WOW ... When did 7.62x39 ammo get so expensive?

mc5aw

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As I was perusing a highly traveled firearms auction site this morn, I came across a listing for a Bulgarian manufactured AK platform rifle with 400+ rounds of ammo. I happen to have two of these exact rifles, so I know that a similar model in vg+ used condition sells in the $800-1K range on any given day. Since the opening bid price (yet unmet) on the rifle is $2,400, I was curious as to when 7.62x39 ammo increased to $3.50-$4.00/round?

I need to pay closer attention to market fluctuations.
 
I'm starting to see 7.62x39 again for under $300/1000.


Seems that even during all the silliness , 5.45x39 AK-74 ammo never went above $300/1000. Doesn't seem like there's a lot of takers for it.
 
That stuff is available on the Cabela's website for $280/1,000. So, to me, that doesn't make any sense.
 
I just got an email from a major ammo distributor currently having a sale on generic Russian x39 -- $249/1,000 round case.

Buy early, buy often.
 
Sandy Hook brought all sorts of jackwagons outta the woodwork. People were actually BUYING (not asking) .223/5.56 for $1/round. AR types were going for $5K :eek:

Seller didn't get the memo about the panic being essentially over.

Yugo x39 steel free is unobtanium. I lucked into a guy's last 1K rounds last January for $300. Wasn't all that long ago I scored a sealed crate of 1120 on stripper clips for $200 delivered. Shoulda bought 2. :(
 
People were actually BUYING (not asking) .223/5.56 for $1/round.

Just before the height of the panic, I bought a used Ruger Mini 14 and 1,100 rounds of .223/5.56 for $1,500. The rifle was a bubba gun, which I sold to a 14 collector for $1,000. The ammo? A buck a round ... every last bullet ... I sold within a month's time when panicked buyers couldn't find any on the open market. The prices spiked fast, then came back down almost as quickly.
 
That price is high. The last time I bought some it was $80 per 500. Should of bought more I guess.
 
Bu-wa- ha-ha -ha, its good to be an old timer hoarder! With that inane thing said, I do feel for folks just getting into the sport, its just nuts out there.
 
Check sites like Gunbot....plenty of 7.62x39 out there for $.25-.30/rd. Prices seem to be coming back down out of the stratosphere. I've even seen a bit of .223 (albeit steel cased stuff) at <.30.
 
Some of the prices I see on the local sales sites for guns and related stuff make me smile or laugh out loud. I have one local joker who has been trying to sell a South American Mauser for some weeks at $500... with a totally bubba'd stock. Carved up 1903 and 1917 rifle are allegedly worth $5-600 too. Uh-huh.
 
Used to be you could get a case of 1000 rounds for $200 and change. Latest cheap price so far that I have seen was $279 a thousand. Frank
 
The lowest price I can remember seeing on 7.62X39 was at the
Indy 1500 gun show several years ago. $89.00 for a case of 1000 rds.
 
I still have Wolf steel case 9 mm that was $84 1,000 OTD about 10 years ago. :D Wolf steel case 7.62 X 39 and their Russian equivalent to our .556 were about the same price or less than $10 more.

Go back another 10 years before Clinton used executive order to block importation of Chinese guns and ammo and 7.62 X 39 in “sardine cans” was 6 cents a round.
 
5.99/ box of 20 at local Academies around me. Just picked up several boxes. Yes its steel cased and yes it is russian made but my SKS dont care it all shoots when I pull the trigger.
 
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