AR/Pistol/Pistol grip shotguns that require the additional PTP or PTC.

This policy or requirement has been around for quite a few years. 15 years ago when I was a Wisconsin resident, I walked in and bought a shotgun and walked out in 15 minutes. I know they did perform some sort of background check.

When buying a pistol/handgun, I had to wait and come back 5 days later after the more thorough background check was complete. This was before WI had a conceal/carry allowance.

gim wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dutchboy wrote:</div>
From what I understand no permit or background check or training is required for shotguns.

A handgun permit is required to purchase a pistol grip shotgun. I don’t know if you meant pistol grip when you stated “shotguns” but I was referring to a personal defense one which is generally regarded as one that has a pistol grip.

Yes a NICS check is mandatory for all firearms. A pistol grip shotgun does not require a pistol permit unless the barrel is under 18″. Which there are only few models of, such as the Mossberg Shockwave. Which on a 4473 form is not considered a pistol, or a shotgun. It is marked as a “other firearm”. As a shotgun with a barrel length such as a Shockwave would be considered a SBR. The loop hole they found was the type of grip they used to be deemed “other”. As for ammo its been a hit or miss for us. Get 20 420rd cans of 5.56 in, gone in a few days. However we have been getting re-stocked just not as fast as we would obviously like.

Online ammo was just coming down in price from The covid panic. Now with all the rioting it is hard to find again. Give it a month or 2 and it will be widely available for a decent price unless something else radical happens.

Bob Ford wrote:

Yes a NICS check is mandatory for all firearms. A pistol grip shotgun does not require a pistol permit unless the barrel is under 18″. Which there are only few models of, such as the Mossberg Shockwave. Which on a 4473 form is not considered a pistol, or a shotgun. It is marked as a “other firearm”. As a shotgun with a barrel length such as a Shockwave would be considered a SBR. The loop hole they found was the type of grip they used to be deemed “other”.

The grip length is important, but also the fact that the receivers used are virgin, never previously assembled as a long gun. I can’t just take a 590 bird gun out of my safe and throw a 15″ barrel and the raptor grip on it. I’d still need a tax stamp for SBS.

I decided to start reloading 9mm. I’ve found even components are really hard to find right now too. Especially powder and primers. The only places I can find Alliant Sport Pistol wants to charge a 20$ Haz Mat fee. For a pound of powder that only costs $25. I’ve just been using Hogdon Universal and buying primers when I randomly come across them at fleet farm.

Moved to Arizona several years ago. Although for a time 9mm & 45 was a bit difficult to obtain, very few shops were completely sold out, most only allowed you to purchase x number of boxes total. Usually 2 or 3. Not of each kind, 2 or 3 total of whatever you needed. As of the last week in May, things have improved significantly both in availability & quantity you can buy. Price has also started to improve. At the peak we were paying .38-.41 cents a round. Now you can find it at .20-.23 cents per round at many places.

I’m also fortunate so far as I work 12 hours a week at a gun dealership in order to get some spending money for my Pickleball addiction. The #1 gun we sell for in home security/protection is the Remington 870 youth model 20 ga shotgun. Many of the ladies prefer the lighter recoil of the 20 and also the shorter barrel length of the youth model & at room sized distances not a huge difference in the pattern between a 12 & 20 at 10 feet. Many folks live in gated retirement communities so most load up with 7.5 birdshot. Main reason I’m given is that most walls will absorb the birdshot and not go on to visit your neighbors house.

waldo9190 wrote:

I have quickly realized that loading “bulk” 223 on a single stage kind of blows….so on the bright side I may have found justification for a turret press.

Take a look at the Rapid Case Kicker for RCBS presses.

I got one for my Rock Chucker a few years ago and the productivity increase is terrific. The RCK kicks the case out of the shell holder on the downstroke of the press handle, so as soon as you put a case in, you can reach for another case while you work the press instead of having to take the case out by hand before you put another in. Big productivity improvement.

