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Your thoughts on the current ammo shortage

11K views 69 replies 28 participants last post by  WendyZXZ 
#1 ·
I was just wondering what the fellow members thoughts are on the current ammo shortage, what caused it, how long will it last, etc... Of course any answers will just be speculation but I am starting to get concerned. I stocked up on any I use a while ago and I am still buying any that is available, even birdshot 12 and 20 gauge. It may not be available soon.
Not counting .22lr I have over 10,000 rounds that I use so it's not affecting me yet, but who knows what the future will bring.
 
#2 · (Edited)
I posted this on another shooting forum. This has been an issue for some time now, and with recent events not likely to improve much. I’m sorry that many Americans failed to “see the writing on the wall”! Many millions of Americans that are not prepared for any shortage....toilet paper immediately coming to mind! Food, water, medical essentials, dry goods (clothing, shoes/boots, toilet paper, ect., alternate energy source (wind/solar, ect.), ammunition/components, and a means to produce your families food. Check out the links below for a better understanding as to why you can’t find components and what to expect in the near future! memtb



 
#5 ·

U.S. imports of shelf-ready ammunition plunged 34% in the three months ended Aug. 31 compared to the same period in 2019, according to the most recent data from Chris Rogers of S&P Global Market Intelligence Panjiva.

Ammunition imports were impacted by Covid-19 shutdowns in Europe, particularly involving manufacturers in Spain, Italy and Eastern Europe, according to Mark Oliva, public affairs director for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the U.S. gun industry group.
 
#15 ·
Back in the 2012-13 shortage, I eventually saw many brands on the shelf that I was unfamiliar with, Perfecta being one of those. Since Covid was worldwide, foreign manufactured ammo isnt there to fill in the gap
 
#9 ·
There is a backlog of over $1 billion in ammo alone; assuming no issues with Democrats, it will be AT LEAST a year before things get caught up; same for the guns. Ruger has a backlog of $400,000,000 by themselves and now, with Remington firearms history and demand still growing, guns will also take a year or better.
 
#22 ·
I talked to a guy the other day complains about finding primers, he obviously hand loads. One of the Dem Super PAC guys is in on the group that bought Marlin I believe, as they buy stuff up, they tighten availability, and prices go up drastically. And I’m sure Covid is no help, it’s made distribution and warehousing slower too as staff has beer either furloughed or reduced.
 
#12 ·
Brilliant deduction.....

Stands to reason without anything to chamber, that fancy gun becomes a club. Foresight is always better than hindsight and learning how to reload properly and buying components is paramount to surviving the upcoming no ammo situation.

I don't go out and shoot willy nilly. I sight them in and put them away.... loaded. Might shoot my 22's but I have literally thousands of 22's, anyway. I bought them when they were cheap and plentiful. Not in boxes either, in bulk bricks.

Reminds me of the toilet paper fiasco in a way.
 
#13 ·
But... ammo IS being produced. No one’s stopped US manufacturers, wholesalers, truckers, retailers, or customers. They’re making as much as ever, apparently. We’re just buying more than they make. No Dem conspiracy, unless it’s to inspire us to buy more guns and ammo, and there’s nothing new about that.
 
#17 ·
You have that right. Plugs (and I will continue to call him by that name as I have no respect for the turd and never will).... has said he will impose a mandatory mask law whether by congress or by fiat but he will. next is the gun grab and then who knows. I wonder if gun owners will actually grow some or if they stay limp. Only time will tell I guess. Putting my money on a flaccid Weiner......... :(

It's Biden-Harris, not Harris-Biden but then I'm pretty sure it will wind up being Harris-Pelosi.
 
#20 ·
I had read articles similar to that above predicting the ammo shortage would deminish by mid 2021. BUT with the election of Biden / Harris and Biden's statement to put Beto in charge of guns. I don't see things getting any better in 2021 or maybe in 2022.

I have curtained practice to the shooting range for now. I was worried that if Trump was reelected the liberals would riot. With Biden appearing to win, the trouble has been minimal but the MAGA March had trouble start near sundown. I firmly believe there will be physical violence and we need to stay alert and prepared.

My wife and I reviewed possible escape routes out of our subdivision. These routes include going through those white aluminum fences, cutting through yards to reach a farmer's field and the road around it. I would rather have a plan I never need than need a plan I never had.
 
