Why have gun prices not skyrocketed - only ammo?

[Dinglenutz]

I plea the 5th...

But it is kind of interesting to recognize the new currency of 2021 that's emerging. Ammo.

If that's true I'll be retiring early fellas - surfs up!

EDIT: Seriously, I'm eyeballing some of these 550 (?) round magtech 9mm boxes and wondering if I should try to squeeze some money out of them. Does that make me a bad person? They were bought pre-panic if that helps ....

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

Just ordered 10x from magcommander. They better not suck!

C products?
In the rare event they do, Ill buy them from ya.

 

[wollzy]

EDIT: Seriously, I'm eyeballing some of these 550 (?) round magtech 9mm boxes and wondering if I should try to squeeze some money out of them. Does that make me a bad person? They were bought pre-panic if that helps ....

Nope. That's capitalism. Supply and demand. Always cracks me up when people will talk about the free market then when an item suddenly increases in demand, and price, they claim price gouging. I just ordered 5k SRP. I plan on reloading them, but if I need the money I'll definitely sell some if I have to.

 

[solv3nt]

C products?
In the rare event they do, Ill buy them from ya.

Yup, C Products. Thanks for the inside scoop on the good ones. As an FYI, it looks like they may be discontinued.

C Products Defense DuraMag 30 Round .223 / 5.56 AR-15 Magazine

Aluminum body | Orange Anti-tilt follower | Compatible with AR-15 rifles chambered in 5.56 / .223 | CPDM DuraMag

magcommander.com

 

[arakboss]

Bimart has had lots of tupperware pistols and misc tupperware stock rifles for near normal prices.

I was in Beaverton Bimart (on Western Ave) yesterday and they had a full case of handguns. Gen 5 G19s, Kimber Micro Nines, a couple of 10mm pistols and a bunch of others.

 

[OrPackrat]

Gun prices have certainly gone up, I used to be able to slap an AR upper and lower together for about 400... for awhile the price of just the upper was 400-600+ and the lower an extra 200-300.

Price on an AK, I remember when they were 500 and up all day (should have got a couple), now the only ones I've seen are in the 1000+ and not as easily found..

Pistols and such l, haven't seen much of a rise in price, certainly not compared to ARs and AKs.

Put a Beowulf Pistol and rifle together 3 weeks before the first stimulus check and got 200rds of JHP for about 1,150. Ended up selling the pistol Beowulf, couple mags, and 20rds of ammo for 1,000. Turned that into an AR9 with glock lower and half a case of 7.62x39 plus a few other odds and ends.

 

[Lennie]

Certain firearms have seen significant price increases. Some examples: Quality AKs, a few AR platforms, certain revolvers, most military surplus firearms and many collectable firearms.

Most plastic pistols have not seen a significant increase in prices as Sig, Glock, Springfield, S&W and Ruger seem to be very good at producing them in record numbers. However, even with that production increase, gun stores are often finding it difficult to fill their inventory requirements.

I also feel if ammo was more readily available, we would experience an increase in gun pricing. Some buyers have either left the market or they are in the sidelines waiting for the ammo demand to subside. I know of a number of gun stores holding ammo back to insure they can supply ammo to new gun buyers.

 

[The Heretic]

Part of it is the MSRPs have not risen much, if any, on most guns - so since most people have to go into an FFL anyway to transfer, as least on the west coast...

Part of it is that you can't run into any FFL and quickly buy up most of their guns, like you can ammo - e.g., someone goes into Bi Mart and picks up a few boxes of 9mm, or maybe ten. Their brother does the same thing, as does their spouse. They can turn around, double the asking prices and sell them onesey twosey, or in bulk - not so easy with ten Glocks - you can't split a Glock in half, and it is more involved. Plus, the ATF would take notice or such buying and selling patterns. It is a bit more risky to have your $ tied up in ten Glocks than it is in ten cases of 9mm.

Plus some people are buying 80% kits, or buying lowers and kits and making their own completed guns from these.

 

[Dinglenutz]

Always cracks me up when people will talk about the free market then when an item suddenly increases in demand, and price, they claim price gouging.

I have no issue in general, but the thing where someone tries to be first in line to buy up all the stock, and then flip it as soon as possible, is the least palatable form of arbitrage to me.


In other news, starting to see 16 cent 22lr now. Perhaps the end is near.

