Where's the Ammo Hiding?

[Pat]

Stopped by the Maple Grove Walmart this afternoon, and all the pistol ammo shelves were bare.

So what's up? Anybody got a real clue as to why this ammo shortage seems to go on without end?

One would think that the hoarders would at some point become complacent.

[mnmike59]

Ive heard the biggest problem is the shortage of primers. I don't know but that could cause an issue.
Are primers made in a different location than the Ammo?

[Holland&Holland]

I figure it has to let up at some point. Even rimfire is getting tougher to find. I think no one wants to ramp up any production as they know the demand can't be sustained.

[mattxd]

I just got back from Fargo checked out both Scheelds and Sportsman I have never seen shelves that empty the entire pistol selection between both of them was some $36 25 cal, a few boxes of 9mm mac and a bunch of 41. Nether had any 22LR, 38, 40, 45 or 9mm par. they had good stock of center fire rifle and shotgun but prices were higher then the water.

[JFettig]

I just got back from Fargo checked out both Scheelds and Sportsman I have never seen shelves that empty the entire pistol selection between both of them was some $36 25 cal, a few boxes of 9mm mac and a bunch of 41. Nether had any 22LR, 38, 40, 45 or 9mm par. they had good stock of center fire rifle and shotgun but prices were higher then the water.

I hear the place to get ammo is the walmart in dillworth.

Primers are made in house at federal and I think at cci.
I'm not sure if that'd be the holdup though.

Jon

[Einthoven's Triangle]

You have to remember that Remington, Federal, CCI, Winchester are in the AMMO business, not the component business. So, then take into account that Federal and Rem are back stopping military efforts. The primer problem just did not happen folks. This has been building up....then take the tin foil crowd, hoarders, and the expansion of reloading as a hobby makes for a problem.

Where were you guys last year when LE agencies were making comments about their lack of training ammo?

This did not happen over night.

You can trace some of it back to Slick Willy! Closing TW Arsenal took away govt production capacity, that has to back stopped by commerical sources.....

[1911fan]

Yes and no ET.

Ammunition makers are in the business of making MONEY not just ammo and components. Remington might be making some LEO ammo but I never see Remmy stuff with surpls numbers on it. Secondly. Fed is not making much mil
spec at anoka to the best of my knowledge. That is coming from fed/ATK lake city. With demand going thru the roof and with both Leo and civilaian ammo supplies tight as a drum. Why did federal lay off about one hundred production people in the six month????

You may want to just call it a snag but something is up.

[EJSG19]

I think from the ammo manufacturer's side of the table, what they are doing doesn't necessarily seem wrong. I can understand them not wanting to hire on more people or run extra shifts to ramp up production. I'm sure they see the decline in demand coming too, just like we do. It costs a lot of money, not to mention the quality of your workforce to increase numbers of people, and decrease to try and follow the cycle of demand. We've watched banks do that and look where they are. (little different story, won't go into it here)

I can understand them thinking they don't want to be saddled with excess inventory when all the sudden people stop buying (or for the love of Bajeezus, the majority of us figure out that instead of paying $40/1000 primers, we can just wait until the panic dies and go back to $25/1000 or whatever the normal was). Keep paying those prices and things will take longer to improve. (assuming that these price increases are partly getting back to the factories, otherwise these reloading suppliers are just in hog heaven).

If I'm a business owner, I have no problem with every single unit I produce being sold and not sitting in a warehouse costing me money. Nothing says you have to increase production to that equilibrium between supply and demand. The ammo manufacturer's are currently in a pretty good situation, whether we agree with their policies or not.

Anywho, components and/or ammo being in short supply sucks, but its been that way for over a year now. .45acp is still $0.12 per round for me and that isn't something to necessarily complain about when store bought is $0.40 per round. Rifle is similar. If you are completely out of something then that really does bite.

[mnglocker]

Stopped by the Maple Grove Walmart this afternoon, and all the pistol ammo shelves were bare.

So what's up? Anybody got a real clue as to why this ammo shortage seems to go on without end?

One would think that the hoarders would at some point become complacent.

Mitch3x called me to inform me that he cleaned Maple Grove W*M out on Saturday.

Pat, you gotta rush, that or you need to get some supplies and come visit a few of us with blue presses.

[lenny7]

I'm going to start stocking up on these before they get scarce:

[Rev. Dead Corpse]

Elk River Wal-Mart is down to a few boxes of 7mm WinMag, .243 WSSM, and shotshells.

I picked up a 550 pack of .22lr when they had just restocked the shelf. Went back the next day and the other 9 boxes had sold out.

Gander Mountain over in Columbus south of Forest Lake had 50 BMG and shotshell primers only. BlackHills 55gr .223 was selling for almost a buck a round and they only had 3 boxes on the shelf.

No .45 ACP, 9mm, .357, or 10mm at all. They were even out of bullets in 9mm and .40 period. The price on .223 Speer is twice what I was paying for it just two years ago.

[Einthoven's Triangle]

Yes and no ET.

Ammunition makers are in the business of making MONEY not just ammo and components. Remington might be making some LEO ammo but I never see Remmy stuff with surpls numbers on it. Secondly. Fed is not making much mil
spec at anoka to the best of my knowledge. That is coming from fed/ATK lake city. With demand going thru the roof and with both Leo and civilaian ammo supplies tight as a drum. Why did federal lay off about one hundred production people in the six month????

You may want to just call it a snag but something is up.

NO 1911 they are in the AMMO business and that makes them money....just call and ask them.....and yeah there has been outsourcing of stuff to back stop Lake City....IMI, Rem, and Federal all have contributed along with Olin/Win....

[Einthoven's Triangle]

All the NOOB reloaders and some with experience just do not get.....prices are not going to go down......not going to happen.......if that were true then why is 223 ammo going sky high with drop commodities prices......For those with some what of memory remember in 94 with primer scare.....Bills was gouging big time like nearly double the price...I was paying in St. Cloud.........

A lot of places that wholesale components have stopped giving discounts on 5K sleeves of primers. And, a lot of suppliers only ship partial orders thus getting slammed with with haz mat and frt charge for 10K of primers makes for a stout cost.....

About a year ago Black Hills Shooters Supply quit carrying Federal Primers cause they were unable to get them in a reliable fashion.

And, this has been going on for a while! This is not new....I can remember being told to stock up on Fed 150 three years ago cause they becoming scarce.....and the same with Rem 7.5 primers..... This stuff is NOT NEW!

[JoeH]

One year ago = primers in-stock

Six months ago = primers in-stock

Today = primers out of stock

How can anyone argue that this isn't a new issue.

Oh, and screw 1994.

[Einthoven's Triangle]

One year ago = primers in-stock

Six months ago = primers in-stock

Today = primers out of stock

How can anyone argue that this isn't a new issue.

Oh, and screw 1994.

Get your Dillon back yet?
Because it is not a new issue Joe! And, and you are NOOB reloader as I recall! LOL Oh well, you have your view from under your Tin Foil Hat, and I have mine!