GUNS/RLTD "NO ammo sales unless you buy a gun!"

ainitfunny

ainitfunny

Saved, to glorify God.
A friend of mine (in Michigan)today was turned away from a gun shop with the admonition "Buy a gun and I will sell you ammo, no gun - no ammo."

Has anyone else encountered this stipulation when trying to buy ammo? Is this new or widespread?

By the way has anyone else found .380 ammo has evaporated from the planet?
 
onetimer

onetimer

Veteran Member
Sounds like bad business to me.

Maybe reserving some to go with gun purchases and sell the rest would be a better approach.
 
D

Double_A

TB Fanatic
ainitfunny said:
A friend of mine (in Michigan)today was turned away from a gun shop with the admonition "Buy a gun and I will sell you ammo, no gun - no ammo."

Has anyone else encountered this stipulation when trying to buy ammo? Is this new or widespread?

By the way has anyone else found .380 ammo has evaporated from the planet?
Click to expand...

Was the friend local and had he bought guns from the shop before?

This sound like they are trying to restrict sales to their long-time customers, maybe?
 
Tristan

Tristan

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Well, if it's in particular for the 380 caliber, as noted above it's availability is somewhat like 'Unobtanium'.

The shop is likely just trying to assure the sales of the firearms - as it's harder to sell the gun if there is NO ammo available; whereas if he's got at least a couple boxes for each, more likely to be able to make the sale on the bigger ticket item.

I've seen it happen before, in times of scarcity.

- Tristan
 
ainitfunny

ainitfunny

Saved, to glorify God.
Yes, he WAS local and HAD bought guns from that guy several years ago. My friend was particularly pissed because he had GIVEN that dealer a couple of boxes of AMMO he didn't need, FREE when he bought his guns from him years ago.(But he didn't remember that till he was on his way home, emptyhanded.)

The guy said he was only selling to people who bought guns recently.
 
TECH32

TECH32

Veteran Member
Might be trying to avoid having people clean him out of ammo so he has some available for his "regulars". Do you know if the gun store also had a range inside?
 
1911user

1911user

Veteran Member
Tristan said:
Well, if it's in particular for the 380 caliber, as noted above it's availability is somewhat like 'Unobtanium'.

The shop is likely just trying to assure the sales of the firearms - as it's harder to sell the gun if there is NO ammo available; whereas if he's got at least a couple boxes for each, more likely to be able to make the sale on the bigger ticket item.

I've seen it happen before, in times of scarcity.

- Tristan
Click to expand...

I have seen the same restriction a few times.

For you reloaders, 380 reloads just like other semi-auto pistol calibers.
 
ainitfunny

ainitfunny

Saved, to glorify God.
TECH32 said:
Might be trying to avoid having people clean him out of ammo so he has some available for his "regulars". Do you know if the gun store also had a range inside?
Click to expand...

No, no range associated with it, just a small gun shop.
 
Dex

Dex

Constitutional Patriot
Yes, it appears that some areas are still experiencing shortages due to hoarders. There is ammo all over the place around these parts, sure the Chinamarts are always low but the gunshows have more than they can sell at these prices. The smart people have their ammo already and should stop buying and contributing to the frenzy that is causing the regional shortages.
 
Herbmountain

Herbmountain

Inactive
165.00 for 50 bullets? OMG. That is horrible. We were thinking of buying a gun but if bullets are that expensive we may not. Can't these be made by hand cheaper? Reloading?
 
D

Double_A

TB Fanatic
ainitfunny said:
Yes, he WAS local and HAD bought guns from that guy several years ago. My friend was particularly pissed because he had GIVEN that dealer a couple of boxes of AMMO he didn't need, FREE when he bought his guns from him years ago.(But he didn't remember that till he was on his way home, emptyhanded.)

The guy said he was only selling to people who bought guns recently.
Click to expand...

Well in that case the guys a dick.
 
RCSAR

RCSAR

Veteran Member
Enter your zip code and pick your ammo and it figures your shipping.

http://gun-deals.com/ammo

I'll bet the dealer has more guns than he does ammo as the gun makers are catching up on demand but not the ammo makers.
 
Zulu Cowboy

Zulu Cowboy

Keep It Real...
Herbmountain said:
165.00 for 50 bullets? OMG. That is horrible. We were thinking of buying a gun but if bullets are that expensive we may not. Can't these be made by hand cheaper? Reloading?
Click to expand...

That's $165 for 500 rounds...

But if you are serious about wanting to buy a handgun, I would consider one of these: G-22/Glock .40 caliber - $330.00
http://www.summitgunbroker.com/Glock_22.html

These particular weapons are police 'turn-in's...and they come with a 15 round mag.

Hey, if they're good enough for the cops... :shr:

:crtmn:
Zulu Cowboy
 
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D

Dozdoats

On TB every waking moment
.380 has been in shortage since the ammo crunch started immediately after the election. I can see a dealer not selling out their supply of .380 except with purchase of a pistol in that caliber, but I seriously doubt the restriction applies to ALL handgun calibers. .380 is sort of an oddball round, a lot of people carry the caliber but few really shoot it a lot, as they do with 9mm, .38/.357, .45ACP etc. and the ammo is just not available in such large quantities IME.

Right now is a tough time to be feeding a .380- availability is down and costs per box tend to be high. But there are some good reliable 9mm pistols not much bigger or no bigger than some of the small .380s these days, for anyone who doesn't want to play the .380 ammo treasure hunt.

dd
 
Hacker

Hacker

Computer Hacking Pirate
A few months back, a friend went to buy a pistol. She favored the Bersa (.380) and asked the salesman to sell her both the gun and some .380 ammo. The salesman had no .380 ammo to sell.

