Ammo is plentiful!

[smoothshooter]

Respectfully, $375/case for range 9mm isn’t “as good as it’s going to get.” In fact, it’s already considerably better.

While I absolutely agree that for those whose stocks are running low it’s time to start buying again, I don’t recommend paying a $5/box premium at a sporting goods chain.

Inflation alone means pre-pandemic prices are gone forever.
10% to 25% inflation per year for the last two years will see to that.
And who can say what it will be in the near future?
If the ammunition companies are having the same problems hiring and keeping employees like almost every other industry, turnover and training costs would drive up prices as well.

 

[dave1918a2]

There is ammo available up here, but it is expensive. No 41 Mag, 44 Mag, 22-250, 204 R, 45 Colt, and the list runs on. Most rifle ammo is $2.00 stick, pistol $1.45 stick. Unless You want some of the exotic target stuff.

 

[Telecaster]

I haven’t looked at bulk extensively, but when I recently priced .45ACP it was about a hundred bucks to ship from the low-priced sellers.

 

[LVSteve]

I haven’t looked at bulk extensively, but when I recently priced .45ACP it was about a hundred bucks to ship from the low-priced sellers.

Bulk ammo online only works with cheap or free shipping IMHO. Then comes the fun in storing it sensibly.

 

[chief38]

Yes - ammo IS expensive! Just think about the $800 revolver bought today that just a few years ago was $400. Will these prices drop anytime in the near future? I'm not taking that bet!

 

[smoothshooter]

There is ammo available up here, but it is expensive. No 41 Mag, 44 Mag, 22-250, 204 R, 45 Colt, and the list runs on. Most rifle ammo is $2.00 stick, pistol $1.45 stick. Unless You want some of the exotic target stuff.

What is a “stick”
I am sure I am not the only one wondering about that.
If a stick is a round, why not call it that, as per common usage?

 

[smoothshooter]

I haven’t looked at bulk extensively, but when I recently priced .45ACP it was about a hundred bucks to ship from the low-priced sellers.

How much .45 are you talking about?
That is the critical information.
If it was 5,000 rounds, that would be reasonable shipping costs

 

[robrossk]

I see plenty of ammo in retail locations and at Gun shows. Prices are still very high IMHO. Online 1000 round bulk is the way to go.

 

[Rudi]

I miss the days of 500rd. bricks of .22s for $9.99 on sale.

 

[smoothshooter]

I can find 9mm for 11.95 a box all day. A $10 box of 9mm in 2019 would be $11.89 today, adjusted for inflation. Barring another Chicken Little Panic we are almost back where we started.

That's 9mm ball only, isn’t it? Good mainly for target practice (which is okay) and not for CCW.
Enjoy it while you can.
And stock up if you need to.
I’m waiting for carry ammo prices to come down too, but I am not expecting that to happen to any significant degree.

 

[smoothshooter]

Availability is up, and prices down on some of the common stuff - .9mm, 5.56, ect. Problem is most everything else is way up, well past the rate of inflation.

Pre-China Virus, when .9mm ball was about $10 a box, 30-30 SP hunting ammo about $12. You can find 30-30 for about $25 a box now. It was higher and harder to find last year.

It makes sense ammo like .9mm, .223, .22lr would show up first, and eventually drop in price first as well due to demand. I am sure a lot of hunters who do not reload will be glad if and when the manufacture of classic sporting cartridges returns to "normal".



We won’t like the new “normal”

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I don’t remember ever seeing 9mm at $10 a box, in the 14 years I’ve been shooting, but maybe it’s just where I live.

I bought Remington 9mm ball ammo at Dick's Sporting Goods on sale buy the case only for $45. ($4.50/box)
Same sale had .38 Special for $49/case and 45 ACP for $54/case.
This was around 2008 and the last time that ever happened. (I bought 2 cases of each, still have 1 of each stashed)

Up until the shortage that started towards the end of 2011 early 2012 9mm ammo was usually $7.99/box. (box of 50) Then it went to $9.99/box until the shortage hit I think in early 2013.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Meanwhile, our house is worth double what we paid 7 years ago and my 5-year old truck will sell today for what I paid for it when new, especially if I max out my credit card to fill the gas tank. I can wander the aisles of the grocery store and gaze longingly at all the things I used to enjoy so much, like butter, eggs, milk, bacon, orange juice, and those wonderful things marked "USDA Prime".

