Firearms

[jeepwm69 7,600]

What's the headstamp, and how has it been stored?

 

My take has always been you can never have too much ammo unless you're swimming or on fire.

 

Not a super bargain, but not a bad price these days either.  It likely will NOT get any cheaper, especially with Russian ammo no longer coming in. 

 

You can make the argument that you won't survive your existing inventory, but I'd take ammo on the shelf over money in the bank.  One is appreciating in value and has utility.  The other is rapidly depreciating in value.  If you're hard up and can't put food on the table, don't buy the ammo.  If you can swing it without causing undue hardship to yourself, not a bad idea to get it.

 

Cheaper than anything out there now, and as you said, no tax and no shipping.

 

https://ammoseek.com/ammo/5.56x45mm-nato

[jeepwm69 7,600]

After my friend passed away a couple of weeks ago, his family took a few of his firearms and sold the rest.  He had a little over 126K rounds of ammo.  Local (sleazy) grocery store owner apparently made a deal on all of the ammo AT THE FUNERAL.  That's just poor form, but some people will cast aside human decency to make a buck.  He has a gun shop attached to one of his grocery stores, so I'm sure the ammo is now on the shelves with a 400% mark-up over what he paid for it.

 

Afterwards I made sure to have a chat with my kids about "If I suddenly die, you either ask one of my shooting buddies or do thorough research online before you sell ANYTHING".  I'd hate to think they found some ammo with price tags still on it and sold it for what I paid for it ($10/brick 22's, $8.88 Winchester 9mm 100 round packs from Walmart, etc)

[Bighanded 1,235]

thanks Jeep...all things that i've said to myself...but always good to hear someone else say it as well. (grin).

I've stocked deep on food (longer term storage items like canned veggies and meats and other grocery story non-perishables for years now and it proved to be a wise move this past couple years. I've always said that a can of green beans that cost me 45 cents, when inflation  or supply pressures hit and that same can is $1.40, yeah...it's still the same can cause it's in my closet. So it is better to have inventory on hand than to have it cost 3 times as much or not even be able to get any.

But, with that in mind, I was faithful to stack the ammo closet deep during good times. Good times means I was getting 1,000rds CCI 9mm brass at $140. Now that same case, if you can find it is in the $600 range!!!

 

I've always kept some "fun money" on hand in case someone had a distressed sale or a great deal...and needed cash. That paid off this month in being able to whip out the $ and get the Colt AR at a nice price. But, I had also just recently upgraded optics on a pistol, new light/laser and a new holster, 

I like having some emergency cash on hand in my go-bag and I also keep a few hundred $ in each of my battle bags..so if we had to pull out due to a disaster, I'd have some working funds for hotel, gas, food, etc.  I guess I'm getting lower in the cash category while I feel pretty much flush in the guns n ammo side...that's why I'm probably holding back.

I don'tknow that we'll see the market price come down over the next year. But even with some range fun and some training time, it'd take a new world order street fight for me to be sitting in the dark wishing I had bought more bullets.

if i'm this much on the fence about it, I guess that's my answer...but I am glad I grabbed the Colt itself..

[jeepwm69 7,600]

Just remember, the Colt is just a fancy expensive club if you don't have ammo😁

 

Another thing to consider is, if you get to that point you're not going to "Mad Max" it ie take on the world by yourself. 

 

Plan on being able to pick up some strays who likely haven't prepared as you have.  You're going to have to have help to watch your back while you sleep. 

 

Of course, you better choose VERY carefully when allowing stupid people (who haven't prepared) into your fold.

 

Luckily most of my buddies FINALLY got it over the last decades so I should have a pretty good group if it ever comes to that, which I hope it doesn't.

[Fishfiles 20,145]

 

Article I just read :

 

 

By Mayukh Saha / Truth Theory

  

When you intentionally hurt unprovoked animals, karma has a way of returning that hurt. A bow hunter from Oregon was killed recently by the elk he had been tracking. The 66 years old hunter was on a private property near Tillamook. There he had wounded the 5×5 bull elk for his hunt.

Mark David, the hunter, had gone looking for the hurt elk, but could not track it, said Oregon State Police.

