Are Ammo Prices Ready To Drop?

[Pawpaw]

https://bearingarms.com/tom-k/2018/01/0 ... eady-drop/

When I first started shooting, the rule of thumb was that practicing with .22 LR was the cheap, easy way to go about it. The round was plentiful since you could find it almost anywhere, and with the light recoil, it made practice easy.

Then we hit the dark times of no .22 almost anywhere, at least around my neck of the woods, and from what I was seeing, we weren’t alone in that. Today, ammo is there, but it costs more than it used to, that’s for sure. However, those days just might be over with.

[rotor]

Interesting conversation now is that there may be a restriction on importation of Tula ammo with Russian restrictions that may be in force the end of this month. Perhaps a rumor or perhaps not. If there is a restriction this may cause a price increase as people scramble to get a supply for their AK47-74 stuff and perhaps even .223 stuff. Hard to predict what will happen. Who would have foreseen a .22LR shortage? I would never have believed that there was none to be had. We could easily get .223 before we could get .22LR.
I think the lesson to be learned is that you can never have too much ammo or ammo creating supplies. I am pretty well stocked up but I did buy more mags when it looked like HRC was going to be our next dictator.

[Jeff B.]

IMO, the prices have been easing since Trump was elected. I don't think we're going to get back to the days (or supply) of cheap imported milspec ammo or $4.99 bricks of CCI, but prices have been coming down.

Jeff B.

[flechero]

I don't think we're going to get back to the days (or supply) of cheap imported milspec ammo or $4.99 bricks of CCI, but prices have been coming down.

Jeff B.

nope, we are accustomed to paying $14 & $20/box for 9mm & 45acp, they wont ever drop it back to the pre-scare prices

Like gasoline.... we got used to $3+/gal so now $2/gal seems cheap... even though conditions reflect when we paid closer to $1/gal.

It's the gun makers & retailers that seem to be hurting... ammo deals are around but they still haven't hit desperation levels.

[Jusme]

I think as long as we still have leftists threatening ammo restrictions, ammo background checks, etc. the prices won't drop much, because those things cause panic buying, even if it is in smaller regional areas. Also as previously noted, manufacturers, have found out that people will pay higher prices, and so there is no real incentive, to lower prices. Suppliers with large inventory numbers, may start discounting some ammo, but it will take an extended period of time, without screaming leftists, and collusion by MSM, to get any real price drops. JMHO

[SQLGeek]

I was in Academy the other day thinking about how less than $10.00 a box for Monarch 9mm was about standard. That was not all that long ago.

I know one thing, I picked a bad time to get a .45 pistol. And compared to other ammo, $.07 - .08 a round for CCI Mini-Mags is still cheaper than $0.19 + for 9mm.

I'm just thankful I can find anything I want right now.

[WTR]

I was in Academy the other day thinking about how less than $10.00 a box for Monarch 9mm was about standard. That was not all that long ago.

I know one thing, I picked a bad time to get a .45 pistol. And compared to other ammo, $.07 - .08 a round for CCI Mini-Mags is still cheaper than $0.19 + for 9mm.

I'm just thankful I can find anything I want right now.

You need a 1911 in .45 with a .22 conversion.....best of both worlds.

[SQLGeek]

I'm not much for 1911s. The only one I want is a WWII era A1.

[WTR]

I'm not much for 1911s. The only one I want is a WWII era A1.

Two suggestions. Ruger Mark Series Pistol. Quit admitting publicly your lack of taste.

[mrvmax]

I think prices are low enough that it is not worth my time to reload for target shooting (well, for my 380 and 9's anyway. 10mm is still too expensive). If I had a Dillon that I used for pistol I might still do it. I had to rearrange my garage to get my doors replaced and this involved moving all my reloading stuff - bench, presses, components etc. After having to move everything I realize how many bullets I have for calibers I do not load.
Right now wholesale price on 9mm target ammo is at $9 a box for the cheap stuff. I still have to pay tax on it but anytime it is under $10 a box I just buy it instead of spending the time handloading since right now my time is more valuable (BTW, the only way to get it cheaper wholesale that I have seen is to buy it by the pallets. It does go on sale at times but it only equates to .50 or so less in price). Now if I was shooting regularly in IDPA or something similar it may be more cost effective to buy a progressive press for 9mm and handload. I have purchased a few new 9mm pistols in the last month so I have been practicing with them and going through several hundred rounds of 9mm. I rarely shoot my 380's anymore since I do not carry them. I'm getting low on 10mm target ammo so I may have to load some of that.
I do not foresee prices dropping but I think they will stay where they. I should have grabbed the Remington buckets when it was on sale since it had a rebate. It sold out pretty fast but it was a good deal, I think we need to take advantage of those when we see them.

[troglodyte]

I was in Academy the other day thinking about how less than $10.00 a box for Monarch 9mm was about standard. That was not all that long ago.

I know one thing, I picked a bad time to get a .45 pistol. And compared to other ammo, $.07 - .08 a round for CCI Mini-Mags is still cheaper than $0.19 + for 9mm.

I'm just thankful I can find anything I want right now.

Wow. I was in Academy about a week ago and it was $12.99 a box for 9mm brass Monarch. I ended up buying a 200 round bulk box of WWB for about $5.00 cheaper than 4 boxes of Monarch.

[SQLGeek]

I'm not much for 1911s. The only one I want is a WWII era A1.

Two suggestions. Ruger Mark Series Pistol. Quit admitting publicly your lack of taste.

I am between an S&W22 Victory and a Mark IV 22/45 but I'm leaning toward the Victory. I'm a bit of an S&W fan boy and the Victory fits about perfect in my hand.

That's the funny thing about taste. There's no accounting for it. I prefer non-antique bottom feeders myself (and the reactions of 1911 fanatics when I say that). I do enjoy a classic wheelgun though.

[MechAg94]

I can't see prices dropping back to where they were decades ago. Lead and Copper and labor costs are just higher than they used to be. I have no idea what cost is though.

I would expect to see manufacturers dedicate more production to less common calibers such as 10mm, 300BLK, or what ever the new thing is. That should make the lesser known calibers less expensive and easier to get.

[Abraham]

I bought Fiocchi 9 mm fmj range ammo, boxes of 50 at Cabelas earlier this week for $9.99 tax not included.

Could it be cheaper?

Absolutely.

They could have just given it to me, but I thought it not a bad price from a retailer....

[Jeff B.]

I don't think we're going to get back to the days (or supply) of cheap imported milspec ammo or $4.99 bricks of CCI, but prices have been coming down.

Jeff B.

nope, we are accustomed to paying $14 & $20/box for 9mm & 45acp, they wont ever drop it back to the pre-scare prices

Like gasoline.... we got used to $3+/gal so now $2/gal seems cheap... even though conditions reflect when we paid closer to $1/gal.

It's the gun makers & retailers that seem to be hurting... ammo deals are around but they still haven't hit desperation levels.

No I don’t think ammo will drop back to the “pre-scare” pricing and I said that originally. But as you allude to in your $3 and $2 gas analogy, prices has come down some.

The first level of panic buying saw the shelves cleaned of everything but .22. The next one cleaned out that as well and kept it gone until recently. Now we’re seeing pretty good if not very good supplies and prices coming off the highs we saw. On the manufacturing side, it’s faster and easier for someone to jump into manufacturing (AR’s specifically) than it is for someone to start manufacturing ammunition. The supply of ammunition is less elastic and responds more slowly to changes in demand.

Jeff B.