# Ammo Availability?



## The Italian (Jul 25, 2020)

I know that this has probably been asked and answered repeatedly. I am new to the forum but I promise I did search. I just picked up a new pistol and I need to become at least proficient enough with it to responsibly carry it. Is there any 9mm ammo out there for the range? 

I have a few clips of self defense ammo, some of which I will definitely shoot at the range. So I guess I will also need some of that but there is a bit of it in stock, even if the prices are a bit nuts. 

But I really need some reasonably priced FMJ to get to know this new piece. Has anyone found a current source? I'm willing to buy in bulk but not really willing to drop $400-500 for a thousand rounds. You know what I mean? 

Thanks!


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## SSGN_Doc (Mar 12, 2020)

Times are tough. Every time there is fear and panic buying, the shelves dry up, then the prices go up, and then when shelves get resupplied, people tend to try to be the ones to clear the shelves all by themselves. 

This pattern seems to run about a year or so.

I tend to have a thousand or two thousand rounds that I don’t touch, just for these types of times. Then I ration my training ammo And try to replace it as I use it when possible.

Sorry, you are just getting into the sport during a rough patch.


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## LostinTexas (Oct 1, 2018)

I set the search as well as I could with the info given. You can play around an maybe narrow the results some.
Ammo Seek
Good luck finding anything that isn't tooth pulling painful to buy. Unfortunately you are about 6 months late.
Welcome to the mayhem.


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## The Italian (Jul 25, 2020)

I appreciate the feedback my friend! The things is that I have experience in my past but it was years ago and much has changed. The 45 cal that I carried back in the day seems like a cannon compared to the pistols on the market these days. I bought a bit of ammo for my new 9 but I'm not 100% certain of its source. They "may" be reloads, but I'm just not sure. I'm trying to figure that out. One reason I want to get some practice in is that the feel of the more modern pistols is a lot different from what I'm used to. Hard to describe to those who have been continually active but the way they fit in your hands, the much lighter weight, the lack of recoil, etc, etc.


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## LostinTexas (Oct 1, 2018)

Yea, going from .45 or .40 to 9MM is pretty uninspiring. I don't find the recoil much different from the larger than the 9MM, but the pistol grip shapes have made for some very good dampening effects, depending on brand.
Good luck. to you.


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## The Italian (Jul 25, 2020)

LostinTexas said:


> I set the search as well as I could with the info given. You can play around an maybe narrow the results some.
> Ammo Seek
> Good luck finding anything that isn't tooth pulling painful to buy. Unfortunately you are about 6 months late.
> Welcome to the mayhem.


Thanks for the link my friend! I'm checking it out now. There is another site that is supposed to pull current inventories from different sources but I tried every single link and all are out of stock.


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## The Italian (Jul 25, 2020)

LostinTexas said:


> Yea, going from .45 or .40 to 9MM is pretty uninspiring. I don't find the recoil much different from the larger than the 9MM, but the pistol grip shapes have made for some very good dampening effects, depending on brand.
> Good luck. to you.


Yeah, the recoil on the compact 9's is far less than what I'm used to and I guess that due to muscle memory, I'm anticipating the normal (for me anyways) recoil and making adjustments for it between rounds. That is affecting my accuracy more than I expected. Don't know, I haven't shot enough rounds so maybe that will go away after several mags.


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## LostinTexas (Oct 1, 2018)

The Italian said:


> Yeah, the recoil on the compact 9's is far less than what I'm used to and I guess that due to muscle memory, I'm anticipating the normal (for me anyways) recoil and making adjustments for it between rounds. That is affecting my accuracy more than I expected. Don't know, I haven't shot enough rounds so maybe that will go away after several mags.


If you are shooting a double action trigger and aren't used to it, prepare for an adjustment period. I like the trigger pull on my Glock. It is something I'm used to now, and I like haveing the same trigger for every round. Part of the allure to the Ruger Security9 that I recently aquired. It is a SA only and has the same trigger every time. The two are very different.
I see you are looking for ammo, and my advice to every new user of such a trigger is to take a case of ammo, and hand full of targets and magazines to the range. Don't sweat the POI for the first 800 rounds or so. Just shoot, get on target and learn the trigger. Somewhere in there the trigger will smooth, the loose nut pulling it will learn it, and the two will understand each other. Then concentrate on keeping the front post on target all the way through the trigger pull and make the POI/POA adjustments. Don't plan on this sort of pistol to be a target grade shooter. Some can, but it is a utility type work horse. Very capable, and will keep things close, but probably won't be capable of locking holes bragging target groups at the range.
I drive the range operator nuts with my shooting. I get his point of view, but we have very different backgrounds, experiences, and expectations.


