Why is there a gun and ammo panic now?

Facebook and Russian bots. Just kidding (sort of). Seems like people can be herded and then stampeded to do anything, often the wrong Thing, seldom the right thing.

Ah, you are asking about the rationale of the human nature.

The people that are panic-buying guns and ammo now are expecting or fearing a cascade of events: the virus epidemic will lead to lockdowns, which will lead to a freezing of economic activity, high unemployment, and shortages of basic goods, which in turn will lead to social unrest, rioting, and looting. (This is the worst-case scenario.) So, guns might be necessary to protect one's life and property. This is quite different from the legislative threats that fueled previous gun panics.

There is also a vicious cycle in play. When a buying panic starts, other players (hoarders) will jump in, hoping to make a fast profit from the situation. These are people that don't care about the underlying products (the guns), but only about the profit potential.

When you think about how stupid the average person is, remember that half of them are even stupider.

My thoughts are that almost all the "panic buying" in firearms is due to those people who always thought they didn't need a gun. Then things changed and now they think they do. Many of them will never load or fire the gun they bought in the panic.

The ammo situation is a bit different. Part of it is the group described above. But most of it is gun people who haven't learned from the past 3-4 shortages. Some of those "gun people" MIGHT shoot 200 rounds a year but they felt the sudden need to buy 1000 rounds of ammo.

I learned to stock up almost 40 years ago. I'll never be caught short on rimfire ammo again. I started casting my own bullets, that makes it much easier to keep bullets on hand. I also stock up on primers and powder during the good times.

When there's a sale or closeout I go to town. When one internet retailer went out of business they had pistol powder for ~$12 a lb. I bought 36 lbs. When the closest Gander Outdoors store was closing out 8 lb kegs of powder for $80 a keg I bought four kegs. One internet retailer a couple of years ago had a screaming deal on Vectan powders. I bought quite a bit.

Primers I normally buy locally. The local guy is normally cheaper than buying on the internet. I try and buy at least 1K per month MORE than what I'm replacing.

This habit has left me sitting pretty good even though I shoot over 2,000 rounds a month. I've got more powder arriving today. It was $114 per 8 lb keg. I'm splitting the order with a buddy to cut the hazmat and shipping. He wanted some particular primers the local guy doesn't carry and and some that were cheaper than the local guy. In total we've got over 40 lbs of stuff coming today.

Brass I scrounge at my club or buy when I find a bargain. I recently paid $0.05 each for once fired 300 Blackout brass. 223 brass was $0.02 each and I bought some of that.

If you're not ahead of the curve you're screwed.

We could be looking at a different political climate come November as well.

AlexanderA said:

The people that are panic-buying guns and ammo now are expecting or fearing a cascade of events: the virus epidemic will lead to lockdowns, which will lead to a freezing of economic activity, high unemployment, and shortages of basic goods, which in turn will lead to social unrest, rioting, and looting. (This is the worst-case scenario.) So, guns might be necessary to protect one's life and property. This is quite different from the legislative threats that fueled previous gun panics.

There is also a vicious cycle in play. When a buying panic starts, other players (hoarders) will jump in, hoping to make a fast profit from the situation. These are people that don't care about the underlying products (the guns), but only about the profit potential.

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Totally agree. I think that there is one other factor too. It is rational reason. If the Virus were ro aired rampant it could reduce the ranks of law enforcement. After all LEOs by virtue of their jobs have a lot of contact with people. They have to. If the police ranks in a given area were to be dramatically reduced to 50%, responses to crimes in progress would be hampered. While police response time rarely is sufficient to stop a crime it could become worse. More tan ever people are realizing that they are responsible for their own safety. Many are buying guns.

All the TP and sanitizer were already sold out? Gotta hord SOMETHING.

In many areas the police no longer respond to many crimes. This was before then panic. Now it's worse. I fear that soon law enforcement in the US will be almost worthless in regards to anything but major crimes.

I blame Progressives and their Social Justice agenda for this.

A truly brilliant behaviorist once called such buying frenzy "flapping behavior" after the way certain avian flocks will act when terrified. While flapping away, many suddenly focus on firearms and ammo because these items provide a feeling of "empowerment," one of the real reasons many others hate guns. The pandemic has made many feel absolutely "helpless" and so that feeling of empowerment can take the edge off.

There is a reason that the film Contagion is now leading many streaming services ...the segment on guns near the end reflects a terrifying potential reality.

bdickens said:

When you think about how stupid the average person is, remember that half of them are even stupider.

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Remember, you a people too.

I was picking up a pistol I'd ordered before all the craziness last week at my LGS and a kid(20s) came in trying to buy 9mm ammunition. When told the dealer only had enough to sell 2 boxes per customer only if they bought a gun he started grabbing several boxes of several different calibers. He said he was worried about looters! We live in a smaller town in central Wisconsin, I rather doubt there's going to be trouble with looting!

"Remember, you a people too."

I like to think I'm in the upper half....

MrShooter said:

I was picking up a pistol I'd ordered before all the craziness last week at my LGS and a kid(20s) came in trying to buy 9mm ammunition. When told the dealer only had enough to sell 2 boxes per customer only if they bought a gun he started grabbing several boxes of several different calibers. He said he was worried about looters! We live in a smaller town in central Wisconsin, I rather doubt there's going to be trouble with looting!

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When I think about the possibility of running out of what I have in a SHTF kinda world, I'm reminded of the Sam Elliott line "Sir, if the time comes I need one, there'll be plenty lying on the ground"

kcofohio said:

solman said:

Why is there a gun and ammo panic now?

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Ah, you are asking about the rationale of the human nature.

