I've been trying to get a handle on this current ammo shortage, maybe anticipate when things will return to normal and answer my own doubts about "do I have enough ammo in my own stash?" While researching the internet I uncovered a few relevent numbers that others might be interested in.

- Lake City has a manufacturing capacity of approximately 1.6 billion rounds of small arms ammo per year.
- Pre 2001 military requirement for 5.56 was 626 million rounds per year. In 2005 that was 1.35 billion. With draw down in Afghanistan we might anticipate a large excess manufacturing capacity at Lake City.
- The annual global output of small arms military ammunition is now estimated at between 10 and 14 billion rounds – approximately 33 million rounds a day. (This quote is from a 2006 document, and there's no explanation if this is just for military use.)
- 39% of ammo production is in the US.
- At least 76 countries produce small arms ammo.

I also stumbled on a couple of videos which are very interesting. The first is a tour of a CCI 22 rimfire plant. They produce 4,000,000 rounds a day! YouTube
And to put this current shortage into some perspective, here's a news report from 2009. And guess what - it's about the ammo shortage after the first President Obama election. YouTube

If you have any other ammo facts to add, please do so. I'll keep digging too.

Added: And here's the 2nd part of that CCI video. This one views more like an add for CCI, but still interesting. http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=EdNkf...%3DEdNkfTS0lOQ

Thanks Stebo, I will spend some time myself looking for information

__________________
Grover Oathkeeper

I think we got the perfect storm situation in the firearms world. The dreaded results of the election pumped up fear starting Nov. 7th, the holiday shopping season went into full swing Nov. 23rd, and then the Newtown shooting on Dec. 14 pushed the gun grabbers into a super-over-hyperdrive attack on the 2nd amendment. All of the above coupled with extended production shutdowns for the holidays at most major gunmaker and ammunition plants, and this is what we have. Since the King didnt EO a gun ban, and now it has to go to legislature, I am hoping things settle a little, and some stock can get back into stores soon. I miss shooting as I am afraid to use up my ammo ...

I remember the 09' ammo run. I was unprepared & stunned. I had two 550 round boxes of .22lr and 250 rounds of factory 9mm. I remember trying to make that ammo last. I told myself never again.

1. Over the years between panic induced ammo shortages, I bought a box of factory ammo here & there when I could. The stash is at my comfort point.

2. Thanks to Grover & Bill, I learned to reload. I stocked up on components. Now I have even more cushion to ride out a panic.

Was at the LGS today. I thought the display shelves were thinned out last week. Now, it's even worse. Last week they were still selling 1K cases of 9mm for ~$250. Now, there's a sign that states a 5 box limit per customer. The magazine department is basically empty of all popular magazines. Even the lesser quality mags that would normally get passed over are gone.

Unlike the last panic, there is always a line at checkout. It's unreal.

__________________
-John

My plan was to start reloading right after x-mas.....I can't find anything in stock supply wise and MD wants an AWB. If I could find the supplies I probably wouldn't be able to use what I loaded

I have a Hi Point 995 in Md right now, due to the confusion about what your state is going to do, it is coming home Easter. To be replaced with a single shot shotgun. The scary thing about the different government actions is if you loan a family member a gun for home protection and the government decides they are illegal you could lose it. That just sucks!

__________________
Grover Oathkeeper

It's getting bad. I've seen bills introduced that was to ban pump action shotguns, .22lr rifles with fixed tubes etc. What's next ban rubber band guns?

dont forget those dangerous bubble guns and cap pistols and the worse one of all, the finger assault weapon

There have been two kids, a 5 year old and one 6 year old suspended from school this week in MD for the horrible assault finger (separate incidents). It's really nuts.

Don't give them any ideas, or I will send all eight of my kids your way with their Assault Weapons style pose of fingers!

__________________
US Army 1997-2003

Okay, ammunition fun fact: In about 3-6 weeks, you will see the ammo situation get much, much better.

