More Gouging...Yikes

[dale2242]

I stopped by a "Ammo Yard Sale" set up in a vacant lot.
They had 22 lr for sale
500 and 525 loose packs were $65 each. The guy tells me the 525 packs were a bargain.
CCI Mini Mag 100 packs were $20 each.
Needless to say......
BTW, I didn`t see anyone buying. Wonder why?....dale

[CastingFool]

Years ago I went to a garage sale that was advertising ammo. the guy was selling CCI minimags 100 pk for $2 each. If you bought 5 pk, you got one more free. I ended up buying 4 bricks off him. Oh, the good ole days. Makes me cringe every time I look at the price of ammo and components.

[DeanWinchester]

Well it ain't like gas stations where a very few oil companies control ALL pricing. Or pharmaceuticals.
MSRP on .22 is still somewhat reasonable.
Buying low and selling high is the American way. It's the entire basis for a free market capitalist society. Market dictates price. When people stop paying the high prices, the prices will fall.
If you could buy a car for $5000 and sell it for $10000 you'd do it in a heartbeat.

[KCSO]

A reasonable profit is fair market and gouging is just greed. As soon as folks wise up and quit paying the high prices the price will drop as the greedy folks get stuck with the many thousands of rounds hey have hoarded.

[enfieldphile]

I USED to buy .22 ammo a brick @ a time. A brick of match ammo &
& a brick of regular std. velocity. I would also but a box of Federal bulk.
As they got low, I would order more.

I USED to buy powder by the pound and primers by the 1K box

I have (for better or worse) adapted.

I have now begun to buy .22 ammo by the case.
I have now begun to buy primers by the 5K case.
I have now begun to buy powder in 8# kegs.

Note: NONE bought from gougers. Gougers are disreputable, immoral, bottom feeders.

On the off-season, gougers cruise the bus station looking for underage runaways.

Before the ammo shortage, Gougers were noted to be whereever there was a hurricane or flood. They had that truck load of Honda generators, gallons of fuel & water. Water & fuel: $20.00 a gallon, Generators: $2,500.00 each.

Just sayin'

[Lead Fred]

Can you imagine how the prices will be after the crash?

[Teddy (punchie)]

Can you imagine how the prices will be after the crash?

If we ever crash !! I say anyone that was nice or friendly to me, Okay here it is if I have it. Price will be high it you are or were always looking out for yourself. If you were like most people and driving by the person in need, you better keep on driving, your not going to like what I have to say and or what you may get.

Yes we may have seen nothing yet. Friends and Family , groups are going to have to work together to make it. Our system will overload in just a few short days and trip out, no longer will work and there is no simple rest, once if trips out like a breaker.

Years ago people ask why a you farming?? Why are you still wasting your time. Funny as times get more in question and we see what happens after a mayor storms hits. Not many look at me like I'm some looser any more. Mom ask last year, "hey what happens if the electric goes out here" , I looked at here and said we walk drive down and get the generator. She like what Generator ?? I said the one I bought to use in field to unload hay using the elevator. She Said; " No I mean for like the well ", I said yes it pulls about 8 Amp and the gen. is good for 30 on short high load. She looks at me like OKAY then, I said your job will be to fine Gas to run it, may have to get out of a car if we can. Just like the Cows, Corn crib, equipment, tools, etc. All things to use if something happens if not I wasted money and time, if I was a betting man I would say I'm in the right odds.

Think ahead , maybe it will all work out. Like any other storm it will pass, Lord willing .

[6bg6ga]

Very easy solution....if you feel the price is too high don't buy.

[DRNurse1]

I USED to buy .22 ammo a brick @ a time. A brick of match ammo &
& a brick of regular std. velocity. I would also but a box of Federal bulk.
As they got low, I would order more.

I USED to buy powder by the pound and primers by the 1K box

I have (for better or worse) adapted.

I have now begun to buy .22 ammo by the case.
I have now begun to buy primers by the 5K case.
I have now begun to buy powder in 8# kegs.

Note: NONE bought from gougers. Gougers are disreputable, immoral, bottom feeders.

On the off-season, gougers cruise the bus station looking for underage runaways.

Before the ammo shortage, Gougers were noted to be whereever there was a hurricane or flood. They had that truck load of Honda generators, gallons of fuel & water. Water & fuel: $20.00 a gallon, Generators: $2,500.00 each.

Just sayin'


Very easy solution....if you feel the price is too high don't buy.

