wow ! ... the cost ....

[Digger]

Okay , I have been ignoring ammo prices for the most part as most of us do , we pay attention to component prices .....
Never thought any thing about it since doing the hobby for the last few years but I was in Wally world tonight , dropped by the ammo shelves , noticed they are still looking somewhat sparse and looked closely at what they had in forty ...three different brands from about 20 to 22 dollars for fifty , give or take ...

talk about being out of touch as some of you talk about this on occasion .
I will be honest and got into reloading thinking to save a bit but we all know how that has worked out.
Currently , I load my forty for about 8 to 10 cents a round .... with one of Miha's beautiful hp molds , by now I figured I have paid for most of my reloading equipment ..
Besides it has been so much fun being in the dark ...:razz: ... with today's ammo prices !

[Vulcan Bob]

I know what you mean! Saw a box of 50, .45 Colt 250gr RNL ammo I think it was PMC brand, $49.95! Egad, I'm sure glad I can turn out mine for under three bucks a box.

[GRUMPA]

I'm like the OP and rarely get to see current store prices on ammo. I went into town last week and stopped at the LGS and still......mostly dust where boxes once were. Keep in mind the town is small, 1 store........hardly any inventory. I noticed CCI 357mag (Forget what spec) but they were the shoot once aluminum rounds.......$42 a box. I don't really take note since I've loaded my own for years and years.

I found out a very long time ago........what I make is better, cheaper, and far more rewarding than just opening my wallet and plunking down cash for factory ammo.

[inspector_17]

All my equipment is paid for with savings from reloading. Wife leaves me alone, I get to melt metal, and make things that go bang when I pull the trigger. All together a great hobby.

[Kraschenbirn]

Noticed a couple real *bargains* at our local Farm & Fleet (imagine a Target store with some livestock, garden, and fence supplies). How 'bout $489.50 for a carton of 1000 loose Federal .223s (55 gr FMJs)? Or, $49.95/100 for American Eagle (white box) .223s? Then, this morning at the range, I pick close to 100 once-fired commercial .223s out of the grass alongside our concrete firing line. More money than brains, I guess? Or, maybe, just too lazy to care.

Bill

[HollandNut]

The last factory stuff I bought was in 2007 when I got the 480 , bought 100 rounds of Buffalo Bore on sale for $1.89 per round , now they are over $3 each .. That was the first factory I have bought since the mid '70's

[sigep1764]

I used a Xmas bonus to buy most of my reloading stuff, so I considered that "found" money. So far this year, I've reloaded over 6000 rounds with 3000 of them being my own cast boolits. I think I was able to afford half that for the entire 2013 year. And its only May...

[gmsharps]

When factory 45 ammo went to $6 per fifty I said enough is enough and started reloading my own and have not looked back. I had 10 of my 21 years in the military that we could not do our annual qualification do to no ammo available for support folk let alone any training during the year. To stay somewhat proficient I purchased my own AR 15 and built my 45 from parts. AR parts were tough to come by in those days. Of course I loaded my own ammo. If you have looked at some of the shooters at the range these days you do not want them reloading their ammo. They just do not have enough sense to for this sort of task. Loading ammo is not for everyone as it takes time money interest and a bit of common sense.

gmsharps

[BruceB]

Take a look at some of the "cutting-edge" top-of-the-line defensive pistol ammo, and the prices quoted so far in this thread are LOW.

I recently re-equipped myself with a new RugerLC9 for concealed carry, and of course bought a variety of high-grade defensive ammunition to test the functioning of the new pistola.

Most of the "good stuff" in 9mm costs almost two dollars PER ROUND. It's a necessary expense however.... who would want to carry a defensive pistol WIThOUT testing it with the chosen ammo? One more reason for liking revolvers, I suppose.

Then there's that .416 Rigby in my rack.... it has fired over 2000 rounds now, and it's never even SEEN a factory load. Midway is asking from $5 to $10 PER ROUND for .416 Rigby..... maybe that has something to do with it? My cast-bullet loads run about fifteen CENTS to enjoy that horsepower.

