Since the passage of the NY SAFE Act, there has been a run on the purchase of ammunition that has emptied the shelves of many of the most popular calibers at most gun shops.
At Intimidator Sports in Nedrow, Tim Nelson told CNY Central's Jim Kenyon, "There's just been a rush on it. Apparently everybody is been afraid that they're not going to be able to get it... it's not just in New York, it's across the country." Nelson says the panic buying has decreased or eliminated the supply of the most popular calibers, especially the .22 rimfire.
The resulting shortage has also caused the wholesale price of ammunition to skyrocket. "The last boxes of .22 that I bought averaged out at $8.00 for 50 rounds." Nelson says that compares to just $2.00 in early December, "It's supply and demand." he says.
Gun stores tell Kenyon that when word gets out that they've received a shipment of ammunition, the supply is sold out within minutes. Nelson says while he is putting his customers on a waiting list, other retailers of ammunition are limiting their customers to 3 or 4 boxes per visit.
On January 15, 2014, New York will require background checks on the purchase of ammunition. Dealers will also have to report customers who purchase large quantities of ammunition to the New York State Police.
