Edited to change the topic title to more accurately reflect the basic question (bolded below).

Besides, of course, ammunition and primers?
It seems that although not all guns are available these days, someone who was desperate for an AR wouldn’t have any trouble finding something. But will that last? If we thought there was a reasonable chance the supply would disappear again and we’d like to have a spare or two on hand, is now the time?

And I’m really more curious about other products. We have posts about renewed runs on paper products and even windshield washer fluid. Is there anything else members have seen being in unusually short supply or drying up?

My only personal opinion for the immediate future is if one wants a military style semiautomatic rifle, buy it now, even at what you think is an inflated price. Also take advantage of the fact that large magazines are readily available.

This question is not, BTW, about what people should have done before or to serve as an opportunity to brag about what good boys we are for not needing to stock up on anything because we already have a couple of decades’ worth of every imaginable product in the barns and warehouses on the north 40.

It’s about what’s happening now or can reasonably be anticipated in the near future.

(If you believe that the clouds are about to dissolve and the sky turn blue any day now and there is no need to do anything except to await that moment, that’s fine and say so, but please don’t interject disparaging opinions about the people who aren’t so optimistic. There are plenty of other threads for that sort of thing. Thanks.)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: sigfreund,

I went grocery shopping yesterday. No toilet paper, no paper towels. Empty. Just like before. And not sure why but 2 weeks ago they put the signs back out limiting what customers could purchase.

I cannot really think of anything.
Next trip to town might fill up some gas cans and use a stabilizer.

Not sure.
Went food shopping on Monday, plenty of paper products at the store I visited. Went to Bjs wholesale club last week, the cheep paper towels were low but they had others, everything else looked normal.
A friend owns a gun shop/range. He told me guns are not as big of a problem, finding ammunition is the big problem. He has a good supply of hand guns and ARs.
He also has a supply of ammo for now but he is limiting how much customers can buy.

I am not sure what the future holds. We have been through this before.
My friend who owns the gun store has been doing this for over 20 years. He says this is the worst he has ever seen it.
I have told friends if you ever wanted an AR buy one don't wait. Right now they are still a little less expensive around here then they were back during the first Obama administration.
I guess it depends where you live.

Small bills, coins, medical supplies, Rx, batteries.

Some tires are in short supply supposedly due to supply chain bottlenecks.

in Hermiston, OR a town of about 25,000 (twenty five miles from my town of 3300) the stores are out of milk, and paper products.

Here in my town we aren't out of anything, but our store is small so prices are a bit higher.

So if you can buy milk and freeze it. We buy a gallon and freeze half as we don't drink it fast enough before it goes bad.

I’m still stocking the basics, but I’m working more on sustainable self reliance.

Other than firearms/ ammo demand spikes I haven't yet noticed any widespread shortages locally, although to be fair, I do very little shopping other than food items or consumables. I did notice that the local Walmart was almost completely out of peanut butter and iced tea a few days ago. A local grocery store still had some toilet paper and paper towels and tissues, however there were large sections of empty shelf space. It could reflect an actual supply shortage but I'm betting that retailers such as this one learned from experiences earlier this year and are now storing items in demand in back store rooms rather than on retail shelf displays to limit hoarding.

My earlier prediction was that if any shortages occurred leading up to or after the election, they would be worst in the battleground swing states or states where the worst rioting/ property destruction had been going on the longest. So far I'm hearing anecdotal reports of either toilet paper or paper towel shortages in Arizona and Pennsylvania.

I would be very interested to hear what types of shortages forum members are noticing and where (cities or states) they are noticing them in.

quote:

Originally posted by 71 TRUCK:
A friend owns a gun shop/range. He told me guns are not as big of a problem, finding ammunition is the big problem. He has a good supply of hand guns and ARs.
He also has a supply of ammo for now but he is limiting how much customers can buy.

I stopped by my gun range/ gun store a couple weeks ago and while signing a petition I noticed just how many handguns/ long guns they had displayed, which I was not expecting to see. There were a few individual gaps in display space where a gun had been sold (or rented out I suppose), but by in large they still had a decent selection of both military style long guns and handguns. When I commented on my surprise the clerk mentioned they still had a number of New in Box Gen 5 Glock 19s in a back room.

Time was short and we struck up a conversation about handguns they had and a few that I asked to see, so I didn't ask about ammo availability. The last email I received from them indicated that they had placed a quantity limit on available ammo, but still had ammo for sale.

I haven't noticed a shortage of anything other than firearms and ammo. We keep a lot of food storage in #10 cans that is supposed to last the 2 of us at least a year. We always have 2 or 3 jumbo packs of toilet paper, paper towels and kleenex in the storage room.

