The Insider’s Gun And Ammo Buying System

By: John McAdams

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 Table Of Contents
1. Introduction

2. The Insider’s Gun And Ammo Buying System Explained

3. 9 Places Where You Can Almost Always Buy Guns, Ammo, And

Accessories, Even When Shelves Are Empty (Part 1)

4. 9 Places Where You Can Almost Always Buy Guns, Ammo, And

Accessories, Even When Shelves Are Empty (Part 2)

5. 3 Costly Mistakes To Avoid When Shopping For A New Firearm

 Introduction
Shopping for firearms and ammunition can be a frustrating and confusing process.
Unfortunately, making a purchase isn’t always a simple matter once you decide what you need.

Things get even more difficult during times of very high demand. What the heck do you do when
it seems like every retailer you investigate is completely sold out?

Fortunately, there are currently a very wide array of gun and ammo retailers out there. Not all
retailers are created equal though. Some places have markedly better prices and inventory than
others and customer experiences can vary wildly as well.

So, where is the best place to shop for guns and ammo?

What do you do when demand is high and inventory is low at most gun retailers?

How do you ensure you’re getting the best prices on whatever you’re shopping for?

Well, this E-Book is the perfect place to start.

First, I reveal the details of the Insider’s Gun And Ammo Buying System, which is my proven 7
step framework for finding the firearms, ammunition, and accessories I’m looking for.

Next, I share the 9 places I like to shop for firearms and ammunition. Between these various
resources, I’ve never had issues finding what I need, even when demand for guns and ammo is
extremely high.

Finally, I reveal the 3 costly mistakes most people make when shopping for a new firearm as well
as the often overlooked factors you need to take into consideration.

This E-Book is intended for use in conjunction with my previous E-Books: The Expert’s Guide To
Selecting The Best Caliber For Hunting Virtually Everything and the How To Choose The Best
Gun For Hunting Almost Anything. If you’re not quite sure what stuff is best suited for your
individual needs, then read those two books in detail for cartridge/gauge suggestions, specific
ammunition you should try out, and some proven recommendations for rifles, shotguns, and
scopes.

Once you do that, come back to this E-Book when you’re ready to actually shop for and purchase
the firearms and ammunition you need.

Ready to get started?

-John McAdams

© 2020 Big Game Hunting Adventures, LLC | All Rights Reserved 1

 The Insider’s Gun And Ammo Buying System
I originally developed this system for finding reasonably priced hunting and shooting gear during the great
ammo shortage of 2012-2013. This system allowed me to successfully navigate the worst ammo shortage in
history and I never had trouble finding the ammunition, firearms, or accessories (like magazines) I needed
after I implemented the system. I’ve continually refined the process in the intervening years and, if anything,
it works even better than it originally did. However, you need to keep a few things in mind.

First, this process can save you time and money in the long run, but it isn’t always easy and you’ll need to
put in the necessary effort on the front end to get it to work properly. Second, you can sometimes find some
great deals using this process, but that’s not a given. You will occasionally have to make a choice between
purchasing an item immediately at a slightly higher price, or wait to see if the price goes down.

Step 1: Determine in advance exactly what you’re looking for and decide when you need it. It can also be
helpful to identify a few acceptable alternatives that you’re willing to use if you cannot find what you want
on your ideal timeline. This is a vital part of the system, so don’t skip this step! Going shopping without a
clear idea of what you need is a surefire recipe for frustration and/or wasting money. If you need help
determining what you need, the Insider’s Guide To Selecting The Best Caliber For Hunting Almost
Anything, the second half of this E-Book, and the Firearms 101 Facebook Group are good places to start.

Step 2: Start shopping ASAP. If you wait too long to shop, then you run the risk of not being able to find
what you need or paying too much money for it. Go through the list of my recommended retailers contained
in the next two pages in the order that they’re presented. If you can’t find what you want, or are unhappy
with the listed price, then move onto the next recommended place to shop. To determine how reasonable a
price is, compare prices across the various retailers (including a few not listed here). Even if the item is out
of stock, most places will normally still list a price you can use as a point of reference. If a retailer raises their
price, they’ll usually do so after they get the item back in stock, so it’s common for some places to have
prices that are several weeks or months old you can use as a comparison.

Step 3: Keep checking back with those retailers on a regular basis. During normal times, I’ll check 2-3 times
a week. In times of extremely high demand, I’ll look daily or even twice a day in some cases. Make it part of
your routine. For instance, check prices and availability while you’re having a cup of coffee each morning or
while you’re on your lunch break. Regular and diligent searches will eventually strike gold, so keep it up!

Step 4: If a retailer has an email newsletter, sign up for it to receive updates on the arrival of new
inventory as well as any discounts or promotions they offer in the future.

Step 5: When you find a good deal on what you want, buy it! This is why it’s important to decide what you
want, when you need it, and how much you’re willing to pay ahead of time. If you do that, it should be a
simple and fast decision to make a purchase when you meet your preestablished criteria. Don’t mess around
and let an opportunity pass you by! Snatch up those deals as they appear.

