Reporting on the Small Arms Ammunition Shortage

November 11, 2013

As ammunition continues to rise in price and becomes increasingly difficult to obtain, perhaps we can take solace in the fact that this is not the first time. Consider the following quotes.

"The price of ammunition is out of sight," said Virginia Cartner, owner of Ozark Tackle and Supply in Eldon, Mo.
"Manufacturers aren't delivering," said Leroy Brown, manager of a shop in Buffalo,NY

Sound familiar doesn't it. Actually the exerpts were from an Associated press article written by Terry Ryan in 1974 when limits on raw material caused a shortage of arms and ammmunition. Or this.

The Virginia hunting season opens tomorrow, but sportsmen who have not already bought 12-gauge shells are out of luck, as there are none to be had in Fredericksburg and no prospect of any more being received by the stores for an indefinite period.

After the U.S. declaration of War in December of 1941 the War Dept sought to purchase any shotgun cartridges not already stocked on store shelves for the War Effort (Free Lance Star)

...recent news reports indicate that in some areas of this country, sporting goods stores are reporting a heavy run on rifle and pistol ammunition.

Here again there was a shortage caused by ammunition hoarding in anticipation of shortages caused by conflict in Vietnam.

Of course what is different this time around is the ability to resell this ammunition online which has created a secondary market of amateur resellers looking to make a quick buck. The fact is that there is no shortage if you are willing to pay the price . An example of this was found on Gun Broker.Com The rip off price of 45 cents/ round plus shipping for 100 rounds of cheap Winchester 9mm luger full metal jacketed ammo.

Eventually this will end and those who come late to the party are going to be left holding a bag of ammo that they can't sell for what they paid for it.

"Acute Ammunition Shortage is Blow to Hunting Prospects" Free Lance-Star 19 Nov 1942 p. 2 <http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19421119&id=leRLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=54oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1972,2151708> Google News Newspapers
Ryan, Terry "Sportsmen Face Shortages of Guns and Ammunition" Associated Press The Morning Record 24 Oct 1974 p. 5 Google Books

Editor "Hoarding Created Serious Problems" The Spokesman-Review 6 Jun 1966 p.4 <http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19660606&id=YTlWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=xugDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2699,1991857>