Florida Gun dealers experiencing shortages of ammunition

[82Rigger]

Henry Pierson Curtis |Orlando Sentinel Staff Writer
February 10, 2009

Selling ammunition may be the most secure job in Florida as long as supplies last.

After months of heavy buying, gun dealers across the state are experiencing shortages.

Some say it began with the election of President Barack Obama. Others say it's about the economic downturn or fear of crime. Whatever the reasons, ammunition has been selling like plywood and bottled water in the days before a hurricane.

"The survivalist in all of us comes out," said John Ritz, manager of East Orange Shooting Sports in Winter Park. "It's more about protecting what you have."
Demand for ammunition is so strong that suppliers are restricting deliveries.

"Where we used to get 20 to 30 cases [in a shipment], we may get two to three cases now," said Vic Grechniw of Florida Ammo Traders in Tampa. "The supply just isn't there. . . . Everybody is pretty much rushing out to get their hands on whatever they can."

Most in demand is handgun ammunition, including 9 mm and .45-caliber for semiautomatic pistols and .38-caliber for revolvers. Clerks at local Walmart stores, including Apopka and Kissimmee, say those sizes, along with .22-caliber, are on back order at the chain's warehouses.

American gun owners buy about 7 billion rounds of ammunition yearly, according to the National Rifle Association. It has been warning its several million members that Obama favors raising taxes on bullets to make them prohibitively expensive.

"Anecdotal evidence certainly suggests that the demand for ammunition is continuing to increase, and that is certainly attributable to gun owners' concerns with the current administration," said Ted Novin, a spokesman for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a trade association representing 4,700 members.

The scarcity of ammunition piggybacked on more widely publicized sales of assault rifles.

"Everybody kind of got caught with their pants down," Larry Anderson, manager of Shoot Straight in Apopka, said about the demand for ammunition, which surprised even longtime gun dealers.

Each day he spends one to two hours on the phone talking to suppliers to buy ammunition for Shoot Straight's store and shooting ranges in Apopka, Casselberry and Tampa.

"We're fortunate with the buying power we've got and the connections we've got," Anderson said.

Despite being able to buy 100,000 rounds at a time, Shoot Straight can't find any copper-jacketed bullets for .380-caliber pistols, popular as concealed weapons. The shops have adequate supplies of other calibers.

"You've got to beat the bushes and take deals," Anderson said. "Now I take whatever I can get instead of being finicky."

National chains are seeing the same increased levels of customers buying guns and ammunition in recent months, said Larry L. Whiteley, a spokesman for Bass Pro Shops.

"Why, we don't know," he said.

One major regional manufacturer, Georgia Arms, has seen ammunition sales jump 100 percent since the November election.

"People are just stockpiling," said company spokeswoman Judy Shipley. "A firearm is just like a car. If you can't get gas, you can't use it."

[39mto39g]

Houston is having a Gun show this weekend. I will go see. maybe get that 444 revolver I have my eye on. $950.

Ron

[39mto39g]

It wouldn't let me post this last post
Ron

[DMZ-LT]

Got a 444 Marlin Ron, can't believe the hole I would have in my fore head from a pistol

[82Rigger]

The BFR is made by Magnum Research Inc, same folks that make the Desert Eagle.

Magnum research says that BFR stands for "Biggest Finest Revolver".

But I bet that's not what those initials REALLY stand for.

[Doc.2/47]

Got no problem with .44mag but .444 is a mite more than I want to deal with.

This SS Ruger Old Army is a pretty nifty handgun. Shoots a .457 SOFT lead ball.
If push comes to shove I can make ammo for it.

[39mto39g]

LT
I think your supposed to look at the other end of that pistol?.

82
Yea, BFR most likely stands for something different to those that make it.


Doc
It's just one more 4.

Ron

[DMZ-LT]

Ron , I ment recoil

[SEATJERKER]

...
...Was on "you Tube" yesterday, and looking through sections on hunting etc, deer calls, etc, and then firearms when a brief came on for "the strongest gun in the world", a .577, and I'm not sure how to add to the files here, but it shows a lot of different people at a range pulling the trigger on this cannon, and it is funny to see those that have not pulled the trigger on something this large get knocked on their azz,...

...