How are guys finding ammo?

[dtrkyman]

My closet!


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[Whisky]

If any of you come across some 300 PRC 212 Precision Hunter online, let me know please. I will soon have a brand new rifle, and no way to shoot it if this BS keeps up. A while back I signed up for quite a few "notify me" options and haven't had a hit yet.

 

[dieselchessy]

300 PRC and 212 ELD-X bullets are like unicorns these days. Don’t hold your breath.

 

[TheCougar]

If any of you come across some 300 PRC 212 Precision Hunter online, let me know please. I will soon have a brand new rifle, and no way to shoot it if this BS keeps up. A while back I signed up for quite a few "notify me" options and haven't had a hit yet.

I’ll keep an eye out

 

[TheCougar]

Just barely missed out on getting 6.5 manbun ELDX today. I’m checking AmmoSeek about every 20 minutes. I was about 2 minutes late today.

 

[Ranger 692]

I’ve been looking for 7mm08 Federal Premium 140 Accubond for months. Nothing locally or on ammoseek, ever. I don’t understand why hunting rounds are this short supply, it’s not like people are ripping through em 30 round mags at a time. Getting frustrating

 

[dieselchessy]

These ammo companies only make a run of a specific round every year or two, or more. They don't make every single flavor of every round each day. It will probably be a year or two before they do runs of some of the less than very popular stuff.
Nosler would have to make 140 Accubonds and ship them to Federal to use to load ammo. Might be a while before that happens. Never mind the brass, primers, and powder Federal would need.

 

[DanimalW]

You would think some ammo manufacturers would make the necessary investments to increase their production capacities. I understand that the last 9 months have been a “perfect storm” to create demand for ammunition, but come on, there have been regular shortages since Obama started his run for President. It just seems like these guys are missing out on an opportunity to make a lot more money, and I don’t understand that.

 

[def90]

Haven't had to look for it, I have actually gone to the range a couple times over the last few months and shot some of it.. I was well stocked before the panic, lesson learned from the Sandy Hook shortage. Probably have close to 15k rounds of various calibers. Buy cheap and stack it deep. lol.

 

[WCB]

You would think some ammo manufacturers would make the necessary investments to increase their production capacities. I understand that the last 9 months have been a “perfect storm” to create demand for ammunition, but come on, there have been regular shortages since Obama started his run for President. It just seems like these guys are missing out on an opportunity to make a lot more money, and I don’t understand that.

Some of them did the last time this happened....However as soon as the demand goes away so do the sales and shortly after so do jobs.
Before many of the manufacturers were at a decent balance of knowing they can't 100% keep shelves stocked at highest demand but also know they won't have a half empty plant sitting idol for years when demand dies.

Also, wouldn't hiring hundreds of workers back constitute as investing in increasing capacity? How do you know plants aren't putting new lines in place? Say one of the big 3 manufacturers Winchester, Federal, Remington (before their issues or once they get back to capacity) double their capacity with equipment....what happens when things flip back the other way....then they lose their ass, have to lay off hundreds of workers, and have idol factories.

What people don't take into consideration is if tomorrow a switch was flipped and the demand just went away...the only thing the manufacturers realistically get paid for is what has left the warehouse on trucks. The orders just simply disappear. I guarantee there is not a single serious ammunition manufacturer not investing into people, infrastructure, or equipment to increase capacity. I just wouldn't hold my breath on any ground breaking events for whole new facilities.

 

[mt100gr.]

You would think some ammo manufacturers would make the necessary investments to increase their production capacities. I understand that the last 9 months have been a “perfect storm” to create demand for ammunition, but come on, there have been regular shortages since Obama started his run for President. It just seems like these guys are missing out on an opportunity to make a lot more money, and I don’t understand that.

I think the supply chain is just risky enough to negate that idea. The components to produce ammo are dependent on other markets/suppliers, etc. (Powder/primers/brass/bullets)

I have thought about this myself and except for the big time brands /producers, all of those parts aren't made under one roof. And even for the big ones, raw materials must be limiting enough to make the investment of expansion risky.

Just spit balling here, but yeah, I agree. Sounds easy to "just make more"...

Bottom line: it's grim out there. Ammo and components are in unbelievably low supply.

