Wilson Combat .45 ammunition (courtesy The Truth About Guns)

We’ve already written that, based on conversations with knowledgeable people in the industry, AR-15 rifles (and others) have basically sold out of the supply chain. I’m now here to bring you further distressing news. The last time there was a massive gun control push, rifles were first to go. Ammunition followed shortly thereafter. The ammo supply dried up and once it was gone it took years to recover. For a long time, as soon as ammo became available again it would be bought up by shooters stockpiling as much as they could get their hands on and we’d be back to square one. It looks like at least one ammunition company has taken notice of the trend and is putting their wares back “on allocation” . . .

Word comes to TTAG through our gun dealer contacts that industry giant Federal Ammunition has put all of their stock on allocation. That means gun stores can only get a certain number of rounds in a given time period, and that’s it. No more. One gun store we talked to told us the maximum number of rounds is two cases at this time.

In theory this should allow the maximum number of stores to at least keep a trickle of ammunition flowing no matter what happens. In practice what this will probably do is cause The Second Great Ammo Shortage to start up even sooner, and for artificial reasons. Even if people don’t run out and buy up all the 9mm they can carry, this will ensure that the ammo supply will eventually dwindle.

In short, there’s a bad moon on the rise. Again.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

107 COMMENTS

    • Now every brain dead idiot along with other brain dead retailers will start to hoard ammo and with every article such as this just added more fuel to the fire. Yup it starts here>>>>>>>>>>

      • Fear Porn Article . Un – named sources said be afraid ….. It’s Bullshit.
        Prices are too high , shooters are willing to wait.

    • Crap like this seriously makes me question the intentions of this publication. I’m not seeing a shortage of in-stock items, be them modern sporting rifles, magazines, ammunition – or anything else that’s relevant – at any of the retailers I typically give my business to, nor am I seeing a dramatic spike in pricing anywhere. Do companies like Federal throw you guys a bone to report nonsense like this? The headline stinks of clickbait, and is just the kind of garbage that adds fuel to ignorant idiots, Armslisters, and gun show boothers. Why not write articles telling folks to refrain from panic buying. There’s no real shortage. Stop creating one.

      • Yup , if you have such little amounts your an idiot , we could go thru two bans in a row and i would still shoot as normal and have plenty left behind. If your a serious shooter you should have years and years worth put away …. cant count on stores … be your own store

    • If someone throws an ammo scare party, but nobody shows up to horde it… did it really happen?

      We do this to ourselves. And if you are one of the guys that has more than a 2 year supply of .22 LR ammo in your closet, then you are contributing to the problem.

      If you are going to stock up, do it a box or two at a time (Box a month program!). More than that and it gets hard for the market to handle (please see .22 LR).

      • Agree. And anyone who feels they have to stock up now clearly didn’t learn the lesson of the last shortage. The lesson is “don’t shoot your reserve. If you do, then it’s not a reserve.”

        Personally, I’ve been going through more tennis balls than bullets lately.

      • But what if I bought that supply back in 2012, before the great drought?
        Wait, it’s a couple of bulk packs’ worth, not 2 years…carry on…

    • I don’t think so. Nick is not inflaming anything- just pointing out the trend that already began.

      If you were paying attention to the shortage that developed back – what three years ago? In my recollectoin it wasnt one blog or one writer or even the evilllll NRA that suddenly triggered a massive scare, it was just a gradual growing surge that naturally went along with all the new guns purchased.

      Think about when you started shooting- first you got the gun, then you realized after shooting for awhile, that if you were going to get halfway good, you needed practice- which means going to the range more than once or twice a year.

      People who are really into guns already have plenty on hand, but gradually they doubled up, knowing what had happened in past, was likely again- and they dont want to go dry, halfway through a year, if they are the typical goes to the range once a month, shoots 200-400 rounds in a couple guns to keep current.

