I was unaware that there was also a brass shortage. I have been trying to purchase a 500 box of 7mm Mag , and to my bewilderment there is a brass shortage . Does anybody know how to get in line to get some or where to get some? I haven't been able to buy 30 cal 165 grain Hornady SP's for 4 years so I am aware of the bullet shortage but was blindsided by the brass shortage. If there are previous posts on this sorry for beating a dead horse.

Kirk

Quite honestly, there seems to be a sporadic "everything" shortage here lately. Hornady has suspended or discontinued half of their bullet line. Hornady introduced (well, standardized) the .17 Hornet and aside from a box here or there, I have yet to see actual brass for it since it came out... or .22 Hornet for that matter until very recently. Powder continues to be intermittently available, and aside from Gunbroker Scalpers and high end Eley products, I haven't seen an actual box of .22 Long Rifle, or any rimfire ammunition for that matter, in a long while.

I will be the first to admit that things are alot better than they were a couple of years ago as far as some powder and primer availability, but the scarcity of particular bullets, brass casings, and any rimfire ammunition bewilders me.

Bottom line, things are still not back to 'normal.'

I am generally not much of a pessimist, but if things haven't gotten back to normal by now.. I'm not sure if they ever will.

I just have a hard time believing that these ammunition companies cant keep up; initially at the onset of the demand surge, sure, but years later?! Come on.

I wouldn't mind some insight from the industry insiders myself.

J23,

Evidently you haven't learned to check Internet mail-order companies for brass and .22 ammo. That's where most of the action is these days.

The main reason for the "shortages" is everybody is buying as much as they can whenever they can when they find it. The manufacturers are trying to keep up, but it's impossible, but they do try to produce at least most of their more popular products now and then.

You have to check Internet suppliers (not people reselling like those on gunbroker, but companies that stock ammo and components) more frequently than every week or month. Otherwise more popular stuff is sold out. I've purchased 300 rounds of new .17 Hornady Hornet brass in just that way in the past couple months, and around 3000 rounds of .22 Long Rifle for under $35 a brick in the past year. Could have purchased more but that's as much as I wanted.

J23. Thank you very much for replying and saying what I have been thinking. I haven't shot my rifles hardly at all, including my 22 for the last 4 years because I have been afraid of not being able to replace what has always easy to replace. There is no other answer other than this is being controlled to ramp up the cost of ammunition or to restrict us from getting it. It is crazy that I can't get 7mm mag brass. It is not chambered in a commando gun. It is a hunting rifle , and there can't be a huge demand to accurire hunting brass??? I feel like I am one of the only people noticing this ????

If Hillary gets the nomination next year, stock up on what you think you will need to weather another storm. The '08 election started a huge panic frenzy and Sandy Hook hit as it was subsiding.

Primers were impossible to find after the 08 election, now its powder and brass, primers are everywhere now.

I stocked up summer of 08 but am starting to run low on Universal powder. Who knows when that will be available at normal prices again?

Captain Kirk,

If you just noticed it, you've had your head buried in the sand.

It is NOT a ploy to drive up prices. It's because so many shooters have been buying everything they can get their hands on since Obama was reelected. There is simply no way for manufacturers to keep up with people buying 5 or 10 times as much as they used to, every time they get a chance.

I resisted doing the same for the first year of the panic buying, because I had enough stuff on hand. But now I've started doing it too, mostly because there are certain items I need for my business.

A lot of the empty brass that used to be available to handloaders is now going into ammo instead, because there are a lot of people who don't handload and they're buying more ammo than they used to either. The factories figure if handloaders want brass bad enough they can buy ammo, but empty brass doesn't do non-handloaders any good.

The other fact is that the usual retail outlets like smaller sporting goods stores are NOT the place to shop for many kinds of ammo or loading components, except for occasional exceptions. Things are getting better, as those who have been stocking up start feeling OK, but it's still going to be a while before everything returns to normal. Apparently having a Republican majority in both the Senate and House didn't calm the panic.

Not when Dear Leader still has a pen and a phone.

There have been certain calibers that are all but unobtanium now and in the past several years. 30-30 and 243 come to mind but there have been others.

I have plenty of .22 LR and primers on hand. Brass and bullets are harder to get. Bergers are pretty easy but the mythical LRABs are like unicorns. Reminds me of Ruger- announce something and that you have no realistic chance of producing.

If you really want to get JB's ire, just declare the scarcity of components is a plot by the manufacturers......

