Disclaimer: We just can't discuss this subject without politics coming into play because politics is a big part of why this is happening. Some political commentary will be aloud in this thread, but please keep it civil. Thanks.
Lets face it, a big part of this shortage is based solely on fear. People are afraid that the Government will come and take their guns and ammunition. When Obama was first elected we had a run on ammo that lead to a shortage of some calibers, and price increases that have stayed with us since then. Serious gun owners knew all along that Obama was anti-gun, his political record showed that, but overall America didn't care. While Obama and Congress didn't do anything gun control related in his first term, there were those of us who knew without a shadow of a doubt (me included) that if elected to a second term, gun control would be an issue. I in fact do believe Newtown was manufactured by those who would have this country completely disarmed. Don't think radical gun hating people wouldn't actually do something like Newtown to further their agenda? You better think it over real hard then, because history has proven that nut jobs with an agenda will do whatever it takes to further that agenda. Look at Hitler, Stalin, and the Bolshevik Revolution.
Back to fear. There are people who freaked out, and cleared the shelves of certain guns and ammunition in matter of weeks. They are hoarding ammunition. We live in a capitalist society, and demand drives pricing. Something in high demand will always command a high price because scared fools will spend their life savings, or max out a wallet full of credit cards out of fear, and greedy people will gladly empty your wallet for you. So fear and hoarding is a big part of the problem.
The other end of the problem is sellers, whether it be your local retailer, or some douche bag on Gunbroker. There are plenty of guys waiting at Walmart every morning to try and buy up as much in demand calibers as possible, only to turn around and sell it on Gunbroker and other firearms auction sites for a huge markup. These guys are the Wall street of the gun world, despicable, greedy bastards!! They are only helping to make the situation worse. There are lots of these types out there, and they can control the flow of the product and make it seem like the shortage is worse than it really is.
I had a discussion recently with a local gun shop manager, who said that the wholesale company he buys ammo from has raised the prices of ammo significantly. Most retailers who aren't major movers of ammo have to go through a wholesale distributor for guns, ammo, and accessories because they can't afford to buy the quantities required to buy direct from the manufacturers. Some wholesale companies have jacked up prices, and may even be controlling product flow to maintain those higher prices, because if the supply goes back to normal, most folks won't pay the premium anymore. This whole year I have refused to pay high prices for ammo, and only buy from places that are charging Pre-Newtown prices. It's harder that way, but I'm not giving in to scalpers.
Our fear of losing our right to keep and bear arms is legitimate though. Gun Control laws aren't legal, but they have been passed and enforced. Just take a look at whats happening in California, Colorado, New York, and other New England States right now. Not only is the 2nd amendment being attacked in this county, but the entire bill of rights is slowly being eradicated by government. The bill of rights was put in place to let government know they can't touch any of it, but they are. We can't even rely on the Supreme Court to back up the 2nd amendment, because despite the fact that they are to be impartial politically, you can see all the time that they vote down party lines.
Will the Government ban arms and ammunition? If the balance of power slips to the far left, then yes it can, and probably will happen. Don't ever say it can't happen here, because that's what other societies have said in the past, and they got shafted for thinking that way. Banning firearms has little to do with crime control, it's more about complete control of a population with no means to stand up for itself against a heavily armed government run by a bunch of rich, greedy, power hungry fools. Do you want to be controled by a bunch of Bloombergs?
For people like me, to whom firearms are just as much about who they are as fly fishing is, then the fear is justified.
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