SHERMAN, TX -- While Congress debates a ban on high capacity magazines, the price of ammunition has gone up nearly 3 times since December.

Local gun shop owners say this price hike on ammunition is not due to cost changes. It is the soaring demand and limited supply that is sending these prices sky rocketing.

"The price of ammo currently is 3 times what it was 3 months ago, 4 months ago," said gun owner, Daniel Eshelman.

Daniel Eshelman enjoys shooting. He says he bought a lot of ammunition before the election, when it was a lot cheaper. Now, he says, it is a whole different story.

"I bought 22s. Which are the most generic ammo out there, and I would expect to pay 3 dollars a box for it. And I payed 12 dollars a box for it," said Eshelman.

Jason Webb, owner of Red River Firearms, says the demand has been so high for ammo, that supply can not keep up.

"There's such a shortage of ammunition, so people are taking advantage of it so they're doubling the price," said Webb.

Webb says his supply is extremely limited. The shelves that are normally full, are now nearly empty. He says he has kept range prices for ammo the same while raising the outside price.

"I have an outdoor price, and you know we do a mark up for that because if I don't have ammo for the range, my range is closed," said Webb.

Both Webb and Eshelman agree that many sellers are taking advantage of the situation by increasing prices.

"Ammunition is still so scarce that it's a sellers market. So the seller can ask what he wants. A lot of people are asking for a dollar a round, when it should be a quarter a round," said Eshelman.

Webb says even though his store is maintaining reduced prices for the range, the rest of Texoma, and the nation are seeing a major hike in ammunition costs.

"A lot of places have bumped the prices up straight across the board. Because ammo is scarce cause there's only so many manufacturers that make components, which doesn't help," said Webb.

Webb says ammunition prices are starting to plateau now. As manufacturers begin to catch up with the high demand across the country.