Ridiculous rates for ammunition will end recreational shooting

[Heym SR20]

The hypothesis "Ridiculous rates for ammunition will end recreational shooting" has generated some debate.

Has any one any ideas on reducing the price we pay?

1) reduce calibre choice to military calibres thus benefitting large volume production of bullets, brass and powders. Thus 223, 308 and I suppose 6.5 Creedmoor.

2) Within each calibre two choices of bullets. A solid military ball for use on ranges, targets, gongs etc. and a monolithic expanding bullet for use on vermin / small deer with 223, and larger deer the 6.5 and 308.

3) reloading powder limited to little one for 223, bigger one for 6.5 and 308.

In the UK the biggest cost is probably the range of calibres and then the range and number of different brands that we all want. This is hugely inefficient from a supply perspective with the trade having to invest large amounts in ammo that may or may not not move off the shelf.

But what would be the fun in that. No chance to debate the endless merits of the 6.5 CM over the 260 and 6.5x55, or that it is so much better than the 243, 7-08, 7x57, 7x64, 270 win or the 130 gn bullet is better than the 140 or 150, or the brand with blue, red, green, black or indeed pink box is so much better. Actually if you think about we expect each and every gunshop and the supply chain to have that range of options in stock.

Military ammo a long time ago standardised into one or two calibres that pretty much covered all requirements. This allows development and capital costs to be spread over millions of rounds, and simplified supply chains.

 

[Bowland blades]

Only fault with that logic is you are assuming the rising prices are all down to the manufacture.
prices are rising due to issues outside the control of the manufacture, like commodity prices, energy costs and transport/import costs.

Those are also limited by the same . A boiler manufacturer might just say heck stuff buying copper / brass for those valves we will have steel . This is not without previous occurances in other areas , plumbers where actually putting in steel pipes for a period in the 70s . Whole commodity market rises and falls , guessing when is the job of the commodity brokers
Cheap petrol , dear petrol its a cycle that repeates

 

[Liveonce]

Those are also limited by the same . A boiler manufacturer might just say heck stuff buying copper / brass for those valves we will have steel . This is not without previous occurances in other areas , plumbers where actually putting in steel pipes for a period in the 70s . Whole commodity market rises and falls , guessing when is the job of the commodity brokers
Cheap petrol , dear petrol its a cycle that repeates

well don’t hold your breath waiting for the price of copper to crash as the trend as been up for several years now.

 

[Shooterman1]

Yup I do that, but when (not if!) primers go over £100 per 1,000 I think that will put many off.

Already paying £100 per thousand for CCI BR2

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Selling "once fired" cases @ £90 icl post that's £8.18 per 20x. Remington CoreLokt at internet RFDs are running £27.00. This will help to reduce the initial cost back down.

 

[User00040]

well don’t hold your breath waiting for the price of copper to crash as the trend as been up for several years now.

Even if it did fall, I suspect this would not translate into the end products becoming cheaper.

Material costs rising are always stated when price hikes come in, when material costs fall, silence...

 

[308tikka]

well don’t hold your breath waiting for the price of copper to crash as the trend as been up for several years now.

With electrification now the ‘green’ choice it is only going one way. Get your Glencore and Fresnillo shares while theyre still cheap!

 

[Bowland blades]

well don’t hold your breath waiting for the price of copper to crash as the trend as been up for several years now.

Oh it will drop , its just when might be a few years or decades but trading prices have to meet selling prices eventually. If they don't manufacturers look at different alternatives and market falls . Been about 40 years from the time copper crashed down though .

 

[doric_prince]

I shoot a .270 and recently bought a 7mm REM Mag. The ammo for the rem mag is eye watering! £80 odd quid for 20! I was gonna have some RWS ammo for the .270 the other day but it was £72 for 20.

Hopefully it’ll come down some when the copper is more widely adopted.

ouch, and I thought £64 copper 20 rounds of 140grs was excessive enough for 7mm rem mag.

 

[User00040]

ouch, and I thought £64 copper 20 rounds of 140grs was excessive enough for 7mm rem mag.