Step 6: Look for coupon codes. This won’t work for every retailer, but do a quick Google search for coupon
codes before you complete your purchase (like “Brownell’s coupon codes” or “Natchez Shooters Supplies
coupon codes”). This can sometimes be a fast way to get free shipping or some other discount on your order.

Step 7: Stock up during the good times. When I find a reasonable deal for something I want, I’ll take
advantage of the opportunity, even if I don’t necessarily need it at that particular time. You don’t have to go
crazy, but I’ve found that it pays off in the long run to take a bunch of small steps in the right direction
during the good times instead of having to make a big decision under stress when times aren’t so good.

© 2020 Big Game Hunting Adventures, LLC | All Rights Reserved 2

 9 Places Where You Can Almost Always Buy Guns, Ammo,
And Accessories, Even When Shelves Are Empty (Part 1)

Lucky Gunner- This is always the first place I go to purchase ammunition: they have a great
selection of rifle, handgun, rimfire, and ammo, they ship orders really fast, and their prices are
always excellent. Additionally, unlike some other retailers, Lucky Gunner does a great job of
updating their inventory online and in real time. So, you never run the risk of purchasing something
and then finding out later that it’s not in stock. In fact, they guarantee shipment of anything listed
on their web site within 1 business day and will pay you $100 if that doesn’t happen. Note that their
focus is primarily on ammo, so I recommend shopping elsewhere for other things like firearms,
optics, and other accessories.

Brownell’s- Originally started as a supplier for gunsmiths, Brownell’s has dramatically expanded
their product line since then and they now sell a wide variety of ammunition, firearms, firearms
accessories, gun parts, tools, and almost anything else a shooter needs. They’re a great company
overall and also offer a unique and cool program: Brownell’s Edge. Basically, it’s like Amazon Prime
for guns, ammo, and shooting accessories. For $50 a year, you get unlimited free shipping on almost
all products (to include ammo). Ammunition is heavy, so it can be expensive to ship. At the same
time, it’s not uncommon for shipping to cost way more than the item itself for small, inexpensive
products like cleaning patches and certain tools.

In both cases, free shipping via Brownell’s Edge is a GREAT way to save money. Plus, Brownell’s will
also cover the shipping costs for items you want to return, which can give you peace of mind when
purchasing through their site. Don’t like something that you purchased? Just send it back for a full
refund. Finally, it’s usually pretty easy to find coupon codes for Brownell’s, which make their already
competitive prices even better. Coupon codes CAN be combined with Brownell’s Edge free shipping.
Here are a few coupon codes I’ve successfully used.

Palmetto State Armory- Another great source for ammunition, Palmetto State Armory also sells
some very good quality and reasonably priced entry level AR-15s. They focus primarily on bulk
ammunition in popular cartridges (9mm, .223, 7.62x39, .308, etc.), but the company also has a great
selection of ammo overall for target shooting, plinking, self-defense, and hunting. In fact, they’re
one of the first places I look for specialty ammunition or brands that can be tough to find elsewhere.
I’ll typically look on Lucky Gunner and Brownell’s for ammo first, but Palmetto State Armory is
always the next place I look if I can’t find what I’m searching for.

Sportsman’s Warehouse- We’ve talked a lot about buying ammo so far, but what about
firearms? Well, Sportsman’s Warehouse has a great selection of reasonably priced rifles, handguns,
and shotguns. Their online selection is so massive that the odds are good they’ll have what you’re
looking for. Sportsman’s Warehouse has 106 physical locations in 27 different states and they’ll ship
your new firearm to a store near you for free so you can pick it up. They also have a great selection of
ammo, optics, and other shooting and hunting accessories they can ship directly to your door.

© 2020 Big Game Hunting Adventures, LLC | All Rights Reserved 3

 9 Places Where You Can Almost Always Buy Guns, Ammo,
And Accessories, Even When Shelves Are Empty (Part 2)
Gallery Of Guns- Another fantastic option for firearm purchases, Gallery of Guns is the consumer
web site for Davidson’s Incorporated, a massive firearms wholesaler. Their inventory is so large that
it dwarfs even really big retailers like Sportsman’s Warehouse, Cabela’s, and Bass Pro. So, Gallery of
Guns is certainly worth checking out if you’re having a tough time finding exactly what you’re
looking for or want to see if you can find a better price on something. Their “Gun Genie” service
allows people to search for the exact firearm they’re interested in from the entire Davidson’s
inventory and provides instant quotes for that exact firearm from nearby gun dealers. Davidson’s
will then ship that firearm directly to one of the listed dealers for pick-up.

Aim Surplus- Just like their name says, Aim Surplus specializes in surplus firearms and
ammunition commonly associated with the military and/or police. They do offer other things, but
Aim Surplus is an especially nice place to shop for inexpensive bulk ammo, especially for stuff like
.223 Remington, 7.62x39, 7.62x54R, etc. They also offer very good deals from time to time on
eastern European and/or Soviet firearms and ammunition, surplus handguns from American law
enforcement agencies, and various AR and AK variants. The very nature of their products means
that inventory can be all over the place, but they’re worth checking into on a regular basis to see
what sort of deals they’re offering. This is a great place to get used older model Glocks at a discount!

