Why there is an ammo shortage

[Joewisc]

There are widely circulated reports that the Dept. of Homeland Security and other government agencies have been quietly buying up massive quantities of ammo in recent months without explanation. Some think it's to quell civil unrest amid all the talk of insurrections down the road.

One report put the amount at 1.6 billion rounds in the past six months. I'd post a link but it's copyrighted. This is in addition to ammunition and ordnance purchased for military use in overseas wars.

While I understand gun owners are snapping up every bullet they can, I wonder whether the ammo makers gave precedence to the government in taking and filling orders. Could be the MAIN reason why there's little or no ammo out there.

 

[AABEN]

BHO Is a good reason!

 

[shocker]

Simpler explanation? For tax purposes, companies tightly control inventories in the 4th quarter. SHTF in late December, demand overwhelms supply, there is a time lag before production can catch up with demand.

 

[David LaPell]

I can tell you the ammo shortage is only going to get worse, much worse. If Cuomo here in NY gets his way and gets the background check for every ammo purchase and no online sales then the supply will dry up on everything. I plan on getting some ammo for my shotgun when I go out tomorrow, 16 gauge is pretty easy to buy and I plan on reloading everything except .22 Long Rifle. I will get more primers if possible too because not everyone around here reloads and they are in pretty decent supply, especially small pistol.
I have no idea why DHS is buying up so much ammo, I know our little department goes through untold thousands every year with qualifications, so maybe they are getting ahead of the curb, who knows. What I do know is DHS is buying hollowpoints, most departments I know used cheaper hardball for their qualifications so who knows, it could be routine or it could be more sinister, I won't elaborate or throw out guesses.
Ammo is the lifeblood of any gun, without it we have paperweights and clubs, many of us have been warning that this was coming and it was only a matter of time, it was one of the reasons in the last few years I went a lot deeper into reloading and casting. I intend to get a .30-30 soon and I plan on casting for that gun right along with my handguns.
I don't know where we are heading, it's not to anywhere good. I told the wife today I am seriously going to have to think about staying in NY but until I see what Obama is going to do executive order wise there is no sense worrying about moving to anywhere. If he decides to tax the heck out of ammunition it will be a moot point where you live and I think he knows that. Obama and Cuomo are not stupid although I think Cuomo would be happy for gun owners to leave, Obama will just be happy to inflict as much damage as possible monetary wise, Obamacare proved that a tax is constitutional and don't think for a second he won't use that ruling here.
I tell people to reload, and they better get the goods to do it soon. Between the threats of new laws and bans, ammo is disappearing faster than pizza at a weight watchers convention and when its gone, its going to be gone for some time.

 

[358156hp]

The Gov doesn't buy production ammo. They buy huge, matched lots of ammo, all the same loading per bid letting. It doesn't go through civilian channels, or warehouses.

 

[Joewisc]

I can tell you the ammo shortage is only going to get worse, much worse. If Cuomo here in NY gets his way and gets the background check for every ammo purchase and no online sales then the supply will dry up on everything. I plan on getting some ammo for my shotgun when I go out tomorrow, 16 gauge is pretty easy to buy and I plan on reloading everything except .22 Long Rifle. I will get more primers if possible too because not everyone around here reloads and they are in pretty decent supply, especially small pistol.
I have no idea why DHS is buying up so much ammo, I know our little department goes through untold thousands every year with qualifications, so maybe they are getting ahead of the curb, who knows. What I do know is DHS is buying hollowpoints, most departments I know used cheaper hardball for their qualifications so who knows, it could be routine or it could be more sinister, I won't elaborate or throw out guesses.
Ammo is the lifeblood of any gun, without it we have paperweights and clubs, many of us have been warning that this was coming and it was only a matter of time, it was one of the reasons in the last few years I went a lot deeper into reloading and casting. I intend to get a .30-30 soon and I plan on casting for that gun right along with my handguns.
I don't know where we are heading, it's not to anywhere good. I told the wife today I am seriously going to have to think about staying in NY but until I see what Obama is going to do executive order wise there is no sense worrying about moving to anywhere. If he decides to tax the heck out of ammunition it will be a moot point where you live and I think he knows that. Obama and Cuomo are not stupid although I think Cuomo would be happy for gun owners to leave, Obama will just be happy to inflict as much damage as possible monetary wise, Obamacare proved that a tax is constitutional and don't think for a second he won't use that ruling here.
I tell people to reload, and they better get the goods to do it soon. Between the threats of new laws and bans, ammo is disappearing faster than pizza at a weight watchers convention and when its gone, its going to be gone for some time.

Good points, David. But .22LR is in very short supply and you can't reload that. I bought the last brick at LGS today. Not many outlets in the rural area where I live and can't get on-line. Guess I'll be shooting less and complaining more.

 

[dfuller1989]

I have talked to both Walmart and Dicks Sporting Goods corporate offices today and both have told me that they have not ordered any ammo since the shooting at Sandy Hook. They said that they weren't either until they find out what obama is going to do. It could be a while. Same goes for rifles

 

[rburg]

Guess I'll be shooting less and complaining more.

That works for me!

Just to be clear about it, with the shortages we're seeing, Dicks and WalMart not ordering won't do much to the suppliers. They're cranking out all the ammo they can. What the buying surge did was empty the pipeline. All the supply chains did the obvious. They stepped up deliveries as orders were received. Its what they do for a living.

Keep in mind the factories are still operating, and probably putting in some OT when they can. So the pipelines are still getting ammo, just no where near enough to fill back up. If two big "takers" aren't ordering, its probably a good thing because the small guys will get their orders faster.

