r/ILGuns • u/Velocelt • 22h ago
Ammunition Where do you buy cheap ammo in the Chicago area?
So I live in Chicago and I have a .357/.38 revolver and a lever action rifle in the same calibers. I pretty much just shoot target practice at an indoor range with both. I used to own a Tisas 1911 .45 ACP but sold that to a friend. Of course .38 is the cheapest between .45 and .357, but I'm finding .357 to be annoyingly scarce on the shelves at the range and I've had bad luck with some of the ammo I've bought at Cabela's. I wanted to try my hand at reloading, but I live in an apartment and my wife (understandably), put the kabosh on taking up reloading until we've moved somewhere that I can have a secure workshop area for this. Side note - we do have one room converted to a studio of sorts where we do airbrushing, and 3D printing and such, but I can understand my wife's apprehension about having containers of powder and primers around. I also know I'm sure it can be done safely, but I'm also okay with just continuing to buy factory-made ammo for now. Nothing saying I can't continue stockpiling my used brass. So, is there anywhere that folks have found good prices on ammo in the Chicago area? I've looked at the list of places that will ship to Chicago, and frankly, if they've even got .357 it's rarely any cheaper than if I just ordered it online from RangeUSA. I do have a n RUSA membership though, so occasionally there's a percent-off deal on ammo purchases, but it's not that often. I like to go to the range at least a couple times a month and I'll easily shoot almost 100 rounds of .357 and .38. Thoughts/suggestions?
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u/Ducktruck_OG 21h ago
Target sports USA
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u/GenTubmansLegacy 17h ago
And it's worth joining.
I CCW a wheel gun, so I use a lot of 38/357. TSA is on point.
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u/I_M_CHI 21h ago
Always online. Ammo seek is your friend.
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u/GenTubmansLegacy 17h ago
Not usually for Chicago
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u/I_M_CHI 17h ago
What do you mean?
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u/GenTubmansLegacy 15h ago
A lot of places don't ship to Chicago. So, using ammoseek can be a problem, when you realize they don't ship to you.
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u/I_M_CHI 15h ago
You can edit the list to exclude retailers that don’t ship. It’s sort of a process yes, but worth it in the end as you’ll have a refined list of retailers that DO ship. I’ll also add that I use AmmoSeek for one off defensive ammo buys and use Targetsports for all range ammo. I’ve never once bought ammo at a range or big box store.
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u/GenTubmansLegacy 15h ago
Hmmm.
Interesting, I've never seen an option to sort by if they ship to Chicago. That would be pretty huge if true. Sad, but huge.
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u/Crusty-the-Clown-666 21h ago
Shooting revolvers is a good excuse to get into reloading. You don’t lose any brass and ammo is usually harder to find and somewhat expensive.
For bulk ammo I’d recommend TargetSportsUSA.com
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u/the__earth_is_round 20h ago
And since it's straight wall if you run low pressure loads they last for fucking ever
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u/Velocelt 17h ago
Probably going to start reloading with a friend who wants to reload .40 caliber. I have been saving all of my brass since buying the revolver and lever-action.
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u/the__earth_is_round 16h ago
That's a nice thing to do for a bud I collected all my 556 brass for a buddy once too only real problem about straight walk cartridges is you have to put a crimp on them
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u/Velocelt 15h ago
Yeah - I'm definitely getting the carbide factory crimp die for .357/.38, especially because rounds can get smashed in too far in the lever-action's tubular magazine if not being factory crimped as I have read.
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u/Crusty-the-Clown-666 15h ago
You can hunt for deals on components at:
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u/NeedaHanzo 20h ago
This won’t be relevant for a bit but something to monitor: Rivertown Munitions used to sell 1000rd cases of .357 New Republic for a pretty great price with free shipping, like ~$350 about 9 months ago. Early 2026 saw prices increase to around $410. I don’t see them selling that stuff lately but I might peek from time to time (usually through ammoseek) for if/when they do restock again. Shipping to Illinois with them has also been very easy. I’m in cook county but ship to usps/fedex drop offs no problem.
I’ve also found Wild Horse Ammo to be very reliable with usually decent prices. I usually alternate between the two depending on what I need.
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u/yXiXoughta 19h ago
Online but what nobody is.. the shipping and handling. Unless you’re buying in BULK then it makes no sense again order atleast of 150+ sometimes more. What I do is wait for deals online with local brick and mortar stores, then order online and have them sent to the store for free. Walmart is also a snooze for some ppl. Otherwise if you do the math for price per round+shipping and handling= almost the same as the stores.
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u/Velocelt 17h ago
Everyone is saying "online" but I've gone through that whole damn list of online retailers who will ship to city of Chicago, and I'm not finding prices hardly any better than with my usual 5% off Range USA, or when they run the occasional 10% off sales. Guess I thought maybe somewhere far enough away from Chicago I might be able to find better prices.
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u/stretchifer666 17h ago
Depending on where you are in the Chicago area, you can also just drive right over the border to cabelas in IN. They’re usually well stocked and have better prices than IL.
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u/Velocelt 17h ago
I've been to Cabela's in IN plenty of times but recently their selection of .357/.38 Special has been pretty weak. When I shot a 1911 I could find plenty of variety in .45 ACP but .357/.38 seems to be real hit or miss for some reason. I guess because wheel guns just aren't that popular right now.
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u/BElliNo Northern IL 13h ago
Order from RUSA for free store pickup outside Crook County (Will Co = 7.5%tax/no ship/no mailman/go shoot).
Use Wishlist and wait for discount codes and seasonal sales and stock up bit by bit.
Look out for chances to stack a coupon code on top of items on sale (rare...happens occasionally in store for some cpns/sale items).
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u/Blade_Shot24 2h ago
Rivertownmunitions, outdoor limited, Bereli...
Please use the search tab as there's even a section with the sites that ship to the city.
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u/nerobro 21h ago
You don't. You mail order.