Moose: said:
The recent thread on the most common handgun in law enforcement got me thinking. One of the reasons why I insist on owning pistols chambered in 9x19mm is the availability of ammo -- it's cheap and plentiful, and I figure that in a true WROL situation, I'm more likely to have success if scrounging for 9x19mm.
But if it's true that the majority of law enforcement agencies use firearms chambered in .40S&W, aren't I more likely to find success hunting for that caliber?
I guess it matters where you live?
- NJ, CA, Chicago, DC and other non-gun-friendly areas -- few private firearms; most firearms in the hands of police, so the most plentiful handgun ammunition is probably .40S&W
- you're in the service and/or live close to a military base or station -- more likely to run across 9x19mm
- you live in a gun-friendly part of the country -- lots of private firearms; lots of different types of ammo floating around, could probably scrounge for whatever caliber floats your boat
Of course...I know how to fix the dilemma. Get both!
Moose,
If you didn't notice or were fortunate enough to be somewhere where the 2008-2009 Obammoscare didn't result in an overnight run on all "cheap and plentiful" "service caliber" ammunition, do not fool yourself; .380Auto, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .357 SIG, 9x19, .40 S&W, 10mm, .45 ACP and any other caliber that I've neglected to mention
will disappear before you have the chance to "scrounge" it.
And that was when there was no real SHTF/WROL/TEOTWAWKI crisis driving it, folks just panicked and snatched it all up. And yes, I know what a "poop" Obama is when it comes to the Second Amendment.
When it comes to romanticized thoughts of, "Oh, I'll just scrounge ammo.", there are five rules that you'd do well to consider when you "come up against it":
1.) What you have in the way of ammunition before any real (or perceived) crisis begins is exactly what you'll have when it begins.
2.) Everyone else, and I mean
everyone else, will be in the same situation as you meaning that they, too, planned to "scavenge, beg, borrow and scrounge" the exact same "cheap and plentiful" ammunition that you did, too. It is not an original idea. This means that you will not be able to just bee-bop on down to your local Walmart, Ma & Pa Gunshop, Cabela's or Gander Mountain and clear the shelves in order to "stock up". Those sources will be picked clean so fast that it'll make your head swim. Don't count on the "good nature" or the "
espirit de corps" of your fellow gun owners to leave some ammuniton behind for you. They have families that they will put before everyone else. I couldn't blame them for it either since that is exactly what I'd be doing.
3.) It won't matter how many people have it [your caliber(s)] in their possesion, they won't be handing it out to those who have none or just got caught with their pants around their ankles. They will also be unable to replenish/replace their ammuntion being subject to the same conditons that you are and unless you are willing to pay exorbitant prices to obtain it (I often saw 50 round boxes of .380 Auto going for $90-$110 per box during the '08-'09 Obammo-scare and that was frequently on-line!), you won't be buying more until supply catches up with demand. That may be as short as days or as long as months.
4.) The idea of running across a miltary base or police station and obtaining 9mm (or any other ammunition for that matter) from them is ridiculous. They, too, will also be subject to the same market forces that you are and finding themselves in that situation will not be handing out ammunition to "the less fortunate" and "unprepared". They will need what little ammunition they have in their possession to execute their duties and that means that they won't be letting any of it go without a real good reason. Your failure to plan will
not constitute an emergency on their behalf.
5.)
If something truly horrendous comes to pass (a huge meteor strike obliterates 2/3rds of the North American Continent, a nuclear event/EMP strike, aliens arrive who see us only as a food stock, a biological disaster of biblical proportion, etc.) supply will likely never catch-up with demand and the only way you'll be scrounging or scavenging ammunition is by picking it from the bodies of the dead and dying or killing people for it. Nobody'll want to barter ammunition because it can be used against them afterwards to take what little they have unless they've just flat out given up. A post-catastrophic barter economy will be utterly ruthless. Count on it.
The moral of the story is Rule #1
Better have enough (can you actually predict how much you're going to need?) on hand, 'cause if/when the fecal matter hits the air circulating device it'll already be too late.
Good luck and Happy New Year!
ETA: Oh yeah, forgot to mention that I pray that it never comes to this.
