Sellier & Bellot Sold
On April 1st, CBC announced the acquisition of the 184-year-old Sellier & Bellot ammunition company in Vlašim, Czech Republic. CBC or Companhia Brasileira de Cartuchos (Cartridge Company of Brazil) also owns Magtech in the USA and MEN – Metallwerk Elisenhütte GmbH in Germany. CBC was founded in 1926 and sells ammunition in over 70 countries worldwide. The Magtech and Sellier & Bellot companies will continue to operate under their own management and brands, CBC said.
ATK Purchases Eagle Industries
Alliant Techsystems, Inc. said it has acquired Eagle Industries Unlimited Inc., a maker of tactical nylon gear for military and law enforcement customers. Privately-owned Eagle, which is based in Fenton, Mo., will add more than $80 million to Alliant's sales in fiscal 2010 and be a slightly positive addition to its annual earnings. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Most readers of this column will know ATK better as the owner of Alliant powders, Federal Cartridge and CCI/Speer. ATK's government arm includes makers of solid-rocket propellants and other products. Eagle makes gear such as weapon holsters, bags, rappelling equipment and vests.
Alliant Techsystems, Inc. said it has acquired Eagle Industries Unlimited Inc., a maker of tactical nylon gear for military and law enforcement customers. Privately-owned Eagle, which is based in Fenton, Mo., will add more than $80 million to Alliant's sales in fiscal 2010 and be a slightly positive addition to its annual earnings. Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed. Most readers of this column will know ATK better as the owner of Alliant powders, Federal Cartridge and CCI/Speer. ATK's government arm includes makers of solid-rocket propellants and other products. Eagle makes gear such as weapon holsters, bags, rappelling equipment and vests.
Ammo Shortage?
We've heard from everyone that there is a shortage of ammo going on. And if you have been out looking for ammo, you know that the shelves in many of your normally reliable suppliers are as bare as Mother Hubbard's cupboard. Even the Internet sellers are having a hard time.
I did a survey of seven (7) on-line ammo sellers. The results are almost frightening! I checked all calibers from Ammoman, Ammunition To Go, MidwayUSA, Cheaper-Than-Dirt, Natchez, Outdoor Marksman and Midsouth Shooter's Supply. One of my favorites, Ammunition to Go has most of the popular calibers in stock, but the type and quantities may be limited.
In the survey, I didn't include specialty ammo such as Glaser Safety Slugs, Air Freedom fragmenting or Magsafe. These are available to those who want them, but their extreme cost is almost prohibitive for stocking up.
If you own a .380 ACP, forget it. I couldn't find any ammo for it, even on some other sites. Excluding Ammunition To Go, the hardest to find of the common cartridges are:
.32 ACP (only at Ammo to Go)
.380 ACP (almost none available)
.38 Special (limited supplies and loads)
.357 Magnum (limited supplies and loads)
.45 ACP (very limited supplies)
.45 Colt (almost none available)
We've heard from everyone that there is a shortage of ammo going on. And if you have been out looking for ammo, you know that the shelves in many of your normally reliable suppliers are as bare as Mother Hubbard's cupboard. Even the Internet sellers are having a hard time.
I did a survey of seven (7) on-line ammo sellers. The results are almost frightening! I checked all calibers from Ammoman, Ammunition To Go, MidwayUSA, Cheaper-Than-Dirt, Natchez, Outdoor Marksman and Midsouth Shooter's Supply. One of my favorites, Ammunition to Go has most of the popular calibers in stock, but the type and quantities may be limited.
In the survey, I didn't include specialty ammo such as Glaser Safety Slugs, Air Freedom fragmenting or Magsafe. These are available to those who want them, but their extreme cost is almost prohibitive for stocking up.
If you own a .380 ACP, forget it. I couldn't find any ammo for it, even on some other sites. Excluding Ammunition To Go, the hardest to find of the common cartridges are:
.32 ACP (only at Ammo to Go)
.380 ACP (almost none available)
.38 Special (limited supplies and loads)
.357 Magnum (limited supplies and loads)
.45 ACP (very limited supplies)
.45 Colt (almost none available)
What's Available?
For those of you shooting "oddball" calibers, there is some good news. You can still get ammo. Although you may object to the price, it's still out there. In small calibers, .25 ACP, .30 Luger, 7.62 Nagant and 7.62 Tokarev are still well stocked.
In the midrange calibers, .38 Super and .357 Sig are still available and some locations have 10mm. And when it comes to Big-Bores the news is generally good. Except for .45ACP and .45 Colt, the .44 Special through the .500 S&W Magnum are generally easy to come by. It seems that .45 GAP is sitting on shelves along with 5.7x28mm.
For those of you shooting "oddball" calibers, there is some good news. You can still get ammo. Although you may object to the price, it's still out there. In small calibers, .25 ACP, .30 Luger, 7.62 Nagant and 7.62 Tokarev are still well stocked.