Tough comparison here: the gougers do not deserve our respect or business, but they were prepared to enter this business with cash on hand (risk takers) in a capitalist driven market and will 'suffer' the loss when the market collapses. Generally they will not suffer since the first folks into the ammunition scarcity market will make back their $$ invested and then stay in as long as the market remains strong. Remember they saw this opportunity, so it is also likely they sill see another and move along.

Granted the new purchasers of firearms were stuck buying their ammunition at inflated prices when they could find it.

Where the mental skill needed to abuse a run away and seek profit in a business is similar, I must kindly disagree without additional evidence.

6bg6ga nailed it for those in for the long haul, vote with your pocket-book and purse. We should want to help out those unfortunates locally who are short on ammo, but I think prior knowledge of the person and situation ('local') is a priority.

[6bg6ga]

I am currently resisting purchasing some 22 ammunition for my 22 Match pistol that I love to shoot. I have on hand 200 rounds of 22 ammunition that I purchased 20+ years ago for probably less that $20 for a 1K lot. Sure I would love to purchase some and take that lovely match 22 out to play. I cannot however stomach the high price that isn't deserved for the ammo. So, I will wait this thing out and sooner or later the prices have to come down.

[Artful]

So, I will wait this thing out and sooner or later the prices have to come down.

Just like the price of gasoline, eh?

[6bg6ga]

Just like the price of gasoline, eh?

Unless I am mistaken the recent prices of powder and primers just to mention two items were higher than normal when hoarding started. Recent prices of primers and power in my area is showing pre hoard prices again. So, yes I believe prices will again go down.

[remy3424]

Just buy what you NEED in this environment...stock-up when the balance returns. Why buy 22LRs now??? If you are here, you shoot centerfire which looks to be much cheaper now and components seem to be available at most retailers that sell reloading supplies.

[Wis. Tom]

If this lasts another year or so, it will have to be called the norm, and gougers will have to be changed to smart businessmen. You folks been watching what the media is doing to every Repub that is even close to Clinton? By the time we get to the 2016 elections, she will probably be the only name listed on the ballot, then watch what prices will do. I think these prices will look good by then, just my outlook.

[w5pv]

I wil do with out before I pay the exotic prices that are being charged.I will lube my .22 barrel with a good rusy preventive and wait

[762 shooter]

If you are hungry, some one can gouge you for the price of food.

If you are thirsty, some one can gouge you for the price of water.

If you are cold, some one can gouge you for the price of fuel.

No one can ever gouge you for ammo. It's just ammo. It's like saying some one is gouging you on the price of a pink, crippled, one-eyed possum. Unless you need the possum to live.

762

[atr]

I just bought 50 round boxes of 22 LR Thunderbolts for plinking for 2.89 per box....primers seem to have stabalized at $28.00 per thousand and powder seems to run from $24 to $31 per pound....it all seems available but spotty at times

I don't buy from gougers and if I think the price is too steep I move on....

[enfieldphile]

Pop Quiz:

2 men are in a burning building. You run into the building, there is only time to bring one person to safety.

One is an ammo price Gouger the other is Saddam.

Do you hesitate on who to save?

[Lee]

Bop em both on the head, grab the ammo and run. (Whatever you do, you'll be considered a criminal, so you better make it worth your while)

[HodakaGA]

Pop Quiz:

2 men are in a burning building. You run into the building, there is only time to bring one person to safety.

One is an ammo price Gouger the other is Saddam.

Do you hesitate on who to save?

Nope, leave both.

[AK Caster]

A reasonable profit is fair market and gouging is just greed.

Please tell us what is a reasonable profit and when does the profit level turn to greed?

[Artful]

That's a good question - Greed is an everyday factor...

https://www.azag.gov/consumer/gasoline#Gouging


WHAT IS GASOLINE “PRICE GOUGING”?

Price gouging is generally defined as an attempt by a vendor to charge unreasonably high prices for goods or services that are in short supply during an emergency situation or a disaster. Shortages of necessary goods or services can occur for a wide variety of reasons, including a pipeline break, fire, flood, hurricane, earthquake or terrorist attack.

More than half the states have price gouging laws, but Arizona does not. Most states’ laws define price-gouging as a price increase after a state of emergency has been declared by a governor or the President. These emergency declarations are usually only in effect for limited periods of time, and do not apply to general price increases.

There is no "state of emergency" - this is a market driven shortage that has happened due to peoples reaction to our government policy's and statements.

