Online Vendor Endorsement

I am not getting any compensation for this endorsement. I've had a family member use SGAmmo quite a bit, and is also endorsed by a US Customs firearms instructor. I used them for the first time last week, and am really impressed with their customer service, communications, speedy delivery, and packaging.

Link on over and check out their ammo selection! If you've ordered from them, then tell us your experience.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

Single Stage Reloading Questions

When we get our new house, I'd like to have a place to reload my own ammo. So, without any real experience in the art, I'd like to get some reloaders opinions into what gear is best. I don't mind spending the money, as long as it is quality gear. I'll also be asking for some of these items for Christmas, so hopefully (wink wink) I'll get some of them.

Reference Books?

Tumbler? Dry

Press - Single stage. Brands?

Scales - non-digital

Calipers

Any other items that I have forgotten?

Thanks in Advance & Keep Right On Prepping - K

.22 LR Available for Shipping

I know that many of my readers have been having a hard time finding .22LR so I thought that I'd pass along this link. I might make for a good Christmas present for a family member that is a shooter considering availability Warning: They are priced at 12 cents each which is a little high, but this is the cheapest box of 500 that I could find. I did find a few 100 ct boxes for 9 cents, but shipping really put them out of frugal range.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/813992/norma-usa-tac-22-ammunition-22-long-rifle-40-grain-lead-round-nose-subsonic-box-of-500-10-boxes-of-50

The best shipping price that I got was around $15.00 which put it at .15/round.

Order at your own risk. Personally, I'll wait until I can order a whole lot and reduce my per round cost or a free shipping promo. Anyways, I thought that I'd share...

Keep Right On Prepping - K

Official Notice: Ammo Shortage Nearing End!!!

I did another round of scouting for ammunition after school today, and I am happy to report an end to the ammo shortage. I'll be removing my ammo poll that is on the right column very soon.

22LR is still hard to find, but most other calibers were available. The prices seem to have slowly crept down over the last few months, and a few good finds were available. I was able to pick up 150 rounds ( 3 boxes of 50) of 9mm for .2798 cents per round.

Store 1:Lots of 5.56 in the plastic ammo cans

Store 1: 250 9 mm averages to .3199/round

Store 1: A 60 round magazine (still too pricey for me!) was available

Store 2: Lots of ammo, still no 22lr though

Wal-mart left side of display case

Wal-mart right side of  display case

There were lots of magazines, but I didn't really look too closely. I would be interested in a few, like 20, Ruger 10/22 25 round magazines.

The third store is a local one, and I didn't take any pictures inside of it. The ammo shelves were full and most boxes had a two dollar premium from the old prices. This store even had a half barrel  that contained 12,500 rounds of 5.56 for $5,999.90 (.4799/round).

Let's restock our ammo supplies this time so that we can continue to go to the range on a regular basis doing the next shortage.

So my question: What are your goals before the next shortage or what would you do differently?

Keep Right On Prepping - K

Ammunition Update

In my neck of the woods, it seems that the ammunition shortage has eased up a bit. While 22LR is still unavailable at my local stores, at a reasonable price, most other ammo can be found with a little hunting. I noticed shotgun ammo was available throughout the shortage, but the usual amounts on the shelves was gradually decreasing during the whole "crisis". I'm beginning to wonder if the cost of the other ammo had eaten into the shotgun category for purchasing??? Either that or the amounts available had also taken a hit.

The online retailers are also more reliable in their selection and prices. The prices have started to drift downward, but not to previous levels. I'm not quite sure if we will ever see pre-shortage prices again. Hopefully. I've also noticed that the major players in retail have stopped advertising ammo prices, which is understandable. A good indication that the shortage is over will be the beginning of advertising for ammo again.

