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John Martin, owner of Shooter's Depot in Chattanooga, says demand has been so high for ammunition he has had to limit his stock to range members and not allow retail sales.(Photo: John Rawlston, AP)

Ammo shortage hitting gun owners, dealers hard

BY Josh Kerns  on February 21, 2013 @ 3:54 pm (Updated: 4:08 pm - 2/21/13 )

The nation's run on guns continues, and now gun owners and dealers say there's a huge shortage of ammunition that's leaving shelves bare and guns unloaded.

"It'd be like like running a restaurant and I can't put any food on your plate," complains Monty VanHoy, owner of Top Guns in Shoreline.

VanHoy says since President Obama was reelected, gun owners have been stocking up out of fear new laws would limit their access to guns and ammo. Months later, ammo makers still can't keep up.

"I've had calls all the way from Arizona, New Mexico, all over the United States for different calibers," VanHoy says.

It's more than just an inconvenience for gun owners. It's costing VanHoy and dealers nationwide thousands of dollars in lost sales every month.

"One of our customers drove all the way from Spokane just to get two boxes, decided to spend the night so he could buy two boxes today and drive back home," says Howard Walter with Wade's Guns in Bellevue, which is limiting sales of hard to get calibers including .22.

Walter says Wade's is at least in better shape than most dealers because the owner foresaw the shortage coming and stocked up before the election.

Walter says along with individuals stockpiling, The Department of Homeland Security and other agencies have been buying large amounts of several types of ammunition as well, further tapping the supply.

Going online isn't any better. Shoppers are finding most ammo is out of stock at even the biggest retailers.

"The warehouses are empty. We can't keep up," says VanHoy. And he says things aren't expected to improve any time soon. "By the time it comes in, there are so many back orders for people that are out of it they're gone probably within the first 30 minutes and a lot of places are only allowing one box per person."

Josh Kerns, MyNorthwest.com Reporter
Josh Kerns is co-host of KIRO Radio's Seattle Sounds (Saturday nights 7-8) and a digital content producer for MyNorthwest.com.
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Comments (46)


  • Add A Comment

  • maplefish wrote...
    Mate because the Obama admin
    February 21, 2013 4:47 pm
    Purchased millions of dollars of ammunition for the postal service and the IRS a while back. Anybody remember that?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Ummmm ok, Maybe....
    February 21, 2013 7:51 pm
    And yet, it happened....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • longwayhome wrote...
    Spellcheck, mapledork
    February 21, 2013 6:43 pm
    You stocked up for armageddon? Keep posting your vomit, I hope you and your homies are enjoying your Democrat president. And I also hope that you guys will enjoy the next 12 or so years with Democrats running your lives. It really makes my day!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Wrongway
    February 21, 2013 7:40 pm
    Your lack of wit and intellect appeals only to small minded, ill-informed loser parasites who dwell in their parents basement and offer nothing of value or substance to civilized achievers in society. I can understand your love of Obama and the Democrats because without them you would have no food, or shelter or inkling of a meaningful existence as a human being. I'll bet you parents are so proud of you....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    That Democratic President is what caused the run on guns and ammo
    February 21, 2013 6:57 pm
    Best gun salesman ever!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Jeff Schroeder wrote...
    Waaa waaa waaa X5
    February 21, 2013 8:38 pm
    Sorry all you limp Dick's (Hamburger) losers.... ( New Entry ) Guess you gotta learn to load yer own muskets if ya gonna form a militia..
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    @Ron_Spins..
    February 22, 2013 7:14 am
    Sorry, you're spinning the facts again. What is causing this shortage is the paranoia and insane beliefs that Obama is GOING TO take away all of your guns, etc. etc. etc. This very same thing happened when he was elected back in 2008 - and it's caused by the very same extrmists paranoids from the NRA leadership, the right wing talking heads and carried out by generally stupid people who don't understand that a President can't act on his own to 'ban our guns'. The paraniod idiots forget that it takes CONGRESS to approve a bill to significantly change ANYTHING about guns - and when you have the Republicans locked in thier 'if Obama wants it - we have to vote against it' mindset, there is no way on this planet than any guns will be banned. EVEN with Sandy Hook, the pro-gun control folks will be lucky to get universal background checks passed into law. I guess logic, sanity and comment sense reasoning is well beyond the capability of way too many gun owners that have been suckered into these lies. And yeah - I'm a gun owner (I even have a concealed carry permit) and I respect the 2nd amendment - however, I'm not stupid enough to get duped by either the extremists who tell lies about Obama's ability to ban guns or by extremists from the left.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    Ever heard of Executive Order
    February 22, 2013 7:25 am
    He has said he will use it if he has to. I agree Background checks need to be done. But banning weapons because people don't like them wont cure the Ills of the country. Plus none were used at sandy hook, it was left in the car.

    The Big click and Weapons ban is nothing but feel good crap that takes away more rights of law abiding citizens and does zero to cure the real problem, typical of Politicians (BOTH SIDES).