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## The Italian (Jul 25, 2020)

LostinTexas said:


> If you are shooting a double action trigger and aren't used to it, prepare for an adjustment period. I like the trigger pull on my Glock. It is something I'm used to now, and I like haveing the same trigger for every round. Part of the allure to the Ruger Security9 that I recently aquired. It is a SA only and has the same trigger every time. The two are very different.
> I see you are looking for ammo, and my advice to every new user of such a trigger is to take a case of ammo, and hand full of targets and magazines to the range. Don't sweat the POI for the first 800 rounds or so. Just shoot, get on target and learn the trigger. Somewhere in there the trigger will smooth, the loose nut pulling it will learn it, and the two will understand each other. Then concentrate on keeping the front post on target all the way through the trigger pull and make the POI/POA adjustments. Don't plan on this sort of pistol to be a target grade shooter. Some can, but it is a utility type work horse. Very capable, and will keep things close, but probably won't be capable of locking holes bragging target groups at the range.
> I drive the range operator nuts with my shooting. I get his point of view, but we have very different backgrounds, experiences, and expectations.


Great feedback my friend, very useful! Much appreciated!


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## RK3369 (Aug 12, 2013)

Popular calibers will get plentiful and cheap in 6 months or more. Stock up several thousand rounds when it’s relatively inexpensive. Modern ammo will keep if you keep it out of humidity.


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## LostinTexas (Oct 1, 2018)

The Italian said:


> Great feedback my friend, very useful! Much appreciated!


You're welcome, but it isn't such an easy thing to do right now, even if you have the funds to pay the demanded prices right now. 
If you can take it slow or adapt quickly then you're golden. I feel that RK3369 above is correct. I see it being next spring or summer , because we are in odd times. Election years are usually shortage years, but this one is particularly brutal for some folks. We have to get through the damage to lives and the economy this is causing, and will cause in the coming months.


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## The Italian (Jul 25, 2020)

RK3369 said:


> Popular calibers will get plentiful and cheap in 6 months or more. Stock up several thousand rounds when it's relatively inexpensive. Modern ammo will keep if you keep it out of humidity.


Yes sir, I'm on that for sure...trick is getting at least a bit to become proficient again...I just spoke with the manager of one of my local ranges and he has some (FMJ) but it's competition grade...about 60c per so pretty expensive training...lol


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## RK3369 (Aug 12, 2013)

Well, if you’re really planning to shoot a lot for the next several months, maybe you’re better off going on gunbroker or another site and bite the bullet and spend the $ for 500 or 1000 rounds. It will be cheaper per round than buying many boxes of 50 rounds.


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## The Italian (Jul 25, 2020)

Well, I tracked down some ammo so I can have more than an expensive hammer on my hip....lol...wasn't cheap but wasn't outrageous either....times are what they are and I'm happy with capitalism even when I'm on the loosing end of it....thanks guys!


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## Minorcan (Apr 18, 2020)

Have you thought about reloading. There are decent prices on volume components out there and even descent prices on reloading presses. The great thing about reloading is once you have your cases you can minimize ammo shortage rip offs in the future. I also like black powder shooting For fun to maximize my cartridge ammo. Just a couple Outside the box ideas.


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## The Italian (Jul 25, 2020)

Yes sir, I hear'ya. Thing is that none of the local ranges allow reloads. Frankly, I don't blame them. If I didn't know the person doing the reloads and if I was the owner of the business, I would not want to risk the liability. Although I found brass cased ammo yesterday, I did confirm that one of the ranges allows steel cases. None of them want steel core but if anyone is looking for ammo, looking for steel cased might be an option. There seemed to be more options in stock; at least yesterday.


