How times have changed over the years for cost's

[357smallbore]

Was at the local Cabela's (oops, Bass Pro) today in Kansas City KS. I don't frequent the place but maybe 3 times a year. Only go to get a gift for someone. Picked up a box of 9mm for the stepson. I figured I'd walk around a bit just to look and waste a bit of time.
Just unbelievable the cost of guns, used guns, ammo and especially reloading supplies. I reload all my calibers except 22 and 12ga.
Have not needed and components for years. I stocked up the end of 99 and a few year's going in to 2000, 2001. When I say stocked up, I'm good until my time comes to cross over.
They are selling Winchester rifle primers for $159 a 1000, small pistol is $98 for 1k A pound of powder (any brand) $56 I was like WOW!! Brass and bullets are horrible also.
Must be a lot of people with a lot of disposable income to pay these prices. Last I paid for 1000 any primers was $29 a 1000. Powder was $18 for Unique, Bullseye and Blue Dot. Gave $19 for Win 296 My IMR types were going for $22-$25 a pound.
Just really haven't needed to look for this stuff. But seeing it today make me appreciate what I got.
Looking at reloading press and the accessories was another eye opener. What really got me, the place was packed and the fine folks were forking over the cash

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

What really got me, the place was packed and the fine folks were forking over the cash

Yup. I wandered around the store for 1/2-an-hour and never got past #11 in their wait queue. It was packed. Somebody snatched the last two pounds of IMR 4227 at $57/lb.
It’s hard to complain about prices when people are standing in line to pay them.

 

[Bush Pilot]

Yup. I wandered around the store for 1/2-an-hour and never got past #11 in their wait queue. It was packed. Somebody snatched the last two pounds of IMR 4227 at $57/lb.
It’s hard to complain about prices when people are standing in line to pay them.

I didn't see anybody waiting in line ahead of me for powder, I really love my oversized powder cabinet.

 

[n2omike]

Costs for reloading supplies and loaded ammo have not been a steady increase.
If you go back to the 50's and 60's... When adjusted for inflation, costs were MUCH higher. People really counted their shots back then. Reloading equipment was also much more expensive. It was much more basic as well. The GOOD times started around the 1980's. When we were flooded with all the cheap Russian ammo/components things were GOOOOOD! Lots of competition, and stuff selling for almost nothing. Want a box of 20 steel case of pretty much any centerfire rifle caliber they make it for? That will be $4 retail! I bought crap tons of 30 Carbine and 7.62x39 at those prices. Still have quite a bit. When we compare today's prices to that... It's not even a fair comparison. lol At that time, people would torture test AR15's with full auto fire until they literally melted... and compare brands. That would cost a fortune now!

So, in the grand scheme.... We aren't living in the days where we had massive amounts of imported ammo/primers/components providing the competition to bring prices down into the basement, but it's not nearly as expensive (adjusted for inflation) as it was in the 50's and 60's. I can still load up a 50 count box of 9mm RMR Nuke hollow points for around $10.

 

[Charlie98]

Must be a lot of people with a lot of disposable income to pay these prices.

You can look at it two different ways. When you were stocking up on reloading stuffs in your '99-'02 timeframe, YOU were the person with a lot of disposable income, paying the prices. I did the same thing in the early '90's, and, again, in the early 2000's when I had to restock. The prices are what they are, then and now, for a bunch of different reasons.

 

[twarr1]

Costs for reloading supplies and loaded ammo have not been a steady increase.
If you go back to the 50's and 60's... When adjusted for inflation, costs were MUCH higher. People really counted their shots back then. Reloading equipment was also much more expensive. It was much more basic as well. The GOOD times started around the 1980's. When we were flooded with all the cheap Russian ammo/components things were GOOOOOD! Lots of competition, and stuff selling for almost nothing. Want a box of 20 steel case of pretty much any centerfire rifle caliber they make it for? That will be $4 retail! I bought crap tons of 30 Carbine and 7.62x39 at those prices. Still have quite a bit. When we compare today's prices to that... It's not even a fair comparison. lol At that time, people would torture test AR15's with full auto fire until they literally melted... and compare brands. That would cost a fortune now!

So, in the grand scheme.... We aren't living in the days where we had massive amounts of imported ammo/primers/components providing the competition to bring prices down into the basement, but it's not nearly as expensive (adjusted for inflation) as it was in the 50's and 60's. I can still load up a 50 count box of 9mm RMR Nuke hollow points for around $10.

People who weren’t around in the 60’s and 70’s don’t realize shooting was EXPENSIVE back then. In my circle nobody went out and shot hundreds of rounds of any caliber. Ever. 20 rounds was a rare splurge.

 

[JEBruns]

Have to remember the effects of inflation is at play also. Those dollars back in '99 went a lot further. But prices pretty much doubled from pre-pandemic until today. Primers even more, but they seem to be coming down a little lately. It is hard to take if you haven't shopped components for a while.