So she picked out a 9mm pistol instead.
 
dstraito

dstraito

TB Fanatic
I routinely check with Cabella's, Academy, Bass Pro and I have not been able to get any 380 for a year now.

I ordered some from Midway on August 1st, I haven't received it yet.


It really stinks.

I haven't even fired my Ruger 380 since I bought it a year ago because I'm not going to use my home defense rounds at over a $1 per bullet.

I looked into getting reloading equipment and was told you can't get the primers. I don't know how true that is but I haven't found them either when I've looked for 380 ammo.

Usually, when there is such a demand for a product, there might be a few months lag time and then the market steps up and delivers the demanded product. I think something else must be going on to have the supply NOT meet the demand for such a long period of time.

What could be affecting it I'm not sure. Could it be Government interference? I wouldn't put it past this administration but that is just speculation, I've seen no evidence of that.

Could it be a fear of Gun Control in the form of registration, taxation, or confiscation? It could be but even then, the supply should increase to meet demand after a few months. This country is well on it's way to NOT producing anything, you would think this would be looked at as a great market and opportunity to actually provide a product.

Another "demand" for ammo might be in lieu of purchasing Gold or Silver in preparation for the coming collapse of the Dollar. Some think bullets would make a better instrument for barter and trade than anything else. Indeed, if the Dollar collapses, so to will the rest of the country and those with weapons will rule those without. If you have anything of value you better be able to defend yourself against those who would not think twice about taking it away from you.

I usually meet other people looking for ammo when I go to a store and it has been 100%, they are all pessimistic about the future and for all of the reasons I listed above, are collecting ammo. Most seem to think you should keep 1000 bullets per caliber but many are starting to revise that number upwards.

I figure at a minimum the bullets will not be wasted. If things don't turn out as dire as a lot of us think it will, then I will have a lot of fun reducing the inventory when it looks like we are back on a more stable road.
 
Doc1

Doc1

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Belly gun

The .380 is what many people refer to as a "belly gun" cartridge. It has always been on the expensive side to shoot, much like the almost-useless .25 acp. It's only saving grace is that it's a moderately-powerful round that's usually chambered in small, easily-concealable pistols. It's a popular cartridge and ammunition for it has been in short supply for well over a year.

The answer is to practice with another, more common caliber and use your .380 strictly as a backup or pocket gun and shoot it rarely. If you practice often with, for example, a 9mm (which is fairly common and cheap now), those skills will largely transfer over to your .380.

Another thing that newbies should be aware of is that the .380 can have significant recoil! Remember this, especially if you are buying a small pistol for a woman who is intimidated by recoil. While the cartridge is not overly powerful, the pistols it's usually chambered in tend to be very small and light. This lack of size and mass can result in an unpleasant and "snappy" sensation of felt recoil.

I'm not a really big .380 fan, but in an emergency, the .380 in your pocket beats the .45 you left in your gun safe 'cuz it was too big!

Best regards
Doc
 
S

SteveReloaded

Veteran Member
Try Ammoengine.com

ammoengine offers a few sites. It polls many of the top ammo suppliers. I found 9mm there for 8.56/50 the other day. Looks like $22 for .380 at a couple of sites.

1. Hungarian Full Metal Jacket 95 Full Metal Jacket 50 $19.97 $0.40 CheaperThanDirt
2. CCI Full Metal Jacket 125 Full Metal Jacket 50 $21.59 $0.43 Grafs
3. Fiocchi Full Metal Jacket 95 Full Metal Jacket 50 $21.95 $0.44 Cabelas
4. DRT Hollow Point Frangible 85 Hollow Point 50 $33.97 $0.68 CheaperThanDirt
5. Sellier & Bellot Full Metal Jacket 92 Full Metal Jacket 50 $34.97 $0.70 CheaperThanDirt
6. Speer Speer Gold Dot LE Hollow Point 90 Jacketed Hollow Point 500 $394.95 $0.79 AmmunitionToGo
7. Speer Speer Gold Dot LE Hollow Point 90 Jacketed Hollow Point 50 $39.95 $0.80 AmmunitionToGo
8. Speer Lawman Speer Full Metal Jacket 95 Full Metal Jacket 50 $45.99 $0.92 AmmoBank
9. Guardian Guardian Gold Hollow Point +P 85 Hollow Point 20 $18.95 $0.95 AmmunitionToGo
10. Cor®Bon DPX Hollow Point 80 Jacketed Hollow Point 20 $27.95 $1.40 AmmunitionToGo
11. Cor®Bon DPX 80 Jacketed Hollow Point 20 $30.99 $1.55 Cabelas
12. Glaser Blue Safety Slug 70 Frangible 6 $9.95 $1.66 AmmunitionToGo
13. Speer Speer Gold Dot Hollow Point 90 Jacketed Hollow Point 20 $40.95 $2.05 AmmoBank
 
A

amarilla

Veteran Member
One of the local gun stores here has the policy of only 1 box of 380 unless you buy a gun. Then you can get 2 boxes.

A
 
Thunderbird

Thunderbird

Veteran Member
I just bought annother 380 knowing ammo was in short supply. I have a few boxes but wanted a few more to break in the new piece. Nada. I was able to buy some bullets from Midway and back ordered some brass. My dealer had some used brass powder and primers. I was also able to score a box of 100 FMJ at WalMart. Still waiting on the back ordered Brass and the HP bullets I really want. The reloading manuals are really scattered on loading for this round. Max load varies from 3.2 to 4.0 grains. That folks is a huge percentage.
 
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