What I find a bit confusing is, why there continues to be a shortage?
Those of us who had maintained a stock, we're good to go. I added when I could last year at reasonable prices, but I haven't even come near using up what I already had. I'm not buying more at these prices.
Who's buying this all?
Those who didn't maintain a stock, are they suddenly willing to spend a couple grand to stock up, when they weren't willing to spend a couple hundred before?
Those who didn't even own a gun before, have they gone all-in and now want to be preppers?
I understand the run going into the election, but at this point I'd have figured everyone who was buying, would be done by now.
I think there are a lot of factors in play that add up to an overall shortage on the shelves at this point.
In no particular order, I think we are seeing...
Private resellers trying to cash in on the shortage.
The Chinese Death Flu plandemic slowing down manufacturing output.
New owners in buying mode that have no clue what prices used to be.
Current owners buying whatever they see at whatever price and feeling lucky to pay that (look at this forum and the number of people that one would think would know better and "feel lucky" to plop down 30-40 for range fodder)
Distributor or chain LGS hold back. This gets some argument because why would they do that? Because they see prices rising as well and know that slowly releasing stock will bring increased revenue and profits. But on Friday I was in a Dunham's Sports that had about 30 boxes of Remington green and yellow box ammo on the counter for 44.95/50 going untouched. It was 38 S&W with a big sign saying "not compatible with 38 special'. Now why Vista be making that round when they could make or retool for 9mm, .38/.357, .45 ACP?
Reduced gun shows. I go to every one that is somewhat local and have for years. There was one every week between 200 and 800 tables from the Bridge to the Ohio border. There are always 10-12 large volume sellers and another dozen or so smaller ones. In Michigan, the guns shows have been postponed for nearly a year due to our Oberfuhrer's mandates and are just now beginning to resume, but with lower capacity.
OTOH, when I went to a recent gun show, whatever you wanted in most any reasonable (less than 10,000 round) quantity was there for the price.
I think we just hit the perfect storm for silly prices and low counter availability. I am seeing some little relief, but depending on what the Congresscritters pass and Joe is told to sign, it may not get much, if any, better soon.