 

[solv3nt]

Certain firearms have seen significant price increases. Some examples: Quality AKs, a few AR platforms, certain revolvers, most military surplus firearms and many collectable firearms.

Most plastic pistols have not seen a significant increase in prices as Sig, Glock, Springfield, S&W and Ruger seem to be very good at producing them in record numbers. However, even with that production increase, gun stores are often finding it difficult to fill their inventory requirements.

I also feel if ammo was more readily available, we would experience an increase in gun pricing. Some buyers have either left the market or they are in the sidelines waiting for the ammo demand to subside. I know of a number of gun stores holding ammo back to insure they can supply ammo to new gun buyers.

I paid way too much for a Glock 26 gen5 after my wife recently told me she wanted to carry again.

 

[The Heretic]

I have no issue in general, but the thing where someone tries to be first in line to buy up all the stock, and then flip it as soon as possible, is the least palatable form of arbitrage to me.


In other news, starting to see 16 cent 22lr now. Perhaps the end is near.

Just like in the past, the market will crash and we will eventually be back to 2-3¢ per round for bulk .22 LR - maybe (if DC/et. al. does not pass laws that require BGC for ammo purchases and/or place limits on purchases and/or ban online purchases).

As I said back before the panic, when the prices were low, buy deep and stack it high when the prices are low. Apparently some people didn't listen.

 

[Dinglenutz]

Just like in the past, the market will crash and we will eventually be back to 2-3¢ per round for bulk .22 LR

Maybe, or at least 4-5 cent.

It tickled me last time and hopefully will again when hoarders and flippers were frantically trying to limit their losses when the panic finally broke. Perhaps I'm a bad person after all.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

All the stores around here are either empty or quickly become that way. Even the Walmart shotguns evaporate like its the Mohave. Sure, there are the stragglers, but if you're looking for something specific, you're either in for a long wait or going to pay through the nose or both. For instance, pre pandemic, I was entertaining a Ruger Mark IV Target with a threaded barrel. Should be right around $600ish. Haven't seen one in a LONG time. One just sold on Gunbroker for over $1300. Another example, I recently did inventory for insurance purposes and was looking up replacement costs. My 2018 Marlin 1894CSBL, which I bought for $850, is averaging $2,000 - $3,000 on completed auctions with one hitting $4,000. These are not some historically significant, ultra rare firearms; these are ones that are being sold new in box by vendors and recently produced. Sure, ARs and Glocks may only have a slight bump in cost (50% - 100%) or are obtainable at reasonable prices if you're in the right place at the right time (like Bi-mart had a Glock 19 gen 5 for $539 last time I was in there), but anything even slightly less ubiquitous seems to have sky rocketed. Although, frankly, given the current political climate, the guns I am after will likely still be available in a couple years, but the ARs and Glocks may not. So I guess look at it as a blessing and stock up on those now if you haven't already. Oh, and grab a bunch of magazines before they're gone too. I'm amazed standard capacity magazines are still as available and affordable as they are, all in all considered.

There are two classes of firearms these days. There are what I would call durable goods, lasting 100 years or more, and remaining functional and aesthetically pleasing. These are things like dedicated trap/skeet shotguns, target rifles and pistols, name brand hunting firearms, and classic pistols.

Then there are the commodity firearms. Polymer pistols designed for police issue and expected to have a life of a few years are a good example. Home defense weapons with polymer stocks and haphazard machining and finishing fit in this category as well.

The prices on durable goods-type firearms have gone up substantially. The prices for commodity firearms have gone up much less.

 

[The Heretic]

Maybe, or at least 4-5 cent.

It tickled me last time and hopefully will again when hoarders and flippers were frantically trying to limit their losses when the panic finally broke. Perhaps I'm a bad person after all.

There were times when I paid 7¢ per round for rimfire, but I was usually buying upper tier bulk ammo, or a lot purchase where upper tier ammo (e.g., CCI MiniMags) was mixed in with the bulk ammo. For me it was mostly about cost averaging.

I have paid 10¢ per round, but that was for match grade HP hunting ammo. Now I see bulk grade rimfire ammo ammo asking prices approaching those of pre-panic/pandemic 9mm CF low grade bulk ammo and I am glad I have well over 30K rounds of rimfire ammo as I can just sit back and pass on such inflated prices.

