.380 and 9x18 prices When the panic cools off?

After the last panic period, component prices that gougers were charging did come down but as a whole, prices did not drop to "pre-panic" levels. As go the components, so go the loaded ammunition. Remington Golden Saber bullets that were $43/1,000 are now $120/1,000. That seems to me a bit much to believe it was caused simple market pressures and "normal" inflation.

Part of the problem is the current panic hit at the worst possible time economically. You pay inventory tax only on what you have on January 1 of any given year, so manufacturers were doing their usual thing and allowing inventory to drift down as far as practical. When the panic hit, demand spiked and as a usual Economics 101 result, high demand and low supply jacked up prices.

Will prices return to pre-panic levels? That's anybody's guess but I'm going with no, not a full drop. Prices will remain elevated at some point the market dictates.

I found some 380 and 9x18 on Aimsurplus at normal prices last week ($14-15/box) , supposedly in stock.

I plan on a Sig P238 in the very near future, maybe a couple weeks from now unless the prices are significantly higher than they were a few months ago. In that case, I'll simply cool my heels until the fervor subsides.

I can see a panic over standard capacity magazines for ARs and AKs type rifles. I can even understand why folks are spending a pretty penny for M855, as these things can realistically be seen as primary targets for restrictions in the near future. However, I sincerely doubt 9x17/9x18 anything, be it firearm or ammuntion, is at risk in the immediate future. So, yes, I do see an end to this BS within perhaps a couple months.

I, for one, plan on selling off the XM855 I have on hand as well as some of my C-Product 30 round mags after seeing what they're going for on the auction sites.
Heck, I might even sell my Yugo M59/66 and the 7.62x39 I have for it as well and simply use the proceeds to purchase the P238 that I want (and will actually put to use as an EDC option).

Snowdog said:

However, I sincerely doubt 9x17/9x18 anything, be it firearm or ammuntion, is at risk in the immediate future.

Click to expand...

Given recent attempts to limit ammunition via increased taxes, serial number engraving on bullets, lead laws, PETA push back, anti hunting groups and etc. I think it prudent to consider everything at risk ... significant risk.

In my life I've cast hundreds of thousands of bullets. It's getting very difficult to get the alloy, if not downright impossible. I used to frequent tire shops and buy their old wheel weights. Now, most of the shops refuse for a variety of reasons: company policy, EPA regulations and so forth. Certain states have outlawed lead wheel weights for balancing wheel/tire assemblies.

The moral of the story is it's not just the anti gunners you have to be wary of, it's all sort of folks with all sorts of agendas.

I sincerely hope you're right, but hoping is not a very good way of dealing with an increasingly negative future.

Oddly enough, when I went to my local Walmart looking for ammo, the ONLY ammunition they had in quantity was .380!

Prices per round will drop, but not all the way back to pre-panic levels. I suspect we'll see prices settle in at about 10-15% higher than before, just because we'll swallow it.

Love how no one has mentioned that it doesn't go down for the real reason--we pay for it at that price.

wild cat mccane said:

Love how no one has mentioned that it doesn't go down for the real reason--we pay for it at that price.

Click to expand...

That's a "usual Economics 101 result"; supply and demand in action ... post #2.

The only ammo I've recently purchased was some .380. My local Walmart had five different brands, all priced between $15 and $18. Can't imagine that's inflated prices.

.380 is pretty available here in Houston. 9mm not so much. Thinking of selling some of my 9mm stockpile that I put together after the las panic, but I hesitate to sell not knowing what the future holds. No point in selling for a profit if my replacement costs stay high. I paid $0.22 per round for my 9mm stock. I could probably sell for $0.50 at this point and make some money.

This is the worst panic buying spree the nation has ever seen. Don't expect prices to go back to reasonable levels for a few years.

They'd just gotten reasonable again when all this crap happened.

I appreciate the fact that you have a relatively optimistic view of the future. I hope things cool off and think they will eventually. It was two years here. Even then things weren't like they were before.

It's kind of funny that just a few years ago .380 was nowhere to be found and when you did come across some, like at a gunshow, it was priced over $1.00 a round.

Last week I was in Walmart just checking to see what little they still had in ammo and the only caliber (of any kind for that matter), that they had in quantity was .380. It was priced around $22 per box of 50.

The media and politicians are fickle. They move to whatever gets them viewers, and ratings or publicity for name recognition and votes. Already the fervor, and emotion is receding, and even AR prices are coming down. Once people realize these gun ban bill will go nowhere on a national level, ammo availibiltiy and prices will become more reasonable.

In early 2009 I found myself paying $28-$30 for a box of 380 Auto,and thats when I could find it.
On the other hand I am receiving today an order from Natchez of S&B 380 and paid a mere $12.79 a box for it.
I am still seeing 380 here in Hoston as well but not as cheap as what I just bought.
By the way Natchez is sold out of the remaining stock of S&B.

I have not seen ammo or guns go up inn price around my area. Better class of dealers can be found .