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    @rick W7PSK
    February 22, 2013 8:10 am
    "Executive Orders to take away guns, ban certain kinds of guns, etc" are still paranoid fantasies. They exceed the limits of what can be done by executive order, AND he's shown no indication that he is willing to cross that line on guns. Add that even if he did, Congress, the NRA, the overall gun lobby and of course, the REPUBLICANS would reverse any such executive order, either by act of Congress or by taking it through the courts as an unconstitutional over-reach. I'm not sure that the assault weapons / big magazine ban bills are entirely feel good, but neither stand much of a chance of passing, so whether they are or not really doesn't matter much.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hpitantso wrote...
    Give it to NRA they the greatest lobbist ever
    February 21, 2013 7:29 pm
    Money is the name of the game, rich get richer the rightly concerned, the scared, and the crazy pour the money into these company's and leaches pockets. Bans equal dollars, mass deaths equal dollars we get it.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    HAHAHAHAHAHA
    February 21, 2013 7:44 pm
    Correct! We Rich get Richer! The scared and crazy are the ones that support the entitlement benefits that losers like you suck out of the Obama welfare system. Don't fret, we'll always have more money and success and you'll always be a miserable loser and failure of a human being....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • beerlover1976 wrote...
    the NRA is us
    February 22, 2013 4:36 pm
    The NRA is not an evil corporation who is trying to sell a product, but it is an organization of citizens..... if voluntary members were to stop paying membership dues the NRA would fold. turns out the NRA is doing the job its constituents are paying it to do, represent them to congress. if any member of the NRA disagrees with the policies of the NRA they are free to no pay dues ever again, Yet the NRA has never been as powerful as they are today. must say something about the minds of individual citizens.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    @beerlover1976...
    February 23, 2013 6:18 am
    Sorry beerlover. The NRA leadership has turned the top levels of the NRA into the very corporatation that demands it's way, that sells it's soul to the gun manufacturer's lobby and so on. They USED TO represent the rank and file - now they are nothing but wacked out shills. ---- Although the average rank and file member isn't a bad guy. And the NRA's power today comes from the same 'anger and hate fostering' that the right wing uses (Republican party, tea party leadership, Fox News, Limbaugh, Beck, Coulter, etc, etc.) to keep thier followers in a focused froth of anger and discontent so that they will do thier bidding. Most average NRA members ARE NOT that blind (and these folks support much of the gun control efforts out there today), but those that are indeed that blind are the mouthy ones supporting the radicals that are the top leaders of the NRA.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Jeff Schroeder wrote...
    Sorry all you limp Dick's (Hamburger) losers....
    February 21, 2013 8:37 pm
    Guess you gotta learn to load yer own muskets if ya gonna form a militia...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    Sorry
    February 22, 2013 5:15 am
    Scotus already ruled the 2nd is about private ownership of firearms. Not about Armies or hunting.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Hayduke wrote...
    Some tard drove here all the way from Spokane for 2 boxes of ammo?
    February 21, 2013 9:06 pm
    Factoring in the cost of gas, time spent on the road, etc.. I wonder what the cost per bullet came to....

    Sounds like the gun nuts are finally falling victim to their own paranoia and conspiracies. Oh my Gosh, no ammo, how I can validate my existence now? Losers, all.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • William Lawn wrote...
    I have a couple of bricks of .22LR, two boxes of .38 and maybe 50 .357
    February 21, 2013 9:43 pm
    I want ONE MILLION DOLLARS.

    You people are just too funny.

    Drive 500 miles so you'll be equipped when OBAMMY grabs your guns.

    Too nutty for words.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rkris1 wrote...
    um..
    February 22, 2013 8:54 am
    some people who own guns just enjoy shooting on a range for fun, and even just keep their firearm in a locker at the range. they want ammunition so that they can do that. that doesn't fit the convenient stereotype that all gun owners are paranoid losers, so it's not quite as fun, for sure. but it's still true.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hnuh wrote...
    02-22-2013
    February 22, 2013 6:39 am
    Typing to stereotype. Lefties shrieking as usual. Responsible adults fear this regime's intent. Infants continue to suck at the teat. (and shriek)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • William Lawn wrote...
    I think the shrieking you are hearing
    February 22, 2013 8:08 am
    is laughter.

    The "regime"?

    Ae you and the idiot fireman planning your last stand?

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • londot wrote...
    Not on line it isn't
    February 22, 2013 6:47 am
    I just turned to on line ammo dealers! There's many out there and the prices are competitive..Even most sporting goods stores sell on line. Shipping isn’t bad..There’s even a big on line dealer located to Tacoma you can drive to easy!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • londot wrote...
    wanted to add
    February 22, 2013 7:00 am
    In the past 2 weeks I've bought 45, 9mm, 22 long and shotgun shells and from various dealers and it all came in 3 to 5 days and the prices was better than at the stores some someone is whining or not doing their home work, This story is only particularly correct
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rkris1 wrote...
    where?
    February 22, 2013 8:51 am
    seriously, you've done better homework than me, apparently.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • londot wrote...
    Here
    February 22, 2013 10:02 am
    cheaper than dirt, Buds Guns, Bulk ammo.com just google "bulk ammo" they sell 25 to 500 rounds...lots out there. Try ahand gun ammo tacoma washington in google/bing...not hard
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • londot wrote...
    ammo
    February 22, 2013 10:05 am
    http://www.surplusammo.com/ right in your own back yard
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rkris1 wrote...
    thank you sir
    February 28, 2013 8:53 am
    much appreciated
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • beerlover1976 wrote...
    its not easy to find ammunition
    February 22, 2013 9:39 am
    I bought a .22lr on a sunday, took me until thursday to find any ammunition. that shop only had about 10 bricks and asked that I not post about it on any forums. gun dealers are having a hard time selling some guns due to the lack of ammunition. people just don't want to purchase paperweights at a gun shop. I don't have huge stockpiles, but I have a couple of boxes of 9mm, 380 auto,.45 acp and now .22lr. If i need more than that for personal defense we are all in a whole world of hurt.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Zoeller wrote...
    I found plenty of hunting calibers still on the shelves last weekend.
    February 22, 2013 9:58 am
    300 mag. and even 300 ultra mag. were plentiful if you want to reach out and touch something and still pack a wallop.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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