[knifemaker]

I also reload for my son after he had to pay almost 70 bucks for a box of 20 rounds for his 300 weatherby last year. The only factory ammo I have bought in the past 10 years have been 22 rimfire and several boxes of 380 cal. defensive hollowpoint loads as that is one caliber I do not reload. I reload 7 pistol calibers and 9 rifle calibers.

[spfd1903]

Never would have bought a .44 Magnum pistol, except I have a boolit mold (only one so far) for it. I have had to buy brass of course, but the LGS in the area sell 50 round boxes for $43 to $48. Never bought the ammo, just the brass.

[Cmm_3940]

Last time I looked was about a year ago. I wanted to get a box of .45ACP 230gr JHPs for my EDC gun. None to be found. The closest I found (didn't buy) was ONE box of 50 185gr reduced recoil loads left on the shelf at a local store for $50.

[jetinteriorguy]

Hah, try buying .41 mag ammo. Anywhere from $75.00-$90.00 for a box of 50, if you can find it. Gotta love reloading.

[srd]

I have been reloading for almost 30 years now due to the fact I did not want to pay the prices back then. Started with a used RCBS jr single stage from a garage sale for 8.00 which i still have. My wife asked me 3 years later what I wanted for Christmas and I told her a Lee Turret Press which I still have. Anybody remember when Midway had their own head stamped brass ? I still have some in 44 mag. Yes I am an old fart . Still love reloading and bullet casting !! I have taught countless people to reload and cast their own. Including both my sons and especially one of my daughters who taught her husband this enjoyable past time. The more people we can teach how to reload and cast properly the better off we all are. In my opinion of course. Stephen

[762 shooter]

Welcome srd.

762

[44man]

The last factory ammo I bought was for my new .44, back in 56, because brass could not be bought yet. I had the mold, powder and primers before the gun showed up in the mail. Yep, in the mail from Kliens Sporting Goods in Chicago to Cleveland.
Now, if we could load those pesky .22's!

[dondiego]

I have been reloading for almost 30 years now due to the fact I did not want to pay the prices back then. Started with a used RCBS jr single stage from a garage sale for 8.00 which i still have. My wife asked me 3 years later what I wanted for Christmas and I told her a Lee Turret Press which I still have. Anybody remember when Midway had their own head stamped brass ? I still have some in 44 mag. Yes I am an old fart . Still love reloading and bullet casting !! I have taught countless people to reload and cast their own. Including both my sons and especially one of my daughters who taught her husband this enjoyable past time. The more people we can teach how to reload and cast properly the better off we all are. In my opinion of course. Stephen

Funny you should mention Midway head stamped brass. I was looking in a closet and found a box that contained .357 Midway stamped brass that I had loaded years ago in the late 70's or early 80's. I am shooting that ammo right now and it is working just fine. It was loaded with Win. 296 and some Remington jacketed bullets. About 500 of them! That Midway stamped brass was made by Starline I do believe.

Don

[NVScouter]

Check out Safari grade ammo if you want a shock! 300WBY is going from $65-90/box and 375H&H is $55-$150 a box. If that scares you dont look at .458WINMAG

[Hickok]

Kinda' reminds me of the question, "would you carry cast boolit reloads for self defense?"

Yep, because it is all I have for my pistols and revolvers!

I am not going to pay the blackmail prices for ammo when I can use the money to buy a boolit mold.

As for rimfire .22's being hard to get, I am in the process of getting a .22 Hornet, some molds, and that will be my affordable-shooting squirrel/pest/plinking rifle!

[tomme boy]

I buy very little factory ammo. 12 ga. slugs for deer hunting. And 380 ammo for carry for the old lady. Everything else is my reloads. I have not bought anything else since 1994. I do keep an eye on ammo prices though. Its crazy what people are paying.

I go to the local public ranges and pick up brass all the time. It is amazing the amount I can pick up. It helps me to be able to buy all of my components to shoot. I have noticed that there are A LOT more people that are reloading though. It used to be very rare to run into another person that reloaded. It seems not that it is about 1 in 10 that reloads here.

