Ammo shortages

harm152 · Post by **harm152** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 9:26 pm

The ammo thing is getting out of hand. First of all, I am not saying we don't have any reason to be concerned with obama in office, but the ammo stockpiling and all of the "conspiracy theories" I am overhearing while shopping in gun stores or Wal-mart for ammo seems to be getting out of hand.

The other day, the Wal-mart clerk told me to not tell anyone what weapons I owned, to not charge ammo on a credit card because the Govt. was tracking purchases. He told me to treat the info as a "military secret" and that the dept. of homeland security was flagging everyone who purchased more than 500 rds as a potential "terrorist threat" to homeland security. After he was done telling me, he told the next guy in line the same thing, that guy fell for it, seemed legitimately concerned and promised to tell 10 friends.... etc.... and this is why I have to drive to a Wal-mart out in the country to find a brick of federal 22lr for $13.

Guess what I did with that brick? No, I didn't buy everything on the shelf and take it home and stockpile it, I went to the range and shot it. Yeah, I buy a brick every now and then and just throw it on the shelf at home, but I don't wipe out the supply. Guys near me are buying everything that comes in and then trying to re-sell it for profit on-line.

This doomsday attitude I see everyone having is very much reminiscent of the Y2K scare. I worked at a gun store then, lots of nutty things going on then as well.

Again, I am not dismissing the "political" threat, I am just not panicking about it and spending $$$ like crazy trying to stockpile millions of rounds.... What drives me crazy is all these whack jobs going around stockpiling, telling everyone else to do the same, when most of this money would be better spent fighting the battle for our generation and future generations through the NRA and other organizations dedicated to preserving the 2nd Amendment.

Maybe I am alone in being annoyed at a-lot of the gun owners out there, but the "panic" is not going to get us anywhere except over inflated prices and shortages. Anyways, I am just venting.....

johndoe3 · Post by **johndoe3** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 1:20 am

harm152,
I haven't bought any ammo since August 2008, just some specialized bullets and powder for my new caliber barrel since I reload rifle ammo. However, the Dems announced during the last election campaign that they would be passing new gun and ammo laws. So it is not out of the ordinary to take them at their word. There are certain localities trying to pass restrictive ammo purchase laws. Here's a link to one for Albany County, New York.

http://www.albanycounty.com/departments ... 09-108.pdf

If passed then the ammo purchaser there will have to fill out an application and provide extensive info for each ammo purchase (according to a resident there). The internet talk is that it was part of the 2009 Stimulus Act that when States and localities accept the Stimulus money that they are required to pass ammo sales restrictions laws or ordinances for tracking of all ammo sales. That may be true or B.S., I don't know for sure yet. If true, then it is as that Walmart employee told you.

harm152 · Post by **harm152** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 3:34 pm

I guess maybe it is that bad, but I have my doubts. My perspective is distorted as I have been deployed for the last year and out of touch with the evolution of this issue. I get home and it seems like everything has gone to hell in a hand-basket from the way things were when I left.

However, separating the conspiracy theorist BS from the truth is still important, as is contributing $$$ to organizations that will fight vs. spending all of the available resources to stockpile ammo..... Anyways, just my thoughts.... I guess I am also the eternal optimist. In a way, the situation is much better than it was in 1994 with DC vs heller and indications that many Dems are on board with fighting any new regulations etc... but then again, maybe I am missing something, I have been out of the loop for a while...

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 3:55 pm

Here is an article about what the Walmart guy was talking about.
It talks about a guy being approached for buying "assault rifle" ammo in "bulk." (1,000 rounds).
http://www.poststar.com/articles/2009/0 ... 551013.txt

Twinsen · Post by **Twinsen** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 5:31 pm

I'm doing my part. Turning loaded cartridges into components as fast as possible. I can't seem to collect all the powder and heads though.

ETA: Holy crap on Stu's posted article. I love how 1,000 rounds is supposedly a huge purchase, even though there is ammo I buy that doesn't come in packs any smaller than 1000 rounds. Fags. Also how the hell did the Dept of Homie Secks get word of this purchase? *cough cough* illegal purchase tracking *cough cough* patriot act *cough*.

ds762 · Post by **ds762** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:23 pm

F--k .. buying ammo here in the KC area is like pulling teeth .. or paying through your teeth!

I used to "buy it cheap and stack it deep" ... now I just get what I can at whatever I can afford

Selectedmarksman · Post by **Selectedmarksman** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:33 pm

Haven't seen .45acp at my Walmart in two months. Before, they'd tell me it was at the warehouse and they get it when they get it (couldn't or wouldn't tell me when they'd get a shipment in). Now I'm told when it comes in it's not by the brick, it's by the box.

I don't know where the ammo is going but it's not even making it to my local stores.

And yes, I've been buying what I can. I decimated my .22 suppressor fund with emergency ammo buying before things got too expensive or too impossible to find. That was a tough choice, but I figured my cans would be worthless without any ammo so ammo comes before a new can.

1911pilot · Post by **1911pilot** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 3:18 am

I'm REALLY curious who the mail order company was that was involved with the (fairly small) ammo sale that was referred to DHS.

steve7478 · Post by **steve7478** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 6:03 pm

I just traded an AR-10 for a value pack of .22 lR's. The sad part is that it was a good trade.

