According to a recent piece of news from CBS Miami, the nation has seen a 31% increase in firearms purchases in the first four months of the year when compared to 2020. According to FBI statistics, nearly 16 million background checks for firearms purchases were accomplished between January and April. Every gun store I’ve heard from has seen record sales and despite the ammo shortages, each range has maintained a more or less steady stream of customers throughout the last year. I wonder, however, if all of these gun sales will continue to outpace the ammunition industry or if we will start to see boxes of ammo show up on the shelves.

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Gun Sales On the Rise – Can Ammunition Keep Up?

Many people are purchasing firearms for the first time citing that they feel an increased need for self-protection. Others are purchasing more firearms over fears that the government may further infringe upon 2nd Amendment rights by restricting firearms or ammunition sales in one form or another. One thing is clear, however, guns are easy enough to come by but the ammunition to shoot them with is often hard to find.

At the time of writing, 9mm can indeed be found in some gun stores, but it is often for sale at pretty steep prices from what we are used to. While the pricing may deter or annoy long-time firearms owners, newer gun owners probably don’t know the difference and will apply to buy a box of 9mm for $30. I have noticed a distinct resistance from long-time gun owners to purchase ammo at such high prices in the hopes that waiting out the price hike will bring prices down eventually.

With Vista Outdoor ramping up production with the Remington Ammunition brand and several ammunition plants now running 24/7 operations, hopefully, we will start to see a return to normal pricing soon. With gun sales as high as they are now, it will only be a matter of time before people run out of ammunition to feed them. In essence, despite increased gun sales and despite increased production of ammunition, demand remains at an all-time high.

I’d be interested to hear from you all and what you’re seeing out in your parts of the states. Personally, I’m seeing ammunition start to return to box stores and online retailers but I’m still seeing prices that vary wildly between 35 cents per round and 70 cents per round for standard 115 grain 9mm ammunition. What are you seeing? Are you still buying ammunition at the increased prices? Let us know down in the comments.