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Buying Ammo Online vs. In Store: Which One Is the Better Choice?

Online Ammunition or Retail Ammunition

Having access to a consistent supply ammunition is essential to any firearm owner. Without the right ammo, that handgun is as good as a paperweight, and that rifle won’t be seeing action on the hunting grounds or on the sport shooting field any time soon. However, it’s getting more and more challenging for individual gun owners to maintain a good supply of ammo as nationwide ammunition supply shortages continue to grip the United States, even as the retail prices per round of ammo continue to increase.

Shortages notwithstanding, firearm owners these days also have to contend with the choice of either buying ammo online or getting it from their favorite brick-and-mortar ammo retailers. But which one is actually a better option? This short guide will aim to answer this question by looking at several factors.

Price Per Round

As any seasoned gun owner will tell you, it’s often a lot cheaper to buy ammo for sale online, even with the shipping fee of around $20 or more per order. The caveat, of course, is to buy as much as you can per order. The more you buy in bulk, the more money you’ll save. Typically, you’ll want to purchase 1,000 rounds or more per order to really maximize the savings you’ll get from buying ammo online.

You can, of course, continue buying from your favorite brick-and-mortar ammo store or from big-box retailers, but be cognizant of the fact that part of the costs of operating such physical stores will be channeled to the products you’re buying. This means you’ll usually end up paying more for every round you buy. That being said, buying ammo in person and at lower quantities can be cheaper if the physical store is very near your place of residence.

Availability

As mentioned, there is currently a problem of severe ammo shortages in the US, and whether or not it has anything to do with the ongoing pandemic, it’s certainly affecting the way firearm owners are able to make use of their guns to the fullest. If you’ve tried buying at physical ammo retailers lately, you would likely have been met with disappointment as you found out that your favorite products are currently not  in stock. Sure, some physical retailers will probably have products that are sold at attractively low prices as well, but it’s also very likely that they usually run out of inventory.

Online ammo retailers will be more careful about avoiding such problems because of stiff competition from other companies. To be able to maintain customer loyalty, they need to constantly have products in stock; otherwise, people can just easily look elsewhere online. A brick-and-mortar store would typically enjoy better flexibility in this regard, especially if it were the only ammo shop around for miles.

Of course, it still can’t be avoided for certain products to run out of stock online from time to time, so your best bet would be to buy directly from an online ammo store that also manufacturestheir own products. They are even less likely to have gaps in their inventory, and even if they run out of certain products, you can always pre-order so that you’ll be first in line the next time the item you need becomes available.

Convenience

There are several factors that play into the question of whether or not it is more convenient to buy ammo online or in store. Naturally, if the physical store you are planning to visit is very near where you live and if it isn’t constantly plagued by long queues and other symptoms of a horrible shopping experience, then by all means, continue purchasing your ammo there. However, if you would rather avoid the only places in your town where you can buy ammo in person, then you’re probably better off purchasing ammo online.

Choosing to shop at an online ammo store has many obvious benefits; you don’t have to drive to go there so no there’s messing around with bad traffic, and you also don’t have to contend with long lines to the checkout counter. You just add the products to your online cart, input your payment and shipping details, check out, and you’re done! At an online ammo store, you can also shop at your own convenience, no matter the time of the day or how long you want to browse the product selections. There’s also no shame in deciding you don’t want to buy anything after all—a totally harmless but persistent issue that people who shop at physical stores usually encounter.

The only other potential friction point for those who are contemplating buying ammo online is the wait time. With how fast shipping and fulfillment services are being carried out these days, this has become a non-issue for most people. However, there’s still that gap between the time you order and the time your ammo arrives at your doorstep. If that’s a length of time you’re not willing to wait for, then buying ammo in person is likely the better option for you.

Buying ammo online and buying it at a physical store both have their pros and cons. However, with the many advantages of buying ammo online, it’s an option that is definitely worth exploring for anyone who needs a consistent supply of ammo.

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