Ammo hoarding

[magnanimous_j]

First of all, I believe that the current spike in ammo cost/demand is purely speculative. People believe that ammo will be hard to get and voila, now it is.

To people who are buying every bullet they can get their hands on: How much is enough? Why are you doing it? What is the worst case scenario that you are preparing for?

My thoughts:

1) Securing price
In my mind, this would be the worst reason to buy. I believe that as the panic dies down, the prices will go back down and you'll be sitting on X value of stock that you paid 3X for. I read somewhere that in Montana, demand is outpacing production by about 100,000 rounds a day. Eventually production will catch up and unless people over there are shooting 500 rounds every weekend, the public will have a glut of surplus ammo. Not a bad thing of course, except from the viewpoint of someone planning to resell it for a profit.

2) Legislation
I know I'm opening a can of worms here, but I haven't seen anything to suggest the new administration is serious about imposing new restrictions. The Attorney General said in the beginning that he wanted to reinstate the AWB, but he has since backed down after other Democratic Party leaders publicly said that they wouldn't support it. Obama is getting ready to sign into law an amendment allowing concealed carry in National Parks. A small victory, but its the best indicator so far as to how Obama will treat 2nd Amendment issues. I think that there are a lot of swing voters currently in Obama's camp who are strongly pro-gun (myself included) and I think that at this point, he doesn't want to alienate them. Besides, the assault weapons ban never REALLY dealt with ammo anyway.

3) End of the World as we Know it
I fully admit to having a survivalist streak in me. I bought my AK for this very reason (and allowed myself to get scalped on 2000 rounds for it this year). They say that the only 2 times you can have too much ammo is if you are swimming, or on fire. That's probably true, but I think realistically, the violent, road warrior part of any major catastrophe would be short lived. Like Hurricane Katrina. And also realistically, any fire fight that you would be in where you are spending thousands of rounds of ammo: You're probably not going to survive it. Better to choose your battles.

I've got a few thousand rounds in various calibers at my place now, but I just wanted to hear thoughts from people who are advocating stockpiling hundreds of thousands of rounds. 

[boneaddict]

Well I didn't get on board withthe panic, so now I am sitting here without some of the ammo I need and can't get it.  Thats kind of a pisser.

[ICEMAN]

Come October, there will be some really pissed off deer and elk hunters who have not been paying attention and cannot find even rifle ammo.

Everytime I talk with someone who notices half the ammo shelf empty at the store....and explain even a bit about why I believe the run on ammo is happening....they get big eyes....and hit every store in town looking for any ammo to buy.

I do not think this is anywhere near being over. Still millions of folks who have yet discovered the current shortage. As they discover it, it can only get worse?

[HawkenBob]

I dont hoard ammo. I do have enough supplies to keep me shooting and hunting for probably 2 years. This isnt something I planned either, just what I have and what I bought before the big scare.

I reload everything so I dont look for loaded ammo. IMO its the "end of world guys (EOWG)" who started this, then the guys who realised what was happening to ammo early stepped in and then the late ones buying everything left. 

I have decided to hunt Elk this year with a bow so now I shoot it more than my rifles lately. And enjoy the crap out of it.

Im also not one to be worried about everything. I fight for our rights as they are now (NRA and such) but if the government decided to ban guns, and it happened, I wouldent die in a fire fight trying to protect my so called rights. Things change. And times change.

I think Ice is right, its not over, once the shelves start filling, the late guys will hoard, and the EOWG's will buy even more. Then there will be the guys buying to sell for huge profits.

I think everyone needs to relax a bit.

[mazama]

I enjoy shooting i have always bought a lot, even before this started i spent about 600 for powder,brass,bullets, for one gun its christmas all year long for me.

[littlebuf]

im not hording riffle or pistol ammo, with my paranoia the only thing that comforts me is my bunker full of RPG's and the sherman tank i built outa scrap 

[GigPig]

   Thats funny right there 

[jackelope]

I think everyone needs to relax a bit.

if they would, ammo would be  a lot easier to come by. 
maybe i should get my poll up and rolling again.  it's interesting to see the results of that. not as many people shooting as much as i thought, given the ammo paranoia.

[whacker1]

I am hoping that those that have bought so heavily in reloading supplies will begin selling it to me, because I can't find much.  Good on powder for this year, but will probably run out of a few types of primers sometime this summer, but will hopefully have enought to get through the fall.

[HawkenBob]

I think everyone needs to relax a bit.

if they would, ammo would be  a lot easier to come by. 
maybe i should get my poll up and rolling again.  it's interesting to see the results of that. not as many people shooting as much as i thought, given the ammo paranoia.

Thats the problem IMO. The EOWG's dont shoot it up. There scared to run out now. Lol. I like to get to the rifle/pistol range about every 2 weeks.

[actionshooter]

First of all, I believe that the current spike in ammo cost/demand is purely speculative. People believe that ammo will be hard to get and voila, now it is.

To people who are buying every bullet they can get their hands on: How much is enough? Why are you doing it? What is the worst case scenario that you are preparing for?

