Just Another Ammo Conspiracy Theory

[USAF Marksman]

I stopped at a newly opened LGS very nice people and the ammo subject came up. He stated to me that he could get 9's & 40's from a distributor but had to buy 100,000 rounds @ $75,000. I didn't ever ask if he bought them 2/5/21

That seems pretty steep...

 

[Mrvmax]

I stopped at a newly opened LGS very nice people and the ammo subject came up. He stated to me that he could get 9's & 40's from a distributor but had to buy 100,000 rounds @ $75,000. I didn't ever ask if he bought them 2/5/21

Usually when you start new accounts they will offer inventory that might not be available at other times. He will probably not get that offer again

 

[Justice1327]

I live close to and buy a majority of my items from midway USA. I print screened their prices last year as this nonsense started. I purchased several boxes of 280 AI And 6.5 PRC for around $30-$35 a box. Last week I got a notify that the 7mm-08 was in stock the price was $52 a box and this was Nosler ballistic tip, nothing really special. It sold out in a matter of minutes, and I just couldn't believe someone was going to pay that much. I called Midway and asked them why the prices were so high... essentially double of what they were last year. They told me that Nosler had increased the price. I called Nosler and after about 30 minutes I got someone who works in billing and they told me they have not had a single price increase in over a year. It would really bother me to find out that midway is gouging customers too.

 

[RODSTRADLEY]

I live close to and buy a majority of my items from midway USA. I print screened their prices last year as this nonsense started. I purchased several boxes of 280 AI And 6.5 PRC for around $30-$35 a box. Last week I got a notify that the 7mm-08 was in stock the price was $52 a box and this was Nosler ballistic tip, nothing really special. It sold out in a matter of minutes, and I just couldn't believe someone was going to pay that much. I called Midway and asked them why the prices were so high... essentially double of what they were last year. They told me that Nosler had increased the price. I called Nosler and after about 30 minutes I got someone who works in billing and they told me they have not had a single price increase in over a year. It would really bother me to find out that midway is gouging customers too.

Larry does sponsor a lot of shows!

 

[Mrvmax]

I live close to and buy a majority of my items from midway USA. I print screened their prices last year as this nonsense started. I purchased several boxes of 280 AI And 6.5 PRC for around $30-$35 a box. Last week I got a notify that the 7mm-08 was in stock the price was $52 a box and this was Nosler ballistic tip, nothing really special. It sold out in a matter of minutes, and I just couldn't believe someone was going to pay that much. I called Midway and asked them why the prices were so high... essentially double of what they were last year. They told me that Nosler had increased the price. I called Nosler and after about 30 minutes I got someone who works in billing and they told me they have not had a single price increase in over a year. It would really bother me to find out that midway is gouging customers too.

I'm not sure why Nosler would give an average Joe info on their wholesale prices but I'm not sure Midway buys direct from Nosler anyway and not through a distributor. So maybe Midway is not lying. I sure wish people who keep throwing around "price gouging" would start a business so they can see how it works. I doubt you'd be in business long if your prices never reflected market conditions. Raising prices due to an increase in raw materials/product cost or a decrease in product is not automatically price gouging.

 

[RODSTRADLEY]

Usually when you start new accounts they will offer inventory that might not be available at other times. He will probably not get that offer again

I would be really surprised if he bought them.

 

[bassassassin104]

I hate the increased prices as much as the next guy, but I also understand that the bills don't stop coming just because the shelves are empty. One of my best friends owns a little gun shop in a small town and is struggling right now. He has plenty of shoppers, but he cannot get any guns to sell, at least nothing in any popular caliber. What few guns he does manage to get, mostly used stuff, he can't get ammo for. It is a very difficult time to be a small gun store. Overhead, rent, water bill, electric bill, etc is not going down just because he doesn't have inventory to sell. All he can do is increase his margins a bit to try and pay the bills until the distributors have enough inventory to start supplying the small stores again.

 

[Mrvmax]

I hate the increased prices as much as the next guy, but I also understand that the bills don't stop coming just because the shelves are empty. One of my best friends owns a little gun shop in a small town and is struggling right now. He has plenty of shoppers, but he cannot get any guns to sell, at least nothing in any popular caliber. What few guns he does manage to get, mostly used stuff, he can't get ammo for. It is a very difficult time to be a small gun store. Overhead, rent, water bill, electric bill, etc is not going down just because he doesn't have inventory to sell. All he can do is increase his margins a bit to try and pay the bills until the distributors have enough inventory to start supplying the small stores again.

Exactly, most dont understand this. Many don't care and don't realize if the little guys go out of business then the big guys have a monopoly. With less competition when we are outside of panic times prices will be higher and that will be something to complain about.

 

[Justice1327]

I'm not sure why Nosler would give an average Joe info on their wholesale prices but I'm not sure Midway buys direct from Nosler anyway and not through a distributor. So maybe Midway is not lying. I sure wish people who keep throwing around "price gouging" would start a business so they can see how it works. I doubt you'd be in business long if your prices never reflected market conditions. Raising prices due to an increase in raw materials/product cost or a decrease in product is not automatically price gouging.

I'm not sure why Nosler would give an average Joe info on their wholesale prices but I'm not sure Midway buys direct from Nosler anyway and not through a distributor. So maybe Midway is not lying. I sure wish people who keep throwing around "price gouging" would start a business so they can see how it works. I doubt you'd be in business long if your prices never reflected market conditions. Raising prices due to an increase in raw materials/product cost or a decrease in product is not automatically price gouging.

I agree. After 35 yrs in business I know how to stay with market valuations. I have degrees in Supply Chain Management and what is happening now is not due to raw materials or increased production costs. Lastly, Nosler did not give me pricing...they just confirmed that their pricing had not increased by 80+% in less than a year.

 

[USAF Marksman]

I hate the increased prices as much as the next guy, but I also understand that the bills don't stop coming just because the shelves are empty. One of my best friends owns a little gun shop in a small town and is struggling right now. He has plenty of shoppers, but he cannot get any guns to sell, at least nothing in any popular caliber. What few guns he does manage to get, mostly used stuff, he can't get ammo for. It is a very difficult time to be a small gun store. Overhead, rent, water bill, electric bill, etc is not going down just because he doesn't have inventory to sell. All he can do is increase his margins a bit to try and pay the bills until the distributors have enough inventory to start supplying the small stores again.

This is what has kept me from being angry and getting bent out of shape over the prices at the LGS. Midway isn't exactly a LGS, and has plenty of other revenue to offset any disruption caused by guns/ammo supply and demand issues right now. The last thing I want is for small businesses to go away. But uncle Joe selling primers for $500/1000 on the local classifieds is straight price gouging and ridiculous.