Price differences is same caliber ammo?
- Thread starter JayJ510
- Start date
For an example take a look here...
http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/Bro...3&categoryId=7509&categoryString=653***691***
The link is to a site which will allow you to look at a variety of loads for the .38 Special cartridge. Click on the tabs for the technical specs. Note the load of the bullet in grains, the velocity and the type of bullet. You can see that there is a relationship to the purpose and design of the round and their cost. (Make sure you note how many rounds per box).
Some bullets are easier to manufacture than others, these usually cost less. Some bullets are designed for specific purposes, these often cost more. Premium target loads are assembled with more attention to quality control than other loads and so cost more. The same is true of many self defense jacketed hollow point loads.
There are other factors as well.
tipoc
http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/Bro...3&categoryId=7509&categoryString=653***691***
The link is to a site which will allow you to look at a variety of loads for the .38 Special cartridge. Click on the tabs for the technical specs. Note the load of the bullet in grains, the velocity and the type of bullet. You can see that there is a relationship to the purpose and design of the round and their cost. (Make sure you note how many rounds per box).
Some bullets are easier to manufacture than others, these usually cost less. Some bullets are designed for specific purposes, these often cost more. Premium target loads are assembled with more attention to quality control than other loads and so cost more. The same is true of many self defense jacketed hollow point loads.
There are other factors as well.
tipoc
orionengnr
New member
Why does one pizza cost $4 and another cost $16? They are both pizzas, after all...
Why does a Bentley cost more than a Hyundai? They are both cars.
There is an old axiom that says that you get what you pay for. While some pessimists wil say that this is not always the case, most will also say that you never get more than you pay for.
The fact is that any product requires development, and to bring an actual improvement in a manufactured product to market will require R&D costs. If you want a better motor oil, a better dishwasher, a better ammunition, it will not come cheaply...at least not early on.
Once they can produce and sell several million dishwashers or several billion cartridges you may see a break in pricing.
As far as motor oil, the base stock and additive in Mobil 1 are more expensive than WalMart Super Tech oil, so you will never buy Mobil 1 for $1.09 per quart...another example of "you get what you pay for"...
Why does a Bentley cost more than a Hyundai? They are both cars.
There is an old axiom that says that you get what you pay for. While some pessimists wil say that this is not always the case, most will also say that you never get more than you pay for.
The fact is that any product requires development, and to bring an actual improvement in a manufactured product to market will require R&D costs. If you want a better motor oil, a better dishwasher, a better ammunition, it will not come cheaply...at least not early on.
Once they can produce and sell several million dishwashers or several billion cartridges you may see a break in pricing.
As far as motor oil, the base stock and additive in Mobil 1 are more expensive than WalMart Super Tech oil, so you will never buy Mobil 1 for $1.09 per quart...another example of "you get what you pay for"...
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well, not to look at differences in quality, for the general layman, theres target ammo and self defence ammo
target ammo is:
usually "ball" ammo, aka, full metal jacket FMJ
also, a lot of times you can find even cheaper steel cased ammo compared to brass cased ammo. steel cased ammo cannot be reloaded, and some people feel they feel and extract less reliably than brass
bullets have a weight in grains to them
self defense ammo is:
usually hollow point ammo, aka jacketed hollow point (JHP)
They can be brass cased, but the ones i have are shiny stainless steel
target ammo for 9mm, as an example, can run you from 9.50 to 12.00 to 16 to beyond for a box of 50
self defence ammo, usually costs $1 a round, usually sold in boxes of 20 or 25.
so self defence ammo can run you as much as 4 times the amount target loads can do.
as for the "you get what you pay for"
variances in powder load, burn consistency, bullet weight, etc
can affect velocity and bullet flight path which in the end affects accuracy
for the layman shooting at 7 yards, this is negligible, but for the target shooter shooting a pistol at 25 yards and beyond, this is a factor
target ammo is:
usually "ball" ammo, aka, full metal jacket FMJ
also, a lot of times you can find even cheaper steel cased ammo compared to brass cased ammo. steel cased ammo cannot be reloaded, and some people feel they feel and extract less reliably than brass
bullets have a weight in grains to them
self defense ammo is:
usually hollow point ammo, aka jacketed hollow point (JHP)
They can be brass cased, but the ones i have are shiny stainless steel
target ammo for 9mm, as an example, can run you from 9.50 to 12.00 to 16 to beyond for a box of 50
self defence ammo, usually costs $1 a round, usually sold in boxes of 20 or 25.
