On February 24, the Russian Federation launched air attacks on military installations and airports across the nation of Ukraine. This occurred shortly after the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, declared the separatist states of Donbas and Lugansk independent from Ukrainian control and sent his army in to “keep the peace” the day before.
Here at Ammo.com, sales have surged for the last two weeks, starting with the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24th:
- 166% increase in revenue
- 110% increase in transactions
- 59% increase in site traffic
- 31% increase in conversion rate
- 27% increase in average order value
State-by-State Breakdown of Ammo Sale Increases Due to Russia-Ukrainian War
The table below lists the top 10 states by total sales volume from February 24th until March 10th, and their corresponding percentage increase in sales volume when compared to the previous time period.
- State Ranking by Sales Volume displays the total sales volume (how much was ordered in United States dollars) on a state-by-state basis in column one. Column two shows how much sales have increased percentage-wise to that particular state since February 24th. Only states to which we sell are shown.
- Most Popular Caliber by Sales Volume displays the most popular caliber based on sales volume in that state in column three, as well as the increase for that caliber by state since February 24th. Columns five and seven display the second and third most popular calibers based on sales volume in that state; columns six and eight display how much the sale of those particular calibers has increased on a percentage basis.
Scroll down for a comprehensive breakdown of the effect Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had on our recent sales from February 24th until March 10th.
| State Ranking by Sales Volume | Most Popular Caliber by Sales Volume | 2nd | 3rd | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | % Increase | % Increase | % Increase | % Increase | |||
| 1. Texas | +154% | 9mm Ammo | +93% | 5.56×45 Ammo | +711% | 223 Ammo | +1,364% |
| 2. Florida | +88% | 9mm Ammo | -2% | 5.56×45 Ammo | +65% | 223 Ammo | +331% |
| 3. Washington | +240% | 9mm Ammo | +250% | 5.56×45 Ammo | +221% | 7.62×39 Ammo | +120% |
| 4. Georgia | +174% | 9mm Ammo | +58% | 5.56×45 Ammo | +95% | 357 Magnum Ammo | +604% |
| 5. Arizona | +168% | 9mm Ammo | +171% | 5.56×45 Ammo | +328% | 223 Ammo | +10% |
| 6. Pennsylvania | +132% | 9mm Ammo | -43% | 5.56×45 Ammo | +645% | 12 Gauge Shotgun Shells | +718% |
| 7. Michigan | +239% | 5.56×45 Ammo | +261% | 9mm Ammo | +100% | 7.62×39 Ammo | +217% |
| 8. Illinois | +192% | 9mm Ammo | +12% | 5.56×45 Ammo | +10% | 7.62×39 Ammo | +311% |
| 9. North Carolina | +199% | 5.56×45 Ammo | +844% | 9mm Ammo | -20% | 7.62×39 Ammo | +448% |
| 10. Ohio | +227% | 9mm Ammo | +124% | 5.56×45 Ammo | +∞% | 223 Ammo | +1,233% |
Note: Due to city and state laws, Ammo.com does not ship ammunition to Alaska, Hawaii, Massachusetts, California, Washington, D.C., New York City, or Chicago. These jurisdictions, along with a handful of other states, have been excluded from the table above.
What’s Driving The Increase In Ammo Sales?
American gun owners are watching visceral, daily reminders of one reason why an armed populace is important: To defend against enemies, both foreign and domestic.
Weary following 2 years of a pandemic, protests, and the Biden presidency, the recent spike in sales indicates they are again worried about their capacity to buy ammo when they need it.
This could be caused by a fear that the Biden administration could use the Russian invasion of Ukraine as a clever means by which to “temporarily” ban private ammo sales by executive fiat in order to ostensibly send those rounds to NATO members and/or Ukraine in order to “support the war effort.”
After all, who knew before the pandemic that the CDC could unilaterally put a nationwide moratorium on evictions, eviscerating private property rights and contracts for over 18 months, until the Supreme Court finally curbed their previously-unknown power because Congress was gridlocked, per usual?
At a macroeconomic level, this worry about ammo availability could be caused by global supply chain shortages, which all Americans see daily reminders of when shopping or filling up. Or this could be caused by inflation pressures, which are silently devaluing their hard-earned dollars after the Fed increased the money supply by ~25% and Congress increased the federal debt by ~20% to combat COVID.
American gun owners are well aware of the candid political calculation made famous by Rahm Emanuel, Pres. Obama’s Chief-of-Staff, who said “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.”
It does not take a particularly active imagination to envision what those in Washington, who notoriously take advantage of tragedies to pass irrational laws when emotions are at their highest, might do to demonstrate “their solidarity” with Ukraine.
By now, the average American gun owner has cumulatively witnessed thousands of instances whereby those in charge of our federal institutions demonstrate an incredible ability to accumulate and exercise power for their own enrichment. And are seemingly never held to account for their abuses of power, no matter how egregious or widespread. Hence why public trust in government continues to poll near historic lows.
