The time to stock up is always.. Look at the recent past and learn the lessons it teaches.
Time to stock up?
- Thread starter Dave Lively
- Start date
Having "zeroed" my CC on Jun 27 I looked at he Target Sports email. I was going to get a case of "New Republic"(Hungarian) 9mm and some Federal 36 gr CPHP in 325 rd boxes. I got the .22's; $194 at my door at a little under $.06 rd. I'll get the 9mm ($240/1K incl tax and ins) after I get paid in a couple weeks. I'm not stockpiling, I'm just not shooting in this heat. Hope to get enough to last the "season" that goes from Oct 1-Jun 1 around here. Joe
IMO it is way past time to stock up.
That would have been about 3-4 years ago.
But if you find ammo or components you use at prices less than the current average, buy 'em!
I've already got more components than I'll ever use for everything except 7.62x39, so I'm still buying ammo, brass, primers & bullets for that caliber when I can find deals on them.
That would have been about 3-4 years ago.
But if you find ammo or components you use at prices less than the current average, buy 'em!
I've already got more components than I'll ever use for everything except 7.62x39, so I'm still buying ammo, brass, primers & bullets for that caliber when I can find deals on them.
Spurdann
Member
I look back two, five, ten years ago to where “I am not going to pay xxx for that” I wish I had bought two or four cases of that overpriced xxx.
Today I buy xxx because it will not be cheaper tomorrow. Yes it sucks but I would rather have xxx than dollars in my pocket. Today is better than tomorrow to stock up.
Today I buy xxx because it will not be cheaper tomorrow. Yes it sucks but I would rather have xxx than dollars in my pocket. Today is better than tomorrow to stock up.
The last Primers I bought was at the beginning of COVID. I told my late wife, "I had to pay $50 a thousand for CCI SPP!" Her reply was "I think you should have bought more." She was always smarter than me.
Prices are the lowest I've seen in a few years . I still have ammo in stock that I purchased before the pandemic at very good prices but plan on adding some more .22 LR and 9mm at the current prices as long as I can get free shipping. These are the calibers I shoot the most often . I reload for .45 ACP and .38 Special so am looking to get some more primers when I can get free HazMat shipping included.
There's a Presidential election on the horizon and depending on how that goes we could see another ammo shortage like other times.
A number of years ago I was caught unprepared for that current ammo shortage and was unable to do much shooting as a result.
I've never run short since . Between my son & I we do a fair bit of shooting and we've made it a point to have enough ammo in stock to see us through any shortage we've gone through since.
There's a Presidential election on the horizon and depending on how that goes we could see another ammo shortage like other times.
A number of years ago I was caught unprepared for that current ammo shortage and was unable to do much shooting as a result.
I've never run short since . Between my son & I we do a fair bit of shooting and we've made it a point to have enough ammo in stock to see us through any shortage we've gone through since.
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Contrary to the doom and gloom predictions being made the ammunition supply has vastly improved in retail stores and on-line. Primers are being offered for sale although at high prices. Still there is no reason to believe over the rest of 2023 and into 2024 ammunition and primers will become more available and prices will continue to drop.
There is no reason to believe that any gun control laws will be passed on the Federal level before the Presidential elections in November, 2024. As long as gun owners resist buying ammo and primers simple market forces will continue to drive prices down.
I know this is not as fun as doom and gloom things will never improve topics.
There is no reason to believe that any gun control laws will be passed on the Federal level before the Presidential elections in November, 2024. As long as gun owners resist buying ammo and primers simple market forces will continue to drive prices down.
I know this is not as fun as doom and gloom things will never improve topics.
OP
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Often, the threat of a new law is all it takes to drive prices up. I agree any new legislation being passed until 2025 is very unlikely but that doesn't mean prices will not spike up. Gun control wasn't an issue when prices spiked in 2020. Civil unrest or a big push for gun control can happen suddenly and without warning. Ask France about the former.
Inflation has hit metal prices particularly hard. Ammo prices are not going to be what they were 4 years ago unless there is a recession so severe we have deflation, which is extremely unlikely. Pricing isn't just supply and demand, material and labor costs set a floor ammo makers will not go below regardless of how much ammo is on the shelves.
While I agree there is a better chance prices will decline slightly rather than go higher over the next year if they do go up they could go way up and stay there for a couple of years. The possibility of a slight decline isn't worth the risk of a big increase.
Ammo prices are more volatile and unpredictable than the stock market. One of the other posters mentioned dollar cost averaging which is a good approach. Don't buy when prices are crazy high but if there is doubt about whether prices are going up, down or stabilizing buy at regular intervals instead of trying to time the market. If you do prefer timing the market summer has always been a slow season for anything gun related and is often a good time to buy.
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I've been buying better grouping .22's each time I can. I stock up on junk bulk for close up pistol practice and election consequences. Been buying 9mm. by the case but sadly .38 wadcutters are still way over priced. I did just buy enough of my favorite wads to shoot required qualifications till I'm dead. But sure would like enough for steady practice. So I'm shooting more 9mm than ever. Too bad, I'm a revolver guy.
I didn't vote in the Poll, because there is no 'Is now the time' answer. ANY time you find a deal is the time to buy... and people shouldn't be getting into the situation to where they NEED to stock up. 
When the online places I frequent have good sales (Valentine's, Mother's, Father's, Memorial and now, July 4th, or Free Shipping) and the prices are good, I buy. Some holiday sales have better over-all pricing than others.
I haven't found a good Local price in quite a while.
I do hope the usual 'Election Year Panic Buying' crisis doesn't happen this time around, but some 'Chicken Little' will probably show his/her head.
