The ammo shortage?

[Queen_of_Thunder]

Can anyone please show, prove, explain this "shipments have been diverted" issue, I read this in a lot of posts, but no one can explain who, what, where, why, and when the so called shipment diversions happened. I love to read conspiracy theories, maybe they will make a movie...........................................................

I would like to but all I can offer is what I saw with my own eyes and what management told me. It was quie simple. Their distribution centers received less and therefore stores recieved only partial and sometimes no ammo and that meant people like you and I scrambled for ammo. The question is where did the ammo go. I wish I had an answer.

 

[jrdolall]

Quote:
Originally Posted by LeftyTSGC View Post
Can anyone please show, prove, explain this "shipments have been diverted" issue, I read this in a lot of posts, but no one can explain who, what, where, why, and when the so called shipment diversions happened. I love to read conspiracy theories, maybe they will make a movie...........................................................
I would like to but all I can offer is what I saw with my own eyes and what management told me. It was quie simple. Their distribution centers received less and therefore stores recieved only partial and sometimes no ammo and that meant people like you and I scrambled for ammo. The question is where did the ammo go. I wish I had an answer.[Q

UOTE][/QUOTE]

The PROBABLE answer is in the contracts these retailers have with their suppliers. I have handled a lot of contracts with retailers, including Walmart, over the years and we always have to add a couple of clauses to protect ourselves. These have NOTHING to do with firearms or any related accessories but I imagine those suppliers do the same.

When we make an offer on an item to Walmart we ask them for an estimated usage per Distribution Center. We then make a quote based on this estimated usage and will actually tell them which centers we want because quite frankly there are a lot of instances where we don't want all the business. We have the option of accepting all or part of the awarded business at the agreed upon price. Within the contract will be an "escalator clause" that allows us to raise our prices if the market hits a certain price point for a certain number of days. I am talking commodities so there is a USDA price sheet that is used by all suppliers and retailers so there are no questions about when we can kick in the escalator. We also, and I think this is what we are seeing with ammo now, are only obligated to provide them with the contracted amount. If they want extra we can give it to them at our discretion or offer it to them at a different price.
It is possible that the big retailers have this type of contract on ammo. The ammo supplier is obligated to provide each DC with a certain amount of ammo but not everything the retailer wants. With the accelerated sales on virtually everything firearms related it is not in the best interest of the suppliers to send ammo to Walmart at what is probably their lowest contract price when they can spread it out to other retailers that are willing to pay more.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

UOTE]

The PROBABLE answer is in the contracts these retailers have with their suppliers. I have handled a lot of contracts with retailers, including Walmart, over the years and we always have to add a couple of clauses to protect ourselves. These have NOTHING to do with firearms or any related accessories but I imagine those suppliers do the same.

When we make an offer on an item to Walmart we ask them for an estimated usage per Distribution Center. We then make a quote based on this estimated usage and will actually tell them which centers we want because quite frankly there are a lot of instances where we don't want all the business. We have the option of accepting all or part of the awarded business at the agreed upon price. Within the contract will be an "escalator clause" that allows us to raise our prices if the market hits a certain price point for a certain number of days. I am talking commodities so there is a USDA price sheet that is used by all suppliers and retailers so there are no questions about when we can kick in the escalator. We also, and I think this is what we are seeing with ammo now, are only obligated to provide them with the contracted amount. If they want extra we can give it to them at our discretion or offer it to them at a different price.
It is possible that the big retailers have this type of contract on ammo. The ammo supplier is obligated to provide each DC with a certain amount of ammo but not everything the retailer wants. With the accelerated sales on virtually everything firearms related it is not in the best interest of the suppliers to send ammo to Walmart at what is probably their lowest contract price when they can spread it out to other retailers that are willing to pay more.[/QUOTE]


I wish I could give points for comments like this.

 

[Ignition Override]

Some people are Still saying that we will soon see affordable ammo. Was last April or May 'soon'?

It has been out there for many weeks. You needed a gun that shoots 5.45x39 (.18/rd.), 7.62x39 (.25/rd.) or 7.62x54R (.20/rd.).
These have been the prices on "Gunbot" for over a month, maybe longer than two months for x54R and 5.45x39.

 

[22-rimfire]

Supplies really are coming back now as evidenced by Academy's raising their purchase limits. Sportsman Warehouse only "rations" 9mm and 22LR now. The rest is out on the shelf with no limits. The funny thing... I don't have this overwhelming urge to buy ammo.

 

[Queen_of_Thunder]

Some people are Still saying that we will soon see affordable ammo. Was last April or May 'soon'?

It has been out there for many weeks. You needed a gun that shoots 5.45x39 (.18/rd.), 7.62x39 (.25/rd.) or 7.62x54R (.20/rd.).
These have been the prices on "Gunbot" for over a month, maybe longer than two months for x54R and 5.45x39.

They just forgot to mention what year.

As far as 5.45 those prices (.18) have risen some 64% since my last purchase. I don't call an increase of that magnitude cheap.

 

[jrdolall]

As of this morning Midway has 2 different types of .22LR for $34.99 per brick. That isn't quite double the normal price but a couple of weeks of retailers having ammo at this price will put the "gougers/capitalists" out of business.
I travel a lot. I live in Alabama near Georgia so I frequent several LGS and big box stores in both those states. I am in Mississippi today after a trip to Tennessee yesterday. 2 weeks ago I was in California and Nevada. Since January I have been in 19 states. The ONLY ammo that I am not seeing on shelves anywhere is 22LR. Some areas have plenty of .40 but are out of 9mm while other areas have plenty of 45. Most of these trips I am just killing time before seeing a customer so I am not going to buy anything and then try to drag it across the country.
I was in a store in Birmingham yesterday morning, Mark's, that had everything imaginable...except 22lr. They have hired an extra employee to stand in the ammo section and direct customers. Prices were OKAY to the point where I would have bought a couple of boxes of .45 reloads if I needed any. They had stacks of 9mm and everything else I shoot. ARs stacked like cordwood but ony one WASR AK and it was over $1k. DPMS Sporticals were $699 which is $100 more than they were a year ago. Mark's is still a good store but nothing like it was 10 years ago when Mark was running everything.

