Out of stock?

[pls1911]

Although I'm well stocked for the duration, while looking for .375 JDJ components for a friend, I noted that just about everything EVERYWHERE is listed as "Out of Stock".
Not just primers and powder, but bullet molds, nose punches, sizing dies, brass, you name it!
Not just .375 either. It seems pretty widespread online.
Other than fearing the change in administrations, is there any reason for the absence of product?
Are suppliers like RCBS, Alliant, et.al. all running 24/7?
Has Covid disrupted supply chains?
What's up?

[Four-Sixty]

I talked to a supplier around 2015 asking about 35 Remington availability. I was told some items are "seasonal", and only made every two years. With the great backlog of demand, low demand components could be delayed a while.

[Hickok]

I am wondering if the lack of supply of metals, alloy, raw materials is one of the causes of shortages. The companies can't make a product without a source materials.

The tree-huggers, granola's, and environmental nazi's have driven out steel mills, ore mining, lead mining, etc, out of our country, and everything has to be imported.

[waksupi]

I went into a LGS a few days ago. Hardly any handguns left, long guns sparse. Only ammo I saw was 28 gauge shotgun shells, and a couple boxes of odd ball rifle rounds.

[Conditor22]

I believe it is the large influx of new gun owners and the lack of ammunition for sale that is increasing the number of people wanting/needing to make their own ammo. the reloading industry is getting slammed so hard that even without covid they couldn't keep up without increasing production/machinery/employees (which may not be practical for them to maintain after they have caught up with current demands and people aren't desperate to buy anymore.

my 2¢

[kevin c]

^^^
Exacerbated by COVID, civil unrest, and the typical four year cycle based on election concerns. The first I think is a double whammy: not only the increased demand from fear of the unknown, both rational and panic based buying, but also, as the OP suggested, production limitations from shutdowns, and maybe illness all along the supply chain.

[mdi]

Sigh... As I've read in maybe 80 other threads just like this one, yes everything gun related is scarce. Yes, manufacturers are running full speed. Yes, the China virus has affected manufacturing and shipping. Yes, there are several conspiracy theories running around from manufacturers purposely warehousing supplies, to government buying everything, and even China buying all the USA ammo for their planned invasion. Yes, the major reason for the shortages is fear/panic. Yes, our gun rights are under attack. Yes, if you weren't prepared you are pretty much S.O.L.. Yes, there are many predictions on the future for gun owners, shooters and reloaders out there, take your pick...

Pogo; "We have met the enemy and they is us...".

FWIW; I went to Bi-Mart a couple days ago and as usual wandered into the Sporting Goods dept. On the shelf was about 24 boxes of Federal 9mm and a sign stating "one box per customer". I don't need any more 9mm and I don't want to start on a new load (150 gr Syntec) so I left my one box for someone else. There was a couple other calibers, IIRC 40 S&W and a rifle cartridge plus cases of various shot shells, none of which I need or want...

[j23]

While I agree that the usual 9mm, 5.56, 45acp, 308, tactical whatever guns, ammunition, and magazines, etc., as well as .22lr, buckshot, and so one always sell out at times such as these... I've also noticed some bizarre trends. Bullet molds and oddball calibers, brass and so on are getting hard to find as the OP mentioned.

But more than that, I've noticed Italian repros drying up as well. I was in the market for a new Sharps carbine or Trapdoor, which last fall were numerous on Gunbroker (and always have been), are now quite rare, along with just about any other rifle coming from Italy [Cimarron, Uberti, Taylors, Pedersoli, etc.] I'm pretty sure folks aren't hoarding .54 Sharps Carbines for the coming zombie apocalypse or whatever. :groner:

The only theory I've heard from the Italian standpoint is that they got hit pretty hard with covid, putting their manufacturing about a year behind. (Then factor in shipping, raw materials, etc.)

My big fear is Italian imports would be banned under a EO or new law eliminating firearms importation. That would pretty much end CAS, SASS, Buffalo matches, etc. Nothing would surprise me anymore though.

[DDriller]

410 shot shell components are very hard to find also. One of the gun shops I use just got in a bunch of new rifles and pistols. He said there was more coming. Unfortunately they do not sell reloading supplies.

[Winger Ed.]

410 shot shell components are very hard to find also.

The popularity of .410 handguns & OU Derringers hasn't helped that situation one bit.

[jim147]

When even air rifles have vanished it is a sign.

[charlie b]

The conspiracy theories about ammo and such were so bad the two ammo CEO's made a few videos about how they are at max production.

One noted that they made more hunting ammo this last year than they have in any previous year in history. And almost all of their component production is going into ammo, leaving little 'left over' for reloaders.

You can get some bullets. I just bought another box of Berger bullets for my .308. :)

[dtknowles]

I have been tempted to take a box of 9x19, 7.62x39, 5.56 and .22lr to the gun shop to see what they would give me for them. I have stockpile of factory ammo in these chamberings and I don't even have a gun for 7.62x39 anymore. Maybe I could ease the shortage a tiny bit.

Tim

[reddog81]

All firearms stuff is scare. When ammo sells out people start buying reloading supplies. When modern guns are all sold out, people turn to the old school replica guns. When all the .308 supplies sell out, people buy the .375 supplies.

[rbuck351]

I just ordered 8 lbs of reinactor black from Grafs (in stock)to make sure I have enough to last the rest of my days for my 32 cal flint lock. Not sure what the future will bring but I want to be prepared.

[Hossfly]

I’m almost out of small rifle primers, but don’t shoot much so that last 1k will do me for a while. Got 1k 223 range brass coming so ill be set for a while.

