Price Gouging? Lets help each other!

rwb1971

rwb1971

Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2010
Messages
73
Reaction score
9
Location
Ct
Hi, consider this my personal bitch session. I know, as we all know, that ammo/magazines are getting harder to find. Prices do increase in such times. But,.....after looking here and abroad at what my equipment "could" be worth in trade, I have become appalled at what I see. $17 mags going for $50-80!? Really?! I have been lucky enough to have been able to purchase many mags/ammo during the time when they were available, so I do not need any more. What upsets me is the fact that when one of us needs info, dozens give it for free, without prejudice. But...when some of us ask for things, others triple the value. And it's not just here. Almost every other site has the same thing going on. Personally, if I were to sell some equipment, the most I would charge is what I paid plus shipping. I have a job to make money. We need to help each other, not take advantage of one another. Help equip each other. Are we only helpful until I can "make a buck on you"? Really? Maybe this is my own rant, but I really think that we should help other gun owners out. They are our allies. I would not make money off family, nor would I make money off fellow law-abiding-citizens who I choose to do business with. Maybe we can/could use this post as a "sticky" to expose sites/individuals who exploit others. I'm sure that I can go on much longer than this, but I feel that I have said What needed to be said. I'm sure that I am not the only one who has had these thoughts.
Thanks for hearing me out. Russ Barbour
 
Register to hide this ad
Amen, Brother! I think most of us agree with you but there are a few who think it's OK to take advantage of others - calling it "supply and demand" to justify themselves.
 
yes, I agree. We have a local gun shop here in Marion, Ohio and they are selling 500 rounds of "cheap" rimfire .22 amo for $75. What a Joke. He also wants $48 for a 50 round box of .40 S&W.
 
Good thought and all. :D Problem is,the guy you might help out "could" turn right around and put the screws to the next guy and make a buck with-out any second thoughts about it what so ever.
 
If any of these "exploiters" are holding a gun on the folks paying these "inflated" prices, I guess that would be a crime. Otherwise, I think we can call it a legal sale between consenting adults. Socialism isn't panning out anywhere else, so let's not try it here.
 
The gun community, the NRA and even vendors are all saying lets band together and stand up for the 2A. That's great and all because we are defending our rights. However, when it comes to guns, ammo and mags its every man for himself as we all bow to the all mighty dollar. I just see a contradiction in the "lets band together" when the vendors display blatant greed to the people they are supposedly supporting and defending. I've helped out board members here with mags for retail value trades. I'm not trying to make a buck off my comrades in arms.
 
I don't disagree with you at all. I have a real big problem with joe shmoe buying stuff and turning around and selling it at a substantial profit.

However, look at it from the mom and pop gun shop perspective.
If you had guns, ammo, and accessories on order but didn't know when they were to come in, wouldn't you raise your prices to make ends meet? Especially since you're not sure whether or not you're going to have anything to sell the next week or month? That's what smaller gun shops are faced with these days. BUT NOOOOOO! Everybody want to shop at Cabelas!:rolleyes: And then complain when they don't have enough to go around!!:eek:
 
I had a kid at work offer to sell me his .22LR ammo. He mentioned that he was going to sell his .22 rifles and all his ammo.
I asked what he had for ammo and how much he wanted for it. Turned out he had 2 partial boxes from a couple years ago, approx. 700 loose rounds of Winchester & Federal. He had all of about $40 into it when he purchased it. I asked him what he wanted for it and he said "$60" without batting an eye.
I told him he was out of his mind and there was no way I would pay that kind of money for a couple half-boxes of ammo.
I offered him $45 for all of it and told him "That refunds your original purchase price, and several hundered rounds are missing. That's a nice profit for you, but $45 is my limit."

Turns out the kid is a "take advantage" type and figures he can sell it for way more than that.
I agreed with him that he probably could, and that it was his and he could do what he wanted, but I wasn't willing to pay centerfire prices for rimfire ammo. I'll quit shooting .22 altogether first.

