Monday, March 16, 2009

Ammunition Shortage Everywhere

Ammunition Shortage Everywhere

This account is from the March 14, 2009 Santa Rosa (Cal.) Press-Democrat:
Local sportsmen and gun enthusiasts looking for ammunition are coming up empty handed, as a national ammunition shortage leaves gun barrels and shop shelves empty.
“It’s scary when ammunition is sold out and you don’t know how you’re going to get any,” said Ben Fox of Santa Rosa, a disabled single father with three young children. “It’s nerve-wracking. It’s my home defense.”
Ammunition for firearms including pistols and rifles is exploding off store shelves in Sonoma County, where gun shop owners said they can’t keep bullets in stock.
"Exploding"? Well, that explains the shortage!
Various explanations have been given for the shortage, from rising material costs, increased demand due to military uses, and people stocking up as federal legislative proposals requiring ammunition to be engraved with a serial number move forward.
“Folks have been experiencing shortages all over the country,” said Rachel Parsons, spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association. “Since the election there has been a great increase in firearms sales as well. Background checks are up, enrollment in training and safety classes is up, concealed weapons permits are up, gun sales are up. And ammo manufacturers can’t keep up with demand.”
Even police departments are coming up short:
While not all police agencies report problems stocking ammunition, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Department does.
Sheriff’s Sgt. Rob Douglas said that availability and delivery are concerns.
“We’re still waiting on a bunch of stuff that was supposed to be coming in August or September,” he said of department’s ammunition order. “We have some empty shelves.” he said.
Rob was my concealed weapons instructor, by the way.

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