Have you any idea how many made a mad dash with their credit cards, and bought the hell out of everything in sight, whether or not they needed it or had a use for it?? Well, in the next 3-6 weeks, those credit card bills will be coming due.
And, for fun, let's say a guy bought a rifle at $1600 for a Sport. And, he bought 2,000 rounds of ammo, and he paid top dollar for it. Or, say he bought it, intending to sell it at mad profit, or to trade during the appocolypse. So, he's in for $4,000 give or take.
That equates to an average of $55 a MONTH in interest on that balance. So, in 2 months time he is in $110. And, quite quickly, you can see mathematically how the gun is going to stay home, because he can't find a buyer at that price. Well, he overbought ammo, intending to sell it and double his money. So where is that taking him?? In 1 month, 1/3 of his profits are GONE. (Remember, he's not able to sell said rifle to get the money back fast enough. So he's stuck with the rifle.) Now, all he can do is sell off the ammo, which is what he will do. And, he will sell of the 3 BCG's he bought, because he really does not need them as much as he needs this $55 a month monkey off his back. And the extra 20 Pmags??? Yep; they will be headed out the door at $15 a piece, just to get the credit card balance down..........
Because the $1600 for the rifle is costing him $20 a month in interest by itself, and he is stuck with that for a while- no matter what.

Good times coming...... if you have some CASH!!!!!

Red Devil....that sounds like what happened after the last gun crazyness, and I do hope and pray that you have nailed it. I am already seeing some prices come back down.
We had a gun show in Dodge City yesterday, lots of AR's for sale. They were not flying out the doors, they were barely moving. Reality price checks and market saturation I do beleive!!

__________________
Grover Oathkeeper

It's gonna settle down quickly this time Grover.
A big problem for the 'O' administration is the fact that so many of the new sales of firearms in the last 2 months were...... to their own constitutents, who do not like where they went with this whole mess.
I could not tell you how many folks around me who know me have been asking for all kinds of info and help; how to shoot well, and safely. What to buy, and why. Which firing ranges do I recommend. What is a fair price to pay.

My personal favorite??? A buddy said " My wife shot the shotgun I have years ago, and she did not like it. But she wants to try a pistol for self defense, and she is worried we would never get one."


"Will you take her and my daughter shooting to show them what is what?"
He's a bird hunter, pure birds and birds, and only birds. If you are dressed as a turkey, you would not make it within 30 yards of him. If you quacked when you broke into his house?? He'd light you up. He owns 3 shotguns. And he is not excited by black rifles, to say the least.
After 1 evening with the whole family at the range, he is now looking at multiple pistols, and he is thrilled that his daughter loves to shoot the 22 I brought to the range for them to try out.
Around here, it's a 5 minute drive to the pistol range, open until 10pm. But the skeet range is across the valley, 45 minutes away, and only open 'till 6pm.
They are going to wait a month or 2 until the stock comes back to the big stores, and the madness slows a bit. But they are renting at the range, and borrowing a couple from me when they go.

They're still flying off of the shelves in MD. We know we're about to lose them, sadly. I hope there's a grandfather clause, I bought mine and have only been able to shoot it once. I got it, put some rounds through it , then had x-mas to deal with, then we know the rest. I hope the ammo comes back soon, so I can at least have a few fun days.

Terrible boating incident in your near future; everything sank to the bottom.


Such a shame.........

I see if Senator Evil Sith lord from CA gets her way, well my evil back guns was soooooo evil I sure didn't want them in my house anymore so they went into the trash can and is in the landfill now.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it

I sold mine all yesterday at the gun show!!! but it is nice to talk about them and how they shot and what I would do to them IF I still had them.

__________________
Grover Oathkeeper

I've beenbuying a box of ammo every payday. It has gone up a couple of dollars a box but we can still get it.

Well- if every box is a 500 round box, you'll be about proper in a few months at this rate!!!!

Sen. Feinstick has never been the same since that house fell on her sister, and Dorothy ran off with those ruby slippers......

I knew the evil witch of the west wasnt from Kansas, I just knew it!!!

__________________
Grover Oathkeeper

I think another issue is that since Odumbo's reelection there are now twice as many gun owners as ever before and every day more continue to be added. It's not a coincidence that the NRA has doubled and will probably triple their membership numbers in the coming year. This has caused more demand. I visited the county sheriff office here in Charlotte last week to renew my ccw license and had never seen it as packed as I had that day. I waited over an hour and there was a line of people that went outside of the building for those who were getting pistol purchase permits. I had been over the years several times for change of address, but never before seen it like that. It's not just people grabbing up ammo, it's also new owners who are just starting to learn to shoot and building their stash. I don't think this is going to ease up anytime soon. If it does, it will be in 2014, or maybe after the next election.

__________________
Ephesians 6 (Armor of God)

I was taking all mine over to show a neighbor across the lake. I thought the lake bottom (we had a dam breach a few years ago),was froze nice and solid. Walked across just yesterday. Took the four wheeler and a wagon filled with all my guns. I hit a soft spot,must have been a spring under the frozen muck and I lost everything and barely was able to jump to safety,everything was sucked into the muck hole and sank just that quick. I had to lowcrawl to safety,I even lost my favorite shooting hat and a new pair of gloves. All I could see were mud bubbles gurgling to the surface and one muddy glove.