My thoughts:

1) Securing price
In my mind, this would be the worst reason to buy. I believe that as the panic dies down, the prices will go back down and you'll be sitting on X value of stock that you paid 3X for. I read somewhere that in Montana, demand is outpacing production by about 100,000 rounds a day. Eventually production will catch up and unless people over there are shooting 500 rounds every weekend, the public will have a glut of surplus ammo. Not a bad thing of course, except from the viewpoint of someone planning to resell it for a profit.

2) Legislation
I know I'm opening a can of worms here, but I haven't seen anything to suggest the new administration is serious about imposing new restrictions. The Attorney General said in the beginning that he wanted to reinstate the AWB, but he has since backed down after other Democratic Party leaders publicly said that they wouldn't support it. Obama is getting ready to sign into law an amendment allowing concealed carry in National Parks. A small

First of all, I believe that the current spike in ammo cost/demand is purely speculative. People believe that ammo will be hard to get and voila, now it is.

To people who are buying every bullet they can get their hands on: How much is enough? Why are you doing it? What is the worst case scenario that you are preparing for?

My thoughts:

1) Securing price
In my mind, this would be the worst reason to buy. I believe that as the panic dies down, the prices will go back down and you'll be sitting on X value of stock that you paid 3X for. I read somewhere that in Montana, demand is outpacing production by about 100,000 rounds a day. Eventually production will catch up and unless people over there are shooting 500 rounds every weekend, the public will have a glut of surplus ammo. Not a bad thing of course, except from the viewpoint of someone planning to resell it for a profit.

2) Legislation
I know I'm opening a can of worms here, but I haven't seen anything to suggest the new administration is serious about imposing new restrictions. The Attorney General said in the beginning that he wanted to reinstate the AWB, but he has since backed down after other Democratic Party leaders publicly said that they wouldn't support it. Obama is getting ready to sign into law an amendment allowing concealed carry in National Parks. A small victory, but its the best indicator so far as to how Obama will treat 2nd Amendment issues. I think that there are a lot of swing voters currently in Obama's camp who are strongly pro-gun (myself included) and I think that at this point, he doesn't want to alienate them. Besides, the assault weapons ban never REALLY dealt with ammo anyway.

3) End of the World as we Know it
I fully admit to having a survivalist streak in me. I bought my AK for this very reason (and allowed myself to get scalped on 2000 rounds for it this year). They say that the only 2 times you can have too much ammo is if you are swimming, or on fire. That's probably true, but I think realistically, the violent, road warrior part of any major catastrophe would be short lived. Like Hurricane Katrina. And also realistically, any fire fight that you would be in where you are spending thousands of rounds of ammo: You're probably not going to survive it. Better to choose your battles.

I've got a few thousand rounds in various calibers at my place now, but I just wanted to hear thoughts from people who are advocating stockpiling hundreds of thousands of rounds.  

victory, but its the best indicator so far as to how Obama will treat 2nd Amendment issues. I think that there are a lot of swing voters currently in Obama's camp who are strongly pro-gun (myself included) and I think that at this point, he doesn't want to alienate them.

I've got a few thousand rounds in various calibers at my place now, but I just wanted to hear thoughts from people who are advocating stockpiling hundreds of thousands of rounds.  

 Heres my opinion and it goes along with a manufactures rep that I am an aquainted with.

 Answering to your points.

 1) Its way too late to buy on price speculation. If your buying bulk right now, your going to take it in the shorts. Buy what you need, the price will go down.

2) Legislation is what caused this, hands down, no way around it. It was the pending Coded Ammo Bill. Yes it died without voting on it, but the authors have vowed to bring it back. People are stocking up because they don't want anything to do with that in the future. Other people have no idea what whats going on and are stocking up because everyone else is stocking up. (lemmings)  
 I wouldn't look at Obama for new laws, thats SUPPOSSED to be congresses job, thats where the anti-gun laws are going to come from. Remember Pelosi ripping Holders ass? I believe you have to look at Obamas gun record pre-president and thats not good for gun owners.

 3) End of the world?  Better have a gun, but 2000 rounds. You will never get a chance to use them. For that scenario you better be self reliant. Stock up on gardening rakes  

 I have a lot of ammo I bought years ago, at a good deal. The only problem is, I don't want to shoot it because it worth so much now.  

 

[jackelope]

1) Its way too late to buy on price speculation. If your buying bulk right now, your going to take it in the shorts. Buy what you need, the price will go down.

thats probably the most important or relevant piece right there.

[Huntbear]

That is what we are doing, buying 2-300 primers when we find them.  Buying a lb. or 2 of powder when we find it.  Bullets are a little easier to find, but also, still had some.

[Pat/Rick]

I started hoarding years ago. Perfectly normal. Perfectly healthy.

[TeacherMan]

I'm not having a hard time finding ammo. Go to Idaho, last weekend found everything I have been looking for. The only thing that I can't find is Primers and Powder. Reloader 19 and rifle primers