Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Headless Thompson Gunner on September 23, 2009, 09:29:22 PM
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Not sure what their angle is, here. Maybe I'm too cynical, but I gotta figure they have an angle on this somehow.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090923/ap_on_re_us/us_ammo_shortage
America armed, but guns not necessarily loaded
AP
By MARY FOSTER, Associated Press Writer Mary Foster, Associated Press Writer – Wed Sep 23, 2:51 pm ET
NEW ORLEANS – Bullet-makers are working around the clock, seven days a week, 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 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 last month signed a law 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 in 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 than the scarcity of ammo for some police forces earlier this year, a dearth fueled by an increase in ammo use by the military 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 Company, 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, the new administration nor Congress has not 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 at some Walmarts, a limit was 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, it was never an issue," said Vic Grechniw of Florida Ammo Traders, a distributor in Tampa, Fla. "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 individuals 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 have also 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."
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Only took them a few months.
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Obama has said he respects Second Amendment rights, but favors "common sense" on gun laws. Still Thus, worries about what could happen persist.
Why are journalists so dense?
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Only took them a few months.
I think that's why I'm so skeptical. If they were interested in this phenomenon as a news story, wouldn't they have reported on it when it was, you know, news?
It makes a guy wonder why now?
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Just more fear-mongering about the Angry White Conservative Radical Racist. :O :O
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I think that's why I'm so skeptical. If they were interested in this phenomenon as a news story, wouldn't they have reported on it when it was, you know, news?
It makes a guy wonder why now?
I have seen periodic newspaper and television news reports about the ammo shortage ever since the election. IMO, they trot it out periodically to keep the antis wetting their pants in outrage that so many people can have so much ammo. It fits perfectly in the "redneck racist" harrative they have been trying to push through during the most recent protests.
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I have seen periodic newspaper and television news reports about the ammo shortage ever since the election. IMO, they trot it out periodically to keep the antis wetting their pants in outrage that so many people can have so much ammo. It fits perfectly in the "redneck racist" harrative they have been trying to push through during the most recent protests.
I don't give them that much credit. I think it is because the story has been sitting in th AP news bin for awhile and some lazy reporter finds it and decides to run it rather than go work on a current story.
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The shortage has been covered in the alternative media and trade media, but not "mainstream media."
Yeah, why now?
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Gearing up for the next big push ??
Since healthcare reform is faltering ZOMG LOOK OVER THERE AT ALL THE GUNS AND AMMO AND ZOMG WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING......
and healthcare reform passes quietly because of the misdirection play.....
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If it's simply demand, then a lot of folks are going to be putting up pole barns, sheds, and renting empty warehouse space just to store the ammo they're hoarding.
"We used to be able to order 50 or 60 cases and get them in three or four days easy, it was never an issue," said Vic Grechniw of Florida Ammo Traders, a distributor in Tampa, Fla. "Now you are really lucky if you can get one case a month."
So distributors can't get ammo? If manufacturers have added capacity and are shipping like crazy . . . where is it going, if distributors can't get it?
Seriously, this shortage has been going on so long I'm beginning to wonder how all the additional ammo being manufactured is being distributed, since nobody - not distributors, not gun shops, not WalMart, nobody - seems to actually be getting any of the extra ammo.
Maybe I just need to loosen the straps on my tinfoil hat . . .
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The shortage has been covered in the alternative media and trade media, but not "mainstream media."
Yeah, why now?
I really have seen/heard reports on this on the NBC nightly news, ABC news, LA Times, NY Times, and NPR, in addition to wire service stories that are printed by lots of major and local newspapers. The reports have attributed the shortage to either the GWOT, or people stocking up because of Obama getting elected, or both. A historical search for the phrase "ammo shortage" in Google news or lexis-nexis will back this up.
Also, Grant Cunningham has a good explanation of the shortage, which is very rational and tin foil free. =)
Supply Chain Management 101: on the ammunition shortage. (http://grantcunningham.com/blog_files/1f0a89deff589f5706c99bd0d0984930-512.html)
The article corroborates his explanation:
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.
That is A LOT of additional demand on an largely inflexible supply chain.
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So distributors can't get ammo? If manufacturers have added capacity and are shipping like crazy . . . where is it going, if distributors can't get it?
To fill massively backlogged orders.
Tam did a very good piece on the shortage back in April: http://booksbikesboomsticks.blogspot.com/2009/04/some-more-ruminations-on-ammo-shortage.html
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So distributors can't get ammo? If manufacturers have added capacity and are shipping like crazy . . . where is it going, if distributors can't get it?
Just imagine drops of water hitting a pot iron stove.
Ammo shortage? Not in my basement. =D
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I don't give them that much credit. I think it is because the story has been sitting in th AP news bin for awhile and some lazy reporter finds it and decides to run it rather than go work on a current story.
I think it's both.
Creating subliminal fear of "right wing radicalization" (aka "us") and a slow day in the news cycle.
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There was a really concise and insightful article on the ammo shortage in American Rifleman I think two months ago. Just gave the plain facts that didn't involve a lot of politics. I'll see if I can dig it up and post it.
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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.
So what would the number be, if actually available for purchase?! Amazing!