Was it this bad before??

[Mcglockin7]

A few years ago I started to really get into shooting, and began purchasing a few firearms here and there. I bought a Ruger P97 about 10 years ago, but would only shoot one or twice a year so ammo cost was never really an issue. I got really into the hobby awhile back and began to hear rumors of 9mm and other popular calibers being impossible to find and getting crazy expensive but didn't really want to become a "panic buyer". I'm really starting to regret my decision for the simple fact that now I can't find ammo for any of my guns and when I do come across some the price is nuts!! So my question is, did it get this bad before? How long did it take to calm down?

 

[shooter521]

So my question is, did it get this bad before? How long did it take to calm down?

I have been in the industry since the tail end of the 1994 AWB (to include Y2K, 9/11, Obama 1, etc) and I've never seen demand this high, inventories this low, and the supply chain this screwed up, for this long.

Many gun manufacturers have already sold their entire year's worth of production; others are running 3 shifts a day, 7 days a week and still can't keep up with demand.

I would say it will take a good 6 months with nothing happening (no more mass shootings, no anti-gun bills, etc) for things to ease up at all. And until the various ban bills currently in Congress are either killed or passed, the sword is still hanging over us and demand will remain high.

What I can't figure out is, where all the increased demand is coming from for guns not even remotely on the ban list (.38 revolvers, pump shotguns, .22LR ammo, etc).

 

[wolfman]

What I can't figure out is, where all the increased demand is coming from for guns not even remotely on the ban list (.38 revolvers, pump shotguns, .22LR ammo, etc).

If you can't afford what you want, or it isn't available, you get what you can afford or is available. In other words, if you can't find or afford an evil black gun, what ever is in the case that strikes your fancy, goes home with you. IMO

 

[shooter521]

If you can't afford what you want, or it isn't available, you get what you can afford or is available. In other words, if you can't find or afford an evil black gun, what ever is in the case that strikes your fancy, goes home with you. IMO

IOW, it's gun madness, and they're buying everything that isn't nailed down. Yeah, that about covers it.

 

[Mcglockin7]

My problem is there's nothing available. Look how many threads start out with so and so has 223 or 7.62x39 ammo in stock and less than 2 hours later someone comments "sold out".

 

[shooter521]

My problem is there's nothing available. Look how many threads start out with so and so has 223 or 7.62x39 ammo in stock and less than 2 hours later someone comments "sold out".

Brother, we're seeing it daily. Guns and ammo come in and go right back out. I had eight ARs on the rack this morning; they were all gone by early afternoon. I didn't even have time to put up a post here that we had 'em. 3 cases of 9mm FMJ came in on Thursday; all sold out by today, even with us limiting quantities. Last week we had a guy sell us his AK; the guy who came in the door right after him bought it as soon as we had entered it in our book. It's crazy.

 

[UncleMike]

IOW, it's gun madness, and they're buying everything that isn't nailed down. Yeah, that about covers it.

People are truly afraid.
The Feds are out of control and a great number of the Populace see this as a potentially dangerous time for our Republic.
No one wants to be caught without some means of defense.

 

[melensdad]

I have been in the industry since the tail end of the 1994 AWB (to include Y2K, 9/11, Obama 1, etc) and I've never seen demand this high, inventories this low, and the supply chain this screwed up, for this long.

Many gun manufacturers have already sold their entire year's worth of production; others are running 3 shifts a day, 7 days a week and still can't keep up with demand.

I would say it will take a good 6 months with nothing happening (no more mass shootings, no anti-gun bills, etc) for things to ease up at all. And until the various ban bills currently in Congress are either killed or passed, the sword is still hanging over us and demand will remain high.

What I can't figure out is, where all the increased demand is coming from for guns not even remotely on the ban list (.38 revolvers, pump shotguns, .22LR ammo, etc).

Ditto.

But as for you last comment, that demand seems to be coming from people who can't find anything else AND ALSO from the rapid expansion of the new concealed carry movement. The CC movement has been growing since the mid-80's but seems to get a big bump every time there is major gun event. I'm seeing non-gunners convert to pro-carry to full time carry activists with guns at home for self defense and 22lr for training. I think the new carry culture is exploding and expanding the number of shooters in our community.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I survived the '94 ban and barely noticed it, it was nothing as panicky as this. I think the Internet is partly to blame, or more precisely the way any idiot with a modem can set up a blog and declare the end is nigh or set up a little home business selling p-mags to the world.

Internet access, especially at speeds beyond dialup, was a lot less common in '94. If you wanted to say something to the world, you had to call a radio show or write the editor of a newspaper. If you wanted to sell something, you had to put ads out or take it to a gun shop.

Panic and profiteering were tougher to spread, in other words.

 

[shooter521]

ALSO from the rapid expansion of the new concealed carry movement. The CC movement has been growing since the mid-80's but seems to get a big bump every time there is major gun event. I'm seeing non-gunners convert to pro-carry to full time carry activists with guns at home for self defense and 22lr for training. I think the new carry culture is exploding and expanding the number of shooters in our community.

I like your positive attitude there; I only hope you are correct!

