.410 ammo shortage

.410 Ammo Shortage - Byron Dill, owner of Dill's Outdoors in Bangor, carries a box of Remington ammunition in his shop. Credit: John Holyoke / BDN

If you're a hunter or recreational shooter struggling to find ammunition, you're not alone. The national ammo shortage is being felt here in Maine, and whether you need a round or a shotgun shell, you'll be hard pressed to find it.

.410 Ammo Shortage

"On the weekend, I convert between 50 and 100 people to .410 and 20 [bird hunting cartridges]," said Byron Dill, owner of Dill's Outdoors in Bangor. “And we're not counting guns and people who want [popular] characters. During the week there are 100 to 150 people [we can't help] because we don't have the ammunition they're looking for."

Talk To Me More About .410

Some hunters have also taken to social media to express their disappointment, while others are a bit excited about the ammo stash they've been building for years.

Dave Lorenz, owner of Old Town Trading Post in Old Town and Whitney's Outfitters in Lincoln, said he's used to giving hunters and shooters bad news.

While not specifying the exact cause of the shortage, Newsweek said that demand for ammunition has been increasing nationwide for nearly a year. Epidemics, election fears, and civil unrest are suggested as triggers for the various factions, depending on the story.

Another reason for the shortage: Remington Outdoor Company, the gun giant, sold off parts of its business in bankruptcy proceedings. Late last month, a judge approved the purchase of Vista Outdoor Inc. ammunition to $81.4 million, reports the Winston-Salem (North Carolina) Journal.

Surviving The Ammo Shortage

Vista announced the closing of the acquisition on Oct. 13 and said it looks forward to supplying Remington ammunition in the future. He did not set a time frame for the production increase.

Lorenz said it was difficult to get bullets for several months. At first, ammunition for the .380 caliber pistol was in short supply. But since then he has struggled to find other ammunition, including the grenades used by bird hunters.

Lorenz said he's not sure how many factors are causing the shortage, but said all types of consumer products appear to be facing similar production challenges.

“A lot of these places are closed because of COVID. It's widely available," Lorenz said. "I think like this: Everything is short now. Electronics, computer, cable. Everything is short for different reasons."

Local Sporting Stores Feeling Crunch Of Nationwide Ammunition Shortage

“In this country, the green and yellow [Remington] box is very important. Everyone uses it,” Lorenz said. "Once you get that off the market, it's not going to be too hard for [stores] to keep up with [demand]."

Much of northern Maine is experiencing a birding boom this fall as many hunters pursue grouse in the forests of North Maine and elsewhere. But Dill said he realized he was trying to sell clam hunters they might not know.

Some of the brands he's been able to find come from manufacturers he's never heard of, Dills said. And for hunters looking for shells with no.

"I tell people if you're going to hunt birds, you might want to try some 7 1/2 and just get close to the birds," Dill said.

It's Almost Impossible To Find Hunting Ammunition Right Now

And until the shortage ends, Dill says he's trying to find new ways to get his hands on the cartridges his customers want through vendors he's never dealt with before.

"It's basically about designing and finding other shooting options," he said. "I have several contacts who notify me when there is a shooting."

John Holyoke enjoyed Maine except as a child. He worked for BDN for 28 years, of which 19 years as a columnist or editor. While ... More by John Holyoke This year, hunters may find it easier to find deer than bullets for their favorite rifle.

Throughout 2021, sporting goods stores across the country have been scrambling to stock their shelves with handguns and shotgun shells.

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With more than 7 million new gun owners joining the ranks of sportsmen in the United States last year, demand for ammunition is at an all-time high.

Blaine Smith, president and co-owner of Juniata Trading Co. in Everett, Bedford County, said he has traveled to many parts of the United States and all are experiencing the same shortage of ammunition.

He goes hunting in Montana and finds he has to ship his ammunition because it's hard to find there either.

"It's coming, but not very often," he said of the arrival of different types of ammunition. They have ammo on hand and guns can be bought. "If you're buying a gun, we have a box or two" that can be sold with that weapon.

Using The Shotgun And Shotgun Loads

He did not reduce the number of shells sold because he wanted the stock out. He said a few years ago there was a shortage of .22 magnum cartridges and wholesale costs had gone up. Stores bought them when they could. Soon the demand was sufficient and wholesale prices fell, but the stores were flooded with clams, which were bought at a high price during the shortage.

He explained that the prices reflect their wholesale costs. In a bid for transparency, he sent copies of shellfish producers' letters to financial registries showing several price increases over the past year.

"Some are a big percentage," he said of the 8, 10, 12 and 15 percentage points in previous years. "It's not the store's fault."

The manufacturers claim on their websites that they have increased ammunition production, including working three shifts a day, but this has led to another problem. Smith said refills for personal use are not available. Manufacturers use the entire range in their luggage. He said it's hard to find bullets, bullets and other copper casings to make your own bullets.

Best 410 Shotguns For Hunting Season 2022

"I don't know where it's all going," he said of the extra production. In many places you look at the market and everyone is dealing with cheap stuff.

Smith expects unusually high inflation to reduce demand for ammunition and rifles next year.

"People are paying R1.50 more for gas, heating oil. ... The dollar is only now moving," he said of the strain on the family budget.

Jusdan Griffith of Davidsville has enjoyed shooting sports all year, but shared his concerns about the lack of equipment.

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"I go out a few times in the summer," he said Nov. 12 while checking the scope of some of his rifles on public property at State Game Lands 50 in Somerset. .

"It was really hard," he said, trying to find ammunition for some of his similar brands. .243. For others like .308, they said many manufacturers make that size and you'll be lucky to find the cartridges. "The most common ones are hard to find."

Fortunately, he got enough bullets to enjoy his free time. "I don't know if I was lucky or smart, but last year before Christmas I got out," he said.

Bob Orr, owner of Bob's Gun Shop & Indoor Shooting Range in McKean, Erie County, for 50 years, said he was able to get guns from his customers, but sometimes they might have to call a few times to get a certain caliber of ammunition.

Do Shotgun Shells Go Bad?

"Ammo is a little hard to find, but we're on top of it," he said, noting that the .30-06 and .30-30 calibers are the hardest, but he was able to find several other popular calibers, such as the . 270, .308 and .243.

Orr said there was a shortage of ammunition just before the new president took office. Many people are scared by the new gun laws and are hoarding, he said. Orr noted that he's seen similar buying patterns during previous Democratic administrations or after school shootings, when some gun owners anticipated gun control measures. However, he saw no buying patterns that conflicted with the current one.

In the past, the average person bought one box of clams. Now they are trying to buy three, four or five. We usually keep them in two boxes,” said Orr when he wants to help other hunters buy ammunition.

His suppliers told him it could take more than a year before stock levels return to normal.

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The summary includes materials needed for chargers, such as powder, shell collectors, and refills.

The Armory in Lancaster opened about two years ago and is going strong

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