Facing Surging Gun Sales, Dealers Are Low on Ammo
Manufacturers are producing as much ammunition as possible, but a dramatic rise in new gun owners since 2020 has created domestic production shortages.
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As gun sales have soared amid the pandemic, with sales attributed to fears around social unrest, crime and even increased hunting, ammunition has fallen into short supply and prices are concurrently rising even as manufacturers say they are producing as much as possible, reports The Guardian. New York firearms dealer Arden Frazin said the ammunition most in demand includes 12-gauge shotgun shells, 9mm bullets suitable for a handgun and .556 bullets suitable for military-style rifles. He adds that the spike in ammo sales coincides with the increased number of new gun owners since 2020. The National Shooting Sports Foundation estimates 20m guns were sold in 2020.
According to the FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check System database the number of background checks for gun purchases increased from 14.4 million in 2010 to almost 39.7m in 2020 and 22.2m through June 2021. Part of the demand for ammunition may have centered on fears that the Biden administration could raise federal taxes on gun purchases. To make up for domestic-production shortages, imports of ammunition from Russia, South Korea, the European Union and other sources were up 225 percent over the past two years. Ammunition shortages have reportedly affected law enforcement but not the US military. Consumer shortages come as some big retailers have moved to reduce sales amid political pressure.