      That all adds up, and I think its probably 70% of the real “surge” buying, new owners never shooting before, plus experienced owners who know to double up ahead-
      that plus the 25% maximimum- odd ball small booth sellers, in the gun-show cottage industry, plus your basic retired old farts sucking Walmart stock off the loading dock in order to make a couple hundred bucks a month to pad the Social Security check, that are accounting for the rest.

      Look, if the production and supply chain is set up, like most manufacturing businesses, to maximize profit by Just In Time inventory, then there is going to be shortages that develop right way, if people double up. If that continues, then it takes a longggg time to fill that doubled up again set of buyers, along with the massive wave of new buyers, who shortly after buying go- jeez, I am gonna need MUCH more than a couple hundred rounds to go to the range three months in a row…

      Look lets use a typical example- ok, dad grew up hunting, so he’s got his basic deer rifle that he still shoots, or wants to…maybe he’s got that duck or pheasant shotgun, and now the kids are old enough, he’s got them their first plinker- the Ruger 10/22. Maybe back after 9/11, or Beslan, or a scare in the neighborhood with some burglars, he got his first plastic defensive handgun- Glock 40. His buddies ragged him enough times that he finally broke down and bought a cheap AR for a truck gun, or for plinking while the kids hogged the 22. Mom finally realized why everyone else was having so much fun, and got an LC9. Grampa passed, and when they moved Gramma into the home, they found his old WW2 1911 and the 38 revolver he got Gramma for shooting shot rounds at the snakes out around the back porch in the summer…

      So, now you have 6 calibers- times a couple hundred rounds once a quarter, maybe shooting two guns once a month, max- if you buy 500 rounds for each caliber at Walmart, to save a few bucks and be ready to get a head so you dont have to buy the expensive stuff at the range store counter- just to take the kids and wife shooting for fun- maybe bring a new family friend, who has been wanting to try it out-
      why, you are up to 3000 rds on hand, for 6 guns, if you are the kind of normal frugal family who buys food at Costco to save money, by stocking up rather than go to Trader Joes and pay twice as month, twice a week, to feel good about yourself.

      That is solidly into OMG OMG OMG territory for the non-gun owner and panty-twisting Journolista who has never held one.. and until you get one to the range, and get their hands on a gun and get that big smile that happens 95% of the time when you do, they will NEVER hands on get it, or be able to do the math…
      (PS, you might have to help them with the math anyway, if they are a “communications major” )

      So, we have 22LR, 38 for the kids to shoot grammas old tauris revolver, 40 for dads glock, 45 for grampas gun found up in the attic in his footlocker, some 12 gauge for the wingmaster, some .270 for the Win-70… 6 times 500 is 3000 rounds, just to have some on hand next time you go to the ranch for a day, shooting each gun once a quarter, two different guns once a month.

      But OOOHHH! Thousands of rounds! scary!…you see how easy it is to look like a domestic terrorist with to the average non-gun owner who would be most happy to put the gun down when the mag is empty, call it a day, thinking thats all you need to do to stay proficient.

  3. The name says it all. Federal as in married to the Government contract. This was a mandate from Washington.

    • It would help if you would include your contact information with that comment.

      Unless you expect us to read your mind…

      • Honestly to import 9mm, 45 and .223, most people who use these are cheap and won’t pay the euro prices for them. Happy to oblige as I can create a good side business from my other import business, but won’t have many takers.

    • Technically this is absolutely correct – if misleading.

      I bought my Ruger SR556 Carbine on line and there was no background check required. I told the guy I wanted the gun, I sent him the money, he shipped the gun. Easy.

      Getting it out of the FFL he was required to ship it too, on the other hand – $25 transfer fee and full NICS check.

    • Better yet look on youtube and see the Director of the FBI in a deposition tell the panel that if you buy a gun online it gets shipped directly to you.

