We may be in for another small arm ammo shortage

[BigBolt]

U.S. munitions stockpiles are rapidly being depleted as the Ukraine war continues. Sufficient stockpiles of munitions are vital to the U.S. defense. Once the stockpiles are expended, the Department of Defense cannot simply buy more munitions—manufacturing takes years. Congress and the Department of Defense must ensure that the U.S. has sufficient stockpiles to meet the challenges of the modern era while working with manufacturers to make the industry as responsive as possible.

Rapidly Depleting Munitions Stockpiles Point to Necessary Changes in Policy

As the war in Ukraine continues, U.S. weapons support for Ukraine is quickly draining munitions stockpiles. Weapons manufacturers do not have the capacity to promptly meet this surging demand. After years of comparatively small annual munitions purchases, manufacturers have made the predictable...

www.heritage.org

 

[Kracken McGraw]

They were really worried about that stockpile when they gave it all away at Afghanistan.

 

[GotRDid]

Many retailers are selling PMC TacX M855/SS109 equivalent ammunition for less than $ .50 per round.
If you are in the market for factory ammo, perhaps this will buffer your personal “shortage”. Great ammo, and pretty darn accurate. Their M193 variant is equally desireable.

 

[BCR1]

Many retailers are selling PMC TacX M855/SS109 equivalent ammunition for less than $ .50 per round.
If you are in the market for factory ammo, perhaps this will buffer your personal “shortage”. Great ammo, and pretty darn accurate. Their M193 variant is equally desireable.

The last LC green tip I bought back in 2019 was $.26 delivered. Of the 2800+ I bought, I still have 2600+ and will probably never shoot any more of it.

Bill

 

[Dusty Stevens]

The last LC green tip I bought back in 2019 was $.26 delivered. Of the 2800+ I bought, I still have 2600+ and will probably never shoot any more of it.

Bill

The green tips are as good as hard currency

 

[xswanted]

Another??

Aren't we STILL in one?

 

[Laurie]

It's an interesting report and highlights a situation that I've wondered (and worried) about for years - our resupply resilience in the event of a major war. When I say 'we', I mean the West because if the USA can run short quickly, that situation is worse in spades in Europe and the UK.

The whole policy has been to sell or close government facilities and to buy at the lowest tender price from the private sector, but only as and when needed. As private companies don't keep spare capacity sitting around doing nothing, production capacity reduces to the lowest possible viable level and even then it's often a hairy ride. We only have Thales / ADI's Mulwala plant in Australia (makers of all Hodgdon extrude powders such as VarGet and H4350) because the Aussie government took the decision to retain and develop viable South Pacific defence forces and a locally based defence supplies and support industry to support it. The Aussie taxpayer went halves in paying for Mulwala modernisation and upgrading to keep it running. This wasn't an overly politically popular move down under 20 or so years ago either - the sub-continent's environmentalists hate the Mulwala plant and went hell for leather to pressure Canberra to close it.

What is now Nammo Vihtavuori Oy was French multinational Eurenco owned for a few years who then came within an ace of closing it when demand for military ammunition dropped after the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts cooled down. The Scandi regional defence combine Nammo pulled that chestnut out of the fire at 30 seconds to midnight (production of some grades had already shut down when the plant was saved).

Just imagine the mess we'd be in today as shooters / handloaders without these two plants, and you can replicate that across all elements of ordnance manufacturing. Western governments want to supply their military on the cheap to the detriment of security, when security should be the primary concern first, foremost and forever.

 

[acloco]

Believe it or not, reloading 9mm is still cheaper than purchasing factory.

With powder at 290 per 8lb, primers at 85 per 1K, bullets at 100 per 1K, ....and no cost brass (range pickup)....cost per round is 23 cents per round.

Agree, no count of time factor, but one would have to spend time at work to pay for the factory fodder....so...call it a wash.

 

[lb-ft]

Laurie,
Excellent insight.

Agree 100% with your closing words on what western governments should be doing. But what they are doing, be it with military or monetary or most everything in between, is anything but what they should be doing.

And I do believe they know precisely what they are doing, and exactly where it all leads.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

These clowns act like we can actually make/mfg things here. Not happening and they know it. We make Nutting here anymore. Keep that in mind when you vote! Being a mfg powerhouse is what made us a great and powerful economic force in the world economy. We have been sold out by the very people that are in charge of making sure this does not ever happen. It's not only about our economy but our national security and ability to take care of our own. We don't even make antibiotics here any more. What in the world are the people we somehow call leaders thinking? I'll say this much and stop....I no longer believe it is due to incompetence. It has to be 100% intentional. Draw your own conclusions from that but nobody...no body is that stupid. We are trained to believe that elected officials have our best interest in mind but I no longer believe that is true.