 

[jcwit]

This last Sunday, 8/4/13, I stopped at probably the largest gun store in the Kazoo, Mi. area. They were loaded with all ammo handgun and long gun, loads of reloading supplies and components. Most everything except .22 LR, they did have lots of .22 shorts tho.

 

[Potatohead]

If the shortage ain't all the way over, it's gettin' darn close. Midway has 250 pk Magtech 115 gr fmjs for 65 bucks today. And theyre A-V-A-I-L-A-B-L-E, or they were a couple hrs ago.

 

[mdauben]

If the shortage ain't all the way over, it's gettin' darn close.

I think it won't really be over for a while yet, but it is getting better. I've actually been able to pick up a couple hundred rounds of 9mm recently for $16.99/50, and bought my first brick of .22LR of the year just this week.

 

[OilyPablo]

Midway has 250 pk Magtech 115 gr fmjs for 65 bucks today. And theyre A-V-A-I-L-A-B-L-E, or they were a couple hrs ago.
__________________

Sold out when I got home. Drat.

 

[JohnKSa]

Stopped by two LGSs on the way home today and found American Eagle 9mm at one for $13.99 a box of 50 with a limit of 4 boxes.

The other had no limits and lots of ammo in stock but prices were high.

Things are definitely lightening up.

 

[Ignition Override]

The thread topics which announce that many kinds of ammo prices/avail. are returning to the old normal, reduces demand a bit more by creating a psychological relaxation.

This will further reduce the demand for over-priced ammo, causing a bit of a downward spiral.
Are the legions of flippers starting to freak out with anxiety, or did most of them already cash in?

 

[ExTank]

I've kept an eye out, mostly at Cabela's and Bass Pro (and mostly due to their internet presence) and have found deals that have kept me (reasonably) well on the "plus" side of the ammo shortage during the extended "Obama" craze (Sandy Hook).

Being on the "plus side" also means shooting "what's available right now," even finding relatively reasnonably priced .44 when 9mm was non-existent

 

[goon]

Midway currently has some .22 LR in stock. Two variations of Federal .22LR 40 grain HV and also Aguila Super Colibris (for those of you who are inclined to harmless fun). It's not cheap, but if you need some, you can get it. I broke down and ordered a brick of Super Colibris myself. For $7 per hundred, it's not too much to pay for stress relief and periodic laughter.

 

[coloradokevin]

For the first time in months things have been looking better for me on the ammo front.

We've been trying to find some .22lr ammo for a family member for months now, and two of us found it in different store shelves on the same day. Similarly, I saw primers for the first time in months.

Hopefully the panic will soon die off a bit!

 

[Sheepdog1968]

I was pretty well stocked this time around. The lessons I learned was I need to keep more buckshot stocked at home. I had plenty for self defense but not enough to practice. Bird shot was always easy to find. Also, though I have plenty of 22 LR, I want much more. For any training classes I take in the future I will not dip into my supplies of ammo. Rather, I will happily pay a bit more so I never run low and buy new and or from the place I will be taking the class.

 

[justice06rr]

No shortage here. I have bought close to 1000 rounds of 9mm and over 2000 rounds of 22lr in the last week. Don't get all spittin mad and say I'm a hoarder and all that jazz. I bought a new PPQ in 9mm and I wanted to break it in. Plus I have left more than I bought and I have not seen any "lines". Matter of fact I was the only one there.
But if your short on ammo and not a brand new shooter....... It's only your fault.

I'm kinda getting tired of these threads............

You are free to not open/read the thread.

If you're area has a normal supply of ammo, it doesn't mean the rest of the country does. There are plenty of places that still have no ammo.

FL is spotty. You have to know which areas get ammo and which LGS have them. Walmart barely has ammo, but Dick's and GM occasionally get them. Also smaller shops get a better supply of ammo than larger distributors.

 

[DNS]

Haven't seen much return in my local.
Its been eight months since I've seen rimfire ammo.

 

[Midwest]

I have not seen .22 LR in my local LGS, Walmart or Meijers since late December 2012. Meijers shelves are still empty since Dec 2012 except for shotsun shells. I did see one box of .25 acp a few weeks ago at Walmart.

 

[Queen_of_Thunder]

Haven't seen much return in my local.
Its been eight months since I've seen rimfire ammo.

Where in West Texas. My local Academy's here in El Paso get it at least twice a week. I don't know about Friday as thats the worst day of the week for ammo but the other days are sure to have some.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Natchez advertising Federal XM855 in quantities of up to 12,500 at $0.65/rd.

 

[Queen_of_Thunder]

I'm paying 50 cents a round for XM 855 at Academy without shipping costs. Beat that Natchezz.

 

[Potatohead]

Don't these Academies have limits? Last time I was in there it was like 2 boxes total. I got 40 friggin 223s

 

[Queen_of_Thunder]

Don't these Academies have limits? Last time I was in there it was like 2 boxes total. I got 40 friggin 223s

Yes but it also shows up in 1,000 count boxes so you buy 1 box. Last time I saw it it was going for $449.99 plus tax.

One also has to consider how much ammo one will have at the end of the month @ 40 rounds a day. Thats 1200 rounds for a 30 day month. Adds up real fast.