jonp
08-04-2013, 10:02 AM
I went to the Dixie Gun Classic in Raleigh yesterday.
The crowds were much thinnner and more normal sized than during the panic a few months ago and I only stood in line for about 10min and got right in plus there was room to walk around. Steady traffic but none of the pandemonium or panic buying going on.
The prices on guns have come way down. Instead of the $1,500 AR's of a few months ago there were many in the $700 - $800 range which is the normal price and also pistols were normally priced.
Primers and gunpowder were mixed. Certain types of powder was available in quantity, others not anywhere to be found. Lots of H110, W296, Varget, HS-6, HP-38 and some shotgun powders. Common pistol powders like Bullseye, Unique, W231, Power Pistol, AA9, 2400, Tightgroup or Universal were not in stock. Instead of the last show where I bought some 2400 and Unique and several dealers had it now no one has that stuff. There seemed to be a good stock of the common rifle powders. I saw very little Alliant or Ramshot powders there but much IMR. Pricewise about what you might expect. $22/lb for Varget, $21/lb for HP-38 but some was high. I saw one 4lb jug of 296 for over $150. Most of it cheaper than if you bought online with the shipping and hazmat but some the same price and a little more than that so not sure why you would buy it there for the same as online except if you simply could not find it anywhere. I went specifically for 2400 as I saw it at the last show but struck out this time. I did get there an hour or so later so the possibility of it having been there and sold out already exists. I didn't ask.
Primers were there and at regular prices and a new price point and you had to hunt for them. A sleeve if Win was $40. Tula LR was $28. Still not as available as usual. SP I couldn't find but there was some SR so you could substitute. I bought some LR as I did not see any LP.
Ammo was there but still expensive. A surplus tuna can I paid $60 for a few years ago was in the $250 range. 22lr was still $10/50. Way out of my price range. Seriously: $99 per box of 325 or 500? Not in this lifetime. A 1400 round bucket of Rem, and there were only a couple, that I paid $55 at CTD last fall were well into $150 or more. I should have bought 20 instead of the 5 I have on my shelf. Tellingly, no-one was buying the 22lr. The dealers overpaid and are stuck with it is my opinion.
All in all the powder is coming back at a slightly higher price point with some still hard to get, the primers are also coming back at the same slightly higher price point but less of an increase than the powder, ammo is still very high and the firearms have reverted back to normal pricing with no real increase.
The crowds were much thinnner and more normal sized than during the panic a few months ago and I only stood in line for about 10min and got right in plus there was room to walk around. Steady traffic but none of the pandemonium or panic buying going on.
The prices on guns have come way down. Instead of the $1,500 AR's of a few months ago there were many in the $700 - $800 range which is the normal price and also pistols were normally priced.
Primers and gunpowder were mixed. Certain types of powder was available in quantity, others not anywhere to be found. Lots of H110, W296, Varget, HS-6, HP-38 and some shotgun powders. Common pistol powders like Bullseye, Unique, W231, Power Pistol, AA9, 2400, Tightgroup or Universal were not in stock. Instead of the last show where I bought some 2400 and Unique and several dealers had it now no one has that stuff. There seemed to be a good stock of the common rifle powders. I saw very little Alliant or Ramshot powders there but much IMR. Pricewise about what you might expect. $22/lb for Varget, $21/lb for HP-38 but some was high. I saw one 4lb jug of 296 for over $150. Most of it cheaper than if you bought online with the shipping and hazmat but some the same price and a little more than that so not sure why you would buy it there for the same as online except if you simply could not find it anywhere. I went specifically for 2400 as I saw it at the last show but struck out this time. I did get there an hour or so later so the possibility of it having been there and sold out already exists. I didn't ask.
Primers were there and at regular prices and a new price point and you had to hunt for them. A sleeve if Win was $40. Tula LR was $28. Still not as available as usual. SP I couldn't find but there was some SR so you could substitute. I bought some LR as I did not see any LP.
Ammo was there but still expensive. A surplus tuna can I paid $60 for a few years ago was in the $250 range. 22lr was still $10/50. Way out of my price range. Seriously: $99 per box of 325 or 500? Not in this lifetime. A 1400 round bucket of Rem, and there were only a couple, that I paid $55 at CTD last fall were well into $150 or more. I should have bought 20 instead of the 5 I have on my shelf. Tellingly, no-one was buying the 22lr. The dealers overpaid and are stuck with it is my opinion.
All in all the powder is coming back at a slightly higher price point with some still hard to get, the primers are also coming back at the same slightly higher price point but less of an increase than the powder, ammo is still very high and the firearms have reverted back to normal pricing with no real increase.