 

[zippy23]

I'm pretty young, but i know some older folks who are just now for the first time in their lives buying guns. My mom just got her first gun, my dad is now all of the sudden buying up all kinds of stuff, and many other people i know are doing the same, people who have not shot a gun in their lives. I think they are realizing that this president and the democrat party are the real deal when it comes to taking away our freedom. History repeats itself, and they are doing everything for gov't control of business and your guns. People are arming themselves with whatever they can find right now because they think this just might really be it. I dont know what it was like in the past, but when i see websites saying they are not even taking backorders, and hearing that it may take 6 months to get something, that really tells you something. I talked to a man and a woman in wallmart today that had no clue what they were buying, they just knew they needed 9mm ammo, and had no idea if 9mm luger was good so they asked me cuz i was standing there waiting for them to unlock the cabinet. The good news is that more and more people are waking up to this, the bad news is that they are willing to pay out the nose because they are afraid. better late than never but the prices are what they are.

 

[Mcglockin7]

My dad has never purchased a gun before either, I went home to visit last week and he purchased a shotgun, a glock 19, somehow got a hold of a Ruger LC9, and a Ruger 10/22 all nicely placed in a Liberty safe... all of which he has gotten since xmas

 

[melensdad]

One of the guys at the fencing club went from ZERO guns to 17 in the course of about a week. He's now applied for his LTCH and has signed up for a training class. He's gotten both of his sons involved too . . . and he joined INGO.

A woman friend of my wife was talking to me. She is getting her LTCH and as soon as her daughter turns 18 she is helping her daughter get one (in a couple months).

 

[poptab]

guess the democrats woke the beast up. maybe that was their economic recovery plan all along?

 

[wolfman]

I am sort of known as the resident gun nut at church, and a few weeks ago had another member ask me to help him and his wife pick out something for their first HD firearm. We initally were going to hit the 1500, but after seeing the long lines, decided to hit a couple of local gun stores that I know don't go to the 1500. I had made arrangements for them to try out an 870 up at BGF, (thanks sjstill) so after a few rounds down range, we headed to the sales floor, and just happen to see a lone 870 Tactical on the rack. After a few minutes of paperwork and a phone call, said friends went home as brand new HD gun owners. I think there are a lot of people out there like my friends, they have talked about getting some sort of HD firearm for almost a year, and finally were driven to make a purchase when it appeared that the political climate was making a turn for the worse.

 

[shooter521]

i agree, this is nuts trying to find 22lr let alone 223

Funny thing is, we've had way more 7.62x39 and .223/5.56 ammo come through the shop in the last few weeks than we have .22LR. Go figure!

 

[thompal]

Internet access, especially at speeds beyond dialup, was a lot less common in '94. If you wanted to say something to the world, you had to call a radio show or write the editor of a newspaper. If you wanted to sell something, you had to put ads out or take it to a gun shop.

Panic and profiteering were tougher to spread, in other words.

I take it that you weren't on FIDONET back then??

 

[Cemetery-man]

All they have to do is come to INGO and read a few threads. If that doesn't put them into a panic nothing will.

 

[Smokepole]

I'm pretty young, but i know some older folks who are just now for the first time in their lives buying guns. My mom just got her first gun, my dad is now all of the sudden buying up all kinds of stuff, and many other people i know are doing the same, people who have not shot a gun in their lives. I think they are realizing that this president and the democrat party are the real deal when it comes to taking away our freedom. History repeats itself, and they are doing everything for gov't control of business and your guns. People are arming themselves with whatever they can find right now because they think this just might really be it. I dont know what it was like in the past, but when i see websites saying they are not even taking backorders, and hearing that it may take 6 months to get something, that really tells you something. I talked to a man and a woman in wallmart today that had no clue what they were buying, they just knew they needed 9mm ammo, and had no idea if 9mm luger was good so they asked me cuz i was standing there waiting for them to unlock the cabinet. The good news is that more and more people are waking up to this, the bad news is that they are willing to pay out the nose because they are afraid. better late than never but the prices are what they are.

The more disturbing news is that A LOT of those people either voted for Obama or just didn't vote at all and are all of a sudden waking up and going "HOLY SHIITE BATMAN!" look where they are trying to take us. The light bulb JUST came on. My question is: "where the F&@$ were these folks leading up to the election?" Were they not paying attention? Or were they just goofing off blissfully unaware of ALL OF THE SIGNS AND COMMON SENSE that clearly showed where Obama and the Libs planned on taking things. A lot of these folks were the naysayers that REFUSED to believe that this could (WOULD) happen.

I won't put down how I REALLY feel about these folks.

 

[Nemick]

It seems to me that a sizable portion of the country was not in favor of the re-election of the current President. Combine this with a genuine fear of the 2nd Amendment being trampled on and also the apparent increase of violent crime, home invasions, etc. etc. and we have a lot of people waking up, or at least realizing that they should perhaps take precautions.

Like others here, I know several people who have very recently decided that they need to be ready to protect themselves. The people I know though, tend to be more concerned about a lessening police presence and an increasing desperation amongst some elements of society.