 

[Jonny2guns]

For some reason primer prices at my LGS have gone up recently, SP and SR went from $95/1000 to $135/1000 all brands.
Fiocci is $185/1500

 

[mcb]

I am making nearly 3x what I was making in 2002. So prices have gone up allot since then but so has my buying power. Inflation has not helped but so far my earnings have out run inflation. Everything was cheaper back then not just guns and ammo.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

People who weren’t around in the 60’s and 70’s don’t realize shooting was EXPENSIVE back then. In my circle nobody went out and shot hundreds of rounds of any caliber. Ever. 20 rounds was a rare splurge.

Very true. When I tell people who weren’t shooting back then - either because they didn’t have any interest or weren’t born yet - that I was taught handloading in terms of one or two cartridges, a cylinder at a time at most, the reaction is one of awe. People these days are programmed to think in terms of spray and pray, mag-dumps, and buying ammo/components by the multi-thousands, just to keep up with a season of gaming.

It’s a different world out there, fer sher, and the shooting world is different too.

I STILL will sit down and reload ones and twos when that’s what I shot to keep the cylinder topped up.

 

[ojibweindian]

I am making nearly 3x what I was making in 2002. So prices have gone up allot since then but so has my buying power. Inflation has not helped but so far my earnings have out run inflation. Everything was cheaper back then not just guns and ammo.

Me, too.

What's really helped me, though, isn't the 3x jump in salary; it's being debt-free. Being debt-free seriously mitigates the effects of inflation.

 

[mcb]

Me, too.

What's really helped me, though, isn't the 3x jump in salary; it's being debt-free. Being debt-free seriously mitigates the effects of inflation.

I wish I was that would help, at this point though the only debt I carry is the house.

 

[ojibweindian]

I wish I was that would help, at this point though the only debt I carry is the house.

You must live in Madison =D

 

[dh1633pm]

Everything is going up, so are the prices for our favorite sports and hobbies. Just got back from Germany. Diesel was over $2 once you figure in the exchange rate. My thirsty diesel rental car loved the stuff. Beer was still 5 euro for a half liter. Somehow the German's have kept this price down.

Powder, bullets, brass, primers, and even equipment has seen a steady increase in pricing the last three years. Just like everything else. Keeping debt low or non existent, and living below your means all helps because you have the funds. Still hard to part with hard earned cash for something that you used to pay a heck of a lot less for.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Everything is going up, so are the prices for our favorite sports and hobbies. Just got back from Germany. Diesel was over $2 once you figure in the exchange rate. My thirsty diesel rental car loved the stuff. Beer was still 5 euro for a half liter. Somehow the German's have kept this price down.

Powder, bullets, brass, primers, and even equipment has seen a steady increase in pricing the last three years. Just like everything else. Keeping debt low or non existent, and living below your means all helps because you have the funds. Still hard to part with hard earned cash for something that you used to pay a heck of a lot less for.

It’s a different culture. The grass is greener, etc. They accept expats if anyone thinks life there really is better.

Keeping this on track, the market for handloaders has been in a boom state since about the early 80’s. The Reagan era GCA extensions and ban on new automatic weapons sales to the public opened a lot of eyes and wallets. Since then we have seen a much more volatile market but also a much more expansive set of options.

 

[n2omike]

People these days are programmed to think in terms of spray and pray, mag-dumps, and buying ammo/components by the multi-thousands, just to keep up with a season of gaming.

The 'Spray and Pray' crowd was established by all the cheap surplus that came in from China, etc during the 80's. Dad bought my brother and I SKS rifles for $89 each and a Spam can of ammo in stripper clips for next to nothing. These imports allowed people to take semi-auto centerfire rifles out and shoot them like 22's! OF COURSE it became popular! lol Once the surplus ammo started to get used up, Russian steel case came in to 'feed the need'! I mean, what young-ish person doesn't want to take a semi-auto centerfire rifle out, mag dump and blast stuff with it! lol If you live on a farm, out in the country, etc, what's not to love??? lol

This cheap ammo fueled people building AR15's, etc. They dumped lots of money into building them like Legos! It was all a GOOD TIME until the cheap imported ammo got banned and the Plandemic hit. AR15 and related business slowed down a bunch, as the local Rednecks couldn't spend a couple hundred bucks on 1000 rounds and go nuts anymore.

Cheap foreign competition kept ammo and component prices in check. Without that, there is far less supply and no competition to speak of... so they charge whatever they want. Only problem, is they are selling it to a shrinking market. Kind of ironic that an SKS demands $400+ nowadays. They are cheap, inaccurate rifles that only became popular because they were cheap to buy and feed. I don't understand people. lol

 

[film495]

look at the current price of real estate if you haven't thought about it in a long time

 

[AJC1]

Very true. When I tell people who weren’t shooting back then - either because they didn’t have any interest or weren’t born yet - that I was taught handloading in terms of one or two cartridges, a cylinder at a time at most, the reaction is one of awe. People these days are programmed to think in terms of spray and pray, mag-dumps, and buying ammo/components by the multi-thousands, just to keep up with a season of gaming.

It’s a different world out there, fer sher, and the shooting world is different too.

I STILL will sit down and reload ones and twos when that’s what I shot to keep the cylinder topped up.

