Walmart – Walt in PA

If you are reading this, I don't need to tell you that as gun owners we are facing some tough times. The masses are in a panic buy frenzy before any potential legislation is introduced. As a result, prices have skyrocketed and availability has plummeted. Aside from being worried from the perspective of a gun owner, I've been very concerned as a competitive shooter. I typically spend one or two weekends each month at a gun range, shooting at events. I've come to enjoy the hobby a great deal. When 9mm Ammunition dried up, I couldn't help but wonder if I would be able to continue my hobby. Even if I could track down ammo, could I afford to shoot it? In the past I've used a network of friends and family to help keep costs in line. Anyone I know that works at Walmart knows to keep an eye out for 100 Round Federal Value Packs. At roughly $20 per box (and sometimes with an employee discount of 10% tacked on) I can typically buy local for about what I would pay online. Reloading is in my future but I've been holding off to see what Santa brought me for Christmas before I went out and bought the remaining supplies that I need. With times being tough, even Walmart has produced very little in terms of factory ammunition. That was until New Year's Eve when the sky parted and a beam of sunshine fell upon me. A friend working at Walmart sent me a text message that two cases of 100 Round Federal Value Packs came in for delivery. The ammo was locked up in the back and hadn't made it out to the ammo case yet. Because I'm a Party Pooper and an Early Riser, I found that message at 4:30am on New Year's Day. I immediately made arrangements to pick it up at 6:00am, when the store opened. I scored one-thousand rounds of factory ammo at what I feel is a fair price (Roughly $20 per hundred rounds). The concerns that I had about not being able to shoot throughout the winter have subsided and now the pressure is off. I can now ease into reloading and develop a small stockpile of ammo for practice and USPSA Matches in the spring. The ammunition never made it into the ammo case in sporting goods. It went directly from Shipping and Receiving to the Cashier. Aside from a snotty remark from an employee "Those weren't locked up otherwise you wouldn't have got them like that" the whole experience was fantastic. Thanks again for the hot tip, Rich!