Most Preppers Are Stockpiling The WRONG Ammo Again!

Most Preppers Are Stockpiling The WRONG Ammo Again! video by Firearms Zone. 

Summary:

The next nationwide ammo shortage won't affect every caliber equally. In this video, we break down five obsolete survival calibers that could disappear first when supply chains collapse, including 7.62x39mm, .30-30 Winchester, .40 S&W, .380 ACP, and .32 ACP/.25 ACP. We examine logistics, manufacturing priorities, market demand, ballistic performance, and long-term preparedness strategies to help preppers, gun owners, survivalists, and Second Amendment supporters build a smarter ammunition stockpile before the next panic buying wave begins.

 

5 Ammo Types You Should Stockpile Before Global Chaos Hits

 5 Ammo Types You Should Stockpile Before Global Chaos Hits by Gear Zone.

 Summary:

There’s powerful—and then there’s this. In this video, we dive into the most dangerous revolver round ever widely available in America. Banned in several states, this beast delivers extreme penetration, bone-breaking force, and terminal damage few other handgun cartridges can match. It's a favorite among big-game hunters and feared by regulators alike. Find out why this round has earned a fearsome reputation, what makes it so lethal, and whether it deserves its place in your loadout.

Ammo Crash Coming?

Is there an impending ammunition crash coming? 

Right now, the availability of ammunition seems stable and plentiful. But Gun Man posted a video warning of a possible ammunition crash like the one that took place during the pandemic. 

Is he right or is he just a "Chicken Little" warning that the sky is falling? Is he trying panic people?

As for myself, I am fully stocked with ammunition, so I am not concerned if a crash should take place. 

According to Gun Man, there are seven calibers that will vanish first.

Here's the video:

Ammo Prices Set To Rise 'Substantially'

"All signs point toward a looming ammo shortage in the U.S. and world at large. Now is a good time to think about stockpiles and economical rimfire training." - Firearms News.

There's an old saying, "Keep your powder dry!" This basically means to wait before taking action, but be ready to take action if it is necessary.

The powder refers to gunpower. 

For those who have stockpiled ammunition, the possible shortage of gunpowder will have less of an impact. But for those who haven't, keep what you have ready for possible necessary use. Also, you may want to start stockpiling ammo before prices start climbing.

Ammunition prices are set to rise "substantially" due to an anticipated global shortage of gunpowder.

MSN reported:

Vista Outdoor, a parent company to many firearms businesses, told Newsweek that it will substantially increase its ammunition prices due to "an anticipated global shortage of gunpowder."

The Minnesota-based company confirmed the authenticity of a December 1 letter sent to customers that it would go ahead with an across-the-board increase of its ammunition and gunpowder prices on January 1.

"Due to world events our suppliers have notified us of unprecedented demand for and an anticipated global shortage of gunpowder, and thus has increased our prices substantially," Vice President of Sales, Sporting Products Brett Nelson said in the letter. "We must therefore raise our pricing to help offset those increases."

To read more, go here. 

What Ammo Shortage?

There may be overpriced and/or shortages of different calibers of ammunition in Lake Havasu, Arizona (see this blog post), but that doesn't seem to be evident in Gallup, New Mexico.

A couple of days ago, I went to a Gallup pawn shop who specializes in tools, jewelry and firearms (new and used firearms) and bought a box of 20 cartridges of .357 Magnum hollowpoint. The price was reasonable. 

.357 Magnum hollowpoint has been somewhat hard to find since the pandemic. Fully jacketed .357 Magnum has been much more plentiful. I've had to buy the hollowpoints online. 

The shop didn't have too much to choose from in rifles, but they have plenty of handguns at reasonable prices. 

Some ammunition companies, I have read, are claiming that there's a shortage of gunpowder.

Gunpowder Shortage Leading To Ammo Price Hikes

Above, the Albuquerque Cabela's ammo shelves during the pandemic. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The following does not come as a surprise, especially since I spoke with several gun store dealers in Lake Havasu a week ago. Each said that some ammunion calibers will be hard to get and prices of ammo in general will rise in 2024.