As I understand the 22 situation, WalMart is the only place that gets certain packs. The big example is Federal 550s. Everyone else gets Federal 525s. If you see a shooter with the 550s, he got them at walmart. If you see them at a gun show, someone went WallyWorld shopping to sell at a profit. I'd guess any ammo in the pipeline destined for WalMart will go there and be sold. Ammo isn't a dirty word out in the fly over country (where most of us live.) I'd think the Federal ammo factories have been listening to the news. If Walmart doesn't want anymore, the factory won't be packing or shipping 550s. The ammo is the same in 525s. No difference except walmart shoppers get 25 more shots per pack. The guys who work in scheduling will just bump the 550s until the situation stabilizes.

This isn't brain science. Factories do what is in their best interest. Our lowly American consumers have done that, too. Its why the shelves are empty. We bought it up at the "old" low price. The free market will soon establish a new price level, and it won't be lower.

 

[old&slow]

Total Panic Buying Mode !
Folks that normally buy a box or two of ammo a year are buying two or three cases..
P-Mags that normally go for $18 selling for $30 or more ,, limit two per customer. " If I get two , can my wife buy two also?"

I saw a 1000 rounds of 55 gr 5.56 on GB for $1200+ .. are you kidding me? AR lowers for $400 - $500 , are you crazy ?

During the last ammo shortage,, we got a skid of .22 ammo in the store.
A lady asked if there was a limit on it ,, told her No.
She put 10 bricks of .22 ammo in her cart.. With most people that's enough .22 to last them 5 years or more..

I've lived thru 2, or 3, ammo / reloading component shortages ,, I always try to stay a year ahead.. Two, depending on who gets elected.

 

[Jetpilot007]

It's a matter of time before BO places an exessive tax on ammo via the EPA.

This year I will definitely reload.

 

[MichiganScott]

I have talked to both Walmart and Dicks Sporting Goods corporate offices today and both have told me that they have not ordered any ammo since the shooting at Sandy Hook. They said that they weren't either until they find out what obama is going to do. It could be a while. Same goes for rifles

Odd. That's not the public disclosure that was given by WalMart around January 14. From World Net Daily;

"That information is inaccurate,” said Ashley Hardie, a spokeswoman located at Walmart’s corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Ark. WND then asked whether the retail chain is cutting back on orders of ammunition.

“No,” Hardie said. “We’re continuing to serve our customers as we have in the past. She said Walmart’s ammunition sales policy has not changed, even amid talk of gun-control legislation in Washington, D.C.

The uproar began when the InvestmentWatch blog posted a story headlined, “Breaking & confirmed: Walmart is not going to order any more ammo.”

 

[Metal Tiger Shootist]

Even for those of us that reload, the prices of components has gone way up. Forget the price most everything is out of stock anyway. Most of the powder and primers are Unobtanium. Most all of the on-line stores are "out of stock". Just try to find CCI small pistol primers out there.

My local gun shop got a shipment of Winchester small pistol primers in and were rationing them off to their "best" customers for 49.50 a box of a thousand!!!!! OMG you have got to be kidding. Some one just stop the madness.

 

[blujax01]

It's nothing more than an overly large draw in the pipeline. I buy a lot of bullets from Berry's. For the past few years delivery took 4 to 5 days. They're so backed up on orders now that the quoted delivery is 4 to 5 weeks.

As far as Uncle Sam's ammo purchase, the military was stockpiling in anticipation of the potential spending cuts that would have hit them if the vote hadn't backed us off the fiscal cliff.

It'll settle down.

 

[jtcarm]

I've been wondering how long it would take for MIB stories to surface.

I can hear the black helicopters circling!

 

[JRWnTN]

There are widely circulated reports that the Dept. of Homeland Security and other government agencies have been quietly buying up massive quantities of ammo in recent months without explanation. Some think it's to quell civil unrest amid all the talk of insurrections down the road.

One report put the amount at 1.6 billion rounds in the past six months. I'd post a link but it's copyrighted. This is in addition to ammunition and ordnance purchased for military use in overseas wars.

If you go behind the fear mongering stories, you'll find that most of the contracts are for several years. The annual amount of ammo isn't that huge.

One government agency's purchase seem huge, until you divide by the number of armed agents and realize it's only about 600 rounds a year for each. To a lot of shooters, buying that many JHPs seems odd, until you realize many agencies train and qualify with what they carry.

 

[War_Eagle]

What will prolong this frenzy is people paying these outrageous prices! If everyone would just stop the panic buying on ammo it would level out. Dealers are exploiting this situation to the max. It's time to hunker down and just wait it out.

 

[358156hp]

I'm wondering why the factories ssemingly haven't been shipping from their warehouse stock. Is Magpul all out of mags? Hornady out of bullets?

 

[blujax01]

They have been shipping as usual. I was in my LGS Friday during lunch hour. Dude comes out of the back with a shopping cart full of boxes of stuff to restock the shelves. He was being followed like the Pied Piper and as soon as something had a price tag applied and was placed on the shelf - it was gone. Lots of retired folks with nothing better to do than hang around the gun shop waiting for the delivery trucks...

Supply hasn't changed. DEMAND however, is another thing entirely...

 

[358156hp]

Makes sense... Then they go list 'em on the auctions for bingo money

 

[Dann Fassnacht]

I went to the Big5 store in Aberdeen (WA) yesterday to buy a few boxes of Remington 00 buckshot for my 12-gauge, and I was suprised to see all the ammo shelves FULL of ammo.