Almost a year since NRA scared us with Obama and ammo shot sky high.

kzilla

kzilla

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I was told a few days ago that ammo prices are so high because Ammunition manufacturers pay for their raw materials at a set price in bulk. Which is ridiculously expensive because of the demand for ammo. Once they use up their stockpiles and they purchase more as the demand for ammo goes down, so will the prices of their raw materials. Supply and demand, buddy. (I also enjoy being talked to like I'm an idiot because I asked why ammo is so expensive.) It sounds about right, but what he didn't mention was that I'd be shooting twice as much if the NRA didn't scare everyone that Obama was going to take our guns away. It's been a year and no black guy has been to my house to take my weapons. (No black guy who's ears look like a car driving down the road with the doors open.) So when does it end, and what will the next scare be. NRA says: That Kittens are delicious! Then their a run on cooking Kittens. Enough, my handgun purchase shouldn't be dictated by the price of ammo. Oh, and I have a new litter of Kittens if anyone's interested.
 
Yeah I've been woundering about the same thing. Can anyone give a solid explanation as to why ammo prices have risen so drasticaly since the time of Obamma? I would love to know, as I can't see the price in lead or bass increasing this dramiatically because of scarcity.
 
Yep, it's clearly the NRA's fault... [rolleyes]

Ammo prices have been on the rise for quite a while due to heavy usage in the combat zones and because of increasing raw material prices. This rise predates Obama's run to the White House.
 
vellnueve said:
Yep, it's clearly the NRA's fault... [rolleyes]

Ammo prices have been on the rise for quite a while due to heavy usage in the combat zones and because of increasing raw material prices. This rise predates Obama's run to the White House.
Click to expand...

Not to mention that the dollar has been getting weaker over the past two years or so.

Can't be any of that, must be the NRA's fault because they alone scared us. Why, I'll bet that if you searched this board you wouldn't find even one post from someone who is not a NRA member containing dire warnings about how the antis are going to take our guns. Nope, won't find one. [rolleyes]
 
"My good friends, this is the second time there has come back from Germany to Downing Street peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Now I recommend you go home, and sleep quietly in your beds."
 
vellnueve said:
Yep, it's clearly the NRA's fault... [rolleyes]

Ammo prices have been on the rise for quite a while due to heavy usage in the combat zones and because of increasing raw material prices. This rise predates Obama's run to the White House.
Click to expand...

Garys said:
Not to mention that the dollar has been getting weaker over the past two years or so.
Click to expand...

I think these are both true statements. Ammo sales are up almost 30% since this time 2 years ago ($7b vs $9b) but this number doesnt prove that the quantity of ammo is up just that more money is being is being spent (ei. increased volume x increased price x % of inflation [which also contributes to raw materials going up in cost])

But honestly, I think most of it has to do with the "he who shall not be named" scare. People are buying more ammo and the ammo manufacturers know it, and are going to take advantage of it for as long as they can.

ahhh when government and big business work together.... you gotta love it. I think I'll be investing in a loader soon.
 
Just wait until Health Care passes and you're told that your premiums will skyrocket OR you have to get rid of your guns.

Government sponsored health care simply won't subisidize the risk (in their view) of you keeping deadly weapons in your home (and around your children).

The government won't be impinging on your rights, they'll simply tell you that it will cost you a fortune to retain them.


Think this can't happen?
 
Wasn't there a corresponding jump in new gun sales during those times?

Need food for the new beasts. More new gun owners buying ammo = less ammo for the current shooters.

Current shooters stumble on a good deal and buy the max amount of ammo they can (Buy six boxes of .40 S&W from Wal-Mart for $12 a box).


Makes sense to me. More people shooting = more ammo being bought. Ammo is a commodity. More people demanding it = prices go up (until production ramps up to meet it).



Then again, I'm not an economic scientist.
 
Ammo prices were on the rise pre-Obamamania. I went up to NH shooting a couple of weekends ago and brought the Uzi. I had a mini stockpile of WWB Shooters packs from Wally World and the box that was selected to be set free was marked: $13.98. Now it's $20.97.

There is no question however that ammo sales went into stratospheric gear after Obama was elected. No question at all. Did the NRA propagate any of this? Perhaps - the National Rifle Association is not void of stirring hysteria to their own benefit. I think however, it's short-sighted to finger them as the source of the mania. Perhaps the stirrer of the pot, but much of the hysteria came from a myriad of sources, (internet chat, forums, media, rumor, hysteria, fact, fiction). The ammunition companies and the dealers which sell their wares, were all to willing to capitalize on it as well...

Time will tell whether any of this pans out. Obama is wrapped up in healthcare and the NRA is wrapped up in peddling Chinese junk to it's membership. When the fog clears, those who were stockpiling ammo under their stairs will be viewed with chuckles, or admired for their forward thinking...
 
Let's see...
Most gun-unfriendly administration in US history? Check.
Huge increase in firearms sales? Check.
Recession causing unemployment and crime to rise? Check.
Wars going on, consuming military rounds? Check.

