Just a short rant, I’m just getting frustrated by this politically manufactured shortage.
I am not in the worst situation but I am starting to approach or drop below my par levels. I have around 8000 9mm (par 7500), I have just over 3500 5.56 (par 5000), and 8000 .22lr (par 10000). I have various other rounds and specialty ammo but these are my most used calibers.
Since I have 3 firearms/tactics classes (only 1 high volume) this year and for my routine training needs, I started scouring the web and walmarts for reasonably priced ammo. I’m sure I’ll score sometime with the Walmart app but damn, this is getting ridiculous. I’ve been searching for two weeks and can’t find anything which is not over double pre-madness prices.
LE departments considering airsoft for marksmanship training, considering requiring officers to supply qualification ammo, etc… This is nuts.
I’ve even heard of folks buying ammo in calibers for which they don’t even own a weapon (5.56 mostly). WTF?!?
I make good use of dry fire, airsoft, simunition, and .22 conversions. I try to match tool to it’s best use and use it in an appropriate way. Airsoft is primarily limited to retention shooting tactics. Simunition for fof and drills too dangerous for live fire or not allowed at a particular range. And the .22 conv as a form of dry fire with feedback (so no blasting away with the exception of timing drills such as rhythm drills down to no less than .25 sec splits). I try to reinforce everything with live fire but I may have to cut down on that soon (and it pisses me off). I’ve also considered a sirt but don’t know exactly where it will fit into my usage.
I sincerely feel for every one of you folks, particularily those who could not afford to stock up prior to the shortage. I don’t really see signs of things improving in the near term even though the federal legislation seems to be over (at least for now).
You know, I was actually considering it very strongly back in August. I spoke with a lt with a sheriffs dept nearby (probably one of the best shooters in my part if the state). He advised me that unless I found a lot of relaxation in it, the lowest prices for 9mm and .223/5.56 were close to what I would pay reloading. I added everything up (not including one time equipment costs which were significant) and I figured I could save around $40/1000 9mm and $60/1000 for .223/5.56 and decided it wasn’t worth the investment in time an effort required.
Of course I see things differently now but reloading equipment as well as components are in very short supply today. I will definitely get into it once the markets come back to normal(ish).
I do it more because I enjoy it & not so much for economics of it. I started reloading because I have a 10mm & wanted to do some playing around. I also had the “what if I can’t find any 10mm” mindset. Since I had the equipment, I decided to start reloading other calibers, most recently, 5.56. My primary supply isn’t from reloading, I just supplement with it. Times like this it sure comes in handy. Never too late to get in the game, but of course, there are better times than others.
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The writing has been on the wall for years now and we all lived through the first great shortage back when Obama with first elected. I read a lot of these posts were OP’s complain they can not locate reasonably priced ammo and I really can’t feel for them any longer.
After the first shortage stock and prices settled back down to were anyone could have started to lay in a reserve and as long as they stayed the course they should have had a supply which should handle any training needs for the next few years.
I don’t think we will see prices or availability return to normal until Obama is out of office and a Pro-Gun President is elected. But make no mistake its only going to take another high body count shooting to refuel the anti gun folks and any return to normalcy until that event occurs will fall away to renewed panic buying.
I don’t agree with you. I agree in principle but I realize that most people have budgets. To stock up for say three years for me would require around 30000 rounds not including training classes. That’s a lot of money. I have responsibilities an obligations and I invest a chunk of money each year. If I added to that annual investment the 5+ thousand dollars a year I spend to maintain my abilities, compounded over 20 or thirty years, that’s an easy $200000-$300000+ I will have less for retirement one day.
Some people are less fortunate and can not afford to have thousands of dollars just sitting on their shelves. It’s easy to be arrogant and disregard those people as folks that “should have” stocke up. But it isn’t as easy for everyone. You seem to have more money than heart.
I do not feel much sympathy for the folks who had the affordability and choose not to although you will not find as many of those folks.
I do hope you are wrong about prices not coming back down until Obama leaves. That would really stink.
Reloading components are just about as scarce as loaded ammo. I’ve been surfing all night for some 115-124 grn 9mm bullets with no luck. If you have a lead, please post it.
The OP knows what I meant when I simply said “Reload”. We all know that components (among other things) are difficult to find. I had stock on hand going into this mess & was able add too it during.
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