Components and Ammo - Trip to Cabellas

The local Cabelas told me the shortage in ammo and components is due to some very large government contracts hitting at the same time people are stocking up in very large quantities. Cabelas' priority sales is to mail order. They were encouraging folks to place back orders at the store for free shipping. The guy described many times folks would walk in and sweep multiple boxes of certain ammo off the shelves in one purchase. There is an Obama effect, but not sure its due to any direct action by the Obama Admin. I observed a few minutes - many guns purchases in progress.

Some comments
:
- People are willing to pay these crazy prices. I watched them doing it in significant numbers just today in the short time I was there. I have no doubt the shooting/reloading industry may be doing some things to increase profit, wouldnt you if you had the chance of a lifetime to increase margins? The only way to reduce prices is reduce demand, just like we did with oil last year.

- Handgun ammo was the biggest shortage. For example, Cabellas has tons of .223 on the shelf - Black Hills 55gr for $40 per 50, match ammo, Fiochi 40 gr for $30 per 50, and LOTS of Remington 55 gr $25 per 50. No .45 ACP, little or no 9mm, I watched the last .40 S&W go out the door.

- If you shop around the internet, you can still get many types of ammo, even some for semi-reasonable prices. I think primers are just the most critical resource right now. Hopefully production will catch up, but the prices will be indexed up for a while at least.

- Midway is out of Rainier plated bullets true, but the govt is not buying them, but no doubt people are hording them everywhere. I have my backorder in for some.

- Recently, Cabellas had one of the best prices for Wolf 7.62x39 steel case through mail order, which is rare for them to be cheapest. Probably all gone now. My buddy is looking for a bunch of it, I told him to go to the Tulsa Gun Show, hope he found some stuff.

- Can one safely adapt large rifle primers for pistol calibers :-)