Bullet blitz: Demand from public, government leaves ammo shelves empty

Fox News ^ | May 7, 2013 | Kristina Shevora

[Zakeet]

This year, concerns over a federal government bid to purchase large amounts of ammunition sent gun enthusiasts back to the stores. The Department of Homeland Security put out bids for up to 1.2 billion rounds of ammunition, leading many gun enthusiasts, including Sen. Tom Coburn , R-Okla., to question if the agency’s five-year purchase plan was fueling the national shortage.

“These round totals are simply a ceiling,” said Peter Boogard, DHS spokesman, in an email. “It does not mean that DHS will buy, or require, the full amounts of either contract.”

Over the last three fiscal years, the agency, which oversees the U.S. Secret Service, Coast Guard and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, actually bought fewer rounds of ammunition each year. The number of rounds purchased has fallen from 148.3 million in fiscal 2010 to 103.2 million rounds in 2012. The agency, which includes more than 100,000 law enforcement personnel, uses about two-thirds of the ammunition for qualifications or training purposes.

[Snip]

Despite the rush to buy ammunition and guns, household gun ownership among Americans has declined modestly since the 1970s. In 2012, 34 percent of Americans had a gun at home, down from 50 percent in 1973, the first year University of Chicago researchers started tracking gun ownership for the General Social Survey. A 2012 Gallup reported a more modest decline from 50 percent in 1968 to 43 percent last year.

[Snip]

“Our sales are only limited by the amount we can produce,” said Joseph Rupp, Olin chairman and chief executive officer in a conference call last Friday.

Ammunition manufacturers are struggling to make enough and have hundreds of millions of dollars in backorders. They’ve added hundreds of employees and equipment and increased overtime, and, in some cases, are running factories around the clock.

[Zakeet]

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A few interesting points from the article ... reading between the lines:

• These round totals are simply a ceiling ... we usually only purchase about 150 million bullets ... about two-thirds of which are used for qualification purposes ... meaning that about 50 million rounds are either fired in anger at citizens or misplaced somehow.

• Household gun ownership has declined from 50 percent to 34 percent ... meaning that there are still an incredible number of stupid people who will admit to a stranger over the phone that they own a gun which can be stolen or confiscated.

• Manufacturers consider the surge in demand temporary and aren't planning to build new factories ... meaning that there are still some businessmen who don't understand basic economics and realize how bad things are going to get after years of fiscal and regulatory abuse ... or how desperate people are going to get when they discover that the government can't possibly fund civil service pensions, welfare, social security, Medicare, Medicaid, ObamaCare, and bank bailouts ... or what will happen when the government tries to confiscate bank accounts, pensions and IRA accounts ... or how bad people will behave when they attempt to cope with food shortages and rationing ... or how hard politicians will desperately try to cling to power!

[Jonty30]

Considering past actions of the government, like sending armanents to a now-hostile Egypt, is it possible that the US government is now arming Islamic insurgents with bullets?

They can’t really store the number of bullets they intend to buy.

[3Fingas]

No way gun ownership is going down — maybe, in the Northeast, but not in the South. I personally know 10 people at work who have bought their first gun/s in the last year.

[Doctor 2Brains]

I went to the Nation’s Gun Show (been going for more than a decade) right after Newtown. .45 and 9mm prices were UNCHANGED from a few months earlier.

Can anybody tell me what to expect when I go again in early June?

How could prices and supplies be going crazy with no bullet bans out there, and even meek and weak gun laws are shot down?

[dirtboy]

I think what has changed is people’s willingness to tell a pollster that they have guns in their homes.

[Pollster1]

Household gun ownership has declined from 50 percent to 34 percent ... meaning that there are still an incredible number of stupid people who will admit to a stranger over the phone that they own a gun which can be stolen or confiscated.

Meaning that one third of those who used to admit ownership of firearms now consider that an imprudent action. Ask yourself what percentage of those who admit to owning firearms would actively resits tyranny and what percentage of gun owners who will not admit ownership would resist. Almost regardless of the fractions chosen for each, the total numbers are quite reassuring.

[MrB]

This isn’t a society stocking up on certain guns because they fear they may be banned. This is a society preparing for war. -Bob Owens

[Obadiah]

I think what has changed is people’s willingness to tell a pollster that they have guns in their homes.

People are wising up. You think people are going to announce what they have? To the government, pollsters, or to their media partners in crime?

I'd say that disclosure of concealed carry holders by the NY newspaper taught people a valuable lesson, namely, they ARE out to get you!

[VoyagerXII]

Even in here in NJ. People who never seemed interested in guns are now asking me what they should buy.I know at least 10 people who are buying their first.
The stores are out of inventory.The police depts are swamped with permit applications.

[frogjerk]

Not in the Northeast either. I know many, many people in NJ especially after Sandy that want/got a gun. Even in so-called safe towns people realized that if all of the police are guarding the gas stations and intersections then they will not be able to respond to 911 calls and crime as quick as they were. Many push-ins, looting and robberies happened after Sandy.

Many people's eyes were opened.

Then add the terrorists running around in Boston, "shelter in place" martial-law and the Gestapo doing house to house searches is definitely opening people's eyes.

[Renegade]

Walmart here had a shipment( 1 case) of Winchester .22lr 555 boxes come in and they were gone in 30 minutes.

[FunkyZero]

no doubt about it... hell, I won’t even tell my neighbors if or how many guns I have. Most of my family doesn’t even have any idea, I sure as hell wouldn’t tell anyone connected to government, pollsters or media in some way.

[wrench]

Any US made ammo will be $1 a round and up. Although the news is winding down on gun stuff, the ammo shortage is getting worse. Barring any new events this summer, this shortage is expected to last through the upcoming winter. And prices will rise along with the increased demand for the hard to find food for those new guns folks have bought.

[Renegade]

FID cards in The People’s Republic of New Jersey (which were issued for LIFE) will all be voided if the new law passes and is signed by the fat man and all information will be on a mag. strip on your driver’s license. It is by LAW supposed to get an FID card or handgun permit but I’ve never seen it take less than 4 months.

[ArrogantBustard]

It's not just that I wouldn't tell a pollster (etc.) about what guns I might own ...

I won't talk to the bastards at all.

Whatever they want to know, it's none of their bloody business.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

I have read that Homeland Security is buying up as much .45 Long Colt and 30-30 Winchester as they can get.

Since when does Homeland Security use Colt Single Action revolvers or lever action rifles?

[VoyagerXII]

Unfortunately, I believe it will pass and will be signed.
It’s all about making the process as inconvenient and expensive as possible.

[Redleg Duke]

Gun ownership is definitely not going down in the Northeast!

The libs are lying to themselves.

[Polynikes]

I agree no way ownership is dropping with Sturm-Ruger having a 2 million unit backlog.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3014650/posts

[panaxanax]

“..gun ownership is going down — maybe, in the Northeast...”

Quite the contrary, my FRiend.

ALL gun sales are up, pistol permits applications have gone ballistic. Those who didn’t plan ahead for ammo shortages are paying through the nose, but still scrambling to buy.

One shop had an ad in last week’s paper, bricks of .22 (500) for $125.00. SOLD OUT first day!