CDNN Sports- This is probably the #1 retailer offering the best chance to save some serious money
on firearms, ammunition, optics or other shooting accessories that you’ve never heard of. Basically,
these guys are the Overstock.com of the firearms industry and this is where the big wholesalers send
products for liquidation they’re having trouble selling. To an even greater extent than Aim Surplus,
inventory at CDNN can be really erratic due to the nature of their business. However, they’re a
legitimate company working with other big brand names and you can absolutely find fantastic deals
with them. Sign up for their mailing list and browse their site regularly to see what sort of stuff is in
stock. If you do that, you stand a good chance of finding some absolute steals.

Natchez Shooters Supplies- Another good source for ammunition and shooting supplies, I don’t
like Natchez Shooters Supplies quite as much as any of the previous entries on this list, but I’ll
browse their selection if I’m having trouble finding what I want elsewhere. All things considered, I
think they’re a good supplement to other companies (especially when demand is very high), but are
almost never my first choice for purchasing ammunition.

Gun Broker- When all else fails, I turn to the secondary market. An online auction site, Gun
Broker is similar to eBay, but for guns and ammo. Lots of dealers list their inventory on Gun Broker
in order to reach a bigger potential customer base, so there are plenty of brand new firearms on Gun
Broker. The same goes for ammunition, optics, etc. At the same time, there are also lots of used
firearms for sale here as well and Gun Broker can be great for finding firearms that are no longer in
production. Most importantly, even at the height of the big gun and ammo shortage of 2012-2013,
you could always find really high demand stuff on Gun Broker like Glock handguns, ARs, 10+ round
magazines, .223 Remington ammo, .22 Long Rifle ammo, etc. That’s still the case, but those items
are priced accordingly. So, while you can almost always find things on Gun Broker that aren’t readily
available elsewhere, be prepared to pay through the nose for stuff that’s in very high demand.
© 2020 Big Game Hunting Adventures, LLC | All Rights Reserved 4
3 Costly Mistakes To Avoid When Buying A New Gun
Mistake #1: Focusing Too Much On Caliber
Far too many people get hung up on cartridge selection at the expense of other things. It’s an
easy trap to fall into and I’ve been guilty of this myself. After all, it’s such a fun discussion: is
the .270 Winchester better than the .30-06? What about the 7mm Remington Magnum vs the
.300 Winchester Magnum? Or the 6.5 Creedmoor vs anything else?

Yes, cartridge selection is extremely important. For instance, it’s illegal and impractical to hunt
most species of big game with a .22 Long Rifle. That said, try not to get down too far into the
weeds on the subject. Instead, you’ll be much better served by selecting a proven hunting
cartridge recommended for what you plan on hunting in the Insider’s Guide To Selecting The
Best Caliber For Hunting Almost Anything. After you do that, choose a great bullet for that
particular cartridge. This brings me to my next point.

Mistake #2: Neglecting Bullet Selection

Of all the gear you carry afield, the bullet is the thing that actually kills the animal you’re
hunting. Unfortunately, too many hunters look at the bullet as almost an afterthought and end
up using bullets poorly suited for the game they’re pursuing. That’s a BIG mistake.

For example, the 7mm Remington Magnum is a very popular and effective cartridge for
hunting all sorts of game (including elk and moose). However, that cartridge initially gained a
very bad reputation for wounding elk shortly after its introduction. Bad shot placement was
probably the cause of many of those wounded animals, but poor bullet selection undoubtedly
contributed to the situation as well.

Many of the bullets used at the time were too lightly constructed and would expand too rapidly
on shots at short to moderate range on game like elk when fired at 7mm Rem Mag velocities.
This resulted in terrible penetration and, especially when striking the shoulder, the bullet
would sometimes not even penetrate far enough to reach the vitals of the animal.

Fortunately, this problem has been corrected. With good quality bullets, the 7mm Remington
Magnum is now an outstanding cartridge for hunting all manner of big game. This example
should bring home the importance of bullet selection: a good cartridge like the 7mm Mag is
deadly with the right bullets. At the same time, I’d much rather hunt with a less powerful
cartridge using a premium bullet than a more powerful cartridge with a low-grade bullet.

Mistake #3: Believing That Shot Placement Is Everything

Yes, shot placement is extremely important. As the saying goes, a smaller bullet in the right
place is better than a bigger bullet in the wrong spot. However, good shot placement alone will
not kill an animal and should not be used as a reason or excuse to use an inappropriate
cartridge or bullet for hunting a certain species of game. Going back to the .22 Long Rifle
example: even with perfect shot placement, it’s not a good choice for big game hunting.

The best advice I can give you is not to go overboard in any one area at the expense of the
others. Select a proven cartridge, use a high quality bullet, and place your shots appropriately.
If you do that, you will get great results afield and consistently fill your tags.
© 2020 Big Game Hunting Adventures, LLC | All Rights Reserved 5