By Cory Boothe
Coryboothe@hotmail.com
Two years ago, a hunter could walk into any sporting goods store and buy all the 22 ammo he or she wanted. A box of 50 was around two dollars a box and a box of 550 was under twenty dollars.
Unfortunately, the Newtown, Conneticut shootings took the lives of innocent children and adults. Afterwards, law-abiding citizens made panic purchases to stock up before what they believed to be upcoming bans on guns and ammo.
Supplies of certain types of ammo seemed to dry up overnight. It was almost impossible to buy common pistol ammo. 223 shells were nonexistent and 22 shells were off the shelves. All of a sudden, people were gouging other people by trying to sell their five hundred rounds of 22 shells for five times what they paid for them. Many, but not all, stores jacked up the prices to profit from the created shortage.
So why do we still have ammo shortages over a year later? Most pistol shells are on the shelves. However, 22 shells are still very, very hard to find.
I do not believe that ammunition factories are doing all that is possible to keep up with demand. Frankly, why should they? Why spend money for additional equipment that will just sit idle when the 22 shortage is over? Why hire additional employees when they will just be laid off when the shortage is over?
If people want this shortage to end, demand has to lower. Individuals selling 22 ammo for unreasonable prices are wrong to do so. Be aware that the ammo they are selling for $100 can still be purchased at Wal-mart for $20 at the right time. Be aware that we don't need to hoard ammo. Doomsday preppers can make due with the thousands of rounds they already have.
The government is not going to confiscate your ammo. We still have the 2nd Amendment. Give supply a chance to recover and we will see 22 ammo gracing the shelves of sporting goods stores once again.
| 
