Current Ammunition Availability

[JPmbogo]

It seems increasingly difficult to find modern factory ammunition for many of the classic British double rifle cartridges, e.g., 450/400, 450 NE, 470, 500 NE, etc. Of course, awhile back there were crazy runs on .22LR, 9mm, .223, etc., but this a different situation. Are Hornady, Norma and others just not producing such loads or is there hording going on here as well? After all big doubles are being built every day, not too mention the used market. I hand load so it is not a real problem for me, although brass can be an issue. So, what's going on out there?

 

[Wyatt Smith]

They are making ammo where the money is. I have seen 30-30 ammunition for sale once in the last two years, 7x57 once, 308, 30-06, and 270 hunting ammo only a handful of times. These are infinitely more popular than anything in a double rifle.
The double rifles are such a small percentage of the shooting population, I’m sure it would be foolish to waste time making any right now. Sure there is a large amount of 9mm and 223 on the shelves right now, but it is still moving everyday.
To add to that. Big bore bullets are equally hard to find, where do you think Norma sources their bullets.
I think you’ll just have to grit your teeth and hang on for another couple of years before double rifle ammunition is for sale again.

 

[Hogpatrol]

It's out there, just have to spend some time digging on gunbroker. Expect to pay premium price.

https://www.gunbroker.com/All/search?Keywords=400%2F450%20ammo&Sort=13

 

[sierraone]

Whatever calibers you shoot, when you run across ammo for sale in that caliber, buy it even if you don't need it at that time. Don't be picky until you have a good stash of every caliber you shoot. Then you can be picky. This method has worked for me since about 2012 - 2013.

 

[Puddle]

The ammo manufactures are all working their way through their priority lists.

Nosler responded earlier this year not to expect anything in 9.3mm (bullets, brass, ammo) before 2023.
Chapuis (actually it was Benelli) responded they were not taking orders for new 450/400 3" until they could reliably source ammo for testing. Guess that makes existing doubles in that cartridge gold right now...

 

[curtism1234]

I would think these are a 1x a year run in the best of times. I would think they would still make them yearly but probably in smaller quantities and delayed.

 

[Mike B.]

When I was in Africa in late June, I received some in stock notifications for some Hornady ammo for the 450-400. I was waiting for some DGX since I have half a box of factory stuff. All of the notifications I got were for solids though. They must have done a big run on them because that stuff is still readily available but still no DGX. I'm surprised that the DGS had a run but the DGX didn't get run at the same time since it would be crazy to retool the assembly line later on for the DGX. I'm wondering if supply is a big problem for some of this stuff as well, not just popularity of certain calibers.

I know have about 10 boxes of solids that I can use as practice and then reload what dgx bullets I do have which is 100 bullets. So all is not fully lost but I sure would like to get some factory stuff at some point.

 

[JPmbogo]

The ammo manufactures are all working their way through their priority lists.

Nosler responded earlier this year not to expect anything in 9.3mm (bullets, brass, ammo) before 2023.
Chapuis (actually it was Benelli) responded they were not taking orders for new 450/400 3" until they could reliably source ammo for testing. Guess that makes existing doubles in that cartridge gold right now...

Only if you have the ammo.

 

[baxterb]

Whatever calibers you shoot, when you run across ammo for sale in that caliber, buy it even if you don't need it at that time. Don't be picky until you have a good stash of every caliber you shoot. Then you can be picky. This method has worked for me since about 2012 - 2013.

i grew up pretty poor and never had ammo. Was always a big deal to get it. When I finally started making money I vowed to never leave a gun store without a least one box of ammo. I’ve done that since about 1990 or so. I have a good stash ;-)

 

[Puddle]

When I was in Africa in late June, I received some in stock notifications for some Hornady ammo for the 450-400. I was waiting for some DGX since I have half a box of factory stuff. All of the notifications I got were for solids though. They must have done a big run on them because that stuff is still readily available but still no DGX. I'm surprised that the DGS had a run but the DGX didn't get run at the same time since it would be crazy to retool the assembly line later on for the DGX. I'm wondering if supply is a big problem for some of this stuff as well, not just popularity of certain calibers.

I know have about 10 boxes of solids that I can use as practice and then reload what dgx bullets I do have which is 100 bullets. So all is not fully lost but I sure would like to get some factory stuff at some point.

I noticed that as well then, and like you I stocked up. When I ever get pinged about DGX - ammo or bullets - I'll be all over it like a bad habit.

 

[Randy Bo]

My brother recently got into long range shooting. In just the last two months he has been able to purchase 6CM and 6.5CM Federal and Hornady match ammo anytime he wants for roughly $35 per box.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Try to find ANY .338WM factory ammo for under $130/box, if even you can find that? I believe it's a conspiracy between the various rifle/ammo manufacturers pushing their proprietary .338 Federal, Ruger, Nosler, Lapua, Norma and Marlin offerings and intentionally not loading .338WM ammo.

 

[RTG]

It seems increasingly difficult to find modern factory ammunition for many of the classic British double rifle cartridges, e.g., 450/400, 450 NE, 470, 500 NE, etc. Of course, awhile back there were crazy runs on .22LR, 9mm, .223, etc., but this a different situation. Are Hornady, Norma and others just not producing such loads or is there hording going on here as well? After all big doubles are being built every day, not too mention the used market. I hand load so it is not a real problem for me, although brass can be an issue. So, what's going on out there?

