Anyone else having trouble "pulling the trigger" on a new purchase?

The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast

Member Benefits:

  • No ad networks!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • spoon059

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 1, 2018
    5,334
    Nah, ammo will come back so that's not stopping me. However, the price of guns is stopping me from buying anything else right now. No sense overpaying because of a panic right now. That said, I have picked up some parts and an upper that I got a deal on recently. Haven't shot some of them yet, but I'll get around to it eventually.

    Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk
     

    bratgirllcp

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 13, 2013
    2,795
    Grasonville MD
    I hadn’t, until now. About 2 months ago I bought a new Savage long range rifle in 300 PRC, a pretty new and uncommon specialty caliber (also pretty $$$). For two months there still is zero 300 PRC ammo anywhere in the country, I totally get the run on 9mm and 5.56 NATO, but who bought all the 300 PRC? Now I will pay more attention to this before buying any other firearms. If I don’t already have ammo, I won’t buy it until things get back to normal.

    I wonder IF we will ever see "normal" got fingers crossed
     

    czman

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Nov 20, 2020
    97
    I have a small collection of firearms I like plus enough ammo on hand to satisfy my needs. My issue is that there are so few places I can go to shoot them. The nearest public outdoor range is an hour away.
     

    Slackdaddy

    My pronouns: Iva/Bigun
    Jan 1, 2019
    5,845
    Yup,
    I live in an area that is rural enough that no gun ranges exist,, but now has enough subdivisions that shooting "on your property" ain't going to work.


    I have a small collection of firearms I like plus enough ammo on hand to satisfy my needs. My issue is that there are so few places I can go to shoot them. The nearest public outdoor range is an hour away.
     

    Crazytrain

    Certified Grump
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 8, 2007
    1,641
    Sparks, MD
    Purchasing a bit more often now than before. A few handguns and a Kel-Tech Sub2000 (surprisingly good shooter to 25 yards, the longest I've shot it). Prices are up a bit; but they don't seem absurd. I'd like to get an AR (or two) but the few I've seen that are available, the prices ARE absurd ($2500+), though I'm assuming they are the super premium rifles. Without ammo availability it's a low priority so I'm willing to wait a bit. Hopefully, things won't get to a point where I regret not having one. I wish I had bought over the past few years; but the wife really, really didn't want me to get an AR. After 2020, it doesn't matter. I know now it's better to ask forgiveness than permission.

    I still have a few thousand rounds of 9mm. I've been shooting a couple hundred a month. That will eventually change as my stock drops. I'm not sure when I will start feeling uncomfortable enough in my stash to stop shooting. It hurts a bit every time I open a new case. Hopefully ammo comes back soon, though I fear it might be years. I'm planning on a large order when availability returns.
     

    DutchV

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 8, 2012
    4,702
    It's good for me.
    Saving some money. I haven't had a huge interest in anything for a while now.
    Only short list items would be 44 mag Super Blackhawk and coach gun. I can wait it out.

    Top Gun in Fallston had a Super Blackhawk last week. Might be too far for you to drive, though.
     

    Boss94

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 15, 2013
    6,945
    I have 2 cz pistols I have wanted to buy in the past few months. but just can't see myself laying out that kinda doe ray me right now in this crazy times.
     

    RuralRifleGuy

    Active Member
    Aug 16, 2018
    918
    Queenstown
    I'm basically buying exclusively new calibers and figuring out ammo after the fact, I'd rather have something sitting around for a while than not be able to buy it in the future. I'm also buying reloading components and dies for anything I think I might want in the future just to be prepared.

    New calibers so far have been a 300 HAM'R AR and a 6.5 Creedmoor Compass II that I'm still waiting to arrive. I'll be adding a 300 Win Mag in the near future, a 22-250 if I can find something I like in stock, a 30-30 if I can find a Marlin 336C in stock anywhere, and a 17 HMR or 22 Mag if I find a reasonably priced. Reloading supplies for the three centerfire calibers are also on my to buy list.
     

