Supplier: L.A. Area Ammunition Purchases up Nearly 400%

Widener’s Reloading and Shooting Supply reports that ammunition purchases in the Los Angeles County metro area have surged nearly 400 percent in the two months since the November 8 passage of Proposition 63.

Prop 63 goes into effect January 1, 2018. It will require a background check to be performed on all face-to-face ammunition purchases and will prohibit the acquisition of ammunition from online outlets. The months since the passage of Prop 63 have been marked by a frenzy of online ammunition purchases.

And, according to Widener’s, California has surged while “nationwide traffic to [their website] has remained relatively static.”

Widener’s spokeswoman, Anne Taylor said, “There’s been a massive influx of California hunters and sport shooters who are stocking up in the wake of California’s new laws, no doubt about it. There’s not just increased interest, it’s clear the gun owners who are buying are buying in bulk. We’ve seen our average order weight go up in the past couple months.”

Here are the percentages by which purchases from certain localities have risen during past two months:

• Los Angeles Metro Area – 395%
• San Francisco Metro Area – 417%
• San Diego Metro Area – 161%
• Sacramento Metro Area – 449%
• Anaheim Metro Area – 264%
• San Jose Metro Area – 233%

It is interesting to note that the most popular form of ammunition being purchased during this surge is the .223, a popular round for AR-15 rifles. Sales of .223 “in the eight weeks following [the passage of Prop 63 are] double where they were in the eight weeks leading up to it.” Next in popularity are the 9mm and .308, both of which have seen “60-80%” gains in sales since proposition passed.

AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of Bullets with AWR Hawkins, a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.