By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com
As mentioned last week, an Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms lawyer did an end run around a federal court order by pressing for a ruling via an ex parte hearing that gave the ATF everything they needed to conduct their raid in Oceanside, California last Saturday. Jackbooted Thugs of the ATF seized polymer 80 percent receivers they said were firearms, and then they took Ares Armory's customer list. By every legal standard, the ATF has officially registered firearms by force of arms, something that is against federal firearms policy if not the law itself.
Speaking of gun grabbing fascists, the Rhode Island legislature is seeking to revive a semiautomatic weapons ban as well as a "large capacity magazine" limit, hoping their program will be every bit as successful as Connecticut's.
New Jersey is toying with a 10 round magazine limit law.
Meanwhile in New York, gun registration is set to take place next month, and to show their approval, gun owners held a barbeque of registration forms. "Several hundred" "assault weapons" have been registered according to the linked article, but New York State cops estimated there are as many as 1.2 million "assault weapons" in New York.
Connecticut governor Daniel P. Malloy told a gun owner week before last Thursday that his side (gun owners) lost and the governor's side won. Oh Danny boy, your side is doing a bang up job, literally. Can't wait to see how you resolve the 82 percent of gun owners who have refused to register their firearms so your thugs with badges can "break down doors" and take them.
I will also be featuring in this column, when I find them, the best deals in 80 percent receivers. Also next week is the end of Q1, 2014, and we get to see how ammo prices fared over the previous quarter.
Loads.
Rantburg's summary for arms and ammunition:
Prices for pistol and rifle ammunition were mixed.
Prices for used pistols and used rifles were mixed.
Pistol Ammo
.45 Caliber, 230 grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (Unchanged two of previous three weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Goose Island Sales, Tulammo, steel cased, .33 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: Freedom Munitions, RN, reloaded, .34 per round (Unchanged four of last five weeks)
.40 Caliber Smith & Wesson, 180 grain, From Last Week: +.01 Each
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Munire USA, CCI-Speer, FMJ, .29 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Georgia Arms, Canned heat, reloaded, .29 per round (+.01 Each from last week)
9mm Parabellum, 115 grain, From Last Week: -.01 Each (+.07 over previous four of five weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Today's Ammo, Tula, Steel cased, .24 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Freedom Munitions, Store brand, reloaded, .23 per round (+.01 from previous week)
.357 Magnum, 158 grain, From Last Week: -.02 Each
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Bang it Ammo, Precision One, JHP, .47 per round
Cheapest Bulk: 250 Rounds: LAX Ammo, Store Brand, .39 per round (Unchanged from previous two weeks)
Rifle Ammunition
.223 Caliber/5.56mm 55 grain, From Last Week: +.01 Each
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Raleigh Tactical Supply, Tulammo, steel cased, .30 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: Ventura Munitions, Wolf, steel cased, .30 per round (Unchanged from previous week )
.308 NATO 145 grain, From Last Week: -.09 Each (-.19 over previous seven weeks (!))
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Ventura Muntions, Wolf, steel cased, .46 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: The Sportsman Guide, MFS, steel cased, .56 per round (Unchanged (four weeks))
7.62x39 AK 123 Grain, From Last Week: -.01 Each
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Alamo Ammo, Wolf, steel core and case, .25 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Wideners, Red Army Standard, steel core and case, .23 per round (Unchanged from Last week)
.22 LR 40 Grain, From Last Week: +.01 each (After -.06 Each previous three weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Ammofast, Aguila, .14 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: Outdoor Limited, Federal, .17 per round (Unchanged from previous week)
Guns for Private Sale
Rifles
.223/5.56mm (AR Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $767 Last Week Avg: $734 (+)
California: DPMS: $800
Texas: Advanced Tactical Imports: $650
New York: Palmetto State Armory: $900
Virgina: Bravo Company USA: $800
Florida: DPMS Panther Oracle: $685
.308 NATO (AR-10 Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $1,180 Last Week Avg: $1,125 (+)
California: Smith & Wesson M&P10: $1,320
Texas: DPMS LR308 (w/fluted bull barrel): $1,000 (!)
New York: None Available
Virginia: FN Defender 2000 SPM16: $1,100 (Same Gun)
Florida: DPMS LR308: $1,300
7.62x39mm (AK Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $738 Last Week Avg: $794 (-)
California: Saiga: $700
Texas: Romak: $750
New York: None Available
Virginia: Romak: $800
Florida: CAI Romak: $700
7.62x54mm (Dragunov Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $1,430 Last Week Avg: $1,267 (+)
California: Romak PSL: $1,689
Texas: Romak PSL: $1,200 (Same Gun)
New York: None
Virginia: None
Florida: Romak PSL: $1,400 (Same Gun)
Pistols
.45 caliber ACP (M1911 Pattern Semiautomatic Pistol) Average Price: $570 Last Week Avg: $586 (-)
California: Chiappa Citadel: $550
Texas: Rock Island Armory: $500
New York: Unknown: $550 (Same Gun)
Virginia: Remington R1 1911: $575
Florida: Remington R1 1911: $675
9mm Beretta 92FS or other Semiautomatic Average Price: $456 Last Week Avg: $475 (-)
California: Ruger P89: $400 (Prolly same gun)
Texas: Glock 19: $460
New York: Glock 26: $450
Virginia: Glock 19: $520
Florida: Glock 26: $450
.40 caliber S&W (Glock and other semiautomatic) Average Price: $477 Last Week Avg: $435 (+)
California: Glock 23: $500
Texas: Glock 22: $500
New York: Glock 23: $450
Virginia: Glock 27: $475
Florida: Glock 23: $460
AR 80 percent receivers
AR-15
Polymer: Texas, $109
Aluminum: (Anodized), California $95
AR-10
Aluminum (Raw Billet, not anodized) New York: $140
Aluminum (Anodized) $154
Used Gun of the Week: (From Wisconsin)
1902 Colt New Police 32 Chambered in .32 Long Colt
Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com and BorderlandBeat.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com