At the last gun show I attended, on November 10, 2012 (two months ago as I write), I bought 420 rounds of Federal 62 grain, penetrator tipped, XM885, 5.56x45mm ammo, on stripper clips, packed into an ammo can. The total cost was $180 (maybe plus tax). I thought that price was fairly high. I needed it and bought it. Why did I pay what I thought was a somewhat high price? Because although the price was high, due to demand, it was not all that much higher than the price asked by anyone else, was in fact less expensive that what some were asking, and in fact was about the average going price based on then current prices that slowly had escalated over time over about the past 6 years. In other words it was just about the fair market value. I should have bought a full case, from that same dealer, he had them at $385!
Then we arrived at where we are now, ammo prices gone into the stratosphere because of panic buying and because of certain dealers taking advantage of the panic buying and then instituting what I believe are less than ethical price gouging practices. One of the companies that I believe has done this, in fact the one that has raised prices higher than any other company that I have seen raise prices is CheaperThanDirt.com.
While I already have decided not to buy from them again, I went to their site tonight, among others, while checking on availability of ammo and current pricing. I was surprised to see that CTD has the ammo I just mentioned above in stock (as I write). What should have also surprised me is the price they are asking for it but I guess it really comes as no surprise, to see what they are asking for this ammo, after seeing what I think was other price gouging on ammo by them. So what are they asking for an item for which I recently paid $180? They have a current price of $799.59 (as I write) plus shipping and they call it "Our Low Price"!
Imagine that, a $619.59 difference - wow. I could have bought 3.44 more of those same 420 round cans of ammo for just the difference in prices. If a price change like that, within a 2 month period, is not indicative of price gouging, well then - I guess I do not know what could be an indication of such! CheaperThanDirt can take some idiots money and right now but not my money, and not ever again my money. I am not telling you not to shop there, just letting you know why I am not. You can spend your money however you want to spend it.
Oh how I mourn that I did not buy a full case or two from the guy at the gun show.
All the best,
Glenn B
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