Ammunition Prices On The Rise

[henry22]

Here's an article I found that explains why ammo prices are rising.
https://www.libertynation.com/ammunition-prices-rise/

I was astounded when this past Saturday at the range, I found out from a guy who works there, that my price for a 200 round box of CCI A17 has gone UP from:
$49.99 CDN
HST (13% sales tax) $6.49:
TOTAL $56.48
.28 cents per round

TO: $76.50 (after my 10% range discount)
HST 13%: $9.94
TOTAL $86.44 for the same CCI A17 200 round box.
.43 cents per round, — a .15 cent per round increase. ABSURD!

What I'd like to know from the Americans here, what do you guys pay for this same ammo, including taxes?

I'd love to know what it costs CCI to produce .17 HMR ammo, VS their profit margin. I also just found out that Vista Outdoors Inc owns MANY brands, including ammunition, rifles, outdoor supplies.
SEE: https://vistaoutdoor.com/brands/

Monopolies suck. Great for companies, not great for consumers. I wish there was a Canadian company that could produce ammo, but the market isn't there to support the manufacturing costs associated with it.

I might have to resign myself to buying a 22LR rifle, and shoot the 17 HMR once in a blue moon. OR, I scrap 17 HMR and 22 mag, buy a press, hoard as much 223 brass as I can get my hands on, and start reloading.

I met a retired Canadian Military guy on Saturday, who loads all winter - on a single stage press no doubt. He told me he washes brass for a week or 2, thousands and thousands of casings in a wet tumbler, then reloads about 100 rounds an hour when he's all set up. He said he's making quality rounds with a few grains less for target shooting at the range, for .15 cents per round.

Why the hell am I paying 43 cents per round to shoot 17 HMR???

[Mistered]

Why the hell am I paying 43 cents per round to shoot 17 HMR???

Uh, (and I don't mean to be a smart azz) but to answer your question because you CHOOSE to pay it.
Reality being what it is 17 HMR is NOT reloadable so they can charge what every they want for it - and make no mistake - raising ammo prices is ONE method the 'system' will use to limit sport/target shooting.

[Mags]

In the past month I've seen .30-30 go from $17 box of 20 ($0.85ea) to $18 ($0.90 ea). Wish Henry's would come out with a lever action chambered in .223/5.56. $80 box of 200 ($0.40ea).

[henry22]

Excellent answer, and I've already realized that. But in my defense, once you shoot that .17, and hit what you're aiming at — every time, over and over, you're hooked. It's everything the shooting experience should be.

I was shooting my 22 mag Henry at the range the other day, at the 50 yard benches. Almost as much fun as the .17, but not quite. It's always fun either way, and a great way to spend 4-5 hours, I just need to be a millionaire, because I want to do it all the time.

A: Get used to shooting 22LR from a good bolt at 50 yards
B: Suck it up and pay the price for 22 mag and .17, and be modest with ammo (more time in between shooting rounds)
C: Load for something else like .223
D: Buy an SKS and bulk 7.62

I love the nil recoil with the .17, and the ability to hit quarter sized pieces of potatoes stuck on a toothpick on the top edge target board at 100 yards. I feel like it's the round for me. It's easy shootin', fun, superbly accurate, etc

What I may not understand Mistered, is why do they the "system" want to limit the sport? I'm fairly new to shooting at a range. I've only been shooting since last October. I was always under the impression, that the "American Way", was to produce as much of X as possible, to sell as much of X as possible - regardless of what it is.

If people aren't buying as much ammo as they were, then give them an incentive to do so - like coupons, or an ammo lottery, or a give away — "Buy 2 boxes of X, and you could win a box of ammo per month, or a Savage .17 HMR" etc. I hate the arbitrary price variation from .22LR to .22 Mag. Yes, it's "MORE" brass, powder, but not the bullets, they're standard 40 grain for the most part for both LR and Mag, and yet the price difference isn't double, it's more like triple. I know they don't produce nearly as much 22 mag as LR, supply and demand, but still, I don't think it costs that much more to produce than 22LR.

Do they "Vista Outdoor Inc" think that by raising the price of their ammo they'll give me (us) more of an incentive to buy it? No, I won't buy it. I only bought it when it went on sale, or the guy at the range told me I'd get it for 49.99 a box of 200. I wasn't aware that it would go up that much. Even he was surprised when it did, and he does this for a living.

If they want to sell more, they'll have to lower the pricing. I find that's the case with anything, there's always a threshold for what people want to pay, vs what they're willing to pay for.

2 weeks ago, I thought $56.00 for 200 rounds of exceptional .17 HMR ammo was worth it at .28 cents per round. I see guys show up at the range with Remington .223 Freedom buckets, and pound out 30-40-60 rounds. At regular price of $169.00 CDN for 300 rounds - that's ridiculous. When it's on sale for $129.99, it's not out to lunch, roughly .48 cents per round. — But when I learn that the military guy at the range is loading it for 15 cents per round, it's a no brainer.

[Mistered]

Wish Henry's would come out with a lever action chambered in .223/5.56.

They have/do - the Long Ranger.

[henry22]

Yeah, Mags, and it's a beauty. I held one once, they let me cycle the lever, beautiful classy rifle, and it feels really good in your hands.

[Mags]

I knew the long ranger was available in other calibers. Some how I overlooked seeing it in .223/5.56. Now that I see it, wish it had a 10 round magazine.

[Mags]

Maybe price increase hasn't reached my area. I see .17 HMR going for $50 USD, box of 200 ($0.25ea USD). This week on sale for $40 USD.

[henry22]

You know what I do sometimes Mags, and this completely defeats the purpose of having a lever, or bolt for that matter, when I go to the range, I usually bring 100 rounds, either .22 mag, or .17 HMR, and when I get down to 50 rounds, I tend to load them 1 at a time, — to conserve the anticipation and fun.

I love looking down at the bench, and seeing 100 rounds all in a pile in a container, relishing my time at the range.

I should have bought a single shot 22 mag, I probably would have been just as happy. I'm not a rapid fire kind of shooter.

[Mags]

yaaaah <sigh> love it. Even single shot mode, still get that nostalgia feel/fun cranking the lever to eject the spent casing. Load one, lever close, fire, repeat.