The morning after they wounded the elk, the hunter from Oregon along with the owner of the property continued their search. Around 9:15 am, they spotted the elk. This time Mr. David wanted to kill it and took aim with his bow. But to his surprise. The wounded elk charged at him and gored him to death.

 

In their statement, the Oregon State Police mentioned that Mr. David’s friend tried to help him. But he had sustained serious injuries and soon succumbed. 

Later the wounded elk had to be killed to put it out of its misery. The meat was donated to the Tillamook County Jail after the investigation was closed.

[Fishfiles 20,145]

Just now, Fishfiles said:

 

 

Later the wounded elk had to be killed to put it out of its misery. The meat was donated to the Tillamook County Jail after the investigation was closed.

 

 

Kind of wicked that the elk killed the guy ,  then the meat was donated to the jail , so the elk that killed someone was feed to the inmates , not that it means anything , but it could make a good script for a zombie movie maybe 

[Fishfiles 20,145]

13 hours ago, jeepwm69 said:

Just remember, the Colt is just a fancy expensive club if you don't have ammo😁

 

 

....  even if you have wheel barrels of ammo , when the hoard of zombies are coming in on ya , you need that ammo in clips and ready to go  .....   

[_Wilson_™ 6,563]

Luckily most of my buddies FINALLY got it over the last decades so I should have a pretty good group if it ever comes to that, which I hope it doesn't.

 

we (my friends and i plus family) have I've convinced this might get much worse.... so we will have each others backs, like family and friends are suppose to be, we've always been this way, but times sure have changed..... it's actually disturbing to have some of the conversations I've had with people worried about the way things are going, but will not be walked over by those who have not planned for the future. 

[Bighanded 1,235]

I pulled some of the guitar cases out of the closet last evening so i could get a peak at the ammo can stack hidden behind them.

I honestly can't remember my 223/5.56 inventory levels cause I just never shot that cal that often before the panic-demic...and so it's been a good while.

 

couldn't see everything, I'll have to get into it this weekend. But I spotted 4 of the thinner 30cal cans.. I think there's about 440rds in those 20rd boxes in each of those. Then there is a 50cal can of the 855 green tips in the 62gr on strippers..so that's another 400ish?  and a 50cal can of federal xm19x that I have marked as 780rds. And one other 50 cal can that had assorted fancy loads in that cal.

The magazine case for spare mags has 2 dozen of the 30rd mags and a couple 20s and 10s. All are preloaded. And finally the carbine AR15 is in a go-bag with 5 mag pouches of 30rd mags preloaded.

so, no, not a great amount. The AR15 wasn't my primary rifle platform anyway. I opt for my AR10 and there's plenty on tap for it.

the 5.56 was originally on hand only to feed my old Ruger mini 14 ranch rifle. So keeping 500-1000rds for it was always plenty for plinkin and coyotes.

 

But between politicians telling me I shouldn't be allowed to own an evil "AR15", and the occassional deal coming along, I've wound up with a couple long arms that I would not otherwise have purchased. So I do want to have ammo for them, like my other platforms, to enjoy today, to pass on to my children, and hopefully to never actually "need".

 

 

I see some folks thinking prices on nato stuff will continue to come down and it is showing up on shelves now. So I probably just need to calm myself down. Cause I know me.. I'll grab this next 1,000 and then soon as another batch shows up I'll be asking myself again...should I get more.

 

as for trusted... I am blessed with 4 great adult kids , all married, and both my daughters and my son and son-in-laws are all trained and capable not just on firearms, but on self reliance topics.

with them having young households, just making the bills happen each month can be a challenge. And ammo takes a back seat to their desire to have latest flat screen TVs, iphones, etc.

So most of them have very limited supplies. Enough to defend themselves and fight their way here to my home. 

[jeepwm69 7,600]

The 30 cal cans (assuming they were factory packed) usually had 420 rounds on strippers.  I picked up several when Walmart clearanced them.  Cheapest I got was $32 a can 😇

 

With Remington ammunition plant running again (was purchased by Vista, who also owns CCI and Federal) that will help the ammo situation, but Xiden's administration shutting down future Russian ammo exports is likely to drive prices up for the foreseeable future, along with inflation driving up the prices on raw materials.

