Cost of ammo

[bigdog454]

Have you noticed that the cost of factory ammo is outragous . It is my opinion that ammo producers can't get lead for bullets anymore and that they have switched to silver. Silver bullets! what's next.
BD

[Bad Ass Wallace]

Bullets, primers, factory ammo have all gone up in the last 6 months. Down under, we paying $AU73.60 for 20 x 338WM, and an average price of $AU90/1000 for primers (when you can get them).

[Winger Ed.]

Have you noticed that the cost of factory ammo is outragous .
BD

A lot of it is price gouging, like what happens during any shortage.

[Bazoo]

My buddy that don't reload pays 20.00 for 50 for 45 acp normally, gougers in town I hear are charging 40.00 for 50.

My buddy still doesn't want to reload. I offered for him to use my equipment to try it out before he invested any money even.

[reddog81]

It’s not price gouging. Nobody needs to buy a case of ammo. Demand has spiked and panic buyers have driven up prices. If you don’t want to pay today’s prices wait it out until prices go back to normal.

Next time prices bottom out buy a couple year supply of what ever it is you shoot.

[dragon813gt]

While it sucks it’s simply supply and demand. People are willing to pay current prices. If they weren’t the prices would come down. Kind of wish I was willing to sell some of the ammo I had. Might as well cash in for being smart and stacking deep when it was cheap. Alas, I’m not willing to sell any.

[elmacgyver0]

If and when Biden becomes president todays prices will seem cheap.

[sigep1764]

Even if people just bought what they needed, we would still be short and prices would be up due to all the guns that have been sold this last year. Dont get me wrong, I'm all for as many people exercising their right as possible, but the average gun owner maybe uses 400 to 500 rounds a year, maybe less. There are exceptions and most of them probably reload. Wait it out, supplies will come back, some of those new gun owners won't need ammo for years, and we will be back to business as usual. Hopefully those that are shooters will learn from this experience and stack it deep, not all will. Have no sympathy for them. Those of us that learned the last time will continue to get stared at at the range with our ammo can going in full and leaving empty.

[cwtebay]

It’s not price gouging. Nobody needs to buy a case of ammo. Demand has spiked and panic buyers have driven up prices. If you don’t want to pay today’s prices wait it out until prices go back to normal.

Next time prices bottom out buy a couple year supply of what ever it is you shoot.Dead right and well said. Get what you need when you can get it and you have no worries.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

[dverna]

We all makes choices...some make better choices. Some learn from errors in judgement....some do not. Some learn from history...some are domed to repeat it.

It really is that simple.

I am tired of complaints about stuff like this, or only having one roll of TP in the house.

[la5676]

When Sandy Hook happened, I bought cheap and stacked deep before things went silly. I also started shooting BP a lot more for a while trying to stretch things out. I'm still sitting on good inventories of everything, having replaced as I used it, never letting levels go below what I had. I shoot a lot more shotshell these days, it hasn't really hit them as bad, but primers are hard to find. I'm still 20K deep on Cheddites, but would like to lay in some RIOs when I can find them.

With the volatile political air we live in, it's common sense to stay supplied. I do feel sorry for the new guys coming in to the fold though. They will never know what it was like.

[tazman]

It’s not price gouging. Nobody needs to buy a case of ammo. Demand has spiked and panic buyers have driven up prices. If you don’t want to pay today’s prices wait it out until prices go back to normal.

Next time prices bottom out buy a couple year supply of what ever it is you shoot.

That is exactly what I did after the last shortage. I'm good for quite a while.

[remy3424]

It seems strange that anyone that has the desire to cast boolits, and does, has any concern about the retail price of factory ammo. Other than a few bricks of 22LR, I haven't purchased any factory ammo in well over a decade. If you can reload, reload everything you shoot. Sandy Hook was the wake-up call we all heard, or should have....it was about the only thing I heard well...tinnitus sucks.

[Gtrubicon]

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.

[MrWolf]

Only time I buy factory ammo is when I get a new caliber just for testing or when brass costs almost as much as a fact round. I learned awhile back to keep my supplies up.

