aftermath of the self induced ammo shortage... =[

V

Venom1956

New member
We'll I'm feeling quite down since apparently all those who panic and maxed out credit cards around me seemed to finally run out of money...

Unfortunately as new stock trickles in the newer higher price tag is also applied... Fantastic...

Our nines are close to 35 per 100 (increase of $10)
45s went to 50 per 100 (increase of $15)
5.45 the worst from 5 bucks per 30 to $10 so much for cost savings vs .223!
40s and .22s have remained the same shockingly.

Now I expected a price increase of a few bucks but dang these hurt. I remember buying 1000 wwb for 199 last Jan...

Sometimes we can be our own worst enemies. Really hurts those who are high volume shooters. looks like my range trips will be bi weekly now.

So this increase seem pretty much the norm for all you guys? My prices are from wally world and fleet farm here. Curious what the new norm is around you all if your supply has caught up?
 
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I don't get these high prices elsewhere. I have been in multiple stores around here and .45 is going for anywhere from $25 to $36 for 50 rounds. 9mm is slightly lower. Not much .22lr to be found but the last I did find was $24.99 for 525 round bricks right before Christmas.

I guess demand or hoarder behavior must be higher elsewhere.
 
Prices are going to be high for awhile, even after stock starts to catch up.

It's when stock starts to stagnate that prices will start to come down.

Yes, it's going to take awhile to see prices start to drop. Remember the old adage...

Up like a rocket, down like a feather.

Eventually, though, prices WILL come down. How much remains to be see.

Don't pay any attention to the Shrieking Shirleys who are crying doom and saying that prices will never drop because gun owners have proven that they'll accept the higher prices.

Demonstratably false (Great primer shortage of 1992-1994, anyone?), and displays a startling lack of knowledge of how the American economy actually works.
 
Indeed I realize ammo is always going up. I'm used to that increase.

I'm just hesitant to eat to much into my stockpile because I usually try and replace what I use.

Wasn't old enough to experience the primer shortage. So this is the first HUGE panic I've dealt with. Unsure what I wanna do.

As u said I'm sure the prices will deflate a bit but I'm skeptical how much. Especially @ bigger retailers they kinda set a price and leave it.

Yes it is shocking how people don't understand how economics work. I'm hoping to find a few bargains in the coming years of the people with surplus ars they need to get rid of for a loss after paying premiums now
 
"Unsure what I wanna do."

Well, I'd say take a page from the British...

Keep Calm and Carry On.

Or, in the world of Mike Irwin...

Don't be a frigging idiot.


Men in Black described this situation brilliantly....

"A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals, and you know it."

Slowly but surely we're dropping out of the "panicky, dangerous animals" phase and getting back to "a person is smart."

Unfortunately, though, we could be right back to herd mentality if the President or Congress tries anything silly.
 
"Indeed I realize ammo is always going up. I'm used to that increase."

Oh, and you'll note that I distinctly did NOT say that.

Prices have been trending up for awhile, now.

When people finally get their heads out of their butts, prices will start to trend down.

Please do NOT accept the theory that "we've seen the last of the low prices, they're always going to be high from now on, and nothing will ever change that."

That's stupidity at a monumental level.
 
My local Walmarts have gone from NOTHING in June/July to currently completely full at least 2 days a week with all calibers except .22lr. It takes them a day or 2 to sell out of 9mm, and still an hour or two for whatever .22lr trickles in.

But every other caliber is there, including several dozen cases in the back cage that they dont' have room for on the shelf.

My local Dicks has everything in stock except .22lr.

My 2 main LGS's are completely stocked full of everything including .22lr (still 30% high for my taste) and Wolf/Tula steel by the pallet.

I can find primers (small-rifle still about 20% high) and powder (if I'm not picky about a specific load) at 5-6 places here in town, and every single rack on every shelf has a gun in it for sale, with new AR's now selling for below Newtown prices. Now that hunting season is over, I expect bullets to become visibly more available in-store by the week. Still no luck at all with pistol caliber brass bullets anywhere except online, but it's plentiful online.

