AMMO Shortage

[FLHTCUI]

Shelves seem full around here, what are you having trouble finding?

Prolly finding it hard to open his wallet when at the check out stand when the total is wrung up .
There are delays , but ammo is on shelves, but at a higher costs.
Hunting season is ramping up at a quickening pace and shelves will have popular brands and calibers available.
Either shop in person or on-line and have the cc ready (to the op).

 

[thegazelle]

I don't see any current shortages. Was in my local gun store recently getting 7.62x39. Noticed the price of 9mm has gone down since a couple of years back. Lots of every common caliber in stock. Sure, the prices overall are higher than they were during covid, but there hasn't been a shortage of anything that I can see (unless you are looking for Barnaul 7.62x39 or 7.62x54r in the stores, which you likely will not see again anytime soon).

Even the Norinco red box 7.62x39 (311 23 headstamp) has come back into Canada and lots of it available at various stores now. Even some defensive ammo that once sold out within hours, are aplenty on the shelves.

It could maybe just be a situation where the OP's local store perhaps are low on certain calibers, but from what I have seen, this is no widespread shortage at present.

 

[Northern Shooter]

No shortages on my end. No issues getting my 375hh, 416 Rigby, 500NE etc.

 

[Declared Bishop]

In my limited time (last 4.5 months) that I have had my licence and buying ammo, I don't find there to really be a shortage. I find ammo prices to be pretty high.

I have been noticing though that sales are happening more frequently on ammo, and the deals on the ammo, especially smaller calibers like .22LR and 9mm, are getting steadily cheaper. I am trying to buy my bulk .22LR at under 10 cents a round. The first bulk purchase I did for a few thousand rounds, I was buying them at roughly 9.8 cents a round. The second time was 8.4 cents, and this last time, I was buying CCi for 7.7 cents a round.
Long story short, I am just keeping my eyes on sales, and when a good one comes up, I buy a case of it, and throw it in my safe.

Now, if only I could get my 6.5 Creedmoor under a buck a round lol. Wishful thinking, I know. However, I do like the Norma Whiterail in 6.5, and I get it from Cabelas on sale for $2 a round. Still seems stupid high to me, but.... pay to play I guess.

This is about 1/8th of my supply of .22LR as it sits today. Now that I have a good stockpile, I plan on waiting for REALLY good sales now, and stacking it deep.

 

[MrGribbs]

Have not noticed any shortage of 308 or 30-30

 

[BlueJeanBandit]

What is "overpriced" ?
Have you seen the manufactring companies Financials or the vendors Financials?

How do you determine it's overpriced ?

Sorry I should have clarified.

It’s overpriced in relation to what other stores are selling it for across the country or even online.
It’s not worth it to purchase ammo in store where I live when I can have it shipped for free without a %20 markup.

 

[boxhitch]

Sorry I should have clarified.

It’s overpriced in relation to what other stores are selling it for across the country or even online.
It’s not worth it to purchase ammo in store where I live when I can have it shipped for free without a %20 markup.

Where do you go for that last minute item needed for a hunt?

 

[BlueJeanBandit]

Where do you go for that last minute item needed for a hunt?

If it’s not in my storage room with the other 9000 items I’ve hoarded, then my hunting buddies will have it, and it will be replaced immediately. And that goes both ways.

I love supporting local, but only when the price is in line. Price gouging is a huge turn off for me, and I don’t feel bad for taking my business elsewhere.

 

[Buck1950]

Just to Note - the OP hasn't commented in OVER 2 MONTHS . . .
And 'gouging' is only when op-costs have been covered and a reasonable margin added. Brick stores usually can't compete with volume of on-line dealers. Two LGSs have gone out of business here, even with 2x Wally's dropping out of ammo business and 2x CTs only carrying One 4-foot section Total Ammo in each store (diff franchisees).

 

[FatCatsDad]

I love supporting local, but only when the price is in line. Price gouging is a huge turn off for me, and I don’t feel bad for taking my business elsewhere.

Money is hard to earn, spend it where you get your best value.

I buy a few provinces away when there is a sale AND free shipping.

If the box of ammo was 37 here and 34 online, I'd pay 37 local, but when it's 34 online and and 44 local, it's a no brainer to take the online deal

 

[antiqueguy]

The local crappy tires seem to finally be getting more in but their shelves were bare for the longest time.

 

[Buck1950]

I spoke with both the franchisees of local CTs. They cant compete with pricing of BP/Cab so just carry a few calibres for shoppers in their store that don't want to bother driving across town to save $10 or so on One box of ammo.

 

[antiqueguy]

I spoke with both the franchisees of local CTs. They cant compete with pricing of BP/Cab so just carry a few calibres for shoppers in their store that don't want to bother driving across town to save $10 or so on One box of ammo.