[bakerjw]

Well... scarcity of ammunition is what brought me to CB. Initially for loading up 00 buck defense rounds.
But now I'm casting for my 45ACP and probably for 9mm too.
Powder is still cheap and available but everything else is scarce.

A friend bought his first handgun ever in 9mm. He has also bought as much 9mm as he can find.

Now all I am doing is buying lead. ;)

[GhostHawk]

I was looking for some .380acp ammo for a inlaw of a friend/neighbor last week. Only place online that actually had stock was charging 90$ and up for 50 rounds.

He eventually found a local store with decent prices and got restocked.

I don't necessarily agree with quadrupling prices in a shortage, but I do understand it.
It is a short sighted policy IMO that is all about making money when they can.

The worst of it is in a panic some people will dig deep and buy some of that 90$ a box ammo just so they have something.

Of course if they had not had their head stuck in the sand for the last 4 years they would have seen this coming and been prepared.

[Land Owner]

It seems strange that anyone that has the desire to cast boolits, and does, has any concern about the retail price of factory ammo...I haven't purchased any factory ammo in well over a decade.

Well said and to which I whole heartedly agree. Multiply 2X for last factory ammo purchase for me.


I was looking for some .380acp ammo for a inlaw of a friend/neighbor last week. Only place online that actually had stock was charging 90$ and up for 50 rounds.

Well stocked here. My 380 ACP ammo costs LESS THAN $0.039 per round [$3.88 per 100] and that is well after ALL of my reloading equipment has been amortized.

Shoot more. Shoot a lot. Reload non-expendables. Amortize equipment "sunk cost" across 10's of thousands of rounds per caliber. Have a lifetime of supplies on hand. Never miss a moment. Never ruled by mass hysteria or shortage.

Semper paratus - Always Ready!

[Hanzy4200]

It’s not price gouging. Nobody needs to buy a case of ammo. Demand has spiked and panic buyers have driven up prices. If you don’t want to pay today’s prices wait it out until prices go back to normal.

Next time prices bottom out buy a couple year supply of what ever it is you shoot.

Absolutely right. Usually, the only ones crying are those who chose to wait till the hurricane hit to go umbrella shopping. Ive been telling family for years to get a few things put back. Nobody listens till the panic begins, then act flabbergasted they need $1,200 to buy a AR.

[JoeJames]

Sandy Hook was one heck of a wake up call. I really don't recall anything like that before. But I was in pretty good shape on components before that, and I regularly picked up a carton or so of 22LR's whenever I went by Walmart. I have tried to keep up my fairly small supply ever since because I figured it would happen again. And it has done so again and again. Anyone who has not learned to stock up by now has been under a tub for the last 8 years.

[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! :drinks:

[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:lol:

[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.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

While it sucks it’s simply supply and demand. People are willing to pay current prices. If they weren’t the prices would come down. Kind of wish I was willing to sell some of the ammo I had. Might as well cash in for being smart and stacking deep when it was cheap. Alas, I’m not willing to sell any.

I have been gifting people I like a bit of ammo. I stacked it deep too. Case lots when on sale or free shipping.

[bedbugbilly]

With the increase in firearms sales, so goes the increase in demand for ammo. Add the shutdowns for Covid and walla - shortages.

I have a friend in Texas near Dallas who still have a place here in AZ - they had to go there for their jobs. Both he and his wife have 380s and the last time I talked with him this past week, he said that when he was able to bind 380ACP, it was around a dollar a round! Needless to say he isn't buying it. I'm trying to get him started to reload but it will take time for the two of us to accumulate what he needs. I have the brass, powder and boolits but like everyone else, am short as can be on small pistol primers. That's just the way it is and the way it will be for a while.

I haven't purchased store bought ammo in quite a few years but from what I understand, around where I am, many of the common calibers are really hard to find.

And as far as guns sales go . . . I am totally surprised at the number of folks I know who would never think of owning a firearm who have purchased one or are trying to. Not a surprise given the present state of affairs in this country.

