By Chris Covert
Ranturg.com
The big news this week in the government's drive to turn us all into serfs is the news that M855 and SS109 5.56x45mm rounds have been banned because they are considered armor piercing. We must, so the logic goes, stop any threat to the body armor of cops and soldiers. Someone remarked that not a lot of hue and cry went up when the Russian 5.45x45 7N6 round was banned as armor piercing so, confident, the ATF banned a commonly used round. It is looking a lot like at least one effect may have been a jump in prices in many classes of ammunition, even pistol rounds. Maybe prices were poised to jump anyway, dunno.
One of the possible problems is that the ATF violated the law when the ban was imposed by failing to follow procedures laid out in the 1946 Administrative Procedures Act, especially in the area of proper notification.
And in the comedy category, an anti gun rights lawyer was busted for attempting to carry a gun on board an aircraft at Cleveland Hopkins Airport. My best guess is that David Malik will be prosecuted under the David Gregory protocol. That means not at all.
Dunno which is worse. Violating the law and skipping punishment, or being busted in Cleveland.
Remarks Michael Bloomberg made on using racial profiling as a criteria of banning guns will not be made available. According to the press, "representatives of Michael Bloomberg" stopped release of the remarks. "Representatives" prolly having the face of Benjamin Franklin, in unmarked bills.
Loads.
Rantburg's summary for arms and ammunition:
Ammunition prices in some classes have jumped, and prices for all classes of rifles have jumped quite a bit week over week. It will be interesting to see by the end of this quarter where prices will be, compared to the previous quarter.
You can see how used gun prices have behaved by looking at the main heading and seeing the average price (how many weeks ago that average was reached) and then prices from the previous week. The report for Q4, 2014 will be out on April 4th.
Prices for rifle ammunition and pistol ammunition were mixed. It should be noted that prices for some classes of pistol ammunition have suddenly shifted upward, some by as much as 25 percent. This after being steady since as far back as Q3, 2014.
Prices for used rifles were higher across the board, while prices for used pistols were mixed.
Pistol Ammunition
.45 Caliber, 230 grain, From Last Week: +.01 Each
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Munire USA, Tulammo, Steel cased, .28 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: LAX Ammunition, Tulammo, steel cased, .28 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (4Q, 2014))
.40 Caliber Smith & Wesson, 180 grain, From Last Week: +.06 Each
Cheapest, 50 rounds: SOWW Armory, Summit, FMJ, reloads, .26 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: IQ Metals, HSM, reloads, .23 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (4 Weeks))
9mm Parabellum, 115 grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (10 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: SG Ammo, Wolf WPA, Steel Cased, FMJ, .20 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: The American Marksman, Reloads, FMJ, .19 per round (From Last Week: +.01 Each After Unchanged (4Q, 2014))
.357 Magnum, 158 grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (3 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Outdoor Unlimited, Prvi Partizan, FMJ, .35 per round
Cheapest Bulk: 1,000 Rounds: SG Ammo, store brand, Bulk, FMJ, .38 per round (From Last Week: +.04 Each)
Rifle Ammunition
.223 Caliber/5.56mm 55 grain, From Last Week: +.01 Each After Unchanged (4Q, 2014)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Natchex Shooters Supplies, Tulammo, steel cased, FMJ, .24 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: SG Ammo, Wolf WPA, steel cased, .23 per round (From Last Week: +.02 Each)
.308 NATO 145 grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (3Q, 2014)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Cheaper Than Dirt, Silver Bear, steel cased, .41 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: SG Ammo, Silver Bear, steel cased, .45 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (3Q, 2014))