  8. It is NOT a non issue. There will be massive shortages ladting several years that will be worse than previous because there are more shooters that have entered the marketplace and those that go left out last time will be hording now

    • Or, those that got burned last time have spent the intervening time putting together a reasonable stockpile, and won’t feel the need to pay panic prices, resulting in a shorter cycle this time. Could go either way, and nobody will know which until it happens.

  9. By the way, Cabellas in Buda has a whole lot of 5.56 and fairly reasonable costs. A whole lot.
    Zero 7.62X39. Fortunately, I got in 1,000 pieces of brass yesterday. So…to the reloading bench Batman!

      • It’s decent stuff, and was selling at that price many places online, but some have already shifted their price up $50/case. Still a decent price, but I see the prices catching up with the supply. Luckily I have 2500 rounds already, and have reloading supplies to refresh them a couple times…

      • Federal was selling something similar- $314 for a thousand in a couple places, but I dont think the same load, fmj 55 gn, and checking Sportsmans Guide, which has been a reliable place to get good stuff at a discount, if you pay to be a member- is running out at higher prices for similar…

        Interesting that the similar Wolf steel case is only about 40 cheaper for 1000…cant use that stuff in most indoor ranges, nor is it worth saving for reloads.

        Thanks again for the tip, int19h- It will be interesting to see how it works out- Taiwan made, it says. I assume its new, since it doesnt say reman…I’ll be saving and bagging that brass, for when it makes sense to reload, too.

        • It is new. The rumor is that it’s made on the same Taiwan factory that produces ammo for the military (it is known that there was at least one US Army contract for ammo that was coming from Taiwan, so that may be it), since the round is clearly mil-spec in nature: cannelure, sealed boat-tail bullet, and sealed primer. It would also explain why it’s loaded to 5.56 pressures. Brass is good for sure; my reloader friend swears by it and picks it up whenever we go shooting together. I’ve seen people claim that its jacket is slightly thicker than mil-spec M193, which would reduce the fragmentation distance somewhat, but it should still be superior to M855 in that regard.

          One other thing that I like to stockpile when it’s available is Prvi 55gr ammo. The reason is that when you buy it in bulk, it comes in 20-round cardboard boxes grouped in 25-box packs sealed in thick transparent plastic film. So basically the packaging is waterproof unless you damage it. Last time AIM had it in stock, it was $320/1000rd.

          If you want as close to mil-spec M193 as possible, that would be IMI M193. They also make mil-spec M855. All this is noticeably more expensive, though, 38c/round and up. But it is in stock:

          http://www.imi-ammo.com/Items.aspx?hierId=M193&view=standard

          IMI also makes an awesome thing called Razor Core. It is basically a near-perfect Mk262 clone (77gr OTM). Also mil-spec sealed, and identical flight and terminal ballistics – so you’re getting match ammo that can keep for many years, and that will fragment like crazy the way neither M193 nor M855 will. At 65c/round, it’s a steal (genuine Black Hills Mk262 often goes for $1/rd and up). It seems to be exclusive to Widener’s:

          https://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=100001636

          Personally, I stockpile them in roughly 1:5 ratio – i.e. five M193-ish rounds (usually Wolf Gold, since that seems to be always available and gets the best sale prices; it was going for $270/1000 on Black Friday!) for every one Razor Core round.

        • Ah, outstanding info, int19h, cut and pasted to notes for later.

          See, newb readers and lurkers- you come to TTAG and learn something new every day…

  11. I have plenty of everything, thank you. I have since before Fearless Leader was re-elected.

    I didn’t participate in the 2013 panic and I won’t be participating in this one.

    Everyone should know better by now.

  12. I’m not surprised at all…even the online bulk suppliers I usually shop have been running out of the cheaper 5.56 I’ve been using and not getting replenished for many weeks now. Their remaining stock has been steadily increasing in price since then. I figured this would really catch hold after the SB shootings…it’s 2013 all over again.

  13. I won’t be particpating in any panic ammo buying. I made sure to stock up after the last shortage. So bring the ammo drought I care not personally.