Nickel candy bars sell for a buck-and-a-half. People line up clutching wads of folding cash in their hands while a spiky purple-haired walking billboard for a tattoo parlor with the contents of a fishing tackle box displayed on her face creates another Grande Deluxe Decaf Caramel Latte with Double Whip to sip while they play games on their phones and share selfies with their social media friends and followers. WalMart continues to be overrun by relatives of the Michelin Tire Man wearing Spandex waddling along with a 44-oz. Big Gulp in each hand.

A growing population of college graduates with delinquent 6-figure student loan debt for their advanced degrees in gender studies, documentary film history, or advanced basket weaving are contemplating suicide or extended luxury vacations rather than bothering with job applications.

Hardly a week goes by without another seizure of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, or such things in sufficient quantities to euthanize the population of North America once or twice. Half the states now have recreational marijuana dispensaries with prominent locations in expensive business districts, and the masses are screaming in favor of allowing EBT cards to be used there.

Oh how I miss the golden days when 10 cents would get me an ice cold bottle of Dr. Pepper (2 cents back if I returned the bottle), a box of .22 shells was 29 cents, and a dozen fish hooks for a dime so I could have a proper day of digging worms, catching fish, and chasing big game like squirrels or cottontails.

$10 for a box of 9mm? Not unless it comes with a Starbucks coupon that I can use with the app on my IPhone.

 

[Smokester653]

Less than Ten....

I don’t remember ever seeing 9mm at $10 a box, in the 14 years I’ve been shooting, but maybe it’s just where I live.

It was around $8.00 to $9.00 here locally pre pandemic...You are right though prices are way different depending on where you live. And most of us knew it was going to come down eventually maybe not to pre panic prices but it was coming down. We have been through these cycles before and once the resellers and panic buyers fill their gullets it begins to drop....

 

[pharmer]

...... I can wander the aisles of the grocery store and gaze longingly at all the things I used to enjoy so much, like butter, eggs, milk, bacon, orange juice, and those wonderful things marked "USDA Prime".

I was getting Federal 124 gr ball all day for $$8.50/ box 50 before the scamdemic. Now it's $13, no big deal (primers alone are $4/50). The real tragedy is Alaskan King Crab legs at Albertsons; 15 years back $6.99/lb when harvests were abundant. One of the "banner ads" today wanted $90/lb. A favorite I'd still be eating if the "Big Pharma Largess" was paying for 'em. Social Security is more like sardines in oil. Joe

 

[llowry61]

A fairly sizeable local gun retailer in Columbus and in surrounding area has 124 Grain 9MM CCI Blazer for 239 per K I think I will pick up a couple at this price.

Updated it is actually 124 Grain not 147, but still the cheapest I have seen in a long time.

 

[orangehole]

That's 9mm ball only, isn’t it? Good mainly for target practice (which is okay) and not for CCW.

If SHTF I think everyone would be fine with any type of ball ammo. I think we are mesmerized by FBI protocols, jelly tests and big expanding hollow points but I would hate to be hit with 115gr ball ammo. Anything punching holes in your body will not be good.

 

[llowry61]

A fairly sizeable local gun retailer in Columbus and in surrounding area has 124 Grain 9MM CCI Blazer for 239 per K I think I will pick up a couple at this price.

Updated it is actually 124 Grain not 147, but still the cheapest I have seen in a long time.

I picked up 2 as a just in case, so I don't feel too stupid if prices spike. Just going to stash it for now and watch the prices. 3 out of 4 of their locations are sold out, so clearly people are jumping on it at that price point.

 

[9mmPatriot]

WalMart continues to be 0verrun by relatives of the Michelin Tire Man wearing Spandex waddling along with a 44-oz. Big Gulp in each hand.

Drew Carry said it best...
"Dress for your body size!"

 

[BSA1]

The inept handling of the COVID by the Government and false fear mongering by both the Government and mass media has had a big impact on the economy and our way of life. It only makes sense that when people are forced to stay in their castles (home) and they come to realize the Government will not help them they turn to providing their own defense.

It seems that there is still a lot of fear on the Forum. Past history has shown that when panic buying stops lessening demand the price of ammunition and components will drop to pre-panic levels.

2023 should be a good year for buying ammunition and components. With the elections over and a divided Congress the chances of gun control laws being passed are highly unlikely. If gun owners will continue not to buy at these still high prices the simple law of oversupply will force prices down.