WOW just WOW

[Chuck24]

That’s actually low for 9 fun around here

 

[Echo40]

I could not agree more. I never walk by a good deal, even when I think I “have enough”...

If only more folks did the same, then we likely wouldn't have significant ammo shortages because folks wouldn't feel the need to impulse-buy ammo during times of trouble, not to mention less dirtbag scalpers trying to profit off of other folk's fears by selling their ammo at jacked up prices.
Although that least has the fringe benefit showing which of your neighbors you can count on to pull together in a pinch, separating them from those who are really only looking out for themselves.

 

[SW_shooter]

I've been watching private websites for ammo and in the last two weeks prices have risen steadily. 9mm went from .45/round (which was already high) to .85/round for FMJ. 380 is that or higher and 45ACP is all over the board. Some guys asking .50/round and some asking 1.00/round. Shelves in the metro area are empty most days. Every once in a while a store gets a pallet in and its gone in minutes.
I'm OK with free enterprise but don't tell me it's justified because that's what others are asking just put your price on it and if someone is desperate enough too bad for them and lucky you. We all know you're price gouging because of the panic.

 

[Engineer1911]

Any question about reloading. Reloaders may not save any money, but with proper planning the ammo supply is never ZERO. 223 ammo is $19 per 100 rounds, 38 Spl (lead) is $2.10 per 50 rounds plus a little propane. My 223 inventory exceeds a 5 gallon bucket.

Small primer handgun ammo is adequate, but the primer inventory is down to 3K. Why would I buy 50¢ cartridges?

 

[scattershot]

Of course, he can price it any way he sees fit, just as we can pass it by.

 

[rwsmith]

Like he said.......

Of course, he can price it any way he sees fit, just as we can pass it by.

He probably did have to pay a price to get them and anybody would expect to make some profit off the deal.

I haven't bought much commercial ammo in years, reloading gives me the opportunity to pass 'deals' by.

 

[GreyOwl]

You'd think with the ammo shortage firearm sales would be hurting.

I know when .22lr was so high, many folks in my area all but stopped buying .22lr caliber anything.

I think new gun owners have no idea what normal ammo prices were so they buy it anyway.

 

[max503]

Somebody posted 223 ammo at my club for $.50/round.
It's nice being able to sit back and watch the insanity.
And shoot, too.

 

[max503]

I think new gun owners have no idea what normal ammo prices were so they buy it anyway.

Most people don't shoot. Even gun hoarders. They buy a gun and shoot part of a box and that's it. Very few people accept my invites to go shooting.

 

[rubiranch]

That's the kind of crowd I run with, too.

He's loaded about 600 rounds for my .41 Magnum, 100 for my .44 Magnum and "some" for my .357 Magnums.

He says its fun.

 

[rbmac52]

When a supplier sells ammo, he/she CANNOT base their selling price on what they paid for it. It has to be based on what it will cost to buy the next order.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

I rarely comment on price threads. I believe that a free market will take care of itself, even though not instantaneously, and will pretty much reflect reality. However, my LGS is selling 158gr .38 Special Magtech (good Brazilian ammo) for $22/50-rd box. Probably won't have it long. This store has never raised prices to profit from scarcity, but has occasionally limited sales to spread the joy.

No deep meaning here that I know of. Just thought I'd pass on that some stores don't "gouge" their customers. BTW, the store manager said that he expected only small (3%) price increases when this settles down.

??

 

[Echo40]

Good on him, that's how a real man ought to conduct business.

That being said, most actual dedicated FFLs I have seen don't price-gouge, unless you count the usual online retailers, like a certain infamous online retailer whose name is a complete misnomer even at the best of times, for example.

Most of the price-gouging is coming from two-bit, opportunists who decided to play scalper by selling a few cheap boxes of Winchester White Box or Remington UMC they bought on sale at Wal-Mart that's been collecting dust in the back of their closet or something for a few years for several times what they paid for it. Bonus points if they post threads about it seeking approval, as if anybody but another cheap scalper would praise/complement them for successfully ripping off a few desperate, terrified folks under current circumstances.

Real gun shop owners (at least ones I've visited in my area) don't price-gouge, they price their ammo competitively based on current marketing conditions, just as they would at any other time.
When I speak of price-gouging, I'm mostly speaking of some Blue-Collar-Easy-Andy-Wannabe trying to flip some cheapo ammo he's been sitting on forever for a massive profit and likes to pretend that makes him a shrewd businessman rather than a blue-collar-highwayman.

