Store Front Gun Stores are ripping off the shooting public!!

[cajun shooter]

I like many of you have never seen in my lifetime when I could not go into my local gas station, grocery store, hardware store and purchase a box of 22 lr ammo on my way to fish for the day. Here in Louisiana, many different types of stores always sold ammo for it's customers as a way of life in what was once known as the Sportsman's Paradise.
For many of my 68 years that title was very truefull, I'm sad to say that those days are gone because of greed by what was once our stores that we spent our money in and felt that they were always trying to help us.
I have seen for quite sometime that these very stores are the ones behind our 22 ammo shortage. How is this so you say. Well my friend, go to Gunbroker and look at the ads for the selling of the 22 LR and 22 Magnum ammo that is priced 2-3 times higher than the suggested retail and you will find the sellers to be those very people that cater to your gun and other sales at retail. They have however found a goldmine in this blackmarket selling of what was produced to be sold at a fair price by a gun store.
They are not stocking the shelves with it but deciding to be deceitful and scalp the American shooting sports and it's members. I was checking out to see who is doing this in some other states and came across a store by the name of Sportsman Supply in Butler, Pa. They have thousands upon thousands of rounds of 22 LR and 22 Magnum ammo listed at the scalping prices of 2-3 times suggested retail. Listing after listing, it's makes a person sick. The NRA or some large group is going to have to step in and stop this or it will continue to be the new way to rob with out the fear of arrest. Later David

[JSnover]

And they'll keep it up as long as there are enough fools willing to pay for it.

[Fishman]

None of my local haunts are doing this so it sounds like a problem with a few stores. My simple solution is not to buy from them.

[brtelec]

It is their property and they can sell it for whatever the market will bear. It is not illegal, and as long as there is enough fools to pay the price they will continue to do as they are doing. Do I consider it wrong? Of course I do. In my opinion it is no different than showing up at a natural disaster site with generators at 2 to 3 times retail. It is the behavior of what I consider to be, a scumbag. That however is life in the free market. Do not do business with these people and make sure to voice your opinion to them. They will not care more than likely but I feel that not saying anything makes it ok to do.

[snowwolfe]

Ripping people off? I don't view it that way. Most small mom and pop stores made a good living selling ammo at reasonable prices when it was plentiful. Then when the shortages started they lost that source of income and it hurt their bottom dollar.
I can totally understand why they are trying to make enough money to stay afloat by selling it online at a price that some people are happy to pay.

[bhn22]

Close them all, then!

BTW, I have friends who run gun stores, and many of them paid scalper prices to their Distributors just to get 22 ammo at all. Wholesale prices are not guaranteed to remain consistent at all either. These excess prices were passed on to the consumers with normal markups, rather than being sold at a loss because of the principle of the thing. I would have probably kept it for myself.

[Petrol & Powder]

Just part of the free market. The market will always adjust itself if it is left alone.

I know a guy that owned a small convenience store that also sold gasoline. He priced his gasoline $0.29/gallon more than what he paid for it which is a huge mark up. Despite being in close proximity to several other gas stations that always undercut his fuel prices, often by more than $0.25/gallon; he never had one moment of trouble selling gasoline. People paid it without blinking an eye even though they could drive less than a mile and find cheaper fuel in at least three different stations. I don't think he was gouging at all. If enough people are lazy and willing to pay the higher price, even in the face of lower costs options - that's their loss.

[dragon813gt]

Is it bad that I'm really tired of wild conspiracy theories? They used to entertaining. Now they're just boring. People can't seem to understand the simple facts so they come up w/ wild theories.

[dilly]

When two competent adult parties consent to a sale without deceit, the sale is by definition fair.

[Handloader109]

A couple of comments, first, I won't pay more than I think anything is worth if I can avoid doing it. Buying 22 ammo is one thing that I can avoid being taken advantage of. Haven't shot my one 22 in years. I'd Love to get a couple of new guns chambered in 22, but I won't if I cannot get ammo at decent price. And gouging is illegal in most cases when the items are considered necessity. Ammo isn't at this time a necessity and I don't really want the guvment getting in our business any more than they are now.

[Murphy]

My own thoughts are pretty simple (they usually are).

It's a repeat of what we've all read many times during this .22LR drought.

Once the market is saturated again, prices will fall. How long will it take before that happens? Who knows? No one actually. I do feel those of us who had plenty with some to spare in the beginning of all this, have regulated our beloved .22's to being a necessary item rather than a 'fun' gun. And we shoot them accordingly. I now view mine as strictly for small game hunting (which, I don't do enough of anymore it seems).

I do take one out now and again with no more than a 100 rounds just for a little trigger time/aroma therapy. Cast .38's pretty much fill the old bill my .22's once did.

While on the topic, one of my thoughts has been this. If and when .22LR ammunition prices fall to within reason again, will there be yet another sudden drought created by none other than ourselves? For all intent and purposes, I have enough to probably last me the rest of my life for what I now use them for. My going out and buying 10K would be sensless when I truly think about it. Would I buy another 5K if plenty were available beginning next week? You bet! Why? I love those things!

