imported ammo

[anothernewb]

Maybe this has been discussed ad nauseum already -

By this time - I find it hard to believe that the world in general is unaware of the ammo and firearm shortages plaguing much of the US.

So - assuming import ammo makers want money just as much as any business here... I have to wonder why there are not several large boats full of ammo trudging along the Atlantic at this very moment?? Granted, I don't know if there are many 22lr manufacturers out there besides the US ones but there are a heck of alot of centerfire handgun and rifle ammo manufacturers in the former east bloc countries. It's been long enough since the panic started that they should also be up to speed by now, so where are the darn boats?

- or am I hunting down another tinfoil hat theory.

 

[clocker]

Two non-tinfoil hat thoughts
1. Demand >> Supply at current prices.
2. This is a bubble. Manufacturers and distributors cannot afford to be caught with excess product when the bubble collapses.

 

[mljdeckard]

You are overreacting.

Ammo manufacturers are set up to put out a certain amount of product to match a certain demand. When there is a spike like this one, it doesn't justify adding new wings to their existing factories and doubling their staffs, because they know full well, the demand will return to normal within several months, and they will have bitten off too big of a bite and have to spit it out at a loss. They know the surge is TEMPORARY, so their production spike also has to be temporary.

 

[frankenstein406]

the only good and bad thing is they should have new tooling but will also be trying to get as much life out of old tooling.

 

[tyeo098]

Ammo is heavy.

Boats are slow.

 

[GlowinPontiac]

China could probably have some here in a week. But i'm sure there is a law forbidding it somewhere.

 

[USAF_Vet]

China could probably have some here in a week. But i'm sure there is a law forbidding it somewhere.

I think we have George H. W. Bush to thank for that one.

 

[itsa pain]

I think the govt along with ammo and gun makers colluded to get norinco banned especially M14 makers who cant seem to make a gun with the same steel as a sledgehammer for under 2000. the OP is right I think the govt is making it real hard for ammo coming here from overseas. clint mgee at fulton made a big business from scaring Chinese M14 owners telling them they had soft bolts. send it to him and he would fix it for $500. one guy last year brought his bolt put in by mgee and his original Chinese bolt to his brother to test hardness on state of the art equipment and the Chinese bolt was harder and mgees bolt was real soft

 

[thump_rrr]

China could probably have some here in a week. But i'm sure there is a law forbidding it somewhere.

You are correct.
We have Norinco 5.56 in Canada for $450/1,600 rounds (non corrosive boxer primed brass cased)
Norinco 7.62x39 $329/1200 rounds (corrosive)
Norinco 7.62x39 $429/1,200 rounds and a chineese SKS rifle shipped straight to my door.
https://www.canadaammo.com/product/detail/853/sks-and-1200rd-crate-of-ammo-combo/
Norinco .45acp $329/1,000 brass cased
Norinco 7.62x51 m80 ball $539/900

 

[USAF_Vet]

Too bad I couldn't cross over in Canada and come home with a few thousand rounds.

 

[InkEd]

Yep! The 1980's Republicans didn't really help us too much with the 2A.

Reagan closed the machine gun registry!

Bush Sr. stopped all the Norinco products!

 

[InkEd]

It sucks that we can't bring back or even mail-order ammo from Canada legally.

You have to have permit to buy it anyway up there.

 

[Alfonse99]

Temporary?

I would bet much of the current demand is temporary, as noted by other comments. But, with the millions of new firearms that have been sold recently, I would also expect that the base demand for ammo has risen. Why wouldn't that be the case?

 

[GlowinPontiac]

Is it a ban on the name "Norinco" or a ban on anything guns/ammo from China?

Why not just rename the company if its just a name ban.

 

[InkEd]

Not to veer too off-subject but...

I would think that with it's clout as a world power and especially given the reliance on them for producing consumer goods, China could really strong-arm the government into re-allowing Norinco ammunition and firearms to be imported into the United States.

IMHO doing so would generate easily 100+ million USD worth of contracts from distributors and stores anually for them.

I am not for giving away that kind of money to unfriendly foreign countries but I believe in free trade and capitalism.

The amount is "a drop in the bucket" compared to the amounts given to them for other items purchased from them. Banning the import of Chinese made weapons is NOTHING more than POLITICS. Also, it goes against capitalism because it creates a "false" higher pricing structure by keeping out a major manufacturer.

Now, the government can put REASONABLE tariffs on such items but to outright ban them is ABSURD!

 

[thump_rrr]

Is it a ban on the name "Norinco" or a ban on anything guns/ammo from China?

Why not just rename the company if its just a name ban.

It is a ban on anything firearms related made in China.
Norinco and Polytech are both names used by the Chinese state owned firearms and ammunition manufacturer.
They are both banned from import into the USA.
I own a Norinco AR-15 along with a few US made AR's.
I am not even allowed to bring my Norinco into the USA temporarily.

 

[InkEd]

Wow, even temporarily!

More government stupidity.

Out of curiousity, how much ammo/reloading components can you bring across the border for "personal sporting/hunting use" at one time?

 

[thump_rrr]

Wow, even temporarily!

More government stupidity.

Out of curiousity, how much ammo/reloading components can you bring across the border for "personal sporting/hunting use" at one time?

It depends on what I have filled out on my ATF form 6NIA.
I have 1,000 rounds per caliber on my form 6.
All the ammo on my form 6 are registered as personally reloaded by myself.
If I had factory ammo on the form 6 it would need to be specifically what is on the form
Example Blazer Brass .45acp 230gr round nose.

 

[USAF_Vet]

It is a ban on anything firearms related made in China.
Norinco and Polytech are both names used by the Chinese state owned firearms and ammunition manufacturer.
They are both banned from import into the USA.
I own a Norinco AR-15 along with a few US made AR's.
I am not even allowed to bring my Norinco into the USA temporarily.

Is that a pre-ban /post-ban thing? Because Norinco and Polytech rifles are already here in the states. But because the AR clones are all post-ban, they can't even be brought in? That is about one of the dumbest things I've ever heard.

 

[thump_rrr]

Is that a pre-ban /post-ban thing? Because Norinco and Polytech rifles are already here in the states. But because the AR clones are all post-ban, they can't even be brought in? That is about one of the dumbest things I've ever heard.

When was the last time you heard of an intelligent gun law?

 

[MErl]

Yep! The 1980's Republicans didn't really help us too much with the 2A.

Reagan closed the machine gun registry!

Bush Sr. stopped all the Norinco products!

but we have FOPA so people wont get arrested transporting firearms through NY to reach the airport.

 

[InkEd]

I find it interesting that you have to fill out ATF paperwork for ammunition.
(At least, for bringing it INTO the US.)
Would a person with dual-citizenship be required to fill out such forms?

Sorry, to get sidetracked here but I find it interesting the differences in US/Canada firearm policies and how "uptight" BOTH sides are about crossing the "friendly unprotected border" with them.

 

[Tcruse]

Ammo imports can be directly controller by the state department, reporting to the president. So, I suspect that the limits and restrictions have changed since re-election.
We have gone from seeing more imported than us ammo to almost no imported ammo. The used brass seems from military ranges seems to have the rules for resale changed recently. Extra DHS purchases have not helped, not sure how over the top they are, but there seems to be a common thread. Maybe someone in Congress should ask some questions.

 

[thump_rrr]

Actually Canada allows the importation of 5,000 rounds of ammunition per day for personal use.
The problem is that we must use a US based exporter which drives up the cost.

 

[InkEd]

I have started a thread about Canadian gun/ammo laws. Thump-rrr, it would be awesome of you could help inform us about some of the laws up there.