Thread: Gun Ammunition at Highest Demand Ever

Gun Ammunition at Highest Demand Ever

Wednesday, September 23, 2009 2:55 PM

METAIRIE, La. -- Some bullet-makers are working around the clock and still can't keep up with the nation's demand for ammunition.

Shooting ranges, gun dealers and bullet manufacturers say they have never seen such a demand.

Bullets for sportsmen have been scarce for months. Some gun store owners and gun rights advocates say the demand is due to a fear that President Barack Obama and the Democratic-controlled Congress will pass antigun legislation.

The Obama administration has not proposed anything specific and the president recently signed a law allowing people to carry loaded guns in national parks.

The National Rifle Association says Americans usually buy about 7 billion rounds of ammo a year. That figure has jumped to about 9 billion in the past year.

http://www.newsmax.com/us/us_ammo_short ... 63808.html

We better hold onto our guns!

I know that http://www.hornady.com/ is adding on to their building.
Been checking in with them to see if they are taking any apps yet. I will be getting permanently laid off this coming Oct. 23. (yikes) from current employer.
If anyone has a prayer list, please put me on it for a better paying job.

LK

I have seen this trend first hand as I attend local gun shows and buy ammunition myself. There is a frightening undercurrent to all this and it's not just about the fear of anti gun legislation.

America Armed, but Ammo Running Low

Thursday, September 24, 2009 7:10 AM

NEW ORLEANS -- Bullet makers are working around the clock, seven days a week, and they still can't keep up with the nation's demand for ammunition.

Shooting ranges, gun dealers, and bullet manufacturers say they never have seen such shortages. Bullets, especially for handguns, have been scarce for months because gun enthusiasts are stocking up on ammo, in part because they fear President Barack Obama and the Democratic-controlled Congress will pass antigun legislation — even though nothing specific has been proposed and the president signed a law last month allowing people to carry loaded guns in national parks.

Gun sales spiked when it became clear Obama would be elected a year ago and purchases continued to rise during his first few months of office. The FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System reported that 6.1 million background checks for gun sales were issued from January to May, an increase of 25.6 percent from the same period the year before.

"That is going to cause an upswing in ammunition sales," said Larry Keane, senior vice president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a trade association representing about 5,000 members. "Without bullets, a gun is just a paper weight."

The shortage for sportsmen is different from the scarcity of ammo for some police forces earlier this year, a dearth fueled by an increase in ammo the military was using in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We are working overtime and still can't keep up with the demand," said Al Russo, spokesman for North Carolina-based Remington Arms Co., which makes bullets for rifles, handguns and shotguns. "We've had to add a fourth shift and go 24-7. It's a phenomenon that I have not seen before in my 30 years in the business."

Americans usually buy about 7 billion rounds of ammunition a year, according to the National Rifle Association. In the past year, that figure has jumped to about 9 billion rounds, said NRA spokeswoman Vickie Cieplak.

Jason Gregory, who manages Gretna Gun Works just outside of New Orleans, has been building his personal supply of ammunition for months. His goal is to have at least 1,000 rounds for each of his 25 weapons.

"I call it the Obama effect," said Gregory, 37, of Terrytown, La. "It always happens when the Democrats get in office. It happened with Clinton and Obama is even stronger for gun control. Ammunition will be the first step, so I'm stocking up while I can."

So far, neither the new administration nor Congress has been markedly antigun. Obama has said he respects Second Amendment rights, but favors "common sense" on gun laws. Still, worries about what could happen persist.

Demand has been so heavy that some Walmarts imposed on the amount of ammo customers can buy. The cutoff varies according to caliber and store location, but sometimes as little as one box — or 50 bullets — is allowed.

At Barnwood Arms in Ripon, Calif., sales manager Dallas Jett said some of the shortages have leveled off, but 45-caliber rounds are still hard to find.

"We've been in business for 32 years and I've been here for 10 and we've never seen anything like it," Jett said. "Coming out of Christmas everything started to dry up and it was that way all through the spring and summer.

Nationwide, distributors are scrambling to fill orders from retailers.

"We used to be able to order 50 or 60 cases and get them in three or four days easy," said Vic Grechniw of Florida Ammo Traders, a distributor in Tampa, Fla. "It was never an issue. Now you are really lucky if you can get one case a month. It just isn't there because the demand is way up."

A case contains 500 or 1,000 bullets.

At Jefferson Gun Outlet and Range in Metairie just west of New Orleans, owner Mike Mayer is worried that people are going to start buying by the case.

"If someone wants to shoot on the weekend, you have to worry about having the ammunition for them. And I know some people aren't buying to use it at the range. They're taking it home and hoarding it."

With demand, prices also have risen.

"Used to be gold, but now lead is the most expensive metal," said Donald Richards, 37, who was stocking up at the Jefferson store. "And worth every penny."

http://www.newsmax.com/us/us_ammo_short ... 64121.html