Opinion
Ft Collins, CO –-(Ammoland.com)- Available at Walmart?
My recent Quip with regard to the current domestic mini-renaissance of the 10mm pistol cartridge generated much comment, and I sincerely appreciate all who took the time to remark.
Many 10mm advocates insist that the 10mm is every bit as reliable as any other pistol cartridge.
That has surely not been my experience, but my perspective may not be typical. Again, I must say I was surprised at the number of fans the 10mm has.
In my Quips I express opinions, some of which are right! I am one of the “seniors” in this Art and industry, but I don’t claim to have seen everything.
All of which brings me to the follow-on subject:
Serious guns that I carry, and particularly those with which I travel, need to pass the “Walmart Test.”
When Walmart doesn’t routinely carry ammunition for a gun, I’m not interested it it. When on the road, I need to be confident that I can find ammunition that will fit in my guns nearly anywhere I go.
You’ll find 10mm, along with 45GAP and probably 41Mg too, at Cabelas and many other big gun retailers, but you’ll not likely find any of that at WalMart.
Most Walmarts carry 9mm, 38Spl, 45ACP, 223, and 308, and even when you’re desperately sifting through the smoldering rubble of what used to be a Walmart, you’ll probably find at least some of the above, and you’ll then be mighty glad that you have guns with you into which they’ll fit.
Less-popular calibers, wonderful though they may be, are hard to find even in “normal” times, and thus do not represent good choices for travel-guns.
When I go to Africa, they never heard of 357 SIG, nor 10mm, but there is lots of 9mm around (there, and most other places in the world where you’re going to need guns), mostly hardball, and it runs just fine in just about any pistol chambered for it.
It is truly said:
“The Art of Tact is best defined as the ability to make a point, without making an enemy”
I trust points I try to make I do so with sufficient tact and diplomacy so as not to offend the majority of those interested and kind enough to read them.
/John
About John Farnam & Defense Training International, Inc
As a defensive weapons and tactics instructor John Farnam will urge you, based on your own beliefs, to make up your mind in advance as to what you would do when faced with an imminent lethal threat. You should, of course, also decide what preparations you should make in advance if any. Defense Training International wants to make sure that their students fully understand the physical, legal, psychological, and societal consequences of their actions or in-actions.
It is our duty to make you aware of certain unpleasant physical realities intrinsic to the Planet Earth. Mr. Farnam is happy to be your counselor and advisor. Visit: www.defense-training.com
Do not shop at Walmart until they rescind their age 21 policy for ammunition purchases. I happened to be. Using shotgun rounds just hours before they announced their unconstitutional biased rule. Never again and his retir d Green Beret knows when an entity is becoming oppressive.
Some wheel weights are now made of zinc. Cheaper than lead I suppose.
Drop one of those in your melting pot and you will spoil the whole batch.
They can be recognized as they are shinier than lead.
About a year ago I went in to a Wal-Mart and they had multiple 10 round boxes of Federal .50BMG in the cabinet. No big fan of Wally’s am I, but I bought a box “just cuz”. I don’t own anything that uses .50 cal, but just the fact that they even carried it made me a little bit warm and fuzzy. Hint: It wasn’t in California…
Put away in the good times for the lean times. Granted, if you are down to your last magazine, it is time to scavenge. But ultimately, if you’re resorting to torched Walmarts for your ultimate back up, you aren’t a good prepper to start with.
WaMart? Really? That is the “standard” you wish to judge our unalienable Rights against? Just because of the ammo they carry? The company that has a tyrannical policy of of discriminating against people based on their age! Well, Mr. Farnam, you have certainly scraped the bottom of the barrel on that one. Shortly after I heard about their “new” store policy I was in one of their stores getting needed some needed items that is hard to find elsewhere. I decided to purchase a couple of boxes of ammo since I was already there. The clerk asked me for my… Read more »
When I decided to begin paying the premiums on my “insurance policies” and started deciding what iron I’d buy, I considered commonality of rounds chambered. I cionsidered some of the fun “interesting” but unusual ones. Decided I’d mostly stick with the readily available ones. Bought a Smith J Frame in .32 Mag, brand new gun in box, for a song…. then I tried to find the now-rare ammo for it. I’d find an odd bag of reloaded at a gun show for fairly cheap, NEVER ONCE saw any in any gun store. My other J is a .38 Sp. I… Read more »
I dont have any desire to leave this country. Not for vacation or a hunting trip. Everyone hates Americans. And i won’t fly with a firearm any longer. If im going hunting. Im driving there. Don’t have to deal with lost or stolen items or other airport hassles.
Wal Mart and their ID requirements are not a problem. I use my CWP. No magnetic strip to scan and they take it. Argue no DL to show (matters not if you have one anyway) and the will likely take it.
Had the manager for that half of the store, security manager and dept manager involved. The cashier who initiallly refused CWP was livid and totally outraged when I smiled at her as she was ringing it up.
I think his comments are valid if you are going on an African safari. So you might be thousands of miles from home and somehow the airlines lost your ammo and you are on the expensive trip of a lifetime and yet your rifles are all custom wildcats, etc. And I can see how it would apply to someone like him who travels the country so something like airline shipping or customs or whatever could result in a problem. However, for Joe Average, I can’t really agree. I’ve been carrying a .357 SIG for ten years or so. That’s after… Read more »
I reloaded for many years, but I always bought factory for the brass to reload later. I also keep the number of calibers down so as to maintain a decent supply on the most readily available on the market. In some cases I have firearms that can shoot multi-cals with a quick barrel change….just in case.