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GUN RUSH

Gun Owners Ask - Where's All the Ammo Gone?

Empty shelves from sea to shining sea

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by Mary Noble

Senior Editor t

Empty shelves for handgun bullets in Bass Pro, Tennessee / Image: Politix

Gun shops are reporting a national ammunition drought caused by customers who fear gun-control legislation.

A Maryland store owner told USA Today that demand was rising before Obama's re-election, but "went crazy" after the president proposed an assault weapons ban in the wake of Sandy Hook. Another store owner from NC stated that "our store is 53 years old, and we have never seen anything like this."

It's easy to understand the rush to buy semi-automatic weapons, since they could be banned. Harder to account for is the shortage of every type of ammunition. Gun stores cite rumors of background checks and higher taxes on ammunition as reasons why gun owners are stocking up. That would explain why some Bass Pro stores in Tennessee and Kentucky are completely out of handgun bullets and almost out of handguns, according to a Politix source.

The shortages could have consequences for law enforcement as well as gun owners. Colorado police report that they might have to cut back on training sessions at firing ranges because of a lack of bullets.

Via USA Today and Politix Reporting.
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What's the main reason Americans are rushing to stock up on ammunition?

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Comments (view in Forum)

  • dances-weebles
    !
    @PolitixMary mary... while we've got you here, is there any way for you to coax the folks who programme the e-mail links to make them go directly to the post that's being linked, rather to the top of the first page. the same thing would work with our responses. rather than going back to the beginning every time.

  • View all 21 replies >

  • AntiPorcheria
    !
    No doubt. The manipulation of our economy is sooo evident when the elections come around. Both Romney and Obama were correct. Gas prices went down (just before the elections) as Obama promised. Gas prices skyrocketed back up (just after the elections) as Romney predicted. Wow, he must have been psychic. I remember the same thing happening in '08,'04,'00,'96 etc....all the way back to the Carter gas shortage. One of the simplest ways to control a population is to control their ability to be comfortably mobile. Are you noticing the spikes in milk and dairy, bread and toilet paper? Around here milk is over $5 per gallon, bread has doubled and toilet paper is in short supply. Thank god for all those left-over absentee ballots.
  • Rocker
    !
    Marine, kinda like the gas shortage back in '75. Driving the prices up, up, up.
    Ammo companies want to make as much profit as the gas companies do. lol

  • View all 8 replies >

  • u
    mtkopf
    !
    Good call. That's what I voted. I think all the fear mongering by the NRA is to increase sales. That's it. Just a money making scheme.
  • grilla
    !
    @mtkopf I swear our society is getting so easy to manipulate anymore, corporations, politicians, oil companies, just play us like a bunch of stupid puppets.
  • u
    mtkopf
    !
    @grilla all of them, politicians, corporations, oil companies, all trying to grab every single last penny that they can.

  • View all 12 replies >

  • Fishbone345
    !
    I would think that the makers of Ammo and Guns would like the job Obama and other Gun Control supporters are doing for them. What a way to sell a product, free advertisement.
    Maybe they are cutting them in on the take to speak about it, but not actually legislate it. I smell conspiracy!
  • Knightkore
    !
    @PoliticalSpice Don't know about secret orders but have heard that Homeland Security is buying up hollow points....

    http://www.infowars.com/why-does-the-departme...

    http://www.infowars.com/social-security-admin...

    First it was the Department of Homeland Security, then it was the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and now the Social Security Administration is set to purchase 174,000 rounds of hollow point bullets that will be delivered to 41 locations across the country.
  • Dan_Tien
    !
    My cousin bought masses of ammunition when Obama was elected the first time because of rumors that he would make the sale of guns and ammo illegal. It's probably the same reason for the run on guns and ammo now.
  • zachsquatch
    !
    I really don't know what the issue really is, but I went to Wal-Mart and they were out of all semi-auto cartridges, including .22. The thing is, we really don't know what the anti-gunnies are going to do (try to do). The illogical fear of amoral objects is what's causing this. I don't think most people are buying out fear, but out of the fact that their gun will be useless without ammunition. Since our great politicians are hitting hard on "assault weapons", they'll probably go after 5.56, 7.62, and 6.8 rounds as well. Again, we really don't now. I am hoping there are enough people in Congress to wad any bans up and throw them in the trash, but hoping for sense in Congress can be a lost cause.

    The sad issue is that you'll never see these politicians go after the root cause of all this madness.

    I was really wanting to go plinking this weekend with my new .22, but it will have to wait until the ammo cost less than my gun.