[dakotashooter2]

My first handgun, which I bought about 1981, was a .41 mag. Even back then factory lead was about $20 a box IF I could find it.. At the time I could load it for about $3 a box. With my own cast bullets I'm loading for $7-$8 a box. I couldn't afford to shoot it if I didn't reload.

All my SD guns carry reloaded ammo, jacketed and cast. For one I don't have to worry about the cost of practicing and function tests with the same ammo I am going to use for SD, it's all the same. I guess I'd rather become profficient with a "good" bullet than adequate with a "perfect bullet"

If the availability and price of .22 ammo stays where it is at much longer I suspect we may see some of the .22 center fires make a comeback.


Hah, try buying .41 mag ammo. Anywhere from $75.00-$90.00 for a box of 50, if you can find it. Gotta love reloading.

[Changeling]

I am now wondering (AGAIN) how many of you guys think the amo shortage is due to individuals buying it and reselling it? If you still believe this there is something terribly wrong with you're thinking or you simply don't want to admit the truth!
Ask yourself the following questions:
1. Before Obomination, what was the cost of .22 amo or any other amo, or for that matter reloading products/guns/anythig firearm related?
2. Do you believe the drought in parts of the US has caused this?
3. Take a guess on how many rounds of .22 amo was used per year before Abomination. Do you sincerely believe the Government has bought up all the .22 amo for training purposes relative to that, and is continuing to do so?
4. Powder/primers/lead, have been raised in price continually from the begining of Obomination, is it "GREED" or Obomination, or both!

5. My interests lie in being able to shoot and hunt! My beliefs are that the Government under Democratic control has made a direct and deliberate advance into my liberties with the sole purpose of changing the constituation to there beliefs!
If this happens, there will no longer be a constitution of any sorts but a country that is open for SALE!

For Gods sake please start writing your Congressman and the up coming election canditates asking DIRECTLY what there positions are and definitely requesting a response in writing! Remember he/she is there to serve you, not the other way around!!!!!!!!!!

Some of you guys are my friends, some not! But one thing is for sure, if you don't start thinking/doing this web site will seace to exist

I know I keep bending your guys ears, but I don't think many have any idea what the Democratic party is trying to do! Please STOP and think!

Now time for the "Ringers" they love to explain how they are not to blaim, and I just don't understand (Yea RIGHT)!!!

[DeanWinchester]

All my equipment is paid for with savings from reloading. Wife leaves me alone, I get to melt metal, and make things that go bang when I pull the trigger. All together a great hobby.


How the he!! did you make THAT happen? The rest of us need to know man!!!

[FLHTC]

Talk about being out of touch. I went to buy two tires for my truck and with being mounted, balanced and the disposal fee for the old tires, the bill topped $600

[whisler]

Yea, but there is no inflation. Yeah, right!

[Digger]

Yes , who would have thought that someday we would wind up shooting the basic handload calibers cheaper
than 22 !..:veryconfu

[rintinglen]

Yes , who would have thought that someday we would wind up shooting the basic handload calibers cheaper
than 22 !..:veryconfuOnly too true!! the last 22 lr I saw were 100 packs of CCI for 7.99. My 32-20 or 32 S&W Longs cost me less than $6.00/100. Even my 38 wadcutters cost less. Who'd a thunk it?

[rintinglen]

Yes , who would have thought that someday we would wind up shooting the basic handload calibers cheaper
than 22 !..:veryconfuOnly too true!! the last 22 lr I saw were 100 packs of CCI for 7.99. My 32-20 or 32 S&W Longs cost me less than $6.00/100. Even my 38 wadcutters cost less. Who'd a thunk it?

[Garyshome]

223 at wal mart $13/20 or $15/30 brass cased. Picket up some TAC today for $18.75/lb at the LGS!

[Garyshome]

Any time I get a New caliber I try to buy some factory ammo, then comes the reloading stuff!

