Will price of lead and brass go down?

[Ken]

when this war ends? Seems like we are blameing the high cost of components on the war. Same thing happened in past wars. Prices went down after the war ended and demand went down.
Think it will happen again?

[cohutt]

Bringing india and china out of the stone ages has bigger impact- ammunition is less than 6-7% of the worlds lead consumption. Batteries account for something like 90%-

So i'd say probably not unless every chinaman decides riding a yak beats an automobile.

http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/lead/mcs-2008-lead.pdf

[pumpguy]

Probably, but, not for a while. China is still growing at such an alarming rate, the war will probably not have any real affect. We'll see.

[mooman76]

I think it will come down eventually. Maybe not the same as it was but with the prices of metals I see the industry mining more. Some mines shut down in the past because they weren't cost effective but with the prices of metals high they can afford to mine more!

[mike in co]

not likely.
too much copper going to wire china. moving into the modern times take lots of copper wire! the put in two large hydro-electric power plants.....now they gotta get the "power to the people"..lol.
like the man said battaries take lead...even if just a litlle..it all adds up.
the price i get for my scrap brass went up 10% in one month......that is significant.

mike

[pdawg_shooter]

If I knew for sure and when it was coming I would sell short, get rich, and spend all my time casting, reloading and shooting !!!!

[lathesmith]

You mean to say you think this war is actually going to end?

[38 Super Auto]

Bringing india and china out of the stone ages has bigger impact- ammunition is less than 6-7% of the worlds lead consumption.

I think China'a growth is going to have to slow down. I don't think their industrialization rate is sustainable. I read that China is already "offshoring" work to Laos and Vietnam due to these regions' lower labor rate.

I think capitalist forces will find more sources for these semi-precious metals and find more efficient methods of mining and producing same. As the price rises, there is more incentive for new exploration and manufacturing techniques. It has always worked that way in free markets, unless the govt tries to monkey with free markets (example ethanol from corn) Sometimes, it takes a little time. :roll:

[jahela]

http://www.lme.co.uk/lead_graphs.asp
Currently the price is falling.
But still not for us consumers...

[Ken]

interesting thanks

[Leftoverdj]

What war?

A reckless foreign adventure involving less than 200,000 against an undefined and barely existent "enemy" ain't a war and ain't big enough to have a serious impact on lead and brass prices. (Affects loaded ammo prices some, but that's manufacturing capacity, not raw materials.)

The unbacked borrowing to fund those reckless foreign adventures does have an effect. Value of the dollar is sharply down, driving the prices of everything imported sharply up. That is not going away any time soon.

[Irascible]

unless you hit a sale it's never again going to be cheaper then now. Gas prices go down and then back up to a higher price, the same will happen on everything. Like Grits Gresham used to say on his Satellite radio show. "Prices will never be as cheap as they are now. Stock up as much as you can"

[kjg]

AMEN to that, stock up now as much as you can fellas

[JSnover]

I think China'a growth is going to have to slow down. I don't think their industrialization rate is sustainable. I read that China is already "offshoring" work to Laos and Vietnam due to these regions' lower labor rate.

I think capitalist forces will find more sources for these semi-precious metals and find more efficient methods of mining and producing same. As the price rises, there is more incentive for new exploration and manufacturing techniques. It has always worked that way in free markets, unless the govt tries to monkey with free markets (example ethanol from corn) Sometimes, it takes a little time. :roll:

Both statements are true. Economists call this "the catch-up effect," when an underdeveloped country undergoes a period of rapid industrial and economic growth. Some aspects are a little scary (the Chinese financing so much of our debt, for instance) but they will stabilize at some point. Then they can enjoy a good old-fashioned Western-style Recession!

[Shiloh]

Metals are a commodity and prices fluctuate as the supply and demand ebbs and flows. Yes it will eventually comedown as substitution of materials takes place and demand changes. With the supply, demand, and substitution of materials taking place, markets will reach a correction and equilibrium. Lets not forget that the decaying value of a dollar affects the prices also. Prices usually settle a little higher though.

Several years ago it was just barely more money to buy 9mm ammo new than to reload it with bulk components. Plus you got new reloadable brass. Not so any more!! I'm glad I stocked up on components when they were cheap. Midway used to sell bulk Winchester 9mm ball on sale for about $35 a thousand. Bartlett had Israeli 9mm hollow base for about the same. Look at the price now!! Availability is also shaky.
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=245032&t=11082005

Shiloh :castmine:

[mike in co]

lets start with your last statement first.
"Sometimes you gotta wonder if democracy is such a good idea. "
i must assume you went to public school.
you do not live in a democracy......you live in a republic, a republic of 50 states.
so not real sure about your tag line. no democracy is not a good idea, because simple majority wins.( think men vs women)

What war?

A reckless foreign adventure involving less than 200,000 against an undefined and barely existent "enemy" ain't a war and ain't big enough to have a serious impact on lead and brass prices. (Affects loaded ammo prices some, but that's manufacturing capacity, not raw materials.)

The unbacked borrowing to fund those reckless foreign adventures does have an effect. Value of the dollar is sharply down, driving the prices of everything imported sharply up. That is not going away any time soon.
__________________
Sometimes you gotta wonder if democracy is such a good idea. "

if you dont think the shooting over seas has had a affect on the price of brass...just look at what once fired 223/5.56 brass currently sells for.......$60 to $70 or more per 1000.
5 years ago i paid 30 a 1000 for UNFIRED MIL BRASS.

mike

[MT Gianni]

Researchers Report 40 Percent Gains in Thermoelectricity … Boston College and MIT researchers say they have utilized compressed nanoparticles of bismuth antimony telluride to produce 40-percent gains in the efficiency of heat and power conductivity, the Boston Globe reported. The gains over other materials that used the thermoelectric effect to switch power into heat were credited to an improved movement by electrons in the nanoparticles while the flow of heat was restricted. Thermoelectricity had been used in the space shuttle and in air cooling systems, but material inefficiency had prevented its broader use. [EEI, 03/25]

I don't see metal prices getting a major drop soon. Gianni

[Leftoverdj]

Mike, there's a considerable difference between brass, the metal, and brass, the cartridge casings. We've been talking about metal prices. As I noted, military demand has placed pressure on manufacturing capacity, but is a very minor factor in metal prices.

My tag line is my usual one, and has been for some time. It was not selected for that post, but reflects my view that most people are idiots. That opinion is reinforced daily.

[felix]

Democracy only works when everyone is on an equal footing as individually perceived. Therefore, a "good" Dictator is our only hope, collectively and individually. ... felix

[rusty shackelford]

hopefully the price of nato rounds will go down
but that is unlikely

rusty

[Sundogg1911]

I just got back from Shanghai. Our plant there doubled in size in the last 3 years. I can't believe the amount of change and growth there in one year since i was there. It's still hard to get a car there. kind of a lottery as to who qualifys for one and you have to prove you have somewhere to park it which rules out a lot of people. It's pretty cool to see people working 5 stories up on bamboo scaffolding though