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#21 ·
I had read articles similar to that above predicting the ammo shortage would deminish by mid 2021. BUT with the election of Biden / Harris and Biden's statement to put Beto in charge of guns. I don't see things getting any better in 2021 or maybe in 2022.

I have curtained practice to the shooting range for now. I was worried that if Trump was reelected the liberals would riot. With Biden appearing to win, the trouble has been minimal but the MAGA March had trouble start near sundown. I firmly believe there will be physical violence and we need to stay alert and prepared.

My wife and I reviewed possible escape routes out of our subdivision. These routes include going through those white aluminum fences, cutting through yards to reach a farmer's field and the road around it. I would rather have a plan I never need than need a plan I never had.
Not one single state has certified their vote yet. If he is able to get positive results from his legal efforts there will be violence
 
#24 ·
The other thing that's happening is people are lining up at the big box stores, gun stores every morning of the ammo delivery (Ex. Mon, Wed, Fri at my nearby Academy) and buying everything they can and THEN re-selling it online at 25-50% mark-up.

Combination of a lot of things: political anxiety + regular hoarding instinct + record # of NEW gun owners + growing online re-sale market
 
#25 ·
The other thing that's happening is people are lining up at the big box stores, gun stores every morning of the ammo delivery (Ex. Mon, Wed, Fri at my nearby Academy) and buying everything they can and THEN re-selling it online at 25-50% mark-up.

Combination of a lot of things: political anxiety + regular hoarding instinct + record # of NEW gun owners + growing online re-sale market
Gee, I have around 5000 extra 223 rounds, wonder if I should sell them? Buck a round sounds reasonable.
 
#32 ·
I'm better situated than I was the last run on ammo. Still, I expect this one will last longer. Worse, If we lose the 2 remaining Senate seats in Georgia,it may be all over. Period. My unspent ammo money is going to WinRed to support the runoff in GA.
 
#34 ·
So, Wendy, does that mean we are going to need to learn to mix our own fulminate compounds and recycle primers? Or perhaps switch to flint? 😳. Seriously, I would not be surprised at a move to sharply limit or eliminate ammunition including components as a means to restrict usable firearms. If I recall there have been a few court cases indicating that ammunition limits may be a second amendment violation, but suspect those would take the long route to the Supreme Court.
 
#36 ·
The OP answered the question of why the ammo shortage at the end of his first post...

Not counting .22lr I have over 10,000 rounds that I use so it's not affecting me yet, but who knows what the future will bring.
Sometimes we are our own worse enemy. :)

I'm not condemning it, just making an observation of the current situation.

Fire arm sales were at record highs over the past 6 months and that surly impacted the availability of the common hand gun and semi auto rifle cartridges.

I reload and have several hundred rounds of each of the 20 different cartridges in my collection and have supplies to reload each several times over. Stocking primers and powder are my biggest concern. I cast for all of my hand gun bullets and all except the bottle neck cartridges in my rifle collection. Except, of course, for 22 rim fire. Probably have around 2000 of them on hand.

I noticed during the Obama years shortage that 17 rim fire was usually easier to find on the shelf than 22. Seriously considered buying a bolt action rifle in 17 HMR because of it but never did.

About the only silver lining I can see in the present situation is that if I want to downsize my collection, now is the time to do it.

John
 
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#39 ·
first and foremost. Firearms ammo manufacturers supple Government and US Law Enforcement first. My old agency where i served as range master I had a standard yearly order of 2,880.000 rounds of ammo ( handgun only) annually to train our over 3500 officers. WE mandated bi annual qualifications with 48 rounds per-course of fire per officer. Other agencies are much bigger and take lots of rounds for training and to equip the officers . Your must think of the shear volume of what is needed just to keep those who protect you trained and supplied.

then remember on top of that that the raw materials that are used to make the ammunition is mostly imported. Brass. Copper and especially LEAD mines and smelters have been closed by the hundreds because of the O'bamma EPA rules and regulations. The last lead mine closed in MO. back in 2013.

Now throw in the Covid 19 shutdown and workers staying home and not working for weeks on end . There you have the ammo shortage in a nut shell.

Ammo makers want to make ammo and sell it. But standard orders come first. Then take into account all the company mergers it suddenly becomes obvious civilian supplies are put on the back burner. and we in the sports shooting groups suffer. And no one cares but us.

Just my thoughts
 
#40 ·
Let's not forget that these companies also export their ammo to many other countries, militaries and law enforcement agencies; they are not going to jeopardize those foreign contracts and market share either.
 
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