Trap load shortage

[PurpleFloyd]

Anyone hear any word about a shortage of trap loads in the state? I was on hold with one of my suppliers from the St Cloud area and whatever radio station they had playing had a gun store owner on there and he said that trap loads will be in short supply this year. He went on to say that he was told by his supplier that stores should only expect to get 25% of the trap loads they ordered.

Not sure if this has anything to do with it but the High School trap leagues are really starting to take off. I am an assistant coach for our local team and this is their first year but it is amazing how many teams are either established or starting teams this year. With the number if HS teams in the state and having all of those students shoot 25-50 rounds a week I can see that there could be a surge in trap load sales but I hope this doesn't cause a shortage where the price jumps to 10 dollars or more a box. No reloads allowed in the HS league.

[Gordie]

I know that Red dot is almost impossible to find ,but haven't heard about a shortage of trap load, and at the Reeds Rice Creek shoot last weekend you would of never guessed it. They had trap load stacked all over the place.

[Rip_Some_Lip]

Im glad I got a case last fall. My son is in gun training now and I want to get him a shotgun and start him shooting. How many do you have shooting DJ? I wonder if BE has it? Good luck coach!

[PurpleFloyd]

Im glad I got a case last fall. My son is in gun training now and I want to get him a shotgun and start him shooting. How many do you have shooting DJ? I wonder if BE has it? Good luck coach!

Both my son and daughter are shooting. They shot last week for practice and this week they did it for real, Zack shot a 20 and a 22 so I think he is good to go. I haven't heard if BE has a team but they went from something like 60 teams last year to 300 this year. They shoot 2 rounds a week so I am going to go through a few cases this year I am afraid.

[fishuhalik]

That would stink! Shotgun loads are the only thing I'm not stocked up on, since I've never once gone into a sporting goods store & not been able to find exactly what I want in just about unlimited quantities.

[dan z]

Didn't seem that way at the sport shops around town.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

Sounds to me like just another gun shop guy spreading rumors to justify his 25% price increase, when in reality, he marked up the 25% to cover the panic buying he did on other stuff and now has overstocks of.

[PurpleFloyd]

Sounds to me like just another gun shop guy spreading rumors to justify his 25% price increase, when in reality, he marked up the 25% to cover the panic buying he did on other stuff and now has overstocks of.

I hope so but if that is the case I hope the locals who go there call him on it and close him down. Unless there was collusion where all of the stores did it though it would seem to be a bad move because word spreads fast and people would go somewhere else.

[hockeybc69]

I get my shells from a guy that has his FFL and sells out of his house.

His prices are up 10% this year over last year at this time. And its not because he is profiting more.

He suggested to buy what you can now, because prices are only going to continue to increase.

[nofishfisherman]

Sounds to me like just another gun shop guy spreading rumors to justify his 25% price increase, when in reality, he marked up the 25% to cover the panic buying he did on other stuff and now has overstocks of.

[PurpleFloyd]

I know that Red dot is almost impossible to find ,but haven't heard about a shortage of trap load, and at the Reeds Rice Creek shoot last weekend you would of never guessed it. They had trap load stacked all over the place.

I did some checking and it seems the culprit might be the shortage of powder that is preventing the manufacturers from producing the amount of shells needed to keep up with demand.

[hockeybc69]

I have "heard" that lead is part of the issue, and the smelting of it in the US.

I did a google search and found this.... Its on the internet so its got to be true.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is not content to infringe on property rights; recent actions taken against the country's last lead smelting facility will affect the right to keep and bear arms, as well, by substantially impacting the production of ammunition. As of December 31, 2013, the lead refining plant will close for good.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports:

About 145 employees of the Doe Run lead smelter [in Herculaneum, Missouri] learned they will lose their jobs at the end of December because of the plant’s closure, the Doe Run Co. said Wednesday. An additional 73 contractor jobs also will be eliminated.

http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/con...tion-production

[PurpleFloyd]

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/explosion-ammunition-plant-kills-one-injures-three-n83081

[Gordie]

I have "heard" that lead is part of the issue, and the smelting of it in the US.

I did a google search and found this.... Its on the internet so its got to be true.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is not content to infringe on property rights; recent actions taken against the country's last lead smelting facility will affect the right to keep and bear arms, as well, by substantially impacting the production of ammunition. As of December 31, 2013, the lead refining plant will close for good.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports:

About 145 employees of the Doe Run lead smelter [in Herculaneum, Missouri] learned they will lose their jobs at the end of December because of the plant’s closure, the Doe Run Co. said Wednesday. An additional 73 contractor jobs also will be eliminated.

http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/con...tion-production

Most of the shotshell makers are using recycled lead to make shotshells and the closing of the smelting plant should have No impact on the shooting industry.

