We’re Making Ammunition As Fast As We Can!
BY Herschel Smith
3 years, 12 months ago
I wouldn’t doubt it, there’s money to be made. I’m not certain who’s declaring that no ammunition is being made, but I don’t think they understand basic supply and demand economics.
On December 21, 2020 at 12:27 am, Aaron Yetter said:
And boy they are hiring. I would seriously consider it. But Anoka Minnesota isn’t what it was 35 years ago when my family moved. It’s a damn shame what they did to that state.
On December 21, 2020 at 12:28 am, Georgiaboy61 said:
The manufacture of ammunition is a capital-intensive business, and adding capacity is costly and not easily reversible should demand drop. Therefore, manufacturers must weigh the variables which impact their businesses with a great deal of care, particularly with regards to abnormal periods of high demand. Moreover, these manufacturers are also captive to the cost/availability of raw materials, both of which can sometimes be inelastic to greater demand. Which means that those fancy new high-tech machines the manufacturer has just spent millions acquiring may be idled not by a sudden slump in the market, but by unavailable sub-components and raw materials.
At one time, prior to 1968, the U.S. had an extensive national armory system, with locations at Springfield, Mass. and Rock River, IL, which served as repositories of firearms-related expertise and also FA production capacity not subject to the whims of the private marketplace. Likewise, it was thought that government-owned/operated ammunition plants were essential to national security, and that it was unwise to farm out or sub-contract anything so essential to our defense.
Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (formerly Lake City Arsenal), Independence, Missouri, is a government-owned, contractor operated facility located in Independence, Missouri. Established by Remington Arms in 1941, the plant is the largest supplier of small arms ammunition for the U.S. military. According to the most-recent statistics, the plant produces ~ 1.4 billion rounds/year. Lake City Arsenal was the first of twelve small arms ammunition plants run by the army.
Chiefly due to privatization efforts as well as reasons of fiscal economy and increased manufacturing efficiency, the government-run arsenal system is now much smaller than at its height. In 1968, Secretary of Defense McNamara ordered the closure of the firearms arsenals at Springfield and Rock River, and since that time, a greater share of the work done for government ammunition contracts has been spread over a greater percentage of the industry, and not just awarded to Lake City.
During the mid-2000s, the government-run ammunition procurement & manufacturing system came under scrutiny and a considerable degree of criticism, owing to the fact that during the global war on terror, domestic ammunition manufacturing capacity could not keep up with the demand for small arms ammunition by the U.S. armed forces engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan. In order to fill orders, outside/foreign vendors such as IMI (Israeli Military Industries) had to be used.
In theory, the civilian and government ammunition markets are separate entities, but in reality, when military/government demand ramps up, it cannot help but make ammunition for sale in the civilian sector more-expensive and scarce. European, South American and Asian firms, to name a few, make up some of the slack, but probably not all of it.
On December 21, 2020 at 4:56 am, Old Bill said:
There’s ALWAYS people ready to complain or spin stupid yarns to rile others up. It’s a big community (gunners, preppers, etc) so there’s gonna be that percentage that just aren’t rational.
On December 21, 2020 at 7:30 am, Roger J said:
People will believe almost anything, including rumors that ammo plants have shut down as a result of some Deep State cabal. Back in 1993, there was a rumor that the Clinton Administration had secretly forced primer manufacturers to adopt unstable mixtures that would deactivate primers after 7 years (or was it three, I forgot). Presumably, this was to stymie and disarm we 2A types. With a professional background in organic chemistry, I would patiently explain to rumor believers that chemical processes are temperature sensitive (see the Arrhenius equation). Even if manufacturers were irresponsible enough to research and market deactivating primers, there would be different rates of deactivation depending on climate and storage temperatures, and no way to guarantee a specific time period. I don’t know how many rumor believers changed their mind, or even listened to me. There are likely still a few hoarding their pre-1993 primers, the “good ones.”
On December 21, 2020 at 10:10 am, James said:
Ammunition waiting to be packaged,don’t bother!
I will pull the truck up,weigh in/weigh out after loading loose ammo in bed and pay and off I go!
Hopefully all here were able to stock up a bit while prices more user friendly.
On December 21, 2020 at 10:14 am, Fred said:
I don’t listen to people who don’t know what Supply – Demand – Price Signal is. I just don’t have time for socialists and other nitwits right now.
On December 21, 2020 at 11:13 am, GenX said:
imho in the coming years, ammo *will be* the coin of the realm.
On December 21, 2020 at 12:36 pm, Ned said:
A lot of people never saw this coming. I’m always amazed by that.
Must admit I’m still buying ammo when I find it for a reasonable price and saving brass I didn’t used to reload because it was so cheap to buy ammo.
Also training using less ammo at the range and more draw and fire drills.
On December 21, 2020 at 5:17 pm, Jaque said:
There is a valid National Security reason to not limit arms production to one company and one location. The Navy is having problems since the multitude of ship yards keeps shrinking as companies merge or are sold. There are are not enough millwrights, welders, fitters, boilermakers and electricians to fill the Navys shipbuilding needs. The F35 has parts made in Turkey, not a particularly friendly or reliable partner. WTF ?
Past administrations bear all responsibility for the loss of manufacturing capability in the US. No one looks ahead or behind when decisions of national strategy are being made. The Military struggles to block Chinese parts from US weapons as some are counterfeit Chinese parts. Integrated circuits are not made in the US anymore. Chemicals needed for powder and primer making are sourced from offshore. Uranium mines are sold to Russia.
There are only a handful of purposes of the Federal Government. They have been shoved aside and ignored. Today Social services and welfare have superceeded National security. This is evident by the Covid Bio attack and the ongoing cyber attacks we just now found out. Its the Congress that should be fired over these attacks. But that wont happen
The lessons from Covid are already forgotten. The government seems fit to fund every activity not authorized in the constitution. But where is government funding for the 2nd Amendment. Where are the stimulus ammunition vouchers for gun owners. Where are the laws that help citizens with gun education, or subsidies for Americans to buy guns. Why are guns excluded from all civil rights activities. The second amendment gets no federal assistance. It only gets nullified, trampled on, and ignored by government. We must change that
On February 22, 2021 at 10:04 am, Chuck moon said:
Where ? How? Ca small shop owners buy all calibers of ammunition to sale to public??
On February 22, 2021 at 10:16 am, Chuck moon said:
Where ? How? Ca small shop owners buy all calibers of ammunition to sale to public?? I have been in this business for 27 years. I made through the Clinton, oboma error and now we have the Biden- Chinese error. I will not give up I am a combat veteran. I love shooting sports, training and all aspects of this field. There is no quit in me. Who can direct me to the solve of this problem? Will it en up in a civil war ???