Remington Arms Co. has announced a major rifle recall, and a serious warning on .17 HMR ammunition. Remington is immediately recalling all of the Model 597 rifles chambered for the .17 HMR. Remington is not offering any repairs, rather they are issuing coupons of $200-250 for a replacement Remington rifle and refunding the shipping costs of sending the rifle back.
Additionally, Remington announced that their .17 HMR ammunition is not to be used in semi-auto firearms. Stating that the use of Remington .17 HMR ammunition in a semi-auto firearm “…could result in property damage or serious personal injury.” People wanting to return the ammo will be issued $10 coupons for each box of 50 they return.
In the past year, I have run ammunition price updates every few months. I can’t do that anymore. None of the cartridges I had followed are in stock, or expected to be in stock, in the near future. In fact, a lot of ammo of all types is sold out at most locations.
The WalMart stores near me seemingly have people lined up at the ammo counter every morning, waiting to buy ammunition that is on the daily truck delivery. Online vendors can’t keep ammo in stock, either.
Unable to find any .223/5.56 ammunition locally for a head-to-head test of AR-15 magazines later this month, I contacted some of the ammunition manufacturers to ask for their assistance in procuring some. The responses I received were almost exclusively apologetic, as very few manufacturers have any .223, and those that do are shipping them to fulfill backlogged contracts.
I traded e-mails with Ed Grasso, the majority owner of Sellier & Bellot, USA. Sellier & Bellot, USA is the exclusive importer of Sellier & Bellot (S&B) ammunition.
I have previously run articles about the increase in ammunition costs and ammunition shortages. I have had a few people claim that the ammunition manufacturers were restricting supply to drive up prices. Based on the contacts I have made in the industry, I knew that companies are producing as many rounds as they can, as quickly as they can.
However, it seems that the rumors persist.
Winchester Ammunition, in an effort to combat the notion that they, or anyone else, is cutting production, released this statement:
Winchester Ammunition, like other ammunition manufacturers, has seen the demand for our products increase significantly since last fall. To meet that increased demand, our operations are running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our team is literally working around the clock to make quality ammunition available for purchase. We remain absolutely committed to meeting the growing needs of our customers.
Update – Eventually the ammo shortages of 2009 eased up. Â As supply increased, prices dropped. Â That’s how a market economy works, don’t cha know. Â I suggested (and so did a lot of other people) that shooters slowly build up supplies of ammo and reloading components for the calibers they shoot and/or load.
After several years of a soft market, the market panicked again in late 2012, and a ammo shortage hit again. Â The 2012/2013 shortage seemed worse than the 2009 shortage in many ways. Â Some calibers, like .22 LR and 9mm, were the hardest to find. Â However, other rounds like 5.56/.223, .40 S&W and .45 ACP were also very difficult to locate. Â People would stalk Walmart delivery trucks on delivery days hoping to be able to score a couple of boxes of their favorite caliber.
Demand for Winchester ammunition (and other brands) was such that 5.56 ball (and other calibers) was selling for more than $1000/case at times. Â That seemed to be the top limit on the pricing, but there was a lot of push back from consumers as prices approached these prices. Â Those prices were set by dealers, and not manufacturers like Winchester.
Winchester Ammunition is bringing a new line of self defense ammo to the market in 2009: the Bonded PDX1 Personal Protection Ammunition.
The PDX1 Personal Protection Ammunition is “engineered to maximize terminal ballistics, as defined by the demanding FBI test protocol, which simulates real-world threats.” While I believe the protocol is a useful tool to make a side-by-side comparisons of different cartridges and bullet designs, I do not believe that it simulates “real world threats” for the vast majority of people who own firearms for self defense.
Most ammunition can be purchased for less than $20/box. For a single box, your local dealer is probably the best vendor. For a larger quantity or for harder to find calibers, an online vendor like Natchez Shooters Supply, AmmoMan, or Midway USA is the best bet.
Speaking of ammunition, quality AR-15 magazines can still be had for less than $20. My favorites are the Bownells with the Magpul anti-tilt followers, but I also like the Magpul PMAG polymer magazines. Brownells is shipping as quickly as they come in, so if you order ASAP, they will likely be shipped before Christmas.
A NRA membership is perhaps the most important gun-related gift anyone can give this year. $25 includes a magazine of your choice plus all of the standard benefits such as firearms insurance, life insurance, legislative updates, and much more.
Handgun magazines are a useful gift. (The metal/polymer kind, not the paper mailed to you monthly kind.) With the run on all-things-gun, certain magazines, such as the Glock, have gotten more expensive ($25-30 typically), but almost all common handgun magazines can be had for $35 or less.
More Than $50
A high intensity flashlight such as the inexpensive SureFire G2 Defender or the ultra-powerful Streamlight ProTac HL 3 are excellent choices for tactical lighting.
If your someone special owns a J-frame Smith and Wesson revolver, the Crimson Trace LG-405 Grips are an excellent purchase! Trust me, you surprise your significant other with a set of these, things are very good on Christmas morning!
While an AR-15 is certainly more sexy, the ubiquitous .22 rimfire rifle is a fun rifle to shoot plus it is inexpensive to purchase and keep fed with rimfire ammo. Nearly every rifle maker has at least one .22 rimfire in their line. Ruger’s 10-22 is pretty much the gold standard, but I really like the inexpensive, tube fed Marlin 60, which can be had for less than $150 at your local dealer or even WalMart.
Remington Arms Co. has announced a major rifle recall, and a serious warning on .17 HMR ammunition. Remington is immediately recalling all of the Model 597 rifles chambered for the .17 HMR. Remington is not offering any repairs, rather they are issuing coupons of $200-250 for a replacement Remington rifle and refunding the shipping costs of sending the rifle back.
In the past year, I have run ammunition price updates every few months. I can’t do that anymore. None of the cartridges I had followed are in stock, or expected to be in stock, in the near future. In fact, a lot of ammo of all types is sold out at most locations.
I have previously run articles about the increase in ammunition costs and ammunition shortages. I have had a few people claim that the ammunition manufacturers were restricting supply to drive up prices. Based on the contacts I have made in the industry, I knew that companies are producing as many rounds as they can, as quickly as they can.