  14. I made out reasonably well during the last ammo shortage as I shoot mostly Com-bloc calibers. I had only a little trouble finding 7.62X25 Tokarev and 9×18 Makarov online in the first few months. 7.62X54R was no problem, and 7.62×39 came back quickly.

  15. Well i have a reasonably good stock of ammo already, but if a drought comes I’ll get really good with my new 930 SPX

  16. Errrr, like the top comment, this only creates more hysteria. My local cabelas as of yesterday was packed to the gills with .223 and 5.56. More than I’ve ever seen them carry.

    • I haven’t really been seeing any evidence of the panic. Most online retailers are announcing delays in order processing/ shipping, but stock is ok and prices have only crept up 10%. Most online places I have looked still have stripped lowers, some even have then mm on sale. All popular handguns still have plenty of stock and good prices too.

      I think a lot of people learned their lesson last panic and I just don’t see it even near the scale of 2012-2013 yet.

      • I agree. I imagine some people might “top off” their supply. What I don’t see is a lot of people racing to their local gun stores or online distributors to purchase giant amounts of ammunition.

  17. This is irrational. The gun control push is all rhetorical. There will be no gun control legislation in the next year.

    Donald Trump is the biggest threat to our gun rights because one way or another he will put Hillary Clinton in the White House.

    • I try to remind myself we are still in the silly season, early in primaries… but I fear you may be correct, tdi…

      I like what Trump says, without the bluster. The problem is he scares the crap out of too many moderates, and if we lose them, we lose to HRC. Lets face it- the no nothing or rabid D voter will vote for anyone with a D, everytime, no matter what- its their religion.

      Then there are the perfectly rational voters, who will vote for HRC “just because we need the first woman president”. These are SJWs who learn their politics on Kim Kardashians twitter feed, or the bitter feminists v1, who are still pissed about the ERA not passing 30 years ago.

      So, they dont care if they are voting for a good president, they just need to vote for the first woman president. Doesnt matter that she would be the first, most incompetent, dishonest, corrupt and venal, possibly Borderline Personality Disorder with creeping Alzheimers President-

      its good enough she has a vajayjay…

      Me, I am hoping Trump truly steps in it- and Rubio of Gang of 8 infamy has dropped out, leaving it up to Cruz, or Carson to bring it home. Cruz/Fiorina would REALLY highlight the contrast woman-wise, but she makes too much common sense, I guess for those women voters, above, to vote for, or something…

    • I disagree with your pessimism. The democrats I know are scared. Hillary is a weak candidate and her appeal rests on her being a Democrat and a woman. Well, she’s old, so young people don’t like her, Republican women hate her, most men know not to vote for her, and the voters are burned out after so many years of Obama and his failed policies.

      Trump, for all of his bombast, would mock her experience at every turn, and it would work.

  18. Glad I have been doing the slow and steady approach to building my ammo mountain for years. It is not large enough to brag about on the internet but it is sufficient for my needs. Please people, resist the urge to pay inflated ammo prices. If enough people pay the higher price the higher price will become the normal price and that will suck.

  19. With all the new gun sales around Black Friday we have so many new shooters sucking on the supply too, not hard to figure. Maybe Mack (above) is correct that with all the government contracts that Federal is being coerced here. This administration; nothing surprises me anymore.

    Avoid the panic and stand guard for your families and liberty.

  20. Interesting. I just got back from Academy (W. Texas) and they had great stock. So has my LGS (Central TX) lately. The only real drought has been the ever thin supply of 22lr. Even deer ammo hasn’t gotten as low as last season.

  21. Unless people shot through their previous stockpile from the previous ammo shortage, I doubt we will be seeing some huge shortage again.

  22. OK about Federal, but this is the first I’ve heard of another “panic”. Ammo is readily available. XM193 or equivalent is 30 cents per round and stable. Why would you post something like this? I mean, clickbait much? Do you own an ammo store?

