How Much Ammunition is Produced for the United States Market?

Ammoland.com ^ | November 27, 2020 | Dean Weingarten

[Towed_Jumper]

For the second time in a decade, demand for ammunition has outstripped supply in the United States. The first ammunition bubble was from 2012 to 2017. The next started in 2020.

Ammunition manufacturers have increased their capacity. In the face of increased demand, it has not been enough. Ammunition plants are running 24/7 to make profits while demand is high. Shortages still exist in the United States. Common calibers have disappeared from store shelves. Prices have risen. Panic buying and purchasing for private stockpiles have increased.

Those who purchased a stockpile in the interval between ammunition bubbles from 2017 to 2020 are considered wise and foresighted. At one point in October of 2018, .22 rimfire ammunition was available at 2.5 cents per round. How much ammunition is being produced and purchased in the United States market?

During the .22 rimfire bubble, the productive capacity was increased from about 4 billion rimfire rounds to 5 billion rimfire rounds per year. The National Shooting Sports Foundation has estimated total ammunition produced for the United States market in 2017 at 8.1 billion rounds. In 2018, the total ammunition production for the United States was estimated at 8.7 billion rounds. The numbers for 2019 should be published in December of 2020.

A reasonable extrapolation puts the amount of ammunition produced for the United States market at somewhat over 9 billion rounds, of which 5 billion are rimfire and 4 billion are centerfire rifle, pistol, and shotgun rounds in 2020.

[CodeToad]

““They generally don’t know who has the goods. “(emphasis added)”

The club and firearms have nothing to do with each other. Dumb analogy.

Again, if you want to be a childish coward and try to giggle and claim you have no guns then go stand in the corner while the adults stand firm.

[SanchoP]

Anyone with a gun understands that there is zero hope of complete anonymity.

You just keep piling it deeper. I haven't owned a registered firearm since the early 70s and I am not alone.

[magyars4]

If you can find primers at 40.00 per thousand BUY all you can...around here SPP are easily 100 per thousand.

[Lurker]

“The same goes for reloading components.”

A member at our gun club is selling CCI 34 primers for $90/thousand. And he’s getting it.

Insane.

L

[DoodleBob]

Uh huh...because that’s why you post under a fake name.

[sarge83]

My walley world a week ago has 3 hunting rifles and nothing else weapons wise. Ammo wise they had .20 gauge buck shot and slugs. There were 4 boxes left and one each went home with me.

[sarge83]

I can reload by a Lee hand loader .38/.357, 9X18 Makarov, and 9mm. I had materials for all but the 9mm and had to hunt a long time to find some brass and 9mm bullets. I paid $200 for 500 brass casings and 400 Sig 124 grain vcrown JHP bullets.

[delta7]

The big picture: US goes cashless, digital currency, already in the making. Read up on Fedcoin, Senate Bill 3571, instating cashless, running parallel with reduced cash manufacture. In Comittee as we speak. Of course no one believes the Federal Reserve would “ blacklist” arms and ammo purchases.....

[fireman15]

I enjoy the 9x18 Makarov, it is one of the calibers I have set up for my progressive press. Every pull of the handle and another cartridge is ready to go. It is a little touchy to get the setup dialed in, but pays dividends when doing doing a large batch. I use have a mold that does 5 of the bullets that I use in that cartridge at a time as well. If I recall correctly I usually use about 3.5 grains of titegroup powder in each cartridge. I typically use 9x19mm brass that other people have left at the range and cut it down. So the actual amount of money that it costs me to reload a cartridge is barely more than the price of a pistol primer.

[Eska]

I've went thru several ammo sprees since the 80s too, and don't even need anything now but still call starline. I've ended up gifting 3/4 of my guns to nephews; has really dropped excessive ammo selection needs. traded enough primers & powder to pick up another acog 4-32.

haven't reloaded since 2015. I dug everything out and was shocked how much I had; good feelin.

before AWB in 90's; I buried a few ars, dumb move. Never again, and I ain't going to my grave licking the hands that feed me neither.

[joma89]

Yup, I was taught dead people equals spare parts.

JoMa

[Big Red Badger]

Shouldn’t be Surprised.

[CodeToad]

Primers are goners in my world. I did find 2 boxes of large rifle for $43 at Sportsman Warehouse a few weeks ago. Other than that, none online or in stores for months. I have enough for what I want to load but I’m not expecting to find much for a few months and none at all if things go kinetic.

[CodeToad]

Prudence is different from cowardice.

[hardspunned]

Government buy ups drove the last ammo shortage. I’ve an excess of 30-06 and sold 1000 rounds on Gunbroker for four times what I paid for it. If the DS swindle is successful that same non taxed ammo will probably be worth twice that next year.

[Chode]

not enough...

[dis.kevin]

That’s what I’ll be doing

[Hazwaste]

I’ve chosen to leave my supply alone, and only shoot new 7.62x39 at the range for now. Got 400 rounds for $200 at cheaperthandirt.com. Still expensive, so I’ll keep my range trips short.

[Nailbiter]

#27

[Zhang Fei]

[Prudence is different from cowardice.]

---

Too true. Your prudence is an inspiration to the anonymous cowards on the internet.