[TXGunNut]

Been buying too many moulds, tools and components lately. Can't afford to save any more money right now. ;-)

[Iowa Fox]

Thanks to the old timers that lured me to the dark side almost 55 years ago. May they RIP as none are left. In the last 55 years good reloading equipment has not depreciated if it has been taken care of. Not only did they teach me to reload they told me that during the second world war the only people shooting were the reloaders. How about rationing back then? Gas, sugar, tires, meat, repair parts.

[Harter66]

Yea , my big cheese Rep is Hari Reid,but thanks for suggesting I waste the pixals much less ink.

I stroked out when 45 Colts jumped from 19 to 38 a box about 10 yr ago. Hornady dropped the bullet I've shot for nearly 20yr in all the 30 cals. and due to devlopement problem I was forced to buy a box of 308 $23/20 Herters/by S&B and 222 Federal Hy-Shock at $19.50/20.
2 yr ago I scored 5 boxes of 38 on a clearance at 12.50//box ,it gave me an even 1k Federal 38 spl. A buddy just bragged he bought 357s at just $24/box .

Now if I could just find 5k or so CCI LRP to go w/the brand new 8# of 4350....

[fredj338]

Casting my own, I reload all the service calibers for 4c-5c each at today's prices. Casting & reloading saves me literal $1000 of $$$ annually vs factory.

[Silverboolit]

The problem may be that your money is worth less than it was not so long ago. Especially on imports. The co. that I work with just took a 33% uptick on the parts that they import from Europe.

[Leadmelter]

Did we ever hear the reason that every powder maker is suddenly out of powder? Or.
Is it like the petroleum companies that raise their prices by $.02 and every station does the same?
Why do suppliers not monitor these sites and see what is being said about their business.
Is it like crack, they know we are hooked ?
Leadmelter
MI

[starmac]

Been buying too many moulds, tools and components lately. Can't afford to save any more money right now. ;-)

Saving all that money do get expensive, don't it. lol

[Cmm_3940]

Funny you should mention Midway head stamped brass. I was looking in a closet and found a box that contained .357 Midway stamped brass that I had loaded years ago in the late 70's or early 80's. I am shooting that ammo right now and it is working just fine. It was loaded with Win. 296 and some Remington jacketed bullets. About 500 of them! That Midway stamped brass was made by Starline I do believe.

Don

Back in the 80's, Dad bought a bunch of Midway-stamped loaded .357 ammo from Midway. It was a good deal at the time. IIRC, they were loaded HOT. Dad still has a bunch of the brass.

[samwithacolt]

A lee mold costs less than a box of jwords. A no brainer. I could'nt afford to shoot, esp 9.3x62 or 45-70, if I had to buy factory. My plain based .40 and .38spl cost .22lr prices. Loaded with range lead, range brass and light loads of Unique, I got some pretty cheap shooting. A lot of credit for that comes from this site!

[inspector_17]

The old saying "Out of sight Out of mind" really works lol. If she doesn't see me she can't give me anything to do. So I go to my shed with my mp3/radio player and stay out of the way.

[Lead Fred]

Garrett charges $80 bucks for his 45/70 mean maamer jammers.

I make the same round for about 25 cents a round

Sure pays to be a cheapskate

[rhead]

How the he!! did you make THAT happen? The rest of us need to know man!!!

A careful vetting process before the commitment works best. A minor problem that arises is that the women who pass this process tend to appropriate the occasional firearm for their own use.

Unfortunately women are as hard to change as men. trying is a loosing proposition.

[762 shooter]

Posted this on another thread about powder selling for $100/pound on an auction site.



Reality dose.

At $100 per pound for Powder cost per round for 20 grains is $0.29.
Bullet... say $0.25.
Primer $0.03.

$0.57 per reload.

Midway has 300 ACC blackout ammo for sale for $30 for 20 + shipping = at least $1.50/round.

So if primers and bullets remain relatively constant, reloading is still economical when powder is $100/lb. :shock:

762

[Land Owner]

It is the constant of reused and cheap cast components that drives reloading to be significantly cheaper than factory ammo. Consider at least 10 reloads per case and boolits of WW's/lead/tin, most of which can be obtained for free. The moulds and stuff we use to melt, pour, and form the boolits are quickly amortized over the 10's of thousands of boolits cast.

