A shortage of ammunition could affect police training in metro Atlanta.

Distributors that provide ammunition to local police departments tell Channel 2 Action News bullets are on backorder, thanks to the recent rise in civilian gun and ammo sales.

"In my business lifetime, there's been more demand for ammunition than there's ever been," says local distributor Jay Wallace.

Smyrna Police Distributors is one of the area's largest suppliers of police ammunition. Wallace says the normal 60-day turnaround time for bulk orders now takes six months or more.

Channel 2 investigative reporter Aaron Diamant found mostly-empty shelves inside the Sandy Springs Police armory. The nationwide ammunition shortage has also forced the Douglas County Sheriff's Office to push back some training exercises.

One local manufacturer tells Diamant its factory can't make the ammunition fast enough to keep up with demand.