Ammunition and less expensive guns have quietly been hot commodities since early spring, and with gun owners stocking up on arms as if they were prized packages of toilet paper, the end is nowhere in sight. Carl Kosmo, owner of Maine Outdoor Sportsman in Northport, said there is an overall scarcity of ammunition, and it is part of a national problem. “It is a manufacturing issue and a retail demand issue,” Kosmo said. There shortage of ammunition right now has been caused by a wave of new people buying firearms. Kosmo said his store has had a hard time keeping up with demand, and because many types of ammunition are manufactured overseas, he has a backlog of orders. An Oct. 5 Newsweek article reported that FBI background checks for purchasing firearms have increased 72% from last year, and increases in ammunition purchases have soared 139% during the first half of 2020 compared to the same time period in 2019. Recent estimates from the National Shooting Sports Foundation show nearly 5 million new gun owners this year have joined the ranks of the 100 million-plus gun owners already in the U.S. The data also shows that 40% of all firearms sales are to first-time buyers. While the store has plenty of rifles and higher-end pieces, used guns and associated ammunition are “very hard to keep in stock,” she said. Daniel Parsons, owner of Parsons Small Engines and Gun Shop in Unity, said he cannot get certain less expensive handguns because they are in such high demand. Guns in the $400 to $500 range, “I just can’t get,” he said. The scarcity of guns and ammunition he blames on the coronavirus. Parsons warned, “If you got ammo, don’t shoot it. Just make sure you have at least two rounds when going hunting.”

To make matters worse, he said, Remington Arms Co., one of the top domestic gun manufacturers, filed for bankruptcy earlier in the year and its products have been in lockup.  [full article]