Ammo prices. Am I missing something?

[GPossenti]

Many people talk about how ammo for AR-15s is expensive compared to other rifles. I believe (noob) that the .223 is a very common caliber for the AR-15, and is the cheapest caliber of any brand in Cheaper than Dirt (new low prices).

Is there something I'm missing? AR-15 =.223 at under $8 for 20 rounds with the AK-47 = 7.62x39 at just under $9 for 20 rounds.

What's the scoop?

 

[Willie D]

You're not looking hard enough. 7.62x39 can be found at a number of places for 1000rds @ $200 ($4 per 20)

.223 is still relativly cheap compared to other calibers but still can't touch 7.62x39.

 

[NWPilgrim]

In comparison to other brass cased, boxer cartridges, the .223 is cheaper.

But it is more expensive compared to steel cased Wolf ammo for 7.6x39 for instance.

You are missing the steel vs. brass case.

 

[GPossenti]

So what's the difference in performance between steel and brass?

 

[arizona98tj]

Not much difference in performance between the two.
Many folks reload and so they opt for the more expensive factory rounds using boxer primed brass cases. After you collect a few thousand, start reloading them.

 

[GPossenti]

I always wondered how people were able to afford to stockpile such large caches of ammo at 20 rounds for 9 bucks. Now I know. They don't. They buy steel.

 

[Don H]

I always wondered how people were able to afford to stockpile such large caches of ammo at 20 rounds for 9 bucks. Now I know. They don't. They buy steel.

No, I bought brass in various calibers by the thousands when it was cheap.

 

[tony pasley]

You can also pick up brass at the range that others don't clean up after themselves. I have managed to collect a fairly heathy ammount of usable brass and shotgun shell hulls that way.

 

[johnwilliamson062]

de[ends what range you are at. You could make people very angry if you aren't supposed to.

 

[NWPilgrim]

I am not an expert on this, but this seems to make sense about steel cases regarding use in AR15 platform:

- Steel cases do not expand as well as brass and thus do not seal the chamber fully from blow back of gases when a cartridge fires. This adds to the already dirty gases coming back into the receiver area from the "direct impingement" gases from the gas tube.

- Steel cases are usually coated in lacquer or polymer which build up in the chamber. Does not seem to be a problem for AK chambers since they are reamed looser (better reliability but less accuracy). And not a problem if you shoot only steel cases in your AR15, or at least clean the chamber very well before shooting brass cased ammo. Problem arises when you shoot a bunch of coated steel cartridges which gunk up the chamber, then try to shoot brass cases which expand tightly against the chamber walls and get jammed upon the leftover/burnt coating gunk. Result is failure to extract the brass case form the chamber. Solution is to scrub out the chamber really well after shooting coated steel cases.

 

[sks]

The reason the AR/AK/SKS ammo is so expensive is because you shoot so much of it. It isn't any fun to go to the range and shoot 10 rounds of .223 like you would the 30-06, 270, etc. When you shoot the .223 you shoot hundreds or more, at least we always do. So at $35 a hundred it adds up pretty quickly.

 

[Double J]

Cheaper Ammo

If we could get around that 11% Federal Ammo Tax, there would be a lot more ammo around.

 

[Regular Joe]

The quantity issue is a good point. Just today, I was dialing in a new bullet for my 9mm handloads. I checked expansion and penetration in water, and fired 2 mags for an accuracy check at different ranges. Done. I thought about shooting more with my "expendable stock", but a little voice inside my head kept saying things like "you don't have to shoot all yer bullets to prove that you know how", and "once you shoot 'em, they're gone".
I holstered the 9 with carry ammo, and moved on to a .22. That's my advice to others as well. Once you've re-familiarized with your bigger guns, run out your shooting urge with a .22.
In the event of SHTF, it serves to be very familiar with your .22's anyway. People who are trying to mess with you don't want to be shot AT by anything, let alone hit with it. If you can run them off for the price of a few .22 shells, you save your high powered fodder for bigger fish.

 

[Tom2]

Well all they need to do is set outside the effective range of your 22 and wait for you to pop your head up. Save the 22 for hunting and foraging and practice to save big rounds. Or close in last ditch. But this is getting too close to a tinfoil hat deal so I better sign off after making the point, so that the big padlocks don't descend onto this thread.