Manufactured "shortage" by the manufacturers.. So about that "shortage"

[PiratePast40]

PSA



Not trying to be a jerk, just pointing out what's available right now. .22 and 9mm are plentiful, it's the AR food that's getting hard to find. You can so it isn't so all you want, but if you don't have the ammo or reloading supplies you feel are sufficient, it's time to get it. I guess we could say it's always time to buy, but SOME ammo is actually getting harder to find.

 

[Tony617]

https://www.sgammo.com/catalog/rifle-ammo-sale/223-556mm-ammo

 

[Cavedweller]

CPI is an index, so yes, what you see as inflation is going to be different. It's not that the government is "lying" to you.

It takes little research to discover that the Consumer Price Index has changed over the years, dropping some of the more volatile components, and calculating others in ways that minimize the effects of price increases. This is done by choosing a "basket" of goods and services, with "choosing" being the secret of controlling the outcome.

The CPI is not a measure of inflation. It is a presumed measure of "cost of living." This is not the same as inflation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, which calculates the CPI, makes what it calls "hedonic adjustments" to the basket of goods on which the CPI is based, which the BLS assumes reflects consumer spending patterns, and therefore the "cost of living."

For example, if Green Giant canned peas were in the basket of goods, and the price increased by 10%, say from $1.00 a can to $1.10 a can, the BLS assumes that consumers would stop buying Green Giant brand and buy a cheaper house brand such as Kroger instead. So they would remove Green Giant from the calculation and replace it with Kroger, which might cost $0.89 a can. So, theoretically, while the cost of peas might increase (inflation), the "cost of living" as measured by the BLS could actually show a calculated decrease.

This is one method the BLS uses to decrease the CPI. The government has a vested interest in keeping the CPI low, because entitlement payments (Social Security et al.), military salaries, government pensions and so on are tied by law to the CPI. A small increase in the CPI can result in a huge increase in the government's cost of doing business.

If one were to have a true measure of inflation, one would need to measure the cost of a constant set of goods, not the so-called cost of living.

Here's how the government explains it:

"When the cost of food rises, does the CPI assume that consumers switch to less desired foods, such as substituting hamburger for steak?

No. In January 1999, the BLS began using a geometric mean formula in the CPI that reflects the fact that consumers shift their purchases toward products that have fallen in relative price. Some critics charge that by reflecting consumer substitution the BLS is subtracting from the CPI a certain amount of inflation that consumers can "live with" by reducing their standard of living. This is incorrect: the CPI's objective is to calculate the change in the amount consumers need to spend to maintain a constant level of satisfaction. (emphasis mine)

Specifically, in constructing the "headline" CPI-U and CPI-W, the BLS is not assuming that consumers substitute hamburgers for steak. Substitution is only assumed to occur within basic CPI index categories, such as among types of ground beef in Chicago. Hamburger and steak are in different CPI item categories, so no substitution between them is built into the CPI-U or CPI-W.

Furthermore, the CPI doesn't implicitly assume that consumers always substitute toward the less desirable good. Within the beef steaks item category, for example, the assumption is that consumers on average would move up from flank steak to filet mignon if the price of flank steak rose by a greater amount (or fell by less) than filet mignon prices. If both types of beef steak rose in price by the same amount, the geometric mean would assume no substitution.

In using the geometric mean the BLS is following a recognized best practice for statistical agencies. The formula is widely used by statistical agencies around the world and is recommended by, for example, the International Monetary Fund and the Statistical Office of the European Communities."

Common Misconceptions about the Consumer Price Index: Questions and Answers : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Common Misconceptions about the Consumer Price Index: Questions and Answers

www.bls.gov

 

[Provincial]

"In using the geometric mean the BLS is following a recognized best practice for statistical agencies. The formula is widely used by statistical agencies around the world and is recommended by, for example, the International Monetary Fund and the Statistical Office of the European Communities."

You can trust us, because we use the same formula as similar bureaucratic agencies, with similar vested interests, across most of the World. We would never try to mislead you. The International Monetary Fund is infallible, and so are we.