so self defence ammo can run you as much as 4 times the amount target loads can do.
as for the "you get what you pay for"
variances in powder load, burn consistency, bullet weight, etc
can affect velocity and bullet flight path which in the end affects accuracy
for the layman shooting at 7 yards, this is negligible, but for the target shooter shooting a pistol at 25 yards and beyond, this is a factor
orionengnr
New member
You are missing the point.
"You get what you pay for" does not refer to accuracy, as 98% of shooters are not capable of taking advantage of the inherent accuracy of the cartridge (or of the pistol, for that matter).
I am referring to the cost of a reliably-expanding hollow point, which is what you are paying for when you buy SD ammo.
Buying Gold Dot, Golden Sabre, or another quality SD ammo is the same as buying Mobil 1 for your car.
Chances are (God willing) you will never need to use it. If you do, it will pay for itself many times over.
The fact is, you need the "good stuff" in your crankcase and in your magazine every day...because you never know when you will need it.
Think of a full-sized domestic van, like the Ford "E" series.
A family would get one with DVD players, a little dinner table, cushy seats, softer suspension, the base engine, etc.
An airport shuttle company owner would have one with 4-5 rows of bench seats, a soft-ish suspension and, if he's nice, the killer air conditioning and heat option.
A plumber would order one with no back seats, black vinyl on the floor up front, no upholstery behind the front seats, no rear windows, very heavy suspension and, maybe, the powerful engine.
The price among these three vans will differ quite a bit.
Note: Forgive me if the above was too much. I was waxing analogously, riding the crest, so to speak. It got away from me.
A family would get one with DVD players, a little dinner table, cushy seats, softer suspension, the base engine, etc.
An airport shuttle company owner would have one with 4-5 rows of bench seats, a soft-ish suspension and, if he's nice, the killer air conditioning and heat option.
A plumber would order one with no back seats, black vinyl on the floor up front, no upholstery behind the front seats, no rear windows, very heavy suspension and, maybe, the powerful engine.
The price among these three vans will differ quite a bit.
Note: Forgive me if the above was too much. I was waxing analogously, riding the crest, so to speak. It got away from me.
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Fishslayer
New member
All of the above.
Then of course, you will find a box of .45ACP Winchester White Box (WWB) for $32/100 at WalMart and the same box for $55/100 at Big 5. IF you find it... That's a different kettle o' fish right there, and a big reason I reload...
Also watch for "plated" vs "jacketed." Plated is a cheaper process. More expensive than plain lead (cast boolits) but a lot cleaner.
Then of course, you will find a box of .45ACP Winchester White Box (WWB) for $32/100 at WalMart and the same box for $55/100 at Big 5. IF you find it... That's a different kettle o' fish right there, and a big reason I reload...
Also watch for "plated" vs "jacketed." Plated is a cheaper process. More expensive than plain lead (cast boolits
) but a lot cleaner.There's also intense local supply and demand at play. It depends what distributors have in your area, and what the retailers are willing to pay, and hence charge you. I know a privately owned local gun shop that pretty much always has stuff less then Dick's Sporting Goods, which is barely a block away, and this is for exactly the same stuff (same rounds in the same packaging).
Same as any consumer goods really.
Same as any consumer goods really.
oneounceload
Moderator
Why are they differently priced? Supply and demand, coupled with costs of materials and manufacturing are the main factors. Local pricing depends on competition
guntotin_fool
New member
OKie, Lets get one thing CLEAR< NEVER ever EVER buy your handgun ammo in boxes of 20. find the dealers who are selling the same ammo in boxes of 5o and buy from them. 20 round boxes are a rip off foisted by some of the big box retailers, and believe me, there is not a PD in country that buys duty ammo in boxes of 20.
