Gun and ammo shortage in Oz
- Thread starter Graynomad
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Welcome to the club! 
Although I hear rumors that it's about to ease up. Right now it depends on the caliber. The most popular calibers, 223, 9mm and 45 ACP are widely available, but the ammo manufacturers completely stopped production of some less popular calibers, leaving my daughter's 250 Savage high and dry.
22 Ammo is still hard to find at reasonable prices. You can buy it for a premium easy enough though (anywhere from 2x to 4x normal prices). Primers are available in every size now, but powder is scarce.
The powders that are the hardest to get are MADE IN OZ by ADI so back at you bub!
At least let us have some Varget (ADI AR2208) will you? My 223 doesn't like IMR 4064 too much and that's the only suitable powder I can find.
Although I hear rumors that it's about to ease up. Right now it depends on the caliber. The most popular calibers, 223, 9mm and 45 ACP are widely available, but the ammo manufacturers completely stopped production of some less popular calibers, leaving my daughter's 250 Savage high and dry.
22 Ammo is still hard to find at reasonable prices. You can buy it for a premium easy enough though (anywhere from 2x to 4x normal prices). Primers are available in every size now, but powder is scarce.
The powders that are the hardest to get are MADE IN OZ by ADI so back at you bub!
At least let us have some Varget (ADI AR2208) will you? My 223 doesn't like IMR 4064 too much and that's the only suitable powder I can find.
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When looking for ammo here I'v noticed most retailers are getting ammo from every where trying to stay instock like Serbia , Russia , Israel , Turkey , Czech Republic , I've seen one line of Australia ammo on The Sportsmans Guide web site . Wonder why the Chineese have not brought out a cheap line of ammo ?
youre right, It's not an optionn in lots of places in the world.at least. u can buy guns
According to the news tonight there is a gun and ammo shortage in Oz because all you US guys have been buying up since Obama got into power.
How about you hold off for a while eh
Don't blame me I stocked up back when Bush Sr. was in office and called for a New World Order, back then I told everybody "if your going to buy ammo you better do it now" but almost no one listened, I've had to re-supply a little bit but I still have a lot of the older stuff, I can't belive it when I see those old price tags, 1000 rnds. of .223 for $150.00, 550 rnds. of .22lr for $5.00, those were the good ole days.
Hey GN, got a link for this???
I buy a little ammo now and then, but most of my calibres are reloads.
I haven't had any probs buying .22's.
I'll have to go to my local gun shop in the morning and see what he says - (may have to whip out the plastic and stock up).
As to buying Chinese made ammo, I don't. I can't say I've ever tried it, but I guess I just like my main loads (Winchester, Remington). I'd be interested in how others have gone firing Chinese made ammo, and to know how 'dirty' their barrels are after letting off a packet or two of ammo.
I buy a little ammo now and then, but most of my calibres are reloads.
I haven't had any probs buying .22's.
I'll have to go to my local gun shop in the morning and see what he says - (may have to whip out the plastic and stock up).
As to buying Chinese made ammo, I don't. I can't say I've ever tried it, but I guess I just like my main loads (Winchester, Remington). I'd be interested in how others have gone firing Chinese made ammo, and to know how 'dirty' their barrels are after letting off a packet or two of ammo.
I walk by the ammo case in my local Wally World every time I go in there, which is about five times a week. I see most ammo there except 22's. I haven't seen a 22 in five months at least. The clerk says they get a few boxes in every once in a while but it sells out in minutes. They even have a 1 box per person per day limit! People call their whole family and wipe out the product.
Part of the problem is the Obama administration is also hitting the goods needed to make ammo. He has caused a brass and copper shortage and has closed the last U.S. lead producer. He has military destroying all the used brass they expend, I've seen the chipper machine and they are currently holding it in storage. This makes brass harder to come by.
. I have a decent amount of everything except 30/30, but I don't see it often either. I did see something the other day that interested me though. I don't remember the brand, but was at wall mart, there was an AR 308. I didn't know they made them. I was right at 1000.00, but was just the plain rifle, no frills at all. I like the idea of the higher knock down power. I have heard of people using the 223 for deer hunting, but it didn't seem like it was strong enough unless you're a really good tracker to follow one for 5miles.
Actually the .223 and 5.56 are excellent hunting rounds; of course you wouldn't want to use the military ball ammo, but a soft point or jacketed hollow point work very well for deer without all the recoil you get with a larger caliber. In my experience the deer don't run any farther then they do when hit with a .30 caliber round. The smaller lighter .223 rnd. is moving at such a higher velocity it does as much or more internal damage to the deer, hog, coyote, ect. than the slower heaver .30 bullets.
