What Happened To All the Ammo? ~ 9mm? – 223? – 5.56? – 300BLK?

9mm Brass Primers Ammo Ammunition
What Happened To All the Ammo? ~ 9mm? – 223? – 5.56? – 300BLK?

Where can I get ammo?

What Happened To All the Ammo?

A perfect storm has basically made cheap ammunition as scarce as hen’s teeth:

The state and federal threats to our gun rights is driving people to buy more ammunition to keep in reserve. COVID-19 is limiting the number of employees able to make ammunition and a wave of millions of new gun owners that need to feed their recent firearms purchases for purposes of training and carry are all eating up or holding back the supply lines.

Ammunition manufacturers customarily have a pretty good handle on how much of each type of ammunition they are going to sell annually. Knowing this, they tool up and crank out x number of rounds of say, .22 LR. They then retool and make y number of rounds of 9mm, then z rounds of .223, etc. The perfect storm has thrown a monkey wrench into those calculations and the industry is trying desperately to catch up to the exploding demand. See this related article “How Much Ammunition is Produced for the United States Market?“.

Even components for reloading are in short supply.

Where Can I Find Ammunition That is Cheap?

ROFL! Good luck on that cheap part. If you do find some cheap ammo at 2019 prices, you might also stumble on a unicorn or two in your backyard.

OK, OK. Where Can I Find Ammunition, Even If Pricey?

Fortunately, the free market can help. When a commodity is in short supply vs demand, the price of that commodity tends to rise, which helps lower demand, and keeps the product at least available to those who need it and are willing to pay extra to have it.

There are three places I go to look for the best prices and availability on ammunition:

  1. AmmoLand’s Gun Deal (go to the “Daily Deals Page” to see the deals and it links you to the seller’s website for that item)
  2. AmmoSeek at www.ammoseek.com (links each deal to the seller’s website for that item)
  3. Virginia Gun Trader at www.vaguntrader.com (the ammunition section has private sellers, with their locality, in Virginia who have ammunition they want to sell – there are often good deals to be had this way)

Good luck and happy hunting!


Editors Note: Lots of folks are looking for 9mm ammunition check out these fast links for checking select ammunition retailers’ inventory online.


Virginia Citizens Defense LeagueAbout Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL):

Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL). VCDL is an all-volunteer, non-partisan grassroots organization dedicated to defending the human rights of all Virginians. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms is a fundamental human right.

For more information, visit: www.vcdl.org.

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, Ammoland will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
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WI Patriot

What Happened To All the Ammo? ~ 9mm? – 223? – 5.56? – 300BLK?”

I have it. here with me…;)

Don

I have a good supply of ammo. But, since I can’t replace it at even three times the price, I simply wont shoot it.
I found a good supply of .22LR at a local store for regular prices. It was a great find to get nearly a full case (4900) rounds at regular retail. I will remember that store and the stores that jacked the prices up. We need to not buy it at the inflated prices.

Dino

Hopefully we keep the Senate

KK

Global communist totalitarians are running a revolution in our country, against an EFFECTIVELY ARMED CITIZENRY . . . and by coincidence, THERE IS NO AMMO!
I hope everyone notices that all these “SAFEGUARDS” put in place to ensure “SAFETY” (that in no way hamper our 2A rights) BECOME VERY EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT 2A KILL SWITCHES IN A CRISIS.

nobodyuknow

KK . . . YUP!!!

Nam62

Evan reloading supply’s are in short supply.

WI Patriot

Not if you planned ahead, and by ahead, I mean 10-12yrs ago…

alzada

“10-12 years ago” is of HISTORICAL significance only !!!!

alzada

This is a fact, powder and components are hard to find ! This might be the governments solution to gun control, restrict the ammo !!

KDude

Yes, perfect storm. Only thing is, all elements of this “perfect storm” lead directly back to government infringements on the entirety of our Bill Of Rights. In the name of covid, general “public safety\gun control, and the absolute manipulation of not just currency, but whole son of a bitching economy! Markets have always fed markets. Then, along comes governments.That’s where the bottleneck starts and ends. Thing is, here in these United States, our Republic, We The People are the government. These tyrannical usurpers who’ve hijacked our government have been running it like it’s for them and not We The People.… Read more »

GAMtns

We are the militia. Madison clarified this. To avoid bloodshed all each state needs to do is educate their governors and representative in the fine Constitutional art of Nullification. Read Thomas Woods’ “Nullification: How to Resist Federal Tyranny in the 21st Century.” Any Federal law or executive order that is unconstitutional is not a law at all but is null and Void. One of the first practices of Nullification was in the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions of 1798-9. Written by Jefferson and Madison, against the Alien and Sedition Acts of the Adams administration they were effective. The Tenth and other… Read more »

nobodyuknow

KDude . . . The United States has NOT been a Constitutional Republic for a long time. It is now an Oligarchy and has been for a long time. Until we, as citizens, impose TERM LIMITS on Congress the federal government will continue to operate as an Oligarchy with the “inside crowd” being in control. WHAT ARE YOU PREPARED TO DO ABOUT THAT??!!!

