Many Internet-active gun owners have no doubt seen the Rense.com report "Contrived US Ammunition Shortage." An anonymous source is relied on to conclude:
Remington...cut back on production....
Columnist Charelston Voice gives no indication that he attempted to get Remington's side of the story, so I felt obligated to do so before passing his link along.
Regular readers of my WarOnGuns blog know I've credited CEO Tommy Millner before for being accessible and responsive, both in the Jim Zumbo flap and the H.S. Precision catalog fiasco.
I just got off the phone with him and I'll share with you the Cliffs Notes version of our conversation:
Remington is flat-out working to maximum capacity. Demand outstrips ability to produce and deliver. If they could produce more to sell, they would. He believes his competitors would, too. And there is no hoarding.
As far as I'm concerned, that should end the matter. Does anybody believe he'd give me such an unequivocal response if he wasn't being straight--as he consistently has been?
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More on Alabama shooting
Colleagues Dave Workman and John Longenecker weigh in. Read their takes.
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Comments
David, I will trust your trust in this man. However we have another side of this ammo shortage. Why is there no Wolf ammo in the pipeline. Try and find 500 rounds of Wolf 7.62x39 at any decent price. None of the large wholesalers have any and haven't for sometime now. In fact they have zero clue as to when they will receive any and have paid for it up front. Any information on imported ammo would be well received.
Fair enough but what about imported ammo like Wolf?
AvgJoe: The most likely reason there's no Wolf ammo in the pipeline is that other guys have been stocking up for Armageddon. Remember, there are probably a million people like you standing in line at their local gun shops. I've seen people buying ammo by the case rather than the box.
Primers? Just try to find a good supply! Good luck on that one.
Tommy Milner didn't mislead David one bit. Everybody I know in the industry is working at a fever pitch. Can't keep up with demand.
IF we had anything like a free market, this shortage probably would not have happened. Any increase in demand would simply signal new manufacturers to tool up and come on line, more importers to scour the world and for current suppliers to expand their operations.
None of that is happening because of the tremendous costs and pressures imposed by government, environmental whackos, and the anti-gun hysteria. The shortage isn't the result of demand, but of the massive inhibition to production.
Some people have been saying this day was coming for a long time. You can bet they've got what they need safely stored away already.
I believe that David, makes perfect sense but I do have to wonder how much of what Mama said plays into that.
Will plants be expanding with the continued rise in demand and sales of guns? If "surplus" ammo supplies dry up due to EO or acts of the mental house on the hill will they expand capacity? Will things be changing with the withdraw of troops from Iraq (mere months before an election) while forces are sent to Afghanistan? I don't know if you talked to him about any of these things since that wasn't the purpose.
At a recent wal-mart walk through the only thing on their shelves was 12g birdshot and a few bulk packs of .22lr. The entire cabinet that until about the end of the year was always 85+% full is down to 10% full. It's essentially been that way for the last 3 months. There was ZERO pistol or rifle besides the 2 or 3 bulk packs of .22lr.
Folks, I presented a very limited set of circumstances here to respond to specific allegations about a specific manufacturer. Your questions and comments outside the scope of that are not something this column was intended to address.
avg.joe, I believe a few weeks ago I read that millions of rounds of imported ammo that had already been paid for and shipped is being held in customs on our side of the pond. No official explanation or reason given, but not released to the buyers who would most certainly put it on their shelves if they could get it released.
Someone with a better memory than mine, please chime in if you know something about this.
David, and ammo shortage is just that an ammo shortage. When the topic comes up its going to bring on what people know and what they are seeing and any questions they may have. Put a carrot out there and human nature is going to kick in every time.
I understand that David, but if they're going hog wild making the stuff and can't meet demand now, given the increase in sales I thought at least a couple of my questions of merit. I'm sure they're looking at things in play and deciding what, if anything, they can do.
If they (all plants)can't meet demand folks are just going to start buying ball bats that have no need for ammo, just as effective as a gun with nothing to feed it.
David--Thanks for being the Barbara Walters of the Gun Rights issues. You ask the question and you get the answer. You didn't make him cry, though did you? :)
Wolf ammo is both imported and low-cost; needless to say, it's also highly in demand. There have been shortages and price hikes for the last three years. Why is this suddenly and issue now?
I know this because I've tried to buy some to keep my brother's rifles fed, and it's been very frustrating due to lack of reliable supply.
Note that importers and pretty much everyone else buys on credit; I don't think I need to explain the implications of that.
Remington appears to be keeping up with demand for reloading components, and their brass really hasn't gone up that much. There's a Plan B, if you're looking for one.
I'm sorry, but there have been double-digit increases in demand for three months. Industry just doesn't scale up that quickly.
Michelle C--not at all--he has always been a gentleman to me, approachable, candid and forthcoming. I've worked with many CEOs in the course of my career and I see none of the artifice or self-importance so many seem to believe comes with the position.
You know I talked to the manager of the gun section at Academy Sports and Outdoors about imported ammo, specifically.
This is what he told me.
Academy has a quarterly quota of imported goods that they can sell, whether it's ammo or lawn chairs. If they run out before the end of the quarter, they can't sell any more until the next quarter.
They usually don't hit the limit, but they've been hitting it like clockwork on ammo, so he said.
So, let's see if this is true come April, AKA 2nd quarter.
It is not just commercial ammo. I reload. Reloading components are hard to get, powder is in short supply, and prices on all of it are way up. That started in early 2008, but is far worse now.
Primers are nearly impossible, which is why it's a good idea to know where there are brick-and-mortar shops that don't practice the just-in-time inventory method.
Propellants (powders) are a different story. Only certain kinds are wiped out of inventory, yet those that are close in performance--but less popular--are still well-stocked. The prices haven't changed substantially since two years ago, when I made my last bulk purchase.
I strongly encourage hand loaders to continue to shun the practice of building a library of loading data, and to continue to avoid experimentation and research. A minority of us are tremendously enjoying the lower prices and lack of shortages on alternative products.
I recently a blog that suggested something far more sisister. The small arms ammo shoratge has been with us for a while but in recent months popular hand gun ammo has become all most non existant.It suggested that the obama adminstration is using Home Land Security, in particular U.S. Customs to hold imported hand gun ammo as it enters the country. The administration the military procurement system to tie up production of major manufacters leaving only smaller domestic manufacters to supply a much more militarized law inforcement community and a public growing in fear of their own government.
By doing so the new administration can drive up prices, dry up supply and institute gun control with out passing any new law or even telling anyone what they have done. Not a big conspirecy guy but something weird is going on.
There is an obvious conspiracy to create an ammunition shortage. Even hoarders eventually
get their fill. Your pal at Remington may be giving you the straight story, but there is more to this story than meets the eye. Mark my words......
I suggest you find workers in those plants and ask. Forget the pub relations or CEOs.
So, where is the ammunition going?
Does the description "working to maximum capacity" actually refer to the output ability of the factories and company, and that it is generally at its peak historically? On its own, this description could 'truthfully' apply even if there is some limiting factor, such as raw materials shortage or a reduction in manufacturing capacity.
I reiterate my honest question: If we stipulate that there is no reduced overall production in ammunition, where is it all going?
Today I tried to find .223 and immediately exhausted _all_ of my usual sources as they are all totally (!) out of stock. I am expanding my search, but even those who have any are charging _bizarre_ prices for it. Same for .308, 9mm...
Who on Earth, literally, is using _THAT_ much ammunition??
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