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Stupid Question About Ammo

4K views 27 replies 16 participants last post by  brownie 
#1 ·
I still haven't figured this out. Why is ammo (especially handgun ammo) so hard to find and expensive? It's even hard to find reloading supplies.
 
#2 ·
Just about anything I say about this would get me : censored-slapped so I'll try to be nice.

With the current administration in power there is almost a certainty that there will be attacks on the second amendment to the constitution. There is also the knowledge that even if the second amendment stands, if they can control the ammunition they can achieve the same results.

People are stockpiling against that day.
 
#3 ·
The Obama administration aside, It's all about supply and demand. There is the perception by the public that firearms and ammunition are going to go up in price or become harder to find because of Government policies. It has become a self fullfilling prophesy. Increase sales has outpaced ammunition manufacturing capacities which has resulted in an increase in demand which makes availabilty of ammo even more difficult and so on and so on. The result is demands up and manufacturers can't keep up, thus higher prices and less ammo. It won't stop unless manufacturers can make more than is wanted or people slow down or stop buying huge amounts of ammunition.
 
#5 ·
Demand. Ammunition manufacturers have a finite manufacturing capacity. Even running at their maximum line capacity, they can not keep up with private demand. By the way, military operations demands are not a significant factor. The military ammo demands have been at roughly the same level for the last six years. Military production lines have not been expanded and are entirely capable of meeting military demands. Civilian lines, however, can not keep up with the demand increase since last fall, brought on by people hoarding ammo. Firearms manufacturers are having the same problem. And when production can not keep up with demand, those products become scarce and those that are available increase in price. A good example is the .380acp round. A non-military round that is in such short supply that it is almost impossible to find, at the moment.
 
#6 ·
I don't agree. Did you read the DOD report on ammo requirements of the US military? It said they under estimated the needs of the military for ammo.
Also .380 is made along the same lines as 9mm. Suppliers shifted production away from .380 to 9mm because it is the more popular round. Beretta just took a military 500K order for M9 9mm's in January. That's a a lot of 9MM ammo needed. Try to find a commercial M9 in a store. You won't. A regular 92fs yes, but not a branded M9.

It is supply & demand but the gov gets it 1st & then the private sector is left with the scraps to fight over & driving up prices as a result.
 
#9 ·
I don't agree. Did you read the DOD report on ammo requirements of the US military? It said they under estimated the needs of the military for ammo.
Also .380 is made along the same lines as 9mm. Suppliers shifted production away from .380 to 9mm because it is the more popular round. Beretta just took a military 500K order for M9 9mm's in January. That's a a lot of 9MM ammo needed. Try to find a commercial M9 in a store. You won't. A regular 92fs yes, but not a branded M9.

It is supply & demand but the gov gets it 1st & then the private sector is left with the scraps to fight over & driving up prices as a result.
Do you have a link to that story? If so, please post it.
 
#11 · (Edited)
Concerning the US Army contract for Beretta M9's, below is just one of the articles. The initial contract was for 25,403 pistols delivered between 2008 and 2010. And, the Beretta 92FS is the exact same weapon as the M9. The M9 is the Pentagon designation for the 92FS. Just as the M16 is the military designation for the AR-15.

http://frontierindia.net/beretta-awarded-multi-year-us-army-contract

Edit: In January 2009, Beretta announced the receipt of a contract for 240,000 M9's to be delivered to the U.S.. The time frame was not announced

As to the military ammunition issue. In 2004, the Pentagon identified a production shortfall for small arms ammunition. In 2001, the military used approximately 500 million rounds of 5.56mm ammo. In 2004, it used approximately 1.5 billion rounds. The Lake City Plant, the only operational U.S. military small arms ammunition plant at that time, produced only 1.2 billion rounds. In response to this, the Pentagon contracted with foreign suppliers, such as IMI in Israel to cover the short-term short fall and opened two more domestic plants. As I said, this was in 2004. Between 2005 and late 2008, there was no noticeable shortage of commercial 5.56mm, 7.62mm, 9mm, or 45acp. Nor was there a noticeable shortage of .380acp, .22lr or other non-military cartridges. All are now in short supply.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A4044-2004Jul21?language=printer



The current ammunition shortage began in the late fall of 2008. Coincidentally, commercial firearms and ammunition sales skyrocketed. Therefor, it is much more likely that the current shortage is directly tied to a combination of first time firearms purchases and stockpiling [hoarding] of ammunition by civilians. Though not assured, it is logical to assume, based upon the assumption that a majority of recent buyers will not be engaging in an excessive amount of shooting practice, the shortages should slowly reverse.

Just my assessment. Take it for what it is worth.
 
#19 ·
It will burst. Just as the housing / condo market burst, so will the ammo market. But by then, just as in the housing market, we'll all be "upside down" on our investments. That is, if it is a true supply and demand scenario. If not, we'll be needing that ammo and folks will be trying to steal it. God help us all if that happens.

Beers y'all,
Ken
 
#23 ·
Thanks for all the great answers. I have been a gun owner since I was 7 years old (now 39) and I have never had a problem purchasing ammo. In my twenties I used to reload my own ammo and would shoot from 250 to 500 rounds a week. I quit shooting completely for about 10 years and just recently got interested in shooting again and getting my concealed carry permit. I used to buy 500 rounds of brass and 1000 rounds of lead for around $30 each... now it is sky high. The above posts have educated me on what has happened. I will be glad when the bubble bursts and it becomes more affordable and attainable to shoot 250+ rounds a week again.
 
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