Someone told me that Walmart no longer sells ammo. Is that just my area or across the country? Anyway, does anyone buy online? I need 9mm and 40 cal.
I think Walmart stopped selling ammo nationwide, but I think they have reinstated it here, as everybody has guns here. Kroger as well. I buy local since loaded ammo cannot be shipped to Alaska except by sea, and they don't do that for small quantities. You can go to Midway USA , Brownells , Sportsman's Warehouse, or Cabela's/ Bass Pro Shops for other sources as well as your local gun store. You should be able to get 9 mm and .40 cal anywhere.
I should have asked of any place to get it reasonably priced. Is it cheaper online generally? I feel like it's doubled in price over the past few years.
I believe the Fed has channeled a lot of it to the military and to Federal agencies (I believe a ton of it went to the IRS), and some large manufacturers have been sold to foreign entities. One large manufacturer (I'm not sure who) has said they are no longer selling through consumer channels...it's all going to the Fed. There are suspicions that the move was coerced from the White House. If they can't get your guns, they'll render them useless.
We've bought our ammo at Sportsman's Warehouse or Scheels Sporting Goods. We don't buy that much, so cost isn't a problem for us. We use 9, 380 and .22. Have never bought online and probably never will.
Like @John Brunner said, much of the ammo is going to the military--both ours and others, but you should be able to find some. If you "dollar cost average'' your ammo, like you would an investment, as it surely is, you will always have some around. The cops use both the .40 and the 9x19, so there is generally some around although the prices may shock you. I think Biden stopped the importation of ammo, so that increased the prices and decreased the availability of most types of ammo.
I'm in CA. I used to get ammo online with big discounts for bulk orders. But they no longer ship directly to customers - they'll only ship to licensed dealers who charge an extra fee for storage & silly paperwork. I saw the writing on the wall & stocked up before the restrictions. Plus, I handload my own.
That's what discouraged me from handloading 40 years ago. But I found that my fears were groundless & based on a lack of knowledge. Modern smokeless powder is no more dangerous than any other flammable item in your house - like paper, curtains, etc. The myth of gunpowder being dangerous & explosive refers to Black Powder; not smokeless powder. When smokeless powder is lit with a match, it just fizzes like a match would. It is only explosive when it is trapped - like in a gun's chamber. Even when loaded ammo explodes in a house fire, the bullet separates from the case with very little velocity - not enough to cause much injury.
Nope, you could do it if you are at all competent. You do need brass--either saved or purchased--as well as a press, primers, bullets and powder. With semi-auto pistols, you have to be careful of cartridge length, but in revolvers or bolt-action rifles, they are pretty forgiving. There are YouTube videos, and I am sure you could find a person in your local area who would teach you. You could contact them through a local gun store or club. It is not hard.
Yup. You gotta have the gasses trapped in a barrel in order to proper the bullet with any force. The stupid movies of throwing cartridges into a campfire so the "shoot" out everywhere are just stupid movies. You're more likely to get struck by the casing than the bullet, since it's lighter and more likely to go flying. That being said, I've never seen a big price spread between buying ammo and reloading, unless you scavenge brass at a range. The larger motivator for most folks is to do consistent, custom loads. But then there's the whole issue of custom loads in a self-defense scenario that many try to avoid.
I don't know why you would need a custom load for self defense. I can see it for hunting, especially at longer distances, but with self defense you want consistent performance.