Ammo back on the shelves?

[gorfle]

So I went to WalMart on Memorial day to buy some shoe laces and a plastic storage tub, and I checked out the ammo shelves. They had 100-round boxes of White Box Winchester in 9mm, .40, and .45. Not a lot, but they did have it. The 9mm was $20 for a box of 100. I didn't buy any (couldn't afford it right now), but they do have it.

Maybe the panic buying is slacking off?

[sharp_stick]

1. That ought to piss off the ammo manufacturers

I'm convinced the hysteria among the right that Obama was somehow going to ban everything was a simple plant by the gun and ammo makers with the willing help of the pricks at the NRA simply to gin up sales at a slow time.

Anybody dumb enough to stock massive amounts of ammunition based on this crap deserves to lose their money.

[gorfle]

3. I doubt it.

I'm convinced the hysteria among the right that Obama was somehow going to ban everything was a simple plant by the gun and ammo makers with the willing help of the pricks at the NRA simply to gin up sales at a slow time.

I'm far more convinced that the hysteria was related to: 1) Until a couple of weeks ago a new weapon ban was part of Obama's published Urban Policy on whitehouse.gov (and is still listed that way on change.gov). 2) Most of the current major Democratic leaders have strong anti-firearm records and 3) The last time the Democrats were in power we had a weapon ban.

If such fantastic firearm and ammo sales were within the power of the NRA and the gun and ammunition manufacturers, why would they wait until now to do it?

[sharp_stick]

5. Why would they wait until now?

There's a scary black guy from Chicago in the White House. What better time is there?

Edited to add: There isn't a shortage anywhere near my place in central CT. I've had no trouble buying ammunition since the inauguration. I don't think people here are as scared of the black guy as they are in other areas of the country.

[gorfle]

6. Not that meme again?

There's a scary black guy from Chicago in the White House. What better time is there?

OK. Think about this rationally. Your assertion was that this whole run up on sales was manufactured by the NRA and the firearm and ammunition manufacturers. ANY TIME is a good time to make money. If the NRA and the firearm and ammunition manufacturers have the ability to stage one of the largest sale events of firearms and ammunition in history, why would they wait for a black guy to become president to do it? Why not last year? Why not the year before that? Don't you think they would have loved to have 3 years of awesome sales?

Yes, I'm sure there are a couple of KKK nutballs out there who are buying up guns and ammo anticipating some great "nigga uprising" or some other bullshit. But I am quite certain that for the vast majority of sales, this run on firearms and ammunition is NOT about race. It's about the historic, well documented, and well published Democratic positions on firearms rights.

>Edited to add: There isn't a shortage anywhere near my place in central CT. I've had no trouble buying
>ammunition since the inauguration. I don't think people here are as scared of the black guy as they are
>in other areas of the country.

Well then you are an isolated example. There have been numerous news articles detailing the huge volumes of sales of firearms and ammunition, and the shortages and increases in prices. A few years ago I bought a case of 1000 rounds of 7.62x39 for $90 - $.09 per shot. Now they are in excess of $300 ($.30 per shot), and frequently out of stock.

http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=217522

[benEzra]

7. The present tight ammunition market started in 2005

when post-Katrina demand (due to the suspension of ammunition sales, illegal gun confiscations, and the perception that if you had to depend on the authorities in a crisis, you were SOL) met a supply limited by Iraq war demand and government procurement.

Ammunition microstamping proposals in 2008 accelerated things (because of the way such proposals would monkeywrench the supply), and then the run on guns in late 2008 due to concerns that the "assault weapon" fraud would be resurrected finally spiked sales beyond the ability of manufacturers and distributors to keep up, because the people buying new guns were buying a year or two's supply of ammunition ammunition to go with them. Production of less-in-demand calibers ceased so the lines could keep producing high-demand calibers, so the shortage eventually affected nearly all common calibers.

Once the "buy a box or two when you need it" crowd found they couldn't get some when they needed it, they realized that having some reserve at home is a good thing, and jumped on the buying bandwagon. At that point, it became self-perpetuating.

Things have still not returned to normal here. I was going to pick up a box of 9mm target ammunition at Wal-Mart last week, and the only handgun calibers they had in stock were .44 Magnum and .22LR, and they were completely out of .223 Remington and IIRC .308 Winchester. I did manage to snag the last box of 7.62x39mm, though (for $13.85!!) as my early-2000's stash of $1.75/box 7.62x39 is running lower than I like.

[Xela]

2. Not the last time I was there...

Except for shotgun ammo, they were all empty.

I wonder if you saw a sign saying something to the effect that they're not selling in bulk?

Academy's started this in my area...

Not that it helped anyway, as it doesn't seem to stop the empty shelves so far.

But maybe it worked for Walmart on your area?

Xela

[RamboLiberal]

4. Still short in my area on at least 9mm (SouthWestern PA)

Gander Mountain you better get there on delivery day even though they have a 2 box limit. Other calibers have a few boxes most days I've checked. I'm ok but I have some friends who can't go to IDPA or steel shoots cause they can't find 9mm ammo.

[old mark]

8. Coming back, or rather sticking around a bit longer- I bought 2 boxes of

.308 rifle ammo last week, and there was a few boxes there when I left. The "craze" is slowing down....or all the RWewrs have maxed their credit cards.

mark

[Merchant Marine]

9. Shoe Laces?

The BATF will want to have a word with you...

:p

[DonP]

10. Another "machine gun" sold! ntxt

[X_Digger]

11. Our wal-mart had..

an ammo fort of Blazer Brass in .45 acp up on the counter, but only one box in .40, and no 9mm.