The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), one of the leading trade associations in the firearms industry, estimates that 8.4 million people bought their first firearm in 2020. While these conspiracy theories are certainly tasty to chew on, the truth is as bland as an unbuttered slice of bread. The most popular whoppers purport collusion between the big ammo companies to stockpile ammo and drive up demand, as well as a secret directive from the Biden administration to withhold ammo from citizens and only sell it to the military. This heightened state of awareness has created fertile ground for misinformation to take root regarding the lack of ammunition on store shelves. Yet with a pro-gun-control majority now in Washington, firearms owners new and old are paying extra attention. Whether these proposals will gain any traction or hold up in the courts is another question.
#FEDERAL 200 ROUNDS 9MM BRASS REGISTRATION#
During the presidential campaign, Joe Biden proposed a federal gun registration under the National Firearms Act (NFA) and a $200 tax stamp for modern sporting rifles such as AR-15s, along with magazines with a capacity of 10 rounds or more. Among other polarizing political topics of the 2020 election was gun control. The storm was upgraded to hurricane status in the face of what was arguably the most contentious national election in US history. Guns and the ammo to feed them flew off the shelves in record numbers - and continue to do so - many going to people making their very first firearms purchase. When talking to these first-time customers from behind the counter where I work, I can’t tell you how many times the conversation starts with: “I never thought I would buy a gun.” Ramping up ammunition production to meet demand.
Fear of the virus, fear of food shortages, and fear of riots - real or imagined - gripped many American hearts and minds. All the while, some called to defund local and regional law enforcement agencies, and several municipalities followed through.
Buildings burned, stores were looted, and reports of violence and rising crime rates made national headlines. Widespread civil unrest swept the nation by summer, with intensity the likes of which we haven’t seen since the 1960s. The worldwide supply chain snapped like a dry twig as we frantically searched for masks, hand sanitizer, isopropyl alcohol, toilet paper, food staples, and, yes, guns. Businesses, many of which were considered financially sound prior to the pandemic, closed their doors for good. In one fell swoop, the COVID-19 outbreak and the restrictions that came with it put the brakes on a roaring US economy. The scarcity of ammunition is the result of a perfect storm that initially formed during the first quarter of 2020 as the effects of a worldwide pandemic took hold. So what’s the truth behind this national ammunition shortage?
Every day, sales associates were pelted by angry comments along the lines of, “ What the fuck? You can sell me a gun, but you can’t sell me the ammunition that goes with it?” Or, “What good is a gun if I can’t shoot it?!” There were accusations of employee hoarding, hidden inventory, and even government conspiracies. As the weeks ticked by, ammunition became increasingly scarce and the mood of our usually good-natured, loyal customers began to sour. To pass the time, I took a seasonal gig behind the gun counter at a local outdoor sporting goods store. Thanks to the pandemic and its one-two punch on the economy, I was furloughed from my day job - at a major health care provider in Michigan - in the middle of last summer.
0 kommentar(er)
