Are wholesale prices up or are we being shafted

[1sailor]

I was on a popular online gun dealers site and noticed they were selling Blazer Brass 9mm for $50 a box (50 round box). This is a brand I'm used to buying locally for $9 on sale and $11 at full price. So this has me wondering now, have wholesale prices gone up so much that dealers are now forced to sell at these prices?

 

[GaryHK]

I'm pretty sure the days of dealers paying $5 for a box are out the door. Supply and demand would dictate higher wholesale costs too, not just retail.

The profit margin of selling 10 boxes at $11 each has to be made up with just one box now...

 

[Telecaster]

You're not being shafted if you don't buy any.

 

[gregintenn]

I'd honestly prefer to see what I want on a dealer's shelf at a higher price than to see an empty shelf with a cheaper price on the sticker.

 

[GaryHK]

I'd honestly prefer to see what I want on a dealer's shelf at a higher price than to see an empty shelf with a cheaper price on the sticker.

A perfect example of the demand component.

 

[Bob L]

When I stopped in Cabela's last week, they had just gotten a truckload of ammo, primer and powder in. The were controlling people and had a limit but I picked up ten 100 packs of small pistol primers for $4.49 a sleeve. They did not raise their prices from before the shortage hit.

 

[lrrifleman]

I believe that it was Vista Outdoors that went on record announcing a 15% increase. However, $38-40 definitely isn't 15%, even with New Math and Common Core Math!

 

[Telecaster]

It costs extra to get the shipments to arrive before dawn for the Academy lurkers.

 

[quikdraw67]

I can tell you that the price of copper has skyrocketed since the 1st of the year.

1/2 type L copper is going for 40% more than it was last year.

I'm sure this has impacted Romex wire as well.

Add in the massive amounts of damage in Texas and you're going to see shortages and allocations.

I suppose that this will impact the price of wholesale ammo eventually. Right now it's the gougers and gullible who are driving up the prices.

 

[ddixie884]

Buy only what you can't do without. The less bought at inflated prices, the sooner this will stop. JMHO-YMMV.......

 

[Kinman]

Remember when a quart of ice cream was the industry standard? Check out how much ice cream is in what used to pass for a quart, its less...for more money.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Manufacturers suggested retail price is one thing. Wholesale price is another thing. Preferred contract pricing for large volume orders is something else.

In today's market the only things that really matter are how badly do I need it or want it, and who has it right now?

 

[bushmaster1313]

In a free market people get to buy and sell as they see fit. I like that. As long as there is no collusion I have no trouble with someone selling for what the market will bear regardless of what the seller paid.

 

[ddixie884]

In a free market people get to buy and sell as they see fit. I like that. As long as there is no collusion I have no trouble with someone selling for what the market will bear regardless of what the seller paid.

Me too...........

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

One thing that has not been mentioned is the Covid issue. The price of lumber has spiked mainly due to the Covid issue. One guy at the mill gets covid and they have to shut down the mill for two weeks. I expect the same thing applies to ammo.
I thnk the prudent thing for me at least, is just not to buy anything unless I HAVE to. I've put off a home renovation due to this as it increased the cost around 20% with the increase if materials cost.

 

[M29since14]

...I think the prudent thing for me at least, is just not to buy anything unless I HAVE to. I've put off a home renovation due to this as it increased the cost around 20% with the increase if materials cost.

I am right there with you. Building materials are just crazy around here right now. I can wait - and hope for a better day. As for shooting and ammo/components, I've cut back by about 50% the number of rounds fired whenever I visit the range. When what I've got is gone, I'll be done. I'm pretty sure I'll not be paying $300-$500 for 1,000 primers.

For now, I've been able to buy small amounts of reloading supplies here and there of things I can actually use, and I'll continue doing that, but only as long as the prices are within reason.

 

[oysterer]

Being shafted alright....

was a (dreaded) Field & Stream yesterday just to stick my nose in, no expectations.

There they had it:

Massive tables set up stuffed full with all kinds of ammo.

You could get 2 boxes each of any caliber.

Picked 2 x 50 rounds agila 22: $3.99 per box

Aguila 124 gr 9mm 50 rounds: $17.99 per box


That tell me that everyone else is just screwing us

 

[ddixie884]

I'd like to buy a coupla boxes of that 9mm but there are none of their stores here..........

 

[crstrode]

Yes and yes.

 

[scoobysnacker]

I'd say we're being gouged right now.

There was a point where supply got tight and everyone was panicking and buying everything they could, and that drove prices up. But then human nature kicked in, and sellers realized they could turn a bigger profit because demand was so high, and the prices went up more.

I say that, because I'm starting to get multiple emails from stores, pushing "we've got ammo!" at high prices. Funny, I get the same email or even more urgent ones, the next day, from the same places. So their $700 cases of 9mm didn't sell out yesterday or the day before, and they have to push me again, because it really might today.

Thanks, no thanks. I've got enough to last awhile, I think I'll hold off for now. If the dire warnings come true, I'll probably sell off most of my handguns and keep just a couple of what I feel I need, and ammo for those.