[dtknowles]

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.

I would disagree. Often factory ammo is a good value except during scares. It made almost no sense to load 9mm, .223, 7.62x39, etc. with all the inexpensive ammo in those chambering available. I buy quite a bit of Hornady .22 Hornet because it shoots better in my rifle than my best reloads. Sometimes factory ammo is the right choice.

I don't reload shotgun shells. I don't shoot a lot of them so why set up to load them.

I mostly load what I can't buy, like cast bullet rifle rounds or obsolete ammo, etc.

Tim

[fast ronnie]

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.

Our local Walmart quit carrying ammo period.

[DonHowe]

I would disagree. Often factory ammo is a good value except during scares. It made almost no sense to load 9mm, .223, 7.62x39, etc. with all the inexpensive ammo in those chambering available. I buy quite a bit of Hornady .22 Hornet because it shoots better in my rifle than my best reloads. Sometimes factory ammo is the right choice.

I don't reload shotgun shells. I don't shoot a lot of them so why set up to load them.

I mostly load what I can't buy, like cast bullet rifle rounds or obsolete ammo, etc.

Tim
Spoken (ok, written) like a person with good income. If so I am happy for you!
I have always had to watch my shooting related expenditures. I have not hunted/been able to hunt medium or larger game for 15 years. If I did or if I shot competitively in a discipline which required it I would buy jacketed bullets. But I don't (can't in some cases) anymore and could no longer afford the cost of those disciplines. Neither am I a blaster requiring large volumes of ammunition. So I shoot cast bullets and get more satisfaction from shooting good groups with ammunition I crafted myself to fit a specific firearm than I did when I was able to shoot a larger round count.
Then there's the fact that for some of the arms I enjoy the most, there ain't any factory ammunition. Guess that's the road less traveled.

[dtknowles]

Spoken (ok, written) like a person with good income. If so I am happy for you!
I have always had to watch my shooting related expenditures. I have not hunted/been able to hunt medium or larger game for 15 years. If I did or if I shot competitively in a discipline which required it I would buy jacketed bullets. But I don't (can't in some cases) anymore and could no longer afford the cost of those disciplines. Neither am I a blaster requiring large volumes of ammunition. So I shoot cast bullets and get more satisfaction from shooting good groups with ammunition I crafted myself to fit a specific firearm than I did when I was able to shoot a larger round count.
Then there's the fact that for some of the arms I enjoy the most, there ain't any factory ammunition. Guess that's the road less traveled.

I have two bench rest rifles that require neck turned brass, so I have to load for those, I shoot cast in the 30 BR. I have a 25 Krag Ackley Improved so I have to load for that but only jacket bullets. I have a 30-30 single shot that I only shoot cast so I load for that. I load almost all my .357 mag and max ammo with my cast bullets. I did buy a couple boxes of 32-20 but mostly for the brass. I did load 9mm with cast back before factory ammo became stupidly cheap. I sold my SKS a few months ago. First I went to the range and shot the 100 or so rounds of cast bullet reloads I had left. I still have hundreds of round of Mil. Sup 7.62x39 that I don't have a gun chamber for. I bought an AR in .223 that I have not reloaded a single round for. I have a few thousand rounds of factory ammo. I have three 50 cal muzzle loaders and two cap and ball revolvers I cast for. No factory ammo for them.

I don't think I shoot a lot of rounds. Yesterday I went to the range and shot 75 rounds. 50 of those was fireforming new 30 BR brass. Yes, I have a good income and I also have a high net worth. I don't need to reload to shoot so I am fussy about my reloads and what I reload. That 30 BR brass is Lapua and costs a dollar a piece before I neck turn, trim, fireform and then load for score. I would rather be shooting than loading 9mm. If factory ammo will run in my race gun, that is great.

Yes, there was a time when I cast and loaded so I could shoot more because I had a family to take care of. I can understand needing to be frugal. I think it is a virtue. I can appreciate shooting small groups with bullets I made in rounds I loaded.

Tim