Author Topic: Wal-Mart ammo. (Read 3422 times)

gs50401 · « **on:** July 03, 2011, 06:05:28 PM »

I have been shooting a while now. I have noticed a trend for myself and others.

The trend is that I buy guns chambered for cartidges that are available at the large "marts".

I do not shoot 10MM, 44-40,32 s&w or some others. I buy ammo at our local gunshop and do some reloading but I stick to readily available chamberings.

Maybe I have become too cityfied.

BruceP · « **Reply #1 on:** July 03, 2011, 07:17:44 PM »

I have my guns that ammo can be bought at "Everything Mart" but I enjoy my 41 Mag, 257 Roberts, 300 Whisper and 257JDJ. I have thought of trading or selling a few of those but there are other not so everyday cartridges I would like to play with. Sometimes I just like to be a little different.

Bruce

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #2 on:** July 03, 2011, 07:49:15 PM »

A friend and I asked the Sporting manager why he didn't carry a certain caliber.
He said if we get three or more requests for it they will carry it as long as it sells.
Just get two of your friends to requestthe same loading and buy it often enough.

tcencore3006 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 04, 2011, 02:10:44 AM »

The Walmart near me is terrible in its selection. I just bought their last box of .223 ammo. It was the only box in the store. I have had this happen several times. They just don't seem to keep anything in stock. I don't know if they don't have it or if I am getting there after someone stockpiles their ammo.

Swampman · « **Reply #4 on:** July 04, 2011, 02:44:59 AM »

If they don't sell the ammo at Walmart or a mom & pop, I'm just not interested in the caliber. I don't want to pay big bucks for ammo and have to search all over for it.

I really like the .30-30, .243, .270, and the .30-06.

Graybeard · « **Reply #5 on:** July 04, 2011, 04:22:13 AM »

I can't recall ever having bought ammo other than .22LR and shotgun shells from Wal-Mart. Most of the rest of any factory ammo I shoot which isn't really all that much I buy online. I got an order for a bunch of handgun ammo in .32 acp, .380 acp, 9mm and .40 S&W from Midsouth a week or so ago.

jlchucker · « **Reply #6 on:** July 04, 2011, 04:31:05 AM »

Quote from: Swampman on July 04, 2011, 02:44:59 AM

If they don't sell the ammo at Walmart or a mom & pop, I'm just not interested in the caliber. I don't want to pay big bucks for ammo and have to search all over for it.

I really like the .30-30, .243, .270, and the .30-06.

Swampman, what you really like, IMO, just about covers my own preferences. Except I really like the 22 long rifle and the 45-70 also. If I didn't cast and handload, I'd probably not have developed a liking for the 45-70.

spruce · « **Reply #7 on:** July 04, 2011, 04:42:20 AM »

Another point to consider is resale/trade value. When I was younger I tended to be more interested in some of the "oddball" calibers. While handloading pretty much evens out the cost of shooting an oddball caliber compared to one of the popular rounds, when it comes time to trade or sell you are stuck with a handgun or rifle that has a very small market. The exception, of course, would be a highly collectible firearm in a rare chambering.

To a certain extent the advent of internet auction sites have helped because you're much more likely to find that 1 out of 20,000 shooters who happens to be interested in buying your oddball - compared to the old days when the market was limited to however many people read the classifieds in the local paper!

rockbilly · « **Reply #8 on:** July 04, 2011, 06:22:34 AM »

If I had to depend on Wal-Mart for my ammo many of my guns would be safe queens. I run through a goodly amount of 22 Jet, 218 Bee, 225 Winchester, 32-20 and several others that can only be found at a place that specializes in ammo. I reload, so I have dies for every caliber of gun I own, that helps keep a good stock if needed.

I agree with the comment by Swampman, sticking to the old favorites is good for those that live in an area where ammo is hard to find, or don’t want to fool with on-line buying. Years ago I found the old standards to be the only ammo I could find in some of the remote areas I hunted. You can buy .22, 243, 270 and 30-06 almost everywhere and I have forgot to pack the ammo a few times when making a hasty retreat to a hunting location.

Swampman · « **Reply #9 on:** July 04, 2011, 07:06:29 AM »

I do have a .22 of course and use it a lot. I also have the .45-70 which isn't too hard to find ammo for but the price gives me a good reason to reload. I actually enjoy reloading straight walled cartridges using cast lead bullets. I'm pretty frugal when it comes to my ammo.

tcencore3006 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 04, 2011, 08:53:53 AM »

I am with Graybeard. I try to get stuff through the mail when I can. You can usually find a deal. Unfortunately you have to wait a couple days to get the ammo.

