Ammo Shortage: Where are the imports?

[Shadow 7D]

We know domestic production is maxed, why are we not seeing the imports upped to meet demand? That is how the "Global" part of Supply Chain Management is supposed to work, Olin can't meet demand, they buy Serbian (PPU-Privi Partisan) and sell it in their boxes (Winchester Metric if you bother)

It works like this: they keep their lines producing stuff like .223 and .308 etc, IMPORT 9mm, .380, X39 etc from the global market to meet the demand, and yet....

So, where is it?
More importantly WHY isn't it here yet?

 

[CmdrSlander]

We know domestic production is maxed, why are we not seeing the imports upped to meet demand? That is how the "Global" part of Supply Chain Management is supposed to work, Olin can't meet demand, they buy Serbian (PPU-Privi Partisan) and sell it in their boxes (Winchester Metric if you bother)

It works like this: they keep their lines producing stuff like .223 and .308 etc, IMPORT 9mm, .380, X39 etc from the global market to meet the demand, and yet....

So, where is it?
More importantly WHY isn't it here yet?

I would not be at all surprised if the various alphabet agencies were cracking down on ammo importers.

That being said... imported ammo tends to come in in big lumps, as you can pack a lot of rounds on a container ship, and the winter/fall lump has already been panic bought into oblivion, from my research the eastern european imports should return in mid fall as that is when the next lump arrives.

However, according to MidwayUSA, bulk quantities of domestic ammo will be available for purchase within the month. If you can snipe it as soon as it comes in.

 

[Davek1977]

I would not be at all surprised if the various alphabet agencies were cracking down on ammo importers.

Unless you actually have data to support this, why feed the paranoia out there? There's no proof anyone is toying with ammo imports or importers, that I'm aware of. if you know otherwise, please, list a source. Otherwise, I see no need to imply things that we have NO WAY of knowing presently. it just feeds the paranoia, without any basis.

 

[Nico Testosteros]

I'm of the mind that overseas producers are making as much as they can just like domestic manufacturers are. It's just that we've bought it all up.

 

[Killian]

Well, some "US ammo" that you buy is actually already being made in other countries. A helpful lady at the gunshow told me one day that 7.62x25--I think it was Winchester brand, but it might be another--which sold for $25 a box (the good ole days) was actually ammunition produced by S&B from Czechoslovakia. She then recommended that I buy the S&B (the same ammo) for $17 a box.

So some importers may already be kicking into the supply chain. Otherwise, it must be remembered that other countries supply ammunition to other nations besides the US. I'm sure Turkey and Saudi Arabia are buying a lot of ammo to send to rebels in Syria, and the French are fighting in Mali right now.

When the foreign ammo does start to come in, it may not be such a joy to see it. I saw that Cheaper Than Dirt had some 9mm Luger Tulammo that came in. Lasted about a day and a half. They were asking $35 a box for it. Once US ammo companies supply all the back orders in their systems that were paid for at the old prices, which could take months to fill those orders, then I wouldn't be surprised to see a new "pricing scale" come out for new ammo. The shipment of 9mm Tulammo to CTD may be a portent of things to come.

 

[9w1911]

Well it takes a long time for the boats to cross the ocean, no sense air freighting it if you flood them market it will sit, might as well keep demand high till it gets here. That is my guess.

 

[mrvco]

I don't know what the requirements are for the trans oceanic shipping of large quantities of ammunition, but transit times for shipping containers range anywhere from as little as ~7 (Atlantic) to 50 (Pacific) or more days. Slower is always cheaper and I expect that ammunition is treated differently than other less volatile freight.

 

[breakingcontact]

However, according to MidwayUSA, bulk quantities of domestic ammo will be available for purchase within the month.

Hopefully this will be the beginning of some nice availability after all, how long can people keep hitting the ammo this hard?

 

[M2 Carbine]

how long can people keep hitting the ammo this hard?

Probably for some time. No one I know has been able to find any ammo.
When it finally does show up they will be buying for some time.

I hope they learned their lesson and will put aside at least a two years supply for the next shortage and price hike.

I've given friends 5 or 6 thousand rounds but next time they had better be stocked up themselves.

 

[blue32]

I read some market reports by The Edge and S&P in regards to Olin. Both concur ammunition sales will be strong well into early 2013 but are hesitant to project continued strong sales past that point due to upcoming material price increases.

To me, that means prices probably will not come back down to pre paranoia levels due to increased cost as a minimum. Couple that with any lasting demand and we could see this thing drawn out on a global scale for some time. I think when ammo does start becoming available it will reflect these projected material price increases and that may fuel more panic buying which would keep the price high.

I couldn't post working links to back up my findings otherwise I would.

 

[Killian]

How long can people keep hitting the ammo this hard?

For all ammo...can't say. But I did look at the rate of 4 million rounds of .22 produced by Federal and how far that would go in my state once you divided it among the 50 states. I figured up--using conservative estimates on the number of people who would want .22 ammo (10% of the gun owning population of Mississippi...it actually would be far higher)--that it would take 5 months for 85,000 Mississippi residents to get 3 boxes of 50 rounds each. (533 people a day would buy 3 boxes.) If you divide those 4 million rounds into 50 round boxes and Walmart sells 3 boxes to every person who wants some.

My state is a relatively under populated one. Your state probably has more people, but it gets the same share of average ammo that mine does. So if you have 5 times the population of Mississippi, figure that it will take you 5 times longer than 5 months (about 3 years I guess) in order for 10% of your population to get 3 boxes of .22 ammo.

If the demand keeps up as we go along, you'll see this buying of everything that hits the shelves go on for another 6 months or a year, would be my guess. At a minimum.

