Another mainstream article about ammunition shortage

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hso

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This isn't industry or pro 2A or anti 2A "news" outlet, but instead a local "this is news" story published out of Idaho.

Shell shock: Ammo shortage bites industry
SPOKANE, Wash. — While last year’s toilet paper panic during the grip of the pandemic was disturbing, at least it was brief. Meanwhile, a nationwide ammunition shortage continues to impact shooting facilities, hunting trips and even law enforcement agencies – with no end in sight.

Shooting industry insiders say a combination of fear stemming from social unrest, COVID-related manufacturing restrictions and political shifts had contributed to the ammunition shelves in sporting goods stores being mostly bare.

Dedicated shooters appear to be perpetuating the problem as they snap up and hoard nearly any handgun, rifle and shotgun ammo that becomes available.

Sharp Shooting Indoor Range & Gun Shop in Spokane started feeling the impacts about 16 months ago, said Jeremy Ball, co-owner.

“We’re still not completely reopened, and it has absolutely nothing to do with COVID,” he said. “We’re closed 21 hours a week that we’d normally be open because ammo across the board is in short supply.”

Independence Indoor Shooting, a shooting range in Meridian, Idaho, outsourced its ammunition, relying on overseas suppliers, said Media Marketing Manager Michael Newgen. The U.S. shortage is a result of record-setting demand for firearms in 2020 combined with pandemic-related strains on manufacturing and shipping, he said.

For a couple weeks, the range limited sales of certain ammunition but has not had to restrict sales for several months, Newgen said.

“Right now is just a really big game of catch up,” he said.

Hunters found a dearth of turkey loads when the spring gobbler seasons opened in April. What showed up on shelves at Sportsman’s Warehouse in Spokane, for example, was gone quickly, even at $33 for a five-pack of 3-inch 12-gauge shells.

Some regular shooters at Landt Farms Sporting Clays west of Spokane are conserving their personal supplies of target loads by scaling back training, sometimes going half rounds (50 targets) rather than shooting the full course, owner Sally Scott said.

https://www.idahopress.com/news/loc...cle_9034df78-c381-512b-ae09-cc63d7b98f92.html
 
While I can definitely appreciate the actual fact based and unbiased reporting, they’re nearly a year late.

And the end is in sight.:thumbup:

Even out here in the marsh deliveries are showing up and even staying in the shelf.

I almost nearly thought about buying some factory ammunition to replenish my carry reserves, but I still have some and can wait just a while longer to save money. Yet, it was there and not unreasonably priced if someone had none, just too high yet for my lowly self.


Still, it’s nice they noticed we bleed too.;)
 
Ammo is available in my parts of So. Cal. Prices remain the same at $.60-$.68 for 9mm range stuff. A buddy told me during his trip to ID he saw 9mm at $24/box 50.
 
Ammo is available in my parts of So. Cal. Prices remain the same at $.60-$.68 for 9mm range stuff. A buddy told me during his trip to ID he saw 9mm at $24/box 50.

Stopped by a LGS in Sevierville yesterday and they had over half a pallet of 9mm target ammo for $25/50.

Still expensive, but at least it's starting to come back.

The LGS closest to me usually can only get a case at a time and it's gone in 2-3 hours.
 
I agree ... the article is a year behind the times.

Our ammo shelves are almost full around here.

What remains wackadoodle are the prices. Prices are still completely unreasonable and honestly there is no excuse for some of the prices we're still seeing around here.
I agree prices are unrealistic but the prices may be the only reason there’s ammo on the shelf, it’s being caught between a rock and a hard place.
 
I mentioned elsewhere that 223 and the 7.62s are available here. Not show the handgun rounds. I find 9mm for $.39 on the Internet but cheaper rounds have't surfaced in the stores.

The thing I could use is some of the better SD rounds in 38 SPL, Not around here.
 
Were the writers stranded in a primitive mountain hut since 2019?

The Lewis and Clark expedition had better resources while in Idaho, in 1803.
 
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Local Academy has been getting regular shipments for about six weeks now. Depending on manufacturer 9mm/.380/.32 Auto/.38 Sp/ .45 ACP 50 ct boxes about $4 to $10 more per box than pre COVID. Maybe a dollar or two more pre COVID for 20-25 ct box of specialty rounds like Hornady Critical Defense & Federal Hydra Shok. Best deal for me was Federal (American Eagle) target 9mm and .380 for $19 a box.

Appeared to be no or very little markup for assorted shotgun ammo, field and buckshot,

Last week I did a FFL transfer at a long established LGS. They had Winchester White Box .38 SP for $60.
 
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Not much of anything locally still. What there is seems to be 3X what 2019 prices were for the same stuff. I'll wait it out for a bit longer. What I really am waiting for is SRP to return. And reasonable prices for them!
I was going to make a joke about the pony express being slow to deliver the paper with that first article in it ...........
 
LGS puts out new stock before opening Friday morning, there used to be a long line at opening, it's disappeared. 7.62x39 stays on the shelf all week. The less expensive 5.56 lasts a couple of days. No limits on Hornady Black at $39.95/20.
Since I don't shoot 9mm much anymore I offered 1000 of Federal for $350 with no takers. Ammunition is coming back....
 
Starting in April the ammunition manufacturers caught up with their back orders. Then spent a few weeks in May to build up a few months reserve. Now they are able to dump more ammo onto the spot market. It may be late fall before prices come down and spring before the odd ball ammo shows up. But the manufacturers are betting that the bottom will fall out of the market and thus it is not wise to build more factories.

My Rural King went from getting a few cases per month to pallets per week. Last week they had two pallets of 9mm.
 
Picked up Hornady Defense at $22, limit two boxes of any ammo per day. It's building up slowly here. Like most, I can wait, and I can just sit and not go shooting for a while, too.

The bigger problem is now inflation, with the administration shutting down the pipeline and gas prices going up, it's now double what it was on Nov 3, as most sources are reporting. On the other hand, planning a trip of 1500 miles round trip, we would only pay another $50 if gas goes up another dollar by Nov. Her car gets 30mpg.

It's about how to spend your money with discretion, not how much money you have for discretionary spending.
 
I was at the LGS this afternoon. They literally had hundreds of boxes, all flavors. I don’t think there was an empty spot anywhere. Not in the buyers market so I didn’t price anything
 
Still a bunch of Over Price Ammo!

NO THANKS! dealers can sit on it, I’m waiting for walmart to get back to stock
 
The bottom is going to drop out of the market. Everything now is overpriced. Worse case is that the shortages go into 2022 which would trigger the ammunition manufacturers to build new plants. However most of the manufacturers are expecting to see the market crash. This is only the fifth shortage we have had in 20 years
 
The prices are what is keeping at least some ammo in stock. I suppose having it available at a high price is better than no availability.
 
Walmart needs to get out of firearms. Rural King is better
I have family in the backwoods of Arkansas and Walmart has just about everything from reloading components to ammo to gun… at a very cheap price. Very important for the people who don’t have much. And, that’s why I like Walmart!
 
We’ve got a new scheels in town, near a bass pro shop. I’m going to go check out the ammunition there. I’ll be back in a while with a report.

I’m located in a large city in a Rocky Mountain state, btw.
 
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