Being flexible with ammunition can help hunters work around shortages

So, you want to go hunting? That means, first, you’ll need a gun. Second, you will need ammunition.

Assuming you can pass a background check, obtaining a firearm is relatively easy. Getting ammo, however, can be harder. Shipments of ammunition boxes fly off the shelves of big box retail stores. Shortages abound.

Dr. Chad MacMillan, Edgar, co-owner of MacMillans Arms, Marathon City, recommends hunters wean themselves off of specialty ammo, especially if they are adverse to paying premium prices for bullets.

MacMillan, who specializes in selling tactical rifles, including AR-15s and AK-47s, said ammunition shortages are real, caused mostly by hoarding but also government policy, including a recent embargo of cheap Russian ammunition.

He said many hunters have “unrealistic expectations” when they think they can order specialty ammunition, such as Corelock silvertip bullets, without paying high prices.

MacMillan said many hunters want to use the ammo that their father or grandfather enjoyed but not wind up paying $85 for a box of 20 bullets.

The way around this dilemma, he said, is to learn to “zero in” rifles using standard ammunition. “It shoots fine,” he said.

MacMillan said there is a huge international industry that makes ammunition and that factories around the world are at “maximum capacity” making bullets. The world should be awash in ammunition, he said, but, since there is little profit in ammo, manufacturers have tried to upsell their product with specialty improvements. These niche bullets are prone to shortages, McMillan said.

The solution, he said, is for hunters to unlearn habits where they only shoot with specialty bullets.

“Hunters buy this ammunition because they are looking for that edge,” MacMillan said. “They tell me they only shoot Winchester or Remington. That has created a lot of bad shooting habits. The problem is that people are unwilling to change.”

McMillan said he will search the globe to get the ammunition people want without any quantity restrictions, but gets frustrated when hunters both get picky about their brand and type of ammunition while, at the same time, expect to pay dirt-cheap prices.

“The casual hunter is not willing to pay the higher price or change the ammo,” he said. “Hunters need to be more flexible.”

MacMillan said Wisconsin hunters don’t need special ammunition to bag a deer. Regular ammunition will work.

“Just sight in your rifle using generic ammunition,” he advised. “You’ll get your deer. I mean people have been shooting deer with regular ammunition for hundreds of years. They were successful shooting with a musket. If a musket works, standard ammo is going to work.”

MacMillan clarified that he is not against use of specialty ammunition. “It’s just not available,” he said.

MacMillan is all about leading edge firearms. His shop has a 3-D printer where he can print stainless steel and make his own firearms with parts he makes himself. He tries different powders in ammunition in order to adjust bullet speeds (he likes 2,860 feet per second).

The gun merchant said that hunters would be better off not investing in shooting hardware, but, instead, themselves. They need to be better shooters.

“The biggest improvement of firearms is the shooter,” he said “It’s all about safety. You can take firearms from the 1960s and do great. Put an advanced gun in the hands of a new shooter. You’ll have an accident. What most hunters need is range time rather than different ammo.”

MacMillan said hunters all over the world use standard ammunition to shoot animals. They have to, he said. They have no other option.

The store owner said American hunters face an ammunition shortage because there are so many varieties that are sold.

“It’s a problem you only have in a country of abundance,” he said.