How bad is the ammo n gun shortage by you?

[Foggy47]

Primers are the tough deal.

before my uncle passed he gave me some vintage primers, I think my plinking rounds I make are gonna get made with these



if didn’t throw them out years ago.

I have some ammo that was made before WWII. It has the same reliability and velocity as the current manufactured stuff. Not sure the shelf life....but I suspect most ammo is good for 100 years or more....if stored properly. I have quite a few 16 gauge shot shell (slugs) and no gun to shoot them anymore. Likely should find a home for some of this stuff. Everything I have shot from those times seems to work just fine.

 

[bigboreblr]

I have some ammo that was made before WWII. It has the same reliability and velocity as the current manufactured stuff. Not sure the shelf life....but I suspect most ammo is good for 100 years or more....if stored properly. I have quite a few 16 gauge shot shell (slugs) and no gun to shoot them anymore. Likely should find a home for some of this stuff. Everything I have shot from those times seems to work just fine.

Make sure you clean your gun good before you put it away. Old ammo usually has corrosive primer material. Not horrible like blackpowder, but itll take its toll. A spray of windex, a swab with a plastic bristle bore brush, then dry with patches. Clean it as you would normally after that. Fumeric mercury vs some sort of lead salt in modern primers.

 

[Angus 1895]

How corrosive is the vintage “ kleanbore?” Ammo?

 

[rusty1034]

Box of 20 5.56 today. $18. Ouch.

 

[weekender21]

410 Ammo almost non existent in eastern VA right now. Same with 12 gauge waterfowl Ammo. Tactical rifle Ammo is coming back but most typical deer calibers are hard to find.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[PatinPA]

Finally found .300 Savage ammo. About crapped myself when he rung me up though. He asked "Are you prepared for this?" $56 with tax for Remington Core Lok. Actually found another place that had too but it was 58.99 plus tax. Still no .280. I'm going to have to buy a .308 or something just for the cheaper, more available ammo.

 

[bigboreblr]

I dont own a .308 yet, but buying ammo for one. .308 cor-lokt $49.99. Saw 30-06 cor-lokt for 59.99!

I dont need any more ammo, but I refill what I use. Been finding CCI standard velocity 22lr pretty often. Seems 22lr is more regular and not as nutty as centerfire prices.

 

[PatinPA]

I dont own a .308 yet, but buying ammo for one. .308 cor-lokt $49.99. Saw 30-06 cor-lokt for 59.99!

I dont need any more ammo, but I refill what I use. Been finding CCI standard velocity 22lr pretty often. Seems 22lr is more regular and not as nutty as centerfire prices.

They had .308 for $35 where I was. I don't remember what brand exactly.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I have been seeing hand gun ammo on the shelves lately, but as others have been saying, hunting calibers are very few. I have stocked up over the last few years, but not enough so that I want to go out and shoot a bunch of ammo yet. I had bought a few cases of shells for clay pigeon shooting, but I cant get myself to shoot them, because I know what it will cost to replace them. Grr, I do miss shooting though.

My hunting rounds, I have a few hundred of each caliber I hunt with, and most years I use 3-4 bullets a year, a couple to make sure it is sighted in prior to the season, and 1-2 for deer.

 

[PatinPA]

I was honestly surprised by the amount of ammo that two small sporting goods shops had. I was also looking for .280 and the one had a box of .284. It had some sticker shock at 99.99. I was told to expect to see $75 + if I ever find a box of .280. That one will probably stay in the safe for that amount of money.

 

[bigboreblr]

Walmart had FMJ federal 308 for $22 for 20. Not hunting, but target practice......

Shooting is still cheap. Everywhere I go 22lr is available. 22 used to be dirt cheap, but still just regular cheap. Think I saw 325 rounds for $22. My only 22 I buy, CCI standard velocity, Ihave seen at the store every time. Under $5 for 50. Would take me an afternoon to go through that much at my backwoods woodswalk metal target range. Got at footpath at the hunting lease where there's metal hanging off of branches here n there. 20-75 yards from the trail all offhand. About 20 targets, only paid for 3. Mostly pieces of junk metal hanging. Ton of fun though.

I shoot 22lr alot. I shoot it into sand. I sift the sand, recover the bullets, and cast roundballs for the muzzleloaders. They go into the sand too.....

 

[brushbuster]

Im done with wasting time looking for ammo that used to be sold all day long at the local store so I ordered reload equipment and have a good friend that will show me how to make the most accurate loads

 

[Jerry-B-WI]

Im done with wasting time looking for ammo that used to be sold all day long at the local store so I ordered reload equipment and have a good friend that will show me how to make the most accurate loads

Hahaha I hope your friend has all the components you need. Finding reloading components at any type of price is like finding unicorn spit. I think it's all made from unobtainium.

