Dear Editors,
So here is my ten cents worth… I believe in buying silver bullion now, but dumping it when spot silver hits $30, $40, or $50 per ounce. If you are buying now, then a $20 per ounce (or more) gain per ounce is far better than most any other investments. In fact, I would be happy to sell my bullion at $3 below spot, when silver is $40 an ounce! Remember, if things get really bad, you can’t eat gold or silver. In my estimation U.S. pre-1965 silver coinage is apropos for what I would call the intermediate breakdown. But later, brass and lead will become the dominant currency.
Ammo you buy and store [in proper ammo cans] will most likely be fine long after you who are reading this have passed away.
It depends where you are, but in my recent experience it is time o’plenty for ammo! The .22 Long Rifle was available in late February at my Northern Indiana Cabela’s store by the thousands. Today at a Minnesota Cabela’s it was not quite as plentiful, but still on the shelves. My friend from Texas said that his neck of the woods the supply of .22 is still dry. I don’t know why, but that’s the story.
If you are reading this and not yet buying your favorite flavor of ammo and stacking it deep RIGHT NOW, then do so!
I was pleased to see that 9mm is back down to $10 a box of $50, and 5.56 is back down to below $8 per box of 20. So this is the time to buy. Do it.
Buy spare magazines [1] now, too! Stock up on Glock, Ruger 10/22, and AR-15 magazines. But whatever you think would be popular in your region! Buy a dozen, 2 dozen, 3 dozen. Then sell that last dozen when they are banned! I really don’t feel sorry for the guy who bought those G3 mags from me at $8 each. They cost me just .99. each Yep, under a buck. Those 12 that he bought from me []in effect] paid for the other 88 that I still have!
I hear you, folks: money is tight. But if you have a flicker of the AMERICAN ENTREPRENEUR in you, then this is a great time to flex your American Spirit! Buying 2 boxes of 9mm a week will cost you roughly $22 with tax. Or if you want to get deeper, then let’s talk about talk rotation [of inventory]: The old .22 Aussie ammo that I had since maybe 1989. Not long ago I sold 10 boxes of it at the rate of $7 per 50 round box. I can tell you that was some cruddy stuff. Yes it shot, but oh boy! [It is grungy.] So today, I take that $70 gross proceeds and reinvest it in quality ammo. It isn’t that hard to figure out. What is popular? 9mm, 5.56mm,7.62×39, and so forth. As I say on my eBay listings, “You have been informed!” – J.J. in Wisconsin
JWR Replies: There are still chronic shortages of .22 rimfire ammunition in many parts of the country. I expect this to continue for the next few years, regardless of who wins the next presidential election. There is presently just too much demand built into the system. This requires a bit of explanation. The ammo shortages of the past few years have trained the American consumer. Now, whenever they see .22 ammo available, they jump on it. It will be a long time before folks feel that they’ve stockpiled their lifetime supply. You see the following scene regularly at many Wal-Mart stores all over the country: The customers have figured out what day(s) of the week and roughly what time the ammo shipments arrive. Like clockwork, they are waiting there patiently. (Most of them are gray-haired retired men, presumably stockpiling for themselves their progeny, and their grand-progeny.) A sign is usually posted that says: “Limit: 5 Boxes Per Customer.” So everyone in the short queue dutifully takes their 5 boxes and heads home. Just 15 or 20 minutes later, the store is sold out of .22 LR until the next shipment. On and on the cycle repeats, week after week.
On another note, some pundits have argued that it is not safe to barter ammunition, since home invasion robbers might target you as a “high value target.” That might be true in an urban environment, but out here in the hinterboonies, where nearly everyone is armed, I don’t think that it would create a high profile.
My advice: buy both small denomination silver coins and common caliber ammunition for barter. Then, you will be ready for just about any bartering situation, to meet your family’s daily needs for staple items that you might have overlooked.