If you have heard America is experiencing a wide-scale ammunition shortage, then you heard right. And the Silver State is no exception. Virtually all ammunition calibers have become exceptionally difficult to obtain, with some types facing potential market extinction should certain proposed gun legislation passes in Congress.
Last year was a doozy. Not only was there a viral outbreak that resulted in an ongoing pandemic, but a social-cultural-political crisis arose that appears to be still roiling just below the surface. Factor in fake news, toilet paper and bottled water hoarding, limited access to resources, and calls to defund the police, many Americans – Nevadans included, are concerned for their safety and have been buying firearms in recorded numbers. According to a report by online ammunition retailer ammo.com, Nevada ammunition sales increased between 500%-1000%.
Frontier Sporting Goods store owner and local gun seller Kevin Weishaupt stated that the ammunition shortage began shortly after the pandemic and the declared nationwide state of emergency. Other cataclysmic events like George Floyd’s death and the subsequent protests and riots left many citizens concerned for their personal safety. Factor in the political unrest that surrounded the botched elections, and what do you have? Over 8 million Americans purchased guns for the first time in 2020. Not to mention existing gun owners that increased their firearm stores. With that many more guns sold, it stands to reason that ammunition production is not keeping up with the demand.
Weishaupt says that there is a shortage of virtually all ammunition calibers, and he can't even keep shotgun shells in stock. “It was a popular belief that there was a manufacturing shortage,” said Weishaupt, “but that’s not the case.” During the early months of the pandemic, some manufacturers experienced a slow-down in the supply chain, but that is not the real cause of the problem either. “The shortage started on the east coast and made its way west.” Simply put, more people started purchasing guns and ammunition, upsetting the supply-demand balance. This is not the first time the gun seller has seen an ammunition shortage. Most notably, during the Obama administration, after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. “But I’ve never seen it this bad,” Weishaupt said.
According to Weishaupt, the most difficult types of ammunition to stock right now are 9mm and .22 shells. But it is not just handgun shells that are in short supply. Rifle munitions like .223 and .308 are hard to find. “They are making .22 shells so fast right now, some of them have no powder in them,” he explained. Essentially, if it has gun powder in it and fires out the barrel of a gun, it is getting harder and harder to stock.
Experts say that a single disruption in the supply and demand chain could cause a shortage. America has experienced several large-scale events that impacted firearm and ammunition sales. Add to those events the changing of the guard in Washington D.C. Anytime a Democrat president takes office, gun sales spike. The 2020 sweep of both U.S. congressional houses has many people anticipating enhanced are gun laws and are accumulating all the ammunition they can.
One example of stricter proposed gun legislation is HR127, the Sabika Sheikh Firearm Licensing and Registration Act introduced into the House in January. HR127, in part, seeks to prohibit the possession of certain ammunition and large-capacity ammunition feeding devices and restrict the possession of ammunition that is over 0.50 caliber. While the spirit of the proposed bill may be to limit or prohibit the use of assault-style weapons, the ban would include many sporting rifles and ammunition. “Nothing in our Constitution covers ammunition,” stated Weishaupt. Many gun owners and 2nd Amendment proponents are concerned that lawmakers will begin to restrict ammunition, starting with high-capacity magazines and ammunition feeding devices, with nothing to prevent smaller caliber ammunition from following.
Another factor facing Nevada’s shortage is California’s stringent purchasing laws that have driven hunters and sport shooters over the state line. One such law requires background checks for the purchase of ammunition. Another law allows California residents to purchase ammunition here – just not to take it to back to California. Without any way to enforce such a law, Californians will likely continue to make to trip.
Some other concerns have recently arisen surrounding the shortage, like the increased cost of ammunition. In some parts of the country, 9mm shells sold for $14 per box a year ago are now going for $50 per box (significantly more in gouging situations), costing nearly $1 per round. Another discussion is how the shortage could affect law enforcement officers, both for training and on the job.
Ammunition manufacturers report they are producing ammunition as fast as possible, yet some estimate it could take them up to two years to fill the backlog of current orders. Buyers are encouraged to be patient, not pay exorbitant prices to unscrupulous sellers, and refrain from buying in large quantiles should the ammunition become available. It may be time for some gun owners to revive the practice of ammunition reloading – of course, while supplies last.
Comment
Comments