It's kind've like Jorge and somebody praising the virtues of the F18 Super Hornet.

I couldn't believe guys were lined up at WalMart buying 22 rimfire ammo until early one morning (like 5am) I stopped by to pick up some stuff before heading out on a hike. There they were, a half dozen guys standing in line at the gun counter.......unbelievable.....

I really need some H110 though......I'm about out.

Casey

My LGS Perrys in Wendell has had a pretty good selection lately. They posted a picture of seven pallets of 22 rimfire they received over Christmas.

What John says is correct.

However, having to buy stuff online drives up demand as well because of the hazmat charges. I'm not going to buy one pound of powder and pay $27.50 hazmat on top of powder and shipping when the hazmat is the same $27.50 for 1 pound or 10, instead I'll buy the 10 pounds so the hazmat amounts to $2.75 per pound.

Far as I can tell, that has a steep impact on powder availability.

It doesn't account for .22 rimfire ammo shortages though. Our one store that carries ammo got a little bit of .22 in November which they doled out at 100 rounds per customer per visit.

Actually, current availability is the best it's been in at least 2 years.

Have shooting sports increased in popularity enough to affect demand or is this just a continuation of the panic? It's been going on for so long that I'm starting think there's more to these shortages than just panic purchasing.

I suspect part of the upsurge in shooting "sports" is partly due to people who've gotten concealed carry permits, who never even considered it before, but there's also been a general rise in shooting and hunting due to good promotion by the National Shooting Sports Foundation and other organizations.

I do know that some people who've gotten into shooting in the past few years have no idea what, say, .22 ammo is "supposed" to cost. They're happy to buy it for $50 a brick, because it's still a lot cheaper than .223 ammo--which, by the way, is everywhere, often at bargain prices. If the ammo manufacturers are trying to drive the prices up on .223, they're doing a lousy job of it.

But the Obama panic started it, and as I've pointed out before, cell phones and the Internet have helped keep it going on longer than previous panics. If anybody finds .22 ammo or components at stores or on the Internet, they call their friends, or post on various sites, and whatever's there is quickly gone.

TOM's point about hazmat fees on primers and powder is also a good one. I don't order only a pound of powder or 1000 primers off the Internet, for that very reason.

No chit. The boy and I picked up 200 pcs of LC 5.56 brass at the range today, and this was a nice day and it was packed like the day before rifle season.. During the scares it wouldn't have gotten cool before it was in someone's pocket.

Things are getting better in my parts, but still not great. Primers are available, $30+ a brick, 22LR is now around but at least $6.00 per 50 for standard stuff. Powder is hit and miss, never what I am wanting but a substitute. $30+ a pound now. Local stores never did stock much in the way of bullets and brass, so the internet.. Again hit and miss never what I really wanted but substitutes for the most part, then again I buy the odd metric stuff so... I am not hoarding, but if I see what I want I buy now. Just bought 3#'s of Bulleyes, would normally only buy one. First time in 2 years it was available. Checked at an LGS for rifle powder and all they had was 4350, was running low an it works in so many calibers so I said I would take one, they brought out the last two pounds, hmmm bought both.. So I guess now I hoard..

Was in a local store on Thursday and they had quite a bit of .22 Long Rifle (including CCI hollow-points), .22 Magnum and .17 HMR. It had been there for four days, and though some had been purchased there weren't people lined up six feet deep around the counter. Of course the prices weren't pre-panic, but they weren't bad.

I get a little angry when people say it's all due to manufacturers trying to drive prices up because I know so many of those manufacturers. By now many are getting just as weary of the whole deal as shooters are, because they're having a hard time keeping employees when everybody's working overtime. And they're especially getting weary of making and moving everything they can possibly into the market, yet constantly getting complaints.

You're only hoarding if you don't use it.

The last time I bought IMR4895 I picked up two 8 lb. jugs. If anyone had looked at me funny I'd have asked them how many thousand 308 rounds have they shot this year?

The panic buying in the US is also having effects around the world. ADI powders here in Australia are getting hard to get and they are made here. These are sold in the States as Hodgdon's Extreme line of powders. I guess ADI are shipping most of their product overseas to try and supply you guys and there's also a few hiccups with the Australian Distributor of ADI powders. I've started building up my powder stocks and now have enough for several years at the rate I load. My local gun shop has huge amounts of powder on backorder and only gets delivery of a small amount at random intervals. He was told that Winchester PowerPoint .22LR ammo won't be available to 2016. They are manufactured here but the cases are imported from the US and Winchester can't get the .22 cases.

