By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com
Three weeks after the Las Vegas massacre, I can safely say that whatever else is happening, neither ammunition nor rifle panic buying is taking place. Used rifle prices as a collective whole, however, and in regions other than the east coast appear to be wafting upward slowly. In Arizona and Texas I found only about three rifles total which were sub $500, and those were obviously gun dealers trying to sell their wares as private individuals.
In Pennsylvania, Virginia and Florida I found several rifles for private sale in the sub $500 range. I suspect that in those three states prices will slowly follow the trends set in Texas and Arizona. In other words, if the current trend holds out, rifle prices will recover in the short term to above $500 and may not return to pre August, 2017 levels in what's left of my lifetime.
More importantly and at least as pertinent, ammunition prices for the 5.56mm have returned to pre-July levels of $0.21 per round. A small caveat is that I track cheap ammo, where the Russians are beating everyone. Domestic ammunition may be another story, but as I have learned, even Russia tracks prices in America and adjust their prices accordingly. So, if more expensive domestic ammunition is decreasing, so will the Russian ammunition.
You will notice that under the heading of .223 55 grain ammunition, prices spiked upwards $0.02 per round two weeks ago, ten percent as I pointed out at the time. But what I didn't point out, and subsequently found out, is that the 5.56mm ammo dropped $0.02 the week before the massacre. The price spike in either case may not have anything at all to do with the shooting in Las Vegas.
Also, since the massacre, we have been seeing calls for tighter gun laws, which you would think would affect prices. That is because, as was pointed out by the NRA guy who managed to extract another $50 from me, two thirds of the US Senate were behind a Congressional Ban on slide/bump fire stocks, and in favor of tightening the federal gun laws even more.
If you visit Rantburg very often, you know I have been fisking new calls for more gun laws. Not just here, I have been arguing with Mobys on local Facebook pages claiming to be Life NRA members, that (quoting) "I am a Life Member and even I support more gun control laws."
To one individual, I suggested if he was a Life Member of NRA, he should resign his membership. I told him earlier that he was, in my estimation, a Fake NRA member. He didn't respond, except to tell to to go back to my mother's basement. You have to know me pretty well to understand how funny that was to me.
But that is what you have to do, if you love Liberty. Otherwise the f*ckers who want to transfer even more power to the government will have won.
You know. The Zhukovian Doctrine of Ceaseless Counterattacks.
A break in the intensity: (Profanity warning)
Loads
Rantburg's summary for arms and ammunition:
Pistol ammunition prices were mixed. Rifle ammunition prices were mostly steady.
Prices for used pistols were mixed. Prices for used rifles were mixed.
New Lows:
None
Pistol Ammunition
.45 Caliber, 230 Grain, From Last Week: +.01 Each After Unchanged (3 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Buds Gun Shop, Silver Bear, FMJ, Steel Casing, .22 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: East Carolina Trading, Own Brand, CRN, Brass Casing, Reloads, .21 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks))
.40 Caliber Smith & Wesson, 180 Grain, From Last Week: +.03 each
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Ammo Men, Mag Tech, FMJ, Brass Casing, .21 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: Ammo Valley, Own Brand, RNFP, Brass Casing, Reloads, .18 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (5 Weeks))
