“There’s no other logical explanation for its sudden and prolonged disappearance from the market.”
Well, except for, you know, the fact that people who are paranoid about the government buying everything they can get their hands on.
Right, except the stuff never makes it to the shelf. Otherwise, great theory.
The only thing I can figure out is (in my conspiratorial mind)... if the folks who want to buy the ammo know they have to come in early they will be semi-massed together and be easier to photograph/get license plates/track all at once. Otherwise, with plentiful supplies, THEY would have to hang around the Walmart all day long and ammo buyers would get all mixed up with the casual shoppers.