[Longone]

Did the thought ever occur to you that HIS price on ammo also went way, way up?

I’m sure his cost is up, but when Brownells can sell 9mm Blazer for $30 a box (today) and we all hear story’s of people lining up before stores open so they can buy ammo to resell? I would doubt his cost was way way up, but rather another case of price gouging.

 

[dsk]

Remember that Brownells likely receives ammo directly from the manufacturer. Smaller shops have to buy from distributors so there's a middle-man involved. That's why even before the plannedemic I could buy 9mm range ammo for $10 a box from Walmart or Cabelas, while the small gun shops in my area were all selling it for $14-$15.

 

[mdell49]

Reloading doesn't help much unless you have an ample supply of all the components, and for all the calibers you shoot. The weak link as we've all seen has been with primers. You can cast your own bullets from wheel weights, re-use your fired cases and stock up on kegs full of powder... but without that little spark plug at the bottom your bullets are going nowhere.

Agreed but instead of buying ammo and more guns take that same money and invest it in primers & powder for those of us who did that over the last 10 years there is no crisis. Reloading still offers a substantial savings over factory ammo. And today I am shooting ammo at prices that are reflected in a era when 1000 primers was $23 or $24 per 1000. I was buying lots pf 5000 at a time from Powder Valley whenever they offered no Haz Mat. It takes planning and discipline but as I said when this shortage passes start stocking up!

 

[9mm Colt]

Guy on the S&W blue forum,smithluvr,has 38sp and other. Prefers CT buyers but may ship.
My bro got alot of 9mm before he raised prices.
FYI

 

[dsk]

Agreed but instead of buying ammo and more guns take that same money and invest it in primers & powder for those of us who did that over the last 10 years there is no crisis. Reloading still offers a substantial savings over factory ammo. And today I am shooting ammo at prices that are reflected in a era when 1000 primers was $23 or $24 per 1000. I was buying lots pf 5000 at a time from Powder Valley whenever they offered no Haz Mat. It takes planning and discipline but as I said when this shortage passes start stocking up!

Funny thing, but just before the plannedemic started I was getting ready to get back into reloading for a few calibers, primarily the expensive revolver rounds like .45LC for which I felt I simply couldn't afford nearly $40 a box for factory ammo. And yet here we are now, when cheap 9mm range ammo is going for that price!

 

[cavelamb]

I’m sure his cost is up, but when Brownells can sell 9mm Blazer for $30 a box (today) and we all hear story’s of people lining up before stores open so they can buy ammo to resell? I would doubt his cost was way way up, but rather another case of price gouging.

Do you know WHEN Brownells bought that box of Blazer 9mm?

It may have been on he back shelf in the warehouse for ages and they are finally digging back to it.

 

[Old Grey Hare]

Make sure to send him a Christmas card with a turd in it.

Nah. Send him one with the receipt for a large order at a lower price from a competitor.

Do you know WHEN Brownells bought that box of Blazer 9mm?

It may have been on he back shelf in the warehouse for ages and they are finally digging back to it.

Ohhhhh I got some like that from Ammo Warehouse. 30-06 UMC, right? Only this case was Obama-era, as compared to all the other cases I got, which were the current design. Those 10 boxes are positioned such that next time I go to the range, they'll be the ones to go.

Not complanin' tho. They didn't gouge at all, it was a fair price, and I'm sure it'll go bang when I press the trigger. This was back in April or May last year.

 

[hal copple]

I got my first revolver several months ago, a mint 38/357 S&W 28-2, the big pistol police and HP used to wear on their hips 30 years ago. Says Highway Patrolman on the barrel. Have a "rig" on order at El Paso Saddlery. And already 38 sp ammo was impossible to find, so took about two months, but got two sets of dies, and had plenty of suitable powder, and my order for Starline cases came about the same time 500 plated bullets for it from Extreme, and made up my first loads for it. Fun gun to shoot. Since then, lucked into 1500 more Extreme bullets at Cabela's at their usual pre-panic prices, and being fat on primers, have made up plenty to shoot. Head about a friend's friend who just got his first 38 sp, but can't get ammo, so made up and sent him 50 fresh rounds to shoot. Us shooters have to help one another in times like this. I could't imagine having a new firearm and no ammo to shoot in it. Gave a pound of Titegroup to another shooter out of powder; have more than I am likely to ever shoot anyway.

For the past decade or so, I have been a compulsive buyer of reloading components, since I reload 14 calibers, lots of it vintage military.

I find making ammo a peaceful and contemplative hobby, and make more than I can shoot. I have told my friends if it all goes to heck, get to my place and stock up.

For those thinking about reloading, just order what you will need, even if back-ordered, like I didi for 38/357, and in a month or so, with luck, you can begin. In the meantime set up your bench and storage places, and read all you can.