The following is from WBRC in Alabama:

ETOWAH COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC) - You’ll be spending more this year on gun ammunition. A local gun store owner said a manufacturer has increased ammunition prices in fear of a global gunpowder shortage.

Some gun owners say they don’t mind paying the price, they just want to know why and how much. Vista Outdoor, a parent company to many firearms businesses, will increase its ammunition prices due to an anticipated global shortage of gunpowder.

To read more, go here. 

Ammo Shortages Are Back!

Since I have been in Lake Havasu, Mitch Geriminsky and I have been to several gun stores browsing around.

On Friday, while waiting for a store to open (which never did), we killed some time checking out three gun stores. (It seems that Lake Havasu has as many gun stores as the San Fernando Valley in California has nail salons.) We went to some more yesterday.

Each have been saying that ammunition is going to be scarcer next year and the prices will jump up. In a gun store yesterday, they were selling .30-30 Winchester ammo for $70.00/box of 20. I am glad that I already stockpiled ammunition beforehand. They were all blaming NATO for this.

If one can, start buying ammunition now before the prices rise even further and it becomes harder to find. 

Note: There are some people who feel that this post is "spreading B.S." and trying to "cause" a run on ammo. That's not the intent of this post. I am just reporting on what six gun dealers in Lake Havasu told us directly. It could be a regional thing. But each said the same thing that NATO is the cause and prices are going up. 

I buy ammo online and have had no problems so far. If one wants to make a rebuttal, feel free to post it in the comments. Just make it factual and respectful and I will approve it.

Ammunition Shortage Eases, For Now

Above, Albuquerque Cabela's ammo shelves during the height of the shortage. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The ammunition shortage seems to have eased off in recent months.

Personally, I have had little difficulty in finding what calibers I want. If I can't find exactly what I want at a local gun store, I can get it online. I prefer buying at local stores as online sellers tack on shipping charges.

According to the Echo Press:

DULUTH — Hunters across the Northland are mostly finding what they need for ammunition this fall after three years of severe shortages of some of the most popular gauges and calibers.

Supply chain shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown — as well as an ill-timed bankruptcy and factory closing, combined with a huge increase in new gun ownership — conspired to greatly reduce supply in recent years even as demand was increasing. That led to little and, in several cases, virtually no ammunition being available.

Several buyers hoarded whatever they could find, leaving some hunters to beg, borrow or scrounge ammo for their favorite duck gun or deer rifle.

“It’s a lot better this year. We have most of what people need,” said Matt King, owner of Fisherman’s Corner sporting goods, gun and bait shop in Pike Lake, just outside Duluth.

That includes popular hunting calibers that have been nearly impossible to find in recent years, like .30-30 Winchester, 30.06 and .308. This year, there are also several options in many calibers, King noted.

To read more, go here.

 

Just Lead

 

Along with gold and silver, lead is becoming another "precious metal" these days with Democrats trying to infringe on our Second Amendment rights.

Along with that, we are still somewhat in an ammunition shortage. The worst of it is probably behind us, but there are some calibers harder to get than others.

Above, yesterday's delivery. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

My order of 9mm Winchester JHP Silvertip ammo arrived yesterday. It was from MidwayUSA. Much as I don't like paying for shipping, when all is said and done, it is cheaper than paying for gasoline to go to Cabela's or some other gun store in Albuquerque when there's no guarantee that any of them have what I wanted.

Last month, I ordered .357 Magnum JHP rounds (this was even harder to find) from MidwayUSA. This month was for 9mm.

The Ammo Shortage 2023

Above, Cabela's ammo shelves during the height of the shortage. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In many ways, the ammunition shortage still goes on.

Granted, it is less severe than it was over the past two years. In recent months, I have found the ammo shelves fully stocked at Cabela's in Albuquerque. Two years ago, they were almost totally empty. But not all calibers are available and some types of cartridges, like hollow points, are harder to find.

Recently, I had to go online to find .357 Magnum hollow point ammo. Cabela's had .357 Magnum ammo, but not in hollow point, the last time I went there. If I can't buy what I want, I won't buy. 

