By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com
By the time the 2nd anniversary of the Bundy Ranch standoff comes around, many, if not all the armed participants will be in jail or indicted. The government has used social media to identify protesters, including the man who was photographed in the prone position, aiming his rifle from a highway overpass presumably at federal contractors. This is an inauspicious end to an effort to stop the government from violating property and civil rights using armed protests.
Patriot blogs I have read indicate that many of those who supported the standoff now believe the wrong tactics were used. Some of the remedies suggested include staying off Facebook and reorganizing how patriots and militia groups deal with government actions.
Make no mistake, despite all the self examination about how the protests and standoff were organized, and despite all the problems in both Nevada and Oregon, the government will brook no opposition to its policies and practices, and will regard interference from armed protesters as just another criminal act, one the response of which will include hard, armed military style kinetic action against its very citizens.
It seems that the only kind of protests to be allowed are those government approved issues. Global warming. More money for the poor. Or raciss kops gunning down black men. But protesting for your property or civil rights will bring the raw power of the government against you.
Anything else means you will be dealing with stories in which the local constabulary and the press have vapors because ammunition was discovered in a residence.
Two of the miscreants who took the initiative to rob a gun store in Houston earlier in the week are already in custody.
Loads.
Rantburg's summary for arms and ammunition:
Prices for pistol ammunition were mixed, while prices for rifle ammunition were mostly steady.
Prices for used pistols and for used rifles were mixed.
New Lows:
None
Pistol Ammunition
.45 Caliber, 230 Grain, From Last Week: -.02 Each
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Goose Island Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .24 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: SG Ammo, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Cased, .25 per round (From Last week: Unchanged (4 Weeks))
.40 Caliber Smith & Wesson, 180 Grain, From Last Week: -.02 Each
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Goose Island Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .22 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: LAX Ammunition, Store brand, FNFP, Reloads, .22 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (9 Weeks))
9mm Parabellum, 115 Grain, From Last Week: +.02 Each
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Surplus Ammo, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Caseing, .18 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Rush Creek Ammo, Store brand, FMJ, Reloads, .17 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks))
.357 Magnum, 158 Grain, From Last Week: -.01 Each After Unchanged (4 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Goose Island Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .26 per round
Cheapest Bulk: 1,000 rounds: J&G Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel cased, .25 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (4Q, 2015))
Rifle Ammunition
.223 Caliber/5.56mm 55 Grain, From Last Week: -.01 Each
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Goose Island Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .22 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: J&G Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, steel casing, .23 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks))
.308 NATO 150 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (4Q, 2015)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Goose Island Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .37 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: Vizards Guns and Ammo, Tulammo, steel casing, FMJ, .40 per round (From Last Week: +.03 Each)
7.62x39 AK 123 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (8 Weeks)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Ammunition Depot, Wolf WPA, steel case, FMJ, .25 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 3,000 rounds: Ammo Fast, Wolf WPA, steel case, FMJ, .23 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (2 weeks))
