Federal/Wal Mart ammo price spike

[A-R]

Well, it couldn't last forever I guess. Like many of you, since the ammo craze settled down and most places have been in-stock with most calibers, I've been bargain hunting and had yet to find prices lower than Wal Mat for the two calibers I shoot most.

Federal "Champion" in the maroon boxes
.40-cal WM5223 180-grain FMJ x 50 = $13.47 = $0.2694 per round
9mm WM5199 115-grain FMJ x 50 = $9.47 = $0.1894 per round

Well, this weekend I went to the two Wal Marts closest to me and the prices are up a dollar on each $10.47 ($0.2094) and $14.47 ($0.2894)

Did pick up the last 250-count Remington UMC pack of .40-cal they had for $69.97 ($0.27988)

Guys at gun counters at both locations blamed the price hike on Federal, saying Wal Mart sells the ammo for what Federal tells them to sell it for (a simplistic and vastly incorrect explanation, IMHO).

Now the hunt is back on for the lowest prices .... $10.47/50 for 9mm is still good. But I think GT Distributors still had some Federal 9mm NATO M882 for $9.99/50.

Anyone found anything lately cheaper than 19 cents per round on 9mm or 27 cents per round on .40-cal?

[Teamless]

Academy sells Monarch (Academy's brand) - I only know the 9mm prices, sorry cant help with the .40 cal.
$9.99/50 for Steel casing
$11.99/50 for Brass casing

If you do not mind your thumb and fingers turning green from the steel lacquer, and if your gun will shoot it, it works fine for punching holes in paper.
I have found that my S&W Sigma (sold 2 months ago) would not repeatedly fire the steel casing Monarch, it would FTE the casings every 2 or 3 rounds.

[A-R]

never been a fan of steel-case ammo in general in any firearm that didn't originate in Mother Russia. I'm sure it would probably work fine in my Glocks, but I'm also down on Monarch brand simply because of how dirty it shoots - at least that was my experience with the .380 and .38 Monarch I used during the ammo shortage - haven't tried it in 9mm or .40

Does the 9mm shoot cleaner?

[Teamless]

Does the 9mm shoot cleaner?

I havent shot the 380 or other, so I cant say if it is cleaner or not.
I know that when I am done shooting 100 rounds or so, my fingers aren't dirty, but there is a bit of residue on the barrel of the weapon.
But since I am going to clean it anyway, I figure for every 5 boxes at $12/box I can get an extra 50 rounds at $10 per box, so its worth getting a bit dirty if necessary.

My wife shoots it in her Glock19 and her XD9sc, as well and I shoot it in my Taurus PT111, as well as my XD9sc and my B-I-L's XDm, never an issue in any of those weapons.

[A-R]

My wife shoots it in her Glock19 and her XD9sc, as well and I shoot it in my Taurus PT111, as well as my XD9sc and my B-I-L's XDm, never an issue in any of those weapons.

That's the steel-cased ammo in all those guns? No extractor or ejector problems?

[Teamless]

yes, thats the steel cased in all of those weapons
In total, through the Glock - probably 300 rounds - no issues at all
Through her XD9 - probably 100 rounds - no issues at all
Through my XD9 - probably 400 rounds - no issues at all
Through my Taurus - probably 200 rounds - no issues at all
Through the XDm - probably 200 rounds - no issues at all

If there is internal extractor or ejector problems - I haven't noticed any issues when shooting, nor when they are disassembled for cleaning.

[A-R]

good to know.. thanks

[USA1]

I'm also down on Monarch brand simply because of how dirty it shoots

It sure is dirty. After 5 shots through my .38 snubby, it's hard to get the next 5 rounds to seat properly into the cylinders.
In comparison, I can go through 100 rounds of Remington with no build up problems.

[A-R]

40S&W

9mm

Andy, thanks for the links. That's a smokin' deal $8.99/50 on Sellier & Bellot from Cabela's (good ammo, shot it before - cleanest non-USA ammo IMHO). I didn't see any of this in the Buda store when I was there about a week ago - but will call to see if they have any in stock at this price. The shipping if ordered online is $12.95 so that sorta defeats the purpose.

[OldCannon]

Guys at gun counters at both locations blamed the price hike on Federal, saying Wal Mart sells the ammo for what Federal tells them to sell it for (a simplistic and vastly incorrect explanation, IMHO).

LOL! Their own employees seem to have a gross misunderstanding of how Wal-Mart does business on a corporate level. I know how Wal-Mart price negotiations go, and it's something like this:

Wal-Mart Buyer Agent: "We've evaluated your market and our customers will pay $X for your product. We will buy it form you at $Y per unit"

Manufacturer: "$Y per unit! THAT'S INSANE! I can never make a profit selling you units at that price!!!"

Wal-Mart Buyer Agent: "Our initial order is Z billion units, with a guaranteed W million units per month thereafter."

Manufacturer: "..... When and where would you like those units delivered?"

[wheelgun1958]

Try Ammo Engine

[RECIT]

I buy and shoot what I can get a deal on. If its S&B, Privi, WWB, Remington, or Collins Cartridge reloads...and I can get a deal I buy. Most all major brands shoot fine in all my weapons so I buy when its available.

[A-R]

40S&W

9mm

Andy, thanks for the links. That's a smokin' deal $8.99/50 on Sellier & Bellot from Cabela's (good ammo, shot it before - cleanest non-USA ammo IMHO). I didn't see any of this in the Buda store when I was there about a week ago - but will call to see if they have any in stock at this price. The shipping if ordered online is $12.95 so that sorta defeats the purpose.

Andy, thanks again for that link. Called to Buda store and they have a ton of it in stock. So drove down there and picked some up. They have it marked $9.99 per box in the store, so had to show them the Cabelas.com web page on my iPhone to prove to them what THEIR prices really are Thank God for iPhone that's at least the third or fourth time I've had to prove to an in-store Cabela's employee that "yes, your web site really does list this cheaper."

Then of course they screwed up something with one of the gift cards I was trying to use.

But what the heck, I got the ammo at a great price.