#0167 – Ammunition Sales Soar in Response to Coronavirus Panic

HARVEY, La., March 6, 2020 – As the Coronavirus (COVID-19) hits the US, it’s not just hand sanitizer and flu medications that are flying off the shelves. While Walmart and Target are running out of emergency essentials and “currently unavailable” is popping up on various Amazon searches, the rush to be prepared has also reached the ammunition industry.

Recent analysis shows that online ammunition retailer, Ammo.com, has seen a significant increase in conversions and sales since February 23, 2020. The company reports that this surge corresponds with the public concern regarding the COVID-19 virus. According to Google Trends, starting on February 23, American interest over time (the site’s measurement matrix) of the term “coronavirus” has quadrupled, increasing from 22 to 100.

When compared to the 11 days before February 23 (February 12 to 22), in the 11 days after (February 23 to March 4), Ammo.com’s number of transactions increased 68% and the company has seen a conversation rate increase of 45%.

Alex Horsman, the marketing manager at Ammo.com, said of the surge, “We know certain things impact ammo sales, mostly political events or economic instability when people feel their rights may end up infringed, but this is our first experience with a virus leading to such a boost in sales.” Horsman continued, “But it makes sense. A lot of our customers like to be prepared. And for many of them, it’s not just facemasks and TheraFlu. It’s knowing that no matter what happens, they can keep themselves and their families safe.”

When it comes to actual sales, Ammo.com’s increase varied among calibers and brands. Calibers that saw the largest increase include:

• 40 cal (S&W) ammo: 410%
• 223 ammo: 194%
• 7.62×39 ammo: 114%
• 9mm ammo: 101%
• 12 gauge shotgun shells: 95%
• 5.56×45 ammo: 69%
• 380 ACP (Auto) ammo: 43%
• 45 Auto (ACP) ammo: 35%
• 308 Winchester ammo: 32%
• 22 Long Rifle (LR) ammo: 29%

Top sales increases in brands went to MBI ammo with a 179% increase and Federal ammo at 176%. Other significant growth included:

• Fiocchi ammo: 122%
• Remington ammo: 116%
• Winchester ammo: 107%
• PMC ammo: 101%
• Tula ammo: 90%
• Hornady ammo: 79%
• Wolf ammo: 79%
• Sellier & Bellot ammo: 20%

Sales also varied by state, with North Carolina and Georgia coming in with the largest increase (179% and 169% respectively). These were closely followed by Pennsylvania (140%) and Texas (128%). Other states that saw a big boom are:

• Florida: 76%
• Illinois: 67%
• New York: 48%
• Ohio: 40%

The company also mentioned that the price of gold has started to rise (5.35% in the last 30 days), which tends to correlate with an increase in the sales of ammunition. Interested parties can learn more about the connection through the company’s infographic: Are Guns and Ammo the New Gold?, a 2011 data study.