In a recent article, several notions are advanced to explain the persistent shortage of ammunition.
Politics and the economy are both at work, according to manufacturer representatives who’ve spoken to Garrett.
While I agree with much of what is said in this article, they fail to mention that many realize that every economic downturn precedes a crime wave. Which, coupled with an anti-gun administration and Congress, makes it even more compelling for citizens to stock up.
Also, I was unaware, before this article, that the sales of semi-auto “scary guns” had subsided, though I find that bit of news encouraging. There are many of those types of rifles I would like to possess, but not at high demand prices.
This desire for hoarding, or panic buying, isn’t lost on those who generally are anti-gun either, as evidenced by this liberals reaction.
Pay attention when chitchat turns to ammo shortages:
Now, I do take the ammo shortage talk with a grain of salt, as I do all discussion of TEOTWAWKI. Given the freak-out scenes at Christmas when stores don’t stock enough Wiis, we are not a people known for having any sort of acquistion patience. An “ammo shortage” might mean the Wichita Wal-Mart was down to five boxes of .22s on May 6, for all I know.
But I sit up straighter when chatter on the Internet reaches critical mass and especially when it overflows into the sacred milieu of the ladies’ luncheon. At this point, unarmed as I am, I don’t really care about ammo shortages per se. I’m concerned that others do — and enough to talk about it.
I’ve had the distinct feeling lately that we are poised precariously between two realities.
I decided to take a look at what two of the biggest internet sellers of ammunition had in stock.
First I visited ammoman, which is quite possibly the largest internet seller, and found they are still experiencing major shortages in the most common rounds.
Of the calibers that are sold out and currently unavailable, here is a list:
.22 Long Rifle and .22Magnum–9×18 Makarov–.38Special–.380–.357Magnum–10mm–
.44Magnum–.50AE–.30Carbine–.303British–30.06
Calibers of limited availability and/or expensive specialty rounds:
.45ACP–.40S&W–9mm–7.62x.39mm(poor quality Russian only)–.223/5.56mm(either expensive specialty ammo or poor quality Serbian/Russian/Turkish ammo only)
I also checked Cheaper Than Dirt, and while they did have some ammunition available, they were out of stock of many of the same calibers as ammoman.
All that said, here are a few tidbits of advice if you have need of ammunition.
*Shop around, and compare product and prices.
*Only purchase quality ammo. Your life and your expensive weapon might depend on it.
*Don’t panic, it isn’t TEOTWAWKI…yet.
*Lastly, as impressive as the image is, of the delicious display of weapons, and loaded magazines(remember-clips are not magazines), I highly discourage loading your magazines. If you load your magazines for preparedness, only load them half-way. Loading the mags completely full will compress the magazine spring below the follower, and will cause malfunctions in feeding when used, unless you have a load and forget Beta C Mag. This suggestion applies to pump or semi-auto shotguns, as well, as they have a magazine tube with a spring.
Heads exploding at LGF – “A bunch of gun loving, creationist believing, bible thumping, bigots over at the stalker blog”.
“You’re so right Charles”
Sharmuta
“They’re linked to the tea parties, I have evidence”
Killgore Trout
“and to Ron Paul too”
reine.de.tout
“Neo fascists linked to Pamela Geller”
Irish Rose
“Go piss up a rope”
Mandy Manners
re: #1 by Speranza
And to each, I wish them a hearty ESAD.
re: #1 by Speranza
Yeah It doesn’t matter I don’t like Ron Paul, but yet they claim I support that loon.
re: #3 by Rodan
Ron Paul is not a conservative, he received hardly any votes in the primaries and has a lot in common with the Left – i.e. an isolationist, blame America First, Jew hater.
Well I will have to counter the “poor quality” Serbian ammo post. Privi Partisan makes high quality .223 and 5.56mm ammo for Ar-15’s. I shoot it all the time and it compares quite well with US manufacturers like Federal, Winchester, and Remington. I buy it all the time, and meets the same specs as military grade M855 and M193.
re: #5 by helofixer
That’s good to hear.
