All across the country, millions of Americans are on the hunt for ammunition, either for self-defense, target practice, shooting sports or hunting. Sporting goods stores and small mom and pop businesses have had to severely limit how many rounds of ammo a person can buy at one time. Some have even gone so far as to limit ammo solely to those who are purchasing a new firearm because of the shortage.
Rumors have swirled about various companies and their ammo production. Some believed Vista Outdoors, the parent company of Federal, Remington, CCI, and Speer Ammunition, ceased manufacturing all together while others have insisted the company is picking and choosing who to sell ammo true. It was an issue Vista Outdoors' President of Ammunition, Jason Vanderbrink, addressed back in December.
Steve and Jason Hornady, owners of Hornady Ammunition released an update on ammo production. The pair used April Fool's Day to troll gun owners and squash the notion that the government is paying them to seize the production of ammo.
"So, the government might be sending you a stimulus check but they are not paying us to not ship ammo," they said with a laugh. "It just doesn't work that way."
There are a number of reasons for the ammo shortage. For one, it happens every election cycle, especially during presidential elections. The violence last summer, in conjunction with the COVID pandemic, has sparked a number of first-time gun owners. The threats coming from Congress and the White House on gun control also has Second Amendment-loving Americans stocking up for worst-case scenario.
The firearms industry is doing its best to keep up with demand. While it can often feel frustrating to not see ammunition in stock, give these guys a break. They are working hard to meet demand. They are running on all cylinders in the middle of a pandemic that frequently shuts down manufacturing plants and warehouses. This is also a great reminder to be prepared and buy extra ammo so you won't be out when things are scarce.
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