    SharpShoooter

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Sep 21, 2020
    114
    Nope, just purchased a new Glock 26 and built an 80% Glock.

    26 is great gun for the carry permit. I just got an AR-15 but don't want to go to the range where I could buy another AR for the amount of bullets I use

    This ammo situation should sort itself out eventually, so if I see a good deal on something interesting..........

    Don't let the availability of ammo stop you from getting what you want, over time ammo will become readily available again.

    Any rough guess on how when you think it'll be back to normal? or semi-normal? Not trying to pay $600+ for 1,000 rifle bullets
     

    Bob A

    όυ φροντισ
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Nov 11, 2009
    30,687
    26 is great gun for the carry permit. I just got an AR-15 but don't want to go to the range where I could buy another AR for the amount of bullets I use


    Any rough guess on how when you think it'll be back to normal? or semi-normal? Not trying to pay $600+ for 1,000 rifle bullets

    A few months, or maybe four more years. A lot depends on the political situation. That's why the previously unprepared are willing to pay double the usual price for rifle food; because you just never know when things might get worse. Much worse.

    Biden, who likes to call himself the President-elect, would like to clamp down on ammo purchases. (Nobody needs a thousand rounds! Couple rounds of birdshot thru the closed door is plenty!). Worst case scenario, that case of 5.56 might look like a real bargain in a couple months.

    It comes down to whether you feel lucky. Well, do you?
     

    roadking

    Active Member
    Mar 11, 2019
    315
    Baltimore, MD
    Roadking's stated delema only applies to a narrow band on the gunowner spectrum .

    If you have nothing ( or nothing in an important catagory ) , you're going to bite the bullet , and pay what you have to pay.

    If you already have a comfortable plethora , you're open to getting additional firearms to use your existing stash of ammo OR you have enough other firearms to handle imeadate requirements until ammo availability improves .


    That’s true, it is a narrow spectrum. ME. Ha ha. But that’s why i asked the question. Lots of thoughts an views shared here and I’m probably going to pull the (proverbial) trigger after the NY. Without ammo, I’m not sure when I’ll get to pull the literal trigger though! Lol.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     

    imaoldcowhand

    Active Member
    Aug 3, 2018
    684
    Not at all. Unfortunately USPS delayed/lost a money order that I Priority Mailed. Been 2 weeks and still shows, In Transit”.
    I guess paying extra for Priority Mail means nothing anymore.

    I don’t want to hear excuses, like covid 19 related.
    The virus has been around since the first of the year.
    They’ve had plenty of time to gear up for the Christmas rush.
     

    WarPig68

    Member
    May 9, 2012
    69
    Pasadena
    With all of this shortage in ammo, I've been having a hard time "pulling the trigger" on the purchase of a new firearm. I typically buy ammo on line and all the places I shop are sold out. Without the ability to get ammo, a new firearm purchase doesn't seem to make sense. I don't hang out out a LGS's, but perhaps I should as I've heard some of them have ammo in stock (on occasion). Anyone else resisting a new purchase because they can't get ammo for it?

    I definitely see your issue here. I’m more of a collector than a shooter (especially due to the distance to a decent range and the price of ammo right now)

    For instance, I’d rather buy a WWII Japanese type 14 to have in the collection than a Glock 19 simply due to the fact that the Type14 is a “collectible” and unless you’re already stocked up on 9mm, the G19 is just a off the shelf piece that everyone and their brother has an example of.

    So I suppose it comes down to the types of guns one is into and their ammo stockpile or lack there of.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    With all of this shortage in ammo, I've been having a hard time "pulling the trigger" on the purchase of a new firearm. I typically buy ammo on line and all the places I shop are sold out. Without the ability to get ammo, a new firearm purchase doesn't seem to make sense. I don't hang out out a LGS's, but perhaps I should as I've heard some of them have ammo in stock (on occasion). Anyone else resisting a new purchase because they can't get ammo for it?

