Ammo...a big drawback to the AR15 right now.

[FS2K]

No, this isn't yet another argument whether or not the 5.56mm X 45mm round is capable for combat or not. This post is to address the seeming dwindling supply of so called "Surplus" ammo in this caliber.

One of the selling points for owning an AR15 in the past was it's use of clean, cheap, good quality surplus ammunition. Sadly, it seems those days are gone. It's been a long time since I've seen XM193's for sale in bulk for a reasonable price, in fact, I haven't seen many places that still carry them. (55 grain FMJBT military surplus rounds). There are still a few places selling M855's (62 grain FMJBT) but supplies are limited, and the prices have easily doubled in the last 4-5 years. The last case of XM193's I bought (25 boxes of 20 rounds ea. Lake City) I got for $147.00. The last time I saw Winchester Q3131's for sale (same as XM193's but made by Winchester) they were going for $239.50 a case!

Wow.

It ain't getting any cheaper that's for sure. Prices are just getting out of hand across the entire board I suppose. Like I posted last week, a local store here was asking $20.99 for a box of 20 WOLF Classic rounds. What used to sell there for $4.90! It's ridiculous!

That's one way for the Peckerheads to gain national gun control: just make it so hard to get ammunition by gouging taxes on them! Bastards!

So as far as I'm concerned, all you 'new' AR15 guys are a different breed than allot of us 'oldtimers" LOL! You must really love your AR15's to be spending that much on AMMO! (Same goes for the AK crowd too!)

 

[George Hill]

This isn't just a problem with .223 stuff... pretty much this is all calibers from all manufacturers. You AR guys just shoot up a lot more of it so you are feeling it first and more than other guys.
Just try to go buy a case of Large Rifle Primers. And if you just did, go try again. We've been told that Primers are 6 to 8 months out.
Remember Corporal Hick's advice from now on. "Short Controlled Bursts."

Look at the bright side. When we are done with the wars, your ammo will be cheap and plenty again.

 

[Gewehr98]

Interesting.

I wouldn't know about it, save for postings here on the gun forums.

Of course, I have a couple Dillon progressives, thousands of bullets, primers, and brass, etc. I'm trying to remember when I last bought any complete ammo, factory or surplus.

 

[heckledpie]

from what i hear, lower supply and higher demand arent the only reasons for the price gouging.

the metals are getting harder to find and mine as well.

plus oil is getting more and more expensive, so right there the whole industrial process is stressed a little (esp. when considering that oil has quadrupled in price over the last decade), right along with shipping of the ammo.

yea...

 

[George Hill]

If you can, stock up on more primers and other components now. But especially primers. There are only a few places that manufacture them and if the Libs can shut them down - for EPA or OSHA violations or some other BS thing -they've effected gun control without a single ban or act of Congress or President.

 

[PzGren]

Raw material and ammo are also traded internationally. Four years ago the 1 Euro cost us pretty much 1 US$, today we have to pay $1.40.

Just look at the price increase across the board; milk, butter, even cereal. All things are sold on the global market and their buying power is rising and their currency gained in comparison to the US$.

 

[SR420]

The last 1K case of Portuguese surplus 7.62mm x 51 I purchased was $145.00 shipped.
If you can find a case of this "out of stock" ammo today it will run $500.00 plus shipping.

The price will drop again someday and I will buy it cheap and stack it deep once again.

 

[wolfdog45]

I bought my first AR15 right before the ammo prices started going up. Luckely I bought several hundred rounds when I bought my AR15, then I started to stock up on 5.56 when I could and I have built quite a pile of 5.56 rounds. But I don't shoot them, I shoot my cheap reloads and save the 5.56 rounds for when I need them.

 

[RockyMtnTactical]

7.62x39 is the one of the only things you can get for much cheaper...

.308 is expensive as hell.

I think surplus .223/5.56 will return if war ever dies down... but hopefully we don't have some lame president banning the importation of ammo... (can you think of a more irrational thing to do??)

 

[KCB]

Actually I think the best caliber for still getting "cheaper" surplus is going to be 5.45x39 (AK-74) I recently bought a couple cases of 1080 rnds for $135 Shipped which is still a price increase from the past but cheaper than you can get 7.62x39.