The expendables of primer and powder are the drivers of increased unit cost. Buy low, sell high, and don't forget what you are doing in the meantime.

[Forrest r]

Not much of a benchmark but I've always compared my reloading costs (pistol/revolver) to the costs of blammo ammo 22lrs. Sometimes it's more, sometimes it's less. Right now wal-mart sell their blammo ammo in 22lr for around $.05 apiece, I can easily reload 38spl's, 357's, 44spl's, 44mags, 9mm & 45acps with either cast or swaged boolits for that.

I hate to see these high prices on ammo. It's keeping allot of new shooters from enjoying the great shooting sports that are out there due to the cost. The last quality match 22lr ammo (eley 10x) I bought was only $700 a case (5000 rounds) but blammo ammo was $79+ tax a case (5500 rounds @ wal-mart) back then. Now eley 10x is around $1900 a case (5000 rounds).

[44man]

Obamanation and the EPA have imposed so many restrictions and taxes that any company has trouble. The EPA even caused the only lead company to close so lead needs bought from Mexico or somewhere else. Copper and brass are out of sight.
I also believe the gov't is at fault. The local gun store can't stay in business with nothing to sell. No sense buying a gun if there is no ammo to shoot.
I don't know where the powder is going. Most is imported so is the Gov't putting so many restrictions on imports that there is none?
Democrats have found a way to the back door.
Shooters in Russia can get what we can't.
Laws mean nothing under obumbler, look at the black woman that voted 6 times for him, she is not in jail. A Federal offense not pursued.
We can only vote but the cemetery will vote for democrats. Me, I want a cruise missile.
Call me a "birther" but the half black SOB was not born in the USA. He is here to destroy our country.
Damned right, I am a republican and proud of it. Notice the last letters of the word and also many like American. It is "I can" but democrats is "rats."

[popper]

I am surprised by the large quantity of standard ammo (308,30/30,9.40,45) and reasonable $15-30/20 rifle & $25-40/50 pistol @ Cabelas, Academy. Local WW even has reasonable stock. I think they are overstocked and have to move it. I don't expect it to stay low long. Now if we can get the powder pipeline back to normal - should be pretty soon. Kind of like the rain here - none for a long time, deluge, then back to normal, I hope.

[Texantothecore]

I was looking for 45acp in January and pulled a box off the shelf for 24.95.

20 rounds!

I haven't bought factory ammo since 2006 and it was quite a shock. It is extremely unlikely that I will ever buy factory in the future as I have switched over to black powder and am nearly free of dependence on the gun industry for any supplies.

[Harter66]

The mat'l are being produced, packed, shipped and stocked. I was sure there was a production date but not on this can. I picked this up last month, but I was ''outside my normal travel circles'' by about 1600 mi. As you can see it had been in store for more than 2 months .

56000/44=1272.72 , 195/1272=.1575, round numbers 2 bits a shot for 308,06',7x57 and their cousins . About half that for 6.8 and x39. Go saving money (so I can get to amortising 3 new moulds).

104770104773




That's a price tag $182.?? 1/14 on an 8# 4350

[dakotashooter2]

To me it seems that the prices have to be demand driven. Materials cost increases just don't seem to be that significant. Take primers for example. How much brass in in a brick of primers, a 1/2 pound? The amount of priming compound is also miniscule. Even a significant increase in raw materials should only result in increases of a fraction of a cent per primer. Same with bullets. Is there a penny's worth of copper in a jacketed bullet? There is probably around 2# of lead in a box of 150 grain bullets. Even a $1 increase in the cost of lead would only add 1 cent each to the materials cost of those bullets yet many have doubled in retail. The only real explanation for increases in costs seems to be a significant increase in manufacturing costs (outside of materials) or as stated earlier demand driven prices.

I'd question that the military is tapping from the .22 rimfire supply. Why? In the quantities they buy they can probably get 5.56 for the same price as the current .22 market. As for the price of .22 the above would also apply.

