I am not sure that we have a good way to measure the effect of the most recent gun owners on the current shortage situation. I know the NRA believes that new owners are not the cause of the shortages, and I can believe that. But I now believe that the new owner effect is having a bigger impact that we first imagained.
For example, all residents in Illinois have to pass a background check administered by the State Police to get a Firearms Owners Identification Card or FOID. Without this card no person can legally purchase ammunition or guns here. It was reported today that March is on pace to set a record of over 70,000 FOID applications. So far in three months this year over 180,000 applications have been received which compares to last years total of 338,610. You can read about the issues that the ISP are having getting the checks completed in a timely manner here: http://www.bnd.com/2013/03/27/2552218/illinois-reports-64-day-wait-for.html
I noticed that here in Illinois the panic and shortages hit quite a bit later than the rest of the nation. I purchased 9mm ammo in Springfield in January when many other states had already gone dry. So the FOID requirement actually slowed the ammo shortage here. However now .22LR and 9mm almost are non-existent.
It has been noted that ammunation makers are adding shifts but not new equipment because they believe demand will return to normal. But is it possible that normal may be a higher level of demand than we have ever seen? I am starting to believe we are seeing something unprecedented in our country as far as new gun owners, and that has become evident that we do not have a good way of measuring their impact on the ammunition and firearms future.
For example, all residents in Illinois have to pass a background check administered by the State Police to get a Firearms Owners Identification Card or FOID. Without this card no person can legally purchase ammunition or guns here. It was reported today that March is on pace to set a record of over 70,000 FOID applications. So far in three months this year over 180,000 applications have been received which compares to last years total of 338,610. You can read about the issues that the ISP are having getting the checks completed in a timely manner here: http://www.bnd.com/2013/03/27/2552218/illinois-reports-64-day-wait-for.html
I noticed that here in Illinois the panic and shortages hit quite a bit later than the rest of the nation. I purchased 9mm ammo in Springfield in January when many other states had already gone dry. So the FOID requirement actually slowed the ammo shortage here. However now .22LR and 9mm almost are non-existent.
It has been noted that ammunation makers are adding shifts but not new equipment because they believe demand will return to normal. But is it possible that normal may be a higher level of demand than we have ever seen? I am starting to believe we are seeing something unprecedented in our country as far as new gun owners, and that has become evident that we do not have a good way of measuring their impact on the ammunition and firearms future.