MilSurp gurus: predictions for MilSurp ammo?

manbearpig

manbearpig

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
72   0   0
Location
Somewhere in the Third World
i understand prices are - and will - steadily rise on pretty much everything, and the cost of base metals is going up, but which calibers are in trouble aside from that?

i looked at the LeBaron catalogue they list commercial 7.62x39mm Remington UMC as 'obsolete'.
a lot of milsurp calibers are getting pretty hard to find... are stores actually running out or are they getting hung up on import? i guess people assumed that the russian calibers, for example, would be dirt cheap forever.

there is no surplus 7.62x54r in the country right now. 5.56 costs an arm and a leg and the few cases that do show up are snapped up in hours. certain types of ammo has been hinted on in other threads, but what are your long-term predictions for the main types of surplus ammo?
ie: if 7.62x39 is going to cost $15 a box how many of us would go out and still buy an SKS?
 
Milsurp ammo will reflect the cost of new production ammo. If you are now paying $1 a round for new production 303, a dealer would be crazy to sell 303 surplus for much less than 75 cents a round. Thats if he could actually get it.
I remember when 303 ran about 25 to 33 cents a round. I only bought what I needed. Price then jumped to about 50 cents a round, and I held out looking for the 33 cent stuff. Now it's hitting 80 cents a round, and when I see 60 cent stuff, I buy all I can. In fact, my feet are resting on a few cases of it now...I use it for a footstool in the office.

With todays UN restrictions on "international trafficking of small arms" (ITAR) coupled with Canadas environmental testing/approval on ammo, I doubt very much we will ever see price wars on milsurp ammo here in Canada. So when you see a guy drag out his stash of older milsurp at a gunshow, work out the best deal you can, but don't expect it to keep showing up forever.

Hopefully the Chinese will step up eventually and supply more calibers. But even then, dealers will sell it for what the market will bear, using the new production hunting ammo as a base price.
 
I recently started checking out prices in the states since no one has it in Canada and they are not much better than Canada anymore. Czech 7.62x54 is running $50 for 300 rds, and that was about the best price I could find. A couple of years ago you could get 880 rds for $60 at the same place (J&G Sales). I only just got my Mosin's within the last month and put 40 rds through the M44 only (what I got with it from the guy I bought it from). Haven't tried my M1891/30 yet.
 
What's the news on Canam's shipment? I was under the impression that he was bringing in some more milsurp calibers next year. I mainly remember 7.62x54r. I dearly wish some 8mm mauser would show up too though.
 
maxwelledison said:
I recently started checking out prices in the states since no one has it in Canada and they are not much better than Canada anymore.
Click to expand...

I know I was grousing about that to the owner of a surplus store in WA recently (he had an M1 hanging behind the shelf) and he said that the days of super cheap very abundant ammo for them seem to be gone. He said that he was having trouble finding reasonably priced 7.62x51 (just like all of us up here). Although, what they consider to be overpriced surplus is like a fire sale to us....
 
manbearpig said:
i understand prices are - and will - steadily rise on pretty much everything, and the cost of base metals is going up, but which calibers are in trouble aside from that?

i looked at the LeBaron catalogue they list commercial 7.62x39mm Remington UMC as 'obsolete'.
a lot of milsurp calibers are getting pretty hard to find... are stores actually running out or are they getting hung up on import? i guess people assumed that the russian calibers, for example, would be dirt cheap forever.

there is no surplus 7.62x54r in the country right now. 5.56 costs an arm and a leg and the few cases that do show up are snapped up in hours. certain types of ammo has been hinted on in other threads, but what are your long-term predictions for the main types of surplus ammo?
ie: if 7.62x39 is going to cost $15 a box how many of us would go out and still buy an SKS?
Click to expand...


American made 7.62x39 cannot be exported from the US at the moment.
 
surely you couldnt reload cheaper than what dirt cheap surplus went for?
when it was 25 cents a round... no way you can reload for less than that (remember, you still have to factor in the cost of the cases, just divided over the amount of times you reload a case). and you are working for free.

the cost of base metals is going up as well, thanks to bush and his damned war no doubt, so thats not helping ammo prices either. this increase affects reloading components as well.

im talking about plinking ammo in surplus calibers, not .375 RUM :)

eos said:
American made 7.62x39 cannot be exported from the US at the moment.
Click to expand...
ugh, ok that explains that.

what about 5.56 and 7.62 nato?
why cant US 7.62x39 be exported but other US ammo can?
 
