Ammunition for certain guns is hard to find in Nebraska and Iowa because people worried about the possibility of tougher gun control are buying it up.

Demand for ammunition and guns took off after the Dec. 14 shooting in Newtown, Conn., that took the lives of 20 schoolchildren and six adults.

The shortages are apparent at gun shows and many stores. Dealers say .223-caliber ammunition used in semiautomatic rifles, 9mm bullets and even .22-caliber bullets seem to be in short supply.

Terry Edwards of Palmyra, Neb. says ammunition supplies were already tight before demand surged.

At a gun show in Altoona, Iowa, dealer Kevin King says many customers are afraid they won’t be able to buy the amount they want in the future, so they’re stocking up now.