[mtgrs737]

I agree, if you don't like the price, don't buy it. In doing so the price will come down to where people will buy it. If the tables were turned around most people would do the same.

[uscra112]

As long as there are people who can and will pay the price, and at the same time you can buy elsewhere, it is not gouging. Gouging is when a monopoly controls the entire supply of a necessity. 19th century railroads gouged farmers on the great plains, for example. John D. Rockefeller gouged kerosene buyers. Cable companies gouged before alternatives became available. Guys buying ammo at WalMart and reselling may be profiteers, but that's how the free market works, and must work, or else supplies dry up. Hate on 'em all you want, but don't call it gouging.

[dale2242]

Gouging.....Profiteering....Whatever....dale

[Artful]

Gouging.....Profiteering....Whatever....dale

Yep, Whatever

market price
noun - the prevailing price, as determined by supply and demand, at which goods, services, etc., may be bought or sold

gouging
informal - extortion; swindling

profiteer
noun - a person who makes excessive profits, esp. by charging exorbitant prices for goods in short supply

You don't like the price - just don't buy

[Prospector Howard]

uscra is right about the Wal mart lurkers. They get there at 6:30 and stand in line for whatever .22's came in the night before and try to sell them at a profit at gun shows, etc. I tried talking to the manager at the Wally world closest to me to see if they could start putting out the just received ammo at different times of the day to thwart the profiteers, but he didn't seem too give a flying cow pie; big surprise. The only thing that's going to put an end to this stupidity, is to get the Dems out of the White House, and put a decent Repub back in there that actually understands the constitution. And I'm not talking about a *** like Mitt the twit.

[bobthenailer]

I just had the blower motor replaced on my furnance by a local HVAC company that installed the HVAC unit as well as servicing twice a year since instulation somtime in the 1990s
I get a 20% discount on parts and a 10% discount on labor for coustomers
who get the semi annual service done. so there normal list price would be approx $335.00 with my 20% discount its now $268.00 for just the motor not counting labor , after they leftI looked the same motor number & brand up on line and they were priced from a low $79 to high $119.00 + shipping . so ill go with the lowest price well say $100.00 shipping included so they made $168.00 profit on the motor and if at there retail price $235.00 profit on just the parts they charged me $50.00 service call and another $70.00 for instulation and were done in a hour ! if it was not below -5 degrees i would of fixed myself .

[dragon813gt]

How much does it cost per hour to keep a HVAC van on the road? I work in the industry. When you know the answer you will see how little that "profit" is. They are out to make money just like any other business. And the fact of the matter is for every customer a company loses they will pick up another. Because people get upset about prices and call another company.

[Epd230]

Stick up on that ammo now. When hillary wins, it'll be 10x worse!

[enfieldphile]

One of the Wal-Mart's in town tossed a gouger, his wife and his brother out the front door with this parting comment, "Get out and stay out!"

One of the managers in another Wal-Mart store just shrugged.

The manager of Academy tosses gougers AND ID'ed the employees, GF's and wives of a local store owner that sent in these people to buy ammo so he could sell it in his store. They too got the "Get out and stay out!" speech.


uscra is right about the Wal mart lurkers. They get there at 6:30 and stand in line for whatever .22's came in the night before and try to sell them at a profit at gun shows, etc. I tried talking to the manager at the Wally world closest to me to see if they could start putting out the just received ammo at different times of the day to thwart the profiteers, but he didn't seem too give a flying cow pie; big surprise. The only thing that's going to put an end to this stupidity, is to get the Dems out of the White House, and put a decent Repub back in there that actually understands the constitution. And I'm not talking about a *** like Mitt the twit.

[Love Life]

I hope all the big box stores raise prices to $40-$65 per brick so this shortage will stop and gouger threads will quit getting posted.

[dale2242]

Gouger threads are fun.
Some have said I am confrontational.
Don`t like them. Don`t read them.
I don`t like gougers prices. I don`t buy from them.....dale

[taiden]

I'd grab the capitalist pig gouger, in hopes that he would repay the favor with ammo. :D

[DCM]

Very easy solution....if you feel the price is too high don't buy.

YUP!

I'm not shooting rimfire for bullseye this season because it is cheaper for me to load centerfire than replace the rimfire stock with equivalent ammo.

[300winmag]

It is simple keep your money in your pocket and let them keep the product.

[Uncle R.]

Gouger threads are fun.