I would like to buy some more match grade hunting ammo for rimfire (to see which my be best in my different rimfire rifles), but I have about 1K+ of the hunting ammo, and even with testing and zeroing and practice, that is plenty enough for small game hunting should SHTF. Plus, I can wait for the prices to return to "normal".

 

[FourTeeFive]

I am specifically selling some safe queens because at this point they've gone up so much that I'll be making a good profit on them. In one case I bought something two months ago (happened to see it sitting at Cabela's and bought it for retail), and will double my money on it since it is so rare. Marlin Dark Series 30-30. Actual sell price on Gunbroker are over $1800.

Quality well-known defensive firearms have definitely gone up in price. I normally only buy at good mailorder prices but recently overpaid just because I REALLY wanted an HK P30L V1 and couldn't find one anyone. Of course the next day I got an E-mail stock alert where I could have bought it for $100 less.

 

[FourTeeFive]

There are two classes of firearms these days. There are what I would call durable goods, lasting 100 years or more, and remaining functional and aesthetically pleasing. These are things like dedicated trap/skeet shotguns, target rifles and pistols, name brand hunting firearms, and classic pistols.

Then there are the commodity firearms. Polymer pistols designed for police issue and expected to have a life of a few years are a good example. Home defense weapons with polymer stocks and haphazard machining and finishing fit in this category as well.

The prices on durable goods-type firearms have gone up substantially. The prices for commodity firearms have gone up much less.

I'm seeing the opposite. Defensive weapons are the hot market right now. HK polymer frame guns are very hard to get right now, and there are definitely no deals on them. Used ones are going for over the store prices from a year ago. And while I'm not fan of polymer guns, there are polymer HK from the 70s that are still around and doing fine. Polymer guns have only gotten better since then.

 

[The Heretic]

I rarely sell, safe queen or not. The only safe queen I have was purchased about a week ago and I intend to keep it that way because I have wanted one for a long time (Winchester '92 takedown carbine with octagon barrel).

The last safe queen I had I did sell because I just had little to no use for a .50 BMG rifle anymore - I never shot it anyway - and I could use the $ to buy ammo.

 

[FourTeeFive]

I rarely sell, safe queen or not. The only safe queen I have was purchased about a week ago and I intend to keep it that way because I have wanted one for a long time (Winchester '92 takedown carbine with octagon barrel).

Yeah, that's a keeper. Although personally I don't have anything classic; they're all modern and utilitarian. But over the years I've collected guns, sometimes just buying them because they were a deal, and ultimately decided I like some less and less. So those are going away since I don't shoot them and have no intention of doing so.

 

[The Heretic]

I grew up with a 26" octagon barrel model '94 and took some deer with it. It was my grandfather's rifle and he used it for deer, elk and bear - he was a jack of all trades and provided meat for his family by hunting and fishing.

My brother has it now, but I have always had a thing for octagon barrel lever actions, preferably a carbine as I found that long barrel a bit cumbersome in the dense Orygun woods.

I have a Rossi '92 carbine too, and that will be my shooter. The Winchester (Miroku) will stay in the safe.

 

[Aongus]

I have a surplus now. I know a ton of guys with only polymer AR mags.. I keep telling them the classic aluminum USGI mags may be a worth while investment since they do hold up. Ive managed to break a few Pmags accidentally thus I think owning a few spares can only help. Mag diversity is good. I have a few other buddies with only 1-5 mags. When +5 more again would be a decent idea to either sell, trade or have for spares.

By the time most catch on (like now) prices have risen. Mags/Drums will soon catch up. Im amazed they havent yet. I had about a dozen pals come out of the woodwork when the firearms panic started all wanting 2017-2018 deals.. told them times have changed.

Having spares is important, magazines are a consumable. I personally keep my (let's call them oh bubblegum) non training mags separate from my training mags, and numerically mark them. My training mags I think at least a dozen are needed per firearm I plan to train with. Most classes seem to state: bring six mags, but I really think you are wasting the classes time if you have less than a dozen, and those already loaded. The spares are for replenishing either of the aforementioned siloed mags. The spares stock pile should be sufficient to replace busted or just flakey mags for as long as you determine you may have to go without being able to re-supply. These are just my own thoughts on how many someone should have, but it is cheaper to buy some mags in boxes of 100.
cheers.