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Went to the gun show this weekend not.loohing good any time soon!

.....and who do we blame !!!! OURSELVES....everytime a single far fetched conspiracy story hits the phone the HOARDERS AMONGST US run and start the shortage EVERYTIME, WE CAUSE OUR OWN PROBLEM...and as they say, GOOD FOR YA !!
Speak for yourself Frank. You can share the blame with the 1,000's of new gun owners and some other panic stricken individuals ala the Covid-19 pandemic crisis. I'm not in the blaming mood, so I didn't put your name in all caps.
I believe that most gun enthusiasts and reloaders (including members of this forum) did not hoard ammo and supplies, and we did not feed the flames and fury of high prices and shortages.
Can I get a second?
 
Robpiat,

The OP made the following statement: "One guy there is buying blank 223 to cut down to make 300 black out dangerous it's loaded ." Your assumption (and possibly the OP's assumption), is that 'someone' was going to try and make 300 BO directly from loaded blanks. An attorney would say: Facts not in evidence. It's a big jump to assume that. Isn't it much more likely that the 'someone' was buying 223 blanks to make 300 BO by simply firing the blanks and then cutting them down, resizing and then reloading them? The only danger here is making unsubstantiated assumptions about a process 'someone' intends to use to make 300 BO where we simply do not have enough information about it. Given the absence of the entire process to be used in making 300 BO, we cannot say whether it is dangerous or not.
 
While I don't find as many good deals anymore, I still find things. I found the exact M1 Carbine I was looking for at the last show I went to. It was also $400 cheaper than I expected.
 
I have actually heard from shop owners that attend gun shows state they increase prices for the show. Then drop back down when at the shop. It is no longer the gun shows where you can find a deal on the parts or hard to find items anymore.

You also have the freakshow selling an extremely over priced rifle that tells you this rifle was built in such and such shop. When you ask them for the name of the gunsmith they look at you crazy, because you may just happen to know some of those dudes. It is shameful...
Gun shows are for people who don't have Internet or have a strong desire to find one or two particular items and don't mind paying extra for it. When I say for people that don't have Internet, I'm not being sarcastic because there are still LOTS of people not connected because of their rural location or whatever. Add to this the number that DO have Internet and refuse to use a charge card online. Many, if not most of the vendors at gun shows in MS are pawn shops. HOWEVER, occasionally you will find an individual that has enough spare parts or inherits several guns from estates and decides to sell them. There is where you will find your deals. It is rare, but I have found a few over the years. Sometimes a shop owner will be more willing to deal come mid-afternoon of the last day of the show when faced with the possibility of hauling them back to the shop and having them collect dust for several more months. It depends on the popularity and time of year. This time of year would normally be a great time to approach small shop owners, BUT they probably aren't willing to do much dealing this year because people are paying whatever price. Many times, around tax time (now), you can offer a volume purchase on much of a small shop's carried over inventory and get some really great deals if they accept your offer. Just depends on whether they have the capital and assets to survive until the next busy season as to how ready to "deal" they are. It's easier this year because 1) The fall and winter of 2020 brought them record-breaking revenue, which if managed well, can carry them awhile if things dry up, and 2) Because 2021 Spring is poised to be one of the most money-making in history.

I see evidence that manufacturers are beginning to get on top of things somewhat in certain areas, but not all. There are rumors in the mill that the new administration is going to impose such high taxes on things like ammo, that people are trying to get ahead of that. Then there are those that grab everything they can find, not to hoard ot for themselves, but to sell it for 3x the price for the many that are willing to pay that. I had a man tell me last night that he was bidding on an auction for 1 pound of IMR 3031 that went for over $500. Heck, I could pay off my mortgage with the Reloader 26 and Vihtavuori N570 I found. That's insane. 1) I can't legally ship powder (unless it's loaded in cases). 2) I don't think I have the stomach to see it going for that kind of price. I guess if people have that kind of money to throw around, they may as well throw it my way, but I am just not going to demand it, and actually not going to part with what little I have. Guys that grab to make a profit are getting caught up with on a daily. I see markets for certain items evaporating quickly. Some of the high BC bullets that were selling for $150 - $200 a box 2 or 3 weeks ago, aren't hitting $60 now. Academy is limiting people to 2 boxes of ammo. Most of the online retailers have been doing so. You will eventually be able to find these coveted items for cheap as the resellers have to liquidate their stashes because they spent their entire retirement, tuition money, whatever to buy all the stuff to resell. That will hurt the retailers again. It's a vicious cycle, but the driving forces are fear and greed. I don't see the behavior changing, and I suspect that toward the fall, there will be another wave of panic buying for hunting season. If there so happens to be a major active shooter event anywhere, forget it. Things can recover if it stays like it is now, but me may well be 1 major active shooter event away from becoming the next Australia, South Africa, Canada, England, etc.
 