For far too long the former Soviet bloc manufacturers had typical commie quality control standards.
the irony of the ‘exploding heads’ is how fast they will run screaming for the safety of the ‘packing heat’ when their dorm is attacked…so to speak.
re: #7 by Banned Aswell
I’ll never forget when TSHTF in LA after the Rodney King verdict, a.k.a. ‘92 LA Summer Games.
People went running to gun stores, only to discover there was a fifteen day waiting list.
/idjits
Don’t forget that OSHA has changed some of the regulations regarding ammunition, specifically some of the safety requirements while making it.
Another set of OSHA regulations got swept under the carpet and quickly erased from the memory hole, which would have required ammo to be considered the same as dynomite, which would make it illegal to sell in gun shops.
Frankly, I think there are alot of things playing into this, and the only thing that annoys me is that every store I go to is out of 9mm and .22lr.
It is about time to shoot out the ammo I have, but I have to replace it first…. and I don’t have the few hundred dollars it’d cost to get reloading equipment.
OT – I’m not sure how to suggest a post but thought this was pretty disgusting and relevant to conversation here.
Glenn Beck would eat this up.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Back
By Adam Brandolph
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, July 24, 2009
Buzz up!
Post to MySpace!
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Local property services workers protested this morning outside Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s offices demanding union jobs on city projects.
About 150 people chanted, sang and yelled beginning about 8:30 a.m. in the fifth-floor lobby of the City-County Building, Downtown.
“We’re here to ask the mayor to change his development policies,” said Sam Williamson, a representative of the Service Employees International Union. “The purpose of development is to help people, not corporations.”
The union wants the mayor to negotiate with Continental Real Estate, the developer of the new PromoWest amphitheater and Hyatt Place hotel on the North Shore, to ensure jobs and other benefits for its employees.
The unions are being ignored, said Kim Collins-Henley, a housekeeper who lives on the North Side.
“We want fair wages for union jobs,” she said.
Building security officials kept the doors to the mayor’s offices locked before chaining them shut about 8:40 a.m. and about a dozen police officers stood guard.
Ravenstahl could not be reached for commen
Heres the link.
re: #8 by no2liberals
Actually that was the ‘94 summer games.
My wedding reception was cut a little short because of family having to get home before the 10pm curfew.
I lived just a few miles from the court house where the LAPD officers trial was held. After the riots started in LA there was talk about car loads of those people coming up here to play with us. I figured their pile of crap cars wouldn’t make it this far north, but if they did they were in for a really rude awakening, cause we got some fire power up in these parts.
re: #11 by bar
I stand corrected.
Being here in Dallas at the time, it was a surrealistic event to watch and read about.
re: #10 by Bumr50
Excellent suggestion.
Alas, I must depart, and try and make some kablinkie.
Perhaps one of the other admins will take the link and run with it.
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2009/07/024118.php?format=print The One’s Approval Rating down to 49%
The best place to get ammo seems to be the gun shows. I picked up a nice amount of .40 S&W, 9mm Luger, .300 Magnum, and even some .25 ACP (which has been IMPOSSIBLE to find anywhere else until this week) at one a month ago, and for quite reasonable prices.
Though I did actually get some .25 at Wal-Mart earlier this week – one box was all they had – as a birthday present for my wife.
6.8mm Remington SPC
re: #1 by Speranza
Heads exploding at LGF – “A bunch of gun loving, creationist believing, bible thumping, bigots over at the stalker blog”.
The way I figure it, let them. LGF 1.0 is nothing but an echo-chambre that caters to group autism anyhow. The LGF 1.0ers can continue to be disconnected with reality, and we’ll just live our lives the way most normal, reasonably intelligent people do who don’t have chips on their shoulders.
Truly, “living well and being happy” is the best revenge.
Out here in Los Angeles, I have had an impossible time finding copper jacketed .22 ammo. Just went to a small shop today actually, and they were all out as well. For the last few months or so, finding .22 has been impossible. Even the huge chain stores are out. (Big 5, Wallmart, etc.)
