Price of Everything is Going Up, Bullets Included.

[Calkins]

[lion hunter]

[nmplott]

[michael.magorian]

Iraq has nothing to do with it. One of the reasons that the price of so many things rising is because of the cost to ship it. When a guy is looking at a two in a half dollar increase on diesel fuel, they have to make up losses by increasing the cost of the goods, and as long as the demand holds up, there is no reason to drop the price. Another aspect a person could look at is that China is buying up as much copper as possible and is draining the market on it and many other metals, so the cost to produce a product is also rising.

[nmplott]

Iraq has a lot to do with. We are not slinging water balloons at the insurgents we are using bullets, and since bullets are used on a daily basis, there is a demand for bullets and the materials required to make them and the government gets priority for them. But you are right about the fuel required to extract, refine and process it into the bullet does play an effect, so its a one-two punch that drove the price up.

[michael.magorian]

I will appologize to you right off the bat nmplott, but I just hate it when people blame the economics back home on the war in Iraq. The ammunition that the US Army uses are mostly are .223, .308, .50, 9mm, 22mm, and 40mm, and these rounds are not shot constantly every single day. Many of the weapons in Iraq are used only once every 2 months to be test fired. These rounds are bought dirt cheap from the lowest bidder. I am not trying to start an with you, more or less trying to offer you some insight. Happy hunting and taker easy.

Mike

[Mike Leonard]

Well boys it's time to start hitting the tire shops up for all their used lead wheel weights. I had barrels full of that lead back in the day, and I also got lino-type and mixed some babbit #4 in to harden those I was going to shoot at higher velocity. I killed many a critter with my hard cast bullets some gas checked some not. I use to shoot around 500 rounds of 44 magnum a week while doing some silloutte comp. and general shooting. I rolled a lot of jack rabits with those loads in practice as well as rock chucks, coyotes, badgers and other vermin. When hunting season rolled around the old Redhawks, black hawks and above all the Model 29's put a lot of steaks on the table. 22.5 gr. of 2400 powder behind a 250 Gr. Keith type Semi-wadcutter cast fairly hard will certainly mess up a bull elks day, if you can put the pill where the pain is. I also used a 45-70 a good deal and although you have to learn to be a bit of a still hunter and stalker that old round is still one of my favorites.

So if Hornadys, Sierras, Noslers, and Barnes get too high for us, we will get the old hot pot going and the bees wax melting.

Heck I have so many Sierra varmint, and Core Loct Remingtons laid aside that I have bought in bulk over the years I may have to set up a bullet lemonaid stand if they get much higher. LOL!

[Moonshiner]

[michael.magorian]

[Cowboyvon]

[WTP]

Well do thoes junk NATO rounds as you call them use copper,brass, primers, led, powder last i checked they do
it is supply and damand and if the military needs the supply then the price is goen to go up for the average consumer

[onegreen]

Thought I would chime in on this one. I am in the building business and buy lots of building materials with metals involved and I can assure you that the prices of all medals is through the roof. Have a friend that owns a large scrap yard and he is paying obscene prices for all scrap brought in.
When the China market took off they drove the prices up for all metals.
Copper and brass, key ingredients in ammo but also found in wiring and A.C. units have been ridiculous. Standard rebar (#5) has tripled in price over a very short time. Used to pay $3.00 a stick now it is in the $10.00 range!

[Mike Leonard]

Moonshiner,

I hunt a lot with a 357 lever gun, and I have used the 44 lever for years as well. As you said you can buy practice ammo thru Cabelas fairlt reasoanble ( and that is a relative word these days). I use the 158 JHP and SP in the 357 and at carbine velocity it is a wicked little killer out to 100 yards. Witht he new Hornaday lever-revolutions that they have come out with for these round I am sure you could add another 50 yards or so on that. I know that is pretty dull stuff to the thousand yard ( Best of the West) type shooters that head to the woods these days but it will fill the freezer.I killed a very large 350 plus bull several years back with this little gun. Yes I got to within 75 yards and made the shot, and yes he ran about 50 yards after the hit before piling up lung shot deader than dead in a quakie patch. First pick for an elk gun? Not hardly but when I snicked it out of the saddle scabbard off that old gray pony and dropped the hammer on him it sure acted like an elk gun. The 44 just has a lot more of the same.

As for shot shells I search the bargain pages and load up with trap loads and dove loads when I can buy them in case lots. That handles the bulk of my shooting and then a squeal like a pig under a gate when I have to buy heavy field express or steel loads for pheasant and waterfowl, but I still buy them. I don't take as many chance shots as I use to and maybe that is ok.

[Moonshiner]

very true, well i gotta by myself a new .40 but if i come across a good priced marlin "trapper" 16" .357/.44mag ill pick it up, i like levers but carry my .45/70 around is a bit over kill especially for rabits and coyotes. Im also gonna start toten my .44 Blackpowder pistol around, and might start hunting more with my .50cal Hawken the way ammo prices are goin, lol.