Ammo: Should I Be a PIG?

2407 Views 28 Replies 19 Participants Last post by rodfair, Mar 25, 2013

samkent

Discussion Starter · Mar 13, 2013

OK I've only bought ammo once since Sandy Hook. Not for a lack of trying. But I was lucky enough to hit WW at the right time two weeks ago. I scored 3 boxes of 9mm target. There was no 'limit' sign but I felt why be part of the problem.
But now I'm rethinking my 'niceness'.

This weekend I am planning a road trip for other reasons. There is no time schedual so I plan on hitting major sporting stores and of course WW for 22lr and 9mm. I've gone out of my way looking for these elusive brass and lead nuggets. At this point should I give a rats a$$ about the next guy? I don't have any plans on reselling. But I'm tired of worrying about if I'll have enough to pop off a mag each week over the summer.

I'm guessing if I find 5 boxes (50/rnds) of 9mm I'll be good for the summer. And a brick (525) of 22lr will last for a couple of years.
So if I find the nuggets should I clean them out (or the limit) for each find? I could see myself feeling real good with 10 boxes of 9mm.

Or would that make my one of the ammo PIGS?

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dbeardslee

· #2 · Mar 13, 2013

Five boxes of ammo isn't going to deprive anyone else of anything. If you think you need it and you can find it, buy it. And do it before Mark Kelly does.

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glenwolde

· #3 · Mar 13, 2013

Not really a pig.....but this is why ammo is in short supply. Everybody doing what you're doing. People who shoot want a six month supply instead of just picking it up weekly as needed.

I've done it too. I buy a couple of boxes of 9mm when I go to the range, because they're still reasonably priced, they always seem to have it, and because....I can. Even though I don't really need it. But hey, somebody might.

Harrychl

· #4 · Mar 13, 2013

If your lucky enough to find it, then buy it.....just saying

samkent

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 13, 2013

Five boxes of ammo isn't going to deprive anyone else of anything. If you think you need it and you can find it, buy it. And do it before Mark Kelly does.

Five will set me up nicely for the summer. But I'm thinking if I can get 15 at normal prices. . . I don't see a downside for me. That way I'll stop going to Bass Pro. Heck I'll be good through the summer of 2014.

At what point does it make me a hoarder?
2 months supply?
6 months?
2 years?

LonestarJake

· #6 · Mar 13, 2013

Sam, you are not an ammo pig. An ammo pig is the folks who buy all they can anytime they can and then mark it up to re-sell.

Considering where we are today regarding the actions of law makers, and gun grabbers, whatever ammo you feel comfortable in purchasing is fine particularly if it is for use by you, your family or friends. 10 boxes of 9mm is prudent, not piggish. If you had unlimited funds, and bought a pallet of 50,000 rounds at a place with no limits, you would be piggish.

Reactions: 2

wizard_of_ahs

· #7 · Mar 13, 2013

If you can get it for a good price, BUY IT

Reactions: 1

mingaa

· #8 · Mar 13, 2013 (Edited)

glenwolde said:
Not really a pig.....but this is why ammo is in short supply. Everybody doing what you're doing. People who shoot want a six month supply instead of just picking it up weekly as needed.

I've done it too. I buy a couple of boxes of 9mm when I go to the range, because they're still reasonably priced, they always seem to have it, and because....I can. Even though I don't really need it. But hey, somebody might.

...and it turns into a viscous circle "...but this is why ammo is in short supply. Everybody doing what you're doing. People who shoot want a six month supply instead of just picking it up weekly as needed." and, so often that weekly supply is not available anymore or on any dependable schedule.

The last election changed my ammo buying habits for life. I buy more than I shoot creating a reserve. I'm now pretty much off over-the-counter ammo and reload everything I shoot except 22 and 12 gauge. I have still managed to stay with the program - 200 out 300+ in. The MINUTE I heard the first whisper of AWB I started buying reloading supplies as fast as my measly budget would allow. I knew what was coming AND it did. 1st in ammo then in reloading supplies. I'm still on point with my program but it is a heck of a lot harder to keep up and I'm substituting brands where I would not have before.

If there is, god forbid, a major legal change even if it is reversed or worked out the process will be long and slow (or a chaotic overthrow of the government). Whatever the case I'm not setting up my home for a weekend at the range. At best I'm buying (bought) smart while prices remain reasonable. At worst I'm trying to be prepared for a long-term problem, one that could take many forms starting with ammo tax, rationing and NICS for each purchase with a FFL fee attached.

UGH!

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dbeardslee

· #9 · Mar 13, 2013

samkent said:
Five will set me up nicely for the summer. But I'm thinking if I can get 15 at normal prices. . . I don't see a downside for me. That way I'll stop going to Bass Pro. Heck I'll be good through the summer of 2014.

At what point does it make me a hoarder?
2 months supply?
6 months?
2 years?

