Ammo prices - Are they affecting your choices?

[NDGlock]

Over lunch today I was browsing at the local Gander Mt. I've always wanted a big bore for fun. I've got the .22 through .30 caliber covered in rifles but want either a .45-70 or .375 (RUM, Ruger, H&H???) for something different.

I take a look at the .375 RUM and think – wow, that is a beast at 300 grains. I then look at the price - $84 for a box of 20!

Maybe I’ll just keep playing with the 6.5x55, .308 and be happy.

I’m sure it would cost less to reload but that is up there. .45-70 was less but still very spendy. It seems the > .30 cal chamberings go up exponentially…even more since the latest jump in prices.

An employee at the local Sportsman's warehouse said that he marked all Weatherby ammo up by $5 a box, regardless of caliber a couple months ago.

Perhaps casting your own will make a comeback?

[nehpets99]

I reload, so I don't have as big a cost problem in the long run with ammo. Hell, I've started off reloading 9mm. Winchester White Box goes for $16/100. According to handload.com I'm reloading for about $12/100. Were I to cast my own bullets it'd be less. I'll probably reload every caliber I shoot (I only own a 9mm for now).

[Creeper1313]

I think you'd be hard pressed to find anyone for whom ammo price doesn't affect their choice in guns.

For example: I think some of the guns in 5.7mm, 10mm, .500mag, .50AE, etc are neat, but the price of ammo does not make me want to own any of them.

I'd still like to own a .44mag revolver at some point, but it's ammo costs likely would require me to get set up for reloading beforehand.

.45 has still yet to become expensive enough to get me into reloading. Currently my life is so hectic, I'm lucky to even find time to get to the range to shoot... so spending the time to pick up my brass and reloading is not yet worth it (for me).

[entropy]

I got a .40 S&W --> 9mm conversion barrel for my G23 and some G19 mags just for cheaper 9mm ammo in the long run. I use .40 S&W stock barrel, JHP ammo for a carry load, so 9mm is strictly practice ammo to me. I don't think I'll start reloading anytime soon, but we'll see where the prices go, first. I save all my brass, just in case. :)

[lcarreau]

.45 is what got me into reloading. I can make my own for less than half the commercial stuff. I have done some casting as well and that makes .45 really cheap, but then you have to worry about leading issues. The price of ammo will only go up.

-Lonnie

[goatranch]

7.62X39 and .223 is basically gone for the civilian now. Everyones out of it. All US and foreign manufactures are sending 100% of production to Iraq & Afghanistan.

[HerrGlock]

Dillon XL650. I don't much care what retail prices are for loaded ammo :supergrin:

[Guod]

I stopped shooting my AK . It's not so much the price, but the fact that I cannot find it anywhere. It's my SHTF rifle, so I have a portion of ammo set aside in water tight packaging, and my excess has quickly dwindled to near nothing.

I wasn't aware .223 was suffering the same fate.

[NDGlock]

Originally posted by goatranch
7.62X39 and .223 is basically gone for the civilian now. Everyones out of it. All US and foreign manufactures are sending 100% of production to Iraq & Afghanistan.

http://www.ammoman.com/index.htm

[Marine8541]

Originally posted by goatranch
7.62X39 and .223 is basically gone for the civilian now. Everyones out of it. All US and foreign manufactures are sending 100% of production to Iraq & Afghanistan.

Really? ATK, the Nations leading maker of civilian and military ammo would be shocked to hear this. They produced over a billion rounds alone of .223/5.56 at the Lake City plant alone and 25% went to civilian use. Not to mention that they own Black cloud, Blazer, Federal and Speer and are the new parent company of Wolf. ATK is putting more .223/5.56 on the civilian market today than before the war.
http://www.atk.com/index.asp

[vafish]

I had a friend of a friend offer me a heck of a deal on a .416 Weatherby. I checked out ammo prices $130 for a box of 20 rounds.

I couldn't think of any use for it so I didn't buy it.

Yes ammo costs are a consideration. You need to shoot to stay proficient.

[fredj338]

I handload everything so ammo costs are never in my concideration. For big bores, well, they are just going to cost you more to shoot either factory or handloads. The most expensive round I shoot is my 404jeffery. The bullets are $1 each, it uses 85gr of powder & brass costs about $1.50 each. Brass last 10 firings if loaded to levels I can enjoy shooting. If I shoot it 100rds a year that's alot.:shocked:
Best bang fo r your buck in a big bore is a 45-70 or 458winmag. Brass is affrodable, lasts along time & you can load lead bullets to full or near full factory vel.:thumbsup:

[fowler]

38 spec. and 357 reload alot of bang for the buck and you don,t have to chase the brass. The 357 mag is still a top selfdefence round. And the 38 spec. a tack driver with good power to.

[SIGShooter]

For SD ammo in pistol, cost isn't an issue. For range ammo it is becoming an issue. For 5.56/223 it is definitely an issue. Even for surplus ammo it is way too expensive. I have been thinking long and hard about reloading but I don't know much about it. I have done some price checks and for what I am paying on Blackhills 223 I can reload it with the same bullet for almost half the cost. I'm kind of stuck.

[hapuna]

Originally posted by nehpets99
I reload, so I don't have as big a cost problem in the long run with ammo. Hell, I've started off reloading 9mm. Winchester White Box goes for $16/100. According to handload.com I'm reloading for about $12/100. Were I to cast my own bullets it'd be less. I'll probably reload every caliber I shoot (I only own a 9mm for now).

Actually the WWB used to be under $10 until recently.

[jhc37013]

Absolutely some of my favorite 40. seems to be climbing slowly in price but what really affects me most is the cost and availability of .223 I'm spending alot more on .223 and various brands are really getting harder to find therefore I sometimes cant buy as much handgun ammo as I would like...did i mention gas prices,thats hitting the ammo budget hardest

[beckrodgers]

Absolutely.
Cost dominates my thinking and hate to load up 11 or 15 dollars in a mag and go boom.

[NickZac]

Cost does not affect me considerably. I still shoot the same brands given they are available. As said, .223 is about to skyrocket even more and is ridiculously hard to get a hold of. Black Hills still remains one of my favorites.

[MOHAA Player]

No:thumbsup:

[NDGlock]

Originally posted by NickZac
Cost does not affect me considerably. I still shoot the same brands given they are available. As said, .223 is about to skyrocket even more and is ridiculously hard to get a hold of. Black Hills still remains one of my favorites.

Yes - .223 is hard to get a hold of. A local gunstore told me they have the only .223 in Fargo as of today.

Makes me think I should have went w/.204 Ruger or .22-250 for my prairie dog rig in these times. I know prices have gone up in .223 but availability is spotty too...but AmmoMan does have some that might work...

At some point though, IF things settle down in Iraq and we downsize there, perhaps there will be a glut in the market? That'll be a few years away (if ever)...

[Alaskapopo]

I reload like always but I have switched to using cast lead where ever I can due to the cost savings. I got a great deal the other day on some powder because a small shop was going out of buisness I got it for half the price I could get it at Sportsmans. Whenever I see a deal now I take it.
Pat

[.45Super-Man]

I handload, so prices and popularity dont influence my caliber choices. My choices are based on my needs.