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

 

[The Heretic]

I did my part - I bought cheap and stacked deep - did you do your part?

 

[ilikegunspdx]

View attachment 1782921

I did my part - I bought cheap and stacked deep - did you do your part?

 

[mtndewjustin]

Plenty of 9 at sportsman's if you want to pay 20+ a box.. Bi-Mart 14 box for blazer or 10 for aluminum shells. Scored box of 38 federal on sale for 24 a few days ago

 

[Alexx1401]

Plenty of 9 at sportsman's if you want to pay 20+ a box.. Bi-Mart 14 box for blazer or 10 for aluminum shells. Scored box of 38 federal on sale for 24 a few days ago

When I hear stuff like this I just have to "guess" there is a lot of people buying ammo who are like people who shop at some store where the same items are far higher in price.
We all see this with any number of items where the same thing is far higher at some stores and yet no lack of customers going to the place selling for much higher. Hell everyone has access to the net now so they have to choose to not see the price difference.

 

[Colorado Luckydog]

Yesterday......
The guy I met in Portland said that prices were on the way up. So, I should buy NOW (whatever I could afford).

View attachment 1748993

Then, he showed me another bag.

View attachment 1749001

And he reminded me, that he would always be here for my "additional needs".

Aloha, Mark

PS.......

View attachment 1749006

Good old dime bags! LOL!

 

[The Heretic]

When I hear stuff like this I just have to "guess" there is a lot of people buying ammo who are like people who shop at some store where the same items are far higher in price.
We all see this with any number of items where the same thing is far higher at some stores and yet no lack of customers going to the place selling for much higher. Hell everyone has access to the net now so they have to choose to not see the price difference.

I have sometimes commented and often wondered about the significant disparity in prices on a lot of things, from gun stuff to groceries, where a few minutes of research and/or a little experience tells anyone paying attention that there are much better prices on just about everything than many retailers are offering.

Even when I made 3X what I do now (that I am retired), I spent a few minutes checking the prices online for just about everything I bought - even if it was just $2 worth of granola.

 

[Jay Walk]

Orchards Bi-mart on 4th plain had plenty of ammo yesterday and prices are still pretty good, certainly lower than the sham-demic.

Sportsmans was a little down in the pistol cartridge section, not sure why as the prices are stupid and that is if they have the prices displayed at all. Blazer 9 was marked $19.99 for 115.

Plenty of rifle rounds, not surprisingly as so many items have no price listed.
the shelf of 30-30 had 13 SKU's with 8 having no price sticker.
Clown show as usual.

 

[Alexx1401]

I have sometimes commented and often wondered about the significant disparity in prices on a lot of things, from gun stuff to groceries, where a few minutes of research and/or a little experience tells anyone paying attention that there are much better prices on just about everything than many retailers are offering.

Even when I made 3X what I do now (that I am retired), I spent a few minutes checking the prices online for just about everything I bought - even if it was just $2 worth of granola.

I never did quite "get" the point of people buying stuff from a store known to be higher in price. LONG before the net came along there were always certain stores known to be higher than others for the same items. Yet the higher price place always seemed to have plenty of customers.
After the net came along and the smart phone almost everyone is able to compare so easy its even harder to understand now for me. Safeway was a prime example of this here for decades. They got bought out finally but until then were well known for having higher prices than the others. Yet seemed to be no shortage of people shopping there.
I could see it if they were the only store near or people had to walk but often there would be a cheaper place across the street. I only stopped at one of them if I wanted one item and was too lazy to driver to the others and almost every time I was shocked at the difference. Maybe customer loyalty for some reason?? Who knows. Ammo really confuses me. Since its so easy to compare but have to guess many just buy it off the shelf in the place they happen to be even if its far higher? Nice for the places selling it for that I guess.

 

[The Heretic]

Believe it or not, I do buy some groceries on Amazon - when there are good deals (e.g., a half case of canned soup/etc. on sale).