The new trick is just selling 10 rounds of magnum cartridges per box like Sako does!

 

[Bowland blades]

The new trick is just selling 10 rounds of magnum cartridges per box like Sako does!

To be fair that's also more in line with what many folks need , a fair trip if you get all ten off as a guest stalker

 

[NullMac]

More clickbait ?

How many rounds does the typical stalker shoot in a year? Cost vs the permissions or a days stalking. Not relevant

If you want to shoot volume you can reload and still get a bullet for 20p so load a round for ~50p. About the same as the price to shoot one clay target.

 

[308tikka]

More clickbait ?

How many rounds does the typical stalker shoot in a year? Cost vs the permissions or a days stalking. Not relevant

If you want to shoot volume you can reload and still get a bullet for 20p so load a round for ~50p. About the same as the price to shoot one clay target.

May I enquire where I can some of these wonderfully priced bullets for 20p?

Powder and primer may be near 30p if you bought your kg for £85 and had no spills, but per use of reloaded case on top and in current market Id say more like 50p before the bullet is added.

Plus the hundreds/thousands spent on kit which is never added to the equation. But still worth it as a volume shooter.

 

[reiver]

More clickbait ?

How many rounds does the typical stalker shoot in a year? Cost vs the permissions or a days stalking. Not relevant

If you want to shoot volume you can reload and still get a bullet for 20p so load a round for ~50p. About the same as the price to shoot one clay target.

In Croatia the gun shops will sell you rifle ammo as singles .
Ammo is more expensive over there as well. Last time I asked about buying some priv 30-06 Sp it was over €45 a box for 20 or € 3 euros a pop.

 

[User00040]

More clickbait ?

How many rounds does the typical stalker shoot in a year? Cost vs the permissions or a days stalking. Not relevant

If you want to shoot volume you can reload and still get a bullet for 20p so load a round for ~50p. About the same as the price to shoot one clay target.

Would you be happy to pay £100 or more for a box of 20 rounds?

Many places don't allow handloads, and what if this was banned?

The UK shooting community is sleepwalking into the abyss.

 

[User00040]

To be fair that's also more in line with what many folks need , a fair trip if you get all ten off as a guest stalker

If someone turned up with only 10 rounds I wouldn't allow the rifle to be used.

 

[A Guy Out West]

Makes me laugh when someone throws in brexit ? Ammo prices are rising world wide dueto the price of commodities nothing to do with brexit or Boris, ammo here is averaging $59.99 for 20 in the major brands, put on average $10 cheaper, magnums $79.99, creedmore $69.99 and 6.5x55 $99.99 all up $10 on last year, strangely we have not joined or left the EU.

Very little to do with the price of commodities. It’s being caused by the panic buying in the US.

 

[Liveonce]

Oh it will drop , its just when might be a few years or decades but trading prices have to meet selling prices eventually. If they don't manufacturers look at different alternatives and market falls . Been about 40 years from the time copper crashed down though .

Not sure I will be around, decades or 40 years to prove you wrong or me wrong.

 

[shakey jake]

In Croatia the gun shops will sell you rifle ammo as singles .
Ammo is more expensive over there as well. Last time I asked about buying some priv 30-06 Sp it was over €45 a box for 20 or € 3 euros a pop.

was it €15 over?

 

[Acm]

I shoot around 1,000 rounds of centrefire ammo a year for practise and stalking in my leisure time, and around 300-500 for culling work.

1,000-2,000 rounds a year is by no means a lot of ammo to shoot.

I'd be very worried about the ability of someone who only fired 20 rounds a year.

Shooting an average of a deer a day all year is hardly recreational stalking.
I’d argue that 1000 rounds a year is an awful lot of ammo to shoot!
Funnily enough I was having the same discussion re outdoors knives over the weekend. When I was starting out (2012) a buck or a helle would be considered nice fancy knives by most! Now alot of us don’t think anything of dropping £250 + on a knife. Times change, it seems we all like a premium bullet and a premium knife these days.