I wish him the best of luck in his venture to screw the next guy - it ain't gonna be me. :mad:
 
Hillbilly77 said:
I had a kid at work offer to sell me his .22LR ammo. He mentioned that he was going to sell his .22 rifles and all his ammo.
I asked what he had for ammo and how much he wanted for it. Turned out he had 2 partial boxes from a couple years ago, approx. 700 loose rounds of Winchester & Federal. He had all of about $40 into it when he purchased it. I asked him what he wanted for it and he said "$60" without batting an eye.
I told him he was out of his mind and there was no way I would pay that kind of money for a couple half-boxes of ammo.
I offered him $45 for all of it and told him "That refunds your original purchase price, and several hundered rounds are missing. That's a nice profit for you, but $45 is my limit."

Turns out the kid is a "take advantage" type and figures he can sell it for way more than that.
I agreed with him that he probably could, and that it was his and he could do what he wanted, but I wasn't willing to pay centerfire prices for rimfire ammo. I'll quit shooting .22 altogether first.

I wish him the best of luck in his venture to screw the next guy - it ain't gonna be me. :mad:
Click to expand...

That's too bad. But don't be too hard on him. We were all young once and we all learned as we go. Some slower than others.:rolleyes: When you're young and need money, sometimes nothing else matters.
 
Kanewpadle said:
That's too bad. But don't be too hard on him. We were all young once and we all learned as we go. Some slower than others.:rolleyes: When you're young and need money, sometimes nothing else matters.
Click to expand...


Nope, no hard feelings here. It's his ammo, he's entitled to do what he wants with it. I'm sure some fool will pay his price to him, just not this fool. ;)

I don't think he's hurting for money too badly.
He is a casual shooter, and like many of his generation, places more value on money than much else. The dollar signs are more important to him that any type of charity or goodwill, etc.
God willing, he'll figure it out (along with many others his age).
 
Hillbilly77 said:
Nope, no hard feelings here. It's his ammo, he's entitled to do what he wants with it. I'm sure some fool will pay his price to him, just not this fool. ;)

I don't think he's hurting for money too badly.
He is a casual shooter, and like many of his generation, places more value on money than much else. The dollar signs are more important to him that any type of charity or goodwill, etc.
God willing, he'll figure it out (along with many others his age).
Click to expand...

Hope you're right friend. Because there are too many dummies out there spending way too much!:eek::rolleyes:
 
Around here the ammo is getting snagged by people with nothing better to do than wait at various Walmarts for the ammo shipments. They know the schedules and make the rounds with their family & friends to beat the 3 box limits. Then they flip it on gumbreaker or Calguns. And people buy it.

Between them and the Walmart employees most of us don't have much of a chance.

There is talk of a $.05/round "safety" tax on ammo AND bullets. :eek:

If it passes I see future road trips, semi-underground networks and a massive run on casting equipment.

I have no idea how they would collect taxes on private transactions of lumps of metal but pretty sure they will try.
 
Last edited:
Kanewpadle said:
Hope you're right friend. Because there are too many dummies out there spending way too much!:eek::rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Humor in its finest form, they are ready to kill one another for a box of .22 rounds.

It definitely is not going to disappear anytime soon.
 
labworm said:
Humor in its finest form, they are ready to kill one another for a box of .22 rounds.

It definitely is not going to disappear anytime soon.
Click to expand...

I participate in the weekly "ammo line" at our local Big 5. We get there 3 hours before opening and pretty much have a BS session till the manager gets there and tells us how many of what he's got. Pretty decent group, but there's usually not enough ammo to attract the flippers. We're just trying to get some to add to our stash.
 
labworm said:
Humor in its finest form, they are ready to kill one another for a box of .22 rounds.

It definitely is not going to disappear anytime soon.
Click to expand...

A good friend which owns a pawn shop is selling a Browning like this on Gunbroker.
021001l2_zps2c8f89d5.jpg


The auction has two days to go and it's over $1500.00!!!!:eek:

The one he is selling is vintage made in Belgium Browning but it ain't worth anywhere near that kind of money. You can still buy these for around $700 new. Made in Japan the quality isn't bad at all.:rolleyes:

People are crazy and it affects the rest of us.
 
