Reselling Ammunition

There is no federal license needed to sell ammunition.

LOL At $20/box he'd be the lowest price in town for many regions these days.

It's not illegal. Nor is it unethical or unmoral. You might not like it, but that doesn't make it wrong.

Same thing is happening in my area.

I recall hearing that a small peddlers license or something was required in order to resell products like that though, no?

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Anything like that would probably be a state or local business license requirement. I'm afraid I don't know what qualifies as a business in your area.

It's not illegal. Nor is it unethical or unmoral. You might not like it, but that doesn't make it wrong.

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I agree very much. Having said that, I would never do it - it's just not me.

Rather than blaming the people selling the ammo at a profit (which is what dealers have always done) why not blame the people/lemmings who are paying the stupid high prices? I think Cabela's said they were limiting ammo to 5 or 10 boxes per customer.

It's profiteering. It's immoral. It's like when you go into the local gun shop and see Monarch (Academy) brand ammo. Purchased at Academy for $8, marked up to $15.

Profiteering. Legal. Immoral.

I doubt FB would be real happy about it. Can't say what their exact policy is though.

[off topic rant] Before the UN voted in favor of a Palistinian "observer" status, I posted a picture of Israeli soldiers cheering (and holding up their rifles) after they won the Six Day War as my main big picture (in defiance of the UN vote). When I logged in to FB a week or two later, the picture had been removed and my cover pic was blank. It was probably more of a political reasoning than the guns, but what do I know.

I'm with Prince Yamato on this one. Unfortunately in America these days most people can't even tell when something is immoral. And for those that think it's "free market", or "market forces", you need to go study economic theory.

There is NOTHING wrong with this.

I really have to scratch my head when someone thinks buying something at a discount and/or in a time of high demand and re-selling it at it's market-established value to make a profit is somehow wrong or immoral. The vast majority of businesses in this country (including the ones said people likely own or work for) buy product and re-sell it for a profit. That's how capitalism works and this country was literally built on it.

If he was buying up all the water or some other supply necessary to sustain life that would be different. None of us *needs* that ammo. Yeah, it sucks you can't buy ammo cheap and I understand people that weren't prepared for a rush like this being grumpy. But that doesn't make reselling a hot commodity for a profit wrong in any way, shape, or form. How do you suppose this guy pays his mortgage and puts food on the table for his family? If he's got a small business (like mine) and has the operating capitol to buy ammo and make a profit more power to him.

As for legality, the guy is likely supposed to have a business license so the State can collect sales tax on his sales and the Feds can collect income tax on the money he makes.

Capitalisim...buy low, sell high.

Its the American way...

And for those that think it's "free market", or "market forces", you need to go study economic theory.

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I do study economic theory, and increased prices are the correct reaction to a massive increase in demand with a short term fixed supply. The firearms industry is nowhere near a perfect "free" market, but firearm accessories such as mags and ammo - once they do actually reach the market - behave in a similar manner to other luxury goods.

How many people here have an investment portfolio? 401k? Roth IRA? You (or your broker) are doing the exact same thing - buying securities at a low price and selling those same securities at a higher price either when you want to change the makeup of your portfolio or cash out. And you can be guaranteed that if a broker finds an arbitrage opportunity where he can buy a product for $20 and sell it the same day for $35 (like we're seeing with the firearms market right now), he would take it in a heart beat. Honestly, he would probably be fired if he came across a 100% risk free opportunity to get a 50+% return on investment and said "no, I think I'll pass on this one."

For all the anti-socialist talk on firearm websites, we sure do seem to have a lot of people who want to "rein in the free market"... :banghead:

People are trying to sell marked up ammo here in MO. I just laugh. If you knew this was coming and took appropriate measures then you should have no need to pay inflated prices. If you were ignorant and helped put these people into office then you deserve to pay the dummy tax that the profiteers are charging.

That is what we call Capitalism. It's opportunity knocking on the door and the only real question is, will you answer the door.

Not even remotely illegal and I'd go so far as to say more ethical than some practices I've seen as of late

. I think taking more than you need or desire to keep in order to resell at a higher profit is a bit dastardly.

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Um, thats the standard model of business...buy cheap, sell high. That's how mom and pop businesses make money, that's how multi-million dollar corporations make money, so why is it thats its somehow wrong for this individual to do so?!?!!?

Naah, nothing wrong with it. It's capitalism at its finest. If you don't want it, don't buy it. Those buyers have the money and want to pay it. It's like a finder's fee for the ammo. Or a "Stupid Tax" on all the people who were too stupid to see the 8 foot tall flashing neon flaming writing on the wall years ago and stock up then.

The guy's basically made himself into another layer of middleman, and when prices go back down, he's out of business and possibly stuck with his ammo...and there's worse things than being stuck with stuff that's worth what you paid for it.

Don't like it, go to all the stores before him and buy up all the ammo before he does.

I mean- seriously. I buy brass and lead in bulk from shooting ranges. I sort it and clean it and double my money or more. Does that make me a nasty profiteer? Or a shrewd businessman?

I never knew before coming to this website that so many gun owners didn't understand capitalism and hated profits.

radiotom said:

I never knew before coming to this website that so many gun owners didn't understand capitalism and hated profits.

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Just as many gun owners also bang the drum for 2A rights, but are happy to wish to restrict 1A rights on folks like the Westboro Baptist Church or even media outlets that are printing outrageous gun control stuff.

ObsidianOne said:

Obviously it's unethical and unmoral

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On what specific moral or ethical basis is it?

You only need a license to sell ammo if you manufacture it. IE handload/reload.

So wake up in the morning earlier than the other guy. Then yopu run out and buy any and all available ammunition out there and you sell it for a profit. Making sure of course you collect sales taxes and pay taxes on your profits.

Ron