    I will milk this too, though. Any time I see a AR-15 at Wal-Mart, and they do come sporadically, I pick them up and double my money. It's an entrepreneurs dream right now.
  • GmanGSW
    !
    I wish I could FIND an AR-15-22, even! Sold out within 100 miles of where I live. Been sold out since around Christmas. Ammo CAN be gotten, but .22 for plinking? I feel your pain! I'm sitting on a "limited" stash of all ammo. I really wish I'd not been SO sick the latter part of this past year & recently; again, now... Seriously! I have the flu right now... It seems as if I keep getting these 2 week illnesses, right around when the C & E gun show comes to town, too. They were just here & I had a 100 degree temperature for 2 days. Ugh!!!! Hoping for the best. I'd like to go plinking too!
  • zeke
    !
    This is an easy one, if you own a weapon or weapons you must have ammo or that weapon is useless. Might as well have a bag of rocks! With all the rumors floating around such as shelf life on ammo , registration on ammo and just a plain ban on ammo, this run on ammo should come as no suprise.
  • Concerned_Cit
    !
    Reasons for the shortage:

    1.) There are more gunowners now than ever with thousands of new gunowners (mostly women and the elderly) everyday.

    2.) The UN has limited ammunition imports and exports of surplus ammunition from over 160 countries, to the US, since 2006 as part of the Global Disarmament which used to account for more than 60% of sales.

    3.) The US government is stockpiling ammunition (over 2 Billion rounds, mostly hollowpoint, in the last year has been contracted) creating a shortage of certain calibers (not talking about the military, they have their own production separate)

    4.) Panic buying creates more panic.

    5.) Talks of gun control spurred sales of the guns discussed being banned, mostly pistols and rifles, and guns sales are over 6 million the last 2.5 months, so if each of those people bought only 100 rounds of ammo, then that would be 600,000,000 rounds of ammo above and beyond just the average non-panic buying sales. Most would have bought more than that, so say a billion or more rounds above and beyond the average.

    6.) Fear of economic collapse and chaos.

    7.) X-mas sales.

    8.) etc etc etc etc
  • u
    tomincali
    !
    i see a few things that would cause this,add in an article i seen awhile back about obama saying he did not think any citizens should be allowed to own guns,and it does seem too crazy him doing everything he can to try.
  • jessejaymes
    !
    Everyone sing

    Where has all the ammo gone long time passing
    Where has all the ammo gone, long long time ago
    Where has all the ammo gone, gone to weapons every one
    When will they ever learn, When will they ever learn?

    Where has all the weapons gone, long time passing
    where has a ll the weapons gone, long long time ago
    where has all the weapons gone, gone to wingers every one
    When will they every learn, when will the ever learn?

    Where has all the wingers gone, long time passing
    where has a ll the wingers gone, long long time ago
    where has all the wingers gone, gone to red dawn every one
    When will they every learn, when will they ever learn?

    Where has all the red dawn's gone, long time passing
    where has a ll the red dawn's gone, long long time ago
    where has all the red dawn's gone, gone to bunkers every one
    When will they every learn, when will they ever learn?

    Where has all the bunkers gone, long time passing
    where has a ll the bunkers gone, long long time ago
    where has all the bunkers gone, gone to paranoid every one
    When will they every learn, when will they ever learn?

    Where has all the paranoid gone, long time passing
    where has a ll the paranoid gone, long long time ago
    where has all the paranoid, gone to ammo every one
    When will they every learn, when will they ever learn?
  • miketost
    !
    Over two years ago I advised friends and family to purchase extra guns ,ammo ,and silver and Im glad they did.Not only did they make a good investment they now can avoid the problems of finding the hard to find.Truly hope my other predictions are not correct.
  • u
    tomincali
    !
    sad that obama thinks more of illegal aliens than citizens,he refuses to see them all as the criminals yet sees all gun owners as potential mass murders
  • u
    thumper11
    !
    It seems the "revolution" already occurred. We lost - by default. Now people are gearing-up for the daunting task of reclaiming our constitutional government (from the anti-American hostiles who hijacked it), restoring the rule-of-law, and rebuilding our country. Prudent people know that their very survival will depend on their ability to protect and defend their families during the inevitable struggle.
  • PNWest
    !
    Trying to get reasonable gun control is a losing battle in 2013. The NRA is too strong. We'll get it eventually but many, many more have to die by senseless gun violence first. In the mean time here is a link to a site keeping track of senseless gun related deaths. We're over 1900 now. http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politi... So gun nuts, enjoy your 2nd amendment rights while the bodies keep piling up. Here's an appropriate John Lennon song for you - http://www.youtube.com/watch...
  • zeke
    !
    To the anti gun nuts every gun owner is evil along with the NRA right? But i know alot of gun owners who don't belong to the NRA, suprising, not really, they don't agree with everything the NRA stands for. I think the map in the link you provided tells whats going on with gun violence and violence in general in this country. Where is the violence concentrated, cities? Why is this, too many people, too many gangs, not enough law enforcement, too many mentally ill, or all of the above, hell i don't know you tell us? I know where i live gun violence is extremely rare and just about everyone owns at least one gun, most own more. As the old proverb goes, remove the board from your eye before you remove the splinter from mine!
  • PNWest
    !
    @zeke Plenty of big cities in Western Europe. Not many guns. Result - not much gun violence. I made no moral judgements on the goodness or evilness of gun owners. For all you know I may even own several guns. I am pointing out that the number of gun victims continues to grow day by day. Year after year. And that eventually we will wise up and regulate guns much like the rest of the civilized world. Just as the GOP is dying off so too will the gun nut mentality. There is nothing unconstitutional about regulating guns. That's why it is so hard to get a machine gun - and also too why there are never any machine gun massacres anymore.
  • PNWest
    !
    @Righton Yes - I own a car. It is licensed and insured and inspected regularly. If someone is injured by my car - regardless of who is driving it I (via my car insurance) am responsible. If I wish to operate my car I must periodically pass licensing tests to insure that I can do so safely. I must also adhere to the rules that my state has decided best protect the public interests. The manufacturer of my car does not have any special liability exceptions protecting them from lawsuits should my car kill or injure someone. I would expect no less for guns and bullets as they have only once use - to kill.

