Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
The shelves are nearly bare at Gary's Gun Shop in Sioux Falls.
And as you scour the store for a case of bullets to buy, you'll likely hear someone comment how hard it is to find ammunition right now.
You'll be hard-pressed to find ammo in Sioux Falls at all.
Several stores in the city have reported increased sales in ammunition and firearms in 2020, depleting an already short supply during the coronavirus pandemic.
Ammunition sales blew up in March because of COVID-19, said Gary's Gun Shop assistant manager Nick Meyer. But increased sales stayed steady after riots started in May in response to the death of George Floyd and ahead of the presidential election.
"Firearms and ammunition and the Second Amendment are all hot topics for election times," Meyer said, "and it always spurs a little bit of a spree."
But this year is different.
The gun shop only has 20% of its normal ammunition supply on its shelves, Meyer said.
"Usually, an election year has more of an effect on our inventory, but not this much," he said.
Blue Collar Tactical down the street also has bare shelves of ammunition. Nyberg's Ace at 41st and Minnesota is out of 9 mm, .223 and 5.56 ammunition.
Matt Bautch, an avid hunter, said he's seen ammunition prices double or triple this year because of the compounding effects of the pandemic, civil unrest and the election.
"Yes, you can find ammo," the 43-year-old said. "It's harder, and it's more expensive, that's for sure. Ammo is double in price that you would have found two years ago ... And it's beyond the ammo. For reloaders, it's the primers, powder — all components."