Keep in mind that the anti crowd has always claimed if they couldn't get the guns they would get the ammo.

Even the supply and demand issues don't make sense. The number of shooters has definately increased but not by a margin that ammo producers shouldn't be able to keep up with, even accounting for hoarding.

[dondiego]

I have read that they are producing .22 ammo at the same rate as they always have but since there is little to no profit in bulk .22 ammo they are not about to spend money to retool and increase production of an item that is not very profitable and may even be in a bubble situation.

[44man]

My opinion is that a democrat can break any law but a republican will have his cows shot if they ate a blade of grass on Fed land. Feds do not own land, it belongs to us. The white house belongs to us. State parks belong to us. We paid for them. The gov't has no money of it's own.
Camp on a state park and you will get a ticket. You need to go to an area and pay.
Hunters and sporting goods buyers have paid for most yet we are restricted for use. I don't mean to destroy anything, use respect for the land and animals.
People are animals though and to see trash thrown out of cars or left in the woods means regulations.
I will always remember we we went to a PA game lands parking area. Garbage dump so we got plastic bags to clean it up. Game warden came and asked what we were doing. I told him "cleaning this place". He seen our Ohio plates and could not believe it. We made a friend for life.
We shot at a farm in Ohio and were coming out with bags of shot cans and bottles. Game warden came after hearing the shooting. Wanted to know what was in the bags, told him our targets and he could not believe we cleaned up.
It is up to you to protect lands and waters. They belong to us. Public shooting ranges are a mess from pigs. Half my time at ranges was spent cleaning after pigs. Is it any wonder why we have regulations?
Things go wrong and creeps dump on our private roads. I find the names in the trash, call the law and nothing is done. I have called people that dumped with threats of the law and they came back to clean the trash. Red necks drive down with kids in the back of the pickup to toss out tires, nice thing to teach kids.
We live on private roads with a wonderful old limestone quarry with wonderful water. Someone put it on the net and creeps trespass all the time, even a plate on a truck from Alaska. They trash it big time.
You see it is people that cause the problem. The reason for laws but not enforced for some. Some are too special because of how they vote.
Look up the Bakerton Quarry but stay out unless you come here so I can take you down. Eat a Big Mack and drop the bag, you will be gone in a flash.
The great thing is I do not see any of you doing that. All are welcome at my home.

[Forrest r]

THANKYOU 44MAN!!!!!

Spoken like a true Ohioian, been putting up with it on Lake Erie for decades.

[Big Steve]

My handloading/casting skills and supplies will be my legacy to my children and grandchidren. I have always kept a healthy supply of components on hand. I stock as heavy as I can and I can tell you from experience that powder and primers will keep for decades. Most if my expendable income goes to supplies. This is not easy on my income. I am a deputy, my oldest son is a deputy, and my youngest son is a soldier in the 101st Airborne.

I have taught them to handload and even though our jobs afford us a lot of opportunities to train and shoot for free, we always want more. My 2 daughters, unfortunately, show no interest, but I am already teaching my grandchildren these skills.

I hope to leave them a good amount of supplies when I go, enough guns, ammunition, and reloading components and equipment to last them long after I am gone. In these uncertain times I am worried about availability for them in the future.

With casting/handloading skills and equipment they should be able to take care of themselves for many years to come. Of course, I ain't planning on going anywhere anytime soon.

[Digger]

Excellent foresight there Big Steve , as time goes on , I am sure the family will appreciate it more and more.

[dh2]

I have took this bad habit of reloading to a new level over the past 10 years with the help of a friend in the gun smith business of building my own Rifles defiantly a time and money killer, It took me nearly two years to complete a 98 Mauser Charles Daily in .280 Rem. AI (Nosler version) one box of ammo to test this new toy $50.00 for a box of 20 rounds of Nosler ammo,
needless to say this rifle like the rest of mine will never again see a round that did not come from my reloading press.
every round of factory ammo I have bought in the last 10 years has been to test a new build, and I plain on it staying that way as long as I am shooting.

