Bullet supply struggles to keep up with demand apparently driven by fear of gun control

Demand for bullets has soared since the 2008 election, apparently from fears that the Obama administration will push stricter gun regulations. U.S. gun sales have increased since the National Rifle Association spent millions of dollars in advertisements during the election, suggesting a vote for Obama was a vote for new restrictions, reports W. J. Hennigan of the Los Angeles Times. NRA spokeswoman Rachel Parsons tells Hennigan it didn't take much convincing for Americans to believe Obama would increase gun control. (Times photo by Lawrence K. Ho) Obama said during his campaign that he supports an individual right to keep and bear arms and would not take away anyone's guns, but did support renewing the expired assault-weapons ban.

"Buying 9-millimeter ammo used to be like finding Coca-Cola," handgun owner Tak Shimada tells Hennigan. "It's not like that now." Bullet factories are running around the clock to meet the increased demand, Hennigan writes, adding that the National Shooting Sports Foundation Inc. expects about 2 billion more bullets to be made in 2009 than 2008's 7.5 billion.

Hennigan reports that for the first time in 20 years the Los Angeles Gun Club has limited customers to buying four boxes of ammunition per visit. The bullet shortage isn't only affecting gun owners, he reports: The U. S. military's demand for small-arms ammunition has almost quadrupled this decade, and the Riverside Police Department reports a 20 percent increase in its amunition bill and a 10-month waiting period for the order to be filled. (Read more)