An interesting sidebar to the perception the Obama Administration is plotting to curtail 2nd Amendment rights is the gun and ammunition boom. Sharp increases in gun sales in the aftermath of Obama’s election have been well reported. Receiving less coverage is the severe shortage of ammunition–A visit to any sporting goods store will attest to this reality. The WalMart in my town has nothing but shotshells available…new stock flies off the shelf as soon as it is priced.
I have been under the impression a shortage of materials, driven by a shortage of semi-precious metals, was the underlying cause of the shortage…NOT increased demand. However, according to Citizen-Times.com, increased demand is driving the phenomenon…
Manufacturers say the shortage is strictly driven by demand and not any shortage of raw materials like gunpowder or brass. The shortage is nationwide and includes rifle and handgun ammo, although it is particularly acute in certain handgun calibers, particularly .380.
Remington Arms’ ammunition plant in Arkansas is running around the clock — and that’s with 1,000 employees.
“We’re working overtime to produce ammo, but right now we cannot meet the demand,” said Linda Powell, spokeswoman for Remington, which is headquartered in Madison, N.C., near Greensboro. “Our only option would be to add more equipment, but that’s not an immediate solution because it would probably be a year out before we could add significantly to the amount we’re producing now.”
Powell said the company doesn’t see demand waning “at least through the end of the year,” but it’s reluctant to add equipment or jobs because demand eventually will return to more normal levels, meaning employment levels would have to go back down, too.(Full text at Citizen-Times.com)
Without regard to the reasons for the shortage, it is highly unlikely prices will EVER come down to pre-shortage levels. In fact, many gun owners are stocking up on ammunition for which they have no firearms simply for barter and profit. Now, whether or not a box of hollow-point .45 ACP is a better hedge against inflation than a Krugerrand remains to be seen.
What isn’t up for speculation is the Administration’s designs on gun rights.
