Businesses price gouging ammo right now

[Alexx1401]

Well, they limit purchases to 1 can of powder and 2 boxes of ammo per household, per day.

For sellers who want to sell at the same mark up as pre panic this is the only way they can keep any product in for more than seconds. It does serve to get people in the store, often a LOT. Many seem to enjoy driving to store after store to check the shelves. Hey why not. I suspect some of the people doing this must now and then spot something else they want and buy.
This does set a lot of people off. Of course those who don't like this should know that if the store did not set a limit the first person in line would just buy all the stuff, then they would be mad at that.
If the store set the price so high many would not buy they could keep the stuff a little longer and this would set off a lot of "I will never shop there again".
So again this panic has not been a year long yet but many who seem to have no memory at all act like it's never happened before and has been going on years
The last great one lasted couple years IIRC, came to an end, everything was available and on sale weekly. No one wanted it. This one too will end, those screaming mad will ignore the stuff on sale until it happens again

 

[MaxwellEdison]

Indeed, Alexx.

Some people are slow learners. Anyone who's been in the firearms game for more than a couple years knows that you should always have a stash of extra ammo. Preferably a large stash that was purchased at rock bottom prices.

Whether or not those people actually act on that knowledge can be - and often is - a different story.

It's all classic "The Ant and The Grasshopper" stuff.

 

[arakboss]

For sellers who want to sell at the same mark up as pre panic this is the only way they can keep any product in for more than seconds. It does serve to get people in the store, often a LOT. Many seem to enjoy driving to store after store to check the shelves. Hey why not. I suspect some of the people doing this must now and then spot something else they want and buy.
This does set a lot of people off. Of course those who don't like this should know that if the store did not set a limit the first person in line would just buy all the stuff, then they would be mad at that.
If the store set the price so high many would not buy they could keep the stuff a little longer and this would set off a lot of "I will never shop there again".
So again this panic has not been a year long yet but many who seem to have no memory at all act like it's never happened before and has been going on years
The last great one lasted couple years IIRC, came to an end, everything was available and on sale weekly. No one wanted it. This one too will end, those screaming mad will ignore the stuff on sale until it happens again

I wouldn't mind seeing more limits until supplies normalize, especially for primers.

 

[American123]

Benefits to both, raising prices, or keeping them low. I'd imagine the people who are in business and do this for a living have a fair idea of what makes the most sense.

Remember - stupid businessmen don't stay in business long, they can't afford it.

 

[Dinglenutz]

I really liked reading all 14 pages of this thread almost 5 months later.

It took more than a few months last time, I'm not sure why one should assume it would be different this time.

 

[03A3Sporter]

Everyone that keeps talking about gouging , please go boycott the stores what carry ammo and components . I will happily go and buy everything you do not at retails prices . True story two weeks ago I happened to spy two boxes of 8x57 Federal at Sportsman's. The last time I had purchased any from them it was $32 a box , this time it was $42 a box. so basically it went up $10 over the course of 15 months. No doubt it is related to all this nonsense, and yes I DO handload for 8x57 and unlike many I have an ample supply of primers . Having said that I can't easily replace those primers so it's actually cheaper to buy loaded ammo at the moment.

So again I implore all who want to protest those high prices to do so , I will be along shortly to buy the ammo you did not.

 

[snarlingdog]

Everyone that keeps talking about gouging , please go boycott the stores what carry ammo and components . I will happily go and buy everything you do not at retails prices . True story two weeks ago I happened to spy two boxes of 8x57 Federal at Sportsman's. The last time I had purchased any from them it was $32 a box , this time it was $42 a box. so basically it went up $10 over the course of 15 months. No doubt it is related to all this nonsense, and yes I DO handload for 8x57 and unlike many I have an ample supply of primers . Having said that I can't easily replace those primers so it's actually cheaper to buy loaded ammo at the moment.

So again I implore all who want to protest those high prices to do so , I will be along shortly to buy the ammo you did not.

That doesn't mean its sportsman's that raised the prices could have also been the company's that make the ammo. There cost has gone up too. I mean $10 isn't that much if you consider the increase of labor and components to make ammo. It's completely understandable if federal or whoever raise the price of there ammo cuz it cost them more money to make it.

Obviously it wasn't a bad enough price increase to make you feel like you couldn't buy the ammo.

Just my thoughts on the matter from my own company's perspective.

 

[03A3Sporter]

That doesn't mean its sportsman's that raised the prices could have also been the company's that make the ammo. There cost has gone up too. I mean $10 isn't that much if you consider the increase of labor and components to make ammo. It's completely understandable if federal or whoever raise the price of there ammo cuz it cost them more money to make it.

Obviously it wasn't a bad enough price increase to make you feel like you couldn't buy the ammo.

Just my thoughts on the matter from my own company's perspective.

I do not disagree with what you said at all. Many people do not think supply and demand works likes it does but it do.

In fact I am ok with a LOT of people not buying because it will cause a price correction at some point, but here is the rub ... I do not believe the price will ever return to what it was. It did not after Sandyhook and won't this time either. Pre Sandyhook I used to be $10 to $12 a brick for 22 ammo it never went back to the pre panic prices so people need to be ready to accept that fact.

 

[snarlingdog]

Indeed, Alexx.

Some people are slow learners. Anyone who's been in the firearms game for more than a couple years knows that you should always have a stash of extra ammo. Preferably a large stash that was purchased at rock bottom prices.

Whether or not those people actually act on that knowledge can be - and often is - a different story.

It's all classic "The Ant and The Grasshopper" stuff.

