Gun/Ammo hysteria update

[Bureaucrat]

I went out this weekend to the Sioux Falls gun show, and also made a stop at Scheels just to see what's going on out there. Here are my observations:

-The show was packed. It was hard to move around everywhere you went. So if my observations are off a little, it's probably because I couldn't get to that area.

-There was almost no ammo at the show. I saw two vendors selling reloading supplies, and four outfits selling ammo. None of them appeared to have a ton, but we're asking a pretty penny.

-Price observations:

-.223 Wolf ammo $1/bullet.

-.223 PMC FMJ $1/bullet.

-personal reloaded .223 85 cents/rd.

-.40 Cal $30/50 bullets (surprisingly not high)

-Did not see any 9mm for sale

-Ironically, one guy was selling high quality Black Hills .223 ammo for 70 cents/rd.

-I did not see any ARs for sale from vendors. I did see about a half dozen opportunistic individuals carrying around their ARs asking anywhere from $2000+. Nothing less.

At Scheels:

-They had .40, 45 ACP, .380, and 38 in the Windchester 100RD value packs. I couldn't get close enough to it to see if they had 9mm. The price was stable, having only gone up $2/100 bullets since November on .40 cal.

-All the Winchester 100 RD boxes had a limit of 5, except the 9mm which was limited to 2.

-They had about 16 linear feet of shelf space devoted to .223 and it was bare. All they had was a sign that said ".223 LIMIT 500 RDS PER PERSON."

-The Glock pistol cage was empty. Not one pistol in there.

-The Springfield cage was empty. Not one pistol in there.

-They have bins upon bins full of aftermarket 30 rd clips for Glocks. They are $39.99, and regular glock branded 15 rd clips are going for $55+.

[harvey lee]

For fear of a shortage or rising prices, people are buying up what they can.

In the end, ammo short.

I am guilty of this as a year ago I had already started to stock pile ammo for a good price.

[Gordie]

Fear and the unknown will do it every time.

[Bureaucrat]

The day after the hurricane is no time to start shopping for a generator.

[harvey lee]

Found a pretty good deal this am on 22 ammo which seems to be the shortest ammo today.

Did not need 800 rounds but I have them now.

Could have bought another 600 rounds but no need to go totally crazy.

Dude in the store said that it is getting very hard to get 22 ammo.

[Whoaru99]

Haven't checked in a week or so, but there were 525 round value packs of name brand 22LR at the local store for $22.

There were also a couple 420-rd ammo cans of Federal Lake City M855 on stripper clips for $199.99. That's about 48 cents per round. Not a steal but pretty good at today's rates, not to mention they actually had some.

[harvey lee]

Yes, there are still some deals around locally. ONe just has to check a few stores out.

[monstermoose78]

Man the ammo makers are laughing all the way to the bank.

[Whoaru99]

I don't think it's the manufacturers who have jacked the prices. I believe it's the middle men doing that.

I'm sure the mfgs. are quite happy with the demand though.

[monstermoose78]

I don't think it's the manufacturers who have jacked the prices. I believe it's the middle men doing that.

I'm sure the mfgs. are quite happy with the demand though.

I did not say that but they are making ammo as fast as they can. That means they are making more profits. I know for a fact when Copper hit an all time high in price as did all materials they raised the prices but when price fell back down they did not reduce the cost, and they base the price on demand so this higher demand does allow them to charge more to the middle man. One reason Wally world has some of the cheapest price is the are the only company that does not have to use a middle man.

[Whoaru99]

You're right, you didn't say that at first but it seems you have now.

[monstermoose78]

Yep I am everyone is charging more in each step, but we will likely not get a raise as the workers.

[amateurfishing]

I used to work at a local retailer, the current ammo shortage/price increases dates back the prez b4 our current one when he decided to raid deserts halfway across the world...at that time manufacterers were "forced" to stop producing (& transporting) ammo for the average joe and prioritize manufacturing and distribution for soldiers "in training" as well as already in the active theater. As the "raids" half way across the world ensued and the armed forces wanted to stockpile and store ammo, then the retail shortage slowly followed along with slowly increasing prices. Then when Obama started his initial presidential run all gun toting owners thought the end of the world was coming and the demand has not stopped since, and prices are all bout supply and demand. As long as the gun toting world continues its current philosiphy about our government, demand nor prices will get any better.

[snoozebutton]

Ah, another "it's Bush's fault."

BTW, I was in WalMart yesterday and they just got a shipment in and had almost every caliber and the prices didn't seem too out of line.

[amateurfishing]

who said it was bush's fault or anyone else's for that matter even though everyone wants to blame obama......its simple supply & demand issue, as long as everyone tries to "stock up" or hoard it and buys as much as they can at the store every time they go and everyone in the neighborhood has the same philosophy, the shelves will always be almost empty & it will always be a vicious circle till everyone calms down

[Scott K]

I usually stock up this time of year, some of my supply is down for some guns, but I wont be going out and paying ridiculous prices, just to stock up. I just havent target practiced for awhile, and will have to hold off on skeet shooting for awhile.

