Local Gun Store - Well Stocked But Overpriced

[llowry61]

Took a quick run out to a local gun store yesterday. The shelves were really packed and not many people buying. No restrictions on anything, but still 2x pre pandemic pricing. They were running "sales" on some items which were still overpriced.

Reloading supplies were slim, they had Hornady XTP bullets in .38, 55 grain .22 for 223 and .45. A few pounds of Accurate powder, and 0 primers.

Feels like supply is starting to catch up. If prices are going to come down, they should start to do so soon. I can't imagine supply issues continuing with what I am seeing available on-line and locally, unless we have additional shutdowns.

Just my .02.

 

[DWalt]

Within the current inflationary period we are experiencing, I believe the best that can be hoped for is that prices may stabilize at a higher level. I do not expect to see any significant price declines soon. I hope I am wrong.

I have observed that stores and restaurants, at least locally, seem to be drawing noticeably fewer customers over the last few weeks. Of course there may well be several good reasons for that, but I believe that one of them is that many consumers are finding prices have gone too high and are reducing or deferring spending for discretionary and non-essential items. That is how economics is supposed to work.

 

[6string]

If you don't really need it, just don't buy it.
Make them sit on it.
They'll either have to lower prices or eat it!

As the LGS tradition, with long term employees and independent owners, disappear in favor of the big chains, complete with a high turnover of apathetic staff, we have to realize that these places aren't our friends. They're in it for short term gain.

 

[bigwheelzip]

Only four domestic manufacturers produce primers: Federal, CCI, Remington and Winchester. The first three of those companies are owned by Vista Outdoors, so free-market forces are a bit tilted in their favor for the foreseeable future.

Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk

 

[sigp220.45]

I’m seeing some 9mm ball for 15.99/50. We may not get back to 7.99, but barring some unforseen event I bet we get close. The market will work it out.

 

[diyj98]

If you don't really need it, just don't buy it.
Make them sit on it.
They'll either have to lower prices or eat it!

I agree. They'll keep the prices inflated as long as people are dumb enough to pay it. I watched one local guy get a couple boxes of ammo out of the back to restock a couple boxes he'd just sold. He keeps in in the back to keep the idea that it's so difficult to find and you're lucky to find those two boxes sitting on his shelf.

 

[John Patrick]

Only four domestic manufacturers produce primers: Federal, CCI, Remington and Winchester. The first three of those companies are owned by Vista Outdoors, so free-market forces are a bit tilted in their favor for the foreseeable future.

Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk

I wonder if the primer output isn’t largely consumed by increased cartridge manufacturing.

 

[bigwheelzip]

I wonder if the primer output isn’t largely consumed by increased cartridge manufacturing.

Yeah, I'd guess there is more retail value added to a primer when it is assembled into an assembled cartridge, than when it is sold loose to DIYers.

Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk

 

[JB4570]

If you don't really need it, just don't buy it.
Make them sit on it.
They'll either have to lower prices or eat it!
+1 to 6string,,,,

In my neck of the woods I'm noticing alot of sales being offered to lure the person into the shop,,,, Give it time and you'll start seeing price reductions just as in the last shortage, dealers will have to reduce to get cash flow going again.

 

[6string]

I wonder if the primer output isn’t largely consumed by increased cartridge manufacturing.

I wonder if the supply of primers isn't simply being withheld to make people be more dependent on factory ammo.
As mentioned above, and as I've been posting here for years, Vista Outdoor owns a lot of companies that used to be free market competitors.
Go look up the history of their stock price over the past few years. The value fluctuates wildly from under $10 a share to close to $60. Their stock name is VSTO on the New York Stock Exchange. You can't help but notice the uncanny parallel that bad times for shooters equals good times for Vista Outdoors, and vice versa.

 

[jjmIII_Ruger]

Ammo is made of a bunch of precious metals. Inflation is everywhere.

To those who say it's going to go back to, or near old prices, well I hope you're right. Soon gas will be $.49 a gallon and movies $.99.

 

[pantannojack]

I've in the past seen folks with bare foot kids buy 50$ in lottery tickets.

 

[DWalt]

I am a little surprised by the pricing and scarcity situation on primers. There are numerous manufacturers of primers throughout Europe (especially in eastern Europe) who could be exporting them to the USA, also there are the Canadians, Brazilians, and Mexicans. I don't know if the Russians are locked out of the US market on primers or not. Maybe all those foreign primer manufacturers are using all the primers they can make themselves for their own ammunition production.

