Justin Bullock, FISM News
One of the unique phenomena that has occurred over the past year is a massive rise in gun sales across the US. Much of this seems to be tied to the uptick in political tensions, rioting, and violent crime, as well as the fear by some that the Biden administration may infringe upon citizen’s second amendment rights.
The FBI has reported a record number of background checks for gun purchasers during 2020 and 2021. In 2020 there were over 39.5 million background checks and in 2021 there are already over 22 million background checks through the month of June. Each one of these background checks likely represents at least one gun purchase, but could also be used for any number of firearm purchases by individuals.
As a result of this, the US is experiencing a massive shortage in ammunition, which is negatively impacting private gun owners and public law enforcement agencies alike. Gun stores have struggled to keep their shelves stocked as there is not enough supply to meet the demand. Prices have also substantially risen due to the shortage, with prices soaring up to 500 percent over the past year for certain models.
The US military produces its own ammunition largely through the Army and is therefore not being impacted by the shortage. However, some state and local governments are looking to import ammunition from foreign countries as American ammunition manufacturers are finding it difficult to keep up with demand due to the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.