 

[jmez]

Hornady increased production 40% last year, they are still behind. Read online that a smaller manufacturer in FL is cranking out 800,000 5.56 rounds per day. At that rate they are backlogged until July 2022.

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[mt100gr.]

Haven't had to look for it, I have actually gone to the range a couple times over the last few months and shot some of it.. I was well stocked before the panic, lesson learned from the Sandy Hook shortage. Probably have close to 15k rounds of various calibers. Buy cheap and stack it deep. lol.

Last sentence here is the answer. Since 2007 it's been a rare occasion for me to walk past ammo or components on the shelf. Brick of .22LR here, brick of primers there, etc.

 

[DanimalW]

Some of them did the last time this happened....However as soon as the demand goes away so do the sales and shortly after so do jobs.
Before many of the manufacturers were at a decent balance of knowing they can't 100% keep shelves stocked at highest demand but also know they won't have a half empty plant sitting idol for years when demand dies.

Also, wouldn't hiring hundreds of workers back constitute as investing in increasing capacity? How do you know plants aren't putting new lines in place? Say one of the big 3 manufacturers Winchester, Federal, Remington (before their issues or once they get back to capacity) double their capacity with equipment....what happens when things flip back the other way....then they lose their ass, have to lay off hundreds of workers, and have idol factories.

What people don't take into consideration is if tomorrow a switch was flipped and the demand just went away...the only thing the manufacturers realistically get paid for is what has left the warehouse on trucks. The orders just simply disappear. I guarantee there is not a single serious ammunition manufacturer not investing into people, infrastructure, or equipment to increase capacity. I just wouldn't hold my breath on any ground breaking events for whole new facilities.

Here’s a 170,000 SF new facility being built: https://www.wbay.com/2021/01/05/amm...ore-than-200-new-jobs-expected-to-be-created/

 

[Sevens]

You would think some ammo manufacturers would make the necessary investments to increase their production capacities. I understand that the last 9 months have been a “perfect storm” to create demand for ammunition, but come on, there have been regular shortages since Obama started his run for President. It just seems like these guys are missing out on an opportunity to make a lot more money, and I don’t understand that.

Increasing people and shifts, yes, but increasing equipment not likely. Ammo demand is not consistent. If folks think the world is going to end due to a pandemic or anti-gun politician, they panic buy ammo. If a pro-gun person is in office and there is not a pandemic, ammo demand cools off.

If you operate a manufacturing plant that produces ammo (or anything for that matter), increasing staff and working hours is the easiest way to invest in production to meet demand without spending significant amounts on machinery that will sit idle when demand decreases. When demand does cool off, you can reduce staff to curve your OpEx (cruel, but true) and you don't have a huge piece of expensive machinery on your books depreciating but not producing.

A long book of orders is good as it ensures jobs, consistent revenue, the ability to increase prices that the market previously wouldn't accept , renegotiate with customers and trim away customers who don't pay promptly. Sucks if you're the end user, but great if you're the manufacturer or distributor.

 

[Spoonbill]

Hornady increased production 40% last year, they are still behind. Read online that a smaller manufacturer in FL is cranking out 800,000 5.56 rounds per day. At that rate they are backlogged until July 2022.

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I am surprised Hornady doesn't produce their own primers. I imagine that they have preferential contracts with Federal and others, but at the rate Hornady produces ammo, you would think that they would bring it in house.

 

[jmez]

They said components weren't limiting their production.

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[TDawg]

I can't add any more than others already have. Just keep searching and have some disposable income ready to spend when you find it.

I was eyeballing a couple of good deals online last month for bullets to reload, but was at the end of my paycheck with a week or so to go in the month. Had to wait. It was gone before I got paid again.

Luckily (because I search about every day) I found some more on different sites.

If you find it, buy it. Assuming they aren't gouging you too much.

I've been lucky so far and have some stocks... never enough. Now primers are a different story. Those are like gold right now!

 

[*zap*]

This whole thing is only going to get worse and could get a lot worse. Its worse now than 6 weeks ago but quite a bit. Shotgun shells were almost always on the local shelf and now they are gone pretty quick.....shelves are completely empty 75% of the time. 4 weeks ago there would almost always be something on the shelf.

 

[jmez]

Manufacturer's are saying late summer for any kind of relief, and then it is going to be spotty.

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