The National Rifle Association says Americans usually buy about 7 billion rounds of ammo a year. But that figure jumped to about 9 billion in the past year, triggering an ammunition shortage.

Bitterroot Valley Ammunition & Component Sales or BVAC cranks out about 300,000 bullets a day, but that's not enough to fully supply many Montana stores.

"We've been real happy what we've been able to do so far" commented BVAC Factory Outlet Manager Travis Moody.

Now there's a small shop on U.S. Highway 93 in Missoula near Wal-Mart, and it has big ties just in the Bitterroot.

Recognizing B-VAC's influence in the ammo business, and the success of its founder and president Darren Newsom, two long-time clients went to him with an idea...why not take B-VAC's product on the road?

We started with just a trailer in early June, late spring, going around to different cities" Moody said. "One day cash only, and we sold out every Saturday, so we decided why not open a store."

Moody opened the B-VAC Factory Outlet, taking advantage of his connection with Newsom. "We have a mass distributorship with him so we buy below wholesale so we can sell to other dealers at wholesale and he gets his percentage and we get out percentage."

But the B-VAC outlet is more than just B-VAC products according to Moody "We started off with primarily bullets and slowly got into other stuff."

The future of the small, seven week old business has a big upside, thanks to another deal it just put together.

"We have a mass distributorship with ATK and Eagle tactical so we'll have rights to sell exclusively in Missoula and throughout the country as well" Moody told us.

As for the on-going national ammo shortage, Moody says, "Being how we have a direct connection with the manufacturer in Florence, we don't run out. If we don't have it, we can get it the next day."

"Being how we have a direct connection with the manufacturer in Florence, we don't run out. If we don't have it, we can get it the next day," said Travis Moody, BVAC Factor Outlet Manager. 

Now there are new BVAC outlet stores in Missoula and Hamilton.