ole farmerbuck
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My neighbor gave me about 10 boxes of 22-250 cases that he's had for a while. I couldnt believe the prices back then. Wow!
My how things have changed!
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FROGO207
Member
Yeah don't you know it.
It wasn't that long ago that one could buy loaded rounds for what you now buy brass for in the semi common calibers.
It wasn't that long ago that one could buy loaded rounds for what you now buy brass for in the semi common calibers.ole farmerbuck
Member
Yep,$3.53 isnt too bad for a box of ammo.
M2 Carbine
member
$17 for this then NIB GI 1911A1. I bought it from the government (yes our government) and it was delivered to the house by the Postman.
This 03A3 and 03A4 cost $14.50 each. Also bought from our government and delivered to my house.
It's too bad THE government is no longer OUR government.
The M1 Carbines were pretty expensive at $20 each.
M1 Garands were very expensive at something over $50, as I recall.
Guns up to and including anti-tank guns could be bought from magazine ads.
Such as German Lugers cost about $20. No government Red tape at all.
Check the dates on this $4 a box 9mm from Academy.
This Wolf 7.62x39 isn't too bad at $60/1,000 rounds but I still have a number of cases that cost me $54/1,000 round cases.
FROGO207
Member
Wishful thinking is OK but we can start the process of reversing this mess next Nov don't ya know. Anything worth having is worth spending the time it takes to get it. IMHO.
Anything worth having is worth spending the time it takes to get it. IMHO.
Owen Sparks
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Two things have caused the price of ammo to go up so much recently. One is the Worldwide demand for copper. India and China are going through something like the US did in the 1950's with rural electrification only China has about five times as many people as the US and India has about three times as many. This takes a lot of copper wire and they just can't dig the stuff up fast enough to meet demands. A short supply means high prices. This is basic economics.
The other culprit is inflation. This is when the governments increases the money supply via the printing press. Every time the money supply increases by 1% it makes the dollar in your pocket lose 1% of its buying power. Normally this happens so slowly that the average person does not notice but lately with all the stimulus spending and quantitative easing it is becoming more apparent. Since the Federal Reserve started printing unbacked currency in 1913 the dollar has lost over 95 percent of its value. In other words a box of amunition that cost grandpa $1 in 1913 would cost you $23.17 plus tax! Don't take my word for it, see for yourself:
http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/
Then come back and tell me Ron Paul is crazy for wanting to go back to the inflation proof gold standard.
The other culprit is inflation. This is when the governments increases the money supply via the printing press. Every time the money supply increases by 1% it makes the dollar in your pocket lose 1% of its buying power. Normally this happens so slowly that the average person does not notice but lately with all the stimulus spending and quantitative easing it is becoming more apparent. Since the Federal Reserve started printing unbacked currency in 1913 the dollar has lost over 95 percent of its value. In other words a box of amunition that cost grandpa $1 in 1913 would cost you $23.17 plus tax! Don't take my word for it, see for yourself:
http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/
Then come back and tell me Ron Paul is crazy for wanting to go back to the inflation proof gold standard.
dcarch
Member
This type of stuff really depresses younger shooters like me... You have no idea how much I wish I was my age during the '50s sometimes. I could have done the black leather jacket and hot rod Mercury thing... And that $17 1911 just makes me want to cry. Ah well. At least we have AR-15s.
Yeah, I paid 5.99 for 9mm back in 2004, but I was making a heck of a lot less money than I am now. Costs increase, it's a part of life. Look at all of the improvements that have happened over that same time. I am one ot be a bit nostalgic from time to time, but looking back and longing for the "good ol days" will just prevent you from enjoying the present and preparing for the future.
At the time you could buy ammunition for $3.53 a box, I will bet the minimum wage was close to $1.25.
Look that old ammunition is at least 40 years old. A rule of thumb for gunpowder shelf life is 45 years for single based and 20 years for double based. People have posted pictures of IMR powders that went bad in the can from the 80's, so these are just rules of thumb.
If the powder is going bad you could have split case necks upon firing, or worse, pressure spikes. Old gunpowder does not burn evenly and I have found references to blown up rifles with old ammunition.
Pull a couple of bullets and look for green corrosion on the bases. This is from nitric acid gas coming out of old gunpowder. If you see spots like this, I would dump the powder out of all of them. If I saw this I would also be suspicious of the cases, but that would be your call.
Look that old ammunition is at least 40 years old. A rule of thumb for gunpowder shelf life is 45 years for single based and 20 years for double based. People have posted pictures of IMR powders that went bad in the can from the 80's, so these are just rules of thumb.
If the powder is going bad you could have split case necks upon firing, or worse, pressure spikes. Old gunpowder does not burn evenly and I have found references to blown up rifles with old ammunition.
Pull a couple of bullets and look for green corrosion on the bases. This is from nitric acid gas coming out of old gunpowder. If you see spots like this, I would dump the powder out of all of them. If I saw this I would also be suspicious of the cases, but that would be your call.
M2 Carbine
member
I have about a thousand rounds of 1942 GI 45ACP. It has lost about 25 FPS muzzle velocity. The surprising thing is the stuff is more accurate than just about any current 45 ACP I use.
When I bought those guns (early 1960's) the low middle income was about $100 a week.
So they cost about 15-20 percent of a person's weekly salary.
The cost of the guns and ammunition is of small importance compared to the lack of government intrusion then and how the government is trying to control ever aspect of our lives now.
Something else that's interesting is, back when guns were so unregulated and cheap and easy to own, even by children, there was no such thing as school shooting, kids "accidentally" shooting themselves, friends or family members, etc.
chris in va
Member
There were also a lot fewer guns and people in the US.
Owen Sparks said:
Do you realize that only represents a rate of 3.22%?
The US Treasury has been issuing RISK FREE Bills and Bonds as far back as at least 1928.
The geometric average interest rate on T-bills over that time frame: 3.61%
On Treasuring bonds: 5.14%
Owen Sparks
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Look at how much the price of copper wire has gone up in the last 20 years. It has far outpaced inflation.
M2 Carbine - as you said 15-20% of a low-middle income for some nice guns. If today's average low-middle income is around say $600/week at would be $120 in today's money. Sounds pretty good to me, but like you said, the government/regulation/etc. had to muddy things up which I think adds a bit to the cost. And of course people are probably more greedy these days
Owen Sparks
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Fiat currency is part of the problem. Inflation is nothing more than an increase in the money supply. Like you said, simple supply and demand. The more money they print the less it will buy.
Play with the Inflation Calculator below to see exactly how much the currency has been debased.
http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/
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ny32182
Member
Just think about how terrible life will be 10, 15 years from now... you should learn from the past, and rush out and buy 500,000 rounds right now at the super low prices of today. It is a limited time offer! Why are you still reading this? Get out there and buy ammo; it is a GREAT deal right now!
Prince Yamato
Member
We could always just import cheap Chinese ammo again...
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