Ammunition Shortage hits Texarkana
By: Jade Cunningham
Updated: February 21, 2013
The high demand for guns has now triggered the need for bullets.
As a result, many businesses across the ArkLaTex are seeing a shortage in their ammunition supply.
And two gun shops in Texarkana, Texas and Arkansas say it's been rough.
"Pretty bare is an understatement, it's very bare," said owner of P&J Guns, Jeff Clifton. "It's been rought right now. There's very little coming in, very little we can find."
He says normally this time of year they can get anything they usually need. But now it's hard.
And while sales are good, he sometimes loses business because he doesn't have what his customers want.
"Normally I buy by the case, and instead of buying by the case, I'm buying by the box."
Just down the road, at Tri-State Pawn, manager Brandon Lum is seeing the same thing.
"We get phone calls everyday asking for certain ammunition that we don't have, or are unable to get," said Lum. "So we obviously have to turn those customers away."
And even if you can find it, just be ready to bite the bullet, because it'll cost you.
"The prices have increased almost triple what they were before."
And while both Clifton and Lum don't know when things will go back to normal, they say it's best if you don't jump the gun, and just be patient.
"You've got politicians talking about gun control, all the mass shootings have happened, it's panic and fear."
Both hope things will start to fill back up by the start of summer, especially because that's when business starts getting busy.
As a result, many businesses across the ArkLaTex are seeing a shortage in their ammunition supply.
And two gun shops in Texarkana, Texas and Arkansas say it's been rough.
"Pretty bare is an understatement, it's very bare," said owner of P&J Guns, Jeff Clifton. "It's been rought right now. There's very little coming in, very little we can find."
He says normally this time of year they can get anything they usually need. But now it's hard.
And while sales are good, he sometimes loses business because he doesn't have what his customers want.
"Normally I buy by the case, and instead of buying by the case, I'm buying by the box."
Just down the road, at Tri-State Pawn, manager Brandon Lum is seeing the same thing.
"We get phone calls everyday asking for certain ammunition that we don't have, or are unable to get," said Lum. "So we obviously have to turn those customers away."
And even if you can find it, just be ready to bite the bullet, because it'll cost you.
"The prices have increased almost triple what they were before."
And while both Clifton and Lum don't know when things will go back to normal, they say it's best if you don't jump the gun, and just be patient.
"You've got politicians talking about gun control, all the mass shootings have happened, it's panic and fear."
Both hope things will start to fill back up by the start of summer, especially because that's when business starts getting busy.