Hee Hee...
Fun? Yes.
Shooting is fun too.
<
I scored a thousand rounds of Mini-Mags yesterday.
UPS man will deliver them to my door in a couple of days.
They cost me eight bucks a hundred plus shipping.
Given the realities of today's market that's a very good price. Metal prices are high and inflation takes its often unseen toll everywhere. I doubt I'll ever see Mini Mags at the local Farm-n-Barn again for $5.99 a hundred simply because of inflation.
<
I suppose I could be like some - clench my fists and stamp my foot and swear to heaven that I'll never pay more than X amount for rimfire ammo. Frankly, I hope they keep their oaths. It'll help drive the price down for those of us who plan to shoot.
<
You want to know the best part?
I already had a few thousand rounds of ammo on the shelf when I ordered those Mini-Mags. Maybe enough to last me for a year. Maybe even longer. And I bought 'em anyway. Even though they were priced at nearly fifty bucks a "brick" delivered. Even at what some might consider gouger's prices.
Some might consider me a hoarder - doing business with gougers.
And you know what?
<
It's pretty cold here in Wisconsin but even in the great frozen north we get an ocassional nice weekend in winter. Sunny skies, temps over freezing and light winds feels good after a few weeks in the deep freeze. When that nice weekend arrives, I'm going to take my boys out shooting. We'll go through a few hundred rounds of long rifles with nary a concern. We'll run 'em through the 10/22 and we'll run 'em through the Glenfield 60 that their uncle gave them when they were toddlers and that shoots so well. We'll even run some through the single six and the Mark I pistol.
<
We'll have impromptu miss-and-out "shoot the target spot" competitions and we'll laugh and cheer and gibe at each other. The boys will realize that we're having fun, but they may not realize that we're also making memories to last them long after the old man's gone, and they're learning important skills in the process. That understanding might be reserved to me, but it warms my heart never the less.
<
Later on when real spring arrives I'll invite my niece to a day at the range. Her boyfriend has a .22 pistol and she wants to learn to shoot it. Ammo is scarce in the local stores but Uncle R. is a resourceful guy and we'll make do somehow. We'll have a nice afternoon of it and my niece will acquire some important skills as we go through a few hundred rounds of long rifles. And we'll have fun, and I'll get to learn a lot about her new boyfriend like a good uncle should know, and we'll build memories for her and maybe him too that will last long after her uncle is gone. And my heart will be warmed some more.
<
Or maybe I should just wait until the price comes back to the level of ten or even twenty years ago. Maybe I should just sit on the ammo I have in stock and never shoot any so I don't have to buy more ever. THAT would teach all those evil hoarders/gougers/profiteers a lesson!
<
Uncle R.

[clownbear69]

I've said this many times a good businessman raises prices based on market. A great businessman doesn't need to rely on its top sellers and adjusts accordingly. The best example I've seen was when I worked at Academy. About a 3 weeks in to the start of the scare talks it raised its prices on potential banned guns and the high selling ammo (.223 9mm .45ACP etc) but still was lower than everyone else in town (El Paso). After ammo stop really showing up the company started to get different ammo that the company normally wouldn't getlike .32 Win Spcl, 300 RUM and some other stuff. Yes space fillers but the point is they looked towards a different route instead of relying on the big sellers.

That's why I always hate hearing a LGS or Pawn Shop that sells firearms "well I have to make a living so that's why I have to raise prices over the top". Really so did you try selling other stuff at your shop like .mil surplus, better hunting equipment, optics, knives, survival gear, apparel. Apparel has a the best- one of the best mark ups on the market. When I worked for academy are stuff was close to 70% marked up. for a mom and pop shop mark up on apparel will be close to 50%. It be one thing if these business tried but most don't and Im suppose to feel bad when they go out of business? Not at all. Hell an LGS could easily do rentals with firearms and charge a small fee and a box ammo. How many people want a shoot a Desert Eagle at least once. How many people want to buy it, not many. My point is there is other places that can be sold if you get your head out and look.

I do plan owning my own shop that has more than Guns ammo and reloading. I also plan at keeping my prices low unless market dictates and do not raise past MSRP. Because I want to make sure my customer returns. Sticking it to the customer once doesn't mean you'll be able to do it a second time.

[Love Life]

I know how to end the shortage...quick, somebody ask me how.

[Artful]

I know how to end the shortage...quick, somebody ask me how.
How ?

[Uncle R.]

I know how to end the shortage...quick, somebody ask me how.

Oh Love Life - you're such a tease...

