State of the Industry — Page 1

2022 Update on Ammunition Availability

Here at OpticsPlanet, our team works hard to keep a wide selection of the most in-demand ammunition products in stock for our customers. Ammunition availability has significantly improved through the second half of 2022, and we expect it to continually improve in 2023; however, there are exceptions. Please read the information below for the current outlook on ammo.

 What You Can Expect From OpticsPlanet.com

• Orders containing in-stock ammunition products are fulfilled within our standard operational processes.
• We are always stocking ammo and updating our inventory daily. Make sure to use our in-stock filter or check out our selection of today's in-stock ammunition
• We work closely with our Supplier Partners to get up-to-date information as available on ETAs for in-demand and out-of-stock SKUs. However, ETAs are outside of our control and may shift.
• com continues to accept backorders for out-of-stock ammo allowing you to reserve your place in line for inventory as it becomes available. We do not charge credit cards until orders are ready to ship. You can continue monitoring the status of your backorder in Check Your OpticsPlanet Order Status or by contacting the Customer Care Help Center (opticsplanet.com). In addition, product pages display the current available supplier ETAs on an item level.
• Unfortunately, due to continued volatility and continued cost increases in production, we may cancel any backorders or orders at any time.

Demand & Availability

Firearm sales, new gun owners, and increasing ammo demand have all hit record highs in the United States over the past two years. 

• 2020 was a record-breaking year for firearm sales, with 21 million NICS checks being performed, 34% more than the previous record in 2016.
• 2021 survey from the NSSF reported an estimated 4 million first-time gun buyers in just one year. 30% of all firearms purchased went to a new gun owner.
• On a year-over-year basis, the industry's economic impact rose from $63.5 billion in 2020 to $70.52 billion in 2021.
• The global ammunition market is expected to end with year-over-year growth of 3.35% at the end of 2022.
• Panic-buying and bulk-buying created the situation we are in today but is no longer happening to the same extent.
• Certain calibers, like 9mm, .223/5.56, and .22, are more readily available on the market
• Shortages continue for specialized rifle ammo for long-range/precision shooting and many hunting shotgun shells
• Russian ammo supply has almost dried up due to sanctions imposed earlier in 2022 over the war in Ukraine.

Manufacturing 

Record sales led to manufacturer backorders in 2020-2021. In 2022, manufacturers have caught up with their backlogs on high-demand items. This unprecedented demand and the pandemic have required an increase in staffing for manufacturers.

• Components and raw materials were more expensive and difficult to source, causing increased supplier costs that translated to higher costs for consumers into 2022. Brass, copper, and lead have all increased in price over the last 2+ years.
• The primer shortage has not only affected reloaders but is also hampering ammunition manufacturers since they are so difficult to source
• Increases in materials used in packaging, like cardboard and plastics, caused further price increases. For example, a box of 100 rounds would have different costs than two boxes of 50 rounds, so price-per-round can be affected and would not reflect exactly half for a box of 50 vs. a box of 100.
• Ammunition Supply Chains continue to be strained, leading to some primers, casings, powders, and projectiles remaining hard to procure for manufacturers. Suppliers are focusing on their most heavily back-ordered items pushing "less popular" products further back in their production plans.

To hear from the manufacturers themselves, please watch the following videos:

• Jason Vanderbrink, President of Ammunition at Vista Outdoors, from December 2020
• Jason Hornady, Vice President of Hornady, from December 2020
• Jason Vanderbrink, President of Ammunition at Vista Outdoors, from February 2021
• John Nosler, President & COO of Nosler, from March 2021

For more information and answers to frequently asked questions about inventory, orders, and availability, please click here.