In the midrange calibers, .38 Super and .357 Sig are still available and some locations have 10mm. And when it comes to Big-Bores the news is generally good. Except for .45ACP and .45 Colt, the .44 Special through the .500 S&W Magnum are generally easy to come by. It seems that .45 GAP is sitting on shelves along with 5.7x28mm.
The Reasons
First and foremost, it seems the election of Barack H. Obama and Joe Biden is the primary driving force. Both politicians are staunchly anti-gun, despite the rhetoric they support the 2nd Amendment (a dubious claim).
Industry sources say that between July and September of 2008, sales of pistols and revolvers were up 23.6% and ammo sales rose 8.4% over the same period the year before.
This trend has continued right up through February. Using background checks as a benchmark, firearm sales compared to the same month in the prior year, jumped 42% in November, 24% in December, 29% in January and 23.3% in February.
And it follows that those who buy new firearms will want some ammunition for them. Maybe lots of it. And that's apparently what is happening in the real world.
National Shooting Sports Foundation senior vice president Lawrence Keane, when interviewed by AP, said "We've heard from all across the country that there is a tremendous shortage of ammunition. From the manufacturers, that their customers are calling them trying to get supplies for inventory, and that the manufacturers are going full-bore, pardon the pun."
The buying of firearms over the worry that the Obama Administration would move to limit gun sales and the subsequent buying of ammo and components has led to shortages. And for some, a new president coupled with a sudden shortage of ammo spurs panic buying in large quantities. The current demand is so huge, manufacturers can't keep up.
We're probably selling ammunition right now at a 200 percent increase over normal sales," said Richard Taylor, manager at the Firing Line in Aurora, Colo. "We've probably got over 4,000 cases of ammunition on back order currently. But we just don't know when we're going to receive that," Taylor told KMGH. "Y2K was just like a little blip on the radar screen compared to this. I mean, it's just phenomenal."
Rich Wyatt, owner of a firearms shop and training facility outside of Denver, told Human Events' columnist Kaminsky that even "old ladies and young people and liberals" have been buying ammunition from him.
Wyatt's position seems to be that the new president sparked the ammunition buying frenzy with careless words from the campaign trail, such as when he said small town folks in Pennsylvania "cling to guns or religion" during hard economic times. "Barack Obama is right about one thing," Wyatt said. "We are clinging to God and our guns, and I defy him to try to take either one from us."
Thanks, Rich. I couldn't have said it better myself.
First and foremost, it seems the election of Barack H. Obama and Joe Biden is the primary driving force. Both politicians are staunchly anti-gun, despite the rhetoric they support the 2nd Amendment (a dubious claim).
Industry sources say that between July and September of 2008, sales of pistols and revolvers were up 23.6% and ammo sales rose 8.4% over the same period the year before.
This trend has continued right up through February. Using background checks as a benchmark, firearm sales compared to the same month in the prior year, jumped 42% in November, 24% in December, 29% in January and 23.3% in February.
And it follows that those who buy new firearms will want some ammunition for them. Maybe lots of it. And that's apparently what is happening in the real world.
National Shooting Sports Foundation senior vice president Lawrence Keane, when interviewed by AP, said "We've heard from all across the country that there is a tremendous shortage of ammunition. From the manufacturers, that their customers are calling them trying to get supplies for inventory, and that the manufacturers are going full-bore, pardon the pun."
The buying of firearms over the worry that the Obama Administration would move to limit gun sales and the subsequent buying of ammo and components has led to shortages. And for some, a new president coupled with a sudden shortage of ammo spurs panic buying in large quantities. The current demand is so huge, manufacturers can't keep up.
We're probably selling ammunition right now at a 200 percent increase over normal sales," said Richard Taylor, manager at the Firing Line in Aurora, Colo. "We've probably got over 4,000 cases of ammunition on back order currently. But we just don't know when we're going to receive that," Taylor told KMGH. "Y2K was just like a little blip on the radar screen compared to this. I mean, it's just phenomenal."
Rich Wyatt, owner of a firearms shop and training facility outside of Denver, told Human Events' columnist Kaminsky that even "old ladies and young people and liberals" have been buying ammunition from him.
Wyatt's position seems to be that the new president sparked the ammunition buying frenzy with careless words from the campaign trail, such as when he said small town folks in Pennsylvania "cling to guns or religion" during hard economic times. "Barack Obama is right about one thing," Wyatt said. "We are clinging to God and our guns, and I defy him to try to take either one from us."
Thanks, Rich. I couldn't have said it better myself.
Resources for on-line ammo sales:
Ammoman
Ammunition To Go
Cheaper Than Dirt
Midsouth Shooters Supply
Midway USA
Natchez Shooters Supply
Outdoor Marksman
Your comments are welcome: editor@handgunclub.com
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