RX7-2nr · Post by **RX7-2nr** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 11:19 pm

West said a customer of his recently stocked up on .223-caliber rounds, a caliber often used in assault-style weapons. The customer bought 1,000 rounds a few months ago through a mail order company.

Shortly after the purchase, he received a visit from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, whose interest was apparently piqued by a large-scale purchase of that caliber.

1000rds gets an investigation by the government?

the guy that sold this must have been #1 on the FBI most wanted list.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... =125872605

Ammo
.223- 39k rounds
.308- 19k rounds
7.62x39- 6.5k rounds
9mm- 22k rounds
45ACP- 6.5k rounds
8mm- 3k rounds
30-06- 1.7k rounds
7.62x54R- 2.2k rounds
5.45x39- 5.4k rounds
[/i]

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 11:24 pm

steve7478 wrote:I just traded an AR-10 for a value pack of .22 lR's. The sad part is that it was a good trade.

Don't even joke about things like that. I have one box of .22lr and I don't even have a .22lr gun. (I am planning on it, eventually).

Mongo · Post by **Mongo** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 5:37 am

I have bought only 1 box of 9mm JHP since the Oblama has taken over. If you are not prepared before hand, you suffer the consequences and in this case it is high prices and shortages.

CanNotHear · Post by **CanNotHear** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 6:52 am

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st33ve0 · Post by **st33ve0** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:51 am

It's funny to me because I know walmart hoards their ammo and releases it a bit at a time. Not to long ago they released a lot and I bought 1100 rounds of .223 @ $40/100 rounds...

Omega_556 · Post by **Omega_556** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:00 am

st33ve0 wrote:It's funny to me because I know walmart hoards their ammo and releases it a bit at a time.

How do you know this?

st33ve0 · Post by **st33ve0** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 1:12 pm

Omega_556 wrote:
st33ve0 wrote:It's funny to me because I know walmart hoards their ammo and releases it a bit at a time.
How do you know this?

Just from what I've heard, apparently they have pallets and pallets and release a bit at a time to stores that prove they can sell it. I could be wrong, but it sounds like the SOP of other retail stores for some items.

dfire · Post by **dfire** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 3:00 pm

I have talked to the Wallmart sporting goods sales people and they told me the same thing , a little at a time.

tuckerrnr1 · Post by **tuckerrnr1** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:09 pm

Ammo shortage, just give your gun a little blue pill and... Sorry drinking and posting just don't mix. ( I found it funny.)

BeltfedMGS · Post by **BeltfedMGS** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:06 pm

st33ve0 wrote:
Omega_556 wrote:
st33ve0 wrote:It's funny to me because I know walmart hoards their ammo and releases it a bit at a time.
How do you know this?
Just from what I've heard, apparently they have pallets and pallets and release a bit at a time to stores that prove they can sell it. I could be wrong, but it sounds like the SOP of other retail stores for some items.

Bullshit!!

I work at the distribution center, where we supply 118 stores with all their stuff, we get pallets in today, they are gone today. AMMO does NOT stay around. As soon as it hits the stores it hits the shelves. You heard wrong, its a bunch of bullshit lies. Wal mart store associates dont know anything about how this stuff works. Beleive me, wal mart doesnt play them stupid games. You get ammo at wal mart for less then dealers get it at dealer price anywhere. Wal mart cant keep up with the ammo shortage, but dont beleive all the crap you hear.

dfire · Post by **dfire** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:12 pm

I watched them stock the shelf's one day, it was something like 3 boxes of 22's 4 boxes of 40, 5 or 6 of 223 (50 round box), a couple of 9mm, and a s--t load of bird shot. How small are these pallets there shipping ?

BeltfedMGS · Post by **BeltfedMGS** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:26 pm

We get pallets and pallets, 100's of thousands of rnds at a time, then what ever each store orders.....i take to the lane for that store, drop off the amount called for and it goes in the trailor and to the store. Ammo doesnt stay in the wharehouse over night, it comes it goes. Your store gets what it orders, except when they cant keep up with the #'s asked for. I used to have wal mart order ammo for me, when we could cause there wasnt ammo shortage. Go to wal mart and buy 16,000 rnds of ammo.......they treat you very delicatly, you even get a 2 manager escort to the door HA

Post by **silencertalk** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 11:09 pm

Visited for 80K rounds?

Mr. Greg · Post by **Mr. Greg** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 12:36 pm

I was lucky and scored 1000 rounds of Wolf 223 last October before the price hike, I believe it cost me around $250.

Still can order ammo at a decent price at cabelas; $12.95 for 50 147 Gr. Subsonic 9mm. WWB is still cheaper for 115 gr at wal-mart, but good luck finding it.

Stu · Post by **Stu** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 12:55 pm

I have serious issues believing that ANY company would purposely hold onto a hot selling product in this market. Walmart employees always have a funny way of displaying why they work at Walmart in the first place. lol

DirTRideR · Post by **DirTRideR** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 3:22 pm

The entire ammo chest at all three of the local Wal-Marts here have less than 20 boxes in them each... and it's mostly all shotgun ammo! What BS