By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com
In the wake of the roundup of the usual suspects in the Bundy Ranch and the Malheur Wildlife Refuge stand offs, I just saw a group photo of a class of one of the more popular tactical trainers. Wearing balaclavas. A prudent choice given the state of rights for gun owners these days.
From Texas comes news that another 48 bikers present at the Waco massacre last spring have been indicted on conspiracy charges for engaging in organized criminal activity. A total of 154 are to be changed for their role, which at this point appears to be their mere presence in the cops' decision to gun down bikers. I wonder when the state will dispense with the pretense that prosecutors at the behest of their federal betters are using laws to simply attack people they don't like. The linked article says that lawyers are challenging the indictments.
The law has been weaponized.
Things have been awfully quiet from the fascists seeking to take your firearms. I won't get into the presidential candidates' proclivities for state action against its own citizens. There are too many unknowns in that discussion.
Harvard Business Review discusses getting gun manufacturers to bend to a gun control environment. Much of the discussion sounds like the old industrial policy debates we had back in the 1970s. Just a bunch of old socialists posing as common sense espousing fascists.
The advocates for industrial policy couldn't sell their ideas for something we know won't work, so it is hard to understand why they think their arguments would sell for tightening gun control.
All is not lost, however. SG Ammo finally has my 5.45x39 FMJ back in stock. All is right with the world, for this week at least.
Loads.
Rantburg's summary for arms and ammunition:
Prices for pistol ammunition were mostly unchanged, while prices for rifle ammunition were mixed.
Prices for used pistols and for used rifles were mixed.
Comparing prices with 4Q, 2015, ammunition prices were generally lower, especially the .223 Remington and the .308 NATO rounds.
New Lows:
None
Pistol Ammunition
.45 Caliber, 230 Grain, From Last Week: +.04 Each
(From Q4, 2015: .25 per round, -.01 Each)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Goose Island Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Cased, .24 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: Today's Ammo, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Cased, .24 per round (From Last week: Unchanged (2 Weeks))
.40 Caliber Smith & Wesson, 180 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (4 Weeks)
(From Q4, 2015: .22 per round, Unchanged)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Goose Island Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .22 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Freedom Ammunition, Mixed Bullets, Store brand, Brass, .22 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (1Q, 2016))
9mm Parabellum, 115 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (3 Weeks)
(From Q4, 2015: .18 per round, -.01 Each)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Ammo Texas, Store brand, FMJ, Reloads, .17 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: J&G Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .16 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (3 Weeks))
.357 Magnum, 158 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (3 weeks)
(From Q4, 2015: .26 per round, -.01 Each)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Goose Island Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .25 per round
Cheapest Bulk: 1,000 rounds: SG Ammo, 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 After Unchanged (3 Weeks)
(From Q4, 2015: .25 per round, -.04 Each)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Goose Island Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .21 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: LAX Ammunition, Tulammo, FMJ, steel casing, .22 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks))
.308 NATO 150 Grain, From Last Week: -.03 Each
(From Q4, 2015: .37 per round, -.03 Each)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Goose Island Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .34 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: LAX Ammunition, Tulammo, steel casing, FMJ, .34 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks))
7.62x39 AK 123 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks)
