Post by SnapShot on Aug 1, 2021 18:57:11 GMT -5
I spent the last day and a half going through the local Crossroads of the West gun show here in town. I guess I could cut this short and just say “more of the same”. However there was improved availability in some categories; lots of new handguns and some new long guns. Prices were mostly unchanged in those areas. The used gun selection was increased but so was their pricing. All in all it didn’t seem anyone would have trouble finding firearms these days. Optics and accessories were more prevalent than most prior shows.
The ammunition issue was quite a different story. Very little ammo availability and the prices for what was available was almost frightening. Long gun hunting ammo was almost nonexistent and common calibers were nowhere to be seen. Handgun ammo was more prevalent than at the last few shows but the asking prices were, in some cases, just ridiculous. I say “asking prices” because I didn’t see anyone buying the high priced stuff. Home defense ammo was leading the pack with common caliber stuff asking as high as $2.85 a round and practice/target stuff running $.75 a round. The interesting thing was the spread in asking prices for the same merchandise; in the same row, I saw 5.7X28 ammo from $0.75 to $2.55 a round (boxes of 50).
The real disappointment was in the reloading components. Very limited offerings and very high asking prices. Powder was scarce but the talk was that supply should be better by year-end with 10% to 15% increase over pre-shortage pricing. The same is expected for bullets and brass. Very limited bullet availability at the show and brass was rather scarce too. However the elephant in the room was primers with pricing at $15.00/100 and some as high as $22.50/100. I remember giving my supplier hell when his prices went above $30.00/1,000, not long ago (I guess I should give the ol'boy a call and apologize). The talk was that primer prices will climb and availability will become more restricted well into first quarter of 2022.
The ammunition issue was quite a different story. Very little ammo availability and the prices for what was available was almost frightening. Long gun hunting ammo was almost nonexistent and common calibers were nowhere to be seen. Handgun ammo was more prevalent than at the last few shows but the asking prices were, in some cases, just ridiculous. I say “asking prices” because I didn’t see anyone buying the high priced stuff. Home defense ammo was leading the pack with common caliber stuff asking as high as $2.85 a round and practice/target stuff running $.75 a round. The interesting thing was the spread in asking prices for the same merchandise; in the same row, I saw 5.7X28 ammo from $0.75 to $2.55 a round (boxes of 50).
The real disappointment was in the reloading components. Very limited offerings and very high asking prices. Powder was scarce but the talk was that supply should be better by year-end with 10% to 15% increase over pre-shortage pricing. The same is expected for bullets and brass. Very limited bullet availability at the show and brass was rather scarce too. However the elephant in the room was primers with pricing at $15.00/100 and some as high as $22.50/100. I remember giving my supplier hell when his prices went above $30.00/1,000, not long ago (I guess I should give the ol'boy a call and apologize). The talk was that primer prices will climb and availability will become more restricted well into first quarter of 2022.
My daughter came from Missouri, my son and grand son, my wife and I had a nice dinner of grilled "porter house" pork chops, corn on the cobb, my son, G'son and I share 10/5. G'son is 4 minutes early though @ 10/4.
Pooh I hope you find to right house . 
