surprised by shooting supply prices

   / surprised by shooting supply prices #1  

RobertN

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Shingle Springs California
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I went today to the local gun shop. Got 1lb of Pyrodex, one tin of #11 primers, and a box of 100 0.495 round balls for the .50 cal Hawken. $46 out the door! I have not done much shooting lately; I was really surprised at how prices are.

I looked over reloading stuff for 45acp and .308, which I need to get. Prices for were up there!

This was a local shop. I might get better prices in Sacramento, but then I have to drive and pay fuel prices.
 
   / surprised by shooting supply prices #2  
Youd better expect prices for ammo to continue to climb.. especially when our gov't changes hands here shortly... 'They' have been fightinh tooth and nail.. mostly uphill for decadea to erode gun rights of law abiding citizens. Since that has been a tough rode to hoe.. they will start doing what they do best.. tax increases.. namely on ammo items. If they can't take our guns.. they will make them cost prohibitive to shoot.... This isn't an 'if'.. it's a 'when'.

Soundguy
 
   / surprised by shooting supply prices #3  
Re: surprised by supply prices

Soundguy said:
Youd better expect prices for ammo to continue to climb.. especially when our gov't changes hands here shortly... 'They' have been fightinh tooth and nail.. mostly uphill for decadea to erode gun rights of law abiding citizens. Since that has been a tough rode to hoe.. they will start doing what they do best.. tax increases.. namely on ammo items. If they can't take our guns.. they will make them cost prohibitive to shoot.... This isn't an 'if'.. it's a 'when'.

Soundguy



Its just the beginning, better buy what you need now unless you have a fat wallet:D
The blue coats are coming !!
 
   / surprised by shooting supply prices #4  
Ammo in general is up about 25% in the last 120 days. This is due to the increase in costs in most metals; steel, copper, etc have all taken major jumps in price. Look around for bargains in smaller stores where they still have inventory that has been sitting on the shelf a couple months at the old price. Most smaller retailers do not take "inventory profits". This is where the store bought an item for $8 and planned to sell it for $11. In the meanwhile, the wholesale replacement cost went to $10 and the new sell price should be about $13. Retailers who run tight on inventory and turn their product many times per year will immediately be at the new sell price. Retailers who are on top of market conditions, will also take an immediate price increase to $13, thus yielding an "extra" $2 profit. Retailers who do not follow the market will stay at the $10 sell price until their inventory is gone. At that point, they will then restock and be at the new market price of $13.

Inventory profit is a double edged sword. When market conditions drop, what do you do?? Do you try to continue to sell your old inventory at the old prices and face potential lost sales or do you drop your price to meet current market conditions and lose your shirt on "inventory loss"??
 
   / surprised by shooting supply prices #5  
What is a reasonable shelf life for ammo? I have boxes and boxes that are probably 30 years old... rifle, pistol, shotgun shells. Also bought a large box lot of antique shells at a auction years ago... primary interested in the old shell boxes rather than the actual ammo (most boxes were full).

mark
 
   / surprised by shooting supply prices #6  
I would not hesitate to use any modern ammo using primers and smokeless powder even if it were 20-40 years old as long as it were kept in an air conditioned or heated area.

Antique ammo or pre-1950 stuff would make me nervous. Modern ammo kept outdoors in a shed or damp basement would make me nervous also. However, you could always remove the bullets and reload the antique cases with fresh powder and primers. To me, a piece of new unfired brass that is 40 years old is just fine; the powder may be questionable.

Check the bore after every round of really old ammo make sure the bullet cleared the barrell. You don't want to fire a round with a bullett still lodged in the barrell.
 
   / surprised by shooting supply prices #7  
gordon21 said:
Ammo in general is up about 25% in the last 120 days. This is due to the increase in costs in most metals; steel, copper, etc have all taken major jumps in price.
Come on, Lewis, it's much more fun to blame the 'gummit'. :)

I'll send you a tin foil hat, then you'll be able to see the black helicopters, too. :p
 
   / surprised by shooting supply prices #8  
Word on the street and in the gun forums is to expect at least a 30% increase in reloading supplies in June. They are blaming the war effort ,the Chicoms, and the East Indians for the increase.

I can't find .223 sprn 55 grn. bullets anywhere. I settled on the spitzer and Midway only had 300. I bought them all. I have got to get me some .308 brass now.

Get it now if you are able. That's my advice.

Oh Ya, Magazine prices are due to increase as well. That's what I hear anyway.
 
   / surprised by shooting supply prices #9  
Me thinks if you look hard enough you'll find these big increases is due to nothing more than a company wanting to increase profits....

Just another excuse!
 
   / surprised by shooting supply prices #10  
I tend to agree. Follow the money trail. I have no proof of it though.
 
 
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