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  #1  
Old 03-13-2013, 01:57 PM
pownal55 pownal55 is offline
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Default Why the shortage?

I can see why the Feds buying 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition would cause a shortage of ammo in certain calibers but why no 22 rimfires or reloading supplies?
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Old 03-13-2013, 02:03 PM
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1) panic buyers
2) manufacturing capacity devoted to gov't contracts
3) due to 1&2 above, a shortage of raw materials in the product pipeline.
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Old 03-13-2013, 02:03 PM
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Because everybody else is buying them up as soon as they hit the shelves.
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Old 03-13-2013, 02:06 PM
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Because the television, that's why. Blame the media. People stressing for no reason, not to be rude but I'm sure there are a lot of these "Doomsday people" on this forum. Lol
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Old 03-13-2013, 02:18 PM
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Went to the range this morning, staff offered to sell 50 rds 9 mm Federal 115 gr. FMJ for $11.99. Took him up on his offer.
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Old 03-13-2013, 03:08 PM
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Domsday?? Lets call it the survivalists. I'm sure after 9/11 the american people don't really feel so safe here. I was visiting the Nike missle bases as a kid before they were closed in the rural areas near the ocean. When they closed i figured we had something better protecting us. Well on 9/11 we all found out not even one armed fighter was on call 24/7. The rest is up to us. I hope to dig in, stay put till what ever happens blows over.
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Old 03-13-2013, 03:18 PM
gregintenn gregintenn is offline
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Herd mentality. Very few people think for themselves anymore. Same reason gold is $1500+ per ounce.

Another possibility is the fear of the dollar devaluation, urged on by the fed's unlimited printing of money. People may just want to invest in something they can hold in their hand instead of paper.
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Old 03-13-2013, 03:30 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NinemiLL View Post
Because the television, that's why. Blame the media. People stressing for no reason, not to be rude but I'm sure there are a lot of these "Doomsday people" on this forum. Lol
Howdy NinemiLL,
Not to be rude, but what are you calling "Doomsday people"?
People who buy and store in the event of things getting hard to come by?
Put me on that list.
If you aren't one, after getting caught with your pants down a couple of times it can make you one.
"It is always easier to deal with too much ammo as opposed to not enough."
Socrates or some other smart guy said that.
It will get better. Take advantage of it when it does.
Thanks
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Old 03-13-2013, 03:43 PM
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there is a very good explanation of this, some where on the net.Dont have time to look for it now.I read Marlin Owners and the Ruger owners Forums also.Not sure where I saw the link.the expanation was from a person in the ammo business.Synopsis as follows.Panic buying.Government contacts,that specify, when they order,all of the manufuctures capabilities must be used to fill that order.the government is stockpiling ,so you cant get ammo..I will find the link latter and post it
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Old 03-13-2013, 04:02 PM
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Originally Posted by NinemiLL View Post
Because the television, that's why. Blame the media. People stressing for no reason, not to be rude but I'm sure there are a lot of these "Doomsday people" on this forum. Lol
Nothing wrong with being well-prepared. Better than being ill-prepared.
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Old 03-13-2013, 04:15 PM
Steve in Vermont Steve in Vermont is offline
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I guess we've long forgotten the Boy Scout motto.
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Old 03-13-2013, 04:17 PM
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I guess we've long forgotten the Boy Scout motto.
What do you mean "we've"
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Old 03-13-2013, 04:25 PM
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The feds are buying it up because they plan to use it. Hopefully not against us, but that is one scenario that could very well happen should there be national civil unrest. Look at Katrina... even those on the side of the law were shooting at anything that crossed paths with them. I'm not hoarding but I have enough to defend myself should anything go wrong. Another reason there is much demand is because our dollar is losing value. There are items that will hold their value should shtf... ammo, food, cigarettes, alchohol, not so sure about precious metals as that won't feed a hungry stomach or fill a need, but those will become the new currency should our dollar fall.
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  #14  
Old 03-13-2013, 05:18 PM
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Originally Posted by BigBill View Post
Domsday?? Lets call it the survivalists.
It doesn't even have to be a survival issue, just a preparedness issue. Yesterday I took delivery of 12 five gallon food grade stackable water containers from The Ready Store. I spent a hour washing them and filling them up. I think it is unlikely that my city water will stop flowing today or tomorrow, or any other day but the truth is that I can't predict it. I have three small sons and a wife. If something happened where we didn't have running water, are my little ones responsible for getting their own water? No, *I* am responsible for providing it for them. I know this is my responsibility; I know it is possible that our usual dependable water supply is temporarily interrupted; I therefore conclude it is my duty to prepare for this event even if I deem it unlikely. Imagine my regret and shame if the day came when we needed that water but I had never prepared. I don't want to live with such regret as a possibility, so I choose instead to act.