[TXGunNut]

I shot up $40 worth (2 boxes) of 45 acp ammo in a matter of minutes just before this last "crisis" and decided that wasn't going to happen again. I generally just cast for rifles and BP revolvers but there's a Dillon on my bench and brass en masse under it so all I needed was a mould. I won't be buying 45acp ammo for a looooong time. ;-)

[jonp]

I buy factory self defense rounds. Everything else I load myself. Nothing like going to.the range where everyone is putting one box on the bench and you unload 10 or 15 of varios types and the guns to match. For the same price

[sigep1764]

I buy factory self defense rounds. Everything else I load myself. Nothing like going to.the range where everyone is putting one box on the bench and you unload 10 or 15 of varios types and the guns to match. For the same price

The range I go to always checks outside ammo for steel cores. I laugh every time I hand them my backpack. It prolly weighs around fifty or sixty pounds with my ammo and guns.

[Eagle66]

I guess I got very, very lucky. I bought a Ruger SR40 at Scheels a couple of weeks ago. While I was at it, I got a box of 100 Winchester 165gr FMJ for $35.95 so I would have something to shoot when I stopped at the range on the way home and until the moulds, sizer dies, reloader dies, etc I ordered came in. A week later, I went back for some new brass. $32.95 / 100. Mama never raised a fool, so I passed on the new brass and got another box of ammo. The way I look at it, for $3 more I get a hundred primers, powder, bullets, someone else's assembly labor, and 100 once-fired brass to reload. Like I said, VERY, VERY lucky. If you have a Scheels in your neighborhood, get over there quick.

Oh, my moulds, etc came in so now I can load my brass with respectable boolits.

[Digger]

"so now I can load my brass with respectable boolits" ... there you go ! ... like your train of thought there Eagle66 !

[44man]

Gouging by stores is also there, the harder to get stuff, the more it will cost you because the store has to show a profit. There is some truth to the massive gun sales since Obumbler got in so there is a massive demand that factories can't keep up with.
You should see how they gouge for gas around here. I need to keep cans of gas for the lawnmowers, etc. Why do I have to pay road tax when you can buy off road diesel? Fill cans, go home and fill your truck. I live near Harpers Ferry, tourist traps with the racetrack and gambling so they see out of state drivers. Higher prices all around.
Ammo companies are afraid to expand and hire more, more costs for Obumbler care, etc. If the bubble busts, they will be stuck. I hear Rem is building a new factory though. CCI and others are working around the clock.
Still most points to gov't control, look at the EPA and lead, they found we make boolits from the stuff and Californication seen a dead bird so you need bullets that cost 100X more.
Wind power kills more birds then boolits ever will. A cow might step on a turtle. A minnow made the water supply be cut off in Californiation so fruit will cost more. Future desert there now. Blame it on global warming.
Cutting the rain forest and India and China are ruining the earth but the Gov't wants us to pay. Carbon tax is burnt gunpowder in the next war. Fires and volcanoes get off free. Now they want us to stop burning wood for heat.
I remember when you could not breath in Cleveland, air was red and ate paint off houses and cars. The river caught fire and Lake Erie was a cesspool. All the steel mills in the flats are gone now so China has to supply us. Ford had a foundry that would kill and also bought hundreds of tons of salt for the county to put on roads to eat up cars so they could sell more cars. Ford got steel from out of country and the rolls were solid rust, they made cars from it.
Chevy in Brookpark rebuilt to new machines made in japan so they removed the tags that said so.
If you worked for Chevy, you were not allowed to park a Jap car in the lot.
Under the Clark avenue bridge was a swamp, full of frogs, salamanders and snakes. They made it a dump to fill it. City gov't and graft by those elected. I grew up in Cleveland and even back then Kucinich was a spoiled brat, made fun of, now he is in Washington.

[Blanco]

So are the shortages of reloading supplies real or are the manufacturers holding back to inflate prices. I see a bunch of people are reloading now, but someone would have to be hoarding thousands of pounds of powder.... dont understand it. I yearn for the good old days!