    No, not because of that. Don’t think I’d buy a gun in a new to me caliber. But, though I got in to guns after Sandy, I learned those lessons by getting in to guns not long after when things were expensive, but possible to get, just hard.

    So I am well stocked. I’d sure like more. I know guys with a ton more than I have. But I’ve got a good few years stocked up for all my guns at the rate I’ve been shooting them.

    Probably more than a few years to be honest, unless I start shooting a lot more than I have been.

    Plus I got in to reloading right before the pandemic hit and been stocking up when and where I can on reloading supplies and have reloading supplies and dies for all my calibers (well, have some supplies for 7.62x39, but waiting for dies).

    But yeah, not picking up any real new calibers.

    That said, I only have a 38spc revolver, but I’d get something in .357. Can shoot the 38spc in it and I’ve got cases to reload .357 mag, though not much in the way of bullets I can reload to .357 velocities (mostly softer lead designed for 38spc velocities).

    That’s probably the only caliber I’d buy right now that I don’t own something in that specific caliber. Otherwise I’d wait.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Not at all. Unfortunately USPS delayed/lost a money order that I Priority Mailed. Been 2 weeks and still shows, In Transit”.
    I guess paying extra for Priority Mail means nothing anymore.

    I don’t want to hear excuses, like covid 19 related.
    The virus has been around since the first of the year.
    They’ve had plenty of time to gear up for the Christmas rush.

    Okay, complain to Trump and his head of the postal service. They F-ed with the whole system for months over the summer and leading up to the election to screw up mail in ballots to make reality match their narrative.

    You can’t magic wand undo that crap in weeks when judges order them to stop F-ing with the mail service.

    Tack on more holiday mail than ever because so many ordered stuff for the holidays or were shipping gifts to friends and family rather than seeing them. IIRC all mail services saw about a 30% increase in package and mail compared to last year. And last year was a high water mark.

    And FINALLY, about 5% of USPS employees are out SICK with COVID the last couple of weeks. That doesn’t include employees quarantining or temporary shut downs of facilities because so many employees got sick. Also serious lack of CDL drivers who have also been out sick. Yeah, just 5% out sick for a couple of weeks can cause massive disruptions.

    UPS and FedEx simply stopped accepting packages from some business and individuals because they were so overloaded, which funneled more to USPS because they can’t legally refuse to accept packages and mail.

    That’s why we’ve seen multiweek delays.

    Forgot to add, USPS doesn’t take on temp workers (or only in very limited numbers). They add flexibility in capacity by adding overtime work. Which they’ve heavily restricted (again, see Trump/Dejoy F-ing with the mail). People out sick. Restrictions on working conditions because of a pandemic slowing work.
     

    Slackdaddy

    My pronouns: Iva/Bigun
    Jan 1, 2019
    5,845
    I'm throwing the BS card on this (heck I'll raise it with a WP card and a race card),,
    "Trump's" postal service worked SOOOO good that for every ballot they mailed out, 1.5 ballots came back!!!!


    Okay, complain to Trump and his head of the postal service. They F-ed with the whole system for months over the summer and leading up to the election to screw up mail in ballots to make reality match their narrative.

    You can’t magic wand undo that crap in weeks when judges order them to stop F-ing with the mail service.

    Tack on more holiday mail than ever because so many ordered stuff for the holidays or were shipping gifts to friends and family rather than seeing them. IIRC all mail services saw about a 30% increase in package and mail compared to last year. And last year was a high water mark.

    And FINALLY, about 5% of USPS employees are out SICK with COVID the last couple of weeks. That doesn’t include employees quarantining or temporary shut downs of facilities because so many employees got sick. Also serious lack of CDL drivers who have also been out sick. Yeah, just 5% out sick for a couple of weeks can cause massive disruptions.

    UPS and FedEx simply stopped accepting packages from some business and individuals because they were so overloaded, which funneled more to USPS because they can’t legally refuse to accept packages and mail.

