More stockpiling ammunition: Fear of potential Obama laws causing mass sales

missouliandotcom ^ | May 20, 2009 | By PERRY BACKUS Ravalli Republic

[smokingfrog]

Every day, Darren Newsom's three Bitterroot Valley Ammunition facilities crank out 300,000 rounds of ammunition.

It's not nearly enough.

“I'm going about 100,000 rounds in the wrong direction every day,” Newsom said. “We probably have about six months of back orders right now.”

Newsom has been in the ammunition manufacturing business for more than 20 years and he's never seen demand this high.

Fearful of the Obama administration's potential to tighten gun control laws, people from all over the country are stocking up on guns and ammunition.

“I went through the Clinton years and there was a bit of a scare then,” Newsom said. “This is like the Clinton years on steroids. � On the day of the election, our phones started going nuts. It hasn't stopped since.”

As a master distributor for ATK - the world's largest ammunition business - Bitterroot Valley Ammunition supplies other ammunition manufacturers around the country with the components needed to make bullets.

“I get a million primers in every other day and most are shipped out the very next day,” he said. “I have 100 million primers on back order right now. We just can't get enough of them.”

At a recent gun show in Salt Lake City, Newsom sold somewhere between 300,000 and 400,000 rounds in the first two hours.

“It's just unreal,” he said. “Somewhere in lots of basements around the country, there are millions of rounds of ammunition being stored.”

Local businesses have felt the ammunition shortage.

At Bob Ward's in Hamilton, Mike Matteson said there has been quite a run on ammunition and reloading supplies like bullets and powder since the election.

“We are especially low right now with pistol ammunition,” Matteson said. “There are four or five calibers that we don't even have on our shelves.”

[Armedanddangerous]

me too..my plan is to have enough to defend my family when the people finally decide theyve had enough from Barry

[KoRn]

I'm certainly doing my part.

I'm looking to stock about 5,000 rounds for each of my rifles, and half that for each my pistols. I just got a Saiga 12, so I suppose I need to get shells too! lol

Having said that, I think the run on ammo, while surely justified, is a bit misplaced. I don't believe the politicians are going to do ANYTHING regarding ammo at the federal level. If they do anything, it will be against semi-auto rifles and magazines.

I just ordered 50 magazines for my PTR-91, at an awesome price from the PTR-91 website. If anyone else is interested, look here:

[blam]

"It’s also a better investment than stocks or bonds when the SHTF."

I was playing Texas-Hold'em with six other guys (all 60+) last night and they all agreed that we'd not get back to a good place economically without violence. (riots, etc)

They'd all bought guns, ammo, silver, gold and some had also stockpiled food, etc. (For the revolution)

[Paladin2]

It's not hording, it's creating a buffer.

In this day and age of just in time supply, those who feel at risk and can afford to, will build their own "use buffer" to eliminate any shock of a break in the supply chain.

I do the same thing with Diesel fuel to get through the summer holiday weekends and hurricane season.

[Armedanddangerous]

Most people dont take into account that a good short bbl 12 ga pump is an essential part of ones home defense arsenal.

there are plenty of 12 ga shells out there at reasonable prices to practice with.

[Red in Blue PA]

My doctor said that his financial planner actually advised him to buy guns and ammo. I could not believe it.

[Drango]

Put on a second shift....heck with that....rolling 4/10s.

[randomhero97]

Remington 870?

Although, the Saiga 12s look mighty fun as a previous poster has already mentioned.

[DTogo]

Work with your like-minded friends and neighbors to tag-team stores. Know what each other is looking for and get what you can when you can - then spread the wealth! ;^)

[El Gato]

I just ordered 2,000 rounds of his stuff. Didn’t say anything about it being backordered. But if it is, I can wait. It’s just .22 LR, and I already have enough to get me by until it shows up, and then some. Some of what I have I’ve had in the “ready” box, for years. The rest of that brick is in another ammo can, somewhere, but it’s getting pretty depleted.

[KoRn]

"there are plenty of 12 ga shells out there at reasonable prices to practice with."

Yeah, you can still get a box of bird shot for around $6 at your local Wal-Mart, and they even have it in stock!

[DTogo]

Yep, Walmart has a lot of 12 gauge general purpose shells for ~$22/100. Lots of .22LR out there too. Bargain!

[El Gato]

Is all that hoarding out of fear - or are there other factors at work ??

The article calls it "stockpiling", correctly IMHO. Ammo goes fast. And you can use it for barter as well. Not my intent, but it's still possible.

[Gator113]

Ammo and guns are selling like crazy.

There is no end in sight, the products can’t be made fast enough.

People are willing to pay far more than what the products are worth.

Economy is near depression levels, but people continue to buy.

Retirement funds are worth less than half of what they were less than a year ago, yet thousands of new gun owners continue to stock up.

People are buy sight unseen and not even bothering to barter.

Significant tax increases are right around the corner, but we spend our money on more guns and ammo.

Nearly a million people a month are losing their jobs every month and the stock markets have hurt the common man, but the guns and ammo keep moving off of the shelves.

What’s Obama do?

The fool buys a failing auto manufacturer. Priceless. LOL

[KoRn]

PS: A cop once told me that a person can be nearly ‘cut in half’ by being shot with #4 shot from a 12 gauge at close range. He said that the big stuff like buck shot and slugs wasn’t even necessary for home defense.

[EGPWS]

It's not nearly enough.

Just watch, next it's going to be that public sales are stopped via mandate because law enforcement personnel are low on ammo.

Strait from the White House....

[M Kehoe]

The mathematical equation is so simple, it's now an axiom: guns+ammo=freedom.

The only variable is the will to utilize the equation.

5.56mm

[Paladin2]

The range I go to wants only slugs coming out of shotguns. Get some for practice use.

[blam]

"My doctor said that his financial planner actually advised him to buy guns and ammo. I could not believe it."

For self defense or a money making deal?

[Gator113]

Yes, nothing on this earth is more important.