 

[31FordA]

I can go for a ride and in an hour go from one shop that has 9mm ball for less than $20 a box to another that has the same 9mm ball for $45. At the moment it pays to be a careful shopper.

This past weekend I saw small pistol primers on the shelf at a shop, which is the first I’ve seen them on the shelf since spring of 2020. The price was $10 per 100, but at least they were there if you really needed them.

 

[Chuck24]

With the multitudes of new people buying firearms, I don’t think they realize how expensive ammo has become. They just accept it and buy it. Once all these folks toss the new gun in the sock drawer and never buy anything again the prices will start to recede.

 

[John Patrick]

I wonder if the supply of primers isn't simply being withheld to make people be more dependent on factory ammo.
As mentioned above, and as I've been posting here for years, Vista Outdoor owns a lot of companies that used to be free market competitors.
Go look up the history of their stock price over the past few years. The value fluctuates wildly from under $10 a share to close to $60. Their stock name is VSTO on the New York Stock Exchange. You can't help but notice the uncanny parallel that bad times for shooters equals good times for Vista Outdoors, and vice versa.

Eh, same with energy companies. Same with banks.

I don’t buy into this conspiracy theory.

I work a gun counter at a Bass Pro Shop on Sunday mornings. It’s clear US ammo companies are rotating the ammo they’re producing. Now that production is much stronger than it was and The Remington plant is back in business, we’re seeing a glut of 9mm, followed by a glut of 40S&W, then a glut of 45acp. Some 38spl here and there, likewise 380… Then repeat.

For shotshells, it’s similar. Pallets of 12ga target ammo, then pallets of 20ga target ammo, then lots Turkey ammo, then waterfowl ammo… rinse and repeat.

For rifles. It’s a glut of FMj 5.56, then 7.62x51, a smattering of hunting ammo then a glut of 7.62x39. Rinse and repeat.

We see primers about as often as 380 ammo. Same with powder. Same with brass.

I will say it’s astonishing how much ammo is still being bought. Prices are down some, pretty much across the board. But I don’t think they’ll return to pre COVID/riots prices.

 

[Rudi]

I was at an LGS today. Prices were high, $28 for a box of 9mm. There was a lot of rifle ammo but not so much pistol ammo. More 9 and forty, no .38s or .357. Then on my way out(empty handed)I was surprised to see a pallet full of cases of 7.62x39. It was Tula, must have been at least 100 cases. Did not notice the price. All in all a lot more ammo available than a year ago, but not like it should be. Have not seen but one box of 30.06 since the madness started.

 

[BC38]

I went to the local FFL to start the transfer on the one I bought across the state line last week. They had a few pounds of powder - for $50-$60 a pound. A few bullets on the shelf in the 25-30 cents apiece range. Had a bag with 50-100 Berrys plated 115gr 9mm bullets - and he wanted $20 for the bag. 20 cents each for plated 9mms? I don't THINK so!

 

[John Patrick]

I went to the local FFL to start the transfer on the one I bought across the state line last week. They had a few pounds of powder - for $50-$60 a pound. A few bullets on the shelf in the 25-30 cents apiece range. Had a bag with 50-100 Berrys plated 115gr 9mm bullets - and he wanted $20 for the bag. 20 cents each for plated 9mms? I don't THINK so!

FWIW, I recently bought 1,000 Berry’s plated 38 HBWC from their site. ~$145.

What I’m not seeing as often now as I was six months or a year ago is the Cabelas/Bass Pro house brand Herter’s ammo (loaded by Winchester) for sale in local gun stores at 2-3 times the Cabelas/Bass pro price.

 

[Miami_JBT]

Higher prices are here to stay due to inflation, less purchasing power of the dollar, and the changes in consumer habits. There has been a huge amount of new cuustomersand to them, these prices are the norm.

Plus the change in the retail landscape due to higher labor costs since people are realizing they hold power to and it isn't just the employers that can decide everything.

I have a pretty impressive collection (by my own standards) and it was possible because I bought cheap and stacked deep. But I also understand that retail is retail and they need to pay to keep the lights on and pay their storefront's lease.

If our laws didn't require FFLs and allowed direct mail order. A LOT OF FFLs WOULD BE OUT OF BUSINESS.