Ammo availabilty affect next gun purchase?

T

TopHat

Inactive
Well I have been keeping a ammo watch on several local Walmarts.
It seems like all I see is .40 and 9mm, I was thinking about buying
a .45 in the near future but never seem to find ammo. :o

Anyone else reconsider a gun due to not finding the ammo for it?
 
Well, not really. I bought a Sig P238 in December 2009 (.380). .380 is not really a problem around here at all. Could it be in the future?? Sure. That's why I got into reloading. I try to keep a stockpile of primers, bullets, etc on hand in case there is another shortage.
 
Welcome

First welcome. As I’m a died in the wool .357 owner/shooter, the wide selection of ammo available just reinforced my decision to buy another .357. I may not be able to find the exact style or brand I prefer but I can always find good quality ammo.
 
Welcome
First welcome. As I’m a died in the wool .357 owner/shooter, the wide selection of ammo available just reinforced my decision to buy another .357. I may not be able to find the exact style or brand I prefer but I can always find good quality ammo.
Click to expand...

Old Bear,

I agree with you on the .357 as its a great caliber and plus the added
bonus of shooting .38 specials if needed. Got a snubby .357 that I shoot
quite often.
 
I gave up on the big chain stores like walmart for ammo a long time ago. Find yourself a nice, privately owned and operated real-honest-to-goodness GUN store. My local shops have plenty of ammo on hand, and pretty much have all along, with the exception of a few months last year when they put 2 box limits on some of the rarer (at the time) rounds like .380acp.

I can walk into my closest local shop any day now and find shelves of .45acp readily available (and .380acp, and 9mm, and .38spl, .357, etc, etc).
 
If it's a centerfire, not any more. Getting into reloading in a big way.

gwnorth- you can send some of the 380 down here to Texas. Still hard to find and if you do, some of the shops are still asding waaaayy too much.
 
If you have to depend on the big box stores for ammo - yes, it will be a problem / depending on how much you want to shoot it.

A few of my buddies that don't reload / buy ammo in case lots at our local gunshows ...and they seem to keep pretty well stocked.

I would seriously recommend you consider reloading / I've been reloading for at least 40 yrs - and it will save you a significant amount of money ( my reloads on .45acp are about $9 for a box of 50 ( and full retail around here is between $20 and $25 a box of 50). Plus you can customize your ammo to your guns / shoot what grain bullet you like, velocity you like, etc...
 
I see more .45ACP than 9mm, myself. I've been afraid to go shooting because I don't want to waste my 9mm FMJ (I've only got around 308 rounds).
 
Availability and cost of ammunition were both very large factors considered when I purchased my two handguns. That's probably why both of them are 9mm.
 
My daily carry guns are all 9mm because those guns i need the most practice with. I am down to only one 380 anymore (cant give up my PPK, for those James Bond days).

9mm is just so easy to get, where the 380 costs twice as much. I practice with my 22s too, but at least the price of 9mm allows a decent amount of practice out back.
 
Besides the good advice about reloading, you might want to give some consideration to buying off the net from one of the hundreds of suppliers......Plenty of them have plenty of ammo
 
Last edited:
VBesides the good advice about reloading, you might want to give some consideration to buying off the net from one of the hundreds of suppliers......Plenty of then have plenty of ammo
Click to expand...

Might have to start buying online..or try to get into re-loading.
 
Maybe eventually have one or more of each?

I started with a .357, then a .40, then a .45 ACP, now it's occured to me to get a 9mm just to have most all the bases covered. I know that there are other rounds but these are the most common and if there is more of a shortage I should be able to ammo for one or more. I'm in Calif. We won't be able to buy mail order ammo next year. Thinking about moving to Idaho (more reasons than just the ammo though )
 
Ok, I'm gonna say this real quick:

The easiest "target ammo" for me to find "cheap" is 9mm, but that ammo dries up quickly. .45 and .40 and .38spl and .357, .380 are expensive, but plentiful.

9mm self defense ammo is damn near impossible for me to find. I see TONS of .45, 40, .38spl and .357, .380 self defense ammo around me. All I can find for my gun is 9mm target ammo. So, I suggest anything other than 9mm. At least if you live in central Il. Honestly? I have to mail order 9mm SD ammo (which isn't too expensive for the Privi Partisan or Wolf Gold ammo) but decent in store 9mm SD ammo is impossible for my to find. Store clerks will show my .40 and .45 ammo to show me which ammo they like best and then tell me to check in later.
 
It doesnt affect me a whole lot... since I reload,, means I just have to buy another die,brass, bullets. Then the ammo is readily available.
 
Reloading isn't exactly an option for all of us. I'd love to reload. But more small charges across more time is better for some of us than a big charge over small time.

Also, the wally near me is packed to the gills with everything but SD 9mm. It's all location based.

If you got the money and the space to start reloading, it's your best option. So, Tophat, if you can reload: whatever caliber you want is the best.
 
Anyone else reconsider a gun due to not finding the ammo for it?
Click to expand...
Never has been a concern, still won't be. I'm seeing more and more ammo at a lot of stores. Cabela's in my area is well stocked in all calabers, including several brands of 380. The Wallyworlds around me vary from so-so to excellent.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top