  23. my supplier of choice (www.freedommunitions.com) has everything in stock and is still running daily sales.

  24. Obummer probably ordered in a few Billion more rounds of “Citizen Destroy” ammo for the IRS, EPA, BLM, all the TLA bureaus for when he declares martial law right before the election, which would naturally cause a shortage with Federal. Are we all destined to become enemies of the Obummer Sharia state?

  28. If it were all the ammo we could carry demand would be one thing now its more like how much you van put on the forklift

  29. Stop posting about a shortage. The ammo cases are as full as Ive ever seen them and posting articles like this are misleading and will cause a fake panic. Just stop. These articles get reposted on forums and people take them for gospel and run out and clear out all the shelves. Im set for awhile but I still like picking up 5 boxes of Tula or a box of 45 or 9 when Im forced to stop at Wallyworld.

    • +223 + 762 + 308. I can’t tell you how many times I stumble across threads on forums like AR15.com and others, all loaded with titles like “Did you guys hear about the new shortage?” or whatever, with a link to junk like this article. And each of these threads has 50+ posts with people arguing back and forth. Even the folks arguing AGAINST panic buying devolve into Huckleberries, later posting something like “Well, just in case, I bought a couple thousand more rounds. There’s no such thing as too much ammo, am I right? Just don’t tell the wife!”

      Stop it, TTAG. Plain and simple. Stop it.

  32. The ammo shelves @ Dicks in the northern Philadelphia, PA suburbs are full with plenty of .223/5.56, 9 mm & .45 auto, with some even on sale.

    Must be happening somewhere else.

  33. I want to know about this AR shortage…? There was a WALL FULL of AR rifles…new and used…in my LGS today when I was there. Considering everyone in the US that wanted one bought it right after Newtown, who is buying them now? More hype as usual…

    • The prices online have spiked, indicating some demand. Palmetto State Armory has sold out of prett much everything too, so you’re limited on builds.

  34. Calm down everyone, stay here while I go to the Walmart to reconnoiter the situation.

    Don’t follow me. I don’t need help carrying anything.

  35. The online store I get everything at has sold out of everything good. I was worried this was the case. Don’t want to shop at Cabelas were everything is over x2 as much.

  36. How come the answer to Mass shootings,Is banning Guns….
    But Banning Muslims isnt the answer to Terror attacks?

  37. Crap like this seriously makes me question the intentions of this publication. I’m not seeing a shortage of in-stock items, be them modern sporting rifles, magazines, ammunition – or anything else that’s relevant – at any of the retailers I typically give my business to, nor am I seeing a dramatic spike in pricing anywhere. Do companies like Federal throw you guys a bone to report nonsense like this? The headline stinks of clickbait, and is just the kind of garbage that adds fuel to ignorant idiots, greedy Armslisters, and gun show boothers. Why not write articles telling folks to refrain from panic buying. There’s no real shortage. Stop creating one

    • oh, puhleezzzz lighten up, Dave…

      If there is so much out there, as everyone says, then what is one little blog gonna do- you sound vaguely distrurbed son… are you paranoid that Nick Leghorn is single-handedly going to turn every gun owner into a shambling “gotta have it” ammo zombie?

      Methinks the lady doth protest too much…

  38. THERE WILL BE A PANIC! No. Wait. There was no panic. MAYBE NOW THERE WILL BE A PANIC. Nope. Still no panic. GOD DAMN YOU PEOPLE WHEN THE SELF APPOINTED GUN PRESS TELLS YOU TO PANIC, YOU PANIC BECAUSE THOSE OF US WITH A BLOG AND A VAGUELY TACTICAL VEST SAID SO.

    • Can’t stop laughing. Well played, Steve.

      The chicken littles here at TTAG haven’t been right the half-dozen or so times they’ve predicted a looming shortage this year. They might well be right this time, but we’re well into “boy who cried wolf” territory by now, aren’t we?