 

[ND shooter]

These clowns act like we can actually make/mfg things here. Not happening and they know it. We make Nutting here anymore. Keep that in mind when you vote! Being a mfg powerhouse is what made us a great and powerful economic force in the world economy. We have been sold out by the very people that are in charge of making sure this does not ever happen. It's not only about our economy but our national security and ability to take care of our own. We don't even make antibiotics here any more. What in the world are the people we somehow call leaders thinking? I'll say this much and stop....I no longer believe it is due to incompetence. It has to be 100% intentional. Draw your own conclusions from that but nobody...no body is that stupid. We are trained to believe that elected officials have our best interest in mind but I no longer believe that is true.

^^^^^^^^^^!!!!!!

 

[59FLH]

The green tips are as good as hard currency

What’s the current exchange rate?

 

[Gman]

These clowns act like we can actually make/mfg things here. Not happening and they know it. We make Nutting here anymore. Keep that in mind when you vote! Being a mfg powerhouse is what made us a great and powerful economic force in the world economy. We have been sold out by the very people that are in charge of making sure this does not ever happen. It's not only about our economy but our national security and ability to take care of our own. We don't even make antibiotics here any more. What in the world are the people we somehow call leaders thinking? I'll say this much and stop....I no longer believe it is due to incompetence. It has to be 100% intentional. Draw your own conclusions from that but nobody...no body is that stupid. We are trained to believe that elected officials have our best interest in mind but I no longer believe that is true.

You are 100% correct. This is all planned.

 

[FNSafari]

The green tips are as good as hard currency

Meaning not our fiat money?

 

[Andy Work]

These clowns act like we can actually make/mfg things here. Not happening and they know it. We make Nutting here anymore. Keep that in mind when you vote! Being a mfg powerhouse is what made us a great and powerful economic force in the world economy. We have been sold out by the very people that are in charge of making sure this does not ever happen. It's not only about our economy but our national security and ability to take care of our own. We don't even make antibiotics here any more. What in the world are the people we somehow call leaders thinking? I'll say this much and stop....I no longer believe it is due to incompetence. It has to be 100% intentional. Draw your own conclusions from that but nobody...no body is that stupid. We are trained to believe that elected officials have our best interest in mind but I no longer believe that is true.

It's called The Great Reset. The rat bastards in Washington have sold us out. FJB

 

[JSH]

Believe it or not, reloading 9mm is still cheaper than purchasing factory.

With powder at 290 per 8lb, primers at 85 per 1K, bullets at 100 per 1K, ....and no cost brass (range pickup)....cost per round is 23 cents per round.

Agree, no count of time factor, but one would have to spend time at work to pay for the factory fodder....so...call it a wash.

That figure doesn’t include tax, and shipping if so needed. That changes those figures by a fair bit. I shoot or own zero 9mm. I run 45ACP and have plenty of components to load them. However at today’s “replacement” cost of all components I can buy new bulk ammo when I shop hard and buy in quantity, that it is not worth my time to build ammo. I mean the difference is .02-.03 per round difference.
If I shot into the five digit a year area I would see some slight savings.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

Saw some, Sierra and Speer Bullets, Hogdon and IMR Powders at,.. Walmart !
Wall to Wall, Ammo at, Cabela's, Walmart and Sportsman's Wharehouse,.. "on Sale" at, TWICE the Price of,..
2 Years ago !
Things, are FINALLY, looking,.. UP ( the Prices are,. UP, anyway )
LOL !

 

[JEFFPPC]

It's called The Great Reset. The rat bastards in Washington have sold us out. FJB

Andy, it started long before Biden...Think Clinton, Bushes x 2, Obummer. They were filling their pockets and we were sleeping. 98 percent are still sleeping, and like it.

 

[Aero]

Andy, it started long before Biden...Think Clinton, Bushes x 2, Obummer. They were filling their pockets and we were sleeping. 98 percent are still sleeping, and like it.

Actually, it started long before the any of the 5 globalists you mentioned, but I'll stop there to try to keep this thread from getting shut down.

 

[Emmett Dibble]

The green tips are as good as hard currency

I have Christmas bills to pay...