Magazines have become plentiful for my weapons, and in a few cases cheaper. Supply and demand at work. Curious that the people complaining about the high prices in the beginning aren't being vocal about the price drop. They should be lined up to pay the full retail, if I was supreme ruler of the universe. I was actually ahead of the curve on magazines, but still need to purchase the magazines for the guns that I'll be buying in the future. You can guarantee that the PTB haven't forgotten about their failed attempt to ban them. There will be new legislation in the future, they're just licking their wounds right now.

While I had a good stash of ammo, I didn't have enough to continue training during this time frame. This means that I didn't have enough (period) I'll be bumping up the amounts as money allows.

The only thing that I really haven't tracked is primer, leads, and brass. How is the reloading supplies in your area? By the way, my region is the South.

Comments are welcomed and encouraged.

The Nerd in Me and Ammo Trends

I like to nerd out, and research topics that interest me. So, I present to you a new tool for your research bag. Google trends.

One of my newer posts has had a steady hit, and climbed into the top ten most popular posts. The Ammunition Availability Poll 2013 has had about 14 to 20 hits per day. Plug in "ammo", which was a more popular search request than "ammunition", and you get this graph.

You can zoom into a closer time frame, here is the same graph over 12 months.

Be sure to set the regional interest to the United States for a state by state guide.

.223 graph - Look at that spike and the American Redoubt.

The 2nd Amendment? Wyoming wins first prize in the search index while Hawaii is last. California near the bottom too.

The graph shows the last ammo shortage of 2009, and compares them based on search engine key words.

Draw your own conclusions. Insert different search words and see what you find.

You can also overlay 5 different key words to the graph to make your own relationships between them.

The forecast option on the graph is also quite interesting. But I'd like to know more about how they forecast these trends. I'm sure it is an algorithm, patented of course.

Comments?

Keep Right On Prepping - K

For my Blogging Friends - Ammunition Depot still has some good deals. No .223/5.56 but some other ammo I haven't seen available elsewhere. 9mm,.45,.40, and

				Wolf 7.62mm x 39mm 123 Grain FMJ WOLF76239 Ammunition - a - 20 Round Box
				Price / Box: $9.97

My Conversation at China-mart about Ammo

We had to go to the store today, and I ran by the sporting section to look at ammunition. There wasn't much left, and I had this conversation with a sales associate placing an electronic order.

K - What's the deal with the ammo? Is there going to be any more or is it getting bought as soon as it comes in?

Associate (with order gun) - I'm trying to order it, but it won't accept it. All the pistol ammo and 223 can't be ordered.

K - Are they waiting for the gun control meeting in Washington or what?

Associate - I don't know.

K - When do you think Wal-mart will get some more? Is it that hard to get ammo?

Associate - (shows me the screen from the ordering system) It reads "No orders allowed from the home office"

So, it looks like the home office has taken all the .223 ammo and pistol ammo out of circulation for Wal-mart. Politics? Backlogged?  Since Sam Walton's death, Wal-mart has been against main street America. It has been against the worker, America manufacturer, and solely about the bottom line. Just another reason to get your preps in order - Corporate America is not on your side. Really, it not that surprising? Any other blog readers have some inside information about Wal-mart and ammunition sales? Anyone asked the associates?


Comments are always welcome.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

Uncommon Calibers for Uncommon Times

My wife has said that I have been focused on guns lately, which is true,but given the current climate I think that it is wise to really be thinking about self defense.

If you've spent any amount of time prepping, and own guns. Then you have heard the conventional wisdom of buying a gun in the most common calibers. While this is still excellent advice in being able to find ammunition in a SHTF scenario, I'd like to present another argument.

During this latest spike in ammunition demand, the most common calibers have been wiped out.

If I had my weapon(s) squared away, then I would consider adding a less common caliber into the storeroom. Here is my reasoning, if you are out shopping for a coming crisis, you would still be able to buy ammo that everyone else doesn't need. Go look at your current supply that is available, and see what caliber of ammo is still available and make your decision on a comparable caliber for your needs/wants. I guess this would only apply if you don't currently have enough ammo stockpiled, which could be an entirely new post.

