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| ( Photo: ammoland.com ) |
I really work hard to be a moderate voice in the preparedness community. This is not always easy as some of my friends are really serious preparedness people, and we don't always agree on everything. Today was one of those days when it was hard to be moderate.
For some time, most of us who have guns for sport or protection have noticed an ever rising increase in the costs of ammunition. In part this may be due to the costs of copper and materials. It may also be due to increased regulation for component parts of ammunition. It may also be due in a small way to quantitative easing, the promiscuous printing of money by our governmental authorities. In the long term, printing money without an increase in the actual goods and services this money is chasing, produces inflation. Therefore, the increase in ammo pricing may be due, in a small way, to excessive money printing. Lastly, there are the forces of simple supply and demand at work here. For whatever reason, people have noticed they can't get ammo when they want, and so they are more likely to buy extra, and this too may tighten supplies a little.
Today, my eldest son and I were on a distant trip to the Wal-Mart to check out the pharmacy and get some ice cream to follow our Sunday dinner with all the family. We couldn't help but wonder why so many people, both men and women were collected over by the sporting department. It must be a sale, I thought !
We got closer and I noticed the gentlemen working the ammunition counter working hard. The glass cases which house the collection of ammo were almost empty ! " Did you have a sale ?", I asked. "No", said the man. "It's just been crazy this week". Before they were all gone, I picked up a box of ammo for one of my handguns, and paid for it at the sporting counter. The men around me started talking about their fear that Mr. Obama would issue some type of Executive Order which would limit our ability to get ammo of any kind. Another man said that the regime would control all the copper coming into the US by January, 2013, and none would be allocated for ammo. All of these buyers of ammo were upset and afraid. I thought this was unlikely, but I was wrong about Mr. Obama being voted out also. Some of them were telling me that other gun shops are also out of the caliber rounds (bullets) that they need. They were clearly worried.
I always carry a weapon, in part because I have a concealed weapons permit, and in part because where I live, in an extremely rural section of the country, its simply necessary. Rabid small animals are commonplace here, and they will occasionally attack human beings. Sometimes, I need to protect my livestock and other animals from predators. I would generally prefer to use a rifle for that, but my handgun is powerful, and does some real damage to most animals. I have never needed to do this, but my sons have killed poisonous snakes here on the farm with handguns, rather effectively. In fact, there is actually a round for that, called snake shot. One of the reasons I handled the road rage incident this week so well and I was so calm, is I knew that if the man got out of his car, and we could not get away, and we feared for our lives, that I was armed. I also know that I am able to protect my family should anyone break in here.
I don't know how justified the concerns for disappearing ammo really are, at this point. I will buy some rounds, and I will look into a reloading set up, but I have other things I KNOW I need which take precedence for now.
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| These are some ammunition reloading supplies. We might have to learn to do this. |
8 comments:
I was in my local Wally World today and the shelves had the same ammo they usually had, no more, no less. I guess everyone around here is stocked up well enough not to have to go out and engage in panic buying.
Many of the philosophies of collapse are extreme enough that they tend to repel more moderate people, or at least more culturally sensitive people. Thus the preference of many to be called preppers rather than survivalists. You also have a lot of people doing prepping under the guise of various sustainablity, and lifestyle alternatives. Only some of the sustainable people seem to be able to keep their interests within what is accepted by the "common culture". I suspect it is because it is a rather urban group. No bug outs, no caves in the wilderness imagery.
What I need is more time at the range, so that I would need more ammo.
Reloading can be fun, but the set up cost, and time involved make it dubious as a big cost saver for most people. Someone I spoke with who really enjoyed it said it was a lot like being into making your own beer. You can have a lot of fun with it, but the search for quality tends to push out the savings.
If you look at the various year-over-year copper prices, the metal has had some serious ups and downs, but is pretty close to where it was a year ago.
Russell, I think that this week, you are doing a far better job at being a moderate voice than I am. Following the road rage incident, I had concerns that perhaps the Wal-Mart I saw was representative of others as well. I try to shoot one day a month on the farm. I do this for two reasons. 1. It keeps me comfortable, competent, and a good shot. 2. When neighbors hear me, or my family target shooting, even out on large farms, they know we regularly practice. 3. It lends creedence to the No Trespassing: Private Shooting Range signs I have at certain borders of the farm.
Reloading looks like fun, and there is a shop here where I can get all the supplies. My gunsmith pushes it. However, between prepping, canning, writing, cleaning house,farming, and homeschooling one remaining son, I doubt that I can add one more thing and do it competently. It strikes me that reloading done poorly could be dangerous. Thanks for your great post !
Swamp, That's good to hear. A lot of people in Virginia, other than in Northern Va. were not happy to hear of Mr. Obama's reelection. This may be a reaction to four more years of a president they do not trust, and whom they fear. It may well be that people here are late to be stocking up.
Jane is there a possibility that your older son might be willing to learn this skill?
I fear the UN Small Arms Treaty and also people like George Soros who are trying under handed ways to get the gun and ammo companies shut down.
In regards to points 2 & 3, while I agree here, the down side also tells them where the extra shooting supplies are. Of course, if they are that brave, then let come....
Yes, he is already our farm armory technician, and spends time talking and learning from the real armory technician and gunsmith that we use for the upgrades and repairs on our weapons. Our gunsmith and trainer is accomplished in reloading and has offered to teach him. The problem is that there have been shortage in the pipeline of the supplies for this as well. Our son already is our diesel mechanic, and does a lot of our carpentry. It's a far cry from his degree in sculpture and extended media. However, I guess, mechanical and welding is mechanical and welding across the board.
I am absolutely agreed with Jane, majority people are not happy with the hear of Mr.Obama's reelection about guns policy.
He doesn't seem to understand that places with a no gun policy seem to have more difficulties. Thanks Sarah.
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