:bigsmyl2:

[Love Life]

Raise prices. Minus government regulation or vigilantes causing bodily harm to the gougers, raising prices is the only way to end the shortage/gouger issues.

Just think, if every store were to raise their prices to $40-$65 per brick, the gougers would disappear overnight AND you'd be able to buy all the 22lr you WANTED.

Plus, as an added bonus, all those evil gouger guys would get stuck sitting on their stock...or they will undercut the new store prices and be hailed as saviors of the shooting sports nationwide.

[Love Life]

What? Not the answer everybody wanted to hear? Well, think on it for awhile as I'm off to snow shoe up a mountain (on a Saturday) like a person of low intelligence.

[DRNurse1]

Just like the price of gasoline, eh?

uscra112;2606233]As long as there are people who can and will pay the price,....

Artful;2606496]Yep, Whatever

market price noun - the prevailing price, as determined by supply and demand, at which goods, services, etc., may be bought or sold

gouging informal - extortion; swindling

profiteer noun - a person who makes excessive profits, esp. by charging exorbitant prices for goods in short supply

You don't like the price - just don't buy

Love Life;2608472]What? [Raising prices at the box stores is...] Not the answer everybody wanted to hear? Well, think on it for awhile as I'm off to snow shoe up a mountain (on a Saturday) like a person of low intelligence.

I like this thread, lots of good economics discussed. Artful, you missed that gasoline is a frangible commodity. Any difference in the final product is added after the delivery truck picks up the load from the tank farm. Ammunition is not a frangible commodity in those terms, although some of the projectiles are frangible in other terms.

[snowwolfe]

Definition of a shooter who claims others are gouging the price of ammo: Someone who did not have the foresight to stock up at $10 a brick because they were to cheap to do so. And now they feel like it is owed to them for the same price it used to be, ie, democrat.

[dragon813gt]

Definition of a shooter who claims others are gouging the price of ammo: Someone who did not have the foresight to stock up at $10 a brick because they were to cheap to do so. And now they feel like it is owed to them for the same price it used to be, ie, democrat.

I just call the people who complain hypocrites.

[Squeeze]

those $10 bricks were...what? at least 5 years ago now. and how long was that stock supposed to last? I still have a few, but I surely havent shot nearly as much as ive wanted solely for the fact of stock replacement issues.

[jmort]

Love Life's "solution" is a solution. Not market based per se, but a pick your poison remedy. Puts it in perspective. Economics lends itself to such analysis and had added clarification for me.

[Murphy]

To each his own.

Over the decades I've seen price gouging, market demand or whatever one wishes to call it. Every time any 'ban' was brought up or put into play this happens.

5 years ago, I picked up several bricks of .22 at a very resonable price of $8.88 a brick at Wally World. Although I don't shoot a great deal of .22, I figured better safe than sorry and it will be awhile before it settles back down. Well, it seemed to have settled back down to twice that the very least. Now, we have it again. I don't shoot any more or any less .22 than I did prior to what I did 5 years ago.

That being said, I shoot my .22's based on 'how much is it gonna cost me to replace this later?'. I'm probably good to go for many more years.

Now, my personal solution has been to turn to my centerfire guns. I've got more .38 Special brass than I care to talk about and will never use it up. I once read back in the early 80's about one single case holding up for 148 reloadings. The loads were standard velocity and I was truly shocked how long that one piece of brass held up.

Given the prices of primers (even though a bit higher now) and powder I did a cost calculation not long ago. I've decided to just start shooting .38's for fun. The cost is cheaper. I have all the alloy I'm ever gonna need so that isn't a concern to factor in.

Long guns in .38 special are a bit pricey. I'd love to find a good single shot (may have to start talking to my gunsmith about a project on this) and set it up in .38 special. And a good lever gun.

Personally? I'm gonna sit it out and wait for the 'new normal' to arrive and see happens.

Murphy

[Springfield]

For all you guys who think gouging doesn't exist and we should just wait, what do I do with my 2 kids who want to shoot Cowboy Acton shoots and they have to shoot .22's because of their age? Tell them too bad, you have to wait a couple more years until you can shoot centerfire ammo? Sorry, that is unacceptable. What I did do is post here and locally about trading goods I had for .22 ammo from some guys who happened to have a large stock of .22's. And now I have enough for my kids to get by for about a year, as long as we only do 2 matches a month and no practicing. I try and stock up but I can't stock up 10 years worth of EVERYTHING. Who has that kind of money and space? For those of you here who traded with me and helped us out, thank you very much. As for Wal-Mart managers and others who continue to have a blind eye to the gougers, I hope you get boycotted by all the parent's whose kids can't shoot their 22's. Probably not happen, but it would be fair consequence. We have a LGS nearby that I hadn't frequented much, but when I asked them about .22's they said they were limiting it to 100 rounds/day/customer, and the price wasn't all jacked up either. Because of that I went directly to them for my next gun purchase. They aren't the cheapest place in town but I felt they deserved my business. I DO vote with my wallet, and I also let them know why I was buying there.

