price increases are getting ridiculous

[Mr Evilwrench]

Well, you've got people saying "it'll settle down if you don't panic, don't participate in the frenzy", but you'd have to convince damn near every single person to buy into that for it to work. Get it while you can afford it, folks, or don't have it when you need it.

The "inflation rate" (CPI) is even more of a game than the unemployment numbers. The things they don't include vs the things they do, make it impossible to tell what the real inflation rate is anymore. The typical consumer is left standing there dumbfounded, wondering where all the money went, after all, they're still making as much and haven't changed anything.

You want to know the unemployment rate, read U6. It's published and readily available, but U3 is what comes across in the news. Once your unemployment benefit runs out, you fall off U3 and move to U6. U6 has been rising the last 4 years while U3 has remained fairly constant. Hmm...

 

[Leo]

I might have another factor, I do not have any researched statistics to back it up.

For about the last 5 years, there have been record sales. A lot of people are buying firearms that never had them before. Many of them are enjoying the shooting sports and burning up a lot more ammo. Because of tax and obummer health care uncertanty, I doubt if anyone is expanding production facilites. I know that Remington installed a couple of new lines, but that was to replace old worn out equipment. Maybe there truly is more demand.

 

[No2rdame]

Increased demand due to panic buying, increased manufacturing costs due to inflation of raw materials, increased transportation costs due to rising fuel prices, a dollar that's almost worthless. Ain't Obamanomics great?

 

[kruger]

My 2 cents

In 2008 around the elections we as consumers of all things that go boom, we bought ammo and components as well as some firearms at just plain stupid prices and those same store that you were buyng from before and the manufactures whose products we were buying seen that we are willing to pay for out toys no matter how stupid the prices are. People were buying primers and powder like Obama was going to shut down everything before he even stepped foot into the White House. I saw 8lb kegs of Varget sell for $400-600 and primers were twice the normal cost. We acted stupid and they sat in thier offices and watched us do it. Fear is our enemy and thier friend. Don't let our own fear kick us in the head.

 

[TopDog]

I might have another factor, I do not have any researched statistics to back it up.

For about the last 5 years, there have been record sales. A lot of people are buying firearms that never had them before. Many of them are enjoying the shooting sports and burning up a lot more ammo. Because of tax and obummer health care uncertanty, I doubt if anyone is expanding production facilites. I know that Remington installed a couple of new lines, but that was to replace old worn out equipment. Maybe there truly is more demand.

I honestly dont believe that real demand has actually increased proportionally to the rise in price. I could be wrong because I have no way to verify this but I think the vast majority of new gun owners are not going out and training even on a semi regular basis. I still believe the major influence on the perceived demand is fear mongering.

I have run across far to many people that are first time gun owners that either have never shot the shinny new gun they bought or are at the range for the first time since buying a gun and have no intention of training they simply wanted to see how it worked. Just my impressions from my own personal experiences, your may vary.

I just wanted to add this little tid bit as well. I know this is not the norm. My neighbor actually bought 3 used handguns, a revolver and two pistols. After just one trip to the range he got rid of all 3 handguns, saying it wasn't for him.

 

[bullet293]

remember when you could get a cheese burger fry and a soda pop for a quarter? boy those were the days!

 

[2in1evtime]

stopped into our local LGS, ammo was extremely over priced as in 275.00 for a case of mosin ammo. I questioned the price and they started a deal about our present secretary of state is trying to get a bunch of laws and bans passed this month. my take on this was total price gouging, any one else seeing this at there local shops??

 

[wsenefeld]

About a year ago before I started reloading, I bought 1k rounds of green tips for $295 including shipping from Aimsurplus.com

About 6 months ago when my local Big R still sold guns/ammo haha, they sold a single can of surplus mosin ammo for $189

 

[TopDog]

stopped into our local LGS, ammo was extremely over priced as in 275.00 for a case of mosin ammo. I questioned the price and they started a deal about our present secretary of state is trying to get a bunch of laws and bans passed this month. my take on this was total price gouging, any one else seeing this at there local shops??

Yes, since 2008.

 

[kruger]

I am an ammo MFG and I hate seeing dealers base pricing on fear driven possibilities. The Pres. is not close enough to signing anything for dealers to start driving the prices up on ammo as the moment. My prices to dealers have not changed and nor has my suppliers prices. The flow of components suck though. Non of that should justify a price spike. We could play the what if game all day but there is no reason to start self inflicting damage to ourselves (our sport).

 

[TopDog]

The voice of Reason

I am an ammo MFG and I hate seeing dealers base pricing on fear driven possibilities. The Pres. is not close enough to signing anything for dealers to start driving the prices up on ammo as the moment. My prices to dealers have not changed and nor has my suppliers prices. The flow of components suck though. Non of that should justify a price spike. We could play the what if game all day but there is no reason to start self inflicting damage to ourselves (our sport).

Good to hear the voice of reason. Thanks for posting.

 

[JBishop]

What a lot of people don't realize is that people that panic bought weapons in 2008 most likely didn't buy and stockpile ammo also. 2010 looked politically promising, then there was hopes for 2012. Now the same knee-jerk panic buyers realized that they should have panic ammo for their panic weapons.
I'm unhappy since all this is causing rising costs/shortages from people "ammo speculating" will curtail my training and recreational shooting due to my income not matching the cost increases. The good shops that don't raise their prices get cleaned out by some of the more opportunistic customers.