Sharing some gossip

[Commander47]

I was in my local Cabelas yesterday and chatting with some of the employees.

Cabelas appears to be getting fairly regular shipments of ammo and reloading supplies, albeit diminished quantities.

Due to the ammo crises, my Cabelas limits what any one person can buy at a time. They are trying to give more a chance at some.

Come to find out, according to the employees, some local Gun and Pawn places have it down to a science how to corner the market.

They have a pretty good idea when the shipments come in, and station wives, girlfriends, grandparents, friends, etc out to watch for the trucks.

Then they are sending in the aforementioned people and buying their ration, then changing coats, getting another, calling the store to have their friends come down to buy up the ammo and supplies and then double and triple the price in their pawnshops.

According to the emplyees this tactic, unfortunately, ends up cleaning out the store ration in a couple hours. Especially any primers, powder and bullets.

Maybe we all have to stake out blinds in the parking lot to watch for the trucks. You know, Cardboard Suburbans with homeless inside

 

[Unclenick]

Be nice if the store simply took names for a waiting list and then emailed you and gave you 48 hours to pick up your allotment (showing ID, of course) before they put it out for the next waiting name on the list. It wouldn't be foolproof, as the gougers could use multiple names and phone numbers, but it would make it more difficult for them.

 

[Road_Clam]

Yup, its the exact same scumbbag shill purchasing tactics as was with 22LR back in 2014. I feel bad for brand new shooters who need ammo. But its the reality that many people are POS when it comes to making a buck. Online ammo is swooped up by hack "bot" programs and "in person" ammo stores are raped by shill purchasers. No win situation for an honest legitimate buyer. Another solid reason to invest in independence and handload.

 

[FITASC]

Local Academy says folks are waiting 3-4 hours before the store opens on the two days a week ammo gets delivered.

 

[KEYBEAR]

i have bought ammo at farm and home auctions for years . Now years later i gave my son a bunch about two months ago . I also reload and just can,t stand a can of brass .

 

[OneFreeTexan]

So the pawn shop buys the ammo at Cabelas, and resells to whoever will pay the price. Is that right. So then that purchaser may be out of the market, so somebody else buys from the pawn shop. Seems thaat the newbies will eventually get their ammo, and the pawn shop is stuck with the inventory,,??? I don’t know,,,does that happen.

The theory I am looking at is for example there was an item on eBay that 3 of us wanted...Bidder #1 and #2 got in a bidding war and bid it up to $120. So #1 was out of the market Next time the item came up for sale, #2 immediately bid,, $110 and won. the third time the same item showed up I was the only bidder, and got it for $25.

 

[FITASC]

Except those pawn shop folks are not out of the market; they keep buying and reselling because the demand is there.

 

[edfardos]

The emperor made third party sale of ammo illegal here in the PRC. inadvertantly preventing scalping of loaded ammo?

 

[FrankenMauser]

Meh.
Conspiracy theory and hyperbolic horse dung.

Some people do it.
But not on a large scale.
It isn't worth the cost of labor.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Meh.
Conspiracy theory and hyperbolic horse dung.

Some people do it.
But not on a large scale.
It isn't worth the cost of labor.

They were doing the same thing at Walmarts during the last shortage. If they are selling at 300% of the cost, that means their profit is 200%. That's a $50 profit on a $25 box of ammo. If their "labor" is free, it doesn't take a huge quantity to add up to some real money.

 

[noylj]

Don't buy from them. Free market. I remember Bullseye on the shelf for $50/lb.

 

[jmr40]

Some people will disagree with me, maybe most. But it is stuff like this is why I don't really mind the high prices some charge for ammo. Was in a local store earlier in the week and cheap 9mm FMJ was $32/ box of 50. That same ammo was $8 not too long ago.

Those prices are insane but hoarders won't pay it. And while they are getting screwed at least people without ANY ammo can get it because it stays on the shelves. I'm well stocked so the prices don't bother me, they will come down eventually. Maybe not to $8/box, but they won't stay at $32/box forever.

You have to also consider the small mom-n-pop gun stores. They are still trying to stay open, but it is hard to make any money when you can't get any stock to sell. They have to charge crazy prices just to make a little money. They have bills to pay too. Bigger stores like Cabela's can make their money on many other items. Having cheap ammo just gets people in the doors.

 

[Road_Clam]

And here's the other side of the coin , remember that all our LGS's are really struggling to move product because there is NOTHING to move. While I don't need any ammo or reloading components, I did pick up a box of PMC Bronze .40S&W for a coworker who has recently gotten into handguns. The cost was 39.99 . The store owner whom i've know for years apologized for the high cost and went on to explain that the ammo suppliers have jacked prices, and selling small rationed amounts of ammo to the LGS's , and then add the fact only small amounts of ammo volumes are coming available. So don't hate your LGS they are just trying to stay afloat like all other merchants.

 

[jag2]

Sounds like the same BS that has been tossed around LGS counters for years. Nothing new cuz a guy that I work with has an uncle that sad it’s true.