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To members of gun forums like THR where we have discussed the virtues of preparing for emergencies by stocking up 2-3 months of food, supplies and guns/ammo, this latest panic on guns and ammo would seem odd.

But not to those who thought such emergencies on a national scale would never happen.

I see that many of those now buying guns and ammo have never owned guns before and now having to come to terms with what many of us on THR have been saying for years and decades - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/re-training-of-firearms-related-information.849620/
And with quick Google search and interacting with others in their generation via social media, they are finding out much of what "We the People" have been saying is more true than what they have been brainwashed and lied to by the media.

Believe me, once the realization of this truth sinks in, millions of more guns will be sold to traditionally anti-gun people to change their perspectives. Of course, once this notion of "self defense/protection" goes viral on social media, many will jump on the bandwagon as "me too" so they won't be left behind defenseless, which will perpetuate the current run on guns and ammo as manufacturing product capacity and inventory of past several years probably will get wiped out soon and the gun industry will return back to 24/7 multiple shift production routine.

jjadurbin said:

A truly brilliant behaviorist once called such buying frenzy "flapping behavior" after the way certain avian flocks will act when terrified. While flapping away, many suddenly focus on firearms and ammo because these items provide a feeling of "empowerment," one of the real reasons many others hate guns. The pandemic has made many feel absolutely "helpless" and so that feeling of empowerment can take the edge off.

There is a reason that the film Contagion is now leading many streaming services ...the segment on guns near the end reflects a terrifying potential reality.

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"The pandemic has made many feel absolutely "helpless" and so that feeling of empowerment can take the edge off."

Some truth there.

Pandemics we are familiar with. HIV/AIDS, West Nile Virus, Ebola, Swine Flu, etc., etc. These are like forest fires, hurricanes, earthquakes and other acts of nature. These are deadly. The major problem is always the response to them, or lack of response. Usually in the lack of preparation that the governments and for profit health industry know are coming but do not prepare for.

The mass media (all of it) has contributed to creating a sense of panic.

Think back on Katrina. That was not a natural disaster. That was man made. Man made in the sense that possible preparation was not made and preventative measures not taken. Each year we see examples of the same thing. So now this.

China makes the face masks that are now so scarce in this country and other countries. While two administrations knew this and knew a stockpile was needed neither did what was needed. Same with ventilators. They are concerned with who will get the patent, who the profit.

So it's that sense that people are left to their own devices, left alone to fend. That drives the fear.

But not with all folks. Most in fact get out to help others. That can be tapped into and organized.

Crime has declined in the last month.

milemaker13 said:

All the TP and sanitizer were already sold out? Gotta hord SOMETHING.

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Where I am, it seems bread has replaced TP as the new thing to scramble for

George P said:

Where I am, it seems bread has replaced TP as the new thing to scramble for

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This easy to make "no knead" bread needs to go viral ... Even Jenny could make it.

How to Make No-Knead Ciabatta Bread - Amazing Italian Bread

bdickens said:

"Remember, you a people too."

I like to think I'm in the upper half....

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According to Professor Irwin Corey, the world's foremost authority, that's always the first sign that you're not!

tipoc said:

According to Professor Irwin Corey, the world's foremost authority, that's always the first sign that you're not!

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Well, I'm not running around panic buying stuff that I shoulda already had....

This latest panic reminds me how lucky I am.

I’m one of those guys that bought a home defense pistol 20 years ago, shot it twice and locked it away. Still had 40 rounds of my one box of ammo.

The lucky part for me came a year ago when I thought I should get some extra magazines and ammo for that gun. I cleaned and oiled it for the first time too. Started shooting seriously at that time.

Somehow things just steamrolled and I found my new project. Started buying guns right and left and my family also got hooked. Everybody in the family got their own gun and I stocked ammo for everyone. November of last year I started reloading and I stocked bullets and primers for the family.

This Chinese virus panic hit and I didn’t even feel it. I felt pretty smart but actually luck played a big part. 12 years ago I was neck deep in drag racing engine parts because that was my project. I’m really lucky I phased out of that and moved to firearms for my project. Otherwise I’d probably be another one of those bottom half stupid people scrounging for a box of ammo.

It's bad in NY. Reports are they going to seal off Manhattan!

I might need to go get my daughter outta Brooklyn.

I might need a piece.

Hartkopf said:

This latest panic reminds me how lucky I am.

I’m one of those guys that bought a home defense pistol 20 years ago, shot it twice and locked it away. Still had 40 rounds of my one box of ammo.

The lucky part for me came a year ago when I thought I should get some extra magazines and ammo for that gun. I cleaned and oiled it for the first time too. Started shooting seriously at that time.

Somehow things just steamrolled and I found my new project. Started buying guns right and left and my family also got hooked. Everybody in the family got their own gun and I stocked ammo for everyone. November of last year I started reloading and I stocked bullets and primers for the family.

This Chinese virus panic hit and I didn’t even feel it. I felt pretty smart but actually luck played a big part. 12 years ago I was neck deep in drag racing engine parts because that was my project. I’m really lucky I phased out of that and moved to firearms for my project. Otherwise I’d probably be another one of those bottom half stupid people scrounging for a box of ammo.

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Glad I'm not the only one. I've never been "out" of everything firearm related, but I've at times been more in to other things. Had been times where I'd gone a couple of years without any shooting whatsoever. But even in those times I still had ammo for every gun I owned.

Why is there a gun and ammo panic now?

Because most people live in a nice little closed-loop routine. And that makes them feel safe.

When that loop is interupted, and there is no solution within their grasp, they no longer feel safe. Then they look around to see what might be a threat, and they look for ways to combat that threat.

In this case, they seem to think starving with a dirty butt because someone stole their food and toilet paper, is the potential threat.