Ammo Prices???

[LMITOUT]

Anybody notice the price of shotgun shells this fall??? HOLY COW!!!! #5 Federals for $17.99 and #4's for $28.99!! These are the Pheasant Forever hi-velocity loads. I bought these last year and really liked them but for about $10. Not sure if I like them for $29 though! BTW, I'm talking lead, not steel!!

[benelli_dude2002]

I know what you mean... last year I bought a couple boxes of Federal Hi Density loads for goose hunting. A box of 10 was less than 15 dollars and now this year they are running from 35-40 bucks for a box of 10. At least from what I seen and maybe I am not looking hard enough. Got 2 cases of Pheasant Forever hi velocity loads for 10 bucks a box last year and I am glad I got them then. Even light target loads at Walmart were about 5.50 a box. Used buy them for 30 bucks a case. I wouldnt be surprised to see lead shot banned in the near future. makes you cringe when you see a big jump in price like that. oh well......

[candiru]

I am pretty much set for this year. Definitly a shock to see the prices. However, there does seem to be quite a bit of variation around right now. So, I think it pays to shop around if there is not much driving involved. I have seen some large-caliber rifle ammo double in the last 2 years. They were expensive before.

[LMITOUT]

I was at four different places yesterday and the shotgun ammo was pretty consistent...consistently high.

Sounds like the price of lead really shot (no pun intended) up earlier this year and now we're paying for it. It's since come down but it may be a while before we see any relief. I'm glad I don't shoot steel and forcing us to use it will be a logistical nightmare. But, the only ones that will be affected is you and me, the hunters, so what do they care.

[Dave S]

Ouch!!!!!!!!!! That really bites. It may be cheaper to fill the truck up with gas to go to ND this fall than it is to put shells in the gun.

[sparkydm]

couple years ago I bought 308 brass for $15 per 100. Now it's $30

[ccarlson]

Last December a friend of mine tipped me off that he had heard from a friend in the ammo industry that material costs were really going up and that he should stock up if possible. He indicated they would make a jump around the first of the year and then more jumps throughout 2008.

The next week I went to a couple stores in Brainerd and I was too late, the prices had already made their first jump. I then was in Grand Rapids around Christmas and made a stop at L and M Fleet. They were still priced at the old prices so I literally cleaned them out of game loads for trap shooting and high power lead 7.5 and 6 shot for grouse. I suppose they had about 3 cases left that I picked up. The lady at the checkout said that another guy was just in and also bought a ton of ammo and she wondered what was going on. Boy am I glad I did that now. My kids just shot a couple of those boxes today at the range. I smiled when I saw the price tag at $3.90.

By the way, my youngest daughter who just turned 11 shot trap for the first time today with a youth 20 guage and what a great feeling that is when the first clay broke after a few shots. My 13 year old daughter now stepped into my old benelli M1 and although it took her a box to get adjusted, soon she was smashing them pretty good. Now that I know it will work for her, it is time for me to get a new shotgun for myself!

ccarlson

[LMITOUT]

Thanks for the heads up CC!!!

Seriously though, I was thinking that I may have done the same thing if I knew it was coming, but I have a hard time buying THAT much if a possible ban on lead is coming. Might not be bad for the trap shooters, but to be sitting on that much ammo with no place to use it would be tough.

[hugonian1]

Actually trap loads have dropped a couple of bucks a box the last 2 months and I think the cost of lead has also dropped. Hopefully it will keep dropping.

[BoxMN]

Yeah, I was shooting AA Sporting loads for trap, and wenty to buy more, and holy cow! Like $9 a box this year. So I picked up a case of the cheapo Federal target loads (still $6 per box!!) and I actually was hitting better. So at least that worked in my favor

Two years ago I came across a garage sale where a guy's wife and daughter was selling all his hunitng stuff cause he was too old (I think maybe he died, but not sure, they didn't say much, maybe divorced?...) to hunt anymore. I bought 3 doz canada shells (not mags) and a couple gun cases and 2 cases of steel 2's and 4's .... for $90 total... they were worried that they were going to have to bring ammo to hazardous waste, and they wanted to just give it to me, but I told them I had to give them something, so I think I gave them about $40 total for the steel! Ha! I am still shooting that stuff!

...going to look for another garage sale...

[tomfromblaine]

I was in F.Farm the other day and they had some good prices on steel about $10 I think

[BLACKJACK]

Lets put this into perspective. If you shoot two boxes of shells in a season pheasant hunting, you've had a good year and have shot a lot of pheasants. If you shoot three boxes of shells duck hunting, you've had a good year and have shot a lot of ducks. 5 boxes x $15 = $75. Thats pretty small compared to the cost of truck maintenance, gas, vet bills, dogfood, motel rooms, food, etc. Can you stop at Perkins for breakfast and get out of there for less than $10?

[LMITOUT]

Well, 5 boxes x $10 compared to 5 boxes at $30 is quite a bit different, and that's the price change of the same box of shells in just under a year's time. That's a tank of gas. So yes, it is big difference relatively speaking.

If they would have went up just a buck or two, well then that's one thing, but to go up 100-200%? That is crazy.

[Walleye Guy]

Picked up two boxes of Winchester Expert, 3 inch, 12 gauge, 1 1/8 ounce #2 steel shot at GM for $11.99 today. Certainly not topof the line shells but they are certainly adequate for most guns for most waterfowl hunting.

I saw the same shells for $17.99 a couple months back. Sales are starting to happen as the stores want your business!

[Double D]

Rifle ammunition has been following right along. The 30-06 rounds I usually shoot were 14.99 for years at Gander Mt. Last year, 15.99 this year 19.99. Metal prices are high and so is shipping, plain and simple.

DD

[bassNspear]

everything is going up. I shoot Rem slugs, and my wife shoots rifled slugs, keeps going up year after year. Its getting out of hand.

[dan z]

I have seen a few jumps in the prices of shells but the ones our group shoots stayed the same kinda tough to find it cuz it is not a very popular brand( Kent) I paid 1799 last year and low a behold 1799 this year. i think federal is trying to pay for all the ads they have. also found some ammo that is getting chopped (on sale) ie gander has most of thier 28ga shells are thity to fifty percent off bought a box of bismuth 4 shot steel for 20 bucks and its normally 30. expert steel jumped a few bucks but still is cheap and in my opinion it sux. so I wont buy it!!

[dan z]

well if your rifle shells have gone up so much in price and your lead for trap shooting i would start reloading maybe you can save a few dollars. or be a smart shopper look around for the deals

[Sifty]

It's easy for me to say this now,but I buy all my shell's after season usally around Christmas to St. pat's day.

A couple of years in a row now I've gotten 3" 3 shot for 7.99 a box.

For you rifle guy's check here

http://www.fishingminnesota.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1496136/Rifle_Ammo#Post1496136

Sifty