16ga.com ~ View topic

Guest

Anyone else, (TJC doesn't count) becoming a real shell hoarder considering the coming price increaes? I've been laying 'em in like crazy in any gauge when I find a good price. I'm even making 90 minute drive this coming weekend to check out some leads on inexpensive 16s and other goodies. Not gas smart, I know, but I don't mind the drive, as I can kick back and listen to some quality tunes and have a good cigar.

I have the same problem. I can't pass up any shells at $4 a box or less. I even have a fellow looking for 16g for me in Oregon. I keep my eyes open when traveling in Montana and Idaho. Smaller gun shops and pawn shops even surprise me with a deal once in a while. One shop I was in said their distributor was raising ammo prices 25% this September. I am even looking for TM and Bizmuth with the old prices still on them. The new prices have doubled. I would much rather be hunting, but ammo hunting is a good off season pursuit.
Best,
Ron

And I thought I was the only 16 gauge scrounger. Where ever I go I am looking for 16 Ga. shells and loading accessories. The best find was when a Pard of mine brought over two paper grocery bags with 16 ga loading components for me to look at and give me. Turns out it was full of old Alcan 16 ga. lubed fiber 1/4", 3/8" wads & nitro powder cards. 2000 each in the original cardboard cartons. And they were marked for "16 gauge brass shells"
Very nice indeed because I just bought Hammer Double 16's to try in my double. They work very well in the Hammer Double brass, and I have a 1 1/8" oz load I worked up that is sweet using Alliant Unique.

Keep looking 16 ga. is out there Smile

Member Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 1338

Member Joined: 30 May 2007 Posts: 216 Location: Tennessee

I have been a bargain shell hunter for all of my hunting years (43). I have always looked for bargains wherever I go and have always bought all of the shells the vehicle I was in would hold if the price and quality were good enough. Now up to eight wooden pallets loaded about four feet plus high each (12's, 16's and 20's). I have really been buying heavily since the price of lead starting going up. It is all kept in a cool basement where the humidity is controlled by two built-in dehumidifiers. Hunting loads, target loads and promotional loads.

Ah for the days of $2.50 AA's on clearance at Target when they decided to go out of the gun and shotshell business,

Guest

Good lord, Mr. Campbell, is that part of your house, or do you own a gun shop? In either case, I am envious. Razz

Joined: 07 Jul 2005 Posts: 23

While we are on the subject, have you ever seen shells gone bad from long term storage? I have some 12ga Win promo from the late 90s gone bad where the plastic wad turned hard, the wad fall apart under fire, comes out of the barrel in pieces and can't seem to hit anything with them.

Member Joined: 30 May 2007 Posts: 216 Location: Tennessee

Dick's Sporting Goods is still selling Remington 16 gauge Game Loads (1 oz.) for $3.77 per box (with 10 box 10% discount). Bought 20 more boxes today at that price. A $1.20 cheaper per box than Wal-Mart for the same load.

Member Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 1522 Location: NH

Member Joined: 30 May 2007 Posts: 216 Location: Tennessee

Dick's Sporting Goods has some of the craziest pricing I have ever seen. Their employees don't have a clue what is going on in the gun department. Some boxes have prices on them that may or may not be correct (with no sale going on). Other boxes have no prices on them at all. Today the 16 gauge shells had no price on them. The shelf stickers with price and other information on them never have the correct shells sitting above them. I asked the person in the gun department the price of the 16 gauge Remington Game Loads. He said "are $4.99 per box for all Game Loads". I asked him about the 10% discount. He said that it was not in effect "this week". I took a box up front to the cash registers and asked the front line supervisor (the clerk's title for the person who is usually standing up at the front) for a price check. The price came back $4.19 per box. I then asked if the 10% discount was still in effect. He said yes. I bought all of the 16 gauge Game Loads they had (20 boxes) and paid $78.47 including tax.

I would take what the gun department clerks say with a grain of salt. Always make them check them in their computer system.

Hope this helps someone get some shells at a decent price.

Guest

Dick's stores are indeed weird when it comes to getting the same answer ... even twice in one store on the same day. Fortunately, I don't have this problem. (a) I insist on the price on the sale sign or the one in the flier and (b) I'll stand there and wait while someone goes and checks, if need be. I sometimes even tell the young guy at the gun counter, "Look, here's your sign. I'm going up front now, and they'll call you in a minute for a price check."

Haven't had any problems with that approach. Having been getting Win AAs and Rem STS at $5.48 a box (case price), which is about as good as it gets near the land of Richie Daley. And since the sign says ANY Win AA or STS in 12 or 20 when bought at 10 or more boxes, I feel perfectly free to mix my flats with whatever I want in those two labels ... everything from one ounce light 12s to hot clays loads. Save 'em for club leagues.

The downside...the two Dick's stores near me carry no 16 GLs at all. A real drag. I've been having to settle for $5.19 per box at a local Meijer...and I keep their stock of No. 8s real thin. God knows when they'll quit carrying 'em. If the BPS near me ever gets its feces cohesive and gets some 16GLs in, I'll see what they're going for. I think I'll call before I drive, though. I-80/94 on the Indiana side of the border has become a tied up, unsafe bummer of major proportions.

Member Joined: 20 Mar 2005 Posts: 1522 Location: NH

Hey MGF,

Did you take notice of those pics above? Don't talk to me about buying a lot a shells anymore. Very Happy

I think Mr Campbell is opening a Sport Shop on the side. Laughing

Puts my slim pile of 20+ cases of 16ga to shame. Wink

Joined: 06 Apr 2007 Posts: 70

glad to hear it's not just the dick's around here in louisville. the louisville store has never carried 16 ga anything. when i asked them to order some they said they couldn't, gotta take what they can get. i used to buy gun club 12's there w/ the case discount and dick's had put an ad in the fish and game book for 10 bucks off on a 50 buck purchase. this year the louisville store quit honoring the coupon for ammo. it says ammo disqualified in the small print.

now theres a dick's just across the river in indiana which honors the kentucky coupon. more often than not they have acouple flats of rgl and i snap those devils up. yesterday i was in there and no 16's so i started to walk away and then thought i'd ask the clerk to check in back for me. no clerk around so i'm ready to beat feet again and figure it couldn't hurt to just pop in the stock room for a quick look see. 4 flats of rgl 7 1/2's on the 1st shelf. i hustled 'em over to checkout where the usual confusion re price and discount was still evident. i tell the girl they're 4.19/box, they call the kid from hunting and he says no they're 3.38/box. who am i to argue w/ dick's. total price was over 100 bucks so i tried to foist 2 of the coupons off on her but she only took one.

i'll be checking that stockroom every time i'm in there from now on.

Guest

Member Joined: 16 Nov 2006 Posts: 1338