Gun sales going ballistic (DHS visits mail-order ammo buyer!)

PostStar.com ^ | March 20, 2009 | Don Lehman

[Atlas Sneezed]

Try:

midwayusa
sportsmansguide
cabelas

And that case of 1000 is going to look awfully small when it arrives, so consider buying more.

[TheConservativeParty]

Hi Old Sarge, wife of retired WI Air Nat’l Guard Chief Master Sgt here, I used to like to hear the husband’s remarks about their range shooting time. He said one guy liked to shoot patterns, smiley faces etc into the targets. The husband would usually bring home penny he’d shot through the middle. He’s only been retired a year. I miss his Guard buddies. 26 years, it went by so fast. They all saw a lot of the world together, and one war. Thanks for your service to our great country sir!

PS: general topic interest-my gunshop was pretty well out of 9mm last week. They also started a 6 box per visit limit on ammo recently. I was there 2 times last week, got the limit both times of various calibers I need (want) no, make that need.

[TheConservativeParty]

Thank you for your service to our great country, sir.

[EGPWS]

How is 1000 rounds something unusual?

To some in political positions, it could be considered an excess of quantity for the average game hunter not giving thought to the 2nd amendment.

[xmission]

Thanks for your service guys.

[Old Sarge]

Thanks for your service guys.

You two are worth it.

[omega4179]

Was the “official” load out 200 rds?

Thank you for your service.

[SuperLuminal]

Bull! I don't believe it. I've bought several cases of .223 & 7.62 since last Oct and there has been no DHS response.

IAC, I only bought them because my small step ladder broke and I need something to stand on to reach the top shelves in the garage.

[Kickass Conservative]

The last Gun Show I went to had hand carts full of ammo being bought up.

When I asked for 200 rounds of 9MM and .223, the guy said to me, Is That It? I felt like a slacker.

Didn't have the extra bucks or any more room in my gun cabinet at the time.

[El Gato]

West said a customer of his recently stocked up on .223-caliber rounds, a caliber often used in assault-style weapons. The customer bought 1,000 rounds a few months ago through a mail order company. Shortly after the purchase, he received a visit from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, whose interest was apparently piqued by a large-scale purchase of that caliber.

1000 rounds is a "large-scale purchase" of .223? I would have bought 1000 rounds, if I'd known how fast stuff was going to "Out of Stock". I bought 500 rounds, but almost called them up and changed it to 1000.

Even 1,000 rounds fits in two of these boxes.

For reference each of those loaded rounds is about 2.26 inches long. 1,000 rounds, loose packed, will fit in a single back seat foot well of a compact car.

[El Gato]

To some in political positions, it could be considered an excess of quantity for the average game hunter not giving thought to the 2nd amendment.

Or practice. You can burn a lot of rounds pretty quickly with a light recoiling weapon like an AR-15, or an M-1 Carbine. I did buy 1,000 rounds of the latter, several months ago. Haven't fired a one yet (of that lot). Only have a 500 round box of .223 on order... but I don't yet have a .223 rifle, only a striped lower receiver, the rest is "on order".

[El Gato]

The customer bought 1,000 rounds a few months ago through a mail order company.

I wonder if the reporter didn't mis-hear this, and it was 10,000 rounds, or even 100,000.

[El Gato]

Training takes ammo

The two day Appleseed course takes 400+ rounds. That would be a fair amount of 7.62NATO, or 5.56, especially with prices where they are.

[rocket002]

ammunitiontogo.com
gunbroker.com

[Eye of Unk]

I just got through washing and sorting several thousand .223 cases, I can put several hundred in a one gallon baggie.

thats empty cases though.

[rocket002]

I forgot cheaperthandirt.com. They aren’t that cheap and a lot of stuff is out of stock, but at least it’s another place to look.

Ammunitiontogo.com is based out of Bryan, so you will have to pay sales tax. Even with the tax and shipping, I was able to get 9mm 124 gr. Hydra-shok cheaper than in the store. Bought 500 rounds and got it in a week. (I’m on the SW side of Houston by the way.)

[Eye of Unk]

Use Cheaperthandirt as a last resort, Midway or Wideners is much better, or Ammoman. Myself I trust Cabelas, they have never charged me first on backorders. I hear Midway is also good, some outfits will charge you first and then you will be waiting for weeks and weeks.

[mad_as_he$$]

First time I went out in VN I took the official 200 rounds. That did not even get me through the next morning. No resupply - bad times. Second time I went out it was 1,000 and the food stayed at base - better times..

[Atlas Sneezed]

I wonder if the reporter didn’t mis-hear this, and it was 10,000 rounds, or even 100,000.

---

No, the reporter just took the word of a gun-shop owner who claims that a customer (whose name he won’t reveal) that shopped with the online competition got a visit from the feds. Nice way to increase local sales, especially CASH sales that make tax evasion possible.

Sloppy, lazy, irresponsible journalism.

Here’s what the reporter sent me in reply to my query:

“The storeowner who told me about the DHS encounter would not provide anymore details. He’s proven to be a good source for me over the years, so I have no reason to doubt that that was what he was told. Whether it actually happened remains to be seen. The Crossroads store can be reached at ########## is you wanted to try to coax more info from owner **********.”

Maybe a REAL reporter should do some investigating here.

[ctdonath2]

Shelves nearly empty here in Georgia. Most of what’s left is “unpopular” calibers. Overheard the WalMart clerk telling someone around 9pm “we have some in a truck at the loading dock now, be here no later than 8am if you want it.”