We are seeing a lot more product from Europe now. I have been buying cases from Norma and Lapua that are only $10 more per hundred than Winchester and Remington and much better quality.

Most of the Internet retailers post new shipments to inventory between 6-8pm or soon after midnight. Check at those times. Also some will send you an email when new stuff gets posted to inventory. When you get the email act quickly.

I have yet to pay a hazmat charge for anything. I buy primers and powder as I find them, and most dealers have limits. I do buy rimfires online, but most of what I prefer isn't stocked locally anyway. I have also started buying blems and other "Sale" bullets online.

I can say that the lack of brass has kept me from buying a few rifles that I would have had trouble feeding.

Mule Deer, thank you for replying. I never noticed the brass shortage because I am from a Camp Perry family that has buckets of 30-06 and 308 brass available. I have a pile of 350 rem mag brass along with 243 and 300wsm. I haven't had to purchase brass for many years and never noticed the shortage. There is a good supply of primers and powder but bullets have been my nemisis. I can't find any of the bullets that my crew has loaded for decades. I have been rationing out bullets to the three deer shacks that I load for but had no idea that brass was scarce also.
This whole thing is setting off my alarm bells more than it should. I guess I will just have to get in line for my block of cheese like the rest of the subjects.

p.s. Mule Deer, I love and respect all of your writings and articles. You are one of the best!! Have thought that for years.

I am now setting minimums, 5K for primers, 100 cases per caliber unless an odd ball (own to many of those) then what I can find. Bullets at least 100 for the rifles in loads that are proven. Pistols much higher, 148g HBWC by the 1K at least. 22LR 5K, Powders 2 pounds, when I run low then I am in the market and will buy at todays fair market prices. Never buy to sell, hate those folks. At least there are not as many around as there used to be. One exception, found a Winchester Model 70 in 06 for $250.. Not the best one a Black Shadow. Bought that saying if I don't like it... After removing the horrid camo job and a new stock from CDNN it became my SIL Christmas present.. He was ecstatic. Surprised me by shooting MOA with 150's, 165's and 180's. Would not have bet on that.

Capt Kirk,

Thanks very much!

Also, thanks for explaining why you weren't aware of the brass problem before. What the manufacturers have been doing is making what they can of the most popular cases, but even then it hasn't been enough to satisfy everybody. In the instance of the 7mm Remington Magnum, it's one of the more popular rounds among big game hunters, all over the country, including many non-handloaders. The manufacturers are trying to make sure everybody can find some ammo for various hunting seasons, so a lot of the 7mm RM brass is going into ammo.

Lapua is plentiful, but limited headstamps unless you form your own.

I've ended up buying lots more than I usually would also just for the reason that if you don't then you likely won't find a particular component or powder for another year or so. It gets real old working up a load that you want to use in your rifle then finding out that you can't use it because the manufacturer hasn't made a run of bullets in a year and no one has them in stock. Case in point 6mm 107 matchkings and 105 AMaxs, those are what I like to shoot in my 6mm BR but I was dead in the water for a while because hornady and sierra went almost two years between running these bullets. When they finally did make a run I bought enough to be considered a hoarder because I don't want my rifle to be a brick until they decide to make more and I don't want to be constantly working up loads for whatever bullet I can find that month. I've now got a shelf full of 107 matchkings and 105 amaxs that I normally wouldn't keep, but I have to have them to ensure that the component shortage doesn't stop my shooting.

Really the manufacturers need to increase their production capacity. At first it seemed like a passing fad and I didn't blame them for not ramping up, you can't expect them to spend millions expanding just to have the binge buying come to a sudden stop & leave them hanging with excess capacity. Now it's been six years since this crap started and it's clear it's going to keep going in some form, time to buy some extra machines and grow the production capability. Finding employees is an excuse I get tired of hearing from businesses, there are always employees if you pay them enough. If you want someone to work for minimum wage then yea, you're going to have a hard time keeping them.

Berger ramped up production and made it work, the others can too.

