You and I are in the same boat. I've got a somewhat decent "war reserve", but with no really viable way to replenish it any live fire is going to be very thoughtfully done. Definitely don't see getting back into USPSA/Multigun matches anytime soon. Lots and lots of dryfire is in my future, possibly looking at an airsoft copy of my carry pistol as well.
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur."
Disclaimer: I have previously worked in the firearms industry as an engineer. Thoughts and opinions expressed here are mine alone and not those of my prior employers.
I fear that prolonged shortages will destroy the industry or perhaps the community in general. There will come a point for many people where the cost to shoot, the effort required to find ammunition, isn’t worth it anymore. Newer shooters will lose interest and sell off their guns. I could see this being a really bad long term issue for the civilian arms and shooting industry/community. I could see it being a balloon of demand that outpaces supply, outpaces supply, outpaces supply and then suddenly bursts and the demand is no more. Impossible to predict when that point will be if it ever comes.
After this weeks election results, I have gone to a "shots will only be fired in anger" policy. I was once at 100 rounds plus a mag of carry ammo a week. I guess I will be relying on mu dry fire practice. I am planning on a pellet/BB gun purchase mostly just to have something to shoot.
Yes, I remember that guy from Japan who practiced all year with an airsoft gas blowback STI and then showed up a few weeks before the big steel challenge for his only annual live fire practice, and then one year he won or at least finished top 5. That lead to a little surge in people getting gas blowback airsoft guns, and there were lots of companies out producing various USPSA targets and small scale steel set up for airsoft, you could practice in your garage or basement, etc. I think it was quite popular for a while in the cold weather places where winter practice is hard to come by.
Maybe there will be an airsoft resurgence. The gas blowback guns at least disturb your sight picture even though they don't simulate real recoil, and you don't have to find a real range.
Here’s today’s 50 round session.
10 first shot from concealment
10 25 yard freestyle
30 Bolke/Dobbs advanced super test.
I’m exhausted from a switch to 12 hour shifts at work and this is my first day off. Figured I’d be a whole lot slower and less accurate.
For 2 weeks I’ve spent a lot of time dry firing and dry drawing. For me, I get faster with an empty gun and a shot timer. So I’ll focus more on that as well as dry manipulation and await my pre ordered ammunition. I have a decent reserve.
Since I have 18 months left until retirement and my zone is shady AF, I’ll only run the duty gun for a bit. If I get in another shootout, odds are it’ll be with that G45 so it’s the designated hitter for now. On duty and off.
You should have at least two years of ammo in your stash in order to get over the bumps. I've read that during WWII, a lot of people started reloading because you couldn't get ammo. In 1992, everyone panicked when Clinton got in office. Then we had the GWOT start up with the Bush administration and things got tight. Obama was elected in 2008 and then Sandy Hook happened in 2012. What happened this time was the 'rona, riots, and an election that has created the biggest panic ever.
In March I was watching the inventory of Federal small pistol primers at Powder Valley. At the beginning of the month they had 990 1K sleeves in stock. A week later when that dropped to 320, I knew the panic had started and made a buy that will hopefully get me through this time. I have a good inventory of powder and bullets but those are usually much easier to find.
If Trump wins, things may get better. It depends if the left decides to arm themselves. If Biden wins then you know things won't get better for a long time, at least 4 years.
My connections to the industry, who are ammunition wholesalers and sell to LE, said that orders they place today will take 9 months to arrive and that leadtime is growing.
9mm ammo cost has doubled so if you still want to keep training at the same pace then you will need to budget accordingly. A good alternative is airsoft or like I said, 22LR. Both are a lot more fun than dry fire.
-Seconds Count. Misses Don't-
That's really close to where I'm at and certainly a consideration. I've certainly looked at the safe and gone, "This is a nice, used Corvette or Cayman or an old Excursion I've wanted to build for a long time. It would be a lot easier to enjoy those than it would be to enjoy shooting right now." And that feeling has popped up more and more in recent years.
"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur."
Disclaimer: I have previously worked in the firearms industry as an engineer. Thoughts and opinions expressed here are mine alone and not those of my prior employers.
It would be nice to see some of these gun companies either license or produce legitimate airsoft guns. It’s hard to find some guns in airsoft form. Beretta APX Centurion for one example. Can’t find one at all, only the full size.