  39. I’m only feeding a shotgun-I do need more slugs. Who said Cabelas was 2x over online? Nonsense…it looked pretty full and all the sale prices still applied…

  41. I’ve been buying the stuff I want to collect over the past two years. I’ve spent a lot more money than I should, but I have a lot of stuff that was on my wish list. Once I bought the tools to make AKs and parts kits, I’ve been going crazy buying whats available before it’s gone. I need the receivers and then I can get after it.

  42. This article is patently false and is only serving to spread panic. I have been hearing these rumors, so went by my local FFL today, who is also a close friend. He got on the computer to his wholesalers, and AR type rifles from many different manufacturers were numerous and readily available. He did say some ammo was getting tight, but again, still readily available. When I read stories that there are no ARs at wholesalers nation wide, I have to wonder where this comes from…

    • My guess is there may be some shortages of best quality ARs happening. The people who have money to spend, can buy on impulse, or speed up a planned purchase that they have been researching- so the Wilson Combat AR that I thought was the genesis of the comment, or the IWI TAVORs being sold out – would be examples of that upper end demand.

      People that DONT have a lot of extra discretionary income, arent going to build or buy a lower end AR, and since there are lots more of those, numbers wise- sitting on shelves, you aren’t seeing shortages.

      I cant be sure but I am sure someone else with NSSF type info could check- my bet is the majority of new guns sold are to new gun owners- and most of those by far are hand-guns, still. Women, young and older- security moms finally deciding its time. That would parallel what happened and has been happening, per the stories we have been reading, the interest and articles by more women, the Women of the NRA, etc.

      The ReliablePartyOrgans dont want to talk about that, so you just dont see it- as it directly contradicts the false Narrative spread by the Bloomberg astoturfing sock-puppet Mommies Demanding Action, and the equally bogus Everytowners.

      But thats ok- most people in flyover country stopped caring what the left thought about guns years ago- the Silent Majority, they used to be called, that have voted in GOP and conservatives, from grass roots starting at dog-catcher, to state congresses and governors majority GOP, the House, the Senate….

      All thats left is POTUS, and you know the Left is going to double down and break every rule to win that- or watch 40 years of the march through the institution to permanently derail and defeat what used to be known simply as “socialism” until it was rebranded as “progressivism” to cover its marxist multi-culti, transnational globalism baloney, recycled from Woodrow Wilson, the Euroleft slime who admired Hitler in the UK in the 30s, and the Frankfurt school in- it hasnt worked in the EU, and it wont work here- it just takes a lot of time and a lot of pain to make it obvious to the ignorant…darwins law rules as to who survives the liberal plantation, is the only benefit of that decline, I suppose.

  43. There’s no further education to be had in the second kick of a mule… I have a nice bank of ammo after the last time the gun herd got spooked.

  44. I mean, I just bought 600 rounds of 45 ACP for 33 cents a round at our local Academy. They’re still hurting on .22, just the pricey match stuff. They had 9mm but it was pricey and I’m sitting at a few thousand rounds already there so eh. I may order another 1k with my christmas bonus from work, dunno.

    • yeah that and .270 was never out of stock, when everything else was taken at Walmart. I’m good, still plenty for deer season and hogs, with Riflemans Rifle.

      Now, if I can only get Dyspeptic to build me a .270 semi-auto AR with 0.5 MOA,
      that weighs under 6 pounds with scope, I’d be all set for my next gun.
      Oh, yeah it has to slice and dice and catch fish, too.

  47. Speaking as somebody who’s online orders this past year likely caused my UPS delivery man to dread delivering to my address… (yawn)

  48. False flag much?

    “It” hasn’t begun, and “it” doesn’t mean what you think it means.