 

[bigben55]

Was at a store today, guy was selling 9mm for $40/box and .223 for $18/box. Needless to say, I didn't buy anything.

 

[tops]

When a supplier sells ammo, he/she CANNOT base their selling price on what they paid for it. It has to be based on what it will cost to buy the next order.

That's what they do but they don't have too. He buys for $1. and sells for $2. Even if it cost more to replace it he will still make the same amount of money. When he gets the next shipment at $3. then he needs to raise his prices. Larry

 

[16thVACav]

When I speak of price-gouging, I'm mostly speaking of some Blue-Collar-Easy-Andy-Wannabe trying to flip some cheapo ammo he's been sitting on forever for a massive profit and likes to pretend that makes him a shrewd businessman rather than a blue-collar-highwayman.

Why the shots at blue collar workers? There are a lot of blue collar members on this board. That's not cool.

 

[bigggbbruce]

I stopped by my LGS, operates out of home(nice out building)

I asked him about supplies, he told me the only .223 he can find is $590 per 1000 his cost, and his distributor is being inundated with 2000 calls a day. Good luck if he answers.

But he had lots of powder and some primers(they were Magnum LPP and rifle.. )

I just ordered 2000 45ACP 230gr coated bullets from SNS for $223 and I have tracking info already..reloading is the only route for me..

 

[Echo40]

Why the shots at blue collar workers? There are a lot of blue collar members on this board. That's not cool.

It's not meant as an insult, but rather to emphasize that they aren't well versed nor educated in economics, marketing, or even sales in general.

I'm not putting down blue collar workers, in fact I consider the best foundation on which to build/expand one's knowledge of business is in the field of retail sales. You can actually learn a lot of the fundamentals of marketing and sales simply by working as a cashier, a customer service representative, or a sales representative, not to mention make money doing it as opposed to 100% academic education.

So yeah, I'm not using the term "blue collar" in a derogatory sense, I'm merely stating that the majority of scalpers don't know the first thing about business or direct sales, which is especially evident with their persistent use of the term "free market" as a flimsy defense for their price-gouging as if the term means arbitrarily pricing goods or something.
As previously stated, they often fancy themselves as shrewd businessman as if they totally succeeded thanks to their overwhelming charisma and good business sense, when in fact they're opportunistic crooks who are only capable of succeeding in any business transaction in which the buyer is desperate, anxious, and off their game. Under any other circumstances, their prices would be scoffed at, and they'd be "that guy" at the Flea Market who charges way more than everyone else yet cannot understand why they can't make a sale.

Truthfully, it's not even their lack of knowledge which fails them, but rather their overwhelming greed and egotistical belief that most people are suckers who will pay whatever they charge, completely ignoring the circumstances, and attempting to write off their dishonesty as well as their economic shortcomings as if the terms "free market" is some sort of magical Get Out of Jail Free Card that justifies their complete lack of business sense and "Supply and Demand" justifies their arbitrary pricing of their wares.

That being said, you do have a point, and it was short-sighted of me too dishonor honest, hard-working blue-collar citizens by using the term Blue-Collar in relation to the dishonest, opportunistic highwaymen who price-gouge for essential goods to take advantage of folks during troubling times when everyone is struggling to make their way amidst all of the confusion and uncertainty.
If anything, it's honest, hard-working Blue-Collar men and women who are preyed upon by scalpers.

So thank you for calling me out on my poor choice of words, and my sincerest apologies to anyone whom I may have offended.

 

[robrossk]

On the local listings here I have seen 9mm prices coming down. Not many people able to afford a bulk loaded box of 1000 rounds at $700 or $800. Pretty crazy. Was working a trade for some 380 and a guy suggested that his 380 was "much" more valuable than my 9mm. I passed on that deal. Trading is the only way I will do any deal right now.

 

[typetwelve]

This is simple. After Dec of 2012, I didn't shoot my AR for nearly 2 years, I saved my 22LR for sessions with my then little kid.

I'll do the same thing now, if I run out of shooting ammo...well, I take up a new hobby until I can get more.

Buy something like 9mm for $6-800/case?

Not on your life.