my insight on prices on ammo

[B!ngo]

I completely agree. The reality is that whether it's industry, small business, or hobbies with an ecosystem the rule is that you must continue to grow or fail. A company that isn't growing is generally headed toward bankruptcy.
The same is true for shooting and shooting sports. Whether it conforms to the general rules of supply and demand, the inability for gun owners to fully participate in the sport/hobby/HD/SD is a sign of bad health for all involved.
The sad part here is that in a different time if someone felt there was an imbalance and inequity in a business they would start their own. Start an ammo company, or an oil company or whatever. Seems that those rules don't apply today. Or at least not as often.
Here in the silicon valley where people like to change the rules and test the norms, that behavior still exists in the high tech space.
But in heavy or established industry, it is no longer the behavior. Sad really.
B

I know the economics of supply & demand, but for the future of shooting sports and new gun owners/shooters, prices for ammunition has to be affordable. This helps get more folks into shooting sports and activities which hopefully increases NRA members to adds more political clout to our side. IMO if you can't enjoy spending time going to the range with out breaking the bank, fewer and fewer people will continue to shoot, and many will drop out of their range memberships, NRA memberships, which weakens our side and strengthens the opposition. I know this post doesn't really solve anything but something to think about. agreed

 

[dvdcrr]

Month to month many folks might take a couple years to get the stockpike they want. So I see this going for another year, God willing no further atrocities. If we see another bad shooting, folks, get what you can, or profitably cash out if you're so inclined. Very well could be your last chance to do so legally. All it takes is one psycho.

 

[Mike1234567]

I just ordered some .22LR but must wait 2-3 months (a guess) for it to arrive. I'll be happily surprised if it ever gets here.

 

[valleyforge.1777]

A few thoughts, then a video:
1. I am shocked that there is an ammo shortage. I guess I mean that I am shocked that anyone who wants ammo did not already have it long before the panic happened. The shortages that resulted from the 2008 presidential election are not that far in the past. It took until summer of 2010 for ammo supply and prices to come back to pre-panic levels, at least around here. So, in the beginning of 2012, I expected to see the ample ammo supplies at stores and on Internet sites start to dry up, and I expected prices to rise. I thought there'd be no ammo available by the middle of august. Instead, the stores were packed with ammo all summer. I bought cases of Lake City 5.56 for $165 a case, yes that is $165 for 1,000 rounds of military-grade ammo, in July 2012. My local store could not give the stuff away. They had cases of 9 mm for $190 per 1,000 rounds all the way into September and October. Anyone who wanted ammo could have gotten plenty, and plenty of us did.

2. I really doubt that hobby shooters have ever been out of ammo during this whole panic. My local shooting range has 2,000 members and is totally an outdoors range. It was packed to the gills all spring, summer, and fall. The AR's were shooting left and right. There was never a time that the place quieted down because the shooters were out of ammo. I was there yesterday and even though it is an outdoor range and it was literally 25 degrees outside, there were people shooting at every range area.

OK, here's an interesting video from 22plinkster, a trick-shooter and competition shooter. He sums up the reasons that he believes account for the apparent shortage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU5U_TSl8Cw
I agree with him for the most part, but I think he goes too soft on the local gun stores. I'm not saying that Cabelas or Midway were part of a grand conspiracy to make it seem that ammo was scarce so they could sell at inflated prices on the Internet, but I definitely saw it first hand with my local gun store. Their ammo shelves were BARE for months on end, yet every time I was in the local shops, people would be coming in to "pick up ammo they bought from the shop owner on gunbroker". I saw the clerk at one large local store reach down and heave up a case of 5.56 for a guy who was holding his printed GunBroker receipt and when she did that, I noticed about 50 other cases down on the floor behind the register counter, each with pieces of paper taped to the top. That was back in the spring when the shortage was most acute. So much for the shortage.

 

[gary0529]

444 is spot on

Having been fortunate enough to be on this earth for 65+ years and to see economic cycles continue unabated, this brouhaha about ammo is just that. Folks who UNDERSTAND economics and free markets have no problem.
A proper cost what another is willing to pay, be it ammunition, gold or a house.
Saw my child buy a house at the peak in 2007 and just sold it for a 50k bath-did he bitch and moan-you bet but he fully understood what occurred. The free market spoke.
If you can afford to buy ammo then buy all you want, if you try to sell it and cannot, well then, the free market spoke. If you do sell it at an outrageous price then that is what is was worth to the buyer. PERIOD!

I used to really enjoy flying but the cost of avgas, insurance and all the things associated were too much for me so i stopped. No b----ing and moaning, just no longer fly private planes. If you cannot afford the hobby get another one as it is not my responsibility to ensure more shooters come into the sport. Besides my gun club has gone from 300 to 1500 members over the past 10 years and the range is always busy so tell me again-what shortage?

YMMV

Gary

 

[Potatohead]

sorry if it makes me a hoarder don't want to be just looking at the reality of thing I am 60 now be retiring in five years have the money now to stock up while prices are what I can afford now wont be able to buy five years for now that it in a nut shell

You aint hoarding. Do what you gotta do.

 

[Potatohead]

I am shocked that there is an ammo shortage. I guess I mean that I am shocked that anyone who wants ammo did not already have it long before the panic happened.

You have to think of all the new shooters out there. I had never in my life picked up a gun until Feb. Since I considered myself way behind, I figured I better get on the ball where ammo is concerned. Now I have 3000 .380 cartridges and probably 7500 for 9mm. If all the new guys have done this you can see where it could help perpetuate a shortage.

 

[fteter]

Scout777, don't let the naysayers bug ya. You've made a good move.

Seems like gary0529 and Potatohead are on the right track, IMHO. This is basic supply and demand at work. Demand for the most popular calibers has increased from all the new gun owners and supply (or even production capacity) has yet to catch up.

The situation with .22LR is probably the most obvious, as most new gun owners seem to buy guns for that caliber. While prices have yet to go up with most of the large brick-and-mortar retailers, we have seen prices go up on-line and with private sellers. And the availability of .22LR...well, we all know how bad it is right now.

The other point is this: although we've had our peaks and valleys in price, the general long-term trend for ammo prices over the past 15 years is to increase over time. Personally, I don't see that trend changing...10 years out, ammo will cost more than it does now. That'll be true even after this immediate cycle calms down because, as 1911 guy pointed out, the cost of the raw materials used to make ammunition will continue to rise.

So, I'm with Scout777...pile it high and deep while you can. I stocked my .22LR up long ago (2 milsurp .50 cal cans full). Working on my stock of 7.62x54r and 7.62x39...fortunately, both are still relatively cheap and widely available. Ditto regarding birdshot for my 20 gauge. But I've started loading my own #3 buck because I can't find it anywhere for much under 80 cents per round, when I can find it at all. Not going anywhere near the market for pistol rounds: 9mm, .40 or .45...those are seller's markets at the moment.

All Scout777 and I have done is build our personal inventories in response to economic conditions. Nothing wrong with that.