 

For now existing Russian ammo import permits can be filled, but once they're filled, no more will be issued.  Eventually other countries will likely fill the gap, but it will take awhile.

 

When looking at "investments" brass and lead has a better return than anything else over the last 20 years. 

[Bighanded 1,235]

I never wanted, nor cared about the cheap "russian" steel cased stuff. I realize the impact it can have on short term pricing/supply, etc. 

 

I did clean my closet this weekend and was pleased to have found more 5.56 than I remembered. So I ping'ed my friend and told him to offer his 1,000rds to someone else who might be inn need.. Cause shy of a Red Dawn event, I'm in reasonable/responsible good shape on my inventory..and I'm gettin too dang old to hang with the Wolverines (grin).

 

This year saw the addition of another pistol, and more ammo for it. Optics as well.

then the nice surprise of the old school Colt AR15 match rifle.

 

so my fun money really is spent. AT this point, I prefer to have some cash on hand during a bad day as well as bullets...so the balance is struck and I've officially taken the temptation off my plate.

[jeepwm69 7,600]

The big downside of the Russian stuff going away will be the pressure it puts on an already strained domestic supply.

 

But when you start finding ammo you forgot you had, you probably have enough (if such a thing is possible).  LOL

[Bighanded 1,235]

LOL..yeah...the 5.56 stuff was foggy to me cause it wasn't a primary cal for me.  it was only a few years back that I only had an old Ruger mini 14 that ate the 5.56 and that was more a varmit tool..not a zombie weapon.

so, when in my frustration at some politicians, I decided to at least add an AR15...that found me upping my purchases of 5.56  But I was only doing that whenever I'd be out getting deals on 7.62.   so it would be an extra 250-500rds here and there of 5.56  for a caliber that I really wasn't shooting.

 

The acquisition of the old Colt now meant I should consider being able to feed both the carbine and the rifle platforms for the longer term. But reason has settled in on my brain and I'm really comfy with what's on the closet...I mean, it has to stop someplace right? .. LOL.

 

I'm spent on my firearms hobby...literally have what i wanted...and so a reduced range count and knowing I can pass these along to my children...that's enough for me.

 

[jeepwm69 7,600]

 The only thing that I don’t have that I would like to have doesn’t exist yet. 

 

I like Marlin lever guns, and I much prefer a pistol grip to a straight stock on a lever gun. I really want an 1894 in 38/357, but I want one with polished blue and walnut with a pistol grip/336 style stock.

 

Marlin only made that configuration in a matte finish in their “dark series”

 

So I will wait and see what Ruger does now that they on the Marlin lines.  

 

Other than that, nothing else I particularly want

[PROV 1,441]

6 hours ago, Bighanded said:

I never wanted, nor cared about the cheap "russian" steel cased stuff. I realize the impact it can have on short term pricing/supply, etc. 

 

I did clean my closet this weekend and was pleased to have found more 5.56 than I remembered. So I ping'ed my friend and told him to offer his 1,000rds to someone else who might be inn need.. Cause shy of a Red Dawn event, I'm in reasonable/responsible good shape on my inventory..and I'm gettin too dang old to hang with the Wolverines (grin).

 

This year saw the addition of another pistol, and more ammo for it. Optics as well.

then the nice surprise of the old school Colt AR15 match rifle.

 

so my fun money really is spent. AT this point, I prefer to have some cash on hand during a bad day as well as bullets...so the balance is struck and I've officially taken the temptation off my plate.

I won't put steel cases in my gun but Wolf ammo (Russian) actually has a line of brass cased .223. My son got some and we both tried it. I think it was called Wolf Gold. Was extremely accurate for both of us.

[Bighanded 1,235]

yep other folks have said good things about the Wolf Gold as well.

 

I think that's actually made in Taiwan or someplace other than Russia also?  

 

so who knows how the Biden ban will actually hit things like this...just cause it's a "russian brand' label, does that mean it'll get banned?  

or since it's coming from a friendly country like Taiwan , will we continue to see it flow freely?

 

 

 

[jeepwm69 7,600]

Looks like the Wolf brand is actually an American company.  The gold is indeed made in Taiwan, and the 22LR is made in Germany, so I would think those two lines would not be affected.  The steel cased stuff is all made in Russia.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Ammunition

 

[Bighanded 1,235]

 

interesting...thanks for checking on that and sharing.