Above, Cabela's ammo shelves after the shortage started easing. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Outdoor Life posted an article, "The Ammo Shortage Revealed These Truths" last week.

They begin it with:

In his four decades of running D&G Sports and Western in Glasgow, Montana, Darrell Morehouse has never seen ammunition pricing and availability as unpredictable as it’s been in the past three years. That’s telling, considering the several ammo shortages he’s seen through the decades.

Sure, some of what Morehouse calls “crazy-ass” dynamics stem from supply-chain uncertainties and binge buying fueled by the Covid-19 pandemic. But his view from the gun counter at an independent sporting goods store in eastern Montana isn’t that different from the business manager of a bullet manufacturer in Utah.

“We’re in reaction mode, just trying to keep up with changing situations almost on a daily basis,” says Michael Painter, director of marketing and product management for Barnes Bullets. “We’re probably better off than a lot of our competitors because we’ve brought so much of our manufacturing processes in-house, but I can tell you that every day is some kind of a new challenge.”

One day it might be a scramble to find a new source of gunpowder that Barnes chooses for its factory-loaded ammunition. Another day it might be absorbing a jump in the commodity price of copper, the metal that Barnes, as a pioneer in the non-lead ammunition movement, requires for many of its products. Another day it might be negotiating terms with the distributors who put boxes of the company’s bullets on the shelves of retailers like Morehouse.

To read more, go here. 

.357 Magnum Ammo Arrived

Above, the box of Barnes Vor-Tex .357 Mag ammo. Photo by Armand Vaquer

My order of .357 Magnum hollow point ammo arrived yesterday.

I ordered a 20-round box of Barnes Vor-Tex .357 Magnum 140 grain hollow point ammo through MidwayUSA after reading some reviews.

It seems to be a well-regarded bullet for hunting and defense. I decided to purchase a box of .357 Magnum. 

During my days of armed patrol, we were required to use .38 Special ammo, so this'll be my first .357 Magnum ammo.

From The Gun Zone:

357 Mag – 140 gr XPB HP – Barnes VOR-TX – 20 Rounds – Best Big Game 357 Magnum Round

If heading out to hunt large game with your 357 Magnum, then stopping power really is essential. The good news is that Barnes has the perfect solution for you. Since 1989 they have placed huge emphasis on engineering hunting bullets and ammunition that they class as the most technologically advanced magnum rounds on the planet.

This reloadable 140 Grain JHP (Jacketed Hollow Point) cartridge comes from their XPB series. Built using Randy Brook’s original X-Bullet rifle design, it is an all-copper bullet. This means there are no concerns about jacket/core separation, which is known to occur in traditional lead core jacketed bullets.

Maximum damage…

With a highly effective copper hollow point design, this bullet rapidly expands to twice its original diameter. The result is that upon impact, it achieves maximum tissue and bone destruction. Upon entry into tissue, the bullet nose immediately peels back into four sharp-edged copper petals. This means with each accurately placed shot; you are achieving quick and humane kills.

Available in boxes of 20, it has a boxer primer. This wickedly effective cartridge design delivers a muzzle velocity of 1265 fps and muzzle energy of 498 ft/lbs. It really is the perfect magnum load for big game hunting. As can be imagined, if it comes to self-defense, there is not much better out there.

To read more, go here. 

Ammo Shortage Is Easing, But...

We are still in an ammo shortage. However, it is not as bad as in the previous two years (during the pandemic). 

I did an inventory of the ammunition that I have and found that I have plenty of 30-30 Winchester, 9mm Luger, .22 Long Rifle and .25 ACP.

I recently went to Cabela's in Albuquerque and the ammunition shelves were fully stocked. There were some calibers that were scarcer than others. There was plenty of 9mm, but hardly any .38 Special or .357 Magnum. There were also plenty of .22 LR and .380 as well. I did pick up a box of .9mm Luger.