I’ve looked at progressive presses for years, but even at my level of shooting varmints, I can’t make the math work. The most time-consuming operations are not the loading ones for me, it’s all the case prep steps. Case cleaning, neck inspection, OAL checking, trimming, polishing, and pocket cleaning that has to be done BEFORE anything can be loaded. A progressive press does nothing to speed up these operations and that’s, IMO, where so much of the time goes.

I bought a bigger tumbler and a case prep station and that does more for me productivity-wise than anything.

Pat McSharry wrote:

I decided to start reloading 9mm. I’ve found even components are really hard to find right now too. Especially powder and primers. The only places I can find Alliant Sport Pistol wants to charge a 20$ Haz Mat fee.

Both Precision Reloading and Powder Valley Reloading do free hazmat promos if you are on their email list. Minimums apply, but I seem to need enough that this is not an issue when you combine primers and powder for me at least.

Just a FYI, but don’t expect a sale soon as they don’t run them during “high demand” times.

Also, SR and pistol primers are the ones that go MIA during gun panics, so if you use either, keep extra on hand. Back during the post Sandy Hook panic, SR primers disappeared for over a year. I was lucky that due to a mistake in ordering some years before that, I had ordered 10k instead of 1k. I was ticked at the time, but what luck that turned out to be as I had a closet full of SR primers that lasted me through.

Grouse

Thanks for the tips. I think i’ll order one of those Rapid Case Kickers too!

One buyer is having issues with Mr. Green at this time.

Might want to hold off on making any purchases.

Here is good news:

Remington Ammunition is back in operation, and its new president, Jason Vanderbrink, addresses consumers straight from the factory floor in his latest “Where’s the Ammo?” video above.

“Today, we’re in our American manufacturing facility in Lonoke, Ark.,” Vanderbrink said. “You’ll see that Big Green is back and stronger than ever.”

Following Remington Outdoors’ bankruptcy in 2020, Vista Outdoor, parent company of Federal Premium, purchased the Remington ammunition facility in Arkansas, along with most of Remington’s trademarks. Immediately following the acquisition, Vista sent a number of experienced managers down to the Lonoke facility to get production back on track.

The lack of consistent production at the Remington ammo plant is considered one of the elements in the perfect storm of supply chain issues that have plagued the ammo market through 2020 and into 2021.

“You know what? I am sick and tired of not being able to find Remington ammunition on the shelves,” he said. “We are fixing that. American manufacturing is about to roar, and Remington ammunition is back.”

Remington, one of the largest ammunition facilities in the United States, had difficulty obtaining the raw materials needed to fill its capacity. As a result, employees were laid off, machines were idled, all while domestic ammunition demand reached unprecedented heights. With Vista Outdoor’s management, production is flowing.

“Our workforce is doing fantastic, and our raw material suppliers have really come through, so now, Remington’s going 24/7, and everyone will get to enjoy the quality ammunition that Lonoke, Ark. makes,” Vanderbrink said.

Now under competent management, the Remington plant has a bright future ahead, and consumers can take a look at what’s rolling out from the factory at Remington Ammunition’s new website. As production ramps up, Vanderbrink highlighted the primary focus of the plant’s new management.

“It took 205 years to build this brand, and we will never, ever sacrifice quality,” he added

fishthumper wrote:

I believe a NIC’s form and background check is still required for all firearms purchased from a gun dealer – Including a shotgun. I believe there are a few additional step involved in a permit to purchase ( For handguns )

This is accurate. My son purchased his first shotgun last year and had to have background check done. It took about 10 or so minutes to complete.

They also said the Remington plant has a Billion dollars of orders extending into next year.

Was just on ammo seek looking for a specific 30.06 round. They didn’t have it but other 30.06 rounds are between $80 to $100 for a box of 20. Unreal!
DT

Yikes, for 30-06. Glad I got 10 boxes for my 6.5 creedmore when I saw them in stock for a day, my 270wsm is like finding jimmy Hoffa.