I think why one is shooting has a big play on how much. I shoot very little now compared to a few years ago, but my son is shooting a lot more. I'm trying to build skill and familiarize him with the manual of arms across multiple platforms. Everything is insanely expensive but I will barter, trade, and buy what is needed, but I'm using my dad's stash for his training and entertainment. When I get to an uncomfortable level I'll pump the breaks.

 

[GBExpat]

I really love my oversized powder cabinet.

Oh yeah.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

The 'Spray and Pray' crowd was established by all the cheap surplus that came in from China, etc during the 80's. Dad bought my brother and I SKS rifles for $89 each and a Spam can of ammo in stripper clips for next to nothing. These imports allowed people to take semi-auto centerfire rifles out and shoot them like 22's! OF COURSE it became popular! lol Once the surplus ammo started to get used up, Russian steel case came in to 'feed the need'! I mean, what young-ish person doesn't want to take a semi-auto centerfire rifle out, mag dump and blast stuff with it! lol If you live on a farm, out in the country, etc, what's not to love??? lol

This cheap ammo fueled people building AR15's, etc. They dumped lots of money into building them like Legos! It was all a GOOD TIME until the cheap imported ammo got banned and the Plandemic hit. AR15 and related business slowed down a bunch, as the local Rednecks couldn't spend a couple hundred bucks on 1000 rounds and go nuts anymore.

Cheap foreign competition kept ammo and component prices in check. Without that, there is far less supply and no competition to speak of... so they charge whatever they want. Only problem, is they are selling it to a shrinking market. Kind of ironic that an SKS demands $400+ nowadays. They are cheap, inaccurate rifles that only became popular because they were cheap to buy and feed. I don't understand people. lol

You have a good point. I never went down the SK/AK/AR path. I did go through several FN49’s, a Hakim, several Garands, Carbines, a couple of SVT’s (40 & 41’s), and two StG44’s. Mag dumping a Hakim is not something for the timid.

 

[twarr1]

People who weren’t around in the 60’s and 70’s don’t realize shooting was EXPENSIVE back then. In my circle nobody went out and shot hundreds of rounds of any caliber. Ever. 20 rounds was a rare splurge.

I remember in the early 70’s the local Western Auto sold 6.5 Carcano by the cartridge- $1 each. 22 LR was 95¢. .410 - $5 a box. As a kid working before and after school I made $1 a day. I had to plan purchases carefully!

 

[eddiememphis]

Just unbelievable the cost of guns, used guns, ammo and especially reloading supplies.
Must be a lot of people with a lot of disposable income to pay these prices.

So has said every old man since the beginning of time.

"Kids these days, wasting money on the moving pictures and the rock and roll."

Have you looked at real estate or car prices? How about a head of lettuce?

The price of everything always goes up.

If you go outside and look around occasionally, it's not so shocking.

 

[Walkalong]

People who weren’t around in the 60’s and 70’s don’t realize shooting was EXPENSIVE back then. In my circle nobody went out and shot hundreds of rounds of any caliber. Ever. 20 rounds was a rare splurge.

Primers in the 70's and early to mid 80's were under a penny each, I could buy a box of 500 200 Gr .45 Cal cast bullets for $15 at gun shows, and brass was free on the ground. Sure, I had way less to spend back then, but I could still shoot a good bit. Then I made a home made lead pot heater set up (Stove eye), with a club aluminum pot from a trash pile, and a bottom pour ladle I bought, then went around begging free wheel weights, which helped me shoot even more.

Bottom line, is you have to pay the current rate of things to play, even if you have been smart and bought what you could when prices were down. Wanna shoot? Gotta pony up for the cost, whatever it is today.

 

[kcofohio]

Beer was still 5 euro for a half liter. Somehow the German's have kept this price down.

I don't know about now, but back in the 80s, German brewery's didn't spend money to advertise. West Germany had about 5k brewerys back then. That was a country about the size of Montana. One Deutsche mark for 1L bottle, about 40 cents on the exchange. Alt beer was my favorite. Never stomached American beer, except Samuel Adams, after that.

 

[Blue68f100]

Primers in the 70's and early to mid 80's were under a penny each, I could buy a box of 500 200 Gr .45 Cal cast bullets for $15 at gun shows, and brass was free on the ground. Sure, I had way less to spend back then, but I could still shoot a good bit. Then I made a home made lead pot heater set up (Stove eye), with a club aluminum pot from a trash pile, and a bottom pour ladle I bought, then went around begging free wheel weights, which helped me shoot even more.

Bottom line, is you have to pay the current rate of things to play, even if you have been smart and bought what you could when prices were down. Wanna shoot? Gotta pony up for the cost, whatever it is today.

I had a local caster (Dallas Judge) that sold cast bullets in the 70's. I was getting 1k for $10-$12 a box. I was shooting mainly 30 carbine and 357 mag back then. The funny thing is that I ended up meeting his son 50 yrs later through another friend of mine. Primers back then was around 1 sent, powder was ~$ 6-10 /lb.

Times have changed as the world has evolved.