Ammo prices = sticker shock

[Mike1911]

I was at Four Seasons on Weds. morning and while the paperwork was being finished on my new PPK/s I checked out the prices of ammo. For my new "TOY" is was $17.00 a box!! .45 and .40 are like $18.~19 per box. I'm glad I stocked up over the past few years when the price was $9.00~$11. per box. I only wish I had bought more than I did.

 

[stoneypete]

So glad that I reload. However, even components are sky high. It was only last summer I could buy 1000 leas bullets for $36. Now it's almost twice that.

I'm afraid that todays high prices will be next years bargins.

 

[ArmedMainer]

I'm afraid that todays high prices will be next years bargins.

I agree !!! Reason enough to stock up now.

 

[fubar]

Wednesday night I bought a case ( 500 rnds ) of Remington 230gr 45acp for 112 bucks at Dick's Sporting Goods , Danvers Ma.

That night I was offered a Dillon 550 (with 4 tool heads & die sets for 38,9mm,45acp - I have 44mag/special dies already in my rcbs) for $350. I will be setting it up on Sunday afternoon.

I don't actually have the money to comfortably spend - but a little pain this week will likely save me a lot of pain in the future.

No one seems to be saying ammo prices are ever going down ...

 

[jhrosier]

So glad that I reload. However, even components are sky high. It was only last summer I could buy 1000 leas bullets for $36. Now it's almost twice that.

I'm afraid that todays high prices will be next years bargins.

I was just talking to the wife, last night, about converting a corner of the basement to a bullet foundry. A hood and exhaust fan will need to be installed for the lead pot.

Jacketed bullets for my .358 Win are ~$350/K and commercial cast bullets are $180/K, both plus shipping. The lead and alloy that I bought a couple of years ago was $.03/lb and I have about 1500 lbs. That comes to a little over $1/K for the metal to make the bullets. I still have my bullet casting equipment from 20 years ago, so my only expense will be for lube, gas checks, and electricity.

I'm not doing the happy dance at the thought of bullet casting but it looks like there are few alternatives.

 

[Bugs100]

Cooper and lead are sky rocketing in the last few weeks with the mine strikes starting in South America.

On tuesday I talked to the owner of a major cast bullet company. He told me they make 75 different bullets and they were 4-6 months behind in orders.

He said that his smelter operation and casting machines couldn't keep up with the orders. That he had one machine dedicated to just 45's and it couldn't keep up with demand and to put another machine on line dedicated to 45's he would have to reduce his line of bullets by 20%.

He then said that guys that use to order just a 1000 at a time are now ordering 5k and the guys that ordered 5k are now ordering 10k.

That up untill 2 years ago they had drive to all the guns show because sales were so slow and right now he didn't have time to go to lunch.

 

[Coyote33]

... converting a corner of the basement to a bullet foundry. A hood and exhaust fan will need to be installed for the lead pot.

...I have about 1500 lbs. That comes to a little over $1/K for the metal to make the bullets. I still have my bullet casting equipment from 20 years ago, so my only expense will be for ..., and electricity.
...

You could always use propane outside for this. Maybe an old camp stove would do the trick nicely. Sometimes see them at yard sales.

 

[rscalzo]

A was shocked a while back when I went into WM and bought a bulk pack of WW 380ACP. It was more then the same size 45ACP.

 

[Len-2A Training]

.380ACP was ALWAYS more expensive than 9mm and .45s!

That was the caliber that got me into reloading some 31 years ago. Nobody sold .380ACP reloads back then. I was reloading lead for $1.50/box regardless of caliber (rough number I calculated back ~30 years ago), so I was reloading .38Sp, .380ACP and .45ACP back then.

When I joined DEC in 1980 on 3rd shift, I stopped shooting and only did my PD quals 2x/year. In 1981 when transferred into DEC engineering on days, my days (and commute) were very long and I really didn't get back to actively shooting on a regular basis until DEC left me in 1993. So all my reloading stopped ~1980, bought new reloaders (Dillon 450B set up but never used and a 650 a few years ago and helped Carl get rid of his stock of plated bullets ) but have been shooting only factory ammo since then. REALLY need to get going again on reloading. Now that I'm shooting on a regular basis again, it's getting very expensive!

 

[jhrosier]

You could always use propane outside for this. Maybe an old camp stove would do the trick nicely. Sometimes see them at yard sales.

A friend of mine was doing that last week, when an unexpected rain shower happened. He said that the explosion was spectacular.

Anyhow, I expect to do most of my casting during the winter.

 

[MauserFreak]

I was at Four Seasons on Weds. morning and while the paperwork was being finished on my new PPK/s I checked out the prices of ammo. For my new "TOY" is was $17.00 a box!! .45 and .40 are like $18.~19 per box. I'm glad I stocked up over the past few years when the price was $9.00~$11. per box. I only wish I had bought more than I did.

what kind of ammo are you buying at that price?

 

[Fsorrent]

Is the instance of rising ammo prices a regional MA thing, or are ammo prices rising across the country due to economical issues?

 

[TonyDedo]

what kind of ammo are you buying at that price?

I noticed the other day that Four Seasons has gotten unusually expensive in the ammo department. I went from Collectors to Four Seasons, and almost everything I saw at Collectors was about 15% more expensive at Four Seasons.

 

[Mike1911]

what kind of ammo are you buying at that price?

A few years ago it was .40SW & .45 acp. Some Blazer, PMC, Magtech and S&B. Mail order places even with shipping it still came out cheaper if you factor in sales tax.

 

[Lugnut]

I noticed the other day that Four Seasons has gotten unusually expensive in the ammo department. I went from Collectors to Four Seasons, and almost everything I saw at Collectors was about 15% more expensive at Four Seasons.

Did you say this backwards?? I find Collectors to be much cheaper that FS... from 9mm, .40S&W, .45ACP to .223.

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

Is the instance of rising ammo prices a regional MA thing, or are ammo prices rising across the country due to economical issues?

It is not a regional thing, it's nationwide. Many ammo vendors are out of .223 stock completely and those that have it are getting big money for it.

Check this link:
http://ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=16&t=318515

 

[JimB]

something smells

a lot of things have gotten more expensive and in short supply.

EVEN toilet paper... you had trouble finding a roll, then came
rationing....

Some louzy bastard (s) are creating this situation, and we are the
victims...

The public usually reacts, buy more buy more, the evil bastards
watch the price go up and up.... and finally it tumbles, and all
of the little dumb bastards made the big bastard real rich.

Sounds like SIlver to me, or how about toilet paper.

JimB

 

[Scrivener]

Did you say this backwards?? I find Collectors to be much cheaper that FS... from 9mm, .40S&W, .45ACP to .223.

Perhaps you read it backwards. He said Collectors was cheaper - by 15%.

 

[Lugnut]

Perhaps you read it backwards. He said Collectors was cheaper - by 15%.

Yes, I was wrong. I read it wrong. That's what I get for letting the sun dry my brain all day... at least I got to shoot though.