Luckily I sort of stocked up when I could (sort of).
As to #1.
Yes, this Jew just loves Ron Paul, and Neo Nazis. Yup, they sure got me pegged. Ron Paul and Neo Nazis love me too, quite an odd thing.
As for the “gun loving, creationist believing, bible thumping”…well yea. Guilty as charged & PROUD! Just like the founders of this great nation, and those of Israel. If the loozards have a problem with that (those who commented this way) well those wimps can just get out of the way. From LGFs stats lately, it seems that is exactly what they are doing: so thanks!
Oh, since we are throwning labels around, I will add some of my own: I’m Pro-Jewish Growth in Yesah, Zionist, Religious, , “Jewish Nationalist”, Patriotic and Pro-Basketball.
re: #1 by Speranza
Do you have actual linkedge, or other descriptive information to back up those statements?
re: #18 by WrathofG-d
Fu*kin’ Loozards
re: #15 by tqcincinnatus
.25ACP, eh?
Man, you really do like to make them mad when they attack, don’tcha?
re: #18 by WrathofG-d
didn’t CA start prohibiting lead in all a,mo?
Shootin’ & Drinkin’ Accessory
How long does ammo last?
I have an ammo can or two with a some .223, 12ga and 9mm rounds in them, they are more than likely 8+ years old. Yeah its been awhile since I been shooting.
re: #24 by bar
As long as you keep them stored in a dry and coolish environment, they can last for a very long time. I pack desiccant in my ammo cans, and then put the cans in a locker with more desiccant.
re: #22 by LanceKates
Don’t think so. They still sell them. Copper jackets are hard to find. Lead, not so much.
Ooooo, there’s a surprise. In order to justify their hatred and bigotry towards us they have to engage in straw man attacks.
FYI, I believe in evolution, HATE ron paul, am an athiest, and hate racists.
Really, your remora like sucking of charles scrotum is just pathetic. If you had any sense of decency or self respect you’d kill yourselves.
Privi Partisan is known to make high quality ammo. I’ve yet to hear anything bad about it.
The “panic” is subsiding to some degree and I’ve been able to find ammo at reasonable prices. It is true that .22 ammo is still a bit over priced, but I was actually able to find some .40 ammo in stock for a good price. Not long ago I couldn’t find anything anywhere.
If you need ammo, Cheaper than Diamonds isn’t the place to find it at. Try Ammunition to Go: http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/catalog1/index.php
To dispel a myth: Loading a magazine to full capacity or almost full capacity and leaving it that way WILL NOT hurt reliability. There have been magazines loaded and left that way for 20, 30, even 40+ years that still function fine after all that time. The real killer is repeated loading and unloading. Metal work hardens the more it is used and THAT is what reduces a magazine spring’s reliability.
Just make sure that you are 100% certain a magazine functions as it should before you load it and store it. Your life DOES depend on it.
re: #27 by P
Thanks for your input, but we will have to disagree on the storage of fully loaded mags. I learned the hard way, and believe it to be fact, as I found out after numerous malfunctions.
I’ve had the opposite experience on the mag storage issue, myself. AFAIC, do what you feel is right.
I’m not CJ who insists only my opinion can be right and that you must be an idiot for disagreeing.
Heck, I’m happy just to see fellow gun owners here.
re: #29 by P
Me either.
If we can have gun talk discussions, the more info the better.
I had one ol’fella tell me that leaving mags loaded for too long will also cause the different lubricants involved in the ammo manufacturing process to become varnish and make the brass stick together, as it is in an anaerobic state.
I also found that to be true, when I was emptying a mag. Don’t know if the old banging the mag on the head routine breaks them free or not.
re: #30 by no2liberals
I haven’t experienced that yet. I keep about 5 rounds each in 2 mags. Never had a spring problem and never want to.
re: #28 by no2liberals
depends on the mag. the general designs are similar, but not all suffer from the fatigue.
depends on the steel used in the springs.
Hmmm. Never had cartridges stick together unless there was excess lubricant in the mag. Learn something new…