Sky-high ammo prices...

[Beemerguy53]

I get regular e-mail updates from an ammunition seller whose prices are, in my experience, among the best out there.

Tonight I got an e-mail advising that he's got a "very limited quantity" of Federal American Eagle ammo in .45 ACP. The price? $179 for 250 rounds, and $339 for 500 rounds.

Now, there is nothing wrong with American Eagle ammo, but it ain't exactly match-grade, and paying either $35.80 or $33.90 for a box of 50 rounds is just outrageous, in my book. (I'm not blaming the seller, by the way...I'm sure his prices are lower than many others' are.) It wasn't that long ago that Hydra-Shoks were selling for that price.

Luckily, I have a good bit of .45 on hand, but I have to wonder how long this situation will last, and why. The retailer for this ammo says that many calibers are still in short supply, and will be for months until production catches up with demand.

I understood the panic buying of ammo that took place right after the 2008 election, when everybody thought the Obama Administration and the Democrats in Congress would pass all sorts of bad gun bills. But that hasn't happened, and doesn't seem likely to, so why all the ammo shortages and continued high prices? I don't get it...

 

[DC7]

I get regular e-mail updates from an ammunition seller whose prices are, in my experience, among the best out there.

Tonight I got an e-mail advising that he's got a "very limited quantity" of Federal American Eagle ammo in .45 ACP. The price? $179 for 250 rounds, and $339 for 500 rounds.

That's a ridiculously high price for American Eagle ammo, and I don't think it's typical of what ammo is actually selling for these days. For example, I just found .45 caliber Winchester Ranger-T online for $289 per case of 500. That's premium law enforcement hollowpoint ammunition, not cheap range ammo, and it's still selling for much less than what you were quoted for American Eagle.

Did you get that email from Ammoman? I used to order from them before the recent shortages, and always got great service and decent prices. But since the panic buying started last year I've noticed that their prices are often much higher than those of other online dealers.

Try SGAmmo.com (formerly AmmunitionCenter) or Ammunitiontogo.com--you'll find much more reasonable pricing there.

 

[Grog]

I'm a little leery of buying LE ammo online now since all the "trade-in" ammo that was found several years ago that turned out to be not up to snuff, hence the cheap prices.

 

[Beemerguy53]

That's a ridiculously high price for American Eagle ammo, and I don't think it's typical of what ammo is actually selling for these days. For example, I just found .45 caliber Winchester Ranger-T online for $289 per case of 500. That's premium law enforcement hollowpoint ammunition, not cheap range ammo, and it's still selling for much less than what you were quoted for American Eagle.

Did you get that email from Ammoman? I used to order from them before the recent shortages, and always got great service and decent prices. But since the panic buying started last year I've noticed that their prices are often much higher than those of other online dealers.

Try SGAmmo.com (formerly AmmunitionCenter) or Ammunitiontogo.com--you'll find much more reasonable pricing there.

Thanks for the reply...glad I'm not the only one who thought that price was just a little out of line.

Yes, this was from Ammoman...and the e-mail advised that the reason he has some .45 to sell while other suppliers don't (according to him) is that he was the high bidder for this load when it became available.

Frankly, I can't imagine paying this much for American Eagle .45 unless I have a burning desire to go shooting right now and nothing in stock to shoot...and that's not the case.

Thanks for the heads-up on those other retailers...

 

[mike from st pete]

Shortages & Prices

What was it 5-6 years ago we were told the WOT was sucking up all the 7.62x39, 5.56NATO and 9mmNATO. Then it was the price/value of metals and now it's the administration's anti gun policy, and the government buying up all the production for their agencies to practice with.
I don't remember where I read it but about 15 years ago I saw where the ratio of government to commercial gun sale was 7:3. 70% of the firearms sale went to one government or agency or another. I'd imagine that ammo is near the same ratio.
I'm not much for nefarious plots to rule the world, but OAPC Organization of Ammunition Producing Companies?

 

[moxie]

Best value on .45 FMJ is still Wal-Mart. When/where you can find it, which is not uncommon right now, the Winchester White Box and Federal are cheapest. I get those emails and hard copy catalogs too and none compare with Wal-Mart.

 

[photoman]

I got that same email...fell out of my chair...hit my head on the edge of the table...thought I was having a bad dream.

Last 500 of AE .45 I bought, sometime last year, was about $20 a box and I thought that was a lot!

 

[BSkerj]

Don't want to derail the thread, but right now is a good time to start reloading. Components are coming back. They aren't as cheap as they used to be but I think the hoarders are just about done up for awhile. You can set up pretty easy with a RCBS Rockchuck kit (this includes manual..a must ), a set of dies, 1lb of powder for 20.00,1000 primers for 30.00, some good cast bullets for 30.00 for 500. I even went as far as starting to cast my own bullets (it now cost me about .06 a rd). I can shoot as much as I want now plus it is a very satisfying hobby. JMO

 

[RPM2DAY]

I also get a lot of flyers and online sales info for ammo etc.. After doing the math I figured I do better buying locally by keeping a lookout for sales or overstock, no shipping to worry about, just sales tax. And it gives me the "opportunity" to find a new denizen for my safe!

 

[Beemerguy53]

I got that same email...fell out of my chair...hit my head on the edge of the table...thought I was having a bad dream.

Last 500 of AE .45 I bought, sometime last year, was about $20 a box and I thought that was a lot!

Thanks! I'm glad I wasn't alone in my reaction. That e-mail had me really scratching my head...the way it was worded made those stratospheric prices sound like the sellers thought it was some sort of bargain! I was so discombobulated I checked the price twice...even thought about putting new batteries in my calculator!

 

[kennyb]

Don't want to derail the thread, but right now is a good time to start reloading. Components are coming back. They aren't as cheap as they used to be but I think the hoarders are just about done up for awhile. You can set up pretty easy with a RCBS Rockchuck kit (this includes manual..a must ), a set of dies, 1lb of powder for 20.00,1000 primers for 30.00, some good cast bullets for 30.00 for 500. I even went as far as starting to cast my own bullets (it now cost me about .06 a rd). I can shoot as much as I want now plus it is a very satisfying hobby. JMO

a huge plus one!

 

[JoeyD]

My local shop has the 250 round American Eagle for 99 bucks.