I can't remember the last time I went into a Safeway/Fred Myers/Whole Foods/etc.(actually, I do - it was for a free vaccine shot at their pharmacy) - I shop mostly at Winco/Costco. The other higher priced stores sometimes have brands or items Winco doesn't, and I only buy things at Costco that are either cheaper or not available at Winco - and generally only when on sale.

 

[Explorer1]

PSA

View attachment 1782654

Not trying to be a jerk, just pointing out what's available right now. .22 and 9mm are plentiful, it's the AR food that's getting hard to find. You can so it isn't so all you want, but if you don't have the ammo or reloading supplies you feel are sufficient, it's time to get it. I guess we could say it's always time to buy, but SOME ammo is actually getting harder to find.

Yup, war supplies for other nations (not ours!). Not to mention a convenient excuse to continue to disarm the sheeple.

UH OH: Lake City cancels civilian contracts… 30% of 5.56 ammo market is now offline

We’re not sure why, although we can offer a couple of solid guesses, but the Lake City Army Ammunition plant has cancelled civilian contracts to sell excess 5.56mm ammo production. Why shoul…

www.gunssavelife.com

 

[Provincial]

... Yet the higher price place always seemed to have plenty of customers.
After the net came along and the smart phone almost everyone is able to compare so easy its even harder to understand now for me. Safeway was a prime example of this here for decades. They got bought out finally but until then were well known for having higher prices than the others. Yet seemed to be no shortage of people shopping there. ...

It is no accident that Safeway was/is higher priced. Their business model was developed during the time that small mom & pop groceries were being replaced by the first supermarkets. They focused on small towns that would only be able to support one supermarket, moved in, and squeezed out the neighborhood stores with aggressive pricing. They used the profits from the established local monopolies to fund this. Once they had locked in a base of smaller towns, they used the profits to expand into larger cities, focusing on areas where transportation systems created areas that were similar to small towns, and used the same business plan to exploit areas where consumers would have difficulty travelling to competing stores.

This business plan worked very well for decades, and only failed when the CEO became enamored with the Theranos blood testing operation, and this investment put financial pressure on the company that resulted in its sale to Albertson's. That sale was backed by Cerberus Capital Management, and for anti-trust reasons, many stores were sold to competitors.

I don't know if the Albertson's purchase caused major changes in Safeway's pricing, other than the consolidation of advertising circulars merging the two brands. Anyway, you are spot on in saying that some stores get away with higher prices, and there are reasons for this that are not obvious to the casual observer.

Ironically, in a situation similar to Boeings purchase of McDonnell Douglas, the management team of the purchased company seems to have taken over the operations of the buyer! Albertson's seems to be run more like Safeway every day.

 

[Jay Walk]

Just ordered 1,000 rounds of nine at $12.99 per box with free shipping.

Merry Christmas to me

 

[Alexx1401]

Worked a little extra last week so I ordered up 1600 9mm in a 50 cal can and 5K of CCI .22 to add to the pile. I think the UPS man hates me

 

[Saladfarmer]

Yup, war supplies for other nations (not ours!). Not to mention a convenient excuse to continue to disarm the sheeple.

UH OH: Lake City cancels civilian contracts… 30% of 5.56 ammo market is now offline

We’re not sure why, although we can offer a couple of solid guesses, but the Lake City Army Ammunition plant has cancelled civilian contracts to sell excess 5.56mm ammo production. Why shoul…

www.gunssavelife.com

The Lake City thing ended up being a big sham BTW. Winchester came out and said, "we never said that."
Yet it was reported everywhere as being true from a trusted source. And what happened there? price spiked up on 556/223,
15 to 25 cents a round. Now it's coming back down just in time for vistas price hike. You know things
are dumb when AAC 308 rounds cost the same as wichester 556 per box.

 

[The Heretic]

Buy cheap - stack deep.

 

[TTSX]

View attachment 1782921

I did my part - I bought cheap and stacked deep - did you do your part?

Hey look, @Knobgoblin made a cameo!