Why is 243 ammunition so damn expensive?

blasted_saber

blasted_saber

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I'm not referring to the current prices where everything is damn expensive, I'm referring to 243WIN in comparison to other cartridges. I acquired one last year with the anticipation of it being a common, easily sourced, cartridge of modest proportions of it being inline with the other run of the mill stuff you can find on the shelves.

That has not been my experience. Its generally 30-50% more then say a 308WIN, for example

Has it always been like this?
 
Economy of scale is driving this. While .243 Win is fairly common, there are a lot more .308 bore rifles to share bullets than 6mm, and the overall demand for .243 is smaller, so smaller runs to share setup costs over. The brass is based on .308, but necked down and changed headstamp, again less made in a run so higher cost. Powder and primer are roughly identical in cost. Then some added markup for being just a tiny bit less common/smaller volume to cover added inventory and handling all adding up to the higher price.

As said, to buy the components (under normal circumstances, not so easy right now with major shortages) and load your own will save significantly (50% of factory is pretty easy to do in normal times). It does require some space to setup, the investment in gear and the time to not only load the rounds but test them to find a safe load or loads that do what you want of them.
 
Yup.
Buck a round.
Then a dollar fiffy scents a round.
Then a tewnknee.
Three bucks a round is common.

Brass a buck each is normal.
Primers are fetch’in ten cents and up.
Bullets?
Whatever the markit will bear.

Pile it high and stacker deep.

A slice of bread is close to two bits……….furr now.
 
I don’t think it’s anymore expensive than any other centerfire hunting cartridge. At least around here. It’s stupid expensive, but so is everything else. Cheapest I’ve been able to find locally is $40 a box for the low end Federal stuff. I do reload but the only brass I can find is Hornady and it’s $72 for 50. For that price I might as well buy the loaded ammo and save the cases.
 
More obscure chamberings really get hit these days.
I regularly see ammo priced at above $100.00 per box
of 20. At $5.00 per round, I am glad I reload for my 308
Norma and 8mm Rem Mag. Even the 257 Bee is stupid.
Dave.
 
You should see 7x57 and 8x57, if you can find some... Ouch. Buy it cheap and stack it deep... we're in for a political ride fellas.
 
I was told that 1lb powder if available will be just under $100 before taxes at my shooting club - planning on going to the Woodstock/Orangeville gun show this year
 
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