Could component prices ever come down, I wonder?
- Thread starter greg11
- Start date
Agree. Especially for us guys down east. I was looking at an order I placed through( hummanson ) my club dated 2004 just the weekend. Paid 17.00 a bag for lead and 24.99 for 209 primers. Both are over double that here now with lead going to be triple very soon.
I think unless they revalue the dollar prices will not go down. Even if there is a drop in wholesale, I think most retailers will temperarily increase their margin by keeping prices as is rather than have to change it again when it goes back up.
I got a really good deal on powder today from my local sporting goods store. He had 5 lbs of IMR XBR 8208 that was not moving and he cleared it out to me for $100 tax included. I also booked 20 cal Nosler Varmegedon for $17.99 a box less 10% and free shipping in Omineca bullet prebuy program. So there are some good prices out there at times and if you find them you have to be ready to take advantage of them.
When I found rifle and pistol primers for $28/1000 3 years ago, I used that advice. I'm still nowhere near finishing off the 20,000 I bought.
When you find a deal, and the stuff doesn't go bad, and you know you'll use it eventually, BUY LOTS !!!
Powder at a famous seller (higg something) went from $210 to $175 for 7lbs. So it does happen. US win LR primers sell for $125 for 5000. I wish it wasn't such a hassel to ship north. So $375 for 15000 primers instead of $600 +75shp+15hazX 1.05=$714 up here.
Sometimes I want to move south, NOT.
Sometimes I want to move south, NOT.
BattleRife
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People just like to ##### about prices, and their selective memories help them do just that. Two years ago 5.56mm, 55 FMJ bullets were $140/thousand, if you could find them. Now there are a number of sellers offering them at prices between $100-125.
Only when Hell freezes over maybe
Developing technology, like computers and smart phones, often shows a declining price trend as better ways of doing the same thing are discovered.
Automobiles are another example - what were once expensive toys for the very rich in 1900 all of a sudden became affordable for most people soon after. Now, as a mature technology, prices have been increasing steadily.
Ammo is essentially a fully mature technology. All that is happening now is rearranging the deck chairs on the liner. The much-touted WSMs and such are at best incremental improvements. There have been no developments I can think of in the past 50 years that would provide ammo companies with some revolutionary improvement in manufacturing techniques.
Add to that the world-wide competition for resources. The price of lead has increased four-fold in the past 10 years, according to the London Metal Exchange. Zinc (cartridge brass is generally 70/30 copper/zinc) has doubled over the same time. So has copper.
Now consider the workforce. (We here in N America generally prefer ammo from N America (consider how annoying the present USA export restrictions are). We'll generally settle for European ammo.) In the USA, the national average income increased 30% from 2000-2010; it was probably about the same in Europe). So there's another cost rolled into your ammo. (Unless you are willing to settle for ammo from third-world countries...)
Add the increase in the cost of oil. In 2002, crude was under $30 a barrel.
Nope - ain't going down anytime soon...