Our next step is food. I want at least two weeks' food (for five people) on shelves in my house.

You can bet that ammunition was already on that list. I bought quite a lot of it in the summer of 2012, not because I thought I would need it, but because I simply thought it prudent to have it and I liked the price. It is my duty to defend my keep and I need ammo to do that.

If this mindset gets me labelled as alarmist, so be it. If the judgement of my friends and family is that I'm a kook, I'm okay with that. And if purchasing ammo to keep makes me a contributor to the current shortage, well, I'd apologize if I were sorry, but I need a reason to be sorry, and I just can't think of one. On the contrary! When I see no ammo on the shelves I congratulate myself for planning and acting on that plan.
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Old 03-13-2013, 05:20 PM
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Follow this link to get NRA's reference to National Shooting Sports Foundation explanation.
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Old 03-13-2013, 05:34 PM
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I don't think government contracts have anything to do with it. Despite all the sky-is-falling talk, those are multi-year, open ended contracts. DHS includes ICE, Border Patrol, Secret Service, and the Coast Guard. Figure a thousand rounds a year minimum per gun toter just for qualifications, plus another 200 boxcars full for the various training academies which are running schools full of eager newbies and you've got a lot of ammo. Nothing new. Besides, if DHS was planning for some kind of large scale uprising to put down, they wouldn't be buying pistol ammo.

The fact they're hollowpoints doesn't mean much, either. I carry a .45 and for quite a few years our practice ammo switched from ball to Ranger XST 230 grain HP, even though our issue was a different brand of HP. For some reason the Ranger was cheaper than ball those years.

The reason there isn't any .22 ammo is that everybody buys it as soon as it hits the shelf. Sheer panic. Eventually the market will be saturated - it will just take longer for .22s. Then a bunch of folks will be looking at a stack of ammo they won't shoot and a stack of credit card bills they can't pay.
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Old 03-13-2013, 06:40 PM
Steve in Vermont Steve in Vermont is offline
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What do you mean "we've"
Touché. Corrected to "some folks...".
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Old 03-13-2013, 07:21 PM
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People have been buying .22 just because they cannot get anything else. Also do not assume that all calibers of ammo are produced throughout the year. There is quite a lot of batch production.
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Old 03-13-2013, 07:36 PM
BlueOvalBandit BlueOvalBandit is offline
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Originally Posted by sigp220.45 View Post
The reason there isn't any .22 ammo is that everybody buys it as soon as it hits the shelf. Sheer panic. Eventually the market will be saturated - it will just take longer for .22s. Then a bunch of folks will be looking at a stack of ammo they won't shoot and a stack of credit card bills they can't pay.
This is exactly it. Government contracts have nothing to do with rimfire shortages, they are made on separate dedicated assembly lines that do not interchange to centerfire. People who normally by 1 or 2 boxes buy 30, which means shortage.
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Old 03-25-2013, 09:54 PM
steve griffith steve griffith is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pownal55 View Post
I can see why the Feds buying 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition would cause a shortage of ammo in certain calibers but why no 22 rimfires or reloading supplies?
the feds aren't buying 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition its the panic buying due to the misinformation coming from places like fox news and other organizations like them I would be interested in why the manufactures warehouses are suddenly empty tho
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Old 03-25-2013, 10:01 PM
steve griffith steve griffith is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 357-RevolverGuy View Post
The feds are buying it up because they plan to use it. Hopefully not against us, but that is one scenario that could very well happen should there be national civil unrest. Look at Katrina... even those on the side of the law were shooting at anything that crossed paths with them. I'm not hoarding but I have enough to defend myself should anything go wrong. Another reason there is much demand is because our dollar is losing value. There are items that will hold their value should shtf... ammo, food, cigarettes, alchohol, not so sure about precious metals as that won't feed a hungry stomach or fill a need, but those will become the new currency should our dollar fall.
dollar will never fall another untruth perpetuated by the likes of fox news those people are trying to cause widespread panic in an attempt to overthrow the government they should all be charged with treason and executed
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Old 03-25-2013, 10:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gregintenn View Post
Herd mentality. Very few people think for themselves anymore. Same reason gold is $1500+ per ounce.