(From Q4, 2015: .23 per round, Unchanged)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Munire USA, Wolf Polyformance, steel case, FMJ, .23 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: SG Ammo, Wolf WPA, steel case, FMJ, .23 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (4 weeks))
.22 LR 40 Grain, From Last Week: +.01 Each After Unchanged (4 Weeks)
(From Q4, 2015: .08 per round, Unchanged)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Ammomen, Aguila, RNL .08 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds (2 Cases Max): Ammo Fast, Aguila, RNL, .07 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (5 Weeks))
Guns for Private Sale
Rifles
.223/5.56mm (AR Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $500 Last Week Avg: $585 (-) ($616 (49 Weeks), $476 (25 Weeks))
California (207, 186): DPMS: $500 ($650 (1Q,2015), $400 (29 Weeks))
Texas (249, 248): Mixed Build: $500 ($700 (1Q, 2015), $350 (50 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (114, 110): Smith & Wesson M&P15 Sport II : $450 ($700 (49 Weeks), $300 (37 Weeks))
Virginia (148, 138): Smith & Wesson M&P Sport: $550 ($750 (1Q, 2015), $480 (15 Weeks))
Florida (300, 299): Colt AR-15: $400 ($650 (39 Weeks), $380 (51 Weeks))
.308 NATO (AR-10 Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $936 Last Week Avg: $865 (+) ($1,359 (48 Weeks), $820 (24 Weeks))
California (47, 45): Palmetto State Armory: $950 ($1,700 (4Q, 2014), $850 (34 Weeks))
Texas (79, 79): DPMS Panther Oracle: $800 ($1,500 (4Q, 2014), $800 (33 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (24, 23): Armalite: $1,000 ($1,500 (1Q, 2015), $700 (26 Weeks))
Virginia (40, 37): DPMS: $850 ($2,750 (10 Weeks), $800 (21 Weeks))
Florida (52, 53): Palmetto State Armory: $1,100 ($1,500 (4Q, 2014), $500 (25 Weeks))
7.62x39mm (AK Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $550 Last Week Avg: $606 (-) ($626 (50 Weeks), $450 (35 Weeks))
California (46, 53): Zastava Opap: $725 ($725(CA: $700 (1Q, 2015)), $320 (4Q, 2014))
Texas (61, 58): WASR 10: $450 ($800 (11 Weeks), $350 (3Q, 2014))
Pennsylvania (42, 39): Zastava PAP: $500 ($750 (1Q, 2015), $375 (45 Weeks))
Virginia (37, 48): Romak: $650 ($650 (CA: $625 (1Q, 2015)), $350 (1Q, 2015))
Florida (79, 84): WASR 10: $600 ($700 (4 Weeks), $300 (4Q, 2014))
30-30 Winchester Lever Action Average Price: $371 Last Week Avg: $371(=) ($489 (1Q, 2015), $296 (38 Weeks))
California (13, 11): Winchester Model 94: $600 ($600 (CA: $500 (33 Weeks)), $180 (40 Weeks))
Texas (16, 18): Marlin 336: $350 ($550 (1Q, 2015), $300 (1Q, 2015))
Pennsylvania (22, 19): Marlin: $450 ($450 (1Q, 2015), $250 (4Q, 2014))
Virginia (11, 10): Winchester Model 94: $300 ($600 (6 Weeks)), $250 (17 Weeks))
Florida (22, 25): Mossberg 464: $385 ($500 (1Q, 2015), $250 (42 Weeks))
Pistols
.45 caliber ACP (M1911 Pattern Semiautomatic Pistol) Average Price: $441 Last Week Avg: $491 (-) ($500 (5 Weeks), $350 (23 Weeks))
California (154, 156): Rock Island Armory: $450 ($725 (3 Weeks), $300 (34 Weeks))
Texas (169, 160): Llama: $400 ($600 (4Q, 2014), $325 (31 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (122, 124): Regent 1911 R200SS: $550 ($550 (46 Weeks), $300 (41 Weeks))
Virginia (131, 132): Regent R200S: $500 ($575 (8 Weeks)), $250 (4Q, 2014))
Florida (268, 258): Llama: $375 ($500 (7 Weeks), $250 (1Q, 2015))
9mm (Beretta 92FS or other Semiautomatic) Average Price: $313 Last Week Avg: $320 (-) ($358 (3 Weeks), $268 (29 Weeks))
California (147, 122): Kahr CW9: $375 ($500 (4 Weeks), $200 (20 Weeks))
Texas (210, 179): Hi Point: $295 ($355 (1Q, 2015), $200 (29 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (181, 160): Heritage Arms Stealth C1000: $225 ($350 (4Q 2014), $200 (36 Weeks))
Virginia (160, 149): Ruger P85 MKII: $320 ($425 (13 Weeks)), $250 (36 Weeks))
Florida (331, 263): RUGER SR9: $400 ($400 (CA: $375 (4Q, 2014)), $220 (28 Weeks))
.40 caliber S&W (Glock or other semiautomatic) Average Price: $348 Last Week Avg: $340$ (+) ($399 (10 Weeks), $293 (6 Weeks))
California (90, 80): Ruger P94: $450 ($560 (11 Weeks)), $250 (4Q, 2014))
Texas (92, 90): FN Herstal S.A: $300 ($425 (4Q, 2014), $250 (15 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (68, 63): Sig Sauer P250F: $350 ($350 (37 Weeks), $250 (1Q, 2015))
Virginia (54, 57): Smith & Wesson SD 40VE: $350 ($450 (45 Weeks), $275 (1Q,2015))
Florida (125, 131): Smith & Wesson SD40: $275 ($400 (1Q, 2015), $200 (29 Weeks))
Used Gun of the Week: (Pennsylvania)
Savage 9317 Chambered in .17 HMR
Chris Covert writes for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com and on Twitter