The dictionary defines hoarding as "1: to lay up a hoard of 2: to keep (as one's thoughts) to oneself." It defines hoard as "a supply or fund stored up and often hidden away." Using those definitions we're pretty much all hoarders. I'm not going to tell you how much to buy - this is supposed to be the land of the free, so buy what you want and what you can find. When someone tells you that you shouldn't hoard so there's ammo available for others, I think what they really mean is they want ammo to be available when they want to buy it. If you can find it, they can too - but the early bird gets the worm.

Reactions: 1

mingaa

· #10 · Mar 13, 2013

dbeardslee said:
The dictionary defines hoarding as "1: to lay up a hoard of 2: to keep (as one's thoughts) to oneself." It defines hoard as "a supply or fund stored up and often hidden away." Using those definitions we're pretty much all hoarders. I'm not going to tell you how much to buy - this is supposed to be the land of the free, so buy what you want and what you can find. When someone tells you that you shouldn't hoard so there's ammo available for others, I think what they really mean is they want ammo to be available when they want to buy it. If you can find it, they can too - but the early bird gets the worm.

Yep - I've broadened my circle, work 5 times as hard and lump when I find what I'm looking for. A local shop was getting a shipment of 108,000 bullets that I use. I wanted some but they would not make a 'hold' or 'call' list OR pre-sell. They were gone in an hour (to your final point dbeardslee). Now that store rations certain items.

I stopped in a favorite pawn and gun shop yesterday to chat mostly - asked my buddy how it was going. "Slow" he said. I gave him a look - with a gesture he directed me to look at his cases - maybe 20% full and half of that was oddball stuff - ammo, same story. You can't sell from an empty cart!

MOONDAWG

· #11 · Mar 13, 2013

I don't hear any pig like squeals until I see multiple 1,000 round cases being carted out the door.

Usually by rich people the bible says I shouldn't be envious of...did I tell you I hate rich people?

Reactions: 2

Ironmagz

· #12 · Mar 13, 2013

I stopped at a pawn shop the other day and was talking to one of the guys. We were talking about some .22's and a price I saw on a bulk box of ammo of 550 at the gun show earlier in the day. That price was $60 bucks btw, and he had heard someone else say they saw one for $75 there also.

But anyway I told him I didn't buy it because I was sitting pretty good on them at this point. I don't remember exactly what he said next, but what I heard was "how can you be sure"! And that kind of hit me.

We don't really know what's in store in the near future regarding ammo, firearms and such. You can't deny we're (USA) heading in a direction that isn't going to be sustainable, and only gets worse the further we go. How much would it really take to disrupt the ammo supply? And the way we're printing money, I very clearly see lead being worth a lot more than our dollar, in that same near future. I think as long as you're getting it at pre run prices one is crazy not to if you have the means.

And I'd suspect anyone just buying it as you need it, like on the way to the range, isn't going to end up having a very good day.

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mingaa

· #13 · Mar 13, 2013

Ironmagz said:
I stopped at a pawn shop the other day and was talking to one of the guys. We were talking about some .22's and a price I saw on a bulk box of ammo of 550 at the gun show earlier in the day. That price was $60 bucks btw, and he had heard someone else say they saw one for $75 there also.

But anyway I told him I didn't buy it because I was sitting pretty good on them at this point. I don't remember exactly what he said next, but what I heard was "how can you be sure"! And that kind of hit me.

We don't really know what's in store in the near future regarding ammo, firearms and such. You can't deny we're (USA) heading in a direction that isn't going to be sustainable, and only gets worse the further we go. How much would it really take to disrupt the ammo supply? And the way we're printing money, I very clearly see lead being worth a lot more than our dollar, in that same near future. I think as long as you're getting it at pre run prices one is crazy not to if you have the means.

And I'd suspect anyone just buying it as you need it, like on the way to the range, isn't going to end up having a very good day.

I have to fix that one statement up a bit for you: "I certainly hope that we are NOT (USA) heading in a direction that isn't going to be sustainable, and only gets worse the further we go. How much would it really take to disrupt the ammo supply? I am personally doing everything in my power to prevent that from happening!"

That said hedging bets against a worst case scenario is, IMHO, a wise path to take - it cannot hurt. The sun shines, the birds chirp and you have plenty of ammo. No down side to that. Now take the inverse appraoch...

Reactions: 1

dbeardslee

· #14 · Mar 13, 2013

Let me give you something else to think about. I jokingly mentioned Mark Kelly - but I wasn't really joking. We saw him buy an AR15 that he said he intended to turn over to the police, and what if he's not the only one? What if this is another one of those liberal tactics, and what if it extends to ammunition? We assume that gun owners are responsible for the ammo shortage, but I haven't seen any real research on who's buying it, and I also remember years ago when a platoon sergeant in the 2/75 told me how you spell 'assume.' What if the gun grabbers are buying up ammo so we can't? Sound crazy?

There's a lot of crazy stuff going on these days. Personally I'd rather have the ammo in the hands of gun owners. If the S H's the F, and an angry mob of Hezbollahs come marching down the street, and my neighbor has a rifle chambered same as mine but he doesn't have any ammo, what am I going to do? Give him some cartridges, that's what.