They've only been there a few days

One of my favorite hangouts is at a large area gunshop in the small town of Ayden NC. From what I've witnessed, and what the staff confirms, is that the Obama presidency has spurred many, many people to buy a firearm (or several firearms) who had never bought one before - even a number of well known local "Yellow-Dog" Democrats (who are now afraid they won't be able to get a firearm in the future). These new gun owners (think of how many there are nationally) need ammo - and they have heard of the shortages - so not only are the old hands buying up more than we used to for various reasons, the new owners are buying a lot more than one box. They are shooting their firearms too - I see quite a few new shooters, constantly, when I go to a public range. Add all that together and you get a "golden age" of gun ownership that creates an allocated market for ammo.

Hornady manufactured over 1 billion bullets in 2013 which was the first time in the company's history they exceeded over 1 billion bullets. Hornady again made well over 1 billion bullets in 2014 and still there are shortages of red boxes.

This is going to be the new NORMAL for several more years.

Doc

Supply, meet the Demand Equation.

Recalling back in the Clinton era there was a big run on primers and OMG, lots of shorts in a knot. Oh dear...

Now we have a few million new loonies out there. Occam's Razor...

I refuse to play for the most part, but did take up casting bullets to deal with a large part of the supply shortfalls. And a flintlock.

Crow hunter,

Berger doesn't sell nearly as many bullets as Hornady, Nosler, Sierra and Speer, so didn't have to increase production nearly as much.

Also, Berger's in the Los Angeles area, where they can hire plenty of new workers relatively easily. The rest of those bullet makers are in relatively small towns, so there is some difficulty in finding and keeping employees, no matter how much you pay them.

And if each company did increase capacity AND paid their employees substantially more, whether to keep them or attract people who might move to Grand Island, Bend, Sedalia or Lewiston, then those wage increases would result in higher bullet prices--and then they'd get the same complaints about a conspiracy to raise prices that showed up at the state of this thread.

Plus, there are signs that demand is easing somewhat, partly because so many serious shooters have stockpiled enough to keep them shooting for a long time.

500 rounds of 7 mag brass. Took less than a minute to find online.

7 mag brass

Lots of people out of work these days, the manufacturers then need to train and hire more workers , plus expand the work facilities to meet the demands of their customers .

Read my post from 7:00 this morning: Many companies are in small towns where the worker pool is relatively small. Plus, in the major unemployment right now is in cities in high-population states, not the smaller towns where many component factories are located.

Using the major bullet manufacturers listed above as an example, Nebraska (where Hornady is located) had an unemployment rate of 3.1% in November 2014, about as low as unemployment can get. Oregon (Nosler) has a 7.0% unemployment rate, but in Bend it's only 5.8%, and headed down.

The same thing is true of Sedalia, Missouri, where Sierra's located. The state unemployment rate is 5.6% (still low) but is only 4.7% in Sedalia, and heading lower. The worker situation's worst in Lewiston Idaho, with only a 3.2% unemployment rate, also headed down.

Most American companies outside the oil business are hiring right now, because our economy has been doing really well recently, and to hire new workers in a smaller town is indeed tough--especially in places like Lewiston, where some Speer and CCI worker have grown tired of working all the time for the past two years, no matter how good the money was. Since other jobs are easily available, they quit and find another.

I know this from visiting Lewiston every year--which is also where I've seen the CCI factory cranking out millions of rounds of rimfire ammo, so people can line up at Wal-Mart and buy it out every time it shows up.

Interesting. Maybe some city folks will move to smaller towns for work. A reversal of history.

In my neck of the woods, supply is still spotty. The Internets is a great help in that area though. Mail order!

With all the safety nets available these days, folks are more likely to hunker down where they are until the gummint runs out of cheese. The folks moving to small towns are more likely rich people or retirees.

I can't see the logic in a company expanding to fill a market that exists because half their production is going into bunkers and the scalpers' storage bins. A correction will occur.

Exactly.

Historically, these gun/ammo/componen buying binges have eventually tapered off, and the companies that added manufacturing capacity during previous binges eventually ended up with expensive, unused capacity.

Tell people to stop buying factory ammo and the brass will once again become available as a component.

Historically we have never had this type of �leadership� and people are following their gut instincts.

I believe the manufacturers are doing all they can. I also believe people are afraid.

The whole binge buying, excess capacity argument works great so long as we are reading the situation correctly. That this is just an event and not a new trend. With all of the new shooters that have joined the fold, is there now a true need for more capacity?

Would it be a pretty good assumption that the margins are higher for ammo than components?

Lotsa Walmarts in this world.

try finding .375winchester brass.
or bullets, for that matter.

