Ammo Price Increases

[GrassLakeRon]

Have anyone else noticed a 25-33% increase in ammo prices over the last 2 weeks?  I have looked at several brick and morter stores (chain and local) and several on the net, seems that what I'm shooting has gone up alot.

Ron

[ihuntbucks]

A buddy of mine that owns a gun shop told me that the price of brass and copper had went up a lot.So,ammo went up with it.He had boxes of ammo mark one price and others boxes of the same marked 2 or 3 bucks more.Sad,but true .......Rick

[DWTim]

I don't know about 25%, but brass went up by a few bucks at the end of the summer.

[beemanbeme]

Time to learn to reload.  Wouldn't take much to amortize a Lee beginners kit. 

[elmer]

I know the price of copper has more than doubled in the last year and the wire used in our wiring harnesses has followed suit.  Some times there is a lag on the increases on finished products.

[Dusty Miller]

The expanding Chinese economy is sucking up raw materials at breakneck speed.  Don't expect a price drop anytime soon.

[Land_Owner]

In 1995, with a substantial investment in reloading equipment comtimplated, I compared the average Midway USA cost for all of its advertised non-bulk 45 ACP, 45 LC, 30-30, and 270 ammunition (calibers I wanted to reload) to the number of rounds of ammuntion that I would have to reload and shoot to amortise (recoup) the cost of the reloading equipment. 

I posted the results on my web page www.angelfire.com/on2/LandOwner under the link "RELOAD COST VS. FACTORY"

To break even, I had to reload and shoot, by caliber:

45 ACP - 944 rounds
45 LC - 596 rounds
270 - 561 rounds
30/30 - 560 rounds

After this many reloaded rounds of all listed calibers, the cost for each round of any subsequent caliber would be less than the average factory round

Now, the more I shoot the less it costs.  So I will continue to shoot until it costs me NOTHING.  Imagine that!

[GrassLakeRon]

Guys, thanks for the heads up.  Like most things in life, working 2 jobs and having a family doesn't leave me a whole lot of time to pursue my passions.  I just am sticker shocked when a box goes from 28.95 to 44.95 in only a few weeks.  Land Owner, you have given me food for thought.  I shot a only 2-3 boxes a year (If i'm lucky).  I want to shot more, but 5-900 rounds to breakeven, that would be a great deal of years for me.  But it would save me about a dollar a round if i reloaded......Again Guys thanks.

Ron

[bigjeepman]

GrassLakeRon ...

I have been there and done that and people who put their family and the needs of his family first should be commended for it. I do not know if they have what we call "yard sales" in your area but they are very common here. Every now and then, we'll see someone who has reloading equipment for sale very cheap in one of these sales. To some (I jokingly call them idiots), reloading has taken a back seat to other interests such as golf, newer cars, etc and have equipment sitting in their garage or in boxes in the attic. Maybe, you could place an add in the paper under "Wanted" stating you are looking for reloading equipment to buy. Who knows?

Good luck and good shooting ....

[Land_Owner]

GrassLake...

It is reasonable to assume that the prices, pieces and number of units I considered may be far more than those that you would consider.  My "thinking" then would skew your current consideration of pricing and the number of rounds needed to recoup your initial investment.

I included the cost of lead, powder, primers, bulk brass, gun cleaning products, reloading dies, plastic ammo boxes, handloading press, powder measure, multiple wood reloading trays, load book, caliper, case length gage & shell holder, impact bullet puller, reloading scale, case cutter & locking stud, deburring tool, and primer pocket cleaner.  I had four calibers I wanted to reload.  I spread the cost of the significant purchases (i.e. powder measure, caliper, scale, press) equally across each caliber, meaning I needed to shoot each and every one of ALL of the calibers to recoup the initial investment (I did and much more too).

I know people that golf.  For me that is "F l o g" spelled backward.  They spend a lot more on their "recreation" than I do and they have a lot less "stuff" to show for it.  On the other hand, their pursuit of golf is no less or more satisfying than my pursuit of reloading and shooting.  To each his own.  My stuff, like their clubs, maintains a resale or "salvage" value too.

I didn't get all my reloading "stuff" in a single purchase.  That would have taken multiple truck and mortgage payments together with a few of our higher grocery bills all spent at one time.  It was easy to contimplate "strawman" purchases on paper prior to the outlay of capital.  If the investment is "worthy" then the pursuit of that investment does not have to be swallowed all in one bite. 

Start with the basics.  Get a few pieces.  I started with a hand held Lee Loader in 30-30 caliber.  You can handload for decades, one bullet at a time, with a hand held Lee Loader, and that's an initial investment of under $20.00 (when I bought it) for the loader and its dies.  Consumables (powder, primer, cleaners, etc.) are the variables that you control.  Purchase in bulk and keep on hand for use when you are ready. 

Let family and friends know your new pursuit and suggest (demand) birthday and christmas gifts that align with your reloading and pretty quickly you will have most of everything you need.

Good luck and I hope that you delve into reloading.  I ultimately don't spend less but I do shoot more and that is what I wanted to do in the first place.  I can honestly say that I shoot a lot more rounds for a lot less money than my "store-bought" shooting friends.

I'll quote myself:

Now, the more I shoot the less it costs.  So I will continue to shoot until it costs me NOTHING.  Imagine that!

[kyelkhunter3006]

If any of you guys get the Cabela's Shooting Catalog, on the first page of ammo,and and several other pages, there is a statement that is basically a disclaimer for the increased cost of ammo. It also says that all of the prices are subject for price increase at any time without notice, due to the shortage/cost increases of metal products used to produce ammo.      Whatcha goin' to do??  I keep buying gas when the price goes up, and I sure like shooting a whole lot more than driving, so I will keep buying ammo too.  Oh well.......

[dakotashooter2]

Time to learn to reload.  Wouldn't take much to amortize a Lee beginners kit.

 

A great idea but please note that the cost of reloading components has increased at almost the same rate as loaded ammo. Most compnents have seen a 15% to 20% increase. I'm really interested in seeing what is going to happen to the price of copper bullets such as Barnes. Many are already $1 to $1.50 each.

[beemanbeme]

Other than ego, why would anyone pay $1.50 for a bullet to kill a deer?   

While components have followed loaded ammo's increase in price, brass will last thru several reloadings and you can find opportunities for bullets, brass and such at estate sales and Ebay which can help keep the cost of reloading in check.

[Land_Owner]

Fuel costs have increased.  Facility maintenance costs have increased.  Wages, medical, insurance, litigation, etc. continue to increase costs through "trickle-down" to consumers.  Wal-Mart and Mega-Chain "discount" stores no longer support what the formerly more diverse special interest local stores provided such as components for reloading, shooting, and gun purchasing.  Internet sales and catalog stores enable transporters, particularly those with political agendas, to kite component shipping rates deemed as “hazardous”.

The expanding Chinese economy is sucking up raw materials at breakneck speed.  Don't expect a price drop anytime soon.

I'll second that.  Labor continues to make a steady increase, through which you and I earn more, fixed income not-with-standing.  But material costs are skyrocketing, copper and steel in particular, which in turn drives the cost of goods and services up.  Not unlike fuel prices, once overall prices have escalated, it is a long time, if at all before they fall.  Be sure of your target, hit at what you aim, aim small - miss small, and eat more 'possum (the "Hoover" Chicken).