[1911crazy]

How could that be? Am I in the twilight zone?

From every type of ammo, to used and new brass, to primers, to powder, to bullets, to reloading dies, presses and parts for reloading dies. Every single caliber is out of stock. At the manufacturers sights nothing is in stock. How could the manufacturers shelves be empty? There not manufacturing anything to try to keep up with the demand? Reloading presses being sold out, every household has a reloading press?

How about your local gun shops do they offer guns and ammo or are they out of stock too?

How are they making money to survive? Are we headed to a stock market crash worst than in ‘29? Something is up. Are the manufacturers being told not to manufacture? Like the farmers are paid not to grow certain crops.

I,m not ranting, I’m confused

 

[tacticool]

I'm sure the government is buying most of the ammo being produced these days. Their order comes 1st. projectiles that would have been 3030 is being turned into 556. Same with brass and powder.
Plus the other day I was at a sporting goods looking for trout hooks and I overheard the 2 people behind the fifle counter say to each other that they had each grabbed a box of 223 for themselves before stocking the shelf with the days order. How much of that goes on around the country.

 

[redeemed]

My LGS had a good stock of most everything yesterday. He will however only sell 9mm .45 ammo if you buy the gun that goes with it. .22 other common calibers are fair game and marked up maybe 10%. Maybe it’s a regional thing for you.

 

[jim18611865]

Just picked up a gunbroker purchase at my LGS last Thursday. There is little ammo, no gun cleaning supplies, no powder. He did have one case of large rifle primers that he just got in. I should have bought them, but I don't really need those. I need powder. All the fishing supplies are wiped out too. He does have the usual hunting guns, and quite a few Glocks laying around.
I watched a few gunbroker auctions recently. A 100 pack of 20 ga. Winchesters went for $82. That is the Walmart ammo. Look at this.
8LB IMR 4895 Powder Keg IMR4895 - Reloading Supplies at GunBroker.com : 888699978

Jim

 

[hal copple]

While much of today's ammo components and cartridges are mass produced by machines, it still takes people to run the place. I have visited Hornady's plant in Nebraska, and every cartridge is hand inspected, and people monitor and operate the manufacturing process. These days, perhaps many of these same people are not at work because of the CV19 virus affecting them and their families, and the supply and shipping side of their business. And whatever ammo and component does make it to store shelves does't sit there long. I have been prehoading for years, and have enough components to last perhaps the rest of my life. But I still keep an eye out for components. I reload 14 different calibers, and shoot them all.

Just keep up the faith and it will get better.

All the best, and stay safe. NV

 

[BLikeYork]

I believe the Gov't has nothing to do with it as they get from another venue than civilian. Frankly, I think it is two things causing the shortage : new shooters buying up ammo in large amounts and us old shooters buying up everything we can get our hands on … Example, local rural king has a group of older men who are there almost every time I go...always at open ( Im toting a 100LB dog and go early to avoid human contact) these guys buy up everything 5.56,9m,357,ect .. I have seen mild shouting between them even as they paw for ammo … one of these gentlemen I have seen many times ..

we have a first guy to get there grabs everything going on thing working here I believe online and in stores .. nobody wants to be left sitting with less than 10k rds of anything ...

 

[TexasAC]

I believe the Gov't has nothing to do with it as they get from another venue than civilian. Frankly, I think it is two things causing the shortage : new shooters buying up ammo in large amounts and us old shooters buying up everything we can get our hands on … Example, local rural king has a group of older men who are there almost every time I go...always at open ( Im toting a 100LB dog and go early to avoid human contact) these guys buy up everything 5.56,9m,357,ect .. I have seen mild shouting between them even as they paw for ammo … one of these gentlemen I have seen many times ..

we have a first guy to get there grabs everything going on thing working here I believe online and in stores .. nobody wants to be left sitting with less than 10k rds of anything ...

10k that is interesting, thanks for sharing.

 

[jtq]

I'll admit, I had to look at the date on the OP to make sure this is a current thread.

I'm surprised, that anybody by now would be surprised by any of these shortages. I'm pretty sure we've had several of these threads since March 2020.

The reason's ...

1. Corona Virus outbreak approximately a year ago - caused an increase in demand for all things firearm related and caused all kinds of businesses to shut down or slow operations due to the virus. Everything, from raw materials production to distribution to manufacturing has been impacted.

2. George Floyd's death - caused protests/rioting across the country. This drove up demand for all things firearms.

3. Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden elected President - fear of gun control from the incoming administration caused an increase in demand for all things firearm related.

These shortages will be around for quite some time.

 

[Grandpas50AE]

jtq - I think you've pretty much hit it on the head; the perfect storm in 2020. Reduced production levels due to Covid, and fear of rioting, fear of new gun controls with many believing the election was corrupt (causes fear), and fear is a very powerful tool that the Left uses with vigor.

 

[tractor]

I originally posted the below in another thread here on this forum.