What if the North Koreans detonate a nuke over the U.S. and the electromagnetic pulse takes out our power grid, and we find ourselves back in the stone age, and I have more ammo than I need? I'll use it for barter. It'll be worth a LOT more than a wad of paper, which is what legal tender really is. Paper money will be worth more as legal tinder to start campfires. At least if I bought the ammo I know I'm not going to turn it in to be destroyed by local leos.

In short I'm going to make sure me and mine are provided for before I worry about the rest of the country. And I think that's human nature. And besides, buying less than you want in no way insures ammo availability for anyone else. Maybe all you're doing is making it easier for those who buy to resell at vastly inflated prices to buy it up.

If demand stays high, the ammo manufacturers will continue to ramp up production until supply can meet demand. But I don't think demand will stay high, and I think when it starts to slow down we'll see ammo suppliers sitting on a glut of ammo. At which point the prices will drop dramatically. Unless the gun/ammo grabbers get their way. At which point you'll be glad for every round you've got. So buy what you want - and write your elected officials often to let them know your views on gun control.

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william

· #15 · Mar 13, 2013

Buy it when you can, as you feel led. I don't want to be looking over a locked slide at the guy that bought the box I didn't.
Praise the Lord and pass the ammo.

Reactions: 3

mingaa

· #16 · Mar 13, 2013

dbeardslee said:
Let me give you something else to think about. I jokingly mentioned Mark Kelly - but I wasn't really joking. We saw him buy an AR15 that he said he intended to turn over to the police, and what if he's not the only one? What if this is another one of those liberal tactics, and what if it extends to ammunition? We assume that gun owners are responsible for the ammo shortage, but I haven't seen any real research on who's buying it, and I also remember years ago when a platoon sergeant in the 2/75 told me how you spell 'assume.' What if the gun grabbers are buying up ammo so we can't? Sound crazy?

There's a lot of crazy stuff going on these days. Personally I'd rather have the ammo in the hands of gun owners. If the S H's the F, and an angry mob of Hezbollahs come marching down the street, and my neighbor has a rifle chambered same as mine but he doesn't have any ammo, what am I going to do? Give him some cartridges, that's what.

What if the North Koreans detonate a nuke over the U.S. and the electromagnetic pulse takes out our power grid, and we find ourselves back in the stone age, and I have more ammo than I need? I'll use it for barter. It'll be worth a LOT more than a wad of paper, which is what legal tender really is. Paper money will be worth more as legal tinder to start campfires. At least if I bought the ammo I know I'm not going to turn it in to be destroyed by local leos.

In short I'm going to make sure me and mine are provided for before I worry about the rest of the country. And I think that's human nature. And besides, buying less than you want in no way insures ammo availability for anyone else. Maybe all you're doing is making it easier for those who buy to resell at vastly inflated prices to buy it up.

If demand stays high, the ammo manufacturers will continue to ramp up production until supply can meet demand. But I don't think demand will stay high, and I think when it starts to slow down we'll see ammo suppliers sitting on a glut of ammo. At which point the prices will drop dramatically. Unless the gun/ammo grabbers get their way. At which point you'll be glad for every round you've got. So buy what you want - and write your elected officials often to let them know your views on gun control.

"...and I have more ammo than I need?" - please explain, this does not compute

What a thought - the new charity do-gooder "saving America from itself one gun and one box of evil ammo at a time" *shiver* WOW!

In the mean time we HAVE to jump all over Schumer's Manditory Background Check Bill (S.374) - if that passed verbatim you would have to use an FFL, pay the fee and have a background check to hand your buddy a gun at a shooting range - NO I'm not kidding - it's insane!!!

BREAKING: Details of Schumer's Mandatory Background Check Bill (S. 374) | The Truth About Guns

samkent

Discussion Starter · #17 · Mar 13, 2013

have a background check to hand your buddy a gun at a shooting range - NO I'm not kidding - it's insane!!!

Crazy points in laws tend to be ignored and then later modified.
It's never as good as the cheering crowd says.
It's never as bad as the fearing crowd says.

mingaa

· #18 · Mar 13, 2013

samkent said:
Crazy points in laws tend to be ignored and then later modified.
It's never as good as the cheering crowd says.
It's never as bad as the fearing crowd says.

I did not say it would pass or pass verbatim. I said JUMP ALL OVER IT - as in write your reps (congressman, senators, speaker of the house, veep, Obama) on your list. You do have a list don't you? I'd recommend ASAP and keep it from even getting to the floor for discussion.

It's points are stated succinctly in the T.A.G. link.

Your aphorism is cute. Pardon me for not thinking this is not a time for cute.

Reactions: 1

carlstaurus

· #19 · Mar 13, 2013

that is nice of you sam, to think of the next guy. problem being, that next guy probably does not think the same way as you. me, i don't mind them (wally world & others) putting a limit on the amount i can get. just want to be able to get some.

Aberdog1

· #20 · Mar 13, 2013

I will say that I have all the ammo I need and I need all the ammo that I have. If I want want or need more ammo I will go buy it. I would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it...If I need .22 ammo and it is $75 for a box of 550 I will buy it. I won't like it but I will have it...

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