Some towns only have CT as an ammo source unfortunately. I generally do not buy ammo online and try to buy local.

 

[kamlooky]

Found some .410 .......... 2-1/2" for $35 box.
20 box case for $619

 

[TaktiDrool]

Any insight on the AMMO Shortage?

Production is speeding up in the USA.

Canada production unchanged?

Government stockpiles are low needing replenishment.

Demand very high due to Ukraine.

Materials for making gunpowder is very low.

Any insight from dealers on delays and stock being unavailable at distribution/ long backorder?

Albeit this is based only on conversations and not research beyond that… Canada is sadly lower on that list of priority. Commercial vendors and wholesalers simply don’t meet the demand of the US, especially during these times where production is aimed at supplying for the current military contractors needs in other countries.

Although some calibers are readily available, some are harder to come by. It depends on where you are, what was ordered… what the demand is of your area. Finding .44 might be easier than 9mm. Finding 308 might be easier than 5.56.

But hey. What do I know. I’m just trying to get approved and learn more from you all. Proving I am not a bot.

 

[CompMakarov]

7.62x54r is definitely seeing shortages/massive price hikes unfortunately. War in Ukraine seems to have put a big dent in stockpiles and jacked up demand. Went from like 35-40 cents for the cheap #### (norinco corrosive) to 60 cents a round. Yall might not think that a big difference (especially those of yall who are used to being 2 buck rounds) but a 20 cent difference per round is ####ing painful for mosin users who are usually broke as hell.

The bougie PPU stuff seems to have not changed in price but that's probably because of the Serbian EU-aligned arms embargo to the Russians and the fact that its stupid expensive, as far as Comblock ammo is concerned.

 

[wallythacker]

In my limited time (last 4.5 months) that I have had my licence and buying ammo, I don't find there to really be a shortage. I find ammo prices to be pretty high.

I have been noticing though that sales are happening more frequently on ammo, and the deals on the ammo, especially smaller calibers like .22LR and 9mm, are getting steadily cheaper. I am trying to buy my bulk .22LR at under 10 cents a round. The first bulk purchase I did for a few thousand rounds, I was buying them at roughly 9.8 cents a round. The second time was 8.4 cents, and this last time, I was buying CCi for 7.7 cents a round.
Long story short, I am just keeping my eyes on sales, and when a good one comes up, I buy a case of it, and throw it in my safe.

Now, if only I could get my 6.5 Creedmoor under a buck a round lol. Wishful thinking, I know. However, I do like the Norma Whiterail in 6.5, and I get it from Cabelas on sale for $2 a round. Still seems stupid high to me, but.... pay to play I guess.

This is about 1/8th of my supply of .22LR as it sits today. Now that I have a good stockpile, I plan on waiting for REALLY good sales now, and stacking it deep.

I need to do that. Organize my stash and see what I have. I have taken an extended break because of health concerns but I remember buying 2 bricks almost every time CTC had blow out sales.

I have lost track of my totals but I have bricks marked $14.99, $11.99, $9.99 and LOTS priced @ $7.99 so that means I started stashing a long time ago. I wish I was as diligent with centerfire. Nope. I weep when I recall the day I wandered into Cabela's and the Marlin SBL was $1099 and Winchester .40 S&W 180g was on sale for $174.99/1000 rounds and I told myself I would come back later in the week. Well, later turned out to be 6 years. Currently things aren't impossibly horrible , I just bought some 9mm $305/1000. Before my hiatus IIRC I was paying $275/1000 7 years ago.

 

[PPCLI-Jim]

As a retired vet, I generally only buy 1 or 2 boxs of factory ammo when I get a new caliber. It's less expensive for me to reload, along with being slightly therapeutic. There's only 2 things right now that I don't reload, .22LR & 12G. It makes availability and costs low enough I can plink at 500m+ and not worry about the cost to get there. Factory ammo for my Lapua Mag runs 10+ a round, reloads about 3.50. Odd six factory 2+, reloads are about 1.5 when using high end components.
So I've become a brass gnome at the range, either for reloading it, or trading it.

 

[Garand]

Sources of cast lead bullets are getting harder (an more expensive) to find due to the death of 2 commercial casters and the retirement of one other in the past 2 years.

 

[PPCLI-Jim]

I've started casting this year, and once I get over the case of bronchitis I've got. I've got approx 40 lbs of [ead some tin and antimony. I've been watching the threads on powder coating. I'll be casting a few .41 Swiss 230 grainers, I picked up a 170 grain die for 30.30 and a 150 grain die for the .303 7.62x39 and 7.62x54r. But if I send it through the .311 sizing die then the .308 they are then suitable for any 30 cal bullet.