Quoted:
I just read a description of a defensive handgun course in Virginia (sorry...can't remember where it was) that said you had to have 1200 rounds of ammo.
Two things popped into my head: 1. Unless you already have it on hand, where ya gonna find the ammo these days? 2. At the current jacked-up prices, who can afford it even if you could find it?
I haven't gone shooting in months because I refuse to dip below my current level of ammo.
I'm about there myself.
I had a decent bit stored away and went shooting a few times (55gr. FMJ Remington UMC). Fired about 200 rounds.
Then I saw the same ammo for 26 dollars for a 20 rd. box at a couple of local stores!
I could have come close to buying a .22 conversion kit for the $$$ I wasted shooting that ammo!
Heck, .22lr is all I'm going to shoot anymore anyway. I have a conversion for my 1911s, 2 single action .22 revolvers, 3 semi-auto .22 pistols, and 4 .22 rifles.
At least .12ga shotgun shells don't appear to be scarce or overpriced. What's funny is that some shotgun shells use almost as much brass as .223 cases, they use a bigger primer, a lot of lead, and they tend to use a good bit of powder as well.
This leads me to believe that the price of brass, copper and lead have little to do with the lack of ammo availability.
The real reason for the shortage is people have been buying it up as soon as it becomes available, and are willingly paying the freakishly high prices.
Sadly, I don't think we'll ever see $100 cases of .223 again. But I'd gladly snap them up at $200.
Heck, I paid $350 a case for PMC the day after the election and was glad to do it. I wish I had bought more.