 

 

[56Sierra 1,844]

I like the Wolf brand 22LR but my wallet doesn't.   CCI Standard Velocity works almost as good and pre crazy price era was around 4-5 cents a round in case lots delivered.   I just wish I had bought another case in January 2020 when target sports had a case for $235 shipped.   I now relegated to shooting my pellet rifles for cheap thrills saving my powder burners for...Who knows.  I'm considered one of the amateurs only having <10k centerfire in components and loaded and around 5k is 22LR.  Still more than enough to be featured on CNN in the breaking news section.

[Bighanded 1,235]

yeah... I've watched the news media over many years talk about how a guy had "an arsenal"  when in fact it was a pistol, rifle, shotgun.

 

back in the days when I did a lot of training..it was common to blow through 500rds on a saturday course  and usually another 250rds just preparing to be worthy of the class.

so having 1,000rds of 9 or 556 on hand was reasonable. but to an anti-gunner, or someone who has no clue about training, they'd think.. "oh my god.!!  1,000 bullets!!!??"

 

22lr used to be just sitting out on the shelf, like bb gun ammo..not locked in a glass case. I still have several of those old walmart winchester 550rd boxes...they have the $11.97 sticker on them.

 

me and the buds do a lot more 22lr range days. I'm still old school with old Ruger Mark 1 pistols and Ruger 10/22 carbine platforms. They tend to have new model whatever pistols and AR22s. But we have good time together plinking..just at closer distances given the platform.

 

when we switch up to 9mm or 45, we tend to keep it under 150 rds each. and definitely under 100rds of 45acp. 

 

I don't know my 22lr count, but I'm still able to comfortably enjoy range days with what's on hand without worrying about restock.

 

the other stuff, I like to buy what I plan to shoot and not dip into my current inventory levels.

[jeepwm69 7,600]

28 minutes ago, 56Sierra said:

I like the Wolf brand 22LR but my wallet doesn't.   CCI Standard Velocity works almost as good and pre crazy price era was around 4-5 cents a round in case lots delivered.   I just wish I had bought another case in January 2020 when target sports had a case for $235 shipped.   I now relegated to shooting my pellet rifles for cheap thrills saving my powder burners for...Who knows.  I'm considered one of the amateurs only having <10k centerfire in components and loaded and around 5k is 22LR.  Still more than enough to be featured on CNN in the breaking news section.

I do wish I'd stacked the CCI Std Vel a little deeper as well.  My riding sidearm is an old High Standard Sport King that requires Std Vel ammo as High Velocity is known to cause frame cracks. 

 

I've also done a couple of Form 1 suppressors (home built, but still legal after NFA tax stamp and background check) and they require Std Vel ammo in rifles to avoid the sonic boom of the bullet (high velocity you still get a "crack" when the bullet breaks the sound barrier).

 

CCI has Std Vel available on their website, but it's pricey, especially after adding shipping, and with only a 500 round/ 1 brick per day limit (so you can't buy in bulk to save on shipping)

[Bighanded 1,235]

yep, I have some sub-sonic quiet rounds for the 22.

now I'm part deaf anyway, but out of the 10/22 rifle, the report from those rounds is soft enough that I can shoot without hearing protection.

good if you are out on the property and need to dispatch  a pest.  Same round out of a pistol is still painful to the ears.

 

[jeepwm69 7,600]

38 minutes ago, Bighanded said:

yep, I have some sub-sonic quiet rounds for the 22.

now I'm part deaf anyway, but out of the 10/22 rifle, the report from those rounds is soft enough that I can shoot without hearing protection.

good if you are out on the property and need to dispatch  a pest.  Same round out of a pistol is still painful to the ears.

 

The CCI quiets won't cycle my 10/22 with the can on it.  I had to buy a Ruger American Rimfire so I had something to shoot the quiets out of.😁

[Bighanded 1,235]

not surprised...not a lot of pep in those quiet charges.

 

i was actually surprised that they run reliably in my 10/22 takwdown  but again, no suppressor. 

I have no idea how many rounds I've put through that little takedown...probably around 1k.  it's just a fun platform.

[Fishfiles 20,145]

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