I don't believe the "everybody's hoarding"and the company's are cranking out 24/7 bullchit.Never in my 45yrs of loading was I not able to buy 6mm Rem,257Rob and especially 30-30 or 35Rem brass or ammo among others.You can find ammo in a few small shop's here and there,but when almost all the big distributer's are empty on brass & ammo something's going on.There ain't that many friggin hoarders.Kinda strange nobody's hoarding Nosler brass for $75 for 50.

Phhhft-

So a fella has to look around a bit. Big Whoop. You need any .32 Winchester Self Loading brass? No problem. .30-30...no problem. It's out there.

Question I have for those inclined to stockpile, how big is your bug out truck? Really? I read of people with 20-30K rounds of rimfire...who is going to haul it around?

Correction in the market supply and prices? Oh hell yeah. Just a matter of time.

Saw some ads the other day for $3 a pop bullets and some brass up around $2 if memory serves. Luck with that...

You find it "kinda strange" that brass that costs less is less available than brass that costs more?

There's plenty of Eley and other .22 rimfire match ammo for sale at normal prices, along with Nosler, Norma and Lapua brass, plus other stuff the average shooter doesn't want to pay for. There are also plenty of primers and .223 ammo at decent prices, and if the shortages were due to a conspiracy by either manufacturers or the government neither would be available.

No, not everybody's hoarding, but a lot of people are buying more than they used to, when they can find it. But because YOU can't easily find the brass and ammo YOU want, there's gotta be a conspiracy.

As I noted earlier in this thread, I've purchased a bunch of .22 ammo for $30 or less per brick, plus brass some people claim isn't available, off major sites on the Internet in the past six months. I do it by checking sites frequently, not once a week or once a month, and buying BEFORE they run out, which usually happens quickly because, yes, many shooters ARE buying more than they normally do.

It's called a diverse portfolio. Lottery tickets, Dale Earnhardt collectibles, and 22LR.

Very attractive Redneck 401k, no offense to Lee.

they can trade 22 rimfire for food and water when the SHTF. How long before someone post they will trade 22 ammo for sex

I love the SHTF stuff. If a fella is hungry, the guy with the food gets a gun in his face. The handholding pioneer idea that every will run to the woods and "survive" is laughable.

Drugs and booze will be a hotter commodity.

They aren't even making oddball stuff like that. Remington hasn't made/loaded RUM/SAUM brass for some time, even though its in demand, other stuff is in MORE demand.

Frankly I think you're putting more effort into complaining than you are into finding ammo. On Saturday I went into 4 different stores that sell ammo. In 3 of them I found .30-30 ammo, in 3 of them I found .257 Roberts ammo. One was Sportsman's Warehouse, a national chain. One was BiMart, a NW regional chain. The other two were local "mom 'n' pop" stores. At Sportsman's Warehouse there were at least 5 different choices of .30-30 loads on the shelf and there were multiple -> many boxes of each.

Yep, brass for some things is hard to find. You may have to buy factory ammo and shoot it or pull the bullets. I don't like that either. Beats whining though.

Tom

All I'm saying is I never had to hunt the country for 30-30 or 35 Rem.When it come's to 250,300Sav,6mm Rem etc the bullchit"Oh it's seasonal"is heard.I guess they missed the season.375Win..... forget it.

Driving home from the gun show the old fellow pulled his pick-up into the first gas station he came to for gas. He took notice of the young, hot blond in short shorts and a halter top filling up her BMW at the next pump.

He also noticed she was eye-balling a case of .223 ammo in the bed of the truck that he had gotten a good deal on at the gun show.

She throws him a sexy smile and says, "Would you consider trading some ammo for sex?"

He takes another good look at her long beautiful legs, and her ample cleavage, and answers back,

"Have you got any 22 rimfire?"

You should go to SERE or read Maslow's Hiearchy of Needs.

Getting laid or drunk is pretty low on the scale, for quite a while anyway.

So is it new shooters creating demand? If so, are those new shooters at some point going to stop shooting and at that time we will see the ammunition supply return to normal?

Or is it hoarders? Actually most are not hoarders but flippers.. They frequent the classifieds here.

I guess if a druggie needs dope and his doc won't prescribe it, he finds it on the street...at street prices. Same principal applies.

If it is in fact new shooters, why aren't manufactures increasing supply to meet the increased demand created by new shooters?