[Texantothecore]

Several factors are at play in the ammo run up:

The number of shooters has dramatically increased over the past 5 years. At least 20% and perhaps as much as 35% increase. That is a massive increase in a market that is usually very stable and predictable in detail.

Investing in new equipment is wildly expensive and the companies are only now beginning to actively pursue this.

Questions to be answered:
Will the noobies begin shooting when ammo the price comes down. Probably yes. As a range officer replied to me after I had remarked recently that the range was crowded:

"These are only the people who can afford to shoot. You can imagine what it would be like if all those who wanted to shoot came once a month."

Basically hundreds more on any Saturday.

Many people are buying up cheap ammo and reselling it. Which is fine.

My own contribution to the return of ammo prices to normal is to buy no factory rounds but reload every round shot.

I have given all my 22lr rounds to family members as they need it to protect their flock of chickens and I have stopped shooting 22lr. I will be purchasing a new barrel for my handi rifle, probably .357, and will simply use roundball in place of the elusive 22lr. I have no further interest in that round. I am done with it.


Another related question is whether the expansion of the shooting public is a sea change in the culture or is merely the most recent incarnation of the Pet Rock syndrome, something cool and trendy. My own feeling is that it is a real sea change and demand will continue to be high for all things gun related.

A recent poll came as a surprise to everyone when Gallup (?) Asked millenials whether they planned on owning guns in the future. 73% said yes, a truly astonishing number compared to the same age group in the past. As the economy starts to improve I think we will see many new shooters come on board as their discretionary income improves with new, decent jobs. And I hope that ammo manufacturers will be able to keep up with demand although it may take a while to build new facilities to handle the demand.


So, just a few comments.

[Harter66]

44,
you touch on a point . I live in a junction town on a north/south artirial hiway 1 of only 9 on the 450 mi run between Las Vegas and Reno 100 south gas is just $3.75 . 70 north its 3.70 but here in my happy little burg its 4.25. But then 2 families of western Asian decent own all 4 stations. Kinda makes ya go hummmm,no?

As for the ammo and components for 4 yr I couldn't find SPP now that's all thats on the shelves, and as a special bonus they're only 29.95/k instead of as high as 46/k. The trade of is that there are few to no #10 or11 caps and when there are LRP they're $4/100 and there's not enough to buy a K. I am finding the odd from time to time now which means the seasonal runs of 250 and 300 Savage are happening which tells me the ammo plants are still running their ''schedule'' lots 223 is lingering on the shelves along w/x39. When/where there is 308 there is usually a choice of bullets and even brands. The Mags 7mm/300/338/8mm/350 have even been seen around. Its not like the last time when I stopped by a Wal-mart ammo counter stocked w/45 boxes of 45-70 and 38 boxes of 45 Colts both at prices I'd never pay.

[Catshooter]

Remember, as bad as the shortages have been, it could be worse.

I have read some of the old timers remark that during WW II no one could buy powder, primers, brass or firearms. None. Zero.

More than four years of that. Might do to keep that in mind.


Cat

[starmac]

I don't know about powder and primers during ww11, but I do know ammo, along with a lot of everything was rationed including foodstuffs, even car tires and parts. People would go slap nuts if those conditions ever hit again. They even quit building fords for a while, I'm not sure about GM.

[Digger]

Dropped by Sportsmans Wharehouse and browsed about ...Federal brand .308 ...$22.00 for twenty !
Wow ! , just over a dollar a pull ....
Makes my home spun loads golden .....

[BigAl52]

Im lucky. Im a member of a local indoor range they sell ammo there cheaper than any of the stores. Can buy 22 mag for 11.00 a box and find it. 41 mag is like 28.00 a box. But I still reload. I enjoy it Al.

[Catshooter]

I read an article by Skeeter Skelton where he was talking about his new .38 special S&W. This was during the war. It was impossible, flat out couldn't be done to find ammo for it in the store.

He found a guy who would sell him reloads for, if I recall correctly a dollar a round. (!)

He said some of them would shoot as far as a city block.

That is what propelled him into reloading.


Cat