Cost of ammo

[Mal Paso]

Just got an email from Wilson Combat that they have Tons of Ammo. FWIW

[BigAlofPa.]

Walmart is still charging the same for shotgun rimfire and centerfire rifle ammo. As they did before all the mayhem hit. Folks are willing to pay higher prices and co's take advantage of it.

[dragon813gt]

Walmart is still charging the same for shotgun rimfire and centerfire rifle ammo.

They didn’t raise their prices during the last two panics. The issue was their stock levels like every other retailer.

[bangerjim]

With 10's of millions on new gun owners recently and none of them reload, the demand for comm ammo has totally gone thru the roof. It will eventually settle out, just like the B. Insane O'Bummer scare a few years ago. I feel sorry for new people who buy a gun and cannot even feed it.

And we just keep cranking out quality "roll-you-own" ammo in our little shops!

[fredj338]

Ammo is expensive because the retailers are jacking prices to slow sales & to make money because they wont get a lot more ammo to replace what they sell. Its just supply & demand & its peak.

[bakerjw]

Scheels has some decent prices from what I saw. Plenty of .355 115 and 124 grain bullets. I might pick up another couple thousand.

[fredj338]

Scheels has some decent prices from what I saw. Plenty of .355 115 and 124 grain bullets. I might pick up another couple thousand.

LOL, you are here & you buy jacketed bullets? One reason I cast, I always have bullets & pretty much free but for my time & a few pennies elec..

[dragon813gt]

LOL, you are here & you buy jacketed bullets?

I do, the two are not mutually exclusive. I don’t bother w/ 22cal cast bullets for ARs. I can do it but it’s not worth the time and effort. $180 for 2k jacketed bullets saves time which is worth more than money to me. The majority of what I shoot is cast but I would never stop using jacketed completely.

[GregLaROCHE]

It would be interesting to know if the price increases are coming from the original producers or middle men taking advantage of short supplies. Maybe both.

[charlie b]

I have always kept a stock of 'serious' ammo on hand. What I keep is enough for the SHTF scenarios I consider most likely to occur. That stock is not touched except for periodic rotation.

My problem is I like to shoot a few of my rifles a lot. So, I go through certain powder, lead and primers. I try not to change that in times like this, but, some shortages will make me slow down my pace a little bit. This part is recreational. So if laws change or availability becomes an issue then I can do without.

Yes, the problem is price gougers and preppers. One buys in bulk to make big bucks in shortages. The other keeps large quantities for some catastrophic event in the future.

[truckerdave397]

All I can wonder About is the pile of components people buy and don’t ever utilize, I am a superintendent for a large commercial builder, I listen to many people talk about buying powder, primers etc, it’s made me a closet reloader. I don’t dare try to have the conversation on reloading. Lots of people are buying lots of components they will never utilize. It’s a shame. Anyone who is old enough to have seen this cycle play out, many times before, should not be in the predicament of buying ammo or components.

Closet reloaded. That is me. I always bought reloading components and factory ammo when it was plentiful and cheap. Could have spent it on booze and hookers but I did not. Nice to sit back now and watch the mayhem.

[kevin c]

Walmart is still charging the same for shotgun rimfire and centerfire rifle ammo.

They didn’t raise their prices during the last two panics. The issue was their stock levels like every other retailer.

IIRC, Walmart sold out even faster because some folks would buy them out at the regular prices as soon as the shelves restocked (even scoping out in advance when the trucks would deliver) and then could stand in the parking lot and resell to the desperate at substantially increased prices.

[blackthorn]

"Closet reloaded. That is me. I always bought reloading components and factory ammo when it was plentiful and cheap. Could have spent it on booze and hookers but I did not. Nice to sit back now and watch the mayhem."

Clear headed and disease free!

[dverna]

[QUOTE=truckerdave397;4997661]Closet reloaded. That is me. I always bought reloading components and factory ammo when it was plentiful and cheap. Could have spent it on booze and hookers but I did not. Nice to sit back now and watch the mayhem.[/QUOTE

Hookers are cheaper than wives/girlfriends and lower maintenance. Booze is cheaper than a psychiatrist. The money saved can be used for components...LOL.

BTW, I had a gf a few years ago that shot trap. Now that was a high maintenance girl.

[fredj338]

I do, the two are not mutually exclusive. I don’t bother w/ 22cal cast bullets for ARs. I can do it but it’s not worth the time and effort. $180 for 2k jacketed bullets saves time which is worth more than money to me. The majority of what I shoot is cast but I would never stop using jacketed completely.

I pretty much only shoot cast/coated in all my handguns stuff. Shooting expensive jacketed seems a waste. High vel rifle, sure, jacketed works well but I shoot a lot less high vel rifle.

[MUSTANG]

I pretty much only shoot cast/coated in all my handguns stuff. Shooting expensive jacketed seems a waste. High vel rifle, sure, jacketed works well but I shoot a lot less high vel rifle.

Get into swaging to alleviate that Jacketed bullet requirement. I make .224's from 22LR brass (free at the ranges I use), and .30's from 5/16 copper tubing or 9mm sized to .308 jackets, or cut down 5.56 sized to .308 jackets. Expensive for the dies and swaging; but amortized over time compared to "HIGH PRICED FACTORY", it starts to pay off over time. And yes; I shoot a lot of cast (Rifle & Pistol's), and keep dabbling in paper patched for .30's.

Years ago I shot lots of milsurp - but then the Clintonistas squeezed that supply off. Imported factory was sometimes a good buy (Korean PMC etc..); but that has escalated dramatically as their economies are no longer 3rd World.

I will still on occasion buy a box of "Factory" for specific purposes such as a baseline in a rifle (i.e. 175 grain sierra boat tail in .308), or 30-40 Krag because it's getting difficult to find brass - or even factory loaded at times.

Kind of like mowing grass; do it every week or so and it's not too bad; but wait until it's gone a month or two and you have a major problem on your hands.

[brewer12345]

My local range and shop sells the vast majority of the 9MM they get to range customers. They had what they felt was a spare case of 9MM FMJ so they put it up for auction on their facebook page. Last I looked the bidding was up to $600 for 1000 range 9MM FMJ.

[fcvan]

The local Walmart in N CA, would have a 22 lr shipment come in, and folks 'in the know' would show up at 6:30 AM waiting for 7 AM. A bunch of homeless 'bums', who lived in the woods next to the Walmart, would show up, buy 22 lr, and then re-sell at double. Finally, the folks working sporting goods told the 'bums' "you reek of marijuana, I can't sell to drug users." Ended that BS.

BTW, I have family who worked at that Walmart (while I was still working) who never told me squat. One of my Sergeants however . . . I bought what I thought was enough, I don't shoot 22 lr that much. I'd rather shoot .223 cast at the same cost per round as store bought 22 lr.

[762 shooter]

There is no such thing as price gouging or hoarding when it applies to a luxury item.

762

[DonHowe]

I have noticed in passing that factory ammo is too expensive. That is not really news to me though, it's why I cast and reload.

Three ways to get by in the world:
1. Spend your own time and effort to do it yourself
2. Spend your time, effort and sweat acquiring money to pay someone else to do it for you
3. Do without.