The run on ammunition has manufacturers scrambling to accommodate demand and reassure customers, as many new and seasoned gun owners stock up over fears of new firearms regulations at both the state and federal levels. Hornady, an ammunition manufacturer located in Grand Island, Nebraska, offers answers to concerned customers on the FAQ page of their website: Q: Have you stopped production, or has the government forced you to stop? A: Not at all. Q: Since we can't find your product you must be selling it all to the government. A: Nope, less than 5% of our sales are to government entities. Q: Why can't you make more? Ramp up production? Turn on all the machines? A:We've been steadily growing our production for a long time, especially the last five years. We've added presses, lathes, CNC equipment, people and space. Many popular items are produced 24 hours a day. Several hundred Hornady employees work overtime every week to produce as much as safely possible. If there is any question about that - please take a tour of the factory. You'll be amazed at what you see. The page also states: "We are producing as much as we can; much more than last year, which was a lot more than the year before, etc. No one wants to ship more during this time than we do. "We appreciate everyone's understanding and patience. We don't know when the situation will improve, so please bear with us a little longer. And remember, when it comes to Hornady Manufacturing, if you don't hear it from us, please don't believe it." Other ammo manufacturers are saying virtually the same thing. Jeff Hoffman, president of Black Hills Ammunition told GunsandAmmo: "We have a little bit of the hunting calibers on hand, like .270, but everything else is gone. It's only skipping once on its way out the door." Keith Enlow, senior vice president and ammunition manager at Freedom Group, said: "Even though we're in the middle of panic buying, we don't see the demand for ammunition going away any time soon." And, according to Guns&Ammo, Remington's official statement on ammo production is: "Remington is at full capacity at this time in a majority of categories of ammunition. We are continuing to look at how to increase capacity and supply our ammunition products to the various channels of distribution/sales that we support." The major online ammunition distributors mirror the messages of the manufacturers. LuckyGunner, located in Knoxville Tennessee provides this message to its customers: "Our team has been working nights and weekends to ensure that the service we deliver to you is not compromised by the current heightened demand for ammunition." "Our team is working very hard to secure more product for you and we will. When its available to be sold, you will see it on our site." http://www.cnsnews.com/blog/gregory...scramble-keep-demand-reassure-eager-customers
I can understand the panic buying, of 5.56/.223, 7.62 and the likes, military rounds for frightened souls preparing for Armageddon. But 22LR? Really?
On the flip side: Everyone was worried if Romney won people would be out buying bibles. Who would've thunk - Barry, the guns and ammo president.
You have to eat even after Armageddon. The .22's are for shooting dem wabbits an' yard birds for dinner.
Here is what I think happened with 22's. When you decided to take the grandkids out shooting at hunting camp, you bought a 500 round brick for $20 bucks or so. Now you find you can't get any... so the first time you see them, you grab 2000 rounds or about $100 bucks worth in pre panic pricing. Basically folks are buying bricks instead of boxes. Adding to the shortages in the larger calibers. That said, I still wonder where the stock is as no one is seeing any lately.