Above, the ammo shelves at the Albuquerque Cabela's a year ago. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I was looking for either .38 Special or .357 Magnum (my revolver uses either) in hollowpoint. There were some full metal jacketed roundnose, but no hollowpoint. I have about a dozen rounds left, but they're old (probably dating from the late 1990s). So, I had to check around online and I found some and ordered. It took me a while to find some for the right price. I refuse to overpay on ammo. Also, if I can't get what I want, I won't buy.

The Gun Zone posted the following earlier this month:

Challenges are ahead! The ammo shortage currently affecting U.S. shooters is not going to disappear anytime soon. This is having a serious issue for those who buy new, off-the-shelf cartridges, but they are not alone. Firearm enthusiasts who prefer to reload their own ammo are also being impacted.

There are a variety of reasons for this dire situation which I will be covering in this article. While it is difficult to see any light at the end of this tunnel, two factors should never be underestimated:

First comes the determination and resilience of the shooting community. It is our right to bear arms, and as such, this right must be allowed to flourish. Secondly, comes the value this market is worth to major ammo manufacturers, suppliers, and the American economy as a whole.

So, let’s get down to some bare bones truth about these shortages. From there, some concise tips will be given on how gun owners can secure that much needed ammunition.

All one can do these days is to keep looking around. There are some scarce calibers, but they can be found if one tries hard enough. 

To read more, go here.

Great Ammo Shortage Of 2022 Isn’t Over

Above, Cabela's Albuquerque ammo shelves on January 24. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

How is the supply of ammunition these days?

That is a question gun owners are likely to be wondering about. 

1945 (19fortyfive.com) discusses the current state of the ammo shortage.

They begin it with:

The Great Ammo Shortage of 2022 just won’t go away. You might struggle to find ammunition for your pistol, rifle, or shotgun this year. Reasons for the shortage range wide, from supply bottlenecks to a copper shortage and the war in Ukraine. The best solution might be to make your own bullets.

People are buying more guns, and there are a lot of new gun owners. In 2020, 20 percent of American gun purchasers had never before bought a firearm. Thirty-nine percent of people recently polled in the United States own at least one pistol, rifle, or shotgun, according to the General Social Survey, and FBI background checks tracked a 41 percent increase in gun ownership from 2019 to 2020. That adds up to 8.4 million new owners. These gun owners need ammunition. So, the demand side of the equation is easy to see.

Supply of ammunition is also a concern. People stocked up on rounds during the Covid-19 pandemic amid panic about the dwindling supply. Imports of ammunition fell 34 percent during the worst days of quarantine in 2020. There were periods during the pandemic when gun and ammo production stopped. Gun owners sensed these shortages and snapped up firearms and ammunition.

There was also a lull in supply when ammunition-maker Remington went bankrupt. The company filed for bankruptcy protection in 2018, and again in 2020. It was hard for Remington to produce enough bullets to keep up with demand until it got its affairs in order and sold itself to Vista Outdoors. 

 To read more, go here.

How Ammunition Shortage Will Continue Affect Americans In 2022

Above, the Albuquerque Cabela's ammunition shelves on January 7. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in late January, I stopped in at Cabela's sporting goods in Albuquerque and saw nearly full shelves of ammunition. On previous visits, those same shelves were barren (or almost barren).

What is the state of the ammunition shortage?

Techli took a look at it two weeks ago and posted their findings.

They start it with:

The great ammo shortage, a significant spike in demand confronting low supply, has been around for over a year now, frustrating both new and experienced shooters. Many theories have addressed this shortage, among them a sense of fear-buying mainly driven by the pandemic and people wanting to buy as much ammunition as possible with the more they hear about the dwindling supply. 

However, a closer look at the current state of manufacturers in the industry indicates that the increasing number of firearm owners has pushed them to produce more handguns and supplies at a faster pace, which naturally takes more time to fully cover the market’s needs. In short, it is not that ammunition is no longer being produced, but that previous assumptions about demand are no longer valid. But how will the industry combat the current shortage and what’s to expect from suppliers in 2022?

Above, the ammunition shelves at the Albuquerque Cabela's on January 24. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here.