Another possibility is the fear of the dollar devaluation, urged on by the fed's unlimited printing of money. People may just want to invest in something they can hold in their hand instead of paper.
In NY we KNOW that after 15 April 2014 all ammo will require a background check.

The background check must be done against state database that will match up you against what ammo you buy. It also likely will match you up against your handgun permit gun list.

If you buy too much ammo - undefined amount - the state police will pay your home a visit for an inspection.

ALSO ammo dealers may decrease in number and could limit purchases. Prices are SURE to go up.

I am anticipating at least what they are now or higher.

SO people in NY are rightly assuming if you don't get ammo now you may not get it. You will be rationed.
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Old 03-25-2013, 10:32 PM
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I'll try again from the National Shooting Sports Foundation:

Quote:
No manufacturer of either guns or ammunition has been ordered by the government to limit or alter its supply channels. All manufacturers are trying their best to catch up to this market, but it’s a simple matter of supply vs. demand.
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Old 03-25-2013, 10:43 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve O View Post
Went to the range this morning, staff offered to sell 50 rds 9 mm Federal 115 gr. FMJ for $11.99. Took him up on his offer.
Bless the range officer.
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Old 03-25-2013, 11:12 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 357-RevolverGuy View Post
Another reason there is much demand is because our dollar is losing value.
Quote:
Originally Posted by steve griffith View Post
dollar will never fall another untruth perpetuated by the likes of fox news those people are trying to cause widespread panic in an attempt to overthrow the government they should all be charged with treason and executed
He did not say the dollar was going to "fall."
He said it is losing purchasing power.
You must not be old enough to remember the days of 12% inflation during the Carter administration. That went right along with a 19% interest rate.

There is plenty of historical precedent for a failed economy based on hyper-inflation caused by deficit spending and "monetizing" the debt. That means cranking up the presses and printing money to cover it. Quantitative Easing and "stimulus spending" are other terms for the same thing.

I didn't get that from Fox News. I am not a fan of Fox, nor any other media outlet. I am glad, however, that you are not in charge of defining treason, or deciding who is executed.

Folks on this particular forum tend to dismiss posts such as yours immediately when they see the lack of basic punctuation and capitalization.
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Old 03-25-2013, 11:16 PM
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Default You don't hear

Besides exaggerated quantities you don't hear that the agencies that are buying ammunition have armed enforcement divisions that need as much training and qualification as police officers and about as often. Even Social Security has armed personnel. (Maybe that's not so unusual after all)
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Old 03-25-2013, 11:43 PM
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Earlier this year I went to a large gun show in Costa Mesa where several ammo suppliers normally have large booths. The show anticipated the demand correctly and had barricades set up and metered people into the ammo booths. I asked one of the show personnel how long the wait and she told me about three hours to buy three boxes.

I went to the same show over the weekend. The line for ammo was about five people and I got served in about four minutes. No 22 in bulk boxes but I saw plenty of specialty 22 for prices that preclude plinking. But everything else was available and this on the second day of the show albeit at prices somewhat higher than I'm use to paying.
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