My local suppliers are advising me they have not been able to buy neither 223 brass nor bullets, as all supplies have more or less dried up. Has anyone had the same experience?

Once fired brass is pretty easy to find right now. Check http://www.brassmanbrass.com/inventory-001.html

http://www.wideners.com/itemview.cfm?dir=278|281|293|324|696 has both bullets and once fired brass in stock

New brass is a little scarce, but it's out there

There is tons of it in Vietnam. I'm surprised some enterprising soul hasn't developed a plan to mine it, clean it and sell it back to us. Really!

I've heard that also, but I don't buy new brass so I don't know. I do buy once fired military brass, and haven't had a problem.

As long as some liberal politician doesn't screw it up, and the Army and Marines are still training, there will never be a shortage of once fired 5.56 brass around. Pull a watch or two at an ammo dump on Fort Benning and you'll see what I mean. The stuff was kept in dumpsters.

It is my understanding that there is tons of 223 brass in Araq and Afganistan and that they to might starty selling as it has become their highest valued natural resource.
Langshot

I haven't noted any shortage yet. Lots of both in the reloading room.

muck