“Excess production capacity cost money, which the consumer eventually pay for. Most companies plan their production capacity based on annual and/or seasonal demand. Materials used to produce the product are typically not warehoused, as that cost money, but are designed to deliver JIT (just in time), not JIC (just in case) - few, if any, companies have this kind of surge capacity. Materials are delivered in time when needed using MRP or Materials Resource Planning theory and technique. This synchronizes materials arrival with labor, equipment and production space availability, thereby reducing cost of storage and optimizes existing production space and capacity. This is a delicate balance of consumer demand vs production capacity. It is thrown out of balance in times like these. If you want companies to have excess capacity waiting in the wings, then you’ll have to pay for it with much high ammo prices.”

The one point I didn’t add to the above is the impact of COVID-19 to the labor force. That impact is Significant. All manufacturing machinery requires labor to run, even computer controlled (CNC). Labor (a person) is required for QA; labor is required for accounting and shipping. Labor is one of the most significant factors in any manufacturing operation. Without people, operations slow down or stop. COVID-1, civil unrest and a new Dem administration are adding up to the Perfect Storm, driving firearm demand, even among anti-gunners, to new heights.

 

[roblectric]

Just curious about elsewhere. Are there no ammo factories outside the US? How are other countries doing?

 

[jtq]

I haven't paid very close attention, but isn't most of Europe pretty much like California where most everything is shut down.

For instance, while the US DJIA is at an all time high, I think the Euro-markets are still below what they were when the Corona Virus outbreak began.

 

[Poor_guy]

“These days, perhaps many of these same people are not at work because of the CV19 virus affecting them and their families.”

Why do people keep saying this? I have not known more than a person or two to be out of work in the last more than 4 or 5 months, due to the virus, where I work. Serious related question—are all these people really out sick where you all work? If not, we do we keep saying that everyone who works with guns and ammunition must be out sick because of the virus? I feel like it’s a knee jerk response, with really no factual basis.

 

[jtq]

Why do people keep saying this?

I think you may be misunderstanding the issue.

It isn't that people are sick with the Corona Virus (though there certainly are people so affected) and unable to work, rather it is their employment is restricted by either the government or the company they work for.

 

[jrgreene1968]

I watched a video the ceo of federal ammunition put out. He said they have not stopped, or even slowed down, that there making more ammo now than ever. He said the biggest problem causing the shortage, is there’s 7 million new gun owners, and the average new gun owner buys 2 boxes of ammo with gun. Which equates to 700 million extra rounds that that wasn’t needing to make a year ago. Of course the Covid, the rioting, the election, all that is causing the 7 million new gun owners.
I’ll be glad when this mess is over. I’m glad I stocked up after the last shortage.

 

[waktasz]

bullets, brass and powder are easy enough to get. Had to order a die last night and it did take checking a few sites but was able to find it. Primers are the major issue and that doesn't seem to be fixing itself any time soon.

 

[Poor_guy]

I think you may be misunderstanding the issue.

It isn't that people are sick with the Corona Virus (though there certainly are people so affected) and unable to work, rather it is their employment is restricted by either the government or the company they work for.

I see your point, so I’ll ask a more correct question then. Is that how it is at your workplace? Other than entertainment and restaurants, I don’t see all the expected restrictions and closures. Most places outside of that it’s pretty much business as usual. That’s how it is in DC, and VA. Obviously I may be wrong, but I just don’t see all these restrictions and closures for most manufacturers most places in the US.

 

[sevenL4]

I was in my LGS the other day and was told that the most popular ammo was not on the shelf because it is popular and customers bought it. His toilet paper shelf was also empty.

 

[nikerret]

Just curious about elsewhere. Are there no ammo factories outside the US? How are other countries doing?

I‘ve seen more Geco and Norma available, lately. Both are made outside the United States.

 

[jtq]

I see your point, so I’ll ask a more correct question then. Is that how it is at your workplace?

Most places outside of that is pretty much business as usual. That’s how it is in DC, and VA.

Well, I'm a government employee, as is my wife, as is my youngest daughter, and our paychecks have kept coming in.

My wife and daughter are school teachers, my wife has students in her classroom, my daughter has all of her students on-line. If your kid is schooling on-line, you're probably going to have a parent at home watching that kid. That parent may normally be at home, but chances are their kid at home for school has affected their work life.

My oldest daughter works for a financial firm, and while she has continued to work, it has been from home since April. Her work place, a very large firm, is nearly vacant on a daily basis. If they had to move tangible product, it would be very difficult for them. They can do most of their stuff electronically, so they are not affected as much.

Conversely, any place of business I go to in-person, has limited operations. From limiting the workforce for social distancing reasons, to limiting patrons inside the business for the same reason. Their capacity has been limited significantly by the Corona Virus, and much of those limitations have been government directed.

While following this thread, the radio news had a story about the USPS in Philadelphia, PA, where quick ship deliveries (next day or two day, whatever the USPS offers), are piled up with some still sitting there with ship dates dating back to early December. It is volume of shipped product vs the personnel available to ship it. The same holds true for firearm related stuff.

Realize it is really not just the ammunition plant that may be working full steam as mentioned above, though I'm sure there are manufacturers that have been affected, it is the entire supply chain is impacted by the virus, and the demand has increased exponentially that is causing these shortages. A lot like the toilet paper shortages. People aren't really using more toilet paper, but the virus impacted manufacturing, and then folks began panic buying compounding the problem.