NV

 

[glider]

I guess 9mm is Americas favorite cartridge and 38 special is pretty far down the list. The fact is a 38 special is a better round but not by much, the 2 rounds are kinda brothers, they are within a couple thousands of the same bullet size. The reason for the popularity of each is the handguns that shoot them. You can get a 9mm that is about the same size as a 38 chiefs special that holds 12 rounds compared to the chiefs special 5 rounds. So for defense, carry, the 9mm has it all over a 38. The fact is for most of us {98%] our shooting is at the range and for that a 38 is a better round and you don't need to sweep up and pickup all those rounds that are spread around.

 

[Nitro.45]

We have these same discussions every time there is a drought. In times of plenty, it’s easy to say that reloading doesn’t pay for itself (lie). Everyone forgets times like this, especially when it comes to the exotics like DSK’s 45LC, and now the 38spl. Even the piddly 380 costs a fortune. Everyone has a choice. It’s like the burned out light bulb theory, either learn to reload and stock up on components or just sit in the dark and bitch about it. Those that bitch the loudest are the same ones that have paid exorbitant $$ for what they can find. FAR more than a decent reloading set up would cost. Soon, ammo will come back, along with $6 223, and reloading will be “stupid” again.......

 

[Gunguy123]

I would like to start reloading my own ammo. Can somebody tell me a good website or place to go to learn how to do this. I have no experience at all in doing this ver before. Thanks

 

[Nitro.45]

First, buy one of the reloading manuals mentioned earlier.
Second, read it cover to cover.
Third, wait until anything comes back in stock. This is about the worst I have ever seen it. I can’t imagine a worse time to start reloading.

 

[nikerret]

Do you know WHEN Brownells bought that box of Blazer 9mm?

It may have been on he back shelf in the warehouse for ages and they are finally digging back to it.

Several years ago, I bought two cases of precision rifle ammunition, from Midway. The two cases were over 1 million lot numbers apart and shot to completely different points, around 3 MOA off. It was pretty inconvenient as I was using it during a week long LE Sniper school. We had to take an extended break so I could re-zero, when the first case ran out. It was mind boggling that the two lots were so far apart.

 

[PEF]

Gentlemen please learn a lesson from the current drought. When it ends, and it will, STOP buying factory ammo and start reloading so you will have ammo whenever you want it. An 8lb keg of 4895 will load roughly 1200 rounds of 06 ammo. An 8lb Keg of Bullseye will load nearly 19,000 rounds of .38spl ammo. Both represent more than an average shooter will go through in a few years of serious shooting.

Or "stack deep when it's cheap." I was slowly but steadily bulk buying after prices fell after the last ammo shortage.

 

[PEF]

Still barely any out there, like they completely stopped making it last year and haven’t done another run yet.

Stuff is so scarce, I’m tempted to dump my S&W airweight I got brand new for cheap over the Summer last year when everybody wanted semiautos and ARs and put another 9mm Sig or glock in the inventory instead. I’m not sure I want a caliber that slips this far down the priority list for the manufacturers in a shortage. It’s the only thing I can barely find, only a few places online for well over a dollar per round. Nothing in any store as 9, 556, 223 and 45 have appeared and disappeared for months.

I’m lucky I at least snapped up a few hundred rounds when I got this thing and only took it out and shot one box. If I’d have known it would be this bad I’d have bought way more. Figured it would come back when everything else did.

It will come back. It may be a couple of years, though. Patience.

 

[1saxman]

I had one of them - made by a guy named 'Marcus Registadas' or something like that - musta been an Italian or something.

 

[PolymerMan]

.38 spl is/was always a difficult round to locate in your favorite loading even 10 years ago. When you see something come up, like .38 spl +P 135 gr Short Barrel Gold Dots... BUY IT! I bought a case 10 years ago and I still have 75% of that case. That loading only comes around every few years.

 

[mdell49]

I would like to start reloading my own ammo. Can somebody tell me a good website or place to go to learn how to do this. I have no experience at all in doing this ver before. Thanks

Reloading is like baking a cake, just follow the recipe. Reloading manuals offer step by step instructions and identify the purpose and use of the different tools. You Tube has great instructional videos. I learned to reload 45 years ago on an RCBS Junior press and was taught by a shooting buddy. There are likely some fellows that you shoot with that load their own. My grandson is now using that exact same RCBS junior press to load his own ammo. The initial investment is substantial but when amortized over 45 years it doesn't come out to much. I prefer reloads over factory ammo because I can tailor loads to the exact firearm I am using. California recently passed a law requiring background checks to purchase ammo. I'm sorry but I have had enough background checks run between firearm purchases and CCW permits to last a lifetime. So far not on loading components. Another plus for loading your own. Just get prepared so when things return to some level or normal you can get started, and good luck.

 

[Gunguy123]

Thanks.

 

[mkk41]

I guess 9mm is Americas favorite cartridge and 38 special is pretty far down the list.

*The fact is a 38 special is a better round but not by much, the 2 rounds are kinda brothers, they are within a couple thousands of the same bullet size. *

How so? Bullet dia is .355 vs .357. However , using equal weight bullets , the 9mm beats the grand old .38 by a couple hundred FPS. Even in +P loads. A standard pressure 124gr 9mm round beats a 125gr .38+P given equal barrel length.