Given the past 2 years and the current state of affairs, both domestically and now internationally with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, you can begin to understand why the average American gun owner wants to stock up on ammo while they can.
Data Study: U.S. Ammo Sales Surge Following Russian Invasion of Ukraine originally appeared in the Resistance Library at Ammo.com.
Should (when) digital currency becomes the coin of the realm there won’t be any further ammo sales or gun purchases. I’d recommend a LIFETIME supply.
Don’t forget training (not just range time) or two boxes might be a lifetime supply
Sane people should budget for monthly ammo purchases
just like food. It will be essential to your survival same as food.
$150/month is doable. That will get you about 2000 rds. a year.
Just two or three years ago that would get you 500 .223, 700+ AK rounds, 800 9mm NATO PER MONTH.
Yep.
I was buying then too.
WTF are you going to do with just 2000 rounds????
That just adds to the already there arsenal, Dear Lady.
Lunacy. Your that nutter with no investments and a trailer full of ammo, lmao
Come knock on my door when you are hungry….
…I’ll give you a few rounds.
LOLOLOLLLLLLL!
And it’s spelled “you’re” trailer boy.
HAHAHAHAH!
AK report. Yes, it’s getting more expensive, and types are also more limited.
Good reasons outlined in the article and above comments. I would only add that as our present currency dies (it dies as we speak) new forms of currency will arise to replace it. You may fill in that blank with a lot of things, but ammo comes to my mind first and best. It is available for now, it not only holds its value, but usually appreciates substantially. I’ve never lost money with ammo–it is becoming the new wampum. By the way, there is nothing dishonorable about profiting from a new currency in the making, and there is nothing honorable or admirable about holding a dying currency until you’ve lost everything. Would you ride a tired horse until it died? Or should you consider switching horses. The only thing constant is change so learn to change. There are a lot of smart people in those ten states.
Quality ammo stored in a cool dry place (like in my indoor closet for example) is good for at least 50 years. I’ve even recently heard of WW2 30-06 ammo working just fine at 75 or so years old and unknown storage conditions. Yes, ammo could be the new gold–and in more convenient sizes, plus non labeled “Federal Reserve Note.”
I’m having a hell of a time finding Remington .270 130 grain core-lokt.
Try Ammunitiondepot.com.
I found some there but it’s premium Sig hunting rounds.
$3.50 a round. $69.99 a box of 20. Ouch.
Ammo.com has em.
Hunting ammo in general is in short supply.
For the non-firearms knowledgeable here, 9mm is the most popular self and home defense semi auto pistol round. 5.56mm and .223 caliber are, for all practical purposes, the same round. You can use either in a rifle chambered for 5.56mm and many (but not all and not always) chambered for .223 are OK with 5.56. So where you see the 2nd greatest increase is 5.56 mm and 3rd greatest is .223, you can safely assume those both are for AR-15 rifles. However, I also have a bolt action Ruger Ranch Rifle in 5.56 that I bought as a hedge in case AR’s get confiscated by a criminal socialist democrat government like Hillary wanted to do. With the Ruger bolt action, I’d still have a way to shoot the 5,000+ rounds of 5.56 I have in my closet.
The 7.62×39 (not to be confused with the U.S. and NATO 7.62×51 round) is almost certainly AK-47 owners, although both Ruger and CZ, and probably others make bolt action rifles in that caliber.
The stand out in this table is Pennsylvania where number 3 item was 12 gauge shotgun ammo. I have no idea why that would be different from all the others.
as far as the explanation for Pennsylvania and 12 gauge, probably the proximity to Philadeplphia explains that
Do they have more areas with shotgun only deer hunting?
Love that 357 mag is #3 in Georgia, bunch of good ‘ol boys with a Python in each hand, hoooweee indeed.
Yee Ha!
Get ALL you can WHILE you can!
Ammo. It’s better than gold.
Lead.
The only heavy metal that will be worth a shit when it all goes to hell.
Recall, too, during the freak show of Trump’s predecessor how he had every imaginable Federal government agency purchase guns and ammunition — more than 2 BILLION rounds of ammo — for unmentioned and unknown purposes. Even folks with the Social Security agency were given guns and ammo … and, allegedly, taught to use them.
Who was their target? Need you ask?
Bidet and Co. will likely do something similar … best to be prepared.
Where is all this ammo stored?
Military bases.
I’m old. I still like .38 special.
I’m sure the National Registration Agency (NRA) needs to partner with someone…
https://www.ssusa.org/content/ammo-inc-offers-one-million-rounds-of-ammunition-to-ukrainian-armed-forces/#:~:text=The%20company%20generously%20offered%20to%20donate%20one%20million,discuss%20the%20company’s%20one-million%20round%20offer%20to%20Ukraine.