Ammo availability

[Red_7.08]

How does ammo availability dictate your next rifle purchase. It seems like ammo manufactures are pouring all their resources into these new cartridges and it’s difficult to find factory stuff in the 308 or ‘06 case families. I’d love to buy my son a 7mm-08 but I don’t see any ammo on the selves. I’m just not sure I want something that ends in PRC for him.

 

[Farmerj]

I bought components since I have the stuff to reload. So I don’t worry about what’s in the store.

 

[Red_7.08]

I bought components since I have the stuff to reload. So I don’t worry about what’s in the store.

Bravo to everyone who stocked up before the pandemic but for those of us who didn’t, those components are even more difficult to find than ammo.

 

[VikingsGuy]

How does ammo availability dictate your next rifle purchase. It seems like ammo manufactures are pouring all their resources into these new cartridges and it’s difficult to find factory stuff in the 308 or ‘06 case families. I’d love to buy my son a 7mm-08 but I don’t see any ammo on the selves. I’m just not sure I want something that ends in PRC for him.

Get him a 6.5 Creedmoor - with a decent bullet and good shot placement it can do much of what 7mm08 does - lots of availability (relatively speaking of course).

 

[Beignet]

Ammo seems to be back. I’ve even seen some 7mm-08 Barnes at the local sporting goods store recently.

Also, there’s sites like AmmoSeek where you can find just about whatever in some of the more popular chamberings. I see some Norma 7mm-08 for $24 a box on there right now.

 

[Jasher]

How does ammo availability dictate your next rifle purchase. It seems like ammo manufactures are pouring all their resources into these new cartridges and it’s difficult to find factory stuff in the 308 or ‘06 case families. I’d love to buy my son a 7mm-08 but I don’t see any ammo on the selves. I’m just not sure I want something that ends in PRC for him.

How much of it do you want? The only thing we don't have right now is 45-70

 

[TN2shot07]

Nope, I pick the rifle I want and go from there. I just ordered a Model 7 in 7-08 to put together a light, handy rifle. It would’ve been cheaper and more convenient to buy it in 308 but what’s the fun in that?

VG is right with the creedmore, it’s being well supported right now and will do anything you want as far as deer go. I handled one of the Christensen ffts a couple weeks ago, that was awful tempting!

 

[Farmerj]

Bravo to everyone who stocked up before the pandemic but for those of us who didn’t, those components are even more difficult to find than ammo.

Most of what I’ve gotten has been post 2020.

I had a C&R FFL years ago and it seems the distributors still have me in their data files 18 years later.

I’d recommend anyone get their C&R FFL just for the access it gives one to distributors.

Others, it’s getting on notification lists with brownells, MidwayUSA and Midsouth and when the components show up…

Get them.

I just got 8 lbs of 4350 for $36/ lb.

 

[buckbull]

Yep. I havent been able to find the slugs for my abolt 12ga for years so i ordered a 350 legend. Tons of ammo for that. Straight wall restriction.

 

[Doublecluck]

Get him a 6.5 Creedmoor - with a decent bullet and good shot placement it can do much of what 7mm08 does - lots of availability (relatively speaking of course).

That’s how it all starts, one day dad buys him a 6.5 MB, next thing you know it’s pink dresses and braids.

 

[Caseknife]

I must be doing something wrong, I've got 3 of them and I don't wear pink dresses, or anything pink for that matter. Don't have enough gray hair for braids, and not into flat brims

As to the original question though, component/ammo availability does play into what rifle is next on the list. The last one was a Howa Super Lite in .308, had the dies, lots of 30 cal Barnes bullets and brass was available. The next one, and it may be a JES rebore job, is a 35 Whelen. Have a couple boxes of ammo and brass from many years ago when I borrowed my cousin's Rem 700 Classic and killed a bull elk. Kick myself for not buying that gun from him for $350 when he offered it, poor college student at the time.

 

[nhenry]

Round and rifle are equal parts in my rifle buying decisions, though I mainly build them nowadays to get exactly what I want, regardless of what’s on the shelf.

Just pieced together a new 25-06 and I haven’t seen factory loads on the shelf for it in almost a year.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

Ammo is everywhere now and by next summer there will be even more . Get what you want.

 

[peterk1234]

Bravo to everyone who stocked up before the pandemic but for those of us who didn’t, those components are even more difficult to find than ammo.

120 bucks for a thousand pimers. Used to be 30 bucks. I haven't reloaded in over two years. I just can't get myself to pay these prices. Keep going out will come down. Not looking good.

 

[millerkiller77]

There was and is no ammo shortage. Buy the caliber you like, if the ammo is too pricey, get a different hobby.

 

[VikingsGuy]

There was and is no ammo shortage. Buy the caliber you like, if the ammo is too pricey, get a different hobby.

Which "-sm" is responsible for this comment, "sarcasm" or "alcoholism"?

 

[CycleFishHunt]

How does ammo availability dictate your next rifle purchase. It seems like ammo manufactures are pouring all their resources into these new cartridges and it’s difficult to find factory stuff in the 308 or ‘06 case families. I’d love to buy my son a 7mm-08 but I don’t see any ammo on the selves. I’m just not sure I want something that ends in PRC for him.

Availability will definitely dictate my next purchase. I have a 7mm-08 and have found ammo frustratingly difficult to come by. If not for a few HTers selling some a while back I’d probably be completely out of luck.

 

[millerkiller77]

Which "-sm" is responsible for this comment, "sarcasm" or "alcoholism"?

In about an hour or so I guess it will be alcohol. Seriously, who can't find ammo? Yeah it gets backordered here and there, and maybe a little pricey at times but I feel like the only people who think it's not available are either new shooters , or the guy who only goes through one box per year

Edited to add: if the "toilet paper shortage" or "baking supplies shortage " affected you, I'm going to double down on my previous comments.

 

[hank4elk]

Still can't find sheet.
They must be sending it to the war zone states....

 

[Gojo03]

I recently acquired an old Marlin 336 in 35 Rem and plenty brass to reload. If it didn't I probably would have sold it by now because the ammo and brass is just so hard to come by. I don't think 708 is that hard to get right now, but at the end of the day you have to feed the rifle something. Going to a more popular caliber does have it's advantages