[quote=DocRocket]
I remember all the panics you're talking about but can't recall one in 2006. Before O was even elected though, at some point 223 took a big jump from having been $150 a thousand mol to about double that. I can't remember what precipitated it. It had been that price approximately, for years.
It was January 2006. Government purchasing of 5.56 went thru the roof for use in the Sandbox at about that time. I stumbled across the fact of the shortage before it hit the innanet newsgroups.
I recall it pretty well because I was laid up after my 2nd knee replacement and looking forward to a Pat Rogers carbine class in May/06. Ammo requirement was 1500 rounds of 5.56 and another 500 of 45 ACP for the blaster, so I went internet shopping just as the scarcity started and the price started climbing. IIRC, I got a couple cases of 55 gr ball from Stryker's for 21 cents and a couple cases of Russian softpoint 62 gr ammo for 24 cents a round. Black Hills, Federal, Lake City all told me to take a hike when I called (nicely, but still...) even though I was using my sheriff's department account.
It got really tight there, for a while. One of the SWAT teams at that May class had to use their MP5's for the class because they couldn't buy enough 5.56 ammo for their 5 guys.