It is a free country, nobody has to buy and nobody has to sell. I have a lifetime supply of most of what I shoot acquired at what look like very low prices now. The gunshow last weekend, one of my premier ammo sources was offering 500 rounds of target 22lr ammo for $125. Shotguns and shotgun accessories and shells are still reasonable. For rifles, handguns and their ammo, I can wait for the return to sanity. Good luck finding what you need/want. Houston Rick
 
I'm not selling anything for less than replacement cost, especially if I don't know when I'll be getting more.

Why would you expect anyone to sell you something for a price that they can't replace their inventory for?

Economics 101 folks. It's amazing how many folks don't understand this simple concept.

People have come to expect everything be delivered to them at a low price. That's great in times of plenty and simple economics is working in your favor, but let the tide turn a bit and these same people just can't understand free market competition is what drives price.

As for intelligence, I know I rate closer to Forrest Gump than Albert Einstein, but this all makes perfect sense to me?
 
I'll tell you what. When you got something you want to sell, you feel free to ask whatever you want for it.

I'll do the same.

Deal?

Kanewpadle said:
The one he is selling is vintage made in Belgium Browning but it ain't worth anywhere near that kind of money.
Click to expand...

You might not think it's worth that, but someone else does, and is willing to pay it. That means it's worth that to that person at that moment. It doesn't mean it's carved in stone that the next one to come down the pike will sell for that, or anything close to it. On the other hand, it might sell for twice that.

Personally I say good for the seller, he's getting what he wants, and good for the buyer. He's getting something he wants. They're both happy.
 
Last edited:
Cdog said:
I'm not selling anything for less than replacement cost, especially if I don't know when I'll be getting more.

Why would you expect anyone to sell you something for a price that they can't replace their inventory for?

Economics 101 folks. It's amazing how many folks don't understand this simple concept.

People have come to expect everything be delivered to them at a low price. That's great in times of plenty and simple economics is working in your favor, but let the tide turn a bit and these same people just can't understand free market competition is what drives price.

As for intelligence, I know I rate closer to Forrest Gump than Albert Einstein, but this all makes perfect sense to me?
Click to expand...

...and that's all he's gonna' say about that.
 
Okay Russ,

What did you fail to buy when it was available then that you want someone to give you now? Or to sell you at yesterday's price?

Did you ever stop to think that this is as good as it gets? That these so-called "gouger prices" are going to stay this way? If you don't like paying so much, do what the others are doing: Make scrounging ammunition a part time job. Buy enough to keep what you need and sell the rest at a price commensurate with the time and expense you put into finding it. Oh, you don't have time to drive all over and stand line? Or the up front money or gas money? The folks who do deserve to recoup their investment and make a decent wage don't you think? Remember their cost is what they pay for the ammo, plus what they pay for gas and what they pay in their time spent. Like - all day, day after day. And by the way they're providing a service by redistributing ammunition to places where it is not available locally. For a price...

Because the reality is that if you want to buy ammunition today OR IF I WANT TO BUY AMMUNITION TODAY we're both going to have to pay the going rate.

To sell you ammunition in 2013 at 2012 prices would be like selling you $20 bills for $5.

And that ain't gonna happen.:cool:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

chief38
Easy come - easy go
Replies
5
Views
339
pharmer
pharmer
chief38
In my continuing effort to report Company's Customer Service (good or bad) - these two SHINE!
Replies
7
Views
336
Farmer17
F
chief38
Mister Wi-Fi does NOT like me! In fact I dread doing anything that involves hooking up a new Wi-Fi devise!
Replies
11
Views
574
oldbrownhat
oldbrownhat
chief38
My newly nominated "Worst Company" for customer service
2
Replies
26
Views
1K
Rustyt1953
Rustyt1953
chief38
Nominations for the worst company you have dealt with
2 3
Replies
47
Views
2K
Golddollar
Golddollar

Latest posts

Back
Top