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Shells are going to be hard to find come fall....Now is the time.....

Connect the dots for me on that battue, interested in your rational on that..mb

Because of the wars.....powder, primers and shot are and have been difficult to obtain. It let up around 5 months ago and I had no issue getting shells. Then in the last month, the place I buy in bulk started to dry up again. In talking with them.....this place often has three warehouses stacked with shotgun shells....they know the market....they expect prices and availability to become an issue again. In addition manufacturers are trying to fill orders for the larger competition market. Hunting loads are minimal in comparison. Their advice is when you can find your hunting loads, don't wait.

Boss shotgun shells, who made their name in Nontoxic Bismuth, and will ship direct has already told their customers to prepare for a price increase and most likely limited availability. Which could be an issue for Waterfowl hunters and those who hunt Federal lands that require Nontoxic. They also have started making steel shotguns shells, in order to give hunters options if their bismuth supplies become an issue.

Addition: The same situation existed a couple years ago with hunting loads. I told a Bud all summer to get his supply of 20 gauge Pheasant loads. He ignored it and on the way to SD said I'll get them at Cabela's in Mitchell. They had nothing but cheap target loads at elevated pricing.

Addison 2: Buy them by the flat....they are not going to get any cheaper.

Wars and rumors of wars with the potential of increased aggression elsewhere depending on the election outcome.

Makes perfect sense.

Thankfully I have been improving my hit ratio vs younger me. But advice noted and I'll grab a couple more flats to have for backup.

I agree that one is better served buying now what is needed but since Russia has invaded Ukraine and even since Israel's war on Hamas supplies and availability of ammunition and components has increased, not decreased. I work parttime at a store that derives a fair bit of its income from ammunition sales. Our supplier has most items available with very few not in stock. There are some oddities in what we don't get much of, Winchester white box Xpert target shotshells for one, but Federal/Remington and Fiocchi more than make up for it. Supply of everything is far better now than two years ago and prices have gone down a fair bit. Some particular lines are in shorter supply than others but that seems to be the case with these lines across the board.

Same can be said for components. Primers are beginning to show up, even shotshell and large rifle primers. Not at my store but I just picked up a brick of Winchester 209 for $80. They were taking orders for shot at $47/bag for Eagle magnum. Powders are showing up too. Other than the Enduron and Clays series of powders and IMR 3031 and 4064, the rest have been showing up more and more. One can even include Alliant though their rifle powders are pretty hit or miss. Even my employer has been getting powders in and reloading is barely a thought in their mind. Component prices are far higher than 4 years ago but availability has increased since the wars have begun. In many instances prices have even dropped some.

Again, I would buy what I needed now rather than wait until later. Another unforeseen event or series of events could unfold and put availability in jeopardy. Especially in an election cycle. I saw toilet paper, other paper goods and then ammunition and firearms fly off the shelves first at the outset of the Covid scare and then soon after with the George Floyd debacle and the attendant "demonstrations". After that I wouldn't be surprised if something else came up to disrupt life.

Agree with much of what you say re competition shells. However, the post was primarily related to hunting loads. All day rain here, so I decided to take my own advice. Drove over and picked up an additional 20 flats for competition. This room is normally wall to wall with shotgun shells. It is bare compared to what it was prior to covid. As you mentioned target shells have came down from their high....approx $20 per flat on average. Still $20+ per flat above the pre Covid price. Prices I doubt we will ever see again.




Asked about hunting loads and primers. "If you can get what you want for hunting loads, get them now. No idea when Winchester and Remington 209's will be available. Now we have Cheddite and Nobel Sport only."

8 pound powders are in the $270-380 per bottle range, with limited availability.

CAC Associates: Check their web page and compare what they usually have to what is available now. "OUT OF STOCK" dominates every page.

That is a couple of pretty sorry looking pictures. Our regional distribution center looked to be better stocked than that a month ago during inventory and there is still the main distribution center between that and our supplier. With a few dozen stores in our chain, it may be that we get a preference over a single site such as CAC. I know we beat out any Walmart in a 50 mile radius for shotshell quantity and selection and give Cabelas, Scheels, and Runnings some competition in ammo.

As I mentioned, Winchester primers are presently showing up, I bought a brick Monday and the store still had them on hand at close today. Remington primers went absent long before Covid and they've cost significantly more than anything else for decades. I'll cry when I run out of *57 Remington primers.

Another fire member gave me a heads up on the availability of some Fiocchi Golden Pheasant loads in 28 and 16 gauge. They were a hard find last year. I looked on their website and they had limited availability. I ordered enough to most likely get me thru the next two years.
Which was the point of the post.

The above business is the main supplier for many of our small local clubs. There are a couple other building that may have additional stock. At least that was the situation prior Covid disruption.