7.62x39 AK 123 Grain, From Last Week: +.02 each After Unchanged (3Q, 2014)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Ammunition to Go, Wolf WPA, steel case, .24 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: SG Ammo, Wolf Polyformance, steel case, .22 per round (From Last Week: +.01 Each)
.22 LR 40 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Ammomen, Remington Thunderbolt, RNL, .08 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 325 rounds: Outdoor Unlimited, Federal Automatch, .10 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (3 Weeks))
Guns for Private Sale
Rifles
.223/5.56mm (AR Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $599 Last Week Avg: $560 (+) ($600 (16 Weeks), $515 (2 Weeks))
California (230, 222): Palmetto State Armory: $600 ($650 (5 Weeks), $425 (8 Weeks))
Texas (268, 260): Smith & Wesson: $600 ($675 (5 Weeks), $450 (20 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (142, 145): Palmetto State Armory: $500 ($600 (19 Weeks), $490 (9 Weeks))
Virginia (206, 217): Palmetto State Armory: $695 ($700 (2 Weeks), $500 (3 Weeks))
Florida (324, 319): Smith & Wesson: $600 ($600, $450 (17 Weeks))
.308 NATO (AR-10 Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $1,140 Last Week Avg: $1,034 (+) ($1,158 (11 Weeks), $953 (16 Weeks))
California (44, 45): Noreen AR15: $1,350 ($1,700 (10 Weeks)), $1,000 (11 Weeks))
Texas (54, 53): DPMS LR308: $1,000 ($1,500 (13 Weeks), $900 (17 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (34, 39): DPMS Sportical: $800 (!) ($1,100 (17 Weeks), $800 (6 Weeks))
Virginia (37, 38): Bushmaster: $1,450 ($1,450, $900 (14 Weeks))
Florida (47, 49): Mixed Build: $1,100 ($1,500 (14 Weeks), $750 (3 Weeks))
7.62x39mm (AK Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $649 Last Week Avg: $580 (+) ($569 (12 Weeks), $462 (13 Weeks))
California (50, 50): Saiga: $600 ($695 (13 Weeks), $320 (8 Weeks))
Texas (50, 49): Saiga: $699 ($699 (2 Weeks), $350 (15 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (57, 56): Norinco MAK 90: $695 ($750 (3 Weeks), $450 (16 Weeks))
Virginia (61, 71): CAI (Under Folder): $625 ($625, $350 (3 Weeks))
Florida (85, 93): WASR: $625 ($625, $300 (13 Weeks))
30-30 Winchester Lever Action Average Price: $425 Last Week Avg: $415 (+) ($489 (6 Weeks), $320 (5 Weeks))
California (14, 12): Mossberg 464: $400 ($400 (6 Weeks), $375 (8 Weeks))
Texas (14, 15): Winchester model 94: $525 ($550 (3 Weeks), $300 (7 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (11, 10): Winchester Model 94AE: $450 ($450 (2 Weeks), $250 (7 Weeks))
Virginia (5, 5): Marlin Model 30AS: $425 ($425 (4 Weeks), $350 (7 Weeks))
Florida (21, 17): Glenfield Mod 30A: $325 ($475 (2 Weeks), $300 (6 Weeks))
Pistols
.45 caliber ACP (M1911 Pattern Semiautomatic Pistol) Average Price: $427 Last Week Avg: $427 (=) ($450 (8 Weeks), $370 (7 Weeks))
California (159, 177): Thompson Auto Ordance 1911: $400 ($600 (3 Weeks), $350 (14 Weeks))
Texas (162, 167): Springfield: $450 ($600 (13 Weeks), $375 (16 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (168, 174): Tisas 1911 (Stainless): $450 ($525 (9 Weeks), $325 (11 Weeks))
Virginia (150, 139): Rock Island Armory: $385 ($495 (5 Weeks), $250 (10 Weeks))
Florida (304, 305): Para Ordnance (Stainless): $450 ($450 (3 Weeks), $350 (19 Weeks))
9mm (Beretta 92FS or other Semiautomatic) Average Price: $315 Last Week Avg: $340 (-) ($335 (15 Weeks), $286 (5 Weeks))
California (167, 177): Ruger P89: $300 ($450 (2 Weeks), $250 (7 Weeks))
Texas (229, 231): Glock 34: $355 ($355, $235 (9 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (237, 242): EAA SAR B6P: $320 ($350 (18 Weeks), $275 (5 Weeks))
Virginia (183, 187): Smith & Wesson SD9VE: $300 ($350 (19 Weeks), $275 (14 weeks))
Florida (382, 390): Ruger P95: $300 ($375 (10 Weeks), $270 (11 Weeks))
.40 caliber S&W (Glock or other semiautomatic) Average Price: $333 Last Week Avg: $320 (+) ($345 (15 Weeks), $300 (17 Weeks))
California (96, 91): Smith & Wesson SD40VE: $300 ($350 (20 Weeks), $250 (7 Weeks))
Texas (110, 110): Smith & Wesson SD40: $340 ($425 (13 Weeks), $300 (19 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (124, 122): Glock 27: $250 ($340 (15 Weeks), $250 (2 Weeks)
Virginia (89, 91): Glock 22: $375 ($450 (10 Weeks), $275 (6 Weeks))
Florida (178, 183): Stoeger: $400 ($400, $275 (16 Weeks))
Used Gun of the Week: (Wisconsin)
1906 M91 Mosin Nagant Chambered in 7.62x54R
Chris Covert writes for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com