Wildman, I have to respectfully disagree. I see more people than ever hunting with AR's. I help them track deer every year. The caliber just does not anchor deer. I agree they will kill deer but more deer are lost and more time is spent chasing after them. My 30-06 is a DRT gun (dead right there). The next problem is most people that grab a 223.5.56 to hunt with are usually inexperience and have no idea about bullet types & weights. They just grab whats on the shelf usually FMJ stuff. Another issue is the round makes a small entry hole. Usually little bleeding from the entry and no exit hole so tracking is real hard. Just my experience.....
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Young Hunters + 223s = lots of wounded deer
With the right ammo, and in the right hands, the 223 is sufficient. Hell, people used to hunt deer with 22 Hornets. I have been tempted to use my Hornet deer hunting, but never have.
A good rule of thumb for deer rounds is a minimum of 1000 ft. lbs. of residual kinetic energy. A 55 grain factory load starts off at around 1280 ft. lbs. at the muzzle and drops below 1000 ft. lbs. before it gets to 100 yards. That means that by that measure at 75 yards, it could be considered a Bona Fide deer round, but not at 100 yards, and certainly not at 200 yards.
With the right ammo, and in the right hands, the 223 is sufficient. Hell, people used to hunt deer with 22 Hornets. I have been tempted to use my Hornet deer hunting, but never have.
A good rule of thumb for deer rounds is a minimum of 1000 ft. lbs. of residual kinetic energy. A 55 grain factory load starts off at around 1280 ft. lbs. at the muzzle and drops below 1000 ft. lbs. before it gets to 100 yards. That means that by that measure at 75 yards, it could be considered a Bona Fide deer round, but not at 100 yards, and certainly not at 200 yards.
Ok, time to brag here - I use a .222 or .243 for deer hunting. Last year I took the young fella camping/shooting for a weekend. Whilst driving around the scrub looking for rabbits, we came across 2 deer about 50m away. He says, go on dad, have a shot. I only had an old .22, and solids for ammo. So, why not, had a shot. Saw one deer run off, where was the other one??? Walked into the scrub, there she was, dead as a politicians conscience!!! I had aimed for her throat, which I hit, dropping her where she stood. She was about 120 - 130 kg ( not sure exactly in lbs).
Sure, I put it down to a fluke, but I think no matter what you use, it depends on the hunter and their aim. I was just thankful I didn't wound her, as she would have been lost in all that thick scrub.
Sure, I put it down to a fluke, but I think no matter what you use, it depends on the hunter and their aim. I was just thankful I didn't wound her, as she would have been lost in all that thick scrub.
I know a 22lr can kill if placed just right, I just don't want to wound something if I'm not dead on.
On another note, I got a Thompson in line 50cal muzzle loader a while back. I can't wait to try that on a deer. I have about five hollow tips for it that have a plastic cone in them, plain old fashioned evil!
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LOL they call that a "Golden BB."
Inuits have killed polar bear with 22 short. Doesn't make it a polar bear round though.
In fact there is a story about a guy who killed 2 elephants with a 22 lr. Nobody believed him the first time so he did it again just to prove it!
Inuits have killed polar bear with 22 short. Doesn't make it a polar bear round though.
In fact there is a story about a guy who killed 2 elephants with a 22 lr. Nobody believed him the first time so he did it again just to prove it!
I think our govt is doing some backwards gun control. With our NRA they can't outlaw guns, so limit ammo and you get the same effect.
looks like that,we don't have a strong body like your NRA to speak to the gov abt how to treat people who hunt and shoot,it's like a puzzle,diff regional hunting org trying to do the best in world full of stupid regulations and scary politicians
I also use a 30-06 as my go-to deer rifle. I personally have only taken three deer with my AR and didn't have any problem finding or tracking them the one that ran the farthest only went about 50 yds. But bullet type and bullet placement are very important. I used Federal Premum Vital-Shock with a 60grn. Nosler Partition, two of the deer I shot through the heart, the hart and lungs were pretty much destroyed, and the deer only ran a short distance the other I hit at the top of the neck and it drooped right there. I can see your point a deer that has been gut shot with military ball ammo would run for hours. I don’t think that ball ammo should be used to hunt any game I was just saying with proper bullet type and placement a .223 can be used to great effect while hunting deer.
I buy ammo each pay day if I can find it . I keep a old 1960's wood ammo box of box's of each caliber to use and full box's go into metal ammo box's and get stored . I reload too and stock up on IMR Dupont powder siearra bullets and Remington primers .
I thought your government banned gun ownershipAccording to the news tonight there is a gun and ammo shortage in Oz because all you US guys have been buying up since Obama got into power.
How about you hold off for a while eh