I've not seen a single round of 22LR in any larger sporting goods store here, not at $35 a brick, $50 a brick, or $75 a brick... I'm still waiting for the link, expired or not, to the $35 a brick 22LR that you have mentioned on several occasions

Academy here has Aquila in quantiy at customer service. I bought CCI there for six-cents/rd last month. I bought a 100rd box of Green Tag as well. It was spendy, don't recall exactly what it cost.

MD explained to you why the makers aren't increasing production more than they have. Remington did just set up a new facility for 22lr in Arkansas, I'm told. Good stuff they are producing too.

Not 35 bucks but it's available. The local Big R had Remington 22lr on the shelf not that long ago but at $6.00 for 50, I had no need for it.

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/cci-22lr-standard-velocity-500rd-box-50035.html

http://ammoseek.com/ammo/22lr.

I have ordered some rimfire ammo that I found through this website.

Unfortunately, this type of website also helps the hoarders and re-sellers, as Mule Deer mentioned in his post. Some of the prices displayed are fairly reasonable while some are not.

No, if I read his numerous post correctly, MD said that because the hoarding would cease, the ammo makers did not want to increase production because the spike in the demand was temporary, caused by politics, hoarders, preppers, panic buying...

As for the $6 a box ammo, that's $60 a brick, more than our beloved CampFire Classified scalpers.. until they add shipping

GeoW,
That's the very biggest reason I left it right there on the shelf. I was in that same store last week and there was no 22lr readily visible. They did have bricks of 22short, but I didn't notice the price.

Brass shortage....... I thought brass was extinct . shortage would imply there was some available!!!!
There is plenty of .338 lapua and .50 bmg in casper, other calibers NONE!

can buy this and sell off the excess.

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.c...ngton-Mag-Unprimed-Brass-1000-Count-Bulk

Six-cents/rd is the new going, non-scalper rate for non-match 22lr.

I'd wager that there is a "conspiracy" of sorts at play. Loans are increasing difficult to get, and the Justice Dept's bias against the firearms industry is well documented and extends to the banking sector.

That coupled with the economic wet-blanket known as the Affordable Care Act surely play a role in the ammo makers decision not to expand production.

GeoW,

Are you saying that if the shortages are due to new shooters, then they can't be due to people buying more than usual?

I don't think anybody knows how much of each contributes to the problem. How would you track the differences? Are some new shooters buying more than old shooters? Are old shooters giving up on finding stuff, or dying? WHO KNOWS?

What we do know is lots of shooters started buying lots of stuff when Obama was reelected, and really started heating up their credit cards a month or so later after the Connecticut school shooting started and liberal politicians talking about new gun laws again. Thus we had a double whammy, when previous buying binges were started by single events, the 1994 assault rifle ban and Obama's first election.

Evidently few remember the severe primer shortage after the assault rifle ban, but there were even rumors flying around that "the feds" were mandating all new primers had to go dead within six months, so people couldn't hoard them. Many people were burying tens of thousands of primers in their yards, just in case "the feds" came around to confiscate them. Yet in less than a year, primers started showing up on shelves again, and for some reason nobody I've run into or heard from ever ended up with any of those 6-month dud primers.

Right now we keep hearing doubts that any of the manufacturers are actually running their factories as much as they claim. This isn't from people who actually live near the factories, or work there, because we've heard from some of them and they all say exactly what the factories claim is true. Others have also seen the morning line-up at Wal-Marts, and have overheard people in the line-up phoning other people when there's .22 ammo to buy, so the shelves can be cleaned out even though the store has a 3-box or 1-brick limit.

And we've all seen the posts on the Campfire when somebody announces that X Store or Y website has .22 Long Rifles, or powder, or .22 Hornet brass. And if we pay attention to the same thread, we often hear about how the store or website already ran out, a few hours later.

Yet all the conspiracy theorists can present for "evidence" is they can't find any of the rimfire ammo or the components they want when checking stores or Internet sites.

I'm convinced, based on all this, that the 1994 assault-rifle shortage would have been much longer if cell phones and the Internet had been widespread back then. They not only fuel the conspiracy theories, but allow people to buy up all of any "scarce" ammo or components that show up anywhere, often within hours. Yet somebody who checks the same store or website a day later and doesn't find anything is convinced nothing was ever there.

And no, I'm not going to tell you where I've been buying stuff on the Internet. Because this buying frenzy has gone on so long, I finally had to start restocking some stuff myself after 1-1/2 years, because my business is shooting and I have to have it. I figured out where to check for ammo and components, and work at it, and now it's become part of my job. Yet you want me to hand that to you, just because you profess doubt about whether I've really been buying .22 ammo or components?

