Ammo rationing at Wal-Mart as panic buying sweeps US

reply to post by warrenb


Well, from your source:

Shooting ranges, gun dealers and bullet manufacturers say they have never seen such shortages. Bullets, especially for handguns, have been scarce for months because gun enthusiasts are stocking up on ammo, in part because they fear President Barack Obama and the Democratic-controlled Congress will pass antigun legislation — even though nothing specific has been proposed and the president last month signed a law allowing people to carry loaded guns in national parks.

Mmm, looks like gun owners are a rather gullible group, prone to the easiest of manipulations from the gun/ammo lobby and their corporations. Sounds to me like gun owners are being played like DeBeers cons potential diamond owners as to their scarcity.

Create an artificial shortage, use hyperbole and fear based marketing, count on folks to not look things up, and voila ... profits. Marketing 101 really.

reply to post by schrodingers dog


I can totally hear what Your saying. My only thoughts on the matter is that the shortage is real, and so is the profiteering as You outlined.

The problem comes into play with the Lobbies involved; much of the ammo is inter related with military. The two main ways I've seen it effected is through a shortage of components for loading ammo at home: casings, primers, powder, and bullets. Also, the shortage of the full cartridge.

I've got family heavily related to the gun industry, and the guy that owns Buffalo Arms is a friend, and neighbor. What I am hearing is that the military is buying up not only the actual rounds/cartridges, but also not releasing much of the spent casings, or brass.

In other words it really does seem to be a concerted effort to limit the real deal supply of ammo. So, besides a profit issue by munitions productions companies; it is also an issue with direct govt. buy up, and buy out of ammo.

I called CCI which is based in Idaho, not to far from me, and they said their military/police contracts are buying up more than normal. So why is that?
S&F warren

reply to post by sanchoearlyjones


Well to be honest I am completely ignorant as to whether the ammo shortage is based on what you just shared. Though I am planning and investigating my first gun purchase at the present time I really don't yet know about caliber munition crossover from the military to the civilian market.

My point was more to the article in the OP. Gun and ammo lobbies and corporations have always used the "buy now before they take your rights away" marketing card under the false pretext of pending legislation changes by democrat congresses.

In fact, in recent years including in my home town of DC, most legislation has been going in the opposite direction. Sure they are lots of disinfo and seeded rumors and fear mongering, but those are simple wagging tools to sell more stuff. Like developers telling you this is the last available condo, act fast before you lose it to those guys standing over there.

Case in point (from the op's source) :

"Used to be gold, but now lead is the most expensive metal," one gun enthusiast told AP. "And worth every penny."

That is some mind fluffing marketing right there ... not easy to get folks thinking that way. Especially about lead.


[edit on 29 Sep 2009 by schrodingers dog]