9mm Parabellum, 115 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (8 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Extreme Reloading, Own Brand, RN, Brass Casing, Reloads, .14 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: Fedarm, Own brand, RN, Brass Casing, Reloads .13 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks))
.357 Magnum, 158 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (4 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Outdoor Limited, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .23 per round
Cheapest Bulk: 1,000 rounds: Outdoor Limited, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .23 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (3Q, 2017))
.38 Special, 158 Grain, From Last Week: -.02 Each
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Outdoor Limited, Ten Ring, FMJ, Brass Casing .21 per round
Cheapest Bulk: 500 rounds: Ammo Valley, Own brand, TMJ, Aluminum Casing, Reloads, .23 per round (From Last Week: -.01 Each After Unchanged (9 Weeks))
Rifle Ammunition
.223 Caliber/5.56mm 55 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Ammo Men, Wolf WPA, FMJ, Steel Casing, .21 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: Outdoor Limited, Wolf WPA, FMJ, Steel Casing, .20 per round (From Last Week: -.01 Each After Unchanged (2 Weeks))
.308 NATO 150 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (3Q, 2017)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Outdoor Limited, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .32 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: Outdoor Limited, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .32 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (3Q, 2017))
7.62x39mm AK 123 Grain, From Last Week: -.02 Each
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Outdoor Limited, Wolf WPA, FMJ, Steel Casing, .19 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: True Caliber, Wolf WPA, Steel Casing, FMJ, .19 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (3Q, 2017))
.30-06 Springfield 145 Grain. From Last Week: Unchanged (3 Weeks)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Target Sports USA, Wolf WPA, Steel Casing, FMJ, .60 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: United Nations Ammo, Wolf WPA, Steel Casing, FMJ, .53 per round (From Last week: -.01 Each After Unchanged (1Q, 2017))
.300 Winchester Magnum 150 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (3 Weeks)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Ammo Liquidator, Winchester, Brass Casing, SP, .84 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Ammo Liquidator, Winchester, Brass Casing, SP, .82 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (7 Weeks))
.338 Lapua Magnum 250 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Red River Reloading, Federal Eagle, Brass Casing, JSP, 2.41 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 200 rounds (2 cases Max): Wholesale Hunter, Federal, Brass Casing, JSP, 2.51 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (3 Weeks)
.22 LR 40 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (2Q, 2017)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Ammo King, Aguila, RNL, .04 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: Ammo King, Aguila, RNL, .04 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (2Q, 2017))
Guns for Private Sale
Rifles
.223/5.56mm (AR Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $472 Last Week Avg: $475(-) ($616 (2Q, 2015), $387 (10 Weeks))
Arizona (201, 3Q, 2017(+3))(162, 166): Delton: $550 ($625 (9 Weeks)), $300 (8 Weeks))
Texas (484, 3Q, 2017(+3))(445, 450): Bushmaster: $500 ($700 (1Q, 2015), $350 (2Q, 2015))
Pennsylvania (249, 3Q, 2017(+6))(181, 196): Bushmaster Carbon 15: $475 ($700 (2Q, 2015), $300 (3Q, 2015))
