I’ve been warning about this for a bit now. If your stocks of ammo don’t number into the 4 figures, it’s a good time to stock up. Based on what I’m seeing, 2025 is going to be a repeat of 2020. Only with more sporkiness. –Mike
A gunpowder shortage is here, but it hasn’t affected the supply of popular ammo like 9mm and 5.56 NATO, yet. There is still plenty of popular ammo on dealers’ shelves both in brick-and-mortar retail stores and online. But the gunpowder shortage is here and coming at us like a slow-moving hurricane. We know it is coming, just not sure when it will hit.
The problem when covering news like a gunpowder shortage is that it is almost a self-fulfilling prophecy causing a run on ammo supplies. I tend to be skeptical and not cynical, but I am suspicious. I have no crystal ball, but I do know people in the ammunition making and selling industries. Is it a grand marketing scheme to sell ammo? Or is it real? From those I’ve spoken to, the shortage is real, but it is not all gloom and doom. Some call it a typical manufacturing cycle. Others call it economics 101 and a simple case of supply and demand. There are other added factors, too, like a war in Europe and conflict in the Middle East, that play into the shortage.
It’s called the FUD factor: Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. We have had a lot of fear, uncertainty and doubt in past years. Good reasons to buy ammo. Lots of ammo. The mere hint of a lack of supply causes a run on products. It’s a vicious circle.