Fear & Loading: How Old School Beat The Ammo Shortage

by
posted on October 31, 2017
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
murs-mike.jpg

Not long ago, in a store near you, ammunition vanished without a trace. Guns ran dry, ranges fell silent and the dark web filled with inventory-sniffing software—or so I’m told. There was nothing funny about it, although some of the fodder-finding “hacks” were entertaining.

I ran across one I hadn’t heard of before on a ham radio forum recently. Yes, many of those geeks with thick glasses, oversized mikes and electromagnetic personalities shoot when they’re not talking code—Morse and Q, not Linux or html, by the way. I won’t claim this approach is innovative, but it just goes to show old school still rules.

Most Walmarts connect employees/departments by two-way radios operating on the Multi-Use Radio System (MURS). No license is required, and the five VHF channels are ominously vacant in most areas of the country, making them ideal for close-range, reliable emergency communication should a dozen eggs on the dairy department floor begin cracking up passersby with off-color yolks.   

One radio operator, frustrated when he had nothing to feed his starving rifle during the shortage, started his mornings by pouring his morning java and heating up his radio to inquire, “Sporting goods, did we get any .22 rimfire in on last night’s truck?”

It worked—early and often. Unlike the modern approach, he also didn’t have to stay up until midnight to do an inventory check.

It’s all humorous and funny in hindsight, but don’t try this at home, or anywhere. You might claim you were just comingling with employees, but I’m pretty sure the FCC will find a way to fry your reputation, even if—as the ham radio operator explained—a legal, FCC-certified handheld radio was used when the clandestine mission took place.

Of course, it’s legal to listen in and radio traffic during buggy rodeos which offer tastier drama than reality TV. If you think parking at one of the stores during the holidays is a challenge, try navigating 200 cattywampus-wheeled shopping carts, single-file down a crowded parking lot, full of angry drivers in a hurry to get to the next bargain.       

Latest

Double Stack 1911 Web Main
Double Stack 1911 Web Main

A Guide To Double-Stack 1911s

The 2011 brings double-stack capacity and modular upgrades to the 1911 platform, but not every wide-body 1911 out there earns that name.

Legislators Enjoy Afternoon Of Clays With Benelli USA, Among Others

A bipartisan group of Maryland state legislators met with firearm industry manufacturers and representatives for a day of clays shooting while also attending discussions on the positive economic impacts of the shooting sports.

2025 Ammunition Product Of The Year: Winchester .21 Sharp

For continuing to innovate, particularly in a corner of the ammo world that has seen very little recently, we named the Winchester .21 Sharp as our Ammunition Product Of The Year.

Rifleman Review: Hammerli Arms Force B1

The Hammerli Arms Force B1 is one of the most versatile rimfire rifles on the market, providing room for accessories, allowing for a personal stock fit and even offering caliber-interchangeability.

New For 2025: CZ Scorpion 3+ Magpul Edition

CZ-USA has enhanced its Scorpion 3+ pistol-caliber carbine yet again with a slate of factory-installed Magpul components and accessories.

Summer Suppressor Deals On Now

Whether it is a BOGO deal from SIG or free tax stamps from Guns.com and Silencer Central, there's plenty of hearing-safe savings to be had this summer.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.