Price Gouging or buy more mags, ammo, or guns...?

[leadcounsel]

Say you've got $500 or so....

Nasty political climate for guns with the AZ shootings last year, Fast and Furious, UN talks about global gun control issues, and 2012 elections and now this trajedy in Colorado...

If you're like me, you're thinking that significant gun control items are on the table...

Is it time to spend some more cash on things that you want/would like to have before some price gouging.

1) Mags. Hi-cap mags are always a favoire of the antis.
2) Ammo. Foreign ammo - import issues and related issues may shtu down cheap ammo sources.
3) Guns! Yep, the delivery systems we all love.

Stock up, buy something you've wanted, or think this will blow over.

Thoughts?

 

[Texan Scott]

Ammo. Not because the antis are gonna take it all, but because WE do this to ourselves every time there's a scare... remember not being able to get ammo in 2009? there's likely to be a rush, so if you don't have enough to suit your needs, get it while it's still out there. (If there's gonna be a rush, you may as well be the first wave, right?) Sheesh...

 

[Plan2Live]

I read an article on Yahoo last night that made a convincing argument that the politicians, both sides, are not eager to introduce new restrictions on anything firearms related. The facts seem to show that the Dems have lost big in the past when they enacted restrictions like the 1994 assault weapons ban.

Hillary's UN treaty may be a back door but I hear arguments on both sides of that theory. If there is a run, we (gun owners) and rumor wil be the cause, not actual legislation.

As for me;
High Cap Mags - my SKS only holds 10, the Sig 239 holds 8.
Ammo - I'm reasonably ahead of that curve simply because I expect the rising cost of metals and petroleum (delivery cost at each step) to drive up the cost of ammo. Plus, I am at my peak earning years now so best time to buy.
Guns - lots of folks out of work and hurting financially right now. Inflation should be held at reasonable levels by stagnant economy.

That's my take on the question.

 

[Apple a Day]

Buy a revolver. Buy a lever action carbine. No need for magazines. Problem solved. The old guys have had it figured out for years.

 

[Robert]

Leave the politics and shtf stuff out and talk about being ready now or later.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

When the panic buying starts I hope that the "3times the normal price" these idiots shelled out the last time is still ringing in their heads.

I bet have that ammo is still laying around in these peoples houses and has never been fired.

I know of people in PA that spent $70.00 a box for rifle shells and bought about $400.00 worth because that was all they could buy, all the money they had in their checking account to last the week.

I hope some of these people learned from the last time. I didn't worry about it the last time and I won't this time.

If you feel you need to purchase additional ammo at this time then do it.

I maintain about 1200 9mm at all times,(I reload) that may sound like a lot but I shoot 100 rounds a week.
With that in perspective that is only a 3 month supply, so because some of us have a lot on hand doesn't mean we are preparing for the worst.

Honestly I'm not worried about another shortage, I'll sit back and watch the idiots waste their money on hiped up prices.

 

[gspn]

I've been thinking along the same lines lately. With the election not far off, and a president who will have "more flexibility" in his own words to tackle issues in his second term, I think I might buy stuff now out of an abundance of caution.

I bought two 100 round AR mags Friday on speculation that high cap mags are going to be really easy fruit for the politicians to pick. I got another AR too just to make sure that my son will have one when he is an adult.

I'll probably make a few more purchases of things I think will be the high probability items to get banned...maybe a Barrret 50 cal rifle...some suppressors, etc. If I'm wrong I'll have some cool toys...if I'm right I can re-sell them later at higher prices or just keep them in my safe. And did I mention I'll have some cool toys?

 

[Fishslayer]

Living in Kalifornistan the standard cap mags are off the table. Plenty of x39 on strippers tho...

We've already been the "ban internet ammo" route. Got it thrown out but not before a lot of panic buying. Maybe a crate or two of x54R but mostly because that keeps getting more expensive by the month anyway.

We're already pretty restricted on which guns we can buy off the rack. Nothing I really need comes to mind.

I could spend a whole $500 on primers, powder & lead pretty easily though.