Murphy

[Smoke4320]

Close them all, then!

BTW, I have friends who run gun stores, and many of them paid scalper prices to their Distributors just to get 22 ammo at all. Wholesale prices are not guaranteed to remain consistent at all either. These excess prices were passed on to the consumers with normal markups, rather than being sold at a loss because of the principle of the thing. I would have probably kept it for myself.

I have several distributors who offer me 22 LR at $45 to $55.00 a brick about once a month... Now we are talking CCI std , aguila or federal American ect....NOT hi dollar target/match ammo .. I just refuse and will not have stock till prices come down..

[marlin39a]

The days of walking into the local hardware store for a 50 rd box of Peters at .69 cents are long gone! People buy it up because they're afraid the Obama Regime will ban it. I've got a good supply. I saw this coming before Obama, and bought my supply. Yes, I'm a 22 hoarder. Just bought 3 more bricks at Walmart last week.

[sparky45]

When two competent adult parties consent to a sale without deceit, the sale is by definition fair.

Who determines if either of the two are competent?

[Jonesy]

My local hardware shop sells a limited selection of ammo. 45 acp, 30 bucks for 50 rounds, not totally gouging there, but still pretty high. Winchester Super X 22LR, 28 bucks for 50 rounds. Needless to say, they aren't selling them very quickly. 56 cents per shot of 22 is ridiculous, makes me glad I can cast and reload my 45's for a fraction of those prices. I catch all my lead and recast it which can take me down to about 6-7 cents per round, sure I can't shoot willy nilly at anything I want like my buddies do that don't reload and worry about the cost, but I can go shooting 10x more than them and hit that 100 yard target more with my 1911 then they can with their .223.

The clerk thought I was a liar when I told her that I cast and reload ammo period, and when I told her the price I pay in the long run, she thought I was the biggest nut in town. My 22 will be shelved for a bit, less for me to clean, and more practice on hitting long range targets with the 1911 to piss off my buddies. People hate when they try to trap shoot with a 12 guage, miss 9 out of 10, and you blow them out of the sky with a single chunk of well placed lead.

[bangerjim]

Just got back from a big gun show locally. LOTS and LOTS of 22LR bricks...........$60-75/555! They are still laying on the tables!

I did not see many guns changing hands. Lots of guns!!!!!!!! Lots of high prices!!!!!!! The usual mix of guys looking with their girlfriend/wife at "light-weight-wrist-breaking" 380 or 9mm pocket guns for self-defense......(?)

A lot of ammo cans full of that standard re-man FMJ stuff people buy up like crazy were going out the doors. They can keep that also! I love casting and loading my own to the loads I like, not what some "spec" says it should be.

All my 22LR-ish shooting is now 223, 9mm (M1 carbine), 38SPL, 45LC.......all lite loaded.

[sparky45]

What bangerjim just said.

[mold maker]

Wasn't it W C Fields that said "A fool and his money are soon parted?"
If they don't NEED 22 ammo, why do they pay the scalper prices?
I know it's all in how you define NEED, but really are we killing paper, rocks, and bottles to feed our families?

[762 shooter]

I just bought a brick of CCI Standard Velocity for $45.00. (PSA)

It's more expensive than it used to be, but I have 500 rounds of CCI standard velocity 22LR.

I can cast and reload any round for that or less, except 22LR.

It sounds expensive until you can't find a brick for less than $100, then it's a deal.

762

[Blacksmith]

I like many of you have never seen in my lifetime when I could not go into my local gas station, grocery store, hardware store and purchase a box of 22 lr ammo on my way to fish for the day. Here in Louisiana, many different types of stores always sold ammo for it's customers as a way of life in what was once known as the Sportsman's Paradise.
For many of my 68 years that title was very truefull, I'm sad to say that those days are gone because of greed by what was once our stores that we spent our money in and felt that they were always trying to help us.
I have seen for quite sometime that these very stores are the ones behind our 22 ammo shortage. How is this so you say. Well my friend, go to Gunbroker and look at the ads for the selling of the 22 LR and 22 Magnum ammo that is priced 2-3 times higher than the suggested retail and you will find the sellers to be those very people that cater to your gun and other sales at retail. They have however found a goldmine in this blackmarket selling of what was produced to be sold at a fair price by a gun store.
They are not stocking the shelves with it but deciding to be deceitful and scalp the American shooting sports and it's members. I was checking out to see who is doing this in some other states and came across a store by the name of Sportsman Supply in Butler, Pa. They have thousands upon thousands of rounds of 22 LR and 22 Magnum ammo listed at the scalping prices of 2-3 times suggested retail. Listing after listing, it's makes a person sick. The NRA or some large group is going to have to step in and stop this or it will continue to be the new way to rob with out the fear of arrest. Later David

Here is a link to Sportsman Supply in Butler, Pa. why don't you contact them and tell them what you think?
http://www.sportsmanssupplyco.com/