5.5 Million Americans Became First-Time Gun Owners in 2021

Above, the Albuquerque Cabela's firearms department. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

With big city Democrats wanting to defund the police, lax prosecutions and rampant crime, it is no wonder that more Americans are buying guns. That is also playing a big part in the current shortage of ammunition.

2021 continued the firearm buying frenzy.

According to The Blaze:

The firearm buying frenzy continued into 2021 as nearly 5.5 million Americans became first-time gun owners, reports the Washington Examiner. Notably, sales expanded among women, black, Asian, and Hispanic Americans.

The president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), Joe Bartozzi, said, “The surveys revealed that new gun owners are continuing to embrace their Second Amendment rights, and nearly half of them are seeking out professional training.”

He continued, “These trends show that not only is there still a strong interest in gun ownership but also that these new gun owners are interested in learning more about the safe and responsible handling, use, and storage of firearms.”

To read more, go here. 

Why The Great Ammo Shortage Won't Go Away In 2022

Above, the Albuquerque Cabela's ammo shelves last week. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last week, I stopped in Cabela's in Albuquerque while I was in town for a dental appointment. 

While in Cabela's, I went over to the firearms department to see what ammunition they had available. To put it mildly, it was pretty slim pickings.

The ammo calibers they had available were for firearms I don' have. They did have some 9mm ammo, but they weren't hollowpoint bullets, which is what I prefer. If I can't buy what I want, I'll just wait and save my money.

Fortunately, I have plenty of ammo for my firearms, but I am always on the lookout for deals.

According to a December article in 1945, the 2021 ammunition shortage is expected to drag on into 2022. After what I saw at Cabela's, I believe it.

They wrote:

Why Ammo Shortages Could Last Through Next Year: Hunting season may be over in much of the country, but that doesn’t mean the hunt for ammunition has ended. In fact, the demand for ammunition is actually expected to remain high throughout much of next year, which will translate to higher prices – considerably higher prices. It will just cost more to shoot.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the firearms industry’s trade association, has estimated the prices for ammunition are 200 to 300 percent higher than compared to recent years. That certainly tracks with media reports.

What we should be doing is to just buy what we need and not hoard. That will help to ease the ammo shortage. The 2020 toilet paper shortage should be a good lesson in this.

To read the full article, go here.

Field & Stream: 6 Best .30/30 Winchester Hunting Loads

How many out there have a firearm that takes .30/30 Winchester ammunition? Obviously you do, otherwise you wouldn't be taking the time to read this blog post, right?

For the record, I have a 1962 vintage Winchester Model 94 lever-action rifle that I bought two years ago.

As most gun owners know, there's an ammunition shortage, so some brands and loads are difficult to find right now.

About .30/30 Winchester ammo, Field & Stream posted an article on the 6 best .30/30 Winchester hunting loads.

They begin it with:

It all began in 1895 when a .30-caliber cartridge was introduced in Winchester’s now iconic 1894 lever-action rifle. It was America’s first sporting rifle cartridge designed for use with smokeless powder. Originally marketed as the .30 Winchester Smokeless, it was also known as the .30 WCF (Winchester Center Fire) but is now simply known as the “Thirty-Thirty.” The cartridge was originally loaded with a 160-grain bullet, but it wasn’t long until 150- and 170-grain loadings became the most popular. Today, bullet weights ranging from 125- to 190-grains are available (that is, when there isn’t an ammo shortage).

Though the .30/30′s 150-grain bullet at around 2300 fps is big-game capable at modest ranges, the desire for more reach has pushed most hunters to more modern cartridges and bolt-action rifles. Still, the .30/30 Winchester has remained popular because it works, and because of the svelte lever-guns it’s available in. Toward the end of the 20th Century, ballisticians began to apply modern bullet technology to this 100-year-old cartridge, and the loads available today offer greater versatility and enhanced external and terminal ballistics. More than 125 years after its introduction, the .30/30 is still with us and is a better hunting cartridge than ever. Here are six of the best .30/30 loads you can buy for tagging almost any critter in North America.

To read more, go here.