 

[Dr.Rob]

I haven't seen any Prvi for sale in a while. Which is too bad, they make good stuff.

 

[Desert Dog]

I know. All my Enfields love Privi Partizan ammo. I last saw some at a gun show last summer.

 

[Killian]

For all ammo...can't say. But I did look at the rate of 4 million rounds of .22 produced by Federal and how far that would go in my state once you divided it among the 50 states. I figured up--using conservative estimates on the number of people who would want .22 ammo (10% of the gun owning population of Mississippi...it actually would be far higher)--that it would take 5 months for 85,000 Mississippi residents to get 3 boxes of 50 rounds each. (533 people a day would buy 3 boxes.) If you divide those 4 million rounds into 50 round boxes and Walmart sells 3 boxes to every person who wants some.

My state is a relatively under populated one. Your state probably has more people, but it gets the same share of average ammo that mine does. So if you have 5 times the population of Mississippi, figure that it will take you 5 times longer than 5 months (about 3 years I guess) in order for 10% of your population to get 3 boxes of .22 ammo.

If the demand keeps up as we go along, you'll see this buying of everything that hits the shelves go on for another 6 months or a year, would be my guess. At a minimum.

Looking at the situation a few months on, I feel like I was pretty close.

 

[Slamfire]

I am certain domestic manufacturer's have gotten the Federal Government to block importation of ammunition. It is not in their benefit to have competition that reduces their profits.

 

[Tcruse]

With latest round of "presidential orders", it appears that Holder must approve all imports of ammo and guns. SO, I would not expect him to do anything that would help gun owners. He will slow imports as much as he thinks he can get away with. Apparently the change is that prior to the executive order there were laws that covered what could and could not be imported, now apparently the AG can "use his judgment"

 

[bluetopper]

Since early Spring during this ammo shortage the range I belong to has been virtually dead. It's been very enjoyable to go there have the whole place almost to yourself. I reload everything I shoot and have a well stocked supply of all the components I need. I

If you don't reload your own ammo, you're at other people's mercy.

 

[Torian]

It may be cheaper for overseas producers to ship infrequently in larger bulk shipments. If we are getting murdered on fees for shipping reloading components / ammo in the mail, imagine what companies overseas have to deal with.

 

[PabloJ]

It may be cheaper for overseas producers to ship infrequently in larger bulk shipments. If we are getting murdered on fees for shipping reloading components / ammo in the mail, imagine what companies overseas have to deal with.

Please remember folks in small American tows starving for jobs where the only option for most of the youth is local Walmart or the military service. If I had my way all ammo imports would be banned immediately. From what I have seen most shooters can afford more expensive stuff,.......many local shelves are literally empty despite high prices.

 

[CharlieDeltaJuliet]

I guess I am lucky. I have bought a ton of .22's( I go through 1000-1500 a month easy) all at pseudo-normal prices. I buy my 300 Win Mag online and 5.56 and .308 locally. I was terrified Iwould not find any ammo, especially .22's. I found one company running a special on 5000 rounds of Sk/Lapua and Midway had Federal Gold Metal Match for $34 per brick a few weeks ago.

While my .22 shooting has slowed my 300 WM & 5.56 is more than ever. I paid $375 for the last 1000 round bulk of 5.56 green tip (locally,well 45 miles from me).

 

[Malamute]

More conspiracy nonsense several posts above. There isn't any evidence ammo is being held up from import. Quite the contrary. I've read that one of the importer/wholesalers got an order of about 1.5 million rds of 7.62x39 ammo, it was sold out in a day or two, and its happened many times. Everybody is just in psycho-buy-all-the-ammo mode.

 

[CharlieDeltaJuliet]

Malamute, you are right. I watched a guy but 15,000 rounds of 5.56. He claimed to have close to 40,000 already... He was just hell-bent that the government was going to outlaw it...

It has been said numerous times before, we are our own worst enemy.

 

[Torian]

Please remember folks in small American tows starving for jobs where the only option for most of the youth is local Walmart or the military service. If I had my way all ammo imports would be banned immediately. From what I have seen most shooters can afford more expensive stuff,.......many local shelves are literally empty despite high prices.

Your post is completely absurd PabloJ, and is a play right out of the gun-grabber playbook: use a completely unrelated emotional appeal to try to push anti-gun owner ideals. What's next...we shouldn't stock imported weapons in gun stores to support local manufactures? Do you really believe what you are saying?

This ridiculous notion aside...

What does banning ammo imports have to do with unemployment? Also, what have you "seen" exactly that would make you presume that shooters in general have plenty of money and can afford to pay high prices?

I would love to buy at my local walmart, but unfortunately every time I try to go buy ammo, some knucklehead got there before me and bought out the supply, with the help of his family, so he could flip it at a profit at a local flea market. Taking away my ability to buy imported ammo in bulk just makes it easier for local ammo suppliers to corner the market.

 

[loose noose]

parasite has it right, I just found out that Front Sight in Pahrump, NV. no longer carries ammo for sale, as it is getting harder and harder to find. Further, you can't shoot reloads at any of there classes either.

 

[Malamute]

...I watched a guy but 15,000 rounds of 5.56. He claimed to have close to 40,000 already...

A local shop had 22's in stock, one guy from Cal bought 19,000 rds. They were out after that other than some shorts and CB's.

Whoever said we are our own worst enemies was correct (as a generalization). We dont need the .gov to stop imports or supposedly buy everything (another one I dont believe). Some people are buying up everything they see, then claim the sky is falling,....then others cant find anything and believe the unsupported rumours.