Surplus Ammo

[wcwhitey]

I have been to two gun shows in the last 6 months. Factory Ammo seems to be coming back, prices are what they are. I have noticed the distinct absence of anything surplus. It was always where I bought in bulk for my rifles and on occasion some handgun. Just wondering if anyone knows why this is. I can only speculate as to if it’s government policy driven, if it is all just bought up and sorted or something else I am missing.

 

[reddog81]

What kind of surplus are you talking about? Lake City 5.56 or 1950's ammo? I think a lot of the old school surplus stuff got bought out during Obama era. I don't think there is much "old" surplus hitting the market. I imagine any ammo plants running now that had "surplus" 5 years ago are just focusing on whatever is most profitable.

 

[hdbiker]

Democrats stopped all importation of surplus guns & ammo

 

[hso]

just bought up

That

 

[Jackiesman]

I believe hdbiker probably and reddog81 got it right.

 

[wcwhitey]

What kind of surplus are you talking about? Lake City 5.56 or 1950's ammo? I think a lot of the old school surplus stuff got bought out during Obama era. I don't think there is much "old" surplus hitting the market. I imagine any ammo plants running now that had "surplus" 5 years ago are just focusing on whatever is most profitable.

For a while it was South Korean, Israeli, South America. (Several places). Some of it was fresh over runs. Maybe they just repacked it as sporting ammo but haven’t seen a battle pack of anything for a while. Anything Russian or Eastern Block has been bought up or getting pressed into service as we speak this I know. The more I think about it Inthink the boxes just got fancier.

 

[DustyGmt]

Prices of new manufactured brass 9mm aren't nearly as bad as they were a year ago, $280/1K rd case shipped isn't too bad. But I have noticed the same as you, I am not seeing battle packs and tins, etc either. I am seeing alot of Winchester 5.56 and M855 in 150/200rd packs. Maybe some of that Winchester is surplus repacked perhaps? They have a pretty major government contract

 

[tws3b2]

I think the word " Surplus" is just another thing of the past. In this country at least. Maybe in China or others. We can't even manufacture what it takes to keep our own selves alive much less surplus. Thanks to our beloved politicians , our own stupidity, laziness, hate greed and Envy. We've priced our selves out of the market which is ok because we are so willing to become a third world country that can't produce anything we need much less surplus.

 

[trackskippy]

You would think we would be able to get our own "out of date" or whatever "surplus" small arms ammo for a reasonable price, but, I think we all know why thats not happening.

I mean technically, it is "ours", we did pay for it, right?

Back in the 90's a lot of the cheap ammo (and guns), surplus or otherwise, was coming from Russia and China, and that all stopped with the various bans. It was so cheap too, that some of us were literally buying it by the pallet/truckload, and are still shooting up whats left of that to this day.

It was actually cheaper to buy the loaded ammo, than it was to just buy the components to reload.

Lots of other stuff was coming in from all over back then too, a lot of it from our "allies" and a few other places. You'd think since a lot of them wont let their own people have those sorts of weapons, they would still be dumping it here, but? Nope! Havent seen any of that for a couple of decades now.

 

[arsterling180]

I'm starring at the 1000 rounds of surplus 5.56 out of Indian brought in by SDI. My local shockingly competitive with online prices shop has a new round of surplus MEN 5.56. There's been Turkish .30-06 coming in, as well as a new round of WW2 8mm Mauser.

 

[Jackiesman]

I think the word " Surplus" is just another thing of the past. In this country at least. Maybe in China or others. We can't even manufacture what it takes to keep our own selves alive much less surplus. Thanks to our beloved politicians , our own stupidity, laziness, hate greed and Envy. We've priced our selves out of the market wich is ok because we are so willing to become a third world country that can't produce anything we need much less surplus.

Dry well said.

 

[MAKster]

Surplus firearms and ammo was really a byproduct of WW II, the Cold War, and the collapse of the Soviet Union. At the end of the Cold War all the former com bloc nations started unloading all their stockpiles which were held in anticipation of WW III. All the bankrupt newly independent nations started selling off the surplus cheap. Newer military rifles are full auto so they are not importable unless cut up. Sure we're will see police surplus in the future but that is a tiny trickle.

 

[illinoisburt]

Surplus firearms and ammo was really a byproduct of WW II, the Cold War, and the collapse of the Soviet Union. At the end of the Cold War all the former com bloc nations started unloading all their stockpiles which were held in anticipation of WW III. All the bankrupt newly independent nations started selling off the surplus cheap. Newer military rifles are full auto so they are not importable unless cut up. Sure we're will see police surplus in the future but that is a tiny trickle.

Very well said. I would add surplus covers both long guns and pistols. The State Dept has been very negative for a long time on allowing surplus handguns to be imported using the GCA68 rules. So even though in theory there should be significant numbers (handguns are issued in much smaller numbers than rifles) of pistols phased out with NATO switches we likely won't see many of them. The ammo situation had dried up in many places years ago for much of the old WW2 stockpile of Allied supplies. Most of the surplus we've seen in the last 30 years from combloc states have simply run their course. Other formerly non-friendly places have unfortunately reverted back to their old ways and lost access to our market. In addition many smaller countries which may have exportable stores have signed on the UN small arms treaties which encourages destruction over distribution.

Some people have referred to new production steel cased ammo from China and Russia as surplus, which is technically incorrect. There was huge volume being made new just for sale here which has been essentially shut down so along with the crazy buying we saw over the past 2 years what surplus was being brought in is being snapped up just as fast as everything else so what may have been obscure or unwanted crates of spam cans are hard to find now.

 

[Ignition Override]

Even old Mosin-Nagant rifles are being used in Ukraine.

This was reported on AKfiles.

I’ve seen numerous photos of different peoples’ —current—…private ammo stashes (here in the US) depicting large wooden cases of 7.62x54R, along with multiple wooden cases, per photo, of 5.45x39 etc.

Illinoisburt mentioned something which I had forgotten.

A British- Euro arms control association, which grew stronger after the famous Blood Diamonds film (and the Nicholas Gage movie), paid tax funds from their subjects to destroy massive Heaps of both military small arms and ammunition.

 

[Speedo66]

I remember when the Swedish influx of Mauser and Husqvarner rifles and short rifles came in, they were accompanied by excellent Swedish surplus ammo.

That ammo seems to have dried up completely.

 

[CapnMac]

Depends on what we are calling "surplus," too.

The collector's market for "vintage" ammo in its boxes has skyrocketed. So, there's not much point in selling "aged" (for want of a better word) ammo as ammo, if the collectors will pay for intact, and pay more.

Also, the overseas market in no-longer-current ammo was always finite, and we have seen its end. The ammo drought erased what little was left. Although, ancient boxes did start appearing, having been scrounged from garage and estate sales and out of basements (I got some 32acp during the drought that was clearly "estate vintage" in a taped-up box).

So, it's just not very common at gun shows--if common at militaria shows.