  • View all 57 replies >

  • u
    Grubby
    !
    Obama is after our guns and our Ammo. He does things in stages, the full ban is coming. He cannot control the population unless he disarms it. People are going to be ready. I know my home is ready. It will be really tough for them to get all the guns and all the ammo because a lot of us have quite a stockpile and we won't willingly give it up. Yes, as some liberal nut said in an earlier thread my guns won't stop a hellfire missile, but if Obama resorts to using those within our borders on US citizens, they we really do have a war on our hands and need the arms more than ever.
  • miketost
    !
    Look at Syria,Libya,were citizens faced their own governments and have done quit well.Some will say it is fruitless to think a population with only guns could defeat the U.S. military.Remind me again how swiftly we defeated the taliban in Afghanistan,and the number of drones and attack aircraft that they had?
  • wonka45ACP
    !
    1.6 billion rounds to US Homeland security has put a Hysteria on the subject.
    might just be a justifiable reason to get while the Gettin' is good.
  • Thegrif
    !
    Caller on radio talk show about a week ago said ammo being bought up by "X" company which was actually a fictitious company set up by gov't. Haven't found any proof of that, YET!
  • Thegrif
    !
    @harold_lloyd harold, no, but look, it has been made clear to me that you are intelligent, and follow the news and politics very well. But while you are intelligent, you are not very smart (and there is a difference) if you believe your trust in Obama and your gov't is well placed. Obviously King Obama is use to getting his own way, by hook or by crook, Like a spoiled little kid.
    His goal is simple, to bring America down a couple of pegs. The classes he wants to equalize is not our rich and our poor. It is a rich America and the 3rd world countries around the world. His mind set is to have a meeting of the world around 2nd class. He is going to fail to reach that goal, not enough time, but he will leave the Office, much richer than when he took the office, while America will, with a credit rating much worse, employment in the basement, businesses losing money and sinking, more people needing assistance.
    Obama came in to office with a plan, and with his super ego, he just thought America would bow down and let him "save us", he didn't think he would be challenged or opposed. The man clearly thinks he is a King, the chosen one.
    Jet setting all over the country, MTV president, who tells the young and the needy what they want to hear, but not reality.
    See I am not saying Dems are all wrong on every issue, but Obama sure is wrong.
    Now the ammo issue. If the gov't isn't the one buying up ammo, then that means the people are arming themselves. For good reason too, we aren't just gonna let the criminals have semi-auto's and ammo and leave us defenseless, and also it looks like we may need to defend ourselves against our own gov't.
    A country falling while Obama says in a interview that the most pressing issue was his wifes bangs. While people wonder where the next dollar will come from, our fearless leader goes on vacation to play golf with Tiger.
  • harold_lloyd
    !
    @Thegrif "His goal is simple, to bring America down a couple of pegs."
    Now where have I heard that before...?

    "you are not very smart ... if you believe your trust in Obama and your gov't is well placed."
    You really haven't read enough of my stuff to know that I don't trust any politician, not Obama, and surely not any teabegger pol. the biggest mistake a voter can make, and I think you've made it, is to think that any politician is 'their guy' or on your side.

    "Obama came in to office with a plan, and with his super ego..."
    Bush43 came to power with an ego, but unfortunately, no plan.

    Once again, you remarks boil down to," I hate Obama, he's the source of all evil in the universe."

    So tell me, who would you have as president?

  • View all 13 replies >

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