Tell you what, I've got some .22 ammo, and a bunch of different kinds of brass, powders and primers. Send me a list of what you want and if I have enough to spare I might sell you some, because it costs me time and effort to find it.

Mule Deer

Have you found any cycles when brass is more available. For example, more available during the "low" season, spring, early summer vis a vis "high" season late, summer fall?

Lapua brass seems to be in steady supply, and it is now less expensive than Win brand brass for the 308 which seems incredible.

Actually Lapua is on sale right now at Midway. Bought some for the 6.5X55. I don't really believe in the conspiracy theories, but normal supply and demand cycles even out. Not really seeing that right now. I have no answers, but like most folks find the whole issue a headache. The new reality I guess. I will not pay scalpers prices, but have had to adjust to the new pricing. The last pound of IMR-4350 I just finished up was $9.95 per the price tag, the new pounds were $29.95 each. It is what it is unfortunately.

tag

You said that, not me..

Sorry, I have more than enough to get me by.. Had no intention of sniffing out your sellers.. I have my ideas though

Not interested in a pissing contest either. What I do know is there are not enough hoarders, preppers, scalpers or shooters in the state of Georgia to buy every single round of 22LR coming into the state if it was put on the shelves. Where it is going I do not know.

What I do know is I have not seen one round in what, four years now, on the shelf. And why just 22LR? Shelves are running over with other stuff.

My opinion is that there is more to the ammo shortage, especially 22LR, than meets the eye. That is my opinion and not for the purpose of an argument.

"What I do know is there are not enough hoarders, preppers, scalpers or shooters in the state of Georgia to buy every single round of 22LR coming into the state if it was put on the shelves."


Not true, Sir.


10,000,000 folks in your state.
If only 10% or 1,000,000 would buy 100 rounds if they could find it today, that would be 10,000,000 rounds........today.
Some would buy 5000 each, if they found it....
and there may be more than 10% 22 ammo buyers in your state.
Now add in the same 10% buyers for the U.S. as a whole......
The numbers are staggering.....
and they only bought 100 rounds.

$1.84 per piece seems a tad high. Maybe I just haven't bought brass in a while. If this is the going rate for rifle brass I guess it is time to start annealing everything.

Ernie

According to your arithmetic, after ten days, and on day eleven, the state should/would start being flooded with ammunition.. Everyone, not just 10% but 100%, having stocked up on the previous ten days

Prwlr,

The major companies do tend to produce certain kinds of brass (and ammo) more during different times of year. Most summers they're busy making big game stuff in preparation for the fall seasons. In late fall, winter and early spring they often make the "seasonal runs" of stuff that's not so popular.

Last year I bought a good supply of Winchester .25-35 brass for my two firearms in that chambering, as I recall in spring. It was available for less than a month. and then it was gone again. In late fall I bought a few boxes of new Hornady .17 Hornet brass, and then after a month or so it became available again for a short period and I bought a little more.

But other than those generalities, I haven't talked to any of the major companies about exactly what their timing is on making various cases. No doubt they tend to produce some depending on how many orders they receive.

Every company I've talked to, whether they make bullets, brass or powder, has said that one of the biggest problems right now is all the machinery's so busy that the only rational way to TRY to fill demand is to produce the most popular stuff as much as possible, because switching to different bullets, brass or powders means considerable down time. That's the big reason they're not making much (or any) less-popular stuff.

I believe it's a combination of factors. You have the preppers/hoarders that go into a buying frenzy whenever there is a liberal elected to the presidency, or a school shooting, or... Then you have a host of new shooters. They need ammo and see it's hard to get so buy what they can when they can. Then you have more normal shooters/hunters/reloader's who have never stockpiled before, as shortages would work themselves out eventually in a year or so, but it's been going on years so when they see ammo or components available they buy more than they normally would.

The ammo and component companies can't keep up, and hence the buying frenzy will continue until people see that components they regularly buy being stocked on the shelves, or until they go broke in the process.

I pretty much agree with Mule Deer and that it's the hoarders and peppers that see themselves holding off the seven armies of ork or whatever. I don't agree however with the premise of not buying capacity unless you have a brand new factory. In reality the time to invest in equipment is when you can pay it off pretty quickly then when the demand slows you pull your oldest less efficient worn equipment off line and hopefully continue to realize efficiency as a result of better tolerances and capability. Of course you can't necessairly make this as a blanket statement anymore than saying it makes no sense to buy equipment as you will end up eating it when the demand slows but if in fact they are running as hard as claimed over the past 5-6 years then they are more than likely putting a lot of wear and tear on their equipment.