We stocked up on true basics. Flour, yeast, sugar, salt, steel cut oats, etc. The wife and I are both quite handy in the kitchen and have all of the basic building blocks for great meals available. I started to buy and freeze beef and poultry in the summer months.

I tend to prep food more so than guns and ammo. I have more of that than I can physically carry, and don't ever see myself being able to defend my home from multiple attackers for an extended period of time. I feel that extended shelter in place situations are more likely and therefore prep for that.

quote:

Originally posted by Rev. A. J. Forsyth:
I started to buy and freeze beef and poultry in the summer months.

Same here. Ground beef and chicken breasts were hit hard back in March/April. I also keep a decent supply of canned chicken on hand. It's perfect for soups and stews, and keeps for longer than frozen chicken.

I also keep a good supply of cooking/baking staples on hand: Flour, sugar, salt, honey, baking soda, baking powder, chicken broth, beef broth, canned and frozen veggies, canned fruit, beans, rice, etc. You can make a whole lot with just those, even if things like bread, meat, and fresh veggies are in short supply again.


Around here, the only thing I've noticed currently being in short supply other than paper products is boxed Mac and Cheese. (And Claussen pickles, per the other thread, but that's been the case since the Spring.)

Just look at what was hard to find earlier this year. I think the next wave will be worse starting in January

I guess since they are bolt action the two model 1898 Krag Jorgensen in 30/40 that I’m getting from a friend don’t count.

I’m not sure. My first thought would be to make sure one is well covered on food and water. (In fact was just discussing this with Mrs. slosig the other day as our county has gone back into the “purple tier” and many things are closing again. [Who thinks this nonsense up?] Who would have ever thought that college kids might go to Halloween parties? ) A cash reserve is always a good idea. I’d think that if possible, one might think about what they regularly shop for and try to (as much as possible, some stuff is perishable, etc) stock enough to not have to shop for one to two months. If one can manage that, then whether it is rioting, raging COVID, or whatever, one can just stay home and sit tight, other than working.

I guess it depends on what one is short on. I suspect that we have enough firearms and ammunition for all the family members to keep shooting until we run out of time, so I’m not really stressing that one. Besides, being in Commiefornia, interesting firearms are less available and more expensive.

Been to Costco three times since election day. Zero toilet paper and zero paper towels in stock every time.

Depending on where you live, riot gear might be a good thing to have a supply of. A couple of tactical shotguns also. If you live here in the Florida panhandle, turkey and dressing will git'er done.

Two things that I look for every week when I go to WalMart to pick up our groceries and supplies that folks are standing in line to get - and usually there is none or very little on the shelfs.

1 - Disinfectant Wipes - usually a few on the shelf that tend to be gone with in 10 min of the store opening.

2 - Canning supplies - These have dried up. Even now finding replacement lids and tops is all but impossible much less the jars.

These are two items that will not expire quickly and everyone should consider getting when you see them.....Mark

TP and paper towels are in short supply in the Denver area. We buy in bulk, but we are a family of 4. Plus, the schools are going full time remote starting next week. When you have 4 people at home 24 X 7, you need to constantly re-supply.

I am good on ammo because I have not shot much this year. I re-load, so I have plenty of components. I would like more factory defensive pistol and AR ammo, but my re-loading will suffice. In 2018 & 2019 I stocked up on complete lowers from PSA when they were between $130 - $150 ea. I do need more uppers to mate to them, but that's not a priority right now. The serialized lowers are what I was worried about.

When we went into lock-down in the Spring I loaded up on hard alcohol...just in case. I wound up drinking all of it. I'll not make that mistake again. Alcohol never dried up. If the stores sell out of booze, so be it...My liver will thank me.

TP
Paper towels
Kleenex
Disinfectant wipes

Hand soap
Body soap
Shampoo
Toothpaste
Mouth wash
Deodorant
(Anything else for daily consumption/use, hair spray, razors)

Food:
Water
Meat
Can goods
Stock the freezer
Stock the shelves
Dish soap

Meds
Ibuprofen
Tums
Cough drops
Zinc lozenges

Fuel for the generator
Oil - oil filter
Washer fluid
LP for the grill/ space heater
Pellets for the grill

Clothes
Laundry soap
Dryer sheets

Batteries
Light bulbs
LED lanterns (candles)

Guns
Ammo
Money

Basically everything.

Don't worry about hand sanitizer, you can buy it by the case at most places - ON SALE!

Bitter resolve.