Last edited:
manbearpig said:
what about 5.56?
why cant US 7.62x39 be exported but other US ammo can?
Click to expand...

5.56MM NATO, No export from US.
I hear the same about the 7.62X39.
There seems to be a general prohibition on anything 'military use' leaving the US for commercial resale.

Both of these calibres are considered 'military use'. The 5.56mm prohibition has been in effect since at least 2004. Fortunately, 223Rem is still available. 7.62x51 is likely in the same boat (and not 308Win) just a guess though.

I do hope they at least knock this off once the wars are won.
 
dangertree said:
5.56MM NATO, No export from US.
I hear the same about the 7.62X39.
There seems to be a general prohibition on anything 'military use' leaving the US for commercial resale.

Both of these calibres are considered 'military use'. The 5.56mm prohibition has been in effect since at least 2004. Fortunately, 223Rem is still available. 7.62x51 is likely in the same boat (and not 308Win) just a guess though.

I do hope they at least knock this off once the wars are won.
Click to expand...

The troops will be home for Christmas, then?

Is the war in Afghanistan the one that will end all wars?

Does anyone believe either the war in Afghanistan or in Iraq will be won by the west?

Sorry I got off topic. I guess my point is that there will be no cheap ammo in the immediate future b/c there is no end to either war in prospect.

BB
 
canam DID have 7.62x54r lined up and ready to go BUT NRCAN will NOT let it be sold anymore in canada marstar has LOTS of it but cannot sell it
 
contact148 said:
canam DID have 7.62x54r lined up and ready to go BUT NRCAN will NOT let it be sold anymore in canada marstar has LOTS of it but cannot sell it
Click to expand...

why not? they cant even sell overseas surplus?



as for the war in Afghanistan - i dont believe it can be won, just like Vietnam and the Soviet's Afghanistan back in the 80s. you cant decisively 'win' a war where the enemy arent wearing uniforms and just blend into the civilian populace, and are indoctrinated from birth to be more than happy to die for their cause... not to mention the fact that they stepped into a conflict zone that has basically been raging for centuries, its pretty arrogant for Americans to think that they can just 'mop it up' in a couple of years.
im just upset that Canada got dragged into this BS as well.
 
manbearpig said:
why not? they cant even sell overseas surplus?



as for the war in Afghanistan - i dont believe it can be won, just like Vietnam and the Soviet's Afghanistan back in the 80s. you cant decisively 'win' a war where the enemy arent wearing uniforms and just blend into the civilian populace, and are indoctrinated from birth to be more than happy to die for their cause... not to mention the fact that they stepped into a conflict zone that has basically been raging for centuries, its pretty arrogant for Americans to think that they can just 'mop it up' in a couple of years.
im just upset that Canada got dragged into this BS as well.
Click to expand...

At the risk of dragging this thread off topic, the difference between Canada in Afghanistan and the USSR is that we are not oppressing the country as the Soviets did. The amount of destruction the Red Air Force did in country is still being felt today. Working with the Afghans is what gives this mission a chance for success, one that the Soviets never had.
 
contact148 said:
canam DID have 7.62x54r lined up and ready to go BUT NRCAN will NOT let it be sold anymore in canada marstar has LOTS of it but cannot sell it
Click to expand...

If the government had any ethics/common decency they would at least let the vendors sell off what inventory they have. That ammo was approved by them (gov't) and then they go and make a new rule the next day that it cannot be sold.

I'm sorry all our fine vendors have deal with this BS. I'm sure they have many aggravating moments (more like countless hours/days) with our wise and protective bureaucracy with it's infinite powers and runaround tactics. I thank all the vendors (especially one's dealing with any ammunition and non-common firearms) for making the efforts to keep our hobby somewhat viable in spite of all this.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom