Canadian vs US pricing on ammo

[johan]

What accounts for the price difference on ammo here in Canada vs US?
Is there a big built-in tax on ammo, like on gasoline?

500 rnds of 115 fmj 9mm Winchester white box is around $100 roughly here in Vancouver (unless someone knows of cheaper pricing).

Down in the US, $85 to $95 gets you 1000 of the same ammo.
What accounts for the difference?

 

[Canuck223]

Volume. You've got Walmart ordering container cars of the stuff, and firing it out the door at rock bottom mark ups. Every mom and pop store has to cut their profit to near nothing to keep the punters coming in the store.

Ask your local gun shop owner how much ammo he has in stock, and how much $$$ he's got tied up in it. Then ask him if he knows how long it takes to turn over that inventory.

If it was a matter of sitting on the shelf for 60 days or less, then you can afford a smaller mark up, but considering how long most of the ammo will just sit there, you need to make a fair profit on every sale to keep ammo sales viable. And god forbid you should not have 16 guage #4's in stock when Bob makes his yearly pilgrimage to the shop, or a box of 32/40's.

 

[johan]

Hmmm, thanks for the answer. I much prefer to support local shops, but of course, I have to ask, is it possible to bring ammo across the border?

Or is it one of those things that, after duty, licencing, reg forms, etc. it's just not worth the hassle? I suspect it's probably something like this...

 

[Canuck223]

Hmmm, thanks for the answer. I much prefer to support local shops, but of course, I have to ask, is it possible to bring ammo across the border?

Or is it one of those things that, after duty, licencing, reg forms, etc. it's just not worth the hassle? I suspect it's probably something like this...

The short answer is NO.

The longer answer is while it is perfectly legal to arrive at Canada Customs with up to 5000 rounds for your own use, there are precious few ways to do it without violating US law and having your vehicle seized, should they check.

 

[gushulak]

I find the pricing on hollowpoint ammunition to be reasonable in Canada. For something that runs $15 for 20 rounds (Gold Dots) in the US you can find them in Canada for $32 for 50 rounds, and we get the law enforcement 50 round size boxes, not the "boutique" 20rd boxes. After exchange and the paperwork to legally bring them in, this is more than reasonable.

Alot of ammo in the States is way cheaper because you have 300 million people to support it. For all the hoops to bring it into our country, what we pay really isn't too bad. I am happy to support some of our local businesses that go out of their way to import some hard to find ammo.

 

[maurice]

the amount I have bought in the US is very small compared to what I have bought from Canadian suppliers.

 

[sunray]

Taxes, duty(to protect an non-existant industry), the exchange rate(even for ammo coming from non-U.S. sources is purchased in USD), higher cost of doing business, smaller market, etc, etc.
"...without violating US law..." Ammo purchases while visiting the States are illegal unless you're there hunting or at a match and have the required ATF forms. Exporting without the U.S. State Dept export permit is also illegal.

 

[johan]

Ok. Thanks guys that clears it up.

I guess if I go down to shoot an ipsc match, I could probably bring back the leftover ammo...but that's about it.

Or can I? Should I not even try to bring back the remainder ammo?

Or should I bring all my canadian bought ammo down with me across the border, and then haul the remainder back after the event is over?

 

[hr]

as far as i know your form6 does not allow your to export, so you still cant bring back ammo that you acquired from down there, BUT if you had brought them from Canada, then i think you can take the remaining back /w you back to Canada...

but i'll let the guys /w form6s reply

 

[Savage]

as far as i know your form6 does not allow your to export, so you still cant bring back ammo that you acquired from down there, BUT if you had brought them from Canada, then i think you can take the remaining back /w you back to Canada...

but i'll let the guys /w form6s reply

Hello if you have a form 6 from the ATF you cannnot leave your ammunition in the states IE give or sell it to someone else and if you are hunting in the US and buy ammunition it cannot leagaly be removed from the US with out an export permit before hand.

 

[hr]

Hello if you have a form 6 from the ATF you cannnot leave your ammunition in the states IE give or sell it to someone else and if you are hunting in the US and buy ammunition it cannot leagaly be removed from the US with out an export permit before hand.

ummm i think that's what i said...? sorry if it was worded a lil confusing

 

[pac_man]

All that I can suggest is that you start reloading. I reload .40 complete metal jacket rounds for about $5.20 per box of 50 rounds and 9mm for just over $4 a box of complete metal jacket. If you buy things in bulk you can make extremely high quality ammo cheaper than you could ever find it in the US or anywhere else. The key is to get volume discounts by making an order with a few friends and ordering a year's supply or so all at once. Not to mention that the quality of most of the cheap ammo is hit and miss. Now that I reload I can't stand the poor quality of most factory ammuntion, it sucks in comparison. Send me a message if you need the listings for the cheapest and best sources available in Canada.