It's easy to buy a lot of #7 shot shotgun shells. You can go through a lot during skeet shooting. So they sell it in boxes of 25.
But try to get a lot 00 buckshot. The gunstore has it in boxes of 5, and then only a handful. You leave some for the next poor sap and that means you go home with 15 shells, total.
Not even during hunting season is 00 buck available in this state. I'd have to go to Virginia where buckshot deer hunting is permissible.
Ah, but the county recently lifted the restriction for mail order ammo purchases. They (our County Overlords) realized that UPS was delivering ammo to gunstores, I guess, so they might as well let us peasants get the same treatment. So now I can order shells in bulk. So now I did. And it arrived. Thanks Ammo Man.
I've gone from a paltry store the best home defense ammo loading available to plenty. Enough to give to neighbors to help them out in the event the Latin Kings and MS13 get their dander up and go all riotty. (I'm guessing with those 2 street gangs, as it is what is written in the graffiti round these parts. Including on my car that one time...)
I like Ammo Man because the prices listed are what it costs, delivered. You can comparison shop prices with Ammo Engine, but that doesn't tell you if store X will borehog on the shipping and handling fees. Since I started ordering ammo remotely I haven't had a problem with stuff being back-ordered or out of stock, but I didn't start doing this until AFTER the worst of the post election ammo shortage. Otherwise I think I'd use Lucky Gunner, as I like their interface and the fact they tell you what is in stock and by how much.
Bonus question... Guess how many 5 round boxes of 2.75" shotshells fit in a .50 cal ammo can?
There's lots of good reasons the local store doesn't stock much buckshot. One that hardly ever gets mentioned.... the stuff has a shelf life. A year or two in an ammo can, and the pellets packed under some pressure (mild) have begun to swell the shell casing. Old buckshot rounds may or may not chamber. They especially do not work well if left in a vehicle for a year. The vibration and bouncing kills them.
ReplyDeleteRotate your stock. I learned this... trust me.
Well CRAP
ReplyDeleteAt least I don't keep it in the car. But still. CRAP.
Does it do that for bird shot too?
ReplyDeleteNot so much for bird shot, but eventually it will. Feel the plastic body of the shotshells occasionally. If you can feel the OO pellets clearly through the casing, then they are starting to do it.
ReplyDeleteIf so, shoot them up in practice and buy some more for stock.
I found it isn't a huge issue till a few years have gone by, but then chambering can be a problem in some shotguns.