Ammo availability

[Deleted member 16014]

I've been thinking about this more since my oldest kid is about ready for his own adult sized hunting rifle. I handload and would be happy to keep him in ammo, but who knows where he'll live in proximity to us once he hits college etc.

I guess I see it a little like @millerkiller77 ...if you don't shoot much and can save up a couple hundred bucks over the next year to get set up, you can probably have many years of hunting ammunition on hand without any issues. Yes it's far more expensive than it was, and yes you may have to watch for a bit and snag it online. Obviously I haven't been watching every production chambering, but there has been reasonable availability for most moderate to common cartridges. I'd advise to get squared away before about June of 2024, election cycles are a PITA.

There are a lot of rounds I wouldn't chamber in or buy unless I reloaded (the weatherbys, anything wsm or saum, anything PRC, 6.5x55, even vanilla .280 or .260, etc.), but that's no different than it was 10 years ago, other than a few newer offerings. The .243win, 6.5 creed, 7-08, .308 win, 30-06, 300 win, etc. would all be good bets in my book. They may not be on physical shelves, but they are available. My observations, worth what you paid.

 

[Bowmannate2000]

I can't go in a store (or website) without seeing .308 ammo for sale.

 

[Buckbrush]

All thru out this supply chain problems the only ammo that was always on the shelf in my area was the 308 and 6.5 creed. And the only brass that was in every store was 308. So if you handload and could find primers how hard is it to neck down to the 7mm? I think anything based off of the 7.62x51 would be pretty easy too modify into 260rem, 25 Souper, 6.5 creed, 7mm-08.
Just to make life easy I'd just get a 308, not much difference between those 4 rds. One will be softer recoil or fly a little flatter vs more recoil and more energy but not by a huge amount.

 

[Farmerj]

6.5 Creedmoor is not based off the 308 bottleneck

 

[Buckbrush]

I thought the base was the same

 

[MThuntr]

I can't go in a store (or website) without seeing .308 ammo for sale.

I'm strongly considering a 308 based on the prices I'm seeing on components and the right powders I have already. Norma has some 150gr 308 ammo for like $17/box. I don't think I'll do it though.

I have purchased stuff with plans of buying/building a rifle. I almost bought 6GT brass and bullets but I think $ should be spent on my 6.5CM and worry about my 6.5Grendel for plinking. I've been eyeing a 6.5Grendel on a Howa Mini action though

 

[Lefty315]

Interestingly I was in a North 40 store and a Scheels last weekend in Montana. .243 ammo was almost non-existent. It’s been such a mainstay for so many years I was surprised to see so little of it On the shelves.

 

[jryoung]

I'm at my Dad's in North Idaho, hit a store in Sandpoint yesterday and they had good coverage of ammo, but I was shocked at how much PRC stuff they had. There must have been 40 boxes of Hornady 143 eldx for the 6.5, 10 boxes for the new 7 PRC and about 20 for the 300.

Then I went full data dork and wondered if stores buy ammo based on the rifles sold in store or totally ignore it? I could see BP being able to do this, and certainly there could be a lot of noise from the outside, but it'd be interesting to track the two.

 

[RaiderRich]

I love shooting the 7mm-08 but yeah ammo has been short while other chamberings are more readily available. If you want to stick to the 308 Win/30-06 tree I would go 308 if you don't reload. Ammo has been very available for me for 308 Win. If you reload 7mm-08 and 260 Rem are always options.

That said and it may sound blasphemes to you but as others suggested 6.5 Creedmoor. Ammo is readily available.

Good luck!

 

[Djfan]

Interestingly I was in a North 40 store and a Scheels last weekend in Montana. .243 ammo was almost non-existent. It’s been such a mainstay for so many years I was surprised to see so little of it On the shelves.

I have been hit or miss on 241 in Wyoming. 30-30, too. If either are there, I grab it.

 

[Farmerj]

I thought the base was the same

Based off the .30 Thompson contender a.k.a. .30 TC

One of the contributing factors why I went to the 260 Remington.

 

[Buckbrush]

So is it true if you buy a 6.5 creedmore you have to wear skinny jeans so tight even Yosemite Sam would be jealous of the most testicle compressing pants ever?