With the global pandemic going on now, over the past few months gun sales have been through the roof. This is due to a number of reasons, but mainly the fact that new and current gun owners felt the need to exercise their Second Amendment rights amid so much struggle and uncertainty.
Obviously, with more gun sales going on there is also going to be an increase in the amount of ammunition people are buying. In fact, gun sales were so high that during the month of July there was an increase of over 135 percent over this same time last year. How amazing is that for the industry?
Well, it turns out this might present some challenges…
Ammo Distributors Express Worry
Right now, ammo distributors and manufacturers say that their stock is at lowest level they have ever seen. That’s because more people are heading out to participate in outdoor shooting sports and hunting, since those can be safely done with social distancing.
With all those new gun purchases, the call for bullets is going to be even more intense in the next few months.
According to the CEO of Vista Outdoor Inc, an outdoor products and shooting supply company, Christopher Metz says that they have heard some “frustration from customers” regarding the short supply. He also made a point that ammo sales usually take a few months to catch up to gun sales, so this is a problem that is only going to increase for the rest of the year.
His company is based in Minnesota, and their sales of ammo had increased 22 percent by the end of June over last year. In the ammo and hunting category, their sales have gone up over 17 percent over this same time in 2019. That’s great news for an outdoor sports company when so many other businesses are struggling to make their sales goals in the wake of significant unemployment due to COVID-19.
It’s nice to see customers doing their part to support an essential industry.
Advice On Getting Through the Shortage
If you are finding shortages at your local gun or outdoor supply store, it may be helpful to branch out your purchasing options. Ordering ammo online is a good way to go to amp up your supplies. You can get some great deals online since many suppliers offer better prices than your traditional brick and mortar stores because they don’t have the same overhead.
A few of our favorite online places are Palmetto State Armory, Lucky Gunner, and Brownells. All usually have sales and free shipping offers when you buy a certain amount of product. Lucky Gunner has a message on their website about the shortages saying that they are resupplying as fast as possible, so it’s helpful to check back often.
So, the takeaway here is to explore all your options and be as patient as possible when it comes to stocking up on ammo during these unprecedented times.