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## Babbalou1956 (Sep 2, 2014)

Last week I went to my local sporting goods store for Snap Caps & got there 10 minutes early. There were about 50 people standing in line outside like it was Black Friday & TVs were 90% off. Doors opened & they all quickly walked in & went straight to the gun department. A guy checking out in front of me bought 1,000 rounds of 9mm & 600 rounds of .223. That was about 30% of what was on the shelves so some people went home empty. I don't know when this will end but I'd bet there's a lot of new ammo companies starting up now. It's impossibly to go bankrupt selling ammo. I saw a box of 50 Gold Dot 38 for $65 at Lucky Gunner & now they're out of stock. I've ordered online & sometimes it's 5-6 weeks for delivery if I can even find ammo.


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## RK3369 (Aug 12, 2013)

This too will pass. Just ration what you have and in 6 months it will be cheap and plentiful again.


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## Babbalou1956 (Sep 2, 2014)

I won't buy ammo until next year. CheaperThanDirt has 50 rounds of Winchester 9mm $99.89. Steel case Wolf 9mm is $54.89 for a box of 50. Insane. 2020 made shooting a rich person's sport. Someday it might get halfway back to normal, maybe.


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## LostColo (Nov 8, 2020)

I go here and about 4 other ammo search engines 2-3 times per week. Ammunition, like 9mm and 22/556, is easy to find but not pre-covid cheap. What I do, when I have a spare $65-$75, is buy 100 rounds and now, 7 months later, have quite a lot. 

wikiarms.com
Lots cheaper places than CTD...


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## yellowtr (Oct 28, 2016)

I always have stocked up when 9mm, 223, and 22LR is on sale. I have plenty 30-30 for hunting for the next 200 years. My 380 is my PD pistol so it gets hollow points which stay in the firearm/mags until needed. Plenty of practice when I acquired it with FMJs. These panics will come and go and the gougers for everything from TP to ammo will appear like it is planned. I have to laugh sometimes when prepars are made fun of in the media. That said I doubt there will be any Black Friday ammo sales this season. Maybe by Spring things will calm down.


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## RK3369 (Aug 12, 2013)

Ammo should be cheap after Biden bans all guns. No market left. They’ll be giving it away.


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## gifbohane (May 24, 2020)

The real short answer to obtaining (reasonably priced) ammo, especially 9mm, is that there is none. 

You can find high end ammo for $1.50 a round or Russian steel that used to cost $11 a box for $90.

I do believe that "Beto" will keep his promise and come for our guns ....in an very unorthodox way that will be diabolical. 

So I do not think that this scarcity of ammo will end for at least a year.

Sorry to say.....................


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## LostColo (Nov 8, 2020)

gifbohane said:


> The real short answer to obtaining (reasonably priced) ammo, especially 9mm, is that there is none.
> 
> You can find high end ammo for $1.50 a round or Russian steel that used to cost $11 a box for $90.
> 
> ...


Who's 'Beto'??

Gonna be pretty unorthodox and diabolical as he teaches English Lit at Texas State U...
Pretty funny..a young, not really currently successful politician says one thing and it gets etched in stone. Yet, the guy in the big chair, for now, yells

RFL
UBC
21 year old minimum age for buying a gun...and crickets.



OBTW-

https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/agu....html?utm_source=wikiarms&utm_medium=ammofeed

https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/agu....html?utm_source=wikiarms&utm_medium=ammofeed


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## gifbohane (May 24, 2020)

LostColo

I am not being argumentative here.

Your first suggestion is Aquila at @48 cents a round plus shipping, handling, and taxes sounds better than 90 cents for Russian steel and your second suggestion is not available. Cheaper than Dirt has had a terrible reputation among reloaders for 10 years.

Mr. Biden has already announced that if or when he is elected that he would retain Mr. O'Rourke to be his "Gun Czar."

BTW I will not reload, among other carts, Aquila. But that is just me.


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## LostColo (Nov 8, 2020)

Fair enough about O'Rourke, we'll see. I'm thinking PRESIDENT Biden will have a few more things on his plate before he gets to 'taking away our guns' .
WHAT I rankle about is the plumbing to 'take our guns' at the Federal level. NOT going to be an EO, MUST be a congressional level attempt and even with a 100% Dem congress, I doubt it would pass.

