The Department of Defense seems to be ending their practice of reselling used brass, which will affect the price and availability of ammo. The Shootist has details.

Update: From a reader:

With the prices of commodities these days, it is entirely possible that the government reaps more money by melting and reselling the brass on the open market, rather then selling them directly to manufacturers.
Do you think the government should be subsidizing ammunition for sportsmen and hobbyists? (Not to mention the occasional criminal.)

Update II: From another reader in response the above:

According to the link you provided, the commodity price of the brass is an 80% hit against the finished cartridges. Don’t know if that’s accurate, but it was considered.

Me: I don’t know what to make of the whole story, but it seems worth exploring.

Update: III: Okay, okay. Folks are vexed by the first reader. Suffice it to say this guy speaks for many:

Your correspondent is on crack if he thinks commodity brass is more valuable than manufactured ammunition brass. there’s a massive shortage of ammunition right now and people will pay through the nose for ammunition components.
And even if he weren’t, the logical thing to do would be to simply offer the brass for sale to both scrappers and ammo makers. If the scrappers bid higher, they can have the brass. (Hint: they won’t.)