If your retailer is only stocking 20 rounders, tell them to order 50 round boxes or you will buy from someone else. This here intraweb thingy lets you order ammo from anywhere, and when you look, you will see boxes of 50 cost the same as the tiny little boxes of 20.
If your retailer is only stocking 20 rounders, tell them to order 50 round boxes or you will buy from someone else. This here intraweb thingy lets you order ammo from anywhere, and when you look, you will see boxes of 50 cost the same as the tiny little boxes of 20.
oneounceload
Moderator
Some of the specialty ammo is not available in 50 round boxes. If you don't like their pricing, load your own
Fishslayer
New member
While on zombie alert at home, the handguns are loaded up with that $20/20 commercial stuff. I also have one 50 box of WWB 230gr JHP (!) and a 100 box of Remington 230gr JHP. Both were pretty cheap and I suppose they'd do the job.
Some of the folks who read gun mags argue a possible legal point of using home rolled SD loads ('So...Mr. 2nd Ammendment... you DELIBERATELY loaded your bullets to be more lethal...")
Whatever. I use the commercial stuff because I'm a reloading n00b and I trust the commercial rounds to go bang when they absolutely, positively have to.
Some of this repeats what others have stated. However, here's a list of why there may be differences in cost in the same caliber:
1. Difference in weight -- a 110 gr. .38 spl bullet costs less than a 158 gr. because there is less metal
2. Type of metal used -- Steel and aluminum casings are less expensive than brass.
3. Extra manufacturing steps -- jacketing a bullet may cost a bit more than an unjacketed bullet. I also understand that the extra manufacturing process for bonded bullets like the Gold Dot and Golden Saber adds a fair amount to the cost.
4. Place of manufacturing -- Labor costs are higher here than in Mexico and Eastern Europe.
5. Quality control -- Major manufacturers have pretty good quality control but for those who want very accurate rounds (little variation in velocity, weight, etc. ), the extra quality control costs money.
6. Supply and demand -- Even when ammo is fairly plentiful, there are certain kinds that are in higher demand, particularly certain brands of premium line bullets which cannot be duplicated by other manufacturers.
1. Difference in weight -- a 110 gr. .38 spl bullet costs less than a 158 gr. because there is less metal
2. Type of metal used -- Steel and aluminum casings are less expensive than brass.
3. Extra manufacturing steps -- jacketing a bullet may cost a bit more than an unjacketed bullet. I also understand that the extra manufacturing process for bonded bullets like the Gold Dot and Golden Saber adds a fair amount to the cost.
4. Place of manufacturing -- Labor costs are higher here than in Mexico and Eastern Europe.
5. Quality control -- Major manufacturers have pretty good quality control but for those who want very accurate rounds (little variation in velocity, weight, etc. ), the extra quality control costs money.
6. Supply and demand -- Even when ammo is fairly plentiful, there are certain kinds that are in higher demand, particularly certain brands of premium line bullets which cannot be duplicated by other manufacturers.
gearchecker
New member
I'd like to add a few more points on the costs.
Advertising dollars adds fair amount of margin to the costs.
Research and development that goes into this ammo substantially adds to the costs.
The liability insurances that an ammo company has to cover, insurance and benefits to their employees all adds up very quickly.
I guess there are a million reasons why it's more or less than any other.
And lastly which has been covered but worth mentioning again.
Big Box stores buy in higher volumes. They have their option of charging less like Walmart does to pass on the savings, or charging more and close to normal market prices to keep their profit margins in a better position. Whenever I can buy the same ammo at Walmart for less money, they get my business every time.
The less expensive ammo is the more I get to shoot it and I like that very much.
Advertising dollars adds fair amount of margin to the costs.
Research and development that goes into this ammo substantially adds to the costs.
The liability insurances that an ammo company has to cover, insurance and benefits to their employees all adds up very quickly.
I guess there are a million reasons why it's more or less than any other.
And lastly which has been covered but worth mentioning again.
Big Box stores buy in higher volumes. They have their option of charging less like Walmart does to pass on the savings, or charging more and close to normal market prices to keep their profit margins in a better position. Whenever I can buy the same ammo at Walmart for less money, they get my business every time.
The less expensive ammo is the more I get to shoot it and I like that very much.