re: Ammo shortage

quote:

---

For pure practice purposes the FMJ is still cheaper. I keep a mag loaded with JHP in my gun when not at the range.

---

Oh, no doubt. I keep a few thousand FMJ at all times just to make sure I have range ammo but only a few hundred rounds of JHP.

It was more that I found it odd that, judging from the percentage increase in price, JHP doesn't seem to be getting hammered as badly as FMJ, even though it would seem the people panic buying would want the JHPs for protection.

For instance, the last time I bought some Federal HST was in February and I paid 75 cents a round. Right this instant, I can get it for 80 cents a round. FMJ, however, has gone up 30-40-50 percent or more in the same time frame, if you can even find it. It's as if the panic buyers have no idea WHAT they're buying or WHY they're buying it, but they're buying it as if panicked.

ETA: I guess it could also be that the ammo manufacturers have flipped their 9mm production to be almost all JHP. It could be a supply choice they've made to provide only the JHP rounds right now.

quote:

---

It was more that I found it odd that, judging from the percentage increase in price, JHP doesn't seem to be getting hammered as badly as FMJ, even though it would seem the people panic buying would want the JHPs for protection.

---

I think it's because of a lot of new gun owners buying, that don't really understand what they need. They Just think about the movie, and "Full Metal Jacket", sounds more bad arse to them.
When the invaders show up at my door, I'll have to send them an apology: Sorry fellas, I ain't got none of them NATO or Geneva Convention rounds, all we got is these varmint rounds, and they're probably gonna sting a little bit.

I just ordered one of the Remington range buckets (350) of fmj’s for $93.99 at Optics Planet with f/s. Not great but one of the better deals I’ve seen lately for 9mm.

Buy high. sell low!!

quote:

---

I found 9mm at LINK

Some guy posted about finding an AR-15 there for under $700. I had never heard of it, but they say they have 9mm 223 and some 556 "On the shelf".

---

That would be me; got a Radical Firearms AR 15. It came in Friday, did the paperwork and got delayed, will take it home next week. Shipped to my range, they let me shoot it. I put a mag through and it ran fine.
Got it under 600, actually; $475 for the gun, $25 for shipping, $20 for the FFL. Did some research, last Black Friday or thereabouts it was a $400 gun at some places. We're obviously not going to find Black Friday prices right now, I'm satisfied.

They don't list it anymore, but they had the M&P Sport II for $650 last I looked.

Looking into the store itself some, it seems to get good local reviews in Tennessee, and I guess they decided to expand into the big national market online. They aren't getting listed on gundeals, so I'd suggest you don't JUST use that site as a search engine.

For ammo, keep an eye out at SGAmmo and Targetsportsusa. Get their email fliers, they send out notices of what they get in stock. When you see something you like, buy it right away, things sell out fast.

Global Ordnance is a site I came across for cheap ammo on deals. Shipping is 12.99 flat rate, and it ships fast.
I got Tula steel cased 9mm for 150 on Memorial Day, a case shipped for 163. I got Tula steel cased 223 for Father's Day, 250 for a case. They are also currently running steel AR mags for 6.99; I picked up a few.

I've been trying to find 35 Whelan Remington corelokt PSP 200 grain for a while now. I finally found them online at Bass Pro. I bought 3 boxes so I'm good for a while now. The shelves have been empty since March, if you can find it online get it.

Panic buying ammo when times get bad is like buying a hose when your house is on fire.

Just don't shoot brass right after shooting steel. Clean the chamber of blow by before shooting brass. No problems here. I've gone through a couple thousand steel case 6.5 Grendel.

quote:

---

Just don't shoot brass right after shooting steel. Clean the chamber of blow by before shooting brass

---

That's what I've read; steel doesn't expand as much and you get more fouling in the chamber. Runs fine with more steel.
With brass, you can get a sticky case, and potential trouble.

The South African surplus is apparently brittle case, and the case stuck and the extractor tore a chunk off the rim.
The IMI and Federal were softer, and it extracted, but deformed the first case following. In the process, it kinda served as a brass "swab", and the following brass cases extracted without issue.

Simple fix, as you state: if you run steel, then stick to steel for that session, and then clean the gun out good.

That's fine, I have a Cetme C308 with the fluted chamber. If you want to talk about dirty chambers, go play with one of those , the gun comes back from a range session looking like it was used as a muffler for a diesel truck.
What's nice about that, is that the design is actually great for steel case. The case doesn't expand as much, and the gases in the flutes float the case out smooth as silk. Brass is softer and in theory could deform into the flutes, so cheap steel is preferred. So it's dirty as sin, but just keeps running, once the mechanical parts are broken in. And due to the design, I've seen a couple guys show how you don't "need" an extractor... the gas blowback blows it back out of the chamber, and the ejector throws it about 30 ft to the side.

quote:

---

so my question is when are manufacturers going to start ramping up supply and inventory get back to normal?

---

You should get on YouTube and look at videos on ammo manufacturing, it takes some seriously big, high-precision equipment to produce and assemble components. Mostly older machines too, new equipment is incredibly expensive. Then there's sourcing raw materials, everybody is back logged right now. I don't think it's a bad idea to get something that takes a lesser popular cartridge, they usually stick around on the shelves longer thought they are also the first to have their production cut back when there's a run on the more popular stuff.