Having a hard time keeping enough ammunition on hand for a day at the gun range? You are not alone — and the Internet chatter about the ammunition shortage has reached an almost deafening level.

According to an AP story picked up by FoxNews.com, the shortage all boils down to supply and demand.

The shortage for sportsmen is different than the scarcity of ammo for some police forces earlier this year, a dearth fueled by an increase in ammo use by the military in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We are working overtime and still can't keep up with the demand," said Al Russo, spokesman for North Carolina-based Remington Arms Company, which makes bullets for rifles, handguns and shotguns. "We've had to add a fourth shift and go 24-7. It's a phenomenon that I have not seen before in my 30 years in the business."

Americans usually buy about 7 billion rounds of ammunition a year, according to the National Rifle Association. In the past year, that figure has jumped to about 9 billion rounds, said NRA spokeswoman Vickie Cieplak.

Other commentators have already debunked the notion that military demand is responsible for the shortage. As Bob Owens wrote for Pamajasmedia.com: "The real fact of the matter is that the military got the bulk of its small arms (pistol, rifle, machine gun) ammunition from one contracted ammunition plant, and that plant wasn’t even running near capacity. The military’s consumption clearly wasn’t to blame, and anecdotal evidence and statements from ammunition manufacturers strongly suggested that police departments themselves caused the 2007 ammunition shortage by purchasing far more ammunition than they had in the past."

“Dearth” is certainly the right term to describe the state of ammunition availability throughout 2009, and the result has been an increase in prices. Around the nation, customers travel to sporting goods stores in a vain effort to locate any ammunition for their handguns.

The AP story reports that “Gun sales spiked when it became clear Obama would be elected a year ago and purchases continued to rise in his first few months of office. The FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System reported that 6.1 million background checks for gun sales were issued from January to May, an increase of 25.6 percent from the same period the year before.” The rate of increase in background checks certainly matches the increase in ammunition sales.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s scandalous April 7, 2009 report, “Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment” certainly made matters far worse. The report provided a window into the way the elites view Americans exercising their constitutional right to keep and bear arms. For example, the report declares:

Proposed imposition of firearms restrictions and weapons bans likely would attract new members into the ranks of rightwing extremist groups, as well as potentially spur some of them to begin planning and training for violence against the government. The high volume of purchases and stockpiling of weapons and ammunition by rightwing extremists in anticipation of restrictions and bans in some parts of the country continue to be a primary concern to law enforcement. (bold and italics in original)

Again: "Conspiracy theories involving declarations of martial law, impending civil strife or racial conflict, suspension of the U.S. Constitution, and the creation of citizen detention camps often incorporate aspects of a failed economy. Antigovernment conspiracy theories and “end times” prophecies could motivate extremist individuals and groups to stockpile food, ammunition, and weapons."

And again: "Many rightwing extremist groups perceive recent gun control legislation as a threat to their right to bear arms and in response have increased weapons and ammunition stockpiling, as well as renewed participation in paramilitary training exercises."

And again: "On the current front, legislation has been proposed this year requiring mandatory registration of all firearms in the United States. Similar legislation was introduced in 2008 in several states proposing mandatory tagging and registration of ammunition. It is unclear if either bill will be passed into law; nonetheless, a correlation may exist between the potential passage of gun control legislation and increased hoarding of ammunition, weapons stockpiling, and paramilitary training activities among rightwing extremists."

And, one last time: "Open source reporting of wartime ammunition shortages has likely spurred rightwing extremists — as well as law-abiding Americans — to make bulk purchases of ammunition. These shortages have increased the cost of ammunition, further exacerbating rightwing extremist paranoia and leading to further stockpiling activity. Both rightwing extremists and law-abiding citizens share a belief that rising crime rates attributed to a slumping economy make the purchase of legitimate firearms a wise move at this time."

In all of this governmental hand-wringing over legal purchases of ammunition, only once did the report even acknowledge that maybe — just maybe — “law-abiding Americans” might (in their obviously deluded condition) be stocking up, too. (It is curious to note that “rightwing extremists” are distinguished from “law-abiding Americans.” If the supposed “rightwing extremists” are violating the law, arrest them; otherwise, stop impugning the reputation of American citizens.)

Now, what is the result of all this spooky governmental hyperventilating about the stockpiling of ammunition probably? Law-abiding Americans get frightened and go buy more ammunition.

One of the common obsessions of the American left-wing is the elimination of the constitutional right of citizens to keep and bear arms. Is it any surprise that the election of the most radically left-wing president in American history might leave a significant portion of the law-abiding American populace concerned — rightly or wrongly — that an abridgment of their rights to self-defense could be in the works? Publication of the inflammatory report simply made the situation worse, and it is likely that as long as the ammunition shortage has continued, it has become self-perpetuating. Fears of shortages can be expected to continue to fuel further purchases and stockpiling.

The bright spot in all of this is that the increase in ammunition production may have resulted in the first job creation (other than those positions given to his czars) for which the president may take credit.

Rt. Rev. James Heiser has served as Pastor of Salem Lutheran Church in Malone, Texas, while maintaining his responsibilities as publisher of Repristination Press, which he established in 1993 to publish academic and popular theological books to serve the Lutheran Church. Heiser has also served since 2005 as the Dean of Missions for The Augustana Ministerium and in 2006 was called to serve as Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America (ELDoNA). An advocate of manned space exploration, Heiser serves on the Steering Committee of the Mars Society. His publications include two books; The Office of the Ministry in N. Hunnius' Epitome Credendorum (1996) and A Shining City on a Higher Hill: Christianity and the Next New World (2006), as well as dozens of journal articles and book reviews.

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Still Free said:

	Media maligning us as usual Good job, Rev. Heiser As usual, the left-wing media is in full swing maligning law abiding, gun owning citizens. Great last paragraph!
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September 25, 2009
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Kenneth Creech said:

... I am thankful that at least a few jobs in USA can at last be attributed to the $8.4 BILLION "investment" to keep and "create" future jobs. Is it likely that these workers who are making ammunition for the Americans who exercise their right to own and use firearm will long have a job? If we have no guns we wont need ammo. What we citizens need to do is remember the stimulus in 2010 and remove those politicians who would diminish our constitution and rights there in from office for good.

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September 26, 2009
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Oskar said:

	Rev. Heiser - what's your take on the ELCA? Realizing it's not on point, and doesn't involve guns, I still am curious. As a fellow member (at the moment) of the ELCA, I wonder what you say about its recent step to allow homosexuals to be pastors.
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September 27, 2009
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