There are a number of reasons for the shortages. The most refreshing of which is new firearms owners.in our small towns we have had four new mom and pop gunshops open in the last year along with two new ranges.

Was in my LGS this morning. Two pallets of 22LR in boxes, bricks and cases both Rem and CCI. Didn't buy any, most customers were walking past it. Also seen 15 boxes and another 10 bags of 7mm brass. Some brass bins were empty, but the common stuff was available. Bullets, primers and powder seemed to be available. Normal gun store BS going on.

Mathman, is that you?

Thanks MD.

Went to a store this weekend, they had case upon case of Norma Tac 22 Target $6.99 per 50 rds and had the stated Norma Guaranteed them they would never be allowed to run out.

At $75/brick I guess not!

Mike

Times a comming when you will be thrilled to $69.90 per brick.

I forgot a zero.

Which makes my point even more........
Was I drunk?


Don't be a hater.

Love,
Cocksman

P.S. He still won't get it.

As a test, I just went to an Internet retailer and bought two bricks of Rem 22LR for $53.98 shipped.

Sounds like you got shagged.. How much was that on the pallets at your LGS this morning?

For a price anything can be purchased..

http://www.lohmanarms.com/product_p/winu375w.htm

Apparently a lack of Internet search-skills is somewhere on the list of causes for the ongoing complaints.

I do know of one guy here in Montana who's still going on regular road-trips with his other retired buddies, looking for rimfire ammo on the shelves of every sporting goods store within 250-300 miles. People keep telling him about using the Internet, and he keeps saying he's going to have to try it (he regularly logs onto the Campfire), but apparently they like the road trips, which are rarely successful. Luckily the price of gas is down these days.

One thing they apparently don't do is ask if there's any rimfire ammo not on the shelves. The manager of one local store got in 50 cases of hollow-point .22 Long Rifles a couple months ago, but kept 10 of the cases in the back room, rather than putting it out where what he calls "vultures" would snarf it up. He told me this because I don't snarf up rimfire ammo when it does appear. He's saving the 10 cases for this spring, when regular customers might need some for ground squirrel shooting, especially customers with kids.

KUDOS to that manager!!!

That's what I call customer service. Wish many others would do that.

If anyone thinks the shortage of bras is bad now, they should have seen it in the 60's- It seemed like every woman had to go trouncing down the street unfettered, some in tee shirts even, mammary glands dancing to an unseen drummer. And on a day with a cool breeze, oh man.
Oops! This is about �"brass"??? I shoulda read some of the previous posts...

Mule Deer,
I too shoot 25-35 and have plenty of brass but I noticed that the Brownells and Natchez web sites list the brass as "discontinued by the manufacturer" not "production suspended" like the other odd ball calibers. Did Winchester really drop it? Have you heard anything?

No I haven't, but if they quit making it others will start--and it's also pretty easy to make out of .30-30 cases.

Beginning Dec 2012 through 2014 I used the Internet to (hoard if you will) acquire 12k of 22LR (I go through 5-8k per year). Average price was $0.06 per round. I'm still acquiring ammo when I can at good prices.

22LR can still be acquired at 6 to 7 cents per round. I agree, it takes some diligence and work, but ammo and brass can be acquired.

Ed,

That's been my experience as well. In fact I picked up 1000 rounds a couple weeks ago for 5 cents apiece, including shipping, from a well-known supplier.

I should also have mentioned that anybody in dire need of .25-35 brass can even more easily make it out of .22 High Power cases, and Norma 5.6x51R (the Euro-equivalent) are available right now from at least a couple of sources.

I've been fortunate enough that I've been able to find most components available either online or LGS with the exception of hundgun powders. Or at least with the Alliant brand of handgun powder.

Anyone know what the scoop is regarding Alliant?

Leo

I have been a prairie dog shooter and NRA service rifle shooter
since the late 70's
Hoarding is nothing new.
I started when Bill Clinton took office.
I have yet to experience buyers remorse.
whelennut

I started in the late 60's when 22's went to $1.00/box from 40cents and primers were hard to find, I haven't been without since. I would like to find some LiL Gun though-Muddy

muddy, the local hardware store has 5 1pounders of lilgun