Ladobe · « **Reply #11 on:** July 04, 2011, 09:14:19 AM »

If I had to rely on WallyWeird for anything at all, I'd just do without... haven't been in one for about 20 years.

I started reloading in the late 50's as a way to save money, but I also became a serious long range P&V hunter about the same time and eventually a serious wildcatter because of it. So the reloading became a means to improve accuracy for long range at small targets as well as a means to offset the shear volume of shooting I did. While I have always had plenty of firearms that are chambered for commercial cartridges, and shot some store bought ammo in them years ago, I pretty much reloaded for everything most of my active years, except for the rimfires naturally. So for many years 22 rimfire ammo was my only store bought ammo until the 17 rimfires came along and replaced all of them. I bought a lifetime supply for all of the 17 RF's when I got them, so I haven't bought any factory ammo since soon after the 17HMR first came out in 2002 and the 17HM2 first came out in 2004.

On the other hand I've always had thousands of dollars tied up for a several years supply of reloading supplies on hand much of my life. Still cheaper in the long run with the volume of ammo I went through each of my active years in the killing fields I guess, if you don't count the endless hours prepping/forming brass and loading it that is.

When the health issues stopped the hunting a few years ago I was reloading for over 50 of my 65ish firearms (the number actualy loaded for was much higher than 50 though because I had so many barrels for the 20 Contender frames). About a third of all my firarms & barrels were wildcats, 15 or so rimfires and muzzleloaders. Sure have a lot more free time now - miss the hunting, but not the reloading.

Quote

Another point to consider is resale/trade value.

My experience since I started selling most of my firearms has been that the customs, semi customs, wildcats and rarer muzzies were the easiest to sell (and for good money). Those that still linger are non-wildcats that are all desireable to rarer models. But folks only want them if they can buy them for nothing, even those that are still new in the box that I never got around to shooting. Might be the economy, but more likely that they know they can probably find them again later when money isn't as tight.

FWIW - YMMV

L.

GH1 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 04, 2011, 09:46:32 AM »

There's nothing wrong with using common calibers, especially if you don't reload. What's the point of having a gun you can't shoot for a lack of ammo?
GH1

tcencore3006 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 04, 2011, 11:04:48 AM »

Quote from: GH1 on July 04, 2011, 09:46:32 AM

There's nothing wrong with using common calibers, especially if you don't reload. What's the point of having a gun you can't shoot for a lack of ammo?
GH1

And that is why I don't have a 30TC. I like the concept but nobody sells the cartridge.

Brett · « **Reply #14 on:** July 04, 2011, 03:39:59 PM »

Yup. One of the reasons I picked up my .40 was because back when ammo was in short supply everywhere just prior to "O's" election the shelves of my local Wally-World were full of two or three different brands of .40 S&W.

I do have one oddball in my collection, a Handi Rifle in .280 Remington. Try to find that on the shelves at your local big-mart.

Old Griz · « **Reply #15 on:** July 05, 2011, 06:19:44 PM »

I've seen 9mm at Walmart for $9.95. Can't find it on line at that price.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #16 on:** July 06, 2011, 02:37:14 AM »

I havent bought a box of factory ammo in 20 years other then 22. Ive shot a bunch thats been given to me and have a pretty good stockpile from my buddy when he closed his gunshop but can honestly say ive never cracked my walet to get any and if i did i SURELY wouldnt be from an anti gun store like walmart that will ask you if your 22 ammo is going to be used in a rifle or a handgun!!!!!.

tinman · « **Reply #17 on:** July 06, 2011, 02:56:27 AM »

I like to support my local businesses as much as possible. lumber, auto parts, food, & ammo. got more oddball stuff than i care to think about. having said that ill take a gun that i can get ammo for anywhere every time.

Mohawk · « **Reply #18 on:** July 06, 2011, 01:10:55 PM »

I asked for .280 Rem ammo one time at Wally World. The man thought I was mistaken and wanted .270 Win. He said there was no such caliber as a .280. I order all of my ammo online now. Only acception is Cabelas because they are nearby and have a better selection in person than in their catalogue or web site.