They couldn’t make enough black gun ammo to fill demand. With the desire to impress social media, 9/556/762 was about all they made. Now there is good availability of those cartridges and demand is trending down. Focus is returning to hunting and target ammunition. Cartridge by cartridge, I am seeing good wholesale opportunities each week. @CoElkHunter no 338WM yet LOL. Maybe next week

 

[CoElkHunter]

They couldn’t make enough black gun ammo to fill demand. With the desire to impress social media, 9/556/762 was about all they made. Now there is good availability of those cartridges and demand is trending down. Focus is returning to hunting and target ammunition. Cartridge by cartridge, I am seeing good wholesale opportunities each week. @CoElkHunter no 338WM yet LOL. Maybe next week

Ha! Ha! "Maybe next week". That was six months ago! LOL. I should have bought a .338 Lapua. That ammo is available EVERYWHERE!

 

[JimP]

All I can say is that this shortage may drive more hunters/shooters into the game of loading their own rounds.

I just picked up enough bullets for my .340 Weatherby to last me until I quit hunting. I have enough powder and primers to last a few more years but then I'll need to pick up some. I just need to stock up on a few other components and I'll be set for the rest of my life for the rest of my hunting rifles.

The only thing that I am short of is brass for my pistols. But then I already have close to 1000 rounds loaded for each of the ones that I shoot along with close to 10,000 rounds of 22Lr...

 

[BourbonTrail]

416 Rem Mag is the only thing I keep in low stock ($100+ a box, no wonder). It crops up on websites from time to time, so I buy it as I shoot it.

In last 6mo, I’ve seen Barnes, NPs, A Frames, DGS, DGX, Normas, hell I even saw some Woodleigh Hydros in stock (I’ll pass at $190 a box with no elephant hunt in next 5-10 years). Just need patience and deep pockets (or be single).

Edit: for reloading components, I was way too late to that game to even try to stockpile. It was all gone by the time by I had a place to reload.

 

[Inline6]

Ha! Ha! "Maybe next week". That was six months ago! LOL. I should have bought a .338 Lapua. That ammo is available EVERYWHERE!

It's a popular round that the military uses, like 308, 223, 9mm. They are going to sell to uncle Sam then LEO also buys a good amount of it too. It's nothing more than supply and demand. We are just now starting to see primers hit, triple precovid prices. Why waste components on ammo that sits for long periods of time when you can make what sell in a week. Businesses have to make the call, it's just they way it is.

I do like my 338LM, it's a great design.

 

[CoElkHunter]

It's a popular round that the military uses, like 308, 223, 9mm. They are going to sell to uncle Sam then LEO also buys a good amount of it too. It's nothing more than supply and demand. We are just now starting to see primers hit, triple precovid prices. Why waste components on ammo that sits for long periods of time when you can make what sell in a week. Businesses have to make the call, it's just they way it is.

I do like my 338LM, it's a great design.

I would believe your theory, except as far as I know, neither the military or any LEO has ever used the .338WM as a sniper rifle? They've used the .300WM, .338LM and .338 Norma Mag, but not the .338WM. Maybe I'm wrong. Anyway, when WE couldn't find ANY HUNTING factory ammo in the common hunting calibers, amazingly, the fairly NEW 6.5 Creedmoor rifles and ammo were EVERYWHERE! Why was that? I continue to believe, that the rifle manufacturers and their factory ammunition cohorts (often owned by the same companies) are in cahoots limiting availability in the "older" chamberings while pushing their latest and greatest cartridges and rifles to the masses. WE can NOW find almost every traditional factory hunting cartridge, albeit at some outrageous prices, except the .338WM, which is one of the most popular elk hunting cartridges here in the West. Why is that? I call out the ammunition manufacturers to explain this discrepancy.

 

[Inline6]

I would believe your theory, except as far as I know, neither the military or any LEO has ever used the .338WM as a sniper rifle? They've used the .300WM, .338LM and .338 Norma Mag, but not the .338WM. Maybe I'm wrong. Anyway, when WE couldn't find ANY HUNTING factory ammo in the common hunting calibers, amazingly, the fairly NEW 6.5 Creedmoor rifles and ammo were EVERYWHERE! Why was that? I continue to believe, that the rifle manufacturers and their factory ammunition cohorts (often owned by the same companies) are in cahoots limiting availability in the "older" chamberings while pushing their latest and greatest cartridges and rifles to the masses. WE can NOW find almost every traditional factory hunting cartridge, albeit at some outrageous prices, except the .338WM, which is one of the most popular elk hunting cartridges here in the West. Why is that? I call out the ammunition manufacturers to explain this discrepancy.

I should have done better with my response, I was referring to the 338LM not the 338WM.

6.5CM is another easy answer, most new comp shooters are using it. They sell that round by the truck loads. It is not that new, have been shooting it since 2008. It's efficient for what it is. You are right in your thoughts to an extent on this, the round does get pushed. Right, wrong, or indifferent it has gotten a lot of new shooters in to long range shooting. To date I had a barrel chambered in 6.5CM, it was the most accurate barrel I have ever had. Unfortunately it only took 2k rounds to toast it...less than 6 months.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Try to find ANY .338WM factory ammo for under $130/box, if even you can find that? I believe it's a conspiracy between the various rifle/ammo manufacturers pushing their proprietary .338 Federal, Ruger, Nosler, Lapua, Norma and Marlin offerings and intentionally not loading .338WM ammo.

Hard to find, but there are some options available for less than $130/box

https://www.gunbroker.com/Rifle-Ammunition/search?Keywords=338%20win%20mag%20ammo&PageSize=96&Sort=13&View=2&Ch-Caliber=.338%20Win.%20Mag.