What surprises me is that Walmart/Dicks/LGS's are back to normal (except for .22lr) with guns AND ammo, and people still seem to be willing to pay huge markups through Armslist and Gunbroker?
 
In my careless younger years I had no real responsibilities or any real bills to pay so I could burn through most of my paychecks buying ammo and shooting every weekend. I was going through a case of 45 and 5.56 at least every two weeks.
Then I met a woman, and spending time with a significant other took more precedence over shooting. We have only gone to the range a handful of times, and while we would love to shoot more, even if ammo was cheaper we probably wouldn't be able to make the time to do it.

But once ammo is back down to pre-panic prices, I will replenish my stock.
 
Like I've said before, I'm just buying the ammo I need as I go, for as long as I need to. It make take awhile, but eventually all those folks who bought up tons of range ammo to try to make a profit, will need to pay off those credit card bills. I saw more ammo tables at last weeks gun show than I've seen in a long time. I didn't even stop to look at the prices - I know that they are still too high. I give it a few more gun shows before the ammo sellers take up a good portion of the available tables. That's when I plan on doing my shopping. My "low-balls" will be based on 2005 prices....maybe less!
 
I'd like to compliment the Fleet Farm stores in the Twin Cities for NOT gouging. The few times I've been in the store when they had ammo it didn't seem like they were gouging.

I'll try to remember that in the future when I'm shopping for anything Fleet Farm sells.
 
Oh, and you'll note that I distinctly did NOT say that.
Click to expand...

well the cost does slowly rise over time due to inflation. That's the price increase I am referring to.

Mike,

As to being unsure I am unsure if I want to deplete my stockpile more then normal and avoid the higher cost or let it run low. I mean its great to have a pile of ammo and to be able to shoot without having to pick up ammo prior.

Simply asking your opinion here on it. You are the guys on the TFL are the shooters like me you have ammo saved up and such. Just asking what you'd all do eat up the cost and replace what you'd use or shoot it up and hope before you run out the price goes down to a more reasonable level.

Also its winter so I'm not in any real rush they give up plowing the range sometime in December.
 
I love to shoot. I mean LOVE it. Im sure I'm not alone but let me tell you that I will not pay outrageous money for ammunition. The only factory ammo I buy is 22 lr when I can find it for the correct, pre end of the world, prices you see currently.

I reload for all my centerfire pieces. That said I will not pay more than 34-36 for primers and I will not pay more than 18-19 per pound of powder. Brass is easy to come by for a decent price and the cast lead is the easiest part.

My LGS have overpriced ammo and reloading supplies on the shelfs. They claim that they "cannot get it from their distributors" and "purchase it at gun show prices just to have it to offer to their customers". If this was the case why does every other gun shop around have what I need for correct prices?

Dont let your LGS pull this crap with you. I didn't. I like the place but I quit spending money there and won't until they start being reasonable.
 
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"well the cost does slowly rise over time due to inflation. That's the price increase I am referring to."

Ammunition has been in a much different situation over the years.

It has rarely been affected by inflation.

Prior to 1986, ammunition prices were, relatively, as high as they are today, if not higher. Foreign ammunition had been blocked out of the US market by GCA 1968.

The Firearms Owner's Protection Act of 1986 changed that, and ammunition prices began to tumble like crazy as US manufacturers now had to fight for market share against cheaper ammunition from overseas and extremely cheap foreign military surplus flooding out of the former Combloc.

In 1985 I was paying $9 to $12 a box for 50 9mm cartridges.

By the late 1990s, you could get 9mm ammo for as little as $4 to $6 a box.

What has affected the cost of ammunition and components more than anything over the last 30 years has been situations like what we've just come through (panic buying episodes leading to huge spikes in purchasing), the generalized rise in commodities prices (lead and copper, primarily) due to increased demand from the manufacturing segment, especially in emerging economies like China and India, and industry-driven shortages caused by things such as our 10+ years of war inflating the military's need for ammunition, which is largely loaded by the big commercial loaders.
 
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