The reason there's an ammunition shortage is that people are buying a lot of ammunition. It's very simple.
It's a self-perpetuating feedback loop. There was panic buying after Newtown, and once reports of shortages popped up, even more people panicked and went out to buy ammunition, leading to more shortages, more panic buying, and so on. The silly panic over DHS ammo purchases (but not the small purchases themselves) has increased the phenomenon even more.
For gun owners, the answer to "why is there an ammo shortage" can be found by looking in a mirror.
That’s one idea.
The silly panic over DHS ammo purchases...
In fact it isn't silly at all. It may be the result of a misunderstanding or misinformation - but it isn't silly at all. No more silly than someone attempting to ridicule buyers into choosing to refrain from talking about it. That's curious.
More blame to the buyers:
For gun owners, the answer to "why is there an ammo shortage" can be found by looking in a mirror.
No blame anywhere but the buyers eh? I find it unusual that a FR poster would do so. You ain't from around here, are you?
Good reading on the root cause of the 2009 ammo shortage.
My guess is, the same principles apply this time around.
“Gunstores continue to be a never-ending source of hilarity. Walk into your local shooting emporium and ask why there is an ammo shortage, and you’ll hear inane speculation coupled with a conspiracy theory or two. The reality is that the supply chain for ammunition is relatively inelastic, and is easily overwhelmed by a sudden jump in sales...”
http://grantcunningham.com/blog_files/1f0a89deff589f5706c99bd0d0984930-512.html
It's a self-perpetuating feedback loop. There was panic buying after Newtown, and once reports of shortages popped up, even more people panicked and went out to buy ammunition, leading to more shortages, more panic buying, and so on. The silly panic over DHS ammo purchases (but not the small purchases themselves) has increased the phenomenon even more.
For gun owners, the answer to "why is there an ammo shortage" can be found by looking in a mirror.
Your explanation is correct, but a lot of people aren't going to want to let go of this "great DHS ammunition stockpile" conspiracy theory. The Alex Jones crowd, in particular, is going to be regurgitating this conspiracy no matter how clear the evidence is that it's a myth.