[harvey lee]

I used to work at a local retailer, the current ammo shortage/price increases dates back the prez b4 our current one when he decided to raid deserts halfway across the world...at that time manufacterers were "forced" to stop producing (& transporting) ammo for the average joe and prioritize manufacturing and distribution for soldiers "in training" as well as already in the active theater. As the "raids" half way across the world ensued and the armed forces wanted to stockpile and store ammo, then the retail shortage slowly followed along with slowly increasing prices. Then when Obama started his initial presidential run all gun toting owners thought the end of the world was coming and the demand has not stopped since, and prices are all bout supply and demand. As long as the gun toting world continues its current philosiphy about our government, demand nor prices will get any better.

Well, BHO is now trying to end many guns for owners right along with Minnesota. It's no longer a worry but it easily could become a reality.

I purchased some 10 round clips for a few rifles and many online sellers state right in thier ads, no shipping to many states due to new laws already in place from the last months as many have changed thier laws on clip capacity.

BHO is for real when it comes to trying to ban some weapons and clip capacity right along with this state.

[harvey lee]

I usually stock up this time of year, some of my supply is down for some guns, but I wont be going out and paying ridiculous prices, just to stock up. I just havent target practiced for awhile, and will have to hold off on skeet shooting for awhile.

One can still find ammo for a reasonable price if one shops around but it is getting tougher by the day.

I had a friend ask me the other day if I had any trap loads that I would like to sell. I told him I have cases of the stuff but no, none is for sale. All locked up and staying where it is.

[Gordie]

They just opened a new Wally world in Princeton and The shelves are almost bare with ammo they have some but nothing much in stock. and then it says that only three boxes of ammo per customer per day that in order to serve all customers fairly.

[harvey lee]

More than likely will be no better by the fall hunting seasons unless this gun control stuff goes away for the Country and Mn. If it passes, it will be ugly for guns and ammo.

Especially for ammo like 223, handgun ammo and the like.

Many big box stores have posted on thie sites like Sportsmen warehouse and Gander that ammo for many calibers will not be avaiable at the soonest June or July of this summer.

Thats why I looked around and found a few smaller stores with ammo and a fair price. Might as well get it now as the prices can only go up if and when you can get it.

I looked for some rifle shells for my high powered rifles and that ammo is out of sight right now but I will find some one day for a reasonable price.

[snoozebutton]

who said it was bush's fault or anyone else's for that matter even though everyone wants to blame obama......

[harvey lee]

Sad part for gun owners is, it is going to be harder in the future to own some weapons, clips and ammo is only going to go up.

Prices typically never go down and yes, ammo could go down some but look what you paid 10 years ago for ammo versus say 2-3 years ago. Nothing but up, up, and up.

[Gordie]

The panic buy drives up that price as well because when it is a panic buy the price doesnt matter to the indavidual buying and the manufactures and retailers know that

[harvey lee]

Oh I agree Gordie but what I am saying is, the prices are always going up from years to year.

Remember when one could buy a 50 pack of 22 shells for under a dollar? Everything goes up from year to year.

I would guess that when the stores have full shelves, one will not see much for a reduction in pricing. Stores will figues they paid this price so let's leave it there.

In regards to reloading components, the prices have really risen in the last 3 years and that is if you can even find the components to buy.

Just like the price of gas, if the demand is there, they will raise the price. One can either buy the gas or cut back on the driving as the gas companies could care less what they charge us all for a gallon of gas.

One either will purchase the shells or gas or go without. They can charge as they please.

There is still fairly priced ammo out on the shelves, one just has to go out and find it. I purchased my last 800 rounds of 22 ammo for a fair price and that is why I bought the quanitity I did.

[amateurfishing]

The panic buy drives up that price as well because when it is a panic buy the price doesnt matter to the indavidual buying and the manufactures and retailers know that

B I N G O

[amateurfishing]

Originally Posted By: harvey lee

who said it was bush's fault or anyone else's for that matter even though everyone wants to blame obama......

Originally Posted By: amateurfishing

I used to work at a local retailer, the current ammo shortage/price increases dates back the prez b4 our current one when he decided to raid deserts halfway across the world...

maybe i can explain it this way for u.......

i was not blaming anyone specific as much as stating who was in what position when the paranoia & supply & demand issues started. thats pure fact.

just trying to explain timing of when this ammo shortage kinda started and got its legs and what the rest of the world had to do with it, make sense?

[Bureaucrat]

Have no fear everyone. As long as America is a free country, if ammo prices get too high simply on greed and panic pricing, I'll be the first one to start up my own manufacturing business to swoop in and undercut the oligopoly in domestic ammo production.

That's how free markets keeps everyone honest.

[JackPineGuy]

aaahh id better not even get started on this one.

[LightningBG]

Have no fear everyone. As long as America is a free country, if ammo prices get too high simply on greed and panic pricing, I'll be the first one to start up my own manufacturing business to swoop in and undercut the oligopoly in domestic ammo production.

That's how free markets keeps everyone honest.

That's exactly what I was thinking. And why there aren't more companies springing up, but.... You would need to be licensed by the ATF. I'm guessing they aren't giving out those licenses willy nilly. Also heard they cant produce primers fast enough to keep up with demand.

[Scott K]

Great idea!

Anyone that has the money to back it, I will run it for you