 

[pat701]

The panic buying will start Monday, along with the price gouging.

 

[Walkalong]

Monday? I seriously doubt it.

Prices will stay the same until the election, and even then they may stay level. Neither candidate has mentioned gun control. Neither wants to go there. No politician has mentioned any new gun legislation. They do not want to go there either. They have bigger fish to fry. The usual anti gun media talking heads are screaming, as they always do, but other than that, nothing is going to happen.

If you need it, and can afford it, buy it. If you don't, wait until you need it or can afford it. Prices are as good as ever right now, and look to stay that way for awhile, despite the crazy things happening four years ago with prices and availability, and despite a tight race now.

 

[Ky Larry]

Personally, I'm buying reloading components. I have all the weapons I need (but not nearly what I want), and I've got a lot of mags. However, std small pistol primers disappeared from our LGS's a couple of months ago. IIRC, this is how the "shortage" started last time.I bought several 1,000 primers last year so I should be okay for a year or so. The next 3 months should be interesting.

 

[Ignition Override]

Just make a decision and act, if you have the cash. A 1,000 rd. case of Tula 7.62x39 arrived on the porch last week from SGAmmo, for my birthday.

Why wait until the scalpers have induced a panic this fall, as they did both before and after the last election?
The scalpers might have already bought up lots of ammo or primers (to resell at gun shows), and can't wait for all of the sheep to panic and stampede at the same time.
In July '09, a scalper up in Keene NH was selling over 50,000 rds. of Russian 7.62x39 ammo on Gunbroker-all at the same time. I counted at least that much.
The problem for him/her (apparently) was that the panic bubble had already burst a few months after the election.

As in the song "Money" by Pink Floyd, ka-ching, ka-ching....

 

[huntsman]

If I had an extra $500. I'd buy a gun a non plastic gun.

 

[Beach Nut]

I noticed that battle rifle prices went up about $ 100.00 per gun between Saturday
and today at my local gun shops. I went to two stores and both were very busy,
especially in the semiauto rifle sections. I literally had a rifle sold out from my nose I
was looking at. I took home a WASR-10 for $ 489.00 and that was the only battle
rifle left under $ 650.00. I believe prices will remain high and even go up in light of
recent events and the political situation. Ammunition prices and accessories will go
up as well depending on the situation.

 

[Warp]

I sat back and watched the gun/ammo/accessory market go nuts 4 years ago. I went almost a year and a half without buying any ammunition to speak of, which for me is amazing. And I didn't shoot less. I intend to be prepared to do so again. I'm almost there.

I bought my first "assault rifle" recently. I am not as confident going into this election, as I was four years ago, that nothing significant will happen.

I still think nothing significant (gun control laws and the like) will happen, but it seems more likely this time than last...and no matter what people will go nuts buying stuff and drive up prices/zap supply.

I have also purchased magazines and ammo, and want more magazines and ammo, but that is as much because I just got the rifle as anything else.

I'd like to have more ammo. By, oh, September.

 

[Salty1]

If I had that fear, which I don't, I would look at reloading equipment and stock up on primers and powder, maybe bullets as well. Brass is easy to get. Pick out dies for your top 2 calibers.....

 

[coalman]

Thoughts?

This post, and those like it make it worse. As have I by bumping it to say this. To play along: buy the thing you think will be banned outright. Otherwise, it's just a question of money to purchase at the jacked up prices these posts encourage.

 

[Fishslayer]

If you need it, and can afford it, buy it. If you don't, wait until you need it or can afford it. Prices are as good as ever right now, and look to stay that way for awhile, despite the crazy things happening four years ago with prices and availability, and despite a tight race now.

During the Great Ammo Drought of '09/'10 you never saw "Ammo on Sale!" or "Special on Ammo!"

I'm still seeing this occasionally. WWB .45ACP at Walmart went up $2-ish/100 (as did everything else). People can hate on Walmart but I didn't see any gouging there during the Great Ammo Drought. Can't say the same for other dealers... *cough*Big5*cough*

Except for milsurp calibers I roll my own but I still keep a loose eye on things.