 

[5whiskey]

No I doubt that’s some unsubstantiated myth. I know for a fact that happens. There’s a gun shop/range in Goldsboro N.C. named WTs that had almost every employee and family member buying out all the local Walmart’s back after the Sandy Hook shooting. I had co workers who drove up to bass pro weekly and stood in line for hours before shipments were put out to buy up ammo and flip it on gunbroker. Or at work. This happens, and if you look for it you will see. It’s not heresay or fairy tail.

I get the “keeping the lights on” thing with the LGS. I am sympathetic to that cause. At the same time, this isn’t the first time this has happened. Or the second. Or the third. Its not overly difficult to diversify a business plan to have additional revenue streams to fall back on. I have one local business that I’ve never been crazy about, but I’m now warming up them. They do a ton of archery, having a range with chronograph, on site bow tuning, arrow cutting, you name it. They also sell firearms. They don’t have much ammo now, but when they do get it they’re the cheapest price around. I posit that it’s to get people in the door to buy other stuff, but either way I’m impressed that they have tried to hold their prices reasonable. Of course, because they’ve diversified they can afford too.

 

[FoghornLeghorn]

I know for a fact that happens

As do I. I'm in the Tulsa area, home of the 4,000 table Wanamacher show. I was at my local Walmart in a town just outside of Tulsa in the gun department. This would have been during the last panic. Back when that "other guy" was in office.

Two guys came in and bought all the cheap fmj 223 ammo Walmart had. We were standing at the checkout and I asked if they were buying that for the show. They sheepishly nodded their heads.

 

[Logs]

I was in a Cabela's in Louisville, KY this past week and saw they had small rifle primers for $44.99 and small pistol for $44.99 per 1K. They had two brands of 9mm one was $14.99 and Federal was $13.99 per 50. Tons of powder like H335 for $29.99. I picked up a limit of 5 boxes of 9mm, but there was not a crowd fighting for it. The store had also been open for over and hour. I wonder also if Cabela's only is putting out small amounts over the day to keep stock. They have had 9mm or 45 acp in stock most days I shopped there. Next time I bring an extra jacket.

I mentioned the stock on one of the local gun boards and a few folks were able to order some powder to store pick up later that day.


Now on the way to Cabela's I did see about 8 folks standing out front of Academy Sports before they were open. Our local Academy is totally dry of ammo minus shotgun shells.

CABELA'S.......................

 

[Logs]

I am seeing ammo show up at gun shops in bulk with higher prices than say a Cabela's. Here are a few pics from a shop in Bardstown, KY. None of the ammo was on their website and was in-store only. You can see the limits so it would be hard for a Pawn Shop to maybe stock up here for re-sale unless you had lots of family.

Good News is you can see Cases and Cases of ammo that some shops are getting, but it sells out so fast it is keeping prices high.

Ad from a Gun Shop in Southern, IN for Black Friday....

 

[FrankenMauser]

"I know for a fact."
"I've seen it."
"I know of..."

Absolutely.
As I said, it does happen.
But, just as I also said, this only happens with a small number of people and small number of gun shops (or unlicensed individuals). So far, I'm only seeing isolated incidents being reported in the anecdotes shared here.

Stop operating based on fear, with the assumption that the whole world is the same as the narrow view that you've chosen to maintain. Open your eyes and take a look at the bigger picture.


Right now, I have half a dozen friends in Dothan, AL, that are trying to get ammunition for an upcoming private range day focused on shotguns and 'clay' targets.
Those that only frequent the chain stores seem to think the world is ending and that there is a conspiracy being perpetuated to hoard all of the ammo and flip it on gunbroker, hibid auctions, or at the next regional gun show.

Yet, those that venture to small shops or are willing to drive outside the city have had no issues finding ammo, at least in small quantities, at reasonable prices.

In about 2 weeks, the people with a wider range and more flexibility will be just fine. They'll be ready to shoot and have plenty of ammo, if they don't already. But the guys that buried their head in the sand to hide from the high prices and conspiracies will be on the sidelines, complaining about how they were screwed over by the hoarders and dirty dealers.


The sky is not falling.

 

[FITASC]

Some people will disagree with me, maybe most. But it is stuff like this is why I don't really mind the high prices some charge for ammo. Was in a local store earlier in the week and cheap 9mm FMJ was $32/ box of 50. That same ammo was $8 not too long ago.

Those prices are insane but hoarders won't pay it. And while they are getting screwed at least people without ANY ammo can get it because it stays on the shelves. I'm well stocked so the prices don't bother me, they will come down eventually. Maybe not to $8/box, but they won't stay at $32/box forever.

You have to also consider the small mom-n-pop gun stores. They are still trying to stay open, but it is hard to make any money when you can't get any stock to sell. They have to charge crazy prices just to make a little money. They have bills to pay too. Bigger stores like Cabela's can make their money on many other items. Having cheap ammo just gets people in the doors.

And that is exactly why there is no gouging going on - this is exactly how scenarios like this are supposed to work.