L
longbow51
Guest
This is part of a post (not mine) on another newsgroup; very thoughtful whether you agree or not. Long but worth it IMHO. Bolding is mine; he addressing this to folks who shoot thousands of rounds a year, where this might be a 3-5 year supply, not the average deer hunter. It's not hoarding when manufacturers are putting out discount coupons, as they did for 9 mil and 5.56. Let's face it, they stocked for Hillary and got Trump, and prices on both guns and ammo plummeted and there was an oversupply of both. Remember Ruger ARs for $450?
"Scalpers will ensure this panic continues as long as possible. So long as someone can buy 1000 primers for $50 and sell them for $500, there will be no possibility of manufacturers being able to provide enough. No matter what they produce, scalpers will buy. So long as people continue to purchase at inflated prices, this will continue. It is the quintessential definition of capitalism. American shooters tend to forget the predictable ramifications of their behaviors. They don't understand the power of their purchases. In previous years, Federal/CCI sees American shooters buying foreign primers in huge quantities for the sake of saving $1 per thousand. Even if it were $20 per thousand, we are taking food directly off the plate for our American companies which will have the direct result of them being forced to cut back manufacturing due to reduced demand. Then a panic hits and everyone wants to get mad at them for not having enough to supply us all. It's fascinating to me.
This is a problem of our own creation, as is so often the case in this country. Each shooter, needs to honestly evaluate what part they are playing. Understand the power of your choices. While some of you may not be entrepreneurs or business people... if you just stop to think for a moment at all, you may discover you play a larger role than you realize. Personal accountability. Individual free will and the power to choose. The most essential core principle of what this country was founded on... yet so many people want to do as they please and then get upset at the extremely predictable consequences of those choices. If we want things to change as a whole, then we must be willing to change at the individual level. If you are unwilling to do that, then it will be difficult for me to offer any sympathy. Over a year ago, I was instructing people to buy 25,000 primers of each type they require. I bought 100,000 of all types for myself. As I shoot tens of thousands a year... I figured that should take me through the next panic, and it will. The shelves were FLUSH with primers. I told all of the shooters I mentor, and any customer that asked, to buy as much powder and as many primers and other components as they could afford. Supply was plentiful, and competitively priced. I spoke of rewarding our awesome American companies for their investment in us. Buy piles of components, shoot constantly! Some listened... others did not.
Now we stand in yet another panic portion of the cycle. Emotions once again run high... just as the clinton panic, and the obama panic. This biden panic will go just like the previous panics. Though I'm left to wonder if anyone plans to learn anything. Is anyone is looking within themselves for the solutions to their problems? Is everyone just going to point fingers and try to assign blame, just like the previous panics? If we want this to stop... just stop buying components at inflated prices. Patently refuse to pay even $1 more than "normal" prices for anything. Quit letting FOMO (fear of missing out) direct your life. If you made the mistake of not stocking up because you're new, or didn't see this coming... just embrace the mistake. Say to yourself, "well, this is unfortunate... I'm going to do better next time," and calmly shift your focus for the short term. If you still want to shoot, go buy a quality air rifle, a bunch of great accessories for it, and as many pellets/slugs as you think you'll need to see it through. These days, air rifles are made in nearly any variety and can kill just about anything living. That will scratch your itch and allow you to ply your skillset until the dust settles from all this. If that is impossible... take up archery! Anything to keep you from falling victim to scalpers and their highly destructive artificial market manipulation. Starve the scalpers, literally. That's the power of capitalism. They can only benefit if we let them. They are predators, in it for the love of money, not the love of shooting. Once we hit the other end of the cycle, you apply what you've learned... and never forget it. Teach it to others. When the manufacturers are sitting on a massive supply that they are dying to move... help them. Buy all you will need to see you through the next super-predictable panic, which as sure as I'm alive, WILL happen."
"Scalpers will ensure this panic continues as long as possible. So long as someone can buy 1000 primers for $50 and sell them for $500, there will be no possibility of manufacturers being able to provide enough. No matter what they produce, scalpers will buy. So long as people continue to purchase at inflated prices, this will continue. It is the quintessential definition of capitalism. American shooters tend to forget the predictable ramifications of their behaviors. They don't understand the power of their purchases. In previous years, Federal/CCI sees American shooters buying foreign primers in huge quantities for the sake of saving $1 per thousand. Even if it were $20 per thousand, we are taking food directly off the plate for our American companies which will have the direct result of them being forced to cut back manufacturing due to reduced demand. Then a panic hits and everyone wants to get mad at them for not having enough to supply us all. It's fascinating to me.
This is a problem of our own creation, as is so often the case in this country. Each shooter, needs to honestly evaluate what part they are playing. Understand the power of your choices. While some of you may not be entrepreneurs or business people... if you just stop to think for a moment at all, you may discover you play a larger role than you realize. Personal accountability. Individual free will and the power to choose. The most essential core principle of what this country was founded on... yet so many people want to do as they please and then get upset at the extremely predictable consequences of those choices. If we want things to change as a whole, then we must be willing to change at the individual level. If you are unwilling to do that, then it will be difficult for me to offer any sympathy. Over a year ago, I was instructing people to buy 25,000 primers of each type they require. I bought 100,000 of all types for myself. As I shoot tens of thousands a year... I figured that should take me through the next panic, and it will. The shelves were FLUSH with primers. I told all of the shooters I mentor, and any customer that asked, to buy as much powder and as many primers and other components as they could afford. Supply was plentiful, and competitively priced. I spoke of rewarding our awesome American companies for their investment in us. Buy piles of components, shoot constantly! Some listened... others did not.
Now we stand in yet another panic portion of the cycle. Emotions once again run high... just as the clinton panic, and the obama panic. This biden panic will go just like the previous panics. Though I'm left to wonder if anyone plans to learn anything. Is anyone is looking within themselves for the solutions to their problems? Is everyone just going to point fingers and try to assign blame, just like the previous panics? If we want this to stop... just stop buying components at inflated prices. Patently refuse to pay even $1 more than "normal" prices for anything. Quit letting FOMO (fear of missing out) direct your life. If you made the mistake of not stocking up because you're new, or didn't see this coming... just embrace the mistake. Say to yourself, "well, this is unfortunate... I'm going to do better next time," and calmly shift your focus for the short term. If you still want to shoot, go buy a quality air rifle, a bunch of great accessories for it, and as many pellets/slugs as you think you'll need to see it through. These days, air rifles are made in nearly any variety and can kill just about anything living. That will scratch your itch and allow you to ply your skillset until the dust settles from all this. If that is impossible... take up archery! Anything to keep you from falling victim to scalpers and their highly destructive artificial market manipulation. Starve the scalpers, literally. That's the power of capitalism. They can only benefit if we let them. They are predators, in it for the love of money, not the love of shooting. Once we hit the other end of the cycle, you apply what you've learned... and never forget it. Teach it to others. When the manufacturers are sitting on a massive supply that they are dying to move... help them. Buy all you will need to see you through the next super-predictable panic, which as sure as I'm alive, WILL happen."
