Originally posted April 16, 2013.
I read about Cuba’s 1995 food riots last week, when I was studying techniques for food storage and preservation. They were a good illustration that you don’t necessarily have to be out of food to have a riot. It’s the panic that breaks the bank, or the nuts on The Weather Channel with a knack for stirring panic before the storm. Shortages are often man-made.
That’s part of the story with the ammo shortage. Manufacturers are making ammo. But government buying has created a panic and a cottage industry in private ammo sales.
I’ve been spending some time scouring ammo price trends at auction sites to get a feel for the market. There’s ammo out there. It’s just not at Walmart.
I won some auctions this week for .22 LR on Gunbroker.com for a total of 3,150 rounds at an average price I’m comfortable with. Dollar cost averaging isn’t only for mutual fund investing. Over time, at the very least, I’ll know whether I’ve got a good deal and should buy more or should wait on the bigger purchases.
My advice to you is to go to the auction sites to learn the market for your desired caliber. You don’t have to buy. But you’ll know the market.
I’m doing my buying with an email address from Yahoo!, and I like using PayPal to keep any account information private. Before you bid, know what methods of payment the seller will accept. With PayPal there’s a premium, but that’s a cost for convenience and security that I’m OK with.
I was learning rifle techniques one night last week at the indoor range. My colleague slid me some of his .22 LR to use. I noticed the price tag was $8 for 100 rounds, or $0.08 a round. Talk about a great investment. I paid twice that last week.
Good investments come in all shapes and sizes. Study this market, and you’ll know a good deal when you see one.