I could go on, but the OP is completely correct.. I can't see WHY folks are wanting to stock up or the pro-rights groups sounded the alarm. After all, BHO DID say he would not take our guns, right?
 
Can anyone give a solid explanation as to why ammo prices have risen so drasticaly since the time of Obamma?
Click to expand...

Because manufacturers have discovered that their former prices were not at the profit optimizing level. It's called supply & demand.

There is also the concept called "sticky prices" - you see it in the housing market. Sellers raise asking prices at the slightest hint they are going up, but it takes months or years for sellers to accept a decline and start asking less. The market is still crowded with sellers asking a price that would have made sense a year or two ago, but not today.
 
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Its a lot simpler than you think. There is a heirarchy ammo manufacturers follow: Military contracts first, ammo biz second, components last. I'm on the end of that food chain and guess what? My wholesale cost for primers has not changed in over a year. Problem is after the first and second levels of the heirarchy I mentioned, there isn't anything left for little old me. Eventually this too shall pass, but in the mean time we all do the best we can with what we don't have. There is no conspiracy with the .gov and man'fs....the NRA did not deliberately do anything to start or even fan the flames of the current shortages. It is simple supply and demand - nothing more. Demand has gone way up for reasons already posted here. Manufacturers can only produce so much in a day and they are all running 3 shifts and 7 days a week trying to keep up. There is price gouging going on to be sure and I for one WILL remember who is doing it and will certainly spend my $$ elsewhere for now and in the future (barring a wholesale management change at said 'gouger'). I will not cave on this. I would rather be out of certain calibers of ammo (and I am out of several right now....) than feed the greed.
 
I think there's some truth in all the posts here. There's no doubt that the election of Obama spurred gun purchases. Despite what he said in regards to firearms, you only have to look at how he's voted in the past. Look at the people he's surrounded himself with; they're pretty much all anti-gun. Add in the fact that Congress now has a majority of liberal Democrats, who generally are not gun friendly, and I'm not surprised that the demand for firearms increased.

Having a gun without ammo is like having a car without fuel. Nice to look at, but not very useful. I would expect a spike in gun sales to be followed by a spike in ammo sales. I have no doubt that pro-gun groups have stoked the fires of fear to increase membership, but that's to be expected.

OTOH, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you. [wink]
 
klegrow said:
IMHO I think that the initial rush is over and the dealers/distributors liked the idea of keeping prices high and making more money.
Click to expand...


You obviously haven't actually talked to any dealers.

I asked a few of them during the time the ammo prices were sky high - and they ALL told me that the prices they were paying were just as bad as the prices we were paying.

You obviously also don't remember what the prices for raw material were like back then. I have been doing ongoing home renovation work for a few years now. A roll of lead flashing from Home Depot 5 years ago was $50.00. A roll of the very same lead flashing last year - was $100.00 BEFORE the ammo buying surge.

Copper was the same way. So was brass.

This is the way the free market system works - if everybody wants something, guess what? It's going to cost more because there is more demand. But don't worry - we are moving towards a command economy so the prices will kept in control. Obama will appoint a "price czar" to keep prices low - so that will fix the ammunition cost issue.

Except you won't be able to get any.
 
MassMark said:
Ammo prices were on the rise pre-Obamamania. I went up to NH shooting a couple of weekends ago and brought the Uzi. I had a mini stockpile of WWB Shooters packs from Wally World and the box that was selected to be set free was marked: $13.98. Now it's $20.97.

There is no question however that ammo sales went into stratospheric gear after Obama was elected. No question at all. Did the NRA propagate any of this? Perhaps - the National Rifle Association is not void of stirring hysteria to their own benefit. I think however, it's short-sighted to finger them as the source of the mania. Perhaps the stirrer of the pot, but much of the hysteria came from a myriad of sources, (internet chat, forums, media, rumor, hysteria, fact, fiction). The ammunition companies and the dealers which sell their wares, were all to willing to capitalize on it as well...

Time will tell whether any of this pans out. Obama is wrapped up in healthcare and the NRA is wrapped up in peddling Chinese junk to it's membership. When the fog clears, those who were stockpiling ammo under their stairs will be viewed with chuckles, or admired for their forward thinking...
Click to expand...

I actually think the NRA was less active in stirring the pot than just regular people talking to each other, reading what Obama HAD SAID IN HIS OWN WORDS, seeing the types of people he associated with - and putting two and two together.

I also think the gun and ammo buying spree was a GOOD THING.

It showed the gun banning libtards that as soon as they open their mouths and start talking about taking away guns - people are going to respond with the one thing that really makes a difference.

Their money.

In the end the NRA has beaten the drum about 'electing the right people' and 'passing the right laws' and all the other malarky.

It hasn't made much of a difference - has it? We are still confronted on a regular basis with government reduction of our gun rights.

The one rule that underlies EVERTHING in the world is that MONEY TALKS.

If I go down to the car dealer and I am beating up the car salesman to get a good price - and another guy walks up and tells him " I will pay $1000 over your sticker for that car" - guess who is going to get the car?

