Ammo Shortage.....Intentional?

[dbltap]

A group of us shooters got together one day and did more talking than shooting because ammo is scares but opinions are plentiful.  One thing we talked about is the possibility that the Federal Government is intentionally creating the ammo shortage by having the Dept. of Homeland Security buy up as much as they can of the popular 223/5.56, 9mm,40 S&W, 45ACP and 22 rimfire ammo.  Now we realize that ammo is in need by the feds as we are still in a gorilla war in the Middle East but, why does DHS need billions of rounds of ammo?
The last time we had a shortage in ammo it wasn't this bad.  Federal owns most of the large scale producers in this country, why this was allowed I don't know, and they have Lake City but is all Lake City production for the feds now?  Correct me if I'm wrong, please.  Who's left for the rest of the country?  Are they so booked with government contracts that they can't or wont produce for the rank and file because they can make more money with the feds?
I would like to see a message from each of the large ammo produces that they are not ignoring citizens for juicy government contracts.   Now yes, people are hording ammo like never before, but is that the only reason for the shortage?  In short, how much production is going to civilian markets and how much is government, non-military, contracts.

Federal ATK
Remington UMC
CCI Blazer Speer
Hornady
Blackhills
Cor-Bon
Magtech
Winchester

Some of these companies may be part of the same parent company.  There is a large number of small producers but is there a registry listing them all?

Thanks

[JC5123]

As someone who deals with .gov contracts I can tell you this. You make much better profit margins when selling to John Q. Customer. However the contracts with the .gov agencies are so huge that the dollars add up very quickly. Also it's pretty standard procedure to fill your biggest orders first.

I agree that the whole thing stinks. It's scary living in a time where our government has already done things so egregious that even some of the wildest conspiracy theories seem plausible. However, I think the ammo shortage is a case of the perfect storm. Government contracts always start at the first of the year, and then with the apocalypse happening right before the end of last year. The hoarding, and panic buying. The industry just flat couldn't bear it all at once. 

[Magoo541]

. However, I think the ammo shortage is a case of the perfect storm. Government contracts always start at the first of the year, and then with the apocalypse happening right before the end of last year. The hoarding, and panic buying.

This is the main culprit IMHO, not those that were prepared but by those that were NOT prepared.  I was in the process of stocking up last fall when things started getting scarce and I have fought the urge to put in orders for 10,000 primers like a few of my friends have because I think that will only prolong the "storm".  I am getting by with a little help from my friends, gun club and the occasional component that shows up at the store.

[JC5123]

I look back now, when I was doing my hoarding in October before the election, just in case we lost. Glad I did now. Unfortunately I'm starting to run low on primers and powder. Been lucky enough to find a little here and there. But being very conservative in shooting and reloading now.

Been focusing on improving my shotgun training, since shot shells are still pretty plentiful.

[JoeG]

I figure it was either buy a billion rounds of ammo or one of those trillion dollar coins from the fed and they decided the ammo might be more useful!

[Sponsor]

[JC5123]

I figure it was either buy a billion rounds of ammo or one of those trillion dollar coins from the fed and they decided the ammo might be more useful!

Not to mention actually worth something.

[brushmore]

Something that I noticed is that all of the shooters that haven't really been paying attention and maybe thought those that stocked up were paranoid now are finding short supplies and high prices.  So now instead of buying a couple of boxes like they normally, they buy a brick or case.  So the demand grows exponentially as more people become "hoarders".

[tombogan03884]

Not to mention actually worth something.

The platinum coins would have had value since an ounce of platinum is worth as much or more than equal weight in gold.
but the face value of copper, gold, and silver coins is regulated by law .
Platinum is not . That was the thinking behind the idea, a platinum coin would be valued at what ever the Fed wanted .
Just like the paper our money is printed on.
If China accepted a one ounce platinum coin with a face value of $1 trillion in payment for $1 trillion in debt then that is it's value regardless of the intrinsic value of metal in the coin.

3x6 inch slips of paper are not worth $10 or $20, but if they are printed with "federal reserve and appropriate signatures then people treat them as if they were.

[JoeG]

Tom you are over thinking my witticism or possibly half witticism. 

[tombogan03884]

Tom you are over thinking my witticism or possibly half witticism. 

No, I actually got your comment, it just seemed like to good a chance to point out that "value" is nothing more than perception.
What is the difference between a $1 and a $100 ?
Absolutely nothing except the pictures printed on them.
So, why is one worth $99 more than the other ?