Ammunition shortage: Two more years

The emails and social media messages to Hornady’s customer service team haven’t let up in months.

“Where’s all the ammo?”

“Are you still making hunting cartridges?”

“Have you shut down due to COVID?”

“Why are you making T-shirts and not ammunition?”

“Are you hoarding ammunition?

“Are you selling all the ammunition to the government?”

As anyone who has visited a gun shop in recent months can tell you, ammo companies haven’t been able to keep up with demand. And the problem may be getting worse.

Hornady said that while they were able to secure ammunition components and boxes for much of 2020, they’ve seen a drop in availability in recent weeks.

“Now there’s a shortage in corrugated cardboard nationwide. Explosive certified cardboard is in even shorter supply. We’re starting to see issues with some of the other stuff, primers in particular,” he said.

Their raw material cushion has largely evaporated amidst insane levels of demand prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, social unrest, a presidential election, and an incoming Democratic administration.

As to when the shortage will end, Hornady doesn’t see the situation improving in the next 18 months. It may even be two years before gun owners start seeing ammo back on the shelves. His prediction is based on the events of the last year but also on the cyclical nature of previous ammunition shortages.

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