Maybe a 303, 30-30 or 38 Special, 357 Sig, or 7.62x54R?

Just Sayin' and comments/debates/discussions are always welcomed.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

Ammunition Availability 2013 Poll

If you are just passing through, please consider leaving a comment. The more information, the more useful this poll will become. Thank you.


As per yesterday's comment section about ammo available out there and a post done at TEOTWAWKI Blog. I thought I might do my own informal research into what is available in the United States.

I've provided a cut and paste section for you to use in the comment section. If you are unsure about the type of ammo, please add ???.

=======

Time Zone/State(if you wish):
9mm-
.223/5.56-
.308-
.30-30
.30-06
.45ACP-
7.62X39-
.22LR-
12 gauge-
20 gauge-
.243-
.38Special-
.357Mag-
.380ACP-

=========

I've filled out mine after visiting 3 stores yesterday-

Time Zone:Central
9mm- OUT
.223/5.56- OUT
.308- Some higher end still avail
.30-30 - good selection
.30-06 - picked through
.45ACP- very little - higher end still available
7.62X39- OUT
.22LR- very little
12 gauge- wide selection
20 gauge- wide selection
.243- ??
.38Special- OUT
.357Mag- ??
.380ACP- OUT

Comment Section is open...

You also might be interested in this post too....

http://planningandforesight.blogspot.com/2013/01/my-conversation-at-china-mart-about-ammo.html

UPDATE 1/24/13:
This isn't breaking news, but the ammunition shortage has been going further down the line. Reloading supplies have taken an equal hit. Primers and brass seem to be very scarce while powder seems widely available ( It has been a week since my last ammo scouting trip ). I have not checked on dies or kits/equipment, but image that they too are a rare sighting.

UPDATE 2/1/2013:
Ran by Walmart today, and they have limited the purchase quantity to 3 boxes per person per day. Unfortunately, all they had was 12 and 20 gauge shells. No buckshot, No slugs. I bought gun cleaning supplies with my ammunition allowance.   

UPDATE 2/18/2013:
Ran by some local shops and two major retailers today. Ammo is becoming more available but at a higher premium and usually with limits on the amounts that can be purchased per day/per visit. A box of 9mm that was $12/$13 before the panic is going for around $20 per box of 50 rounds. Magazines are also being sighted, but at premium prices too. Interestingly enough, I haven't seen a box of 22LR since the initial panic buying. Most common ammo ( 9mm, 40 cal, .45 ACP, .223/5.56, and .308 ) is being stored at customer service or behind the counter. I am hoping that the trend will continue and the demand ebbs while the supply makes headway into the pipeline.

Be sure to fill out the comment section for your ammo sighting and Thanks for stopping in.

UPDATE: 2/21/13 Semi-related to ammunition

  I placed two orders on 12-21-12 for five 30 round MAGPUL magazines each. I got this by email today.

 "Thank you for ordering from Ruger Sportswear & Accessories. Your sportswear order placed on 12/21/12 12:00:00 AM has shipped."

It has only taken 61 days for the order to be manufactured and produced. Considering that the last article that I read mentioned that they are about a million units behind in firearms alone, I'm quite happy to take delivery.




UPDATE: 4/07/13:
The ammunition shortage seems to be abating at a few stores. I laid my eyes on the first 22LR ammo that I have seen since the beginning of the panic buying/shortage. While Chinamart has a limited stock of odd caliber ammunition, my other ammo source seems to have tripled their stock. A 20 ct. of 556 cost me $11.99, and that is still about two dollars higher than last summer. Oh the 22LR, I passed because a small brick (100 ct.?) was selling for $20.

I did purchase a 50ct of 223, 9mm defense load, and two 20 ct. of 556 for a little under a hundred. I'll be able to take Sweetheart out for some range time soon.

Keep Right On Prepping - K