Virginia (282, 3Q, 2017)(224, 237): Radical Firearms: $400 ($750 (1Q, 2015), $400 (19 Weeks))
Florida (679, 3Q, 2017)(482, 495): American Tactical Omni Hybrid: $435 ($650 (2Q, 2015), $380 (1Q, 2015))
.308 NATO (AR-10 Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $835 Last Week Avg: $834(+) ($1,359 (2Q, 2015), $766 (20 Weeks))
Arizona (49, 3Q, 2017(+6))(44, 42): DPMS Panther: $600 ($2,300 (19 Weeks), $500 (2 Weeks)))
Texas (178, 3Q, 2017)(97, 107): Diamondback DB10: $900 ($1,500 (4Q, 2014), $675 (7 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (54, 3Q, 2017)(42, 41): Armalite: $1,200 ($1,600 (50 Weeks), $700 (3Q, 2015))
Virginia (86, 3Q, 2017)(44, 54): Del Ton DT10: $750 ($2,750 (1Q, 2016), $750 (35 Weeks))
Florida (128, 3Q, 2017(+3))(98, 98): Palmetto State Armory: $725 ($1,950 (2Q, 1016), $500 (3Q, 2015))
7.62x39mm (AK Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $505 Last Week Avg: $595(-) ($668 (3Q, 2016), $450 (3Q, 2015))
Arizona (34, 3Q, 2017(+3))(30, 26): WASR 10: $575 ($900 (19 Weeks), $400 (24 Weeks))
Texas (141, 3Q, 2017)(91, 93): Zastava NPAP: $450 ($800 (1Q, 2016), $350 (3Q, 2014))
Pennsylvania (75, 3Q, 2017)(58, 58): CAI: $500 ($750 (1Q, 2015), $375 (1Q, 2015))
Virginia (72, 3Q, 2017)(61, 61): IO: $500 ($700 (2Q, 2016), $350 (1Q, 2015))
Florida (146, 3Q, 2017)(116, 114): Zastava M70: $500 ($700 (1Q, 2016), $300 (4Q, 2014))
30-30 Winchester Lever Action Average Price: $370 Last Week Avg: $351(+) ($495 (4Q, 2016), $296 (3Q, 2015))
Arizona (14, 3Q, 2017)(5, 6): Marlin 336: $350 ($500 (39 Weeks), $200 (24 Weeks))
Texas (33, 3Q, 2017)(27, 24): Marlin 336: $350 ($550 (1Q, 2015), $295 (23 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (23, 3Q, 2017)(12, 14): Marlin: $350 ($450 (1Q, 2015), $250 (4Q, 2014))
Virginia (19, 3Q, 2017(+3))(14, 15): Winchester Ranger: $400 ($670 (2Q, 2016), $250 (4Q, 2015))
Florida (34, 3Q, 2017)(30, 30): Marlin 336: $400 ($500 (1Q, 2015), $250 (2Q, 2015))
Pistols
.45 caliber ACP (M1911 Pattern Semiautomatic Pistol) Average Price: $480 Last Week Avg: $428(+) ($525 (3Q, 2016), $350 (4Q, 2015))
Arizona (134, 3Q, 2017(+5))(118, 123): Kimber 1911 Pro Carry II: $700 ($700 (23 Weeks)), $325 (9 Weeks))
Texas (361, 3Q, 2017 (+3))(277, 284): Taurus PT1911: $425 ($600 (4Q, 2014)), $300 (46 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (178, 3Q, 2017)(156, 163): Para Ordinance 1911 Expert: $400 ($600 (11 Weeks)), $300 (2Q, 2015))
Virginia (197, 3Q, 2017)(179, 183): Rock Island Armory: $425 ($775 (11 Weeks)), $250 (4Q, 2014))
Florida (440, 3Q, 2017)(371, 357): Taurus: $450 ($500 (1Q, 2016), $250 (1Q, 2015))
9mm (Beretta 92FS or other Semiautomatic) Average Price: $273 Last Week Avg: $285(-) ($358 (1Q, 2016), $207 (24 Weeks))
Arizona (238, 3Q, 2017)(224, 230): EAA SAR K2P: $280 ($400 (30 Weeks), $200 (14 Weeks))
Texas (586, 3Q, 2017(+3))(568, 570): EAA Tanfoglio Witness: $290 ($355 (1Q, 2015), $180 (10 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (368, 3Q, 2017)(340, 327): Taurus: $200 ($350 (4Q 2014), $150 (36 Weeks))
Virginia (351, 3Q, 2017(+4))(351, 347): Diamondback: $300 ($425 (4Q, 2016), $189 (2Q, 2016))
Florida (827, 3Q, 2017)(748, 740): Canik TP V2: $295 ($400 (1Q, 2016), $160 (24 Weeks))
.40 caliber S&W (Glock or other semiautomatic) Average Price: $301 Last Week Avg: $290(+) ($399 (1Q, 2016), $262 (2Q, 2016))
Arizona (77, 3Q, 2017(+2))(60, 64): Smith & Wesson: $280 ($500 (40 Weeks), $195 (20 Weeks))
Texas (156, 3Q, 2017(+2))(128, 130): Smith & Wesson SD40VE: $250 ($425 (4Q, 2014), $180 (3 Weeks)))
Pennsylvania (109, 3Q, 2017(+2))(111, 109): Walther PPS: $300 ($450 (2Q, 2016), $200 (3Q, 2016))
Virginia (109, 3Q, 2017(+4))(95, 97): Glock: $400 ($450 (2Q, 2015), $275 (1Q, 2015))
Florida (193, 3Q, 2017(+3))(172, 168): Ruger SR40: $275 ($400 (1Q, 2015), $199 (4Q, 2015))
Used Gun of the Week: (Texas)
Winchester XPR bolt-action chambered in 30-06 Springfield