JSNMGC

To answer your question, vote and work with others to provide information so others are more likely to make informed decisions when they vote.

Term limits won’t fix the problem. If people continue to vote for politicians who advance policy that is contrary to a constitutional republic with a, somewhat, free market based on capitalism, they will just vote-in a new person who hates freedom.

People making better decisions when voting can never be replaced by some rule.

alzada

EDUCATION of the people !!

alzada

Now more than ever we need TERM LIMITS !!

Tkocian

You forgot probably the best resource for finding guns and ammo IMO…Wiki Arms
https://www.wikiarms.com/

Ryben Flynn

LoL! I just checked there. BACKORDER on almost every .223 ammo and nobody wants TulAmmo anything. What they do have is pricey. Good thing I started reloading 8 years ago. I’m good. Yeah, 3 boxes of TulAmmo .223, probably been there 5 or 6 years bought on sale.

Last edited 3 years ago by Ryben Flynn
GomeznSA

Just an observation (not saying I do or don’t have a reasonable stash) – if we presume that each of the new gun owners on average also buy 100 rounds that works out to lemme see, multiply X times a whole bunch dang it where’s Jethro when ya need him to do the heavy ciphering? 🙂
Anyway back to reality, that is a significant additional drain on the normal supply and demand.

Last edited 3 years ago by GomeznSA
MajorMike

Palmetto State Armory still has 12 ga at $10 a 25 round box, various shot sizes.

Grigori

Like some of the filthy rich were said to do with their money, I have a big room in my house with an upper floor balcony overlooking it. I have unboxed and dumped all my ammo in it and the ammo in all calibers now comes up about halfway to the balcony. I have a rope tied to the balcony rail with which to let myself down so that I can roll and waller around naked in all of my ammo. Last week, letting myself down the rope, my hand slipped and I landed hard on my back in that… Read more »

Limeman

Low supply = high prices. High supply = low prices. Study and understand this basic economic principal and you’ll see that blaming “greedy businesses” is an absurd viewpoint.

JSNMGC

I agree.

There are numerous supply constraints right now related to ammo production and several things driving up demand. Of course prices will increase.

If the manufacturers charged lower prices right now to the wholesaler/distributers, then the wholesaler/distributors would raise the price they charge the retailers. I’d rather see the manufacturers get the premium so, if this high demand continues, they will invest in more capacity.

JSNMGC

If the manufacturers sold to the wholesalers/distributers at lower prices what do you think would happen?

JSNMGC

Correct – someone else down the distribution chain would make greater profits. If the manufacturers charged lower prices to the wholesaler/distributors, the wholesaler/distributors would almost certainly maintain higher prices to the retailers. If they didn’t (if they passed on the lower prices to the retailers), the retailers would almost certainly still charge market prices to individuals. If they didn’t (if they sold below what the market will bear), the product would immediately sell out and individuals would be re-selling it at what the market would bear. You can’t stop the market. If market demand decreased (e.g., what you suggest), then… Read more »

archmark

Just found “Unicorn” 6.5 Creedmoor ammo at Able’s Ammo thru ammoseek.com at what I consider a good price in this day and age. I don’t like paying the sales tax and the FedEx shipping seemed high, but at least now (hopefully!!!) I have something to feed my SCAR 20S!!!

nobodyuknow

Probably, some calibers are being withheld so as to get prices up. When/if the situation settles out, you can bet that ammunition prices will NOT recede to their prior price levels!

Ol’ Bill

It’s even worse if you live outside the USA, say here in Kalifornia.
We are forbidden from buying out of state.

Capn Dad

Buy outside anyways.

Eric

Try – https://www.defensepartsllc.com/ammunition
they seem to have 9mm, 223, 5.56, 7.62X25 TOK,32 ACP, and more.

MB

Brownells doesn’t have a single cartridge in any handgun caliber, even 32ACP, 7.62×25 Tok and 45GAP are sold out. Of course Brownells is the only one on the list not price gouging. If things ever get back to normal Brownells will be the only one on the list I will buy from.

RoyD

Saw this and thought others might find it of some interest:

Glocktarded

R Guns has 9mm, 5.56X45 ($500 for 400 rounds), 7.62X51. GI, Magpul, IMI and Beta C drum mags. ARs, AR lowers, uppers and parts.

They also have a selection of used and imported handguns. I just bought an aluminum frame High-Power from them. https://rguns.net

Boss

Seems to be a branch of Cheaper than dirt

Glocktarded

Seems like you support communist price controls.

RoyD

“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn!”

alzada

You better give a damn or they will come knocking at your door !!!