Flippers and Preppers and Uncle Sam: Which one is worse?

[T'Challa]

Am I happy about the price of ammo right now? Nope. Am I angry at the guys flipping ammo on gunbroker? Nope. That is CAPITALISM. Those guys are in a position where they can make a profit and they do. Good on them for being smart enough to have a stockpile of ammo when there was a shortage. I have even bought a LITTLE bit from them when I decided I didn't want to wait for the shortage to break. It sucked, but at least I could get it somewhere and have a little range time. If people want to stockpile ammo like crazy, let them. It is a free country. I think if you have 20 million rounds of ammo filling your garage and cases of Spaghetti-Os buried in your backyard under the petunias but no retirement savings, then you are an idiot, but whatever. I also think that the government is not directly responsible for the shortage of .22lr. I doubt they are buying much of that stuff - it is speculators and the Spaghetti-O crowd causing that particular bubble, along with general fear of gun control by the rest of us.

The good news is that speculative bubbles always burst. This one will be no different. Soon the Wal-Mart aisles will be awash in bulk packs of .22lr again, making everybody but the flippers happy. Those guys will get theirs - moaning about how they are stuck with a bunch of inventory they can't sell for what they paid for it. Fortunately, the flippers getting screwed when the bubble bursts is capitalism too.

Good post.

 

[T'Challa]

No one needs to buy from a flipper. All of the retailers have ammo, in varying quantities, at various times, and for various prices, but it's out there. Flippers should be as extinct as the Dodo.

The bottom line is that gun owners have finally realized that the government wants to disarm them. Demand for firearms and ammunition has increased accordingly. People will run out of money to stockpile eventually, but unfortunately, the government is never going to give up on its desire to disarm us.

I'd like to hear more of what you think about Gov't disarming the people. I really don't want to believe that but its hard to ignore.

 

[rayray]

the lesser of two evils is still evil l0l

 

[Moon]

I'd like to hear more of what you think about Gov't disarming the people.

I think it sucks.

 

[Alphabrew]

I have plenty.

Who is the worst? I think you left one out.

They are called the crybabies who are a day late and a dollar short. They often use the word "gouge".

I use the word "punk bitches".

You are my libertarian hero!

 

[Silverlode]

I think if you have 20 million rounds of ammo filling your garage and cases of Spaghetti-Os buried in your backyard under the petunias but no retirement savings, then you are an idiot...

I'm guessing not far down the road the value of that ammo will far outperform a savings account as our dollar is continually devalued. It's a commodity. It will always be worth something. You can't say that about any stock or currency.

 

[AlpineDude67]

I'm guessing not far down the road the value of that ammo will far outperform a savings account as our dollar is continually devalued. It's a commodity. It will always be worth something. You can't say that about any stock or currency.

Ammo is made using common commodities that are plentifully available.

Making it is not particularly complex or protected by patents.

Lots of companies make it.

In 10 years will it be worth more than it is today? Sure. It will be worth whatever the inflation rate is on the stuff that goes into it.

I actually agree with you that we will probably, eventually have to inflate our way out of debt. There are only three ways to kill off the debt - raise taxes, cut services, or inflation. We can't do either of the first two because our political process is broken and everybody is radicalized. We can't manage to cut a dollar of spending or raise taxes a dollar without somebody screaming that it is the end of civilization. I don't see that changing anytime soon, which means inflation is the only way out.

But even if that is true, it could be 25 years until we get hit with the heavy inflation. In the meantime you will have made a 0% real return on your ammo mountain. Better to hedge your bets - nobody knows what will happen or when, so spread your $$ around to a lot of things. Some of them will hit, some will miss, but overall you won't get hammered because you bet on the wrong horse.

Buy the ammo you need and put aside some extra for a rainy day or another one of these damned, short-term supply disruptions caused by politics. Then stop. If you have all your retirement savings in the garage, odds are that you're just screwing yourself over.

 

[rico903]

I guess it makes me a horrible person because I have not had to run around waiting for WalMart to stock the ammo cabinet .I sleep well at night knowing I have not had to change my shooting habits because I have been a hoarding ******* for years .

Oh yeah and to make it even worse I still buy all the ammo I can when I see it for a good price and then I take it home lay it all out on the bed and roll around in it neked .

Who is worse ? That would be you !

And I pick up all the brass I can get my hands on and I don't even reload

I was with you until the brass part, unless it's your own . Or are you one of those guys who pick up my brass while I'm still shooting.