Swampman · « **Reply #19 on:** July 06, 2011, 01:21:06 PM »

He probably just meant there was no logical reason for the .280.

Pinkerton · « **Reply #20 on:** July 06, 2011, 03:44:53 PM »

Have you ever seen anyone at walmart know anything about ammo or firearms, and the scary thing is they think they are experts!

Swampman · « **Reply #21 on:** July 06, 2011, 04:35:32 PM »

The guy at our local Walmart ran his own Sporting Goods store for about 35 years.

Ladobe · « **Reply #22 on:** July 07, 2011, 04:44:13 AM »

And he was so successful that he is now a counter clerk at WallyWeird.

coyotejoe · « **Reply #23 on:** July 07, 2011, 07:45:15 AM »

If you have to shoot factory ammo then of course you want a common caliber. I don't shoot factory loads except rimfire and shotshells and even there I have some odd-ball preferences like 28 gauge shotshells and sub-sonic rimfire ammo. I hardly ever buy ammo at Walmart and I have never run out of ammo for any gun I've ever owned.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #24 on:** July 07, 2011, 08:35:52 AM »

next youll be singing the praises of why the 270 is a vastly superior round to the 280.

Quote from: Swampman on July 06, 2011, 01:21:06 PM

He probably just meant there was no logical reason for the .280.

tcencore3006 · « **Reply #25 on:** July 08, 2011, 11:28:13 AM »

Quote from: Pinkerton on July 06, 2011, 03:44:53 PM

Have you ever seen anyone at walmart know anything about ammo or firearms, and the scary thing is they think they are experts!

It is scary. Unfortunately some of the larger sporting good stores are not any better. Dick's Sporting Goods claims that their logde is staffed by experts. NOT The last time I was in Dicks a guy came in and was telling the man at the counter how he had been shooting at his father in laws and was looking for a starter gun to go plinking at targets with. The guy tried to sell him a double barrel side by side. SERIOUSLY?? I then proceeded to answer questions for two other customers.

mcwoodduck · « **Reply #26 on:** July 08, 2011, 03:40:29 PM »

Quote from: Lloyd Smale on July 07, 2011, 08:35:52 AM

next youll be singing the praises of why the 270 is a vastly superior round to the 280.
Quote from: Swampman on July 06, 2011, 01:21:06 PM
He probably just meant there was no logical reason for the .280.

Personally I dislike 270 as I have seen too much meat jellied by it. It may be the light bullets that did it and a 125 grain 06 would have done the same.
But if you look at all of the turn of the century military rounds and the wild cats of them.
from 6.5X55, 7X57, 300 Savage, 30-06, 303 Brit, 8X57 and all wild cat versions from 257 to 358 all do about the same and as fat as speeds and bullet weights and are ballistic siblings a deer can not tell if you are using a .264, 277, 284 or 308 projectile.
Some people have preferances of one sized projectile over another. I used to think there is nothing the 7mm can do that the 30 can not do better. Now it really doesn't matter.

reliquary · « **Reply #27 on:** July 08, 2011, 05:52:21 PM »

The sporting goods counter at our local Wal-Mart is being run by my soon-to-be grandson-in-law, age 20, who has never hunted or fished. He has sense enough to NOT give anyone advice.

I thinned out my armory to the point that I only reload for the .45 ACP and .45 Colt; have several things that like the Lee truncated cone 230-grain and everything else likes the Keith 250-grain SWC. Haven't bought anything but brass, primers, and powder in a long time, for those calibers.

My anti-zombie rifles are either in .223 or 7.62X39 which I buy in bulk at gun shows or on line. Ammoman.com does well on the .223. CTD has good prices on some things. The only things I buy at Wal-Mart are buckshot when it's on special or .22LR in bricks.

I love to shoot, do some minor paper-punching, carry heavy when I hike in the woods, but gave up hunting several years ago.

hunt-m-up · « **Reply #28 on:** July 09, 2011, 01:59:20 AM »

Too many mail-order options to rely on Wally World's half empty shelves. Pretty good 22WMR selection, other than that, nothing to see there folks.

Swampman · « **Reply #29 on:** July 09, 2011, 02:13:01 AM »

Quote from: Ladobe on July 07, 2011, 04:44:13 AM

And he was so successful that he is now a counter clerk at WallyWeird.

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

I love the .270. You can't find ammo for the .280 and I don't like any of the 7mms.