[snowwolfe]

For the most part this forum is made up of cheap skates. This is one of the reasons we cast bullets and brag about getting free lead and wheel weights. We constantly read the posts about finding great deals on guns and enjoy a pat on the back saying "well done". I consider myself in this crowd as well.

But let one thing go wrong and some of you cant get the best deal in the world then all of a sudden you cry foul and blame everyone in the USA from Obama to the clerk at Wal Mart to the retired guy trying to make some extra cash by reselling something at a profit.

What makes any of us that special that we should be compensated because we didn't stock up? You gotta admit this type of whining and crying sounds just like a bunch of liberal democrats screaming to get their share simply because they should be entitled to it. Are you just as pissed because you didn't buy gold at 200 an ounce and hold onto it? How about the neighbors land he sold 20 years ago for maybe $20K and now its worth 200K?

There are a gazillion things I could of bought over the years at cheap prices but didn't then saw the price go through the roof for whatever reason. That's life.

I do feel sorry for the new shooters and kids. Would gladly help them out if they asked. But anyone over the age of 40 knows this shooting hobby has its weird moments. Primer shortages, powder, you name it. We all been through it before and most of us have learned to build a good stock when times are good.

Bottom line is $65 isnt that bad of a price to pay. That's equivalent to a decent dinner out with the mrs. Not even a high end place. Heck a movie for two and some popcorn and drinks will set you back close to $40. So if you want the ammo suck it up and pay the price.

One final suggestion, buy a high quality air rifle. I just ordered a Beeman R9 in .177 and can shoot it downstairs or in my back yard and pellets are cheap.

[375supermag]

Hi...
I don't know if this qualifies as "gouging" or not.

LGS has .22LR Remington ThunderBolts at $60 for the 525ct box. He also had Federal 325ct boxes at $40/box.
I told him that I still have several thousand rounds that I bought when the current socialist got elected and did not need any at that price.
I believe that 7-8cents/round for a 50rd box is fair. In bulk packs I really don't think anything over 6cents each is fair.
Until the prices get to that level, I will shoot what I have and then save the last couple/three thousand rounds until whenever the price comes down.
I can shoot centerfire reloads (.38Spl) in that price range.
I have done pretty well at stocking up primers and powder, so I can probably shoot .38s (2k/yr)for several years before I run out of components without buying anymore. That won't impact my supplies for other centerfire handgun ammunition, either. I'll just run Bullseye and W231 through the .38s rather than the .45ACP and .45AutoRims.
Primers are seemingly available everywhere at somewhere between $32-38 per thousand now. Prices may not be great, but they are on the shelves. Most places still have a 2 box limit/day. I bough another K of Large Pistol primers today to add to the stash.
I am in process of loading quite a few thousand handgun rounds for the upcoming shooting season, so my stash is dwindling.
I firmly believe that I need to maintain at least 20K primers at all times, given recent events. All that means is that as I go through reloading a 500 round batch of whatever caliber, I just need to buy another thousand primers and a couple of pounds of powder to continue to build the stash while maintaining my son and my shooting needs.
It is interesting that now that primer availability seems to have stabilized that supplies of 2400,Unique, Blue Dot, etc have all but vanished from store shelves again.

[dtknowles]

I am glad many of you are happy loading centerfire to replace shooting .22 LR. I don't see that as a good swap for me personally. I used to shoot .22 LR when I did not spend enough time at the reloading bench to have something else to shoot. I got low enough on .22 LR that I bought a few thousand at more than ten cents a round. I don't buy hardly any lead but I know what it costs so I figure the lead cost into my estimate of the cost of reloaded ammo (I could always sell the lead instead of shooting it to pay for .22 LR). I figure the cost of components to load .38 spcl using my own cast bullets and counting the brass as free to be eight cents a round. Two or three more cents a round for .22's that only required me to take them out of the box and put them on the shelf seems like a ok deal. The big box stores could raise their price to ten cents a round and I would be happy if it meant some was on the shelf. I happily paid a similar price for some .22 WRF ammo the other day, really that is a deal and I should have bought all they had but I don't shoot my single six that much, just enough to stay confident it hits the point of aim and the .22 WRF is my favorite ammo in that gun.