[bangerjim]

That is what happen when the country (sort of) elects a Democrat government. Will be at least 2 long years B4 we can change anything....even a little bit.


Sad..................................:violin:

[gbrown]

Just called Graf's about an order. Talked to a very nice lady. I asked her if they had any idea about the non availability of ammo and components. She said no, but they (Graf's people) believed it was gaps in the supply chain, as several posts here have said. Just have to wait it out. FWIW, their 1-800 number is down, they have no idea why.

[mdi]

It's no wonder there is a shortage; over 7 million guns sold last year (for various reasons, and I'm sure of fear of democrats attack on 2nd Amendment) many by new buyers/shooters that bought a couple boxes (some) of ammo. Then panic buying of ammo drove many to start reloading and casting. So kinda a "domino effect". A huge surge in buying any and all firearm related items...

[M-Tecs]

That 7 million figure is new first time firearm owners not total sales. The number of NICS checks was just under 40 million and total sales could be as high as 47 million.

https://bearingarms.com/cam-e/2021/01/04/gun-background-checks-new-record-2020/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20agency%2C%20the%20 National%20Instant%20Check,the%20number%20of%20gun s%20sold%20in%20the%20U.S.

[Hossfly]

That 7 million figure is new first time firearm owners not total sales. The number of NICS checks was just under 40 million and total sale around 47 million.

Wow that’s a lot of guns 47 million, my trip to LGS had LPP for $49 per k and 6 on shelf no limit I only picked up 1
Would have picked up more knowing what i know now. But figured that’s all i need.

[shampine]

Here in the sticks gems can still be found at the Mom and Pop shops . Primers are getting scarce but bullets and powder can still be had . I don't pay much attention to loaded stuff , but did notice some of more popular calicers were picked over .

[firewhenready7]

With all the new shooters and people stocking up for good reason, no wonder they can't keep up.

[gun toting monkeyboy]

Here is the deal. Anything gun related is scarce right now. You have a perfect storm going to cause all this. Covid has messed up the supply chains, first and foremost. Add to that, all of the social anxiety from the past year, and millions of new gun owners, added to all the current gun owners stocking up. All of the older gun owners knew this was coming, so they stocked up on reloading supplies early on. All the casual reloaders started stockpiling a few months later, and cleaned up most of what was left. Many people looked at the ammunition shortages, and decided that now was the time to get into reloading and bullet casting. So almost anything related to either is gone. Bullet molds in common calibers? Gone. Powder and primers? Mostly gone. Brass, even in weird calibers? Gone. People are stocking up on supplies to reload anything that can shoot. That is also why a lot of the Italian reproductions are gone. Especially the cap and ball revolvers. Because those can be purchased by anybody online, without a background check. And you can convert them to use cartridges without too much effort. So a lot of the prohibited persons and people who don't want the government knowing they have guns bought those up.

All of the manufacturers are running flat out. Yes, some of the retailers are gouging. You expect that from places like Cheaper than Dirt. But most of the rest of the supply chain is working one getting things out. All we can do is be patient, and keep looking for supplies. They do still pop up. And be sensible with your reloading. If you only have a few hundred primers, maybe now isn't the time to try to cook up new loads for that old Belgian Mauser. You might be better served by holding off on that, and sticking to guns you are more likely to need/use. Just a thought.

-Mb

[waksupi]

I'll probably start a stampede, but Jeff Bartlett still has some powder.

[David2011]

It’s not just firearms related supplies. I do some woodworking and build/fly radio controlled airplanes. It seems that staying at home has increased the consumption of many hobby supplies. Woodworking took a big hit early into the Covid pandemic but supply channels have mostly recovered. The same has happened with model airplane building supplies but that industry is recovering more slowly. Even fishing gear is in short supply. In October I went to the local Academy for some fishing tackle and the saltwater area was wiped out. It looked like the ammunition aisle.

[charlie b]

Yep, just about everything is harder to get these days.

Just noticed a news clip from the port of Los Angeles. They have container ships 'stacked' up at anchor waiting to be 'cleared' of Covid before unloading. Add to that recent tariffs and restrictions on Chinese shipments and there is a shortage of a lot of stuff. Then stack up the state by state closings of some manufacturing here in the US along with personnel shortages from Covid positive workers.

What I find interesting is that the sporting goods shelves are bare of a lot of overseas products, but, Hobby Lobby, Walmart, Costco, Sams are stocked full of Chinese made stuff. Sometimes I wonder if some large chains had enough political clout to bypass some of the Covid 'rules'.

[MrWolf]

Noticed Walmart got real relaxed on the cleaning of cc keypads and checkouts. Basically precovid but wearing a mask to appease the covid squads.

[ACC]

Although I'm well stocked for the duration, while looking for .375 JDJ components for a friend, I noted that just about everything EVERYWHERE is listed as "Out of Stock".
Not just primers and powder, but bullet molds, nose punches, sizing dies, brass, you name it!
Not just .375 either. It seems pretty widespread online.
Other than fearing the change in administrations, is there any reason for the absence of product?
Are suppliers like RCBS, Alliant, et.al. all running 24/7?
Has Covid disrupted supply chains?
What's up?

What I don't understand is why have companies like Wolf, S&B, Bear not been able to pick up the pace and imported more of their items? Wolf makes primers, I know because I have used them before.

ACC

[gun toting monkeyboy]

What I don't understand is why have companies like Wolf, S&B, Bear not been able to pick up the pace and imported more of their items? Wolf makes primers, I know because I have used them before.

ACC

Other countries have been hit as hard or harder by Covid. Some of them have rather draconian policies, keeping their economies locked down pretty tight.