Who else has changed their ammo buying habits lately?

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dizzy

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Not long ago, any time we wanted to go gopher hunting we would not check our safe for ammo, as we never had any, we would simply run to the local UFA, peavy mart or sports store buy 22lr ammo for the afternoon, and shoot till we were out. It didn't matter if we used it on the gophers as we would empty the boxes trying to shoot a tree in half at the end of the day, or take ridiculously long shots at something we knew we couldn't hit. We would happily end the day with hot barrels, and empty boxes of ammo, with not a worry in the world about the next outing, as we knew it would come and we knew we could get ammo.

Now, that has all changed. Any time I buy a rifle I buy different kinds of ammo and find what it likes, then buy enough so I never have to worry about finding ammo again, so for each of my rifles I have all the ammo I expect to need for the life of that rifle. why? Because I can no longer head to the local ammo supply hole and buy what I need when I need it.

In essence what seems to have happened with the ammo situation north America wides is that ammo used to be kept and stored at the ammo vendors and we bought and used as we needed. There was a nice balance. Now the ammo seems to be stored not in the store but in basements and safes of the end uses. When I need ammo I call friends not the local ammo shops.

Is this just me or have others changed their ammo buying habits. I mean, never did I ever buy 22lr ammo by the case, now I do.
 
I think everyone has. That's why you can't buy any 22LR ammo.

I can't bring myself to pay $40 a brick of bulk ammo. So now I shoot my 22's sparingly.

No more shooting a whole brick of ammo into a puddle.

On a side note I can't bring myself to buy a new firearm with the new prices this spring. I paid $680 out the door for a Marlin 1895 guide gun last spring and this spring they are $880 before tax at the same shop.
 
That pretty much sums it up. But it's not just rimfire ammo. I reload for all my centerfire rifles, and used to be able to go buy bullets and powder as I needed them. Now, every time I'm in a store or on a website, I'm doing a quick check for my favourites for any calibre, and buying them if I think I will use them in the next couple of years. I'm not hoarding like some are, but if I had more time and was at the range as often as I wish I could be (business and family come first!), I'm not sure I would find enough of my favourite components to keep me going. Usually when I do find what I like, there's only a box or two left, so I can't really "stock up" even if I wanted to.

The funny thing is, in my industry manufacturers are doing much the same to the retailers. I find that products I used to order as I needed are now always on backorder, so me the retailer has to start stockpiling because the manufacturers won't warehouse in Canada anymore. They want their products hitting the docks and going straight to retailers, with no wait time. So if my order misses the boat, I'm out of stock for a couple of months. But at least my industry does have the excuse of dropping sales and margins - I don't think the ammo companies can use that one!

The joys of big business.
 
I am the ambush shopper; I lay in wait for a prime deal and then pounce. In the last month or so I got 7.62x39/1440 rnds for 190.00 from Wanstalls and 7.62x54r/1000 rnds for 199.00 from Canadaammo. I didn't "need" more x39 or x54r but at those prices that's when you buy it cheap and stack it deep.

I have followed this practice for a few years now and am well stocked in the calibres I shoot. Heck, even some calibres I don't shoot.
 
Ammo availability factored into my recent 17HMR rifle purchase instead of going 22WMR or another 22LR. Used to think along the lines of having a few, same caliber firearms and thinking it might be wise to diversify a bit...in the hopes that something will always be available.

Of course if I pick up some more center fire guns and start reloading.....
 
ive been out of shooting for a few years and wanted to get back in this year. all I ever shoot is rimfire so I was surprised at the prices and availability. The last season I was shooting I bought a case of American eagle for $220 without any bulk discount and that was the average price of ammo, federal 525 was going for around $16 and anything that was above $3 was pretty much target ammo.
I had a few bricks left along with a brick of Winchester and a few boxes of misc other kinds so that's the ammo I'm using now. At the quantity I WANT to shoot I'd be out of ammo in probably two or three weeks. half a brick or more shooting at paper per outing would be the norm. If I got into shooting now it probably wouldn't be much of an issue, but looking back just a few years ago I feel the pain.
it seems that slowly but surely places are getting ammo in but even if theyre stocked up, at the price theyre asking I'm definitely going to cut back on shooting
 
I haven't had much of a use for 22lr, as I haven't been doing a lot of rimfire shooting. But I have stocked up on some Lake City 7.62x51, which I mainly wanted for reloading purpose and I also bought 3 cases of PMC 5.56. I'm starting to subscribe to the buy it cheap, stack it deep philosophy. If you can get, get it, that way you have it when you want it.
 
They call it bulk ammo prices but a new sponsor here in Ontario wants $495 for a 5000 lot. That's crapolla and ppl wonder why we hoard Iam at about 15 cases of 22lr but I have 7 shooters in my house.
 
If all I could shoot for the rest of my life was my 12g & 20g shotguns as well as my SKS' and Mosins I be a happy man.
So, when is see shot shells, x39 & x54 for a good price I buy it. No matter what.
 
Looked for 22 ammo today - nadda but a 222 round box of Winchester for $19.99 and thats allthey had. Canadian Tire had some Remington which i don't like. Had to arder Federal and CCI from Cabelas. Absolutely nuts!!!
 
tacticalsks said:
They call it bulk ammo prices but a new sponsor here in Ontario wants $495 for a 5000 lot. That's crapolla and ppl wonder why we hoard Iam at about 15 cases of 22lr but I have 7 shooters in my house.
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I have no personal experience with this, but I read on another thread here that the newer .22 ammo isn't made as well and won't keep as long as older ammo would. Not sure how true it is, but might be something to keep in mind, unless you plan to go through 15 cases in short order.
 
umpherda said:
Looked for 22 ammo today - nadda but a 222 round box of Winchester for $19.99 and thats allthey had. Canadian Tire had some Remington which i don't like. Had to arder Federal and CCI from Cabelas. Absolutely nuts!!!
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It wasn't that long ago that I was getting Win.333's for $9.99 a box. I bought them by the case.
 
For me it started with my 25wssm as I bought it new about 20 years ago. The caliber proved not too be popular but I love it,no recoil and accurate as long as you don't over heat it.Ammo for it has been harder too find so for the past 10 years when I see it I buy it.22lr in the last 2 years has been hit and miss.Huge gouging price hikes as well. Shooting popular calibers usually means cheaper and more available, except 22lr. I did purchase a 270 win as that ammo is plentiful. 12 Guage is also easy too find
 
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