The OP's question then goes to, why be limited in access to finished ammo and subject to the whims of a fickle public? Look at the .22 situation right now - it's for sale, but you have to jump thru hoops to find it at retail, and that means purchasing it before it will even get to the shelf. Hence, the line at Walmart on "Ammo Morning."
No difference whatsoever to the Cabbage Patch doll craze. We'd get a shipment in at the retailer I worked at, the land lines would start ringing after the first sale, in three hours they would be gone. The resourceful consumers who made an effort to network with like minded people got into their cars and made an effort.
They didn't complain about it not being their next week Wednesday if and when they might swing by to pick up a gallon of milk and loaf of bread. That is a recipe for failure during high demand times.
So, those complaining the most are really directing their anger at others who have more resources and cash, who can buy the ammo by being in line first. No different than showing up at the grocery store prepping for a hurricane to discover the shelves bare. Somebody needs to elevate their priority - or get used to doing without.
First come, first served. Cash talks. Don't ask if they can hold a box for you. Not happening. It's presumptuous to think you could jump ahead in line, even more so to place an exceptionally large order at numerous outlets to influence supply. All that happens is that demand increases - not the amount they are already shipping. Retailers and makers expect most of those orders to cancel later. They have the actual numbers. They are not going to increase production for ghost purchases. That is a recipe for disaster, they know better.
It's really about a lack of knowledge about economics and factory production. Just because someone wants something doesn't mean the rules of fair play require others to cater to their needs. It's the unspoken retail policy, the customer always thinks he's right.
Don't limit yourself to hard-to-obtain calibers and a restricted supply. Again, during the first Obamascare, all the traditional calibers were frequently on the shelf. It was the military calibers in short supply. This time, once the dust settled on the first wave of buying, did you notice what calibers showed back up first? Go look in the ammo shelves right now at a better stocked store.
I may not be able to get .223, .308, or 9mm, but I can buy 6.8SPC, 6.5Grendel, and .38 Special. They aren't that popular.
That's where the expression, observe the masses, do the opposite protects you. Kit out in a cartridge they don't find obsessively popular, and you will be able to buy it. Don't restrict your purchasing to a highly restricted source that can presently sell only one to three boxes at a time. Order online. Reload.
Break the chain of dependency and you are no longer enthralled to heel at the foot of the makers. Very few people like owning a car they are forced to only get parts and service at the dealer. Learn to fix it yourself, and dig for sources. They are out there. I can't tell you how many times a week I suggest buying parts from the salvage yard and consumers give me a quizzical look. They are trapped in a retail world of new, new, new.
The real issue is when we deliberately choose something that only appears to elevate our status by it's rarity. Later, we discover that we've sold our soul to the company store to keep it running. Nobody forces us to do it. The reality is that we get seduced by marketing. It's really just desserts for playing to our ego.
Those of us shooting one of the 4990 other calibers don't have a major problem with ammo supply right now. It's the masses trapped in dependency who do.
