Ammo

Our local Gun shop just got in a supply of Ammo. His shelves had been bare for over a month. I asked for a 20-round box of .44mag JHP, and handed him my credit card. BIG MISTAKE!!!! The reciept I got back said $48
$2.40 PER ROUND????

I would highly doubt if that shop owners cost has gone up anywhere near what would normally justify that price.

Was at the store today - 20 round box of .45ACP was $36.99 ...

Doesn't this scare you fellas just a little bit?

No ammo...countries threatening to attack us...our country going over a financial cliff...

If I were an ammo brand, I would be hiring 3 shifts to pump out shells 24-7 to meet the demand and make millions of dollars. So why cant well known, experienced companies like Federal and Winchester keep up with the demand? It takes what, maybe 15 seconds to make a bullet? How can a factory full of workers not churn out a million a day?

Something smells fishy here...

I watched a guy making 1000/hr with a Dillon. I would think it takes less then 15 seconds for the big boys. The little guys cannot get components. Where are they going(components) if the big guys are not making more and the little guys cannot buy them? Sam will say it is an artificial shortage so the ammo makers can make more money.

Kevin

Ya think the 1.2 billion rounds that the mil ordered might have made supplies a little tight? No primers, brass,powder and lead= No ammo for main st. It' getting hard to find primers for shotgun shell reloading. BO says you can have your guns but, you can't have no ammo. You'll have to use your gun for a club.

Interesting.

I think it might have something to do with that as well. However, you can still buy bulk ammo at a lot of places if you are willing to drop $400 or more. You have to weigh your options I guess.

No gun clubbing. That is why man developed the lovely edged weapons that are available today.

KLook wrote:The little guys cannot get components.

My brain is melting.... I'm not a big gun person, but I firmly believe that "gun control" IS "people control". The government should keep their noses out of the second amendment.

So, what's this "can not get components"? Making bullets isn't rocket science. Each component is a common element. I guess I'm wondering what's keeping me, you, anyone, from building a bullet factory & making a living? What do need besides some copper & zinc to make brass, some sulfur, a cord or two of hardwood (to make charcoal) and potassium nitrate. No secrets here folks. Making potassium nitrate has been public information since the year 1270.
Ya, ya, yaaa, I'm sure we'd need some Federal permit to make & sell, but big whoops! I just don't understand the shortage.

Copper is very expensive now, Lead is regulated like a toxic waste. Gunpowder is no longer a primitive explosive, having many burn rates to facilitate different case capacities. Primers appear simple, and I remember hearing about people mixing up their own contact explosive, but how to apply it accurately to thousands of little cups that you have to make precisely the right size? And the little anvil in the cup to strike against? COme to think of it, if it explodes you will be arrested for making a bomb.
As BO/DianeF/etc. have said, the weapons of the day. We might be able to replicate muzzleloaders and flint. Blackpowder is makeable. All they have to do is threaten the manufacturers of ammo to control the buying public. It is not new, the gun manufacturers were "taken over" for the war effort as critical industries by Woodrow Wilson going into WWI. Total takeover.
Once again, it is a win win for the present admin. You have no ammo, and what you have cost so much that you have no money left. Wealth redistribution if you will. Plus it puts a damper on hunting and removes many people from being able to afford it. Another win for the anti hunters in the admin.

Kevin

KLook wrote:Copper is very expensive now, Lead is regulated like a toxic waste. Gunpowder is no longer a primitive explosive, having many burn rates to facilitate different case capacities. Primers appear simple, and I remember hearing about people mixing up their own contact explosive, but how to apply it accurately to thousands of little cups that you have to make precisely the right size?

Copper has been expensive since 1995, but no shortage. Lead sales aren't regulated. The mining and smelting is, but raw lead is easily obtainable. It's on eBay! As for the technicalities of making ammo, it's no different than making ball joints for cars. You best know your stuff, but, it's not secret information. Like any business...get into it, or get out of it. I'm just curious if anyone knows the path to start such a business. Is there some unobtainable federal permit? I can't believe so. Ammunition is most certainly a legal commodity. Perhaps I'll ask around locally. I'm not about to open a factory, I'm just curious why others are not.

FFL type 6 Manufactor Ammo. $30 per year.

Doesn't anyone find it odd that when we were at war with Iraq as well as the Afgan & using tons more ammo there were no shortages, one blast from a single mini-gun will throw out more 7.62 ammo than a avid shooter would use in a normal year. Believe what you want but the conspiracy if any has been manufactured to sell more at a higher price. They will just release it a little at a time to keep the fallacy going. There used to be a Gov. owned ammo plant, Hays Ordnance in West Homestead, Pa. for many decades the taxpayer paid to keep a crew in there to maintain everything in case of need but the catch was most of what we were paying to maintain had been long removed, we may still be paying except now the fact is known but the Gov. has never needed the extra production of ammo.

Freddy wrote:

KLook wrote:Copper is very expensive now, Lead is regulated like a toxic waste. Gunpowder is no longer a primitive explosive, having many burn rates to facilitate different case capacities. Primers appear simple, and I remember hearing about people mixing up their own contact explosive, but how to apply it accurately to thousands of little cups that you have to make precisely the right size?

Copper has been expensive since 1995, but no shortage. Lead sales aren't regulated. The mining and smelting is, but raw lead is easily obtainable. It's on eBay! As for the technicalities of making ammo, it's no different than making ball joints for cars. You best know your stuff, but, it's not secret information. Like any business...get into it, or get out of it. I'm just curious if anyone knows the path to start such a business. Is there some unobtainable federal permit? I can't believe so. Ammunition is most certainly a legal commodity. Perhaps I'll ask around locally. I'm not about to open a factory, I'm just curious why others are not.

Probably if the shortage lasts over a year or more you may see more ammo factories. But most are expecting this to be temporary then ammo will be abundant again. At least that is the hope.

Flyer5 wrote:Probably if the shortage lasts over a year or more you may see more ammo factories. But most are expecting this to be temporary then ammo will be abundant again. At least that is the hope.

Ahhhh, so perhaps it's a bit like buying a coal boiler in 2008.... it was a long wait for anyone that ordered one. There was talk about why didn't the factories expand, hire more help. Possibly the same thing here.... there's just a big rush to buy & a year from now there will be plenty. The factories perhaps know it's not a wise investment to double the crew.

Freddy wrote:

Flyer5 wrote:Probably if the shortage lasts over a year or more you may see more ammo factories. But most are expecting this to be temporary then ammo will be abundant again. At least that is the hope.

Ahhhh, so perhaps it's a bit like buying a coal boiler in 2008.... it was a long wait for anyone that ordered one. There was talk about why didn't the factories expand, hire more help. Possibly the same thing here.... there's just a big rush to buy & a year from now there will be plenty. The factories perhaps know it's not a wise investment to double the crew.

Pretty much. The same holds true for their vendors as well, one part can stop production or at least slow it down. If they cant get primers or are out of brass or bullets no point adding another shift.