Ammo in my area is like many others, scarse and expensive when you find it. Wally's is sold out of everything in my area like it sounds like it is in a lot of others. I lucked into an unopen case of 40 S&W BB a couple of weeks ago and got 300 rds.

Been to a few gun shops and those with ammo all have it in the same basic range. I have been meaning to go by a small one man shop in my area as the last time I was there eight or so months ago most free space in the store was stacked with cases of various calibers (9mm, 40, 45, 223, 7.62, 38, 357). Some of it has been sitting in the same place for 3-5 yrs. Since 2003, I have purchased a couple of guns, transfered a couple of others ($20), bought some ammo, mags and other various accessories. Because of the cheap transers and it being a small (maybe 200 sq ft shop) one man operation with a nice owner , I like to try and spend $20-50 every time I am in there.

With the ammo craziness, I decided to stop by an take a look at his ammo selection, quanity and price. There is only one other person there who is filling out paperwork. I notice he has plenty of ammo at the much the same prices as others. Some of the pistol ammo cases are the same ones I have been seeing for at least 4-5 yrs. As papersork guy leaves, I notice two boxes of old Q3131 in the back of a shelve out of place. I ask how much mentioning the age of the ammo and owner says he will "let it go" for $8.99. Not in a big need for 40rds of 5.56, but it's good Q3131 and it puts me in my spending range so I take it.

Since it is only the two of us, I tell him he is sitting on a fortue of ammo at todays crazy price. He says others have told him the same and we talk a little about hoarding and how lots of people use to just buy 1-3 boxes at a time. About this time a guy walks in who had sold 9mm to the owner earlier and brought back what he said was 1000rds of ammo to see if the owner would buy that also. He had it in two clear plastic fishin tackle type containers. I quick look and no way there is 1000 rds, but not my business. Neither the owner or the other guy can see the headstamp and aske me; we identify it as Rem UMC all new nothing reloaded. I am able to get a better look and it appears to be more like 6-700 rds.

Owner tells the guys that since it is loose and he won't be able to resell it he will give him $50. The seller accepts they square up and he heads for the door. My mind quickly races realizing the owner can't resell it so must either keep it for his own stash or give it to friends. No sooner did the seller get to his car before I turned to the owner and told him since he could not sell it, I would give him $80 on the spot. He smiled a little and said there was probably not 1000rds there and I said there were at least 500 and I would take it without counting. He says fine we square up and I am on my way. Get home count it and it turns out to be 650 rds.

Ends up being about $6.15/50 and allows for a little shooting without worrying about the replacement costs. It was totally a right place at right time as I had planned on going buy that store earlier in the week, but got stuck at work too late. Maybe instead of waiting out for the ammo truck at Wallys, it is better to hang out at smaller shops or pawn shops trying to find a deal.

I don't know if I would even trust to shoot that stuff.

Nice.

The small shops in SW WA (Brightwater in Vancouver is probably the best example I can think of) have been having record business since Nov. The whole Sportsman's Warehouse fiasco and GI Joes going under has no doubt only added to it.

How can you be sure they're not reloads?  Some o' my loads look like factory.

If it's good stuff, hell of a score.  6.15/50 is about what you can reload good stuff for, most of the time.

Sell the brass after shooting and there is a good chance you could halve your overall cost.

I went into one of the local stores on my loop of stores I check into last sat, guy asked the usual "whatcha lookin for sonny" I gave the normal response "cheap 10mm or anything else cool"
He grabbed half a box of federal 10mm hydroshoks that he had gotten from somewhere and slid em across the counter to me. Ended up buying some brass they had too, but this is the second time I've been given 10mm hydroshoks lol, and I've never seen them for sale before.

T