    There has been an AR platform surplus since summer of ’15, hence the sub $500 pricing on entry level and even some flat top models. Black Friday deals aggressively pushed AR platform guns and by all accounts met with sales success. I just checked online ; 12 Dec. at 0830. 2 well known gun and parts vendors, high end ARs –in stock– entry level ARs –in stock–, ammunition also in stock, prices not inflated.

    So what if you have a LGS or box store reporting out of whatever widget you’re looking for? Ever had a gun salesman tell you ‘buy it now, ATF is going to ban them any day now” or “better hurry before Congress passes ” ? In context, you just had the busiest Black Friday for gun purchases, E V E R . Now you’re fanning the panic flames proclaiming “shortage! Run out and buy yours while you still can!”

    So all of Federal’s stock is “on allocation”, eh? Allocation means diverted; ostensibly to fulfill contracts of commitments like those large billion round Fatherland Security procurements we love to tear into. But the numbers don’t necessarily add up. You will have difficulty getting numbers out of them. The reason is that in all likelihood they actually have more ammo than they need to fulfill all their contracts 1.5 times over and are at no risk of running short. Back in the ’08 – ’09 Crazy, after about 6 months of plain kooky prices, someone who alleged to have worked in a wholesale supply house snapped a picture that made its way to the internet, showing millions of loaded rounds, ready to be shot. After Russia decided to put the band back together, I started getting sales flyers with ominous headlines “Made in Ukraine – won’t last long” and “Russian made, imports to be banned”, some of them went as far as to put limits on the purchase amount. That didn’t last long, 2 flyers later the rationing was gone, the prices were the same.

    People in this business want to separate us from our money. Not always unethically, but they do have to stay in business.

    This site is called “The Truth About Guns”. Honestly it almost seems like you want there to be a panic so you can say “see, I told you there was a panic”. There is no such thing going on now, or starting.

  49. So…….All the people that have purchased firearms during the surge the last couple of months aren’t supposed to buy ammo to go with them? I live in ATK land (about twenty miles from the Federal plant in the Twin Cities area) and I had no trouble buying ammo except for .22 during the last supposed shortage. It seems the only people that run into problems are the guys who go to the range every weekend and blow through 5000 rounds in an hour. Maybe you should just cut back to every other weekend so the new gun owners can have a little fun too.

  51. Oh hell yes. I bought and bought after the panic ended from idiots that panicked before it ended. Now I’m weighed down with ammo which I can now convert to all the dollars those idiots lost by selling to me for 30% of what they paid. Capitalism, it works! And no, I don’t care about you. This is a competitive world. Compete!

  52. I loved when all the jack wagons went out and horded the evil 5.56 ‘armor piercing” ammo and were posting it for hundreds over actual cost….. then no ban and they got stuck with it….. I saw guys in dicks filling carts and running towards the checkout. Serves em right. The same thing is happening with the .22 ammo right now.

  53. Don’t listen to these fools! Every one better get em before the ban does! Obama is by stepping congress as we speak and will executive order gun and ammo bans into law before Christmas!!! Get it now today! Use your as many credit cards as you can! Forget the fact that the GOP controls both houses and a law has to be ratified by the legislature to be a real law!!!! That’s nonsense! Obama will simply ban via royal decree!!’ Forget the fact if he had such ability he would’ve done it now!!! The ATF is going to arbitrarily ban all FMJs too!!!! Better get em before the ban does!!!!

  54. What shortage are you guys harping on about? I ordered 5 cases of Gemtech 22 subsonic, and 5 cases of .223. My “supplier” has normal to low prices, and a shit ton in stock.

  55. Well, it’s happening again, just as I thought. Goodbye to 5.56, 7.62×39, 9×19, 45ACP, 308, 22LR… I knew it just had to happen, because we’d been too long without a panic and a shortage.