BUT, about 400 MILLION guns in the US..the $, manpower, time to 'take all our guns' would be monumental. Where to start? Federal database of gun owners..oh, that's illegal. Nobody knows who has what. LGS records? I have 3 guns I got from a relative. Only 13 states have mandatory BGC on all sales and they have exceptions for relatives.

I know you didn't bring up Beto but the below drives me nutz.


> *I do believe that "Beto" will keep his promise and come for our guns*


As for ammo availability..my point was that 'russian steel' isn't $90 for 50..yes, it's expensive and no where near the pre-COVID $(I used to get FMJ Herters at Cabelas for $9 per 50) but it's not $1.80 per either. BUT, yes, it has gotten even MORE expensive over the last few weeks..now about $.75-$.77 per.


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## berettatoter (Sep 1, 2011)

yellowtr said:


> I always have stocked up when 9mm, 223, and 22LR is on sale. I have plenty 30-30 for hunting for the next 200 years. My 380 is my PD pistol so it gets hollow points which stay in the firearm/mags until needed. Plenty of practice when I acquired it with FMJs. These panics will come and go and the gougers for everything from TP to ammo will appear like it is planned. I have to laugh sometimes when prepars are made fun of in the media. That said I doubt there will be any Black Friday ammo sales this season. Maybe by Spring things will calm down.


Yeah, I hope your right.


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## yellowtr (Oct 28, 2016)

Saw an ad today online at Bass Pro that they had 22LR 1100 Federal on sale. So I went down and they had nothing. Not one round of 22LR. And on top of that zero pistol center fire ammo, rifle ammo. The only ammo was about 10 boxes of 12GA shotgun ammo. Heck you cant even order it on-line for in store pickup. Have the ammo factories shut down due to the virus or other reasons? I have never seen it this bad in all my years. Yes there were shortages a few years ago, 22LR, 223, 9mm but there was always the high end stuff available. Don't get me wrong, I have a good supply of all my calibers but I always try to take advantage of good sales. BTW, this is upstate NY.


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## rickclark28 (Apr 14, 2019)

yellowtr said:


> Saw an ad today online at Bass Pro that they had 22LR 1100 Federal on sale. So I went down and they had nothing. Not one round of 22LR. And on top of that zero pistol center fire ammo, rifle ammo. The only ammo was about 10 boxes of 12GA shotgun ammo. Heck you cant even order it on-line for in store pickup. Have the ammo factories shut down due to the virus or other reasons? I have never seen it this bad in all my years. Yes there were shortages a few years ago, 22LR, 223, 9mm but there was always the high end stuff available. Don't get me wrong, I have a good supply of all my calibers but I always try to take advantage of good sales. BTW, this is upstate NY.


*Same here in Central Ohio. Ammo is very scarce with one or two box limits. The past few days have been VERY dry with NO stock anywhere. Normally I am always looking and find some ammo here and there but the past x3 days have been scary. Thanks to our leftist friends we may be reloading much more but the shelves for any supplies are void. I attempted to get some LEE PRECISION dies last week and had to got Amazon and order.


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## Jeb Stuart (Jan 19, 2020)

Hit the streets if you want ammo. Tell someone you want a *DIME bag.*

*







*


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## rickclark28 (Apr 14, 2019)

*Jeb Stuart that is funny! Got a chuckle from it.
*A different type of "Dime Bag" and not too far off of the truth!
*Several months ago the wife and I stopped at a couple of Flea Markets and each one had posted signs stating "NO AMMO SALES ALLOWED"! But several vendors had disclosed to us "they had ammo in the back if we needed any!" We also noticed a great many of them had tons of reloads as well as boxed ammo. Not sure how trusty someone else's reloads would be. We may be seeing a new contraband market created from all the ammo shortages.
*Seems like many of our personal ammo stocks are getting to be quite valuable with the current climate. We have always stocked up. The other day we took notice how the value of our ammo really is. Very grateful for our supplies but with the left coming for our 2A rights we may be conserving much more than usual. I am NOT confident that the ammo supplies are going to rebound anytime soon.
Jeb Stuart, you have a great day!
Rick


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