I completely agree. The shortage of primes is primarily due to the demand of manufacturers to make ammunition. They are using the primers and powder to make bullets to sell to the public. Which I'm sure actually makes them more money in the long run.

 

[Dinglenutz]

My "stockpile" was accidental and I felt a little dumb about it until the new, improved, panic hit. Now I feel OK. Sort of like the time I ran low on paper towels and then fixed that by getting TP at Costco .... twice. By the time I get paper towels I was well prepared for the TP shortage of 2020 that came along 6 months later.

Maybe I should play the stock market harder.

 

[EHJ]

For Sale: Primers for Sale - $150/1000ct

Large inventory of primers available for sale. All primers are new in box and available for local pickup or delivery. We can also deliver to certain outlying areas i.e. Medford, Bend/Redmond and Redding in a neutral meeting location. $150/1000ct, sold by 1000ct only. Please refer to attached...

www.northwestfirearms.com

 

[Dinglenutz]

For Sale: Primers for Sale - $150/1000ct

Large inventory of primers available for sale. All primers are new in box and available for local pickup or delivery. We can also deliver to certain outlying areas i.e. Medford, Bend/Redmond and Redding in a neutral meeting location. $150/1000ct, sold by 1000ct only. Please refer to attached...

www.northwestfirearms.com

Yeah, no.

Glad people who really need them will have a source I guess.

 

[03A3Sporter]

For Sale: Primers for Sale - $150/1000ct

Large inventory of primers available for sale. All primers are new in box and available for local pickup or delivery. We can also deliver to certain outlying areas i.e. Medford, Bend/Redmond and Redding in a neutral meeting location. $150/1000ct, sold by 1000ct only. Please refer to attached...

www.northwestfirearms.com

Knowing your choices are the following

1. Primers at $40 a thousand but there's NO primers to be had at that price anywhere ..

2. Primers at $150 a thousand and you can get the primers you want. I did not say need because primers aren't a need just as ammo is not.


Choose one wisely.


The folks in that ad are providing a hard to come by good and doing shooters who want primers a service. There is the way people want things to be and the way they are.

Pro tip the later is the usually the way we get it despite our wishes to the contrary.

 

[03A3Sporter]

Yeah, no.

Glad people who really need want them will have a source I guess.

Fixed it for you .

 

[2ndtimer]

I normally only shoot reloads, and since I cast, my cost is pretty low as well. But, I did an inventory of my "secondary" pistol calibers; namely .45 Colt and 10 mm, and realized I was low on cases for both. Got some 10 mm cases headed my way, and figured since .45 Colt cases are either hard to find, or ridiculously priced, I might as well get some loaded ammo just for the cases.

Are you referring to .45 Colt or .45 ACP? I have 45 once fired .45 Colt Federals if you want them. Let me know, if you want to PM me your address, I can mail them.

 

[MaxwellEdison]

here is the rub ... I do not believe the price will ever return to what it was. It did not after Sandyhook and won't this time either.

I agree with this statement. I don't think ammo is ever going back to 2019 price levels. The days of $299/cases of M193 and $24/50-round boxes of Federal HST are probably over.

Aside from current supply and demand issues, I suspect that the regulatory environment around ammo is going to change for the worse in the next 24 months. This could take many forms: restrictions on imports of "military caliber" ammo, increased restrictions with online sales, increased restrictions on chemical components (e.g., lead), etc., etc.

While I wouldn't necessarily encourage people to buy now, I believe that anyone waiting for 2019 prices to return is probably going to be disappointed.

I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think I will be.

 

[Dinglenutz]

I agree with this statement. I don't think ammo is ever going back to 2019 price levels.

Just the inflation due to rampant printing of money and other normal pressures will probably cause prices in general and for ammo to be higher post-panic than pre-panic. On the other hand the immediate glut of supply after panic might be a factor.

 

[2ndtimer]

Just the inflation due to rampant printing of money and other normal pressures will probably cause prices in general and for ammo to be higher post-panic than pre-panic. On the other hand the immediate glut of supply after panic might be a factor.

Just as now, demand will dictate future price levels. Throw in the Biden administration's hatred of the second amendment and that there is no way they would ever consider easing import restrictions on anything firearms related, so supply will be pretty much capped at current levels. (Nobody is going to invest millions of dollars on new capital improvements to expand production when the products being produced could face severe restrictions going forward.). Will prices abate in the near future? Nope. Within a year? Maybe, depending on restrictions, and possibly demand subsiding. A lot of the new gun owners might well be content to have 3 or 4 boxes of ammo on hand and stop paying double and triple reasonable prices to acquire it. Fingers crossed, since ammo demand must drop before primers become available once again.

 

[arakboss]

Just as now, demand will dictate future price levels. Throw in the Biden administration's hatred of the second amendment and that there is no way they would ever consider easing import restrictions on anything firearms related, so supply will be pretty much capped at current levels. (Nobody is going to invest millions of dollars on new capital improvements to expand production when the products being produced could face severe restrictions going forward.). Will prices abate in the near future? Nope. Within a year? Maybe, depending on restrictions, and possibly demand subsiding. A lot of the new gun owners might well be content to have 3 or 4 boxes of ammo on hand and stop paying double and triple reasonable prices to acquire it. Fingers crossed, since ammo demand must drop before primers become available once again.

Supply can be restricted as well. Even if demand falls, if supplies are further restricted, we might be in the same boat.

 

[Dinglenutz]

Will prices abate in the near future? Nope. Within a year? Maybe

OK see, to me, the near future and a year are synonymous. This sort of difference in perspective is likely emblematic of a lot of the differences of opinion in this thread. IMO.