  56. THERE IS NO GENERAL AMMO SHORTAGE! THERE IS NO ALLOCATION WITH THE EXCEPTION, IN SOME CASES, OF .22LR! The entire premise of this article is false! All one has to do is listen to the earnings calls of Olin (OLN–Winchester), Vista Outdoor (VSTO–Federal, CCI, Speer, and Remington Outdoors and hear the CEO’s talk about the market and their results. These are all public or quasi-public, in the case of Remington, that have to generate results and meet analyst “expectations” every quarter. And they can’t lie or the CEO’s go to prison. Not to mention the fact that they have to make money. If they could make and sell more ammunition they would. Now, however, inventories are building at retail, wholesale and at factory warehouses.

    Having been in the business for decades, I know the folks at all of the above companies very well, along with Hornady, PMC, Sellier & Beloit, etc, etc. The ONLY ammo specs in short supply are .22 LR, simply because of demand and capacity constraints and M855 5.56 62 gr Green Tip because the Lake City Army manufacturing plant can’t produce enough surplus to sell to the civilian market because of significantly increased orders from the military. The .22LR machines and lines are running at full capacity 24/7. I’ve seen it in person and talked to all of the big players.

    The 22 LR ammo MAY be on allocation periodically from some manufacturers, but otherwise the “shortage” is still being driven by incredibly elevated consumer demand. Walk into any big box outdoor retailer (Cabela’s, Bass Pro, Gander, Sportsman’s Whse, Dick’s, etc) and you will find plenty of 9mm, 40, 45ACP, 223/5.56 (other than the M855), .308 along with all of the other rifle and handgun specs. Some may be out of stock in certain specs simply because in the mind of the retailer the season is over.

    So dear readers, don’t pay attention to this idiot. This is garbage and why he’s spewing it makes not sense to me. What he’s telling you is just not true. Go talk to your favorite gun shop or outdoor retailer and tell them what you want. With few exceptions they should be able to get it for you if they don’t have it.

  57. This made me get on wikiarms and buy another box of .22lr at $.06/rd it was a good deal. Thanks for the reminder.

  58. It’s not whether there is a ban or not. It is assumed that there will be a panic and subsequent run on existing ammo. That in turn will cause shortages and inflated prices. I fully expect the same exact thing to happen as before with gun control talk and new pending bills coming into play.

  59. I don’t know about other area’s in the country but here is what is going on in AZ since OCT 2015..This is ALL RETAIL – Sportsman’s Warehouse, Bass Pro Shops, Cabelas, Smaller independents, to which there are almost 200 between Phoenix and Tucson.
    22LR – few boxes once in a while – limit 1
    22Mag – found 1 box in 6 months – limit 1
    .40 cal – shelves empty except for reloads
    .45 ACP – Everyone has some, but not the variety there used to be..
    7.62×39 – Dryed up military rounds for us AK/SKS plinkers…can only find the hunting rounds, Federal, Winchester, 25$ Box stuff

    And as for reloading supply, I have to order ANY pistol powders from online, out of state, because no one has any! Also have to order small pistol primers because all stores are empty.

    The few boxes of 22lr and mag that do show up are at least triple usual price. 22mag cci is 20$ a box and 22lr Winchester is 15$ a box.

    We are the most firearm friendly state, with almost zero restrictions on anything, and ammo is almost gone. I have called Hornady, Federal, Winchester, asking about when they can get more units out to retailers, and all have stated there is no shortage, everything is fine.

    As usual what is reality and what is being published are two different things. I can tell you first hand that every gun store I have been in the last 9-12 months ( which is about 40-50) has at LEAST 50% of ammo wall empty and limits on what they do have. because they can’t get from the suppliers. If other states are sitting on normal stock, I would send it to AZ and you will get 2x retail price instantly.

    Military 7.62×51 – gone

    The one thing I CAN find in every store now is .50 BMG! And it has come down to 2.00 a round. Again, most states can’t have 50’s but we have quite a lot.

    I have been in the industry for almost 25 years, and enjoy my collection on a regular basis. In Arizona, there is MASSIVE ammo shortages!

Comments are closed.