Ammo Prices Rising 25% on September 1. Anybody else stocking up? And where are you buying it?

Question

So far this month, I've bought 10,000 rounds of .22LR, 3500 rounds of .45 ACP, 3500 rounds of .357 Magnum, 2200 rounds of .223 Remington, and 1000 rounds of 9mm.

I'd still like to pick up a little more, including some .308 and .30-06, if I can find it at decent prices.

Anybody have a lead on some low-priced lead? At this point, I'm also looking to buy components (bullets and brass).

Answer 1

Don't bother me any!
What little 'factory' I buy for 'business' don't amount to squat for all I shoot, and factory prices aren't that big a deal.
I buy all my components & powders in bulk, and reload EVERYTHING I shoot.
For .45, .44, .357, & 9mm target slugs, my sources at Pep Boys & Discount Tire haven't raised the price of scrap wheel weights in 35 years, and I doubt they'll EVER run out! ! ! !
If worse ever comes to worse, paper patch was good enough for Matthew Quigley, and it's good enough for ME!

P.S: With all the Demacrack gun-grabbers in D.C., bragging about buying & stockpiling so much ammo COULD get one a surprise visit from the BAT Boys & other unwanted visitors!

Answer 2

For some reloading components, it's a little late to be stocking up. Lead shot is up around 40 dollars a 25# bag in my neighborhood. I started getting light-headed when it went over 30. A big part of the problem is that the Chinese are buying up raw materials right now and driving the price up. Lead is around $1.30-$1.40 a pound right now, considerably higher than a year ago. Aluminum is 75-80 cents a pound and the streets in Ohio haven't been this clean in years. Higher prices are going to be something that we will contend with for a while into the future and nothing I've read or seen gives me any reason to be optimistic.

Answer 3

I keep hearing ammo prices are going up, buy all you can hurry hurry. But what I've seen in my local private owned or bargain stores goes against what I've been told. In the past few months with projected ammo price increases (i hear about it a few times a month) I've seen nothing but decreases. On some ammo it's been a few cent but on other brands/calibers I've seen it as much as a few dollars cheaper than the month/s before. It's been a pretty steady drop too. I started buying Hornady leverevolution .30-.30 ammo at 25 dollars a box now I can get it for 17 dollars a box(4 month span). And the guys at the counter say I'm the only person that buys it other than a few guys(1-5) here and there. Remington and Winchester .30-.30 that was around 15-17 dollars a box is now at 9.99-11.99 a box. I buy all kinds of 9mm ammo from defensive to plain ball and the cost of that has gone down too. I'm not buying it all up, I already have enough to last a while. Maybe it's a location/competition thing. I do live within 15miles of a Wal-mart, ***** sporting goods, 2 privately owned gun shops and 25miles away I have 2 more privately owned gun shops.

Answer 4

It will depend on the income you make and how far you're willing to go to shave off a few bucks (on like 20 boxes of ammo) What's important to me right now is three cartridges: .22lr 7.62x39mm 7.62x54R Where I am (and have been since 1996) Irvine, California, zip 92606-1833 (that on the west coast USA if you don't know) .22LR three years ago Big5 had a brick of 525 for 8.99. The same brick is now 17.99 at the lowest. I go to walmart and sometime I *might* get a slight difference is prices due to store location. I save ten bux at some stores for every 9 bricks bought. 7.62x39mm I have wanted to buy an AK (which is illegal) or an SKS (which is legal) for a very long time. I've been watching surplus dry up and prices go up rapidly. In 2000 I could get a case (1000) for just 79.99. In 2005 it was 159.99. Now it about 220$ per 1000. In stores it has increased little, because the cheap wolf is hard to find. The other brands have increased about a buck per year since 2004. Before 2004 it was minimal. On average, prior to 2000, the average cost per 7.62x39mm is 12.4cent/round, now it about 19~22.5cents/round. 7.62x54R If it is legal, I'd buy a dragunov. Since its not, Its going to be some Mosin Nagant from some gun show or something. Surplus prices have gone up little. Its inflation and increased shipping that makes the big difference. In stores, 2006- 18.99 per 20, 2007-20.99 and now its 22.99 per box of 20, the same brand and type. (thats for brand sold in stores, like winchester or something) Surplus for 7.62x54r has gone up from 10.9cents/round to about 13.3cent/round, after calculating shipping and taxes. But thats the really cheap stuff. Most people probably wouldn't buy such cheap ammo. --- Ammo market prices are going up because of the war in Iraq. Its also because of rising metal prices. Copper is hitting record prices, its one of the components of the bullet. Fuel has been going up, especially in the US. If the fuel goes up, everything goes up. And the last thing is the weak dollar. Inflation will affect everything entering or leaving the country. It'll come back down in time. Just don't expect it to be soon. My guess is 10 years and it'll be back to 2000 prices (before inflation is counted in).

Answer 5

I cast most of my bullets but the price of powder is going up. I found out by accident that the boys that work at the local Discount Tire Store are sloppy about putting the wheel weights in the barrel by the door. So I go up there on Sunday when they are closed and mine the parking lot. I get close to 5 to 10 lbs of wheel weights every week. Some places that cater to the BIG trucks have BIG wheel weights and you can buy them at a reasonable price just so they do not have to move the barrel of them out of the shop and into a hazmat area. HEAVY
Sarge

Answer 6

I've been "stockpiling" for a few years, I saw the writing on the wall when china built a 2nd ammo plant in Africa, raw material prices have gone up steadily since then, china is buying up all it can, leaving a shortage for the rest of us. Surplus ammo is no longer being imported, and more import bans are coming. Ever wonder why the 7.62x54r surplus is getting a little hard to find?

Answer 7

Ive been stocking up for a wile now.I have plenty but I have been buying primers lately.I wonder what is comming next after the ammo price spike another spike or firearms will go up in price.I am really glad I pretty much have everthing I want for rite now anyway.

Answer 8

My first goal is the purchase of a couple more handguns and concealed licenses for my wife and I. Next is the purchase of a battle rifle with plenty of stopping power. Although it is a bit pricy I am looking at the Springfield SOCOM 16.

Regardless, thanks to your heads up I am heading out to stock up on some .357 for the ole’ Blackhawk.

Why? I recognize the reality of the 2 threats to America, the barbarians already within our gates and the other enemy within.

Answer 9

I need more fire arms before I stock up on lead. But dad was kind enough to give me some .22lr he had since 1977. It's 3 years older than I am.

Answer 10

Yes; stocking up is now becoming an american pastime for just about everything. The internet makes it easy to shop for ammo and sales; every morning I check out everybody from AMMOMAN to J&G, Samco, Sarco, Century, InterOrdnance, AIM, Centerfire, Midway, Cheaper Than Dirt, Sportsmans Guide, the list goes on and on. I don't know how we ever managed to accumulate anything before the internet made it so easy to buy, buy, buy.