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With customer demand up 200 percent, Hornady is suspending production of some ammunition in order to keep up with increased demand.
Steve Hornady, the president of the successful ammo manufacturing company, took to YouTube to explain the reasoning behind the temporary halt to bullet production after online rumors about the suspension ran rampant.
Hornady explained in a statement on the ammunition company’s website that although it had increased its production capacity and shipments during the past year, customer demand remains at 200 percent over the norm. It will take the bullet manufacturer about two years to work through the current order backlog, Hornady said.
The ammo shortage began last December when gun-control advocates brought forth a host of Second Amendment-infringing bills after the tragic Sandy Hook shooting. Hornady is just one of the leading gun and ammo manufacturers still struggling to fill back orders and keep up with customer demand. Steve Hornady and his company have temporarily suspended the production of more than 150 bullet and ammo varieties. The move will reportedly allow Hornady the ability to focus its efforts on the more popular caliber bullets.
“It’s important for everyone to know that our order demand is extremely high,” Hornady said. “… There is no conspiracy by the government to shut us down. This is not an effort on our part to raise prices. We haven’t raised prices. If they are higher, that’s at the store level, not at the manufacturer. We’re going to do everything we can by adding people, by adding machinery, and by adding square footage in order to try and make more of what you want to buy.
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The company is still manufacturing more than “270 of our projectiles and over 140 different rounds of ammunition,” he said.
“There is something in there for everyone, but there may not be some of the less popular items,” Hornady said. “By cutting down on that list – temporarily suspending them – we’re able to get more up time on our machinery and get more bullets out the door for you. We appreciate your patience and we hope that you understand this is a temporary situation only.”
Less than 5 percent of its sales are to government entities, Hornady’s website says.
The ammo manufacturer will still be making the most sought-after calibers such as .22, .223, .308, .38, .45, .50, 9mm, 12-gauge, and 7.62x39mm, according to the updated 2013 production list. Hornady reassured customers that online rumors of a government conspiracy to limit ammo prompted the production suspension is just that – inaccurate chit chat.
While a federal action did not influence Hornady’s new policy, concerns about President Obama signing yet another executive order impacting Second Amendment rights are still valid.
Since December 2012, a gun has been sold about every 1.5 seconds in America. The stockpiling of bullets by the federal government also greatly impacted the 2013 ammo shortage.
“It’s a big conglomeration of supply, demand, components, political atmosphere,” said North Star Tactical Training instructor Harvey Amos of the ammo shortage. “I foresaw what was going to happen after the school shooting so I stocked up before the prices got ridiculous.”
Those opposed to Second Amendment rights did more to bolster ammunition, magazine, and gun sales than any annual clearance sale or commercial ever could. Although store shelves are not even close to being stocked at normal levels, there are signs that the ammo shortage has ebbed at least somewhat – for now.
“I’ll put my money into ammo before I put it into gold, because you would have thought it was gold from December until recently,” said Action Gun Outfitters owner Herb Stratton.
