The "Where is everything?" thread -- guns, ammo, primers, powder, etc.

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Walmart opened a new store in the city I live in on april 10th. They opened at 7am, i got there around 1pm. The ammo case was almost completely bare, no 9mm, .40, .45 or revolver calibers left. I got the last box of 500rds federal 40grain .22lr for $20 which was very surprising to me they had any left. They had 2 more 500rd boxes left but the manager was breaking them down to sell the smaller boxes inside individually. The manager said at 7am around 30 people sprinted to the back of the store and 90% of the stock was gone in mere minutes. I try and get ammo when i can mostly order it online or stop in stores when im in the area but ill never waste my time waiting in line waiting for gander or another store to open just to fight my way to the back and end up getting nothing. Anybody here a die-hard ammo finder that goes to stores early to wait in line on shipment days?
 
$13.99 AR Stoner mags in stock @ MidwayUSA.com

Limit of 2 per customer, but these keep coming back in stock. Because the 2 per customer limit expires after 5 days, it's not hard to build your personal inventory over time without paying the scalpers' 100% mark-up.

"AR-Stoner Magazine AR-15 223 Remington 30-Round Curved Body with Anti Tilt Follower Stainless Steel Black" http://www.midwayusa.com/product/111195/ar-stoner-magazine-ar-15-223-remington-30-round-curved-body-with-anti-tilt-follower-stainless-steel-black
 
Gander Mountain and Cabela's in Charleston WV report they are getting rimfire in on every truck, but it is sold out within a couple hours of putting it out. They get the trucks at night, and put the ammo out early, gone by lunch.
 
Late yesterday, Saturday, stopped by my local Big5 sporting goods just to see what they had. No current military type ammo at all with the exception of 12ga shot shells and no 22LR. Ammo I think I saw was 17HMR, 25ACP, 32ACP, 38Special, 40S&W, 30-30, 30-06, 300WM and various shot shells. No AR type platform rifles at all.:(
 
Where are the Dies?

I understand why ammo is scarce. I understand why there is a run on primers, powder and components. But where are the dies? Everywhere you look there is nothing but odd calibers available. All your 45acp, 9mm, 40sw, 223, 308, 3006 dies are now extinct. Why? The government doesnt reload? Who is buying up all these die sets?
 
Re: Where are the Dies?

I think everybody came to the same conclusion... If you want ammo, your situation improves considerably if you take a path less traveled and roll your own. My reloading equipment sat in boxes from a move over a decade ago, but was pressed back into service out of necessity, especially for calibers I didn't even own a decade ago. Hence, new dies needed including dies for a couple of those you mentioned.

That said, if you're looking for 45 acp, my old MidwayUSA wish list shows an RCBS carbide set in stock: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/247879/rcbs-carbide-3-die-set-with-taper-crimp-45-acp-45-gap
 
But where are the dies? Everywhere you look there is nothing but odd calibers available. All your 45acp, 9mm, 40sw, 223, 308, 3006 dies are now extinct. Why? The government doesnt reload?
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Not very many people handload under normal circumstances. Unlike many firearm-related items, demand is not seasonal, and dies are generally not consumable- once you have a 9mm die set, you probably aren't ever going to buy a second. Finally, as you point out, there are no government contracts for this stuff, and therefore no need for manufacturers to have capacity to quickly increase production.

Consequently, die makers are able to meet normal demand with a slow trickle of production, and really aren't equipped to deal with a sudden surge.
 
Here in Rockford, IL I have been calling my local MC Sports and Walmart every day asking about ammo shipments coming in. Every day I am asked what calibers I am looking for, and when I state 22LR, 380, 38 Special, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP" I get the same answer, that nothing has come in. I don't even hear that some came in but sold out. So the problem may be easing in some parts of the country, but it is not easing here. I still have a moderate stock of the above calibers, but it I can't buy some soon I might stop going to the range for awhile.
 
Let me vent for a minute.........

I SWEAR I'M SICK OF THE SCARE RUN!!!