 

[Brychan]

I suppose I would fall in the prepper class as when I just got back into shooting a few years ago, the last ammo shortage had started. Once things returned to normal I slowly brought up my inventory to a level I am comfortable with. Since this current shortage started I have only recently topped off a couple of calibers, when I could get them for a reasonable price. Last purchase was some 250 rd 9mm at cabelas with a 5 box limit as I didn't need 5 X 250rds of 9mm I only bought 2 boxes and left some for the next guy. I don't sell ammo, I have enough to go shooting when I want (or have time), but I am not greedy and trying to get it all for myself.

 

[flyingblind]

I have plenty.

Who is the worst? I think you left one out.

They are called the crybabies who are a day late and a dollar short. They often use the word "gouge".

I use the word "punk bitches".

Said short and sweet

 

[rocksnsticks]

This hoarding, reselling and such seems to strike me much like the real-estate bubble a few years ago. Seems like more than a few individuals took a huge chance and lost big, unfortunately it impacted many of us even if we were not purchasing a home or property. I see the same correlation with ammo now....there are some that are buying ammo on speculation they can sell it or it's value might increase. Good for them if it does increase...they made a wise choice. What I don't like is that when some of these speculators overspend or overextend themselves and lose....then we must bail them out with gov't assistance. If they made a profit either on homes or ammo they certainly wouldn't share a like amount of the profit so why should we bear the consequences of their loss ? Unfortunately, those of us that want to continue shooting as much as previous now have to alter our habits unless we too were successful speculators.

Even those that reload are now impacted with less supply of lead, powder and primers. Brass as stated by a previous post is still available on the ranges.....unless you are speculating on that individual that is shooting next to you doesn't reload also........then you might want to be a tad more careful.

Any of the ways you see the issue, I do see ammo becoming more readily available. Is it because ammo speculators have run out of funds for purchase, horders have run out of room or because the manufactures are beginning to produce enough to equal out the demand vs. supply ? I don't care, I just want some rounds to put down range, and still have some left over for "emergency" use.

 

[ma_deuce]

I'm not sure what category I'm in either. Not a prepper, although I'd like to be but I'm to much of a procrastinator... Not an opportunist because I've never sold any ammo... Not really a panic buyer because I haven't paid the extraordinary markups that were out there.

But, whenever I'd see some ammo available at a decent price I'd buy it. My current stocks are probably 3 times any previous peak (but would be laughably low to most folks here).

So, I can probably shoot the rest of the year without replenishing, but I'll continue to buy if I see ammo at a decent price. May get some MRE's too while I'm thinking about it...

I'm spot on with you, man. I've got more ammo than ever, and shooting somewhat less, but I haven't gone crazy buying, haven't paid ridiculous prices, and have cut back only a little on shooting. I stay away from Walmart and Dick's so my blood pressure doesn't go off the scale, and keep an eye out for decent deals online. A hundred rounds here, a brick there, but not a dollar a round for 5.56 or $50 a brick, either. Adds up, just gets aggravating at times.

 

[rj1974]

I was with you until the brass part, unless it's your own . Or are you one of those guys who pick up my brass while I'm still shooting.

No just my brass and those that don't want it . I'm not walking the range with a broom and dust pan

Might empty a bucket or two here and there though

 

[Robert1955]

I say the Flippers bug me the most. Having said that I have been able, without too much effort been able to collect just over 1,000 rounds online and have not paid over 38 cents a round for any of it, and that was for 250 rounds of WWB HP's.

 

[freddie]

All The Above

 

[Sirex]

The zombies are the worst of all of them. If it wasn't for the dang zombies I wouldn't HAVE to be stocking up.

 

[rico903]

No just my brass and those that don't want it . I'm not walking the range with a broom and dust pan

Might empty a bucket or two here and there though

This I'm OK with. I don't go to any ranges that have brass buckets though. Even so, aren't they range property once they are in a bucket? Just asking.

 

[rico903]

After thinking about this, I'm OK with the flippers except the ones who capitalize on the generosity of people posting on here about ammo avaiilability for the the good of the community. Some have even asked BAMA47 who is very generous in posting ammo sightings to text or PM them first so they can get first crack. These people are scum as we know they are flippers.

 

[Biggfoot44]

Gov't bailouts for ammo purchases ?! Must have blinked for those.

I've stopped going out of my way to purchse ammo after I calculated the true cost per box after gas expenses.

But overall I have shifted gears. 2013 is for items I can't or won't get after Oct 1 . 2014 will be for ammo and components.

 

[kohburn]

preppers aren't buying up all the ammo now - its too expensive - preppers didn't have to buy any because they already had it -

you are thinking of panic hoarders