If I am a lazy layabout and my friend is a hard working guy who has a good chance at being a high earning career guy - and we are both interested in the same woman (and she isn't an idiot) - all other things being equal, who do you think is the more likely one to end up with her?

Which candidates typically get elected to office - the ones who spend a lot of money , or the ones who go around town in a beat up old suit shaking hands and kissing babies?

Money talks.

And when the Obamanites opened their fat mouths and started talking about banning guns - essentially what happened is that millions of American citizens basically said "EFF You" and put their money down on what they believed.

And there has been no gun bans has there? And they pretty much keep their mouths shut on even bringing up the subject - don't they?

The next time anybody in the federal government or state government opens their mouths about restricting gun rights the absolute most effective method of protest and resistance is a gun and ammo buying spree.

Keep it up enough times and there will so much stockpiled ammunition and so many guns - it will be simply impossible for the government to ever do anything about it.

Spread the paranoia - it works.
 
And if it hadn't been for those manipulative fear-mongers at the NRA, none of us would have had the slightest concern about Obama trying to screw around with our guns or any of our other rights. [rolleyes]

Ken
 
Calsdad....I am going to have to disagree with you on this one. You are right that the raw materials cost has gone up. But I would compare this to what happened with food prices not too long ago. The prices went up dramatically due to transportation costs and feed costs. The meat prices went down, but nowhere near the levels they have been previously. You see it at gas stations too, the price goes up when oil goes up, but it doesn't return to the same price even if oil returns to the same price or is less. Now I know my gun dealer passes on the savings, but not everyone does and you have to remember the manufacturers and distributors also like these higher prices........I'll give you an example.....last week I bought 6 boxes of 9mm from my dealer for $13.00......Dick's Sporting Goods (that used to be cheap).....$23.99 for the exact same ammo
 
KMaurer said:
And if it hadn't been for those manipulative fear-mongers at the NRA, none of us would have had the slightest concern about Obama trying to screw around with our guns or any of our other rights. [rolleyes]
Click to expand...

And despite all the warnings - and Obama's own statements on his own website - the Fudds in PA (and elsewhere) still voted for him.
 
There is price gouging going on
Click to expand...
It's only gouging because you are the buyer.

It is "gouging" to try to figure out the absolute maximum a willing buyer will pay for your house and set the price accordingly?
 
klegrow said:
Calsdad....I am going to have to disagree with you on this one. You are right that the raw materials cost has gone up. But I would compare this to what happened with food prices not too long ago. The prices went up dramatically due to transportation costs and feed costs. The meat prices went down, but nowhere near the levels they have been previously. You see it at gas stations too, the price goes up when oil goes up, but it doesn't return to the same price even if oil returns to the same price or is less. Now I know my gun dealer passes on the savings, but not everyone does and you have to remember the manufacturers and distributors also like these higher prices........I'll give you an example.....last week I bought 6 boxes of 9mm from my dealer for $13.00......Dick's Sporting Goods (that used to be cheap).....$23.99 for the exact same ammo
Click to expand...


The meat prices went down - because people didn't eat as much meat. There were news stories all over the place about this. Unlike copper, lead and brass - you can't just take cows and stack them in a pile out at a stockyard till the prices go up. They have an expiration date. If there are too many - then the prices go down.

Copper, lead, and brass - are commodities. They don't react the same way that meat does. Oil is also a commodity - but it has many more influences on it's pricing than copper , lead or brass.

Do some dealers "gouge"? Sure they do. You could see this happening both online and at the local dealers during the surge. The ones that had raised their prices into the stratosphere had full shelves of ammo, the ones that had reasonable prices - had empty shelves.

The other thing with the gun and ammo industry is that ( if any dealers pipe in here let me know if I am wrong) - I would be willing to bet there is a decent fear of losing their livelihood by government shutting them down. So they have to make their money when and where they can.

If somebody is willing to come in and pay you $200 more for an AR than the guy down the street is selling it for (but doesn't have any) - and you have a couple on your shelves - what are you supposed to do, give it to him at a better price out of the goodness of your heart.

If you don't like high prices - don't pay them. Simple as that. I bought tons of ammo in the few years leading up the ammo and gun buying spree. Since late last year I have tapered off significantly. Now that prices are going down some - I will start stocking up on more.

The people who bitch about "high prices" and "dealer gouging" and blaming the NRA - and all the other BS, are essentially arguing that somebody should regulate the market and wipe their little tushies for them. Nobody forces you to pay high prices. You can just not buy something if you don't like it. The worst part about his behavior is that it plays right into the goals of all the people who are against your gun rights - because along with taking away your gun rights - they want to take away your ability to decide for yourself.

So everybody keep whining about people "taking advantage" and keep bitching that "we need somebody to do something" and guess what: they will.

And you won't like that either.

If you want to get treated like an individual - start acting like one and make up your own mind. If you want a free market - then take advantage of the thing that makes it work - your ability to be a discriminating consumer and either buy or not buy based on what you think is a fair price.
 

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