I hope THIS thread doesn't inadvertently spawn a run.
When the online places I frequent have good sales (Valentine's, Mother's, Father's, Memorial and now, July 4th, or Free Shipping) and the prices are good, I buy. Some holiday sales have better over-all pricing than others.
I haven't found a good Local price in quite a while.
I do hope the usual 'Election Year Panic Buying' crisis doesn't happen this time around, but some 'Chicken Little' will probably show his/her head.
I hope THIS thread doesn't inadvertently spawn a run.
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.38SuperMan
Member
It’s absolutely time to buy. Prices rarely go down and if they do they don’t stay down. Inflation is the big driver right now. Production costs are up because workers are demanding higher pay to keep up with inflation which increases costs of producing everything further increasing inflation.
Both powder and primers are running double and more from what I paid a couple of years ago. I have enough components to last years but I keep an eye on prices and buy if I find components at a good price. I checked out powder the other day and was shocked at powder I paid $25-27 for two years ago is $59 now. And I lucked into some Winchester SPP at a store I walked into on vacation and got them for $79/1000. A couple of years ago I was paying $24-30/1000.
Buy now when you find a good deal.
Both powder and primers are running double and more from what I paid a couple of years ago. I have enough components to last years but I keep an eye on prices and buy if I find components at a good price. I checked out powder the other day and was shocked at powder I paid $25-27 for two years ago is $59 now. And I lucked into some Winchester SPP at a store I walked into on vacation and got them for $79/1000. A couple of years ago I was paying $24-30/1000.
Buy now when you find a good deal.
NFrameFred
Member
Six-&-a-half cents each is the cheapest I've seen available primers in forever. I'm one that hopes for better but prepares for worse.
Several years ago I had a fairly good stock of primers and hesitated when some buddies went in for a bulk buy and offered to let me in. I reluctantly ponied up for 3,000 at the (then) exorbitant price of $35/1000 thinking 'well, stored properly they won't go bad'. Yeah, I know, shoulda, coulda, woulda bought a van load if I had known . . . .
An old mentor, a bullseye shooter, told me when I was a young pup, "Son, if you want to do something well you need to do it a lot . . . and shooting (especially pistol shooting) is a perishable skill".
I can go to the range with a single shot rife and a couple of boxes on ammo and spend a good portion of the day. But I shot IPSC and such for years and when I was competing seriously two boxes were a warm up to a practice session the week before a match. Not everyone's cup of tea . But I learned to ignore the Fudds and not to take offense at those that had to share their opinion that the practice, the sport, the equipment yada, yada, yada were a waste of money. Especially when I knew several of them owned Perrazi shotguns
Several years ago I had a fairly good stock of primers and hesitated when some buddies went in for a bulk buy and offered to let me in. I reluctantly ponied up for 3,000 at the (then) exorbitant price of $35/1000 thinking 'well, stored properly they won't go bad'. Yeah, I know, shoulda, coulda, woulda bought a van load if I had known . . . .
An old mentor, a bullseye shooter, told me when I was a young pup, "Son, if you want to do something well you need to do it a lot . . . and shooting (especially pistol shooting) is a perishable skill".
I can go to the range with a single shot rife and a couple of boxes on ammo and spend a good portion of the day. But I shot IPSC and such for years and when I was competing seriously two boxes were a warm up to a practice session the week before a match. Not everyone's cup of tea . But I learned to ignore the Fudds and not to take offense at those that had to share their opinion that the practice, the sport, the equipment yada, yada, yada were a waste of money. Especially when I knew several of them owned Perrazi shotguns
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LVSteve
Member
I voted yes, but there is a qualifier. Space is a problem.
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I am on the scout for SP primers at a brick price less than that of a radial tire. Will probably spring for a case of 9mm ball soon. Other than that I can shoot as much as I like for the rest of my life and let my estate deal with the surplus.
SGT ROCK 11B
Member
Reloading is a hobby in itself. So that is why me and others have been doing it for 40+ years.
SGT ROCK 11B
Member
I stock up when needed.
Like others I cleaned up when Walmart got out of the handgun ammunition business in 2019. I got a lifetime supply of Remington and Winchester 38 Special plus CCI shotshells.
Like others I cleaned up when Walmart got out of the handgun ammunition business in 2019. I got a lifetime supply of Remington and Winchester 38 Special plus CCI shotshells.
In 1966 I got Federal .22lr in 50 rd cardboard boxes for $.59/box @ R&S Home and Auto. According to the online "inflation calculator" that would be $5.54 today. 3250 rds, same Federal 36gr CPHP, 65 boxes equivalent for $194 is just a shade under $3.00 box. Great deal. Before the "shortage" (2019) I was getting 9mm ball (Federal etc) in 50 rd boxes for $169/K. Today it's $259 or $13.00 box, a little more than the $10.11 on the IC. After the 19th I'll be in the quarterly "sweet spot" so I'll get a case or 2 anyways. Still, not stocking up. Joe
Dio
Member
Simple mathematical formula to decide if you should buy...
X = the amount of ammo/components you have
X+1 is the amount you should have.
Always stock up!
Especially on the fourth of July week!
X = the amount of ammo/components you have
X+1 is the amount you should have.
Always stock up!
Especially on the fourth of July week!
Like the rest of you, I buy when I see something that is at the lowest end of the price curve. Right now that is 65/k for spp, 10 /100 CCI 22 LR and 239/k for 9mm. I need to do some math to figure out where I am with the # of primers to match my powder supply since I bought 8lb kegs. I have not been shooting much recently just because of other obligations. I have also been buying 12g 7.5 shot when I can find cases for around 80 dollars. They can always double as a cut shell if need be.