More and more powders are hitting the stores and online every day. Even primers are starting to pop up time to time. There was a high demand and the factories were not anticipating it. That's all. They are not going to rebuild the Hodgdon plants and double production size for a 6 month powder scare. Most of these powders are imported anyways, so one country having a crisis is not going to change a world wide industry. It will come back to normal when people stop panic buying.
This
 
Even rural CO is starting to get powder. I have 2 lbs waiting to pickup at a small town gun shop. I could of bought more but don't need it, so I don't. I wonder how that fits into the political conspiracy theories. I guess old Joe is funneling powder to only the states he won. I hear we all are getting a free AR for every household on 4/15 too.
 
I went to the gun show here in GA and it's not going to get better for May be the next four years . There was lots of ammo that was super high .Its funny it depends how popular a round is to how high it is .
Take 338 win mag it was like $45 before this it's about $65 now that's enough increase .Then look at 45 colt it was $25 for 50 now it's $200 for 50 .The regular old 3030 3006 and 270 that was $20 is now $60 a box of 20.Your regular box of 22 bulk pack that was $20 is now $125.
The more popular it is the higher it went .Its crazy and these gun shows and gunbroker are making the prices go shy high .These people have runners that get ammo in stores all over and have bots on their phones to buy out suppliers in 5 seconds some times .Thats why you can't get anything they are hording it and driving up the prices . Dang 9 mm new whole sale for 50 fmj is $99.99 and will be $200 at the store .Guns were crazy too ruger Americans were $600.Ar 15 were $1000 and more .The scary part there were tons of gang members buying tons of ammo and getting their girl friends to buy guns for them . It really hurts us with these prices . There is no way to go dove hunting any more or prarrie dog hunting or target shoot all day long .I bought three things at the gun show only bargins besides a win model 70 458 in perfict shape $950 and a browing eclipse 270 with a boss for $700 .I don't see normal comimg back .I am buying lead a bunch of it to cast bullets to be able to shoot any .I am not shooting up my jackets bullets .One guy there is buying blank 223 to cut down to make 300 black out dangerous it's loaded .I like swap meets between people best that way no high prices would like to see more here this is the best shooting forum I am on .
In MHO it is the hoarders that are driving the price of ammo by grabbing up as much as possible. I am not seeing a higher corresponding jump in the use of ammo at the local ranges. Certainly there are new shooters keeping the ranges busy, which is a good thing. But all the ammo getting bought is not immediately being used at once. So Supply & Demand economic theory kicks in and prices go up AKA the scalping you refer to. I just paid over $3 a round for some of Hornady's best ammo because I am going to need it if I do in fact get my next hunt planned and booked. Not happy about it, but I did not want to worry about it later. I did some digging around in the gun locker and found boxes of ammo that I had forgotten about. I am think about selling some to offset my other costs. If you really need some 338WM, let me know as I have extra...
 
The last gun show I went to 4 years ago had more cans of soup from Korean War than firearms. I had not been to one in quite a while and that one sealed the deal for me. Years ago you could find interesting items that you could use whether for gun cleaning, tools etc. Now its Samurai swords, 16" Bowie knives, bayonets, surplus military clothing that seen better days and MRE food I wouldn't feed to a coyote. Well maybe.

I have tried to support local gun shops for the last 10 years or so instead of buying on line as much as possible. The one shop I visit has a great sign: "If you think prices are better at the gun show, buy it there."

Give the local shop a chance to get what you need; sometimes they can find it faster for you. If they go down then we all go down.
 
Why is cutting down .223 to make .300BO dangerous? Honest question, I don't own a BO.
I thought that is how they were made before headstamped brass was available.
I think he's trying to say the 223 is blanks and they are loaded is he going to cut the crimp off the end I guess if it's loaded that would be dangerous
 
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