    That’s why we’ve seen multiweek delays.

    Forgot to add, USPS doesn’t take on temp workers (or only in very limited numbers). They add flexibility in capacity by adding overtime work. Which they’ve heavily restricted (again, see Trump/Dejoy F-ing with the mail). People out sick. Restrictions on working conditions because of a pandemic slowing work.
     

    roadking

    Active Member
    Mar 11, 2019
    315
    Baltimore, MD
    Okay, complain to Trump and his head of the postal service. They F-ed with the whole system for months over the summer and leading up to the election to screw up mail in ballots to make reality match their narrative.

    You can’t magic wand undo that crap in weeks when judges order them to stop F-ing with the mail service.

    Tack on more holiday mail than ever because so many ordered stuff for the holidays or were shipping gifts to friends and family rather than seeing them. IIRC all mail services saw about a 30% increase in package and mail compared to last year. And last year was a high water mark.

    And FINALLY, about 5% of USPS employees are out SICK with COVID the last couple of weeks. That doesn’t include employees quarantining or temporary shut downs of facilities because so many employees got sick. Also serious lack of CDL drivers who have also been out sick. Yeah, just 5% out sick for a couple of weeks can cause massive disruptions.

    UPS and FedEx simply stopped accepting packages from some business and individuals because they were so overloaded, which funneled more to USPS because they can’t legally refuse to accept packages and mail.

    That’s why we’ve seen multiweek delays.

    Forgot to add, USPS doesn’t take on temp workers (or only in very limited numbers). They add flexibility in capacity by adding overtime work. Which they’ve heavily restricted (again, see Trump/Dejoy F-ing with the mail). People out sick. Restrictions on working conditions because of a pandemic slowing work.


    You can’t say they F’ed with the system and that affected Xmas and yet claim the handling of mail in ballots worked flawlessly. Thats inconsistent.

    I didn’t know the USPS didn’t hire temp workers. But if true, that’s a key point - and a ridiculous policy that would have been eliminated by competent management. They knew there was going to be a crush of mail this season and they had time to change the policy, hire temps and properly train them. They didn’t. End of story.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    byf43

    SCSC Life/NRA Patron Life
    Nah, ammo will come back so that's not stopping me. However, the price of guns is stopping me from buying anything else right now. No sense overpaying because of a panic right now.
    That said, I have picked up some parts and an upper that I got a deal on recently. Haven't shot some of them yet, but I'll get around to it eventually.

    Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk


    Same here. The price(s) people are asking for 'everything' is beyond ridiculous, right now.

    I'm a cheap bastige.

    I've got plenty of what I need to keep me busy (and/or happy).
    A S&W mdl 629 (4") will be around after the panic subsides.
     

    Growler215

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 30, 2020
    2,156
    SOMD
    Yes and no. I wouldn't buy something if I couldn't get ANY ammo for it. But if there is a firearm that best fills a niche and some useful ammo is available for it, I'd pull the trigger.

    New to me calibers in 2020 were .380 ACP and .450 Bushmaster. The other firearms purchases were all calibers I was already pretty well stocked up on.

    The .380 LCP2 was bought before the pandemic crunch and a case of JHP bought online at the time. That ammo is pretty dear now.

    The .450 Bushmaster AR was just bought in December (as an Xmas present for myself) after researching ammo availability on Ammoseek. Took a month to find the rifle. Ammo for that was kind of pricey but I don't think it had gone up that much. Pretty much out of stock now, though.

    For 2021 I'm looking at adding .45 ACP, 6.5 Grendel and 9x39mm. That is if I can still find some ammo when the associated gun, barrel and upper become available, as well as magazines. And assuming the laws don't change first...
     
    Last edited:

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Latest posts

    Forum statistics

    Threads
    274,917
    Messages
    7,258,650
    Members
    33,348
    Latest member
    Eric_Hehl

    Latest threads

    Top Bottom