Yeah maybe the big box stores should raise their prices to match the market.

Tim

[dale2242]

snowwolfe, Did you read anywhere in this thread that I had not stocked up on 22lr?
BTW, How many of those $65 bricks of 22 have you bought lately?.....dale

[Love Life]

I bought 2 $45 bricks of eley sport. Good stuff.

[Vtnam68]

3 X Win 330 round boxes $17.37 a box ($56.64 with tax) at Wally World last tues!! Not as good as the 1000 round box (Win) I bought week before last at Wally World for a little less than $50!

[Vtnam68]

I should add I have 7 kids 5 boys & 2 girls & 16 grand kids & 3 great. When they come to Papas they like to shoot!

[daniel lawecki]

I find it hard to think there is that much money flowing to have a shortage for so long. People are just screwing others plain and simple. They are not sportsman or avid shooters just low lifes.

[Love Life]

It doesn't take much money to be flowing. Just enough to afford their limit of bricks, which are then sold for profit, which allows them to buy more bricks, which allows them to sell more for profit, which allows them to buy more bricks, which allows them to sell more for profit.

A brick is what? $20.00? Don't have to be rich to buy your share, just on time. It's not the amount of money flowing, it's the amount of people buying.

[snowwolfe]

snowwolfe, Did you read anywhere in this thread that I had not stocked up on 22lr?
BTW, How many of those $65 bricks of 22 have you bought lately?.....dale

No, I didn't follow your posts. Have I bought any bulk packs for $65 per brick? no. But a couple of weeks ago I did buy three bricks of Wolf Target from Champion for $198 delivered. I doubt I could shoot up what I have in stock in 8-10 years. But I continue to order a case from CMP about every 6 months, just in case:). At $28.50 a brick it might cost more than the street price in a year or two but I am ok with that.

[starmac]

This is a current add on Alaskalist. Not everybody is trying to get rich.

http://alaskaslist.com/1/posts/9_General/63_Guns_Hunting/339505__22_Ammunition.html

22 Ammunition (Wasilla) 22 ammo for sale $20 a brick of 500 Remington thunderbolt Calls only please if no answer please call again limit 5 bricks

[taiden]

Sounds like a lot of you want a communist economy where supplies are divided equally among those who will use it instead of free market where the value of the item dictates the price. 22lr is worth more now than it was 18 months ago. That's all there is to it.

[enfieldphile]

Not @ all!

We simply expect people to behave like men & women of honor w/ a good reputation (what a concept)! Those lessons they were (hopefully) taught as children (and chose to ignore) show how far down they have degenerated. Gougers, grifters, dope peddlers, bribe-takers, perverts etc (all tarred w/ the same brush) will get what they want: $$, power, thrills etc.

The only thing we take to the grave is our reputation. The $$ the Gouger gets will soon be back in the economy and forgotten. The universal scorn they rightly earn will be with them all their miserable lives! :wink:


Sounds like a lot of you want a communist economy where supplies are divided equally among those who will use it instead of free market where the value of the item dictates the price. 22lr is worth more now than it was 18 months ago. That's all there is to it.

[Uncle R.]

...free market where the value of the item dictates the price. 22lr is worth more now than it was 18 months ago. That's all there is to it.

Yep.
Simple.
True.
Demand is up, supply is not, price rises.
Econ 101.
<
"But - but - it used to be cheaper!"
Yes. It didn't cost this much five years ago. That's irrelevant. Free markets fluctuate. Prices change constantly. They're not determined by some committee or by what some czar thinks the price should be. (Thank Goodness!) They're determined by those two old familiar actors - supply and demand.
<
"But - I don't want to pay that much!"
Okay - then don't.
<
Many of the objections can be boiled down to "I wish I had bought more when it was cheap."
Me too. Hindsight is 20/20 for all of us.
Other objections are simply long-winded ways of saying "I wish it was cheaper now."
Me too. I wish it was five bucks a brick. Heck - I wish it was free. It ain't, and all the wishing in the world won't change that reality.
Others are basically saying "If only all of those other people weren't so greedy and selfish and they would stop buying it there would be plenty for me." Yep - that's true. So those "other people" are evil and selfish because they want the same thing that you want? You expect them to leave the ammo on the shelf so that YOU can have it - and you're trying to convince me that THEY'RE the selfish ones?
<
Grow up. Quit whining. You want some - I want some - EVERYBODY wants some. That's why it's worth more than it was five years ago. Note I didn't just say "it costs more." It costs more because it's worth more - at least for now. Pay the market price, stand in line at oh-dark-thirty trying for a bargain, get your request on a waiting list - do what you think is best. All of that ammo is going somewhere. Make it your business to get some for yourself.
<
Or - just complain. Your choice.
<
And in the future, remember that markets change. Remember these lean times when things get better and stock your shelves while the price is right.
<
Uncle R.

