No More Military Brass

This has been around for a couple of days, but in case you've missed it, the Department of Defense will no long recycle their used brass into the civilian marker. Here's a copy of the DoD memo from major remanufactured ammunition maker Georgia Arms: 

"Effective immediately DOD Surplus, LLC, will be implementing new requirements for mutilation of fired shell casings. The new DRMS requirement calls for DOD Surplus personnel to witness the mutilation of the property and sign the Certificate of Destruction. Mutilation of the property can be done at the DRMO, if permitted by the Government, or it may be mutilated at a site chosen by the buyer. Mutilation means that the property will be destroyed to the extent prevents its reuse or reconstruction. DOD Surplus personnel will determine when property has been sufficiently mutilated to meet the requirements of the Government. "

Jim Shepherd notes in today's SHOOTING WIRE that this represents a loss of 80% of the value of the brass. But hey, why would the Maximum Barry administration care about that? He has the printing presses, after all.

But what are the consequences of this for shooters? Quoted in the WIRE, look at Georgia Arms, just one of many remanufacturers:

Georgia Arms was remanufacturing more than one million rounds of .223 ammunition monthly; selling that ammo on the civilian market to resellers and to government agencies all over the country. 

Tomorrow, Georgia Arms will start sending cancellation notices for .223 ammunition to law enforcement agencies across the United States. Haynie says he may have to layoff half of his sixty-person workforce.

In short, this government action is aimed at the heart of the civilian ammunition market, to put increased pressure on an already superheated consumer market. With a single stroke, tens of million rounds of 5.56, 7.62, 9mm and .50 BMG has been removed from the market. Okay kiddies, a quick question from Economics 101, that class you slept through your senior year...if demand rises and supply shrinks, what happens to prices?

If you're a new ammunition manufacturer, do you have a choice between honoring your huge military contracts (remember, even if we pull out of everywhere tomorrow morning the military needs to replenish their largely depleted ammo stores) and supplying the civilian market? Of course not. The remanufacturing segment of the industry was essentially filling the gap left by the military orders, providing ammo to civilians and law enforcement.

The antigunners in the Obama administration have landed a disastrous blow totally under the radar.

Tell me again how I'm overreacting...