At least .223 has come down from stupid prices if you look hard... It's still high, but not plain stupid. No 9mm to be found, of course (would like to qualify with my Khar as it's much easier to carry and conceal than a Sig 245). Can't find reloading supplies that I'm willing to pay for (I saw copper wash "jacketed" .223 projectiles go for $220.00 per 1k on GB a few days ago). I rarely shoot. I don't even enjoy shooting when I do go because I don't want to burn up what materials I do have (I didn't have a huge stockpile of rifle projectiles before this kicked off). Wheel weights are going for 2 dollars a pound now if you don't have a good hook-up. I wanted to start casting for 9mm since I do have a decent bit of powder and primer... but lee 2 cavity molds are going for 70 or 80 bucks shipped:eek:

I'm done... I'm making a list. When all the suckers who paid a dollar per round for plinking ammo gets tired of tripping over it and their 2k rifles that are worth 700 bucks, I'm going to boycott buying from them unless they sell it for 10 cents a round. I'm going to rapidly accumulate everything on my list and I'm going to laugh the next time another gun scare comes up. Ok, not literally because then others will be in pain. I said I was going to do it in 09' when the first run tapered off, but I dismissed the first run as paranoia and knew that things would settle down (they did). I (and most here) proved to be right, and hence I thought the coast was clear. I know things will settle some from where it's at now... but I'm not so sure now. I don't know that we'll get back to the ammo and components prices we were at a year or two ago. I remember a few years ago on this board, before even the '08 run on guns and ammo, there was a new "SHTF" thread daily in almost every category. My new "SHTF" is the next gun scare... and having enough materials stockpiled to last a lifetime.

End of rant... I'm just frustrated right now.
 
Ammo availability isnt coming back to normal or even somewhat normal anytime soon. If you have noticed everyone is saying "this time when ammo comes back ill stock up for a lifetime." And that is exactly why availability will be scarce for a long time. To stock up for a lifetime you would have to buy quite a bit each paycheck, but with availability where it is now thats not possible, many people cant find what they want for weeks or months inbetween purchases. Add in the fact people are shooting some of that stock before they can even find ammo to replenish it, it is going to snowball out of control and shelves will be emptied the day they get filled for atleast a couple years i gurantee it.
 
5whiskey, I feel you man. The thing that kills me the most is the scalpers.. Buying up whatever primers and powder they can find and selling it on gunbroker for over double.. And people are PAYING!!
It's just plain taking advantage of regular people who HAVE jobs and can't spend all day camping around on the net waiting for things to be in stock (for a few minutes) and buying as much as they can just to resell it.

Actually the real thing that kills me are the politicians who are threatening our rights. But we all know that already.

on a slightly happier note, and hopefully true, I went to my local Turners Outdoorsman (mostly a So Cal based chain) and one of the managers told me a rep from Federal had come in a few days before me and told the guys there that Federal was stockpiling little by little as they filled government and LE orders (contracts) and they were planning to send it all out and "flood the market" at the end of this month. We'll see if that's true. But it would be nice if it was.

WiscBuckmaster, I don't think we'll experience this level of panic buying for years. I think it'll die down over the next few months. I don't really think it'll go back to what we consider normal any time soon. But it will get easier.
There's too much demand for ammo companies to not expand and produce more, it's just the way the market works in our country, always has. There's hope :)
 
I stopped in one of my local Wal-marts today and asked if they had any ammo. The clerk replied "what are you looking for?" I told 9mm; He said "I've got plenty!!!!!!!" I purchased my 3 box limit and got three 100 round boxes of Winchester White box---$25 per box. They also had 100 & 50 round boxes of Federal, .45, all kinds of rifle ammo and a box of 525 ct. Federal 22LR. The sun shined today!!! They are getting about 1 shipment a week. :D
 
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Add in the fact people are shooting some of that stock before they can even find ammo to replenish it, it is going to snowball out of control and shelves will be emptied the day they get filled for atleast a couple years i gurantee it
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Donald Sutherland's character in "Kelly's Heroes" comes to mind - "Always with the negative waves Moriarty, always with the negative waves."
 
I stopped by Academy Sports today and they had some guns in stock I haven't seen/seen in a while. Ruger Commander size 1911, Ruger SR22, Ruger LC380, Ruger 22/45 Lite, Ruger 22/45 and a SA XDs.
 
9mm bullets

I bought 9mm Winchester bullets for reloading at powervalley.com. This is the first 9mm bullets I have seen outside a gun show this year.
 
You may see my prediction as pessimistic but i think its just reality. I hope I'm wrong i really honestly do but ammoseek and gunbot have shown prices are still high and availability is slim. A new walmart opened in my town on april 10th, i went around 1pm and surprisingly got the last 500rd box of .22 for $20 but the manager at the register said most everything was sold out within minutes of opening the doors. Manufacturers aren't going to expand their production capabilities. They have increased production levels by running more or longer shifts but they wont open new factories or invest in more equipment as this shortage wont be permanent and long-term sustainability and profitability trumps short term production demands. I really do hope you can soon tell me "I told you so."
 
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