.22 LR 40 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Ammo2U, federal, RNL .07 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 325 rounds: Natchez Shooters Supply, Federal, RNL, .07 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks))
Guns for Private Sale
Rifles
.223/5.56mm (AR Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $530 Last Week Avg: $536 (-) ($616 (47 Weeks), $476 (23 Weeks))
California (179, 197): Smith &Wesson M&P15: $550 ($650 (1Q,2015), $400 (26 Weeks))
Texas (223, 213): Mixed Build: $500 ($700 (1Q, 2015), $350 (47 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (115, 112): Ruger: $550 ($700 (46 Weeks), $300 (34 Weeks))
Virginia (141, 133): Smith &Wesson: $550 ($750 (1Q, 2015), $480 (12 Weeks))
Florida (304, 298): Smith & Wesson Model M&P15 Sport: $500 ($650 (36 Weeks), $380 (48 Weeks))
.308 NATO (AR-10 Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $1,174 Last Week Avg: $1,072 (+) ($1,359 (46 Weeks), $820 (22 Weeks))
California (44, 41): Armalite: $908 ($1,700 (4Q, 2014), $850 (31 Weeks))
Texas (76, 82): DPMS: $950 ($1,500 (4Q, 2014), $800 (30 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (29, 24): DPMS: $900 ($1,500 (1Q, 2015), $700 (23 Weeks))
Virginia (32, 33): Aero Precision: $2,000 ($2,750 (7 Weeks), $800 (18 Weeks))
Florida (60, 60): Palmetto State Armory: $1,110 ($1,500 (4Q, 2014), $500 (22 Weeks))
7.62x39mm (AK Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $613 Last Week Avg: $559 (-) ($626 (48 Weeks), $450 (33 Weeks))
California (55, 52): I.O: $600 ($700 (50 Weeks), $320 (4Q, 2014))
Texas (53, 50): Norinco Type 56: $720 ($800 (8 Weeks), $350 (3Q, 2014))
Pennsylvania (38, 41): Zastava PAP: $500 ($750 (1Q, 2015), $375 (42 Weeks))
Virginia (40, 37): Zastava M70AB2: $545 ($625 (1Q, 2015), $350 (1Q, 2015))
Florida (78, 81): WASR 10/63: $700 ($700 (CA: $650 (45 Weeks)), $300 (4Q, 2014))
30-30 Winchester Lever Action Average Price: $400 Last Week Avg: $395 (+) ($489 (1Q, 2015), $296 (36 Weeks))
California (9, 8): Mossberg 464 SPX: $470 ($500 (31 Weeks), $180 (37 Weeks))
Texas (16, 20): Marlin 336: $350 ($550 (1Q, 2015), $300 (1Q, 2015))
Pennsylvania (21, 20): Winchester Model 94: $350 ($450 (1Q, 2015), $250 (4Q, 2014))
Virginia (7, 8): Marlin: $450 ($600 (3 Weeks)), $250 (14 Weeks))
Florida (28, 26): Marlin 336W: $380 ($500 (1Q, 2015), $250 (39 Weeks))
Pistols
.45 caliber ACP (M1911 Pattern Semiautomatic Pistol) Average Price: $455 Last Week Avg: $450 (+) ($500 (4 Weeks), $350 (22 Weeks))
California (152, 159): Rock Island Armory: $400 ($600 (1Q,2015), $300 (32 Weeks))
Texas (171, 175): Llama: $375 ($600 (4Q, 2014), $325 (28 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (122, 124): Regent R200SS: $550 ($550 (43 Weeks), $300 (38 Weeks))
Virginia (143, 126): American Tactical 1911: $500 ($575 (5 Weeks)), $250 (4Q, 2014))
Florida (282, 285): Taurus 1911: $450 ($500 (4 Weeks), $250 (1Q, 2015))
9mm (Beretta 92FS or other Semiautomatic) Average Price: $358 Last Week Avg: $309 (+) ($358 (CA: $336 (48 Weeks)), $268 (27 Weeks))
California (122, 114): Glock 17: $500 ($500 (CA: $450 (1Q, 2015)), $200 (17 Weeks))
Texas (178, 179): Kahr CW9: $340 ($355 (1Q, 2015), $200 (26 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (160, 166): Heritage Arms Stealth C1000: $225 ($350 (4Q 2014), $200 (33 Weeks))
Virginia (164, 153): Sig Sauer P250: $400 ($425 (10 Weeks)), $250 (33 Weeks))
Florida (297, 306): Smith & Wesson SD9VE: $325 ($375 (4Q, 2014), $220 (25 Weeks))
.40 caliber S&W (Glock or other semiautomatic) Average Price: $351 Last Week Avg: $361 (-) ($399 (8 Weeks), $293 (4 Weeks))
California (86, 82): Springfield XD40: $400 ($560 (8 Weeks)), $250 (4Q, 2014))
Texas (77, 79): Smith & Wesson M&P: $300 ($425 (4Q, 2014), $250 (12 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (60, 60): Smith & Wesson SW99: $300 ($350 (34 Weeks), $250 (1Q, 2015))
Virginia (57, 67): Sig Sauer P250: $425 ($450 (42 Weeks), $275 (1Q,2015))
Florida (126, 124): Smith & Wesson SD40: $330 ($400 (1Q, 2015), $200 (26 Weeks))
Used Gun of the Week: (North Carolina)
Mauser Chambered in .32ACP (7.65mm)
Chris Covert writes for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com and on Twitter