I also think this woke up a lot of "snoozin' sheep" that have been sitting on the fence thinking "it will never happen here", too. I know quite a few "sheep" that turned into "sheep-dog's" almost overnight. I've helped a ton of people get their CCW permits. Not to mention all the questions about a good handgun or rifle to own,shotgun or even all. Once again I think the "Sleeping Giant" is about to awaken and ask what the sam hill has happened to our fine country and the Constitution of the United States of Amercia.

As for the ammo shortage.

Where do you find some of the weapons that shoot this "odd ball" ammo still sitting on the shelf ? I've wondered around some GS's and haven't seen much of what I'd own if it did shoot some of that ammo. It's almost like going on a scavenger hunt just finding those odd weapons that match up to the left over ammo.

Good story but the DNR will fine you for the quad in the water.

Yeah if I had .243 or a 30-06 I would be set at my local WalMart.

What kind of odd ammo are you seeing? Natchez said they had a sale on ammo and I looked at it. They did have 22-250 listed, but I have never seen a 218 Bee, I know 204 Ruger is a newer caliber but there arent that many yet. The "sales" seem to be ammo that may have been sitting around for a long time. Or very specialized rifles that not many were made but Manufacturers pushed ammo makers into making some for.

__________________
Grover Oathkeeper

We pulled it out of the muck & mud,but no guns were to be found. Luckally my Quad is water proof so nothing leaked and the airbags slowly brought it back to the surface.

You hit the nail smack square on the head. That's some of the odd ball sitting around. Plenty of 12 guage though and I already have plenty of those. Nice HD loads that won't shoot the neighbors water heater or furnace.

And they have 22 shorts coming out the wazoo.

Kinda' like Madmax i too had an unfortunate accident involving
my entire firearms collection. I was on a freighter bound for Japan
to have it appraised. Heard there was a famous gun appraiser by
the name of Keepminethanku. Just as we we're passing over the
Marianas Trench we we're struck by a huge wave which washed
everything over board. I don't have much hope of finding them again
as it is almost 7 miles deep there and the pressure at the bottom
is a reported 15,000 psi.
Oh well, at least i can remember the good times i used to have
with them.

Chuck

__________________
They hold no Quarter

Since all this has been going on I am not shooting but spending my time reloading, I still have about 500-600 more cases to reload lol.
I will be all set when the crazy time is over

Yup! I'm building my reloading station today. Be stuffing shells very soon!

So how much is it going to cost you to set up a station? I have been tossing this thought around lately like a lot of people are.

I'll post some pics later. I'm going BASIC. Using an old end table and on top making a portable table top. So far $18 for a 2' x 4' sheet of oak plywood and $10 for polyurethane. It looks beautiful! Put 4 coats on the top yesterday. Today 3 on the bottom. The only thing that will be bolted to it is the press. I chose the Lee Challenger Breech Lock kit.

The cool thing will be if I need the room I'll just pick up the table top and slide it in the closet.

Zip...glad to see your moving along...yeah I am continuing to reload everything that I have, even though as I posted earlier I sold them all at a gunshow this past weekend. I kept all my magazines though, just in case I happen to find a rifle that someone has lost. I have some .308 rounds that are less than 1" low @ 300 yards. I am becoming a bigger fan of the Noslers and the Sierra's although they are a bit pricier. I also discovered that I can load everything that I used to have with 2 powders. CFE223 and Unique, while I am healing from my new hip surgery I plan on picking up 8lbs of the CFE and 4lbs of the Unique. You know for the guns I sold. Oh and Zip, my new rail and sights that I had put on my Sport, I sure miss that gun!!


See those cheap Thermold mags on the table, still going strong!! ;D

__________________
Grover Oathkeeper

I bet you do miss her! She's a mighty fine looking rifle. I'm sure the new owner will love her!

Like you I sold all my guns as well. I'm just reloading now for a friend who kept his. He's paying all component costs and some extra for my time. Just a few bucks for my troubles as its not a money making venture. All for fun!

Its a great skill to have, I feel that I can barter with my skill reloading.

__________________
Grover Oathkeeper

Opps ........ I didn't mean to walk all over Stebo's post.
I've re-posted under "Legal unregistered AR15" as a separate thread.

Good stuff flyer91 I have seen them recently, and wondered about the process of making them functional. You have peaked my interest, and now I have some research to do ...

Me too!!!!