GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – A nationwide shortage has customers and sellers frustrated and looking for answers.
FOX 17 told you months ago about a soaring demand for firearms in West Michigan, now it seems the bullets to fill the guns are tough to find as well.
Ammunition shelves at local gun stores like Silver Bullet and Al & Bob’s Sports, both on Division Ave. in Grand Rapids, are empty and have been for months.
Customers will have trouble finding certain caliber bullets no matter where they look in the country.
Scott Devries a manager at Al & Bob’s Sports says he hears it everyday, “Hundreds of phone calls a day. And if we could record what we say to every phone call, it would be a lot easier.”
Unfortunately sellers don’t know when the bullet supply will fill the shelves again.
The shortage started at the end of December, shortly after the tragic school shooting in Connecticut.
Sellers say customers are concerned that tougher gun laws will occur in the future.
Mike Visser with Silver Bullet, a gun store and firing range in Grand Rapids said, “We have seen a huge, dramatic increase in the number of people becoming firearm owners.”
As buyers stockpile ammo, stores try to limit sales hoping to reach more customers.
Devries said he recently put 12 boxes of 22 caliber rifle rounds on the shelf in his store and they were gone in a matter of an hour.
“It was gone,” he said. “And we sold them one box at a time.”
Gun owners are concerned that the price of the ammo will continue to rise with the demand.
23 Comments to “Where’s The Ammo? Guns Stores Can’t Keep Up With Demand”
March 14, 2013 at 7:46 AM
If you want o know where all the ammo is, ask the federal government. The Us Federal Government signed a contract with ammo producers to buy 1.6 trillion rounds over the next five years. This story was on Yahoo about a month ago. This equates to approximately 5 rounds for every man, woman, and child in the US.
March 14, 2013 at 7:48 AM
Seems like we may have to start reloading our selves, I'm wondering if theres more to this maybe were being kept from buying ammo?
March 14, 2013 at 8:54 AM
I'm a reloader and it's almost impossible to find the componets to reload with
March 14, 2013 at 8:06 AM
jee i wonder if DHS buying 1billion rounds have anything to do with the shortage.
March 14, 2013 at 8:43 AM
Its all part of the globalist mindset guys, once we have gotten used to it, things will get a lot better heh heh.
March 14, 2013 at 9:30 AM
I believe if we investigate, we will find that that the ownership of the ammo companies has changed over the last 12-18 months and that I leads back to 1 or 2 individuals. This of course enhances their ability to control production (supply) and conversely increase profits for themselves.
My other concern would be, what if ownership does not believe in the second amendment and is only profit driven ? What if they could make more not to produce ammo for the public?
March 14, 2013 at 9:53 AM
The ammo manufacturers are selling out to the government. It is treasonous for Americans to supply the enemy with arms and ammunition.
March 14, 2013 at 10:29 AM
Next they will build bomb shelters
March 14, 2013 at 10:39 AM
yes the fed bought an @$$ load of ammo, but that not the real issue. ITS US. to find ammo go to gunbroker.com and type in you favorite ammo. then click on that sellers "other auctions" guys are goin out and buying intire stocks of ammo and selling it online 2x and 3x the price.
sure walmart says 3boxes per person per day. 1 the guy selling, 2 his wife, 3 his kid, 4 his buddy = 12 boxes at a time. this shortage is man made and feuled by panic. we want to blame someone. so we blame the gov. but its us, it the guy at the range saying "i can sell you a box." to fix it shop around for ammo at online stores that mavent marked it up. and DONT BUY THE MARKED UP AMMO. make them eat their losses. it may take time but it will work.
March 14, 2013 at 11:57 AM
It's not just the Feds. We are creating our own nightmare. People have panicked and started hoarding ammo. That killed the normal flow and caused further panic. I've had salespeople share comments from buyers who haven't shot their heirloom firearm in years, but are buying as much ammo for them as they can because they fear the potential legislation coming down the pike.
My money is on failed or useless legislation that won't have anywhere near the effect that people are fearing and a lot of folks will end up with a lot of ammo that they will never use.
March 14, 2013 at 12:01 PM
…and I am praying for FAILED. "Feel good" legislation never works and only costs us more of our tax dollars.
March 14, 2013 at 12:29 PM
No, I heard it was 1.6 Zillion!
March 14, 2013 at 6:58 PM
Either way, this doesnt really explain why its hard to get ammo like .22, unless to use the argument that the demand comes down to the gun powder, where .22 just isnt being produced. fwiw
March 14, 2013 at 8:31 PM
The reason that the .22LR is gone is simple. When all of the AR's chambered in .223 or 5.56 were gone, the only ones left were .22LR's. No point in owning an AR in .22LR without ammo. At least that's what I figure the reason is. Either that, or a whole bunch of people are expecting a zombie squirrel apocalypse.
March 14, 2013 at 6:59 PM
It's that darn Bush's fault! He did this! he still has his cronies all around us! He master minded 9-11 he put Obama in office. Long live our master Obama!!
March 14, 2013 at 7:21 PM
If people would have been stocking up all along this wouldn't be an issue. I have 24,000+ rounds stored because I bought a couple hundred round each week since the last shortage.
March 14, 2013 at 7:21 PM
people used to just buy what they needed to hunt or shoot with. Now, people are buying and hoarding creating an artificial shortage. As soon as new gun legislation fails and the congress gives up on any new guns laws, people with stop hoarding and the prices and availability will return to normal.
March 14, 2013 at 8:40 PM
I don't buy BULLETS at the store, I buy AMMUNITION. The singular is CARTRIDGE. BULLETS are just the part that leaves the barrel when the firearm is fired. If you want to report on this story, use the correct terminology.
(Yes, reloaders do buy BULLETS at the store, but most firearm owners do not reload their own ammunition)
March 15, 2013 at 1:59 PM
LOL. I have built my gunsand ammo up since the 1994 ban expited and haven't stopped. Better than money in the bank!!! I'm set for life which is about 25 years for me when i am near 85 unless i get hit by a truck.
March 15, 2013 at 4:13 PM
Who in their right mind would need a gun anyway? Guns just kill people! If you get rid of the guns no one dies! It's pure and simple FACT!! Obama/ Clinton '16!!!
March 16, 2013 at 8:47 PM
You should eat more broccoli.
April 11, 2013 at 5:48 AM
I am tired of hearing "guns kill people". People kill people. More people are killed in car accidents than by gunshot. I guess we should be concentrating on banning cars instead!! Also, unfortunately this is Obama's second term so thank goodness he can not run again in 2016!
March 21, 2013 at 9:51 PM
I think its odd that this news doesn't make a national headline…