 

[yoderjac]

Im done with wasting time looking for ammo that used to be sold all day long at the local store so I ordered reload equipment and have a good friend that will show me how to make the most accurate loads

That could be a mistake. I'm not a reloader, but I recently got into smokeless muzzleloading. This required me to learn some of the basic reloading skills and get some of the reloading equipment. I think you may find the availability of reloading supplies to be as bad as commercial ammo.

I needed IMR 4198. As soon as it was shipped to a retailer, it was gone. I tried on-line. Again, you couldn't find it. I finally ended up checking the manufacturer's website daily. They reserve a small amount to sell on-line. It took about 6 months of daily checking, but one day I got lucky at 2am and saw it was available and ordered an 8 lb jug. Ten minutes after I placed the order the website showed it as out-of-stock. The next issue was large rifle primers. I could not find those anywhere for well over a year. Finally I broke down and paid 6x the normal price to buy them at an auction on gunbroker.

It largely depends on what you are reloading. Some powder and primers are more available than others.

Best of luck,

Jack

 

[brushbuster]

Hahaha I hope your friend has all the components you need. Finding reloading components at any type of price is like finding unicorn spit. I think it's all made from unobtainium.

Yes I’m in good shape on components.

 

[SD51555]

I was able to get the stuff i'd been looking seeking for over a year. The company that makes my ammo only sends one container per month to the US, and there's no way to order from Europe what you want. Once it was back in stock, I bought my allowance, threw it on the pile, and checked it off the list.

Now, on to 2023. Should I get a bolt action .308 and rig it up with my suppressor and some subsonic loads? I like the idea because it can reach out further than my .22 and still be reasonable in terms of ammo and gun and scope.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Lousy time to get into hand loading too but depending on cartridge choice things are getting a little better. Might not find the exact powder/primer/bullet you want but should be able to find suitable options. Definitely cheaper than buying loaded ammo especially for less common cartridges.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Should I get a bolt action .308 and rig it up with my suppressor and some subsonic loads? I like the idea because it can reach out further than my .22 and still be reasonable in terms of ammo and gun and scope.

I don’t see much purpose for subs other than poaching, killing 2 legged game, or maybe shooting pests in town. But if I wanted a rifle specifically for subs, I’m not aware of any reason to do 308 over 300 BO. Seems you’d have to do some funny stuff with a case that big to keep things subsonic?

 

[Foggy47]

I've been reloading for rifles for over 40 years.....and before that reloaded shot shells when I did some trap shooting. In the 80's Id shoot as many as 6,000 rounds on a single prairie dog hunt....and we did that multiple times each year....usually in So Dakota...but also Wyoming and Montanna. Also did some competition bench rest shooting for a period of time and a whole lot of target shooting at our local range. Mostly all reloading on a single stage press and / or hand dies....and all were custom loads made to fit my chambers. I accumulated allot of components for a variety of cartridges over that time. Also allot of ammo for common hunting rounds.

Back in time....I'd buy varmint bullets for less than .05 / pc and primers were .02, 28 grains of Hodgedon BLC2 and I'd have complete 223 rounds at about .12 each. and a few cents more for 22-250's. Bingo. Things have changed from when I was active at this.....but then they changed for the guys before me that were buying surplus Wii powder at unbelievable low prices. That's basically how Hodgedon Powder Company got started - selling surplus powder. Interesting times for me as I got to know so many of the industry folks that owned Hodgedon, Berger, Hornady, Sierra, Sinclair, and others.....and went on hunts with some of those guys.

I loaded up on primers during a prior tight supply period in the 90's buying over 80,000 back then......and recently sold several thousand as the prices are attractive now. Also sold a few thousand rounds of Winchester 22-250. Over that time, I accumulated enough bullets, primers and powders (and ammo) to satisfy my needs for my lifetime. Looking at the prices paid then.....almost makes me blush. I bought thousands of Sierra Hollow point vermint bullets for like $10 / thousand at one time. (knew some of the right people) I'd hate to replace it all at today's prices. I'm giving most of my stuff to my family.....and keeping some powder dry for Armageddon. lol.

Anyway...my advice is stock up when ammo and components are plentiful. That day will come again.

 

[SD51555]

I don’t see much purpose for subs other than poaching, killing 2 legged game, or maybe shooting pests in town. But if I wanted a rifle specifically for subs, I’m not aware of any reason to do 308 over 300 BO. Seems you’d have to do some funny stuff with a case that big to keep things subsonic?

#1 reason, for me, to own a suppressor, is so I can still shoot guns at my hunting property and not feel like i'm blowing up the woods with noise.
#2 is not having to need hearing protection for some innocent afternoon plinking.
#3 the cat doesn't startle when I shoot the suppressed guns.

It's one of those things you need to experience.