[Love Life]

I don't want some. The only reason I bought some was for my daughter. I practice with the guns I shoot....

Uncle R.- If you ever find yourself in Northern Nevada, I would love to buy you a cup of coffee and shoot the breeze.

[Uncle R.]

I don't want some. The only reason I bought some was for my daughter. I practice with the guns I shoot....


Ok - EVERYBODY but Love Life wants some...
:bigsmyl2:

Actually I'm sitting pretty good myself with my recent acquisition of Mini Mags. I should be covered through the summer unless the boys get REALLY active with the 22s this year. I've been thinking about introducing them to rimfire silhouette - that'll make my stockpile dwindle! It would tickle me pink to see them get REALLY good with rifle or handgun and silhouettes might prove to be the key.

If I do head out your way Love Life I'll look you up. I think I would enjoy that coffee and that talk. Heck - I'd buy the donuts!

Uncle R.

[starmac]

I would much rather pay the same price for a loaf of bread as I did 5 years ago, but I don't ever see that happening either. lol Sometimes I can con the old woman into making some, that is way better than store bought, but not everyday and she can't make it for the same price she could 5 years ago either. lol

[snowwolfe]

Five years or so I walked into Wal Mart in Eagle River, Alaska one day and seen the shelves covered with Federal 550 LR bulk packs for $8.97 and that was not "on sale". I had been using Remington bulk packs but was dissatisfied so wanted to try another brand. I had a flash back and was thinking that back late in the 1960's I remember paying about $1 a box for 50, 22 LR. I didn't buy any that day but kept on thinking about it and couldn't figure out why the price was actually cheaper 40 years later even if you discounted inflation. Next day I went back and cleaned out the case and everything they had in back. To this day I still don't understand why the ammo was cheaper than it was 40 years ago.
Lucky buy on my part.

I also ended up paying about $180-$200 for 8 pound kegs of various gun powder before I departed Alaska. Much higher price than we now pay in the lower 48. My choice, I was willing to spend more just for my own piece of mind that I would have the powder when I needed it.

[Squeeze]

About 20 years ago, I bought a lot of federal, remington, and other brands of .22lr for very cheap.. I shot them all. Then I went to buy more. They wanted more money, but I bought a lot anyway. I shot them all too. I kept buying more and more at higher and higher prices. And shot them all. Now they are very hard to find, and when you can, the prices will make your jaw hit the floor. Im going to buy some more. And shoot them all... :grin: better buy plenty..damn kids like shooting too. They will plow through them quicker than me. [smilie=1:

[Springfield]

Just because some CAN do something doesn't mean they should. That's how I feel about the "gougers". So far I have managed to not buy a single round from any of them, thanks mostly to some good people here and locally. I actually bought some from Midway that with shipping came out to more than a gouger guy I know had them for. The Heck with him, I just won't play his game and add to the problem. If you don't have any principles then you don't have much.

[olereb]

I used to get pissed at what people were/are selling .22's for but now honestly don't care,i simply have stopped shooting my .22's for the most part and will just wait till the supply is caught up and its reasonable again. I cast now for every caliber that I have except .22's so I have plenty of other guns to play with,rather than be pissed I'm just remembering those that are charging the insane prices and simply wont purchase from them in the future when things are back to normal.

[dale2242]

Uncle R, 22 rf silhouette is a lot of fun.
My wife and I shot IHMSA handgun small bore silhouette.
We bought 22lrs by the case. Read 5K at a time here.
You will find your supply of 22s dwindling but you boys will have a great time.
I learned a lot about shooting a handgun playing that game and had a great time.....dale

[Garyshome]

Simple Get a Pellet gun for your 22lr work, Save what you have for times of need! Pellets are cheap ...like 5000 pellets+6000 bb's for $55.00 at wal mart! [My last order]