The Catalyst

By Rachel Davis, Reporter

With hunting season soon approaching, some gun owners might have to bite the bullet when they go to buy ammunition.

A shortage of common rounds, particularly .270-caliber, 30.6 and .22-caliber, has antagonized both consumers and store owners, and for unusual reasons; the shortage is mostly attributed to public fear that President Barack Obama will enforce a stricter gun control policy.
Many shelves, including those stocked by Mike Brown at Sportsman’s Warehouse, 2464 U.S. Highway 6&50, are depleted of these valued rounds by the end of the day.

“We got 18 cases (10,000 rounds) in last Friday, and we were sold out by noon Sunday,” said Brown, the store’s hunting manager.

“And this wasn’t just a few people hoarding ... most were buying two or three boxes at a time.”

Local store owners say if you’re heading out for rifle hunting season, be prepared to pay more.

“The funny thing is that this president and Congress has never said a word about revisiting anything to do with ammo controls,” said Jerry Stehman, owner of Jerry’s Outdoor Sports, 507 30 Road.
Stehman said his shop has been out of standard 30.6 ammunition for the past two months.

“I think we’re going to be in this situation for another six months to a year,” Stehman said.

Jim Palmer, a gunsmith at Gene Taylor’s Sporting Goods, 445 W. Gunnison Ave., said the rush on ammunition has extended to various components used to reload firearms, such as primers.

“I’ve had people from 19 different states calling me trying to get certain types of ammunition,” Palmer said. “And I stopped counting at 19.”

Aside from the ammunition shortage, Palmer said he expects a weakened national economy will have just as much of an impact on hunting season.

Perhaps as an effect of this excessive buying combined with the downturning economy, gun accessory sales have fallen drastically in the past six months.

“People can’t afford to go out and buy that new scope,” Palmer said. “They’re using what they already have.”