[walleye18]

look to the government.....they cant get our guns.....but they can really make it hard for us to get ammo...just saying!

EPA and shutting down the smelters...Obama and crew order 22 billion rounds of ammo...its all related to the govt.

[carpshooterdeluxe]

The only legit government interference on ammo lately has been the ATF's ruling on 5.45x39mm and that caused the cost per round to go from ~$.17 to ~$.27 per round.

With the influx of new gun owners, there are plenty of people who aren't accustomed to what prices were pre-panic. Hence part of the reason for the 22lr shortage...guys don't care if it is $75 a brick, they never knew when it was $15 a brick.

Same with guns...Gun shops are taking advantage of this. I can buy a DPMS oracle for $600 online but one LGS has 3 of them on the rack for $850 and one is on hold at that price. An SKS I sold a while back for $350 (got more than it was worth in my opinion) is being advertised for $600 and it will probably sell at that price.

As far as trap loads...my co-worker and I just recieved the 20 cases of Rio's we ordered and they were the same price as last year. Shipping was $7 more than last year. Didn't have any limit as to what we could order and didn't hear anything from the sales rep about shortage when we placed the order.

[walleye18]

Why is it that ammo that I purchased in October of 2008 - right before Obama won the election...(Federal 7 MM 08) - $14.99 per box...and in October of 2013 the price is $39.99 a box.

Why did ammo prices skyrocket after the government ordered 22 billion rounds of ammo? And there was no need for the government to order that amount...per the stock piles that are in place at the time of the order?....sounds fishy to me.

Yes...ammo companys are cashing in on the "supply/demand" metric.

Talked to an ATK Manager in Lewiston, ID a month ago on a flight...he commented that the biggest and best sales person that ammo companys and gun companys have is the current govt in place...everytime they open their mouths, demand for guns and ammo increases...therefore, the price increases. Simple economics/supply and demand.

[PurpleFloyd]

Yeah, that is true. The best firearms salesman in the history of this country resides on Pennsylvania avenue.

[Gordie]

look to the government.....they cant get our guns.....but they can really make it hard for us to get ammo...just saying!

EPA and shutting down the smelters...Obama and crew order 22 billion rounds of ammo...its all related to the govt.

As I stated the shotshell and bullet companys use almost all recycled lead for shot and bullets and the smelting plant that shut down has no impact on the companies that make bullets and shotshells.

the public went into a panic buy after the last big shooting, and yes the shell companies are going to try and cash in its what called as good business and profits are what make some men rich.

[walleye18]

All true and good points...but note that prior to the huge order the govt put in...some 22 billion rounds, the ammo companys had no problem meeting the demand of the public.

They were on prodcution schedules of running 5 days and only 2 shifts.

THey are now running 24/7, with 3 shifts.

The panic of ammo with the public and pushing up prices is making many millionaires.

[Ufatz]

Then again the possibility exists that the shortage of firearms ammunition is more driven by the paranoia of some elements in the outdoor fraternity than anything else. A few ultra-conservative media guys have repeatedly spooked people into believing the government was coming to get their guns and yet most people still have ALL their guns and now own even MORE guns! Ha Ha Ha!x

Seems to me that most of the outdoor folks, of all stripe,are way too prone to being jerked around like a band of slow-witted sheep.

Think about it: you own a gun factory. How can you induce more people to buy guns?....you SCARE them into buying guns by fomenting horror scenarios involving the infamous "jack booted thugs" who are "comin' to git their guns."

Something to savor with your Saturday morning coffee boys.

[Gordie]

Seeing prices for ammo go up like .22 LR at 40.bucks for 500 hundred rounds sucks, but if everyone will pay that for it like it has been going on. that will be the new normal price and I don't think you will see it go much lower than that again...

[walleye18]

You can still find .22 LR for $.04/$0.05 but it is rare.....more like $0.08/$0.10 per round.

.22 LR is hard to find lately (for me). I have not seen it anywhere in the last 2 months.

Glad to see that Reeds had good pricing at their annual gun/ammo sale in Little Falls. Wish I could have been there this year....would have got as much trap ammo as momma would have let me.

[chad austin]

IF there is a shortage of trap ammo, it's because the public is buying it up. The government doesn't buy trap ammo and lead is not a rare commodity.

[walleye18]

but the govt is buying huge amounts of primers and powder. Lead is used in bullets of all types.

Try buying and finding Federal 209 primers.....if you find any, let me know.

Shot is upwards of $48.00 to $50.00 per 25 lb bag...regardless of size.

Powder is hard if not impossible to come by if you reload.