For hunting loads in 12 and 16 I am in pretty good shape. 100 lbs of shot, 2000 primers, pounds of powder, plenty of wads. Target loads maybe not so much. Red Dot is made out of Unobtainium, can't be found around my parts. Adding more power if available, shot, wads, and primers this weekend.

Not much to be saved if loading 12 gauge. The smaller gauges, most definitely one can save.

That being said, having enough to load your own for the long haul is more than wise.

Appreciate your market update and assessment of future component , shell shortages. I have enough shells and components now to last the next 20 years even though I won't. My new right knee will sure help that longevity in the field. From 10 to 20 ga I am good to go I don't shoot many 410's or 28's but can load both. The savings as you suggest is in the smaller gauges as a guy just doesn't find small gauge wads at a bargain price or even availible any more. As a group we are being squeezed out of existence. I hope most here understand that and have been preparing accordingly. They don't have to take the guns just make the ammo to expensive or unavailable to the ordinary public..mb

Just got 25# of #6 Magnum shot (old bag was down to a pound or so), have field powders for 28/20/16/12 ga along with wads. Also have about 7# of Bismuth #6 shot and wads for them in 28/20/16 ga so have my bases covered for upland hunting. Not a goose or duck hunter but do hunt in non-tox areas occasionally. For quail and early grouse I just use my #7.5 shot sporting clays loads as I find they work well.

Where I live you could and can get all of the 12, 16, and 28 gauge ammunition you want. 20 ga of nearly any type is, and has been, non-existent.

That's interesting jdk. I load all my 20's except for non toxics and other than #6 steel for doves I have a pretty good inventory for my uses. Just last fall I scored 11 boxes of Kent impact 3" 1 1/4 oz #5's that should take care of my 20 ga duck hunts. But finding #6 steel for dove is tough. I like 7 1/2 lead for them but you can't use it everywhere..mb

20 ga. in stock here
https://www.bulkammo.com/shotgun/bulk-20ga-ammo
I order aa lot from here

Unless another Covid or Floyd type event occur, or the US gets involved in a large scale war, I expect hunting ammo (and ammo in general) availability to improve as it has been the last 4 years. Prices have also gone down with premium loads currently running $28-$32 a box and standard $18-$20. The customers will still grumble about prices on the lower end but it won't be the wailing and gnashing of teeth when their only options were >$30 per box. Prices may not go down more but I expect them to at least stabilize. Again, barring any major happening.

Taking a look at the shelves and what is in back at my store and what I have seen at other places recently, there is a decent selection of premium 12 ga loads of all types with standard types beginning to show up. The old "heavy field" load of 1 1/8 oz 6 shot is also coming in.

16 ga is pretty much the same with Fiocchi Golden Pheasant on hand in decent quantities and standard loads in #6 well represented. 1 oz field loads are now showing up too.

20 ga 3" Fiocchi Golden Pheasant is still common and 3" Remington is coming in. We are getting 2 2/3" 20 ga Fiocchi, Remington, and Winchester in #5 and 6 even.

28 ga #6 from Federal is a constant staple so far. Some Winchester and Fiocchi show up time to time.

410- what is that? I've known of 1 flat of 3" and 2 flats of 2 1/2" Remington in #6 to have shown up since Sept 2020. The various Walmarts in the area have had the 2 1/2" loads a bit more often.

I see the same regarding most components. Just picked up another brick of Winchester 209 primers and put in an order for 2 bags of #5 Eagle magnum shot at $46 each. Win 209s have been mostly MIA for years so this is a good sign. Federal 209 has shown up briefly now and then with Cheddite being mostly available.

The only dark spot on this side is the lack of shotshell powders and even that seems to improving as I am seeing powders besides 700x, 572, HS-6, 296/H110, and Competion sporatically appearing though mostly in 1 lb jars.

Having experienced shortages of ammunition and/or components many times over nearly 50 years, I learned long ago to grab what is needed plus a little extra when times are good. Then one is not struggling to find the necessities when times are bad. Plus, there is that much less demand during those times from those who thought ahead and one may then have enough to help others. From those experiences I heartily recommend that one pick up what they need or what they can afford when it is found as it is an election year and it's anyone's guess what may happen.

BTW, I don't worry about grouse loads. Whatever typical target loads of 7 1/2 or 8 shot I have will work fine.

Woods you and I attended the same school on buying ahead because it's availible instead of waiting until it isn't. Apparently we both graduated near the top of the class.lol.mb

Why anyone waits for the season to buy shotgun shells or any ammunition for that matter, never makes sense. Buy it when you see it cheap, you can always shoot it later. I still find flats at gun shows that people are selling for $5.00/box. I don’t need more, but if I see it I will still buy it and not worry about the war in Ukraine…

Same here shrappy and that includes the war the bidenistas are waging on Americans..mb