Why is Nothing Available To Buy?

[Sanch]

Why is it for the last 6 months, I can’t find anything, specific stripped upper receivers, barrels, rails, silencer covers, etc?

Are companies not making stuff? Can they not get raw materials? Is it like housing where timber is so expensive and unobtainable? Are companies using contract manufactures and they’re all busy with other projects for non-gun stuff?

Are companies not able to get their employees to come to work, which I know is a problem with restaurant business now?

I’m talking about places like Noveske, Daniel Defense, Geissele, BCM, nothing seems to be in stock. Good luck finding plate carriers and nylon gear even from a lot of places.

Are they making the same stock as 2019 but demand is up due to stimmies and BLM and ban threats? And if so, why haven’t they increased output? Are they afraid they’ll overshoot demand and be stuck with stock?

I’m paying double to triple retail prices on accessories and gun parts on gunbroker. It seems like ramping up production, even if it means paying overtime, and overpaying for raw material, and raising prices by 50% would be better than “scalpers” doubling or tripling their profits.

Or is it a matter that people are stupid and blame companies for raising prices during high demand, and “price gouging” and “screw you X company, we’ll remember how you raised ammo prices during Newton and we’ll boycott you once demand ends. So instead the companies say, screw it, if we’re not “allowed” to raise prices without emotional backlash, we’ll just produce a limited number and sell out instantly at “retail” price and even if bots buy up our stock and flip on eBay for triple, you can’t get mad at us because we’re not the ones gouging you.

[Caballoflaco]

If you don’t already have a hot robot prostitute and lots of machine guns to accompany you through the desert wasteland by now you’re pretty much fucked.




The truth is that the global supply lines for most manufactured goods are running months behind and at least double the prices of a year ago. Now is the time to be happy with what you have and not stress about what you think you need, but that is beyond what you can control.

[joshs]

Most companies are producing at maximum capacity for their current operations. Adding capacity beyond that point usually means large outlays to buy more manufacturing capacity, and, even when they think that might make sense, it takes time. Demand in the firearms industry is very tricky. Several businesses have hit very hard times because they tried to expand to meet demand during boom times only to struggle once demand shrunk.

Ammunition is even worse because of the limited producers of primers and powder. Most "powder companies" don't make powder, and a lot of the more advanced powders that the industry relies on have to be imported from Australia, Sweden, and Finland.

[Duelist]

Increased demand in the form of layers of panic buying stimulated by various causes over extended periods of time combined with more limited numbers of workers able to go to work or allowed to go to work along with more limited resources available and increased cost for all raw materials equals less manufactured goods availability across all industries. Volatile markets such as firearms, ammunition, and then accessories show it first, like a canary in a coal mine, but we are seeing it in other manufactured goods as well now, such as the automotive industry and even microchips. No end in sight right now, and probably firearms will be artificially extended in the shortages due to the resident genius in the White House.

Might be time to take up a new hobby. I hear gardening is relaxing.

[Rex G]

Now and then, I get in-stock notices, via e-mail, from Primary Arms (mostly AR15/M4 stuff, such as the LMT Advanced BCG) and Midway USA, for ammo. Some stuff is trickling through the supply chain, but it gets bought, quickly and enthusiastically. Fortunately, we are not without adequate AR15/M4 parts/supplies, unless multiple family members want to start high-volume training.

It ain’t just gun stuff. Try getting an authentic Nikon EN-EL18c battery, for Nikon D4-series, D5, and D6 cameras. These are “smart” batteries, not just reservoirs of power, so not all knock-offs will be compatible with cameras’ firmware updates, and one has to be wary of counterfeits. Fortunately, I had already bought spares, during 2018/2019.

[Joe in PNG]

Basically, the supply chain for almost everything took a hit from Covid, and then the Suez canal got blocked.
This hits all the way down to the raw materials like ores and such.

And that's not counting the record high demand thanks to Covid worries, De-policing and riots, and that super smart & competent Biden guy we elected.

[Totem Polar]

Owner of my magic LGS told me this morning that there’s a ship with a bunch of PMC ammo on it just waiting to be offloaded, things are so backed up. In addition to the other shit going on lately, there are record numbers of ships waiting to be unloaded on top of it all.

eg.

https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/20...ds-for-months/

https://www.marketplace.org/2021/03/...t-los-angeles/

[idahojess]

Bicycles and bicycle parts are extremely scarce too.

I think there is plenty of toilet paper now, though. So we've got that going for us, which is nice.

[HCM]

Why is it for the last 6 months, I can’t find anything, specific stripped upper receivers, barrels, rails, silencer covers, etc?

Are companies not making stuff? Can they not get raw materials? Is it like housing where timber is so expensive and unobtainable? Are companies using contract manufactures and they’re all busy with other projects for non-gun stuff?

Are companies not able to get their employees to come to work, which I know is a problem with restaurant business now?

I’m talking about places like Noveske, Daniel Defense, Geissele, BCM, nothing seems to be in stock. Good luck finding plate carriers and nylon gear even from a lot of places.

Are they making the same stock as 2019 but demand is up due to stimmies and BLM and ban threats? And if so, why haven’t they increased output? Are they afraid they’ll overshoot demand and be stuck with stock?

I’m paying double to triple retail prices on accessories and gun parts on gunbroker. It seems like ramping up production, even if it means paying overtime, and overpaying for raw material, and raising prices by 50% would be better than “scalpers” doubling or tripling their profits.

Or is it a matter that people are stupid and blame companies for raising prices during high demand, and “price gouging” and “screw you X company, we’ll remember how you raised ammo prices during Newton and we’ll boycott you once demand ends. So instead the companies say, screw it, if we’re not “allowed” to raise prices without emotional backlash, we’ll just produce a limited number and sell out instantly at “retail” price and even if bots buy up our stock and flip on eBay for triple, you can’t get mad at us because we’re not the ones gouging you.

Are you serious?

The same reason there are shortages and price increases with vehicles, building materials toilet paper etc.

COVID and the second and third order effects on supply chains of both finished goods and raw materials.

With guns and tactical gear you’ve also had a year of record demand with millions of first time gun owners and existing gun owners panic buying due to: COVID, civil unrest, civil war and gun bans.

This is just a more comprehensive version of what happens every Presidential election year and what happened after Sandy Hook in 2012/2013, the 1994 AWB, the 1989 AW import ban etc etc

For the past several years multiple people here on this forum have been talking about the post Sandy Hook shortages and panic buying and how people should stock up and buy what they want now while prices are reasonable.

[RevolverRob]

Just depends on what you're looking for.

Ammo? Forget it.

Guns? Hit and miss, depends on the gun.

Reloading supplies? Yea no.

But I've had no trouble finding parts. I, admittedly, don't buy the highest end stuff. If I need rails/guards most of it is coming from Midwest Industries and they have most things in stock. Only thing I've had to wait on lately is a Tailhook Mod 1C and the Aimpoint Comp M5b. The latter was delayed due to covid and is only starting to trickle out in quantity.

But even most retailers are getting higher end bits in stock Hodge and SOLGW have been in stock at Weapons Outfitters and BigTexOutdoors off and on for the past 3-months.