Sorry. Had to Work. Saturday Edition
By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com
No question the BATF's dictum that M855 5.56mm ammunition was actually armor piercing, has spiked prices at the least in the short term for .223 as well as for .308 ammunition. .223 ammunition has increased by almost 30 percent in two weeks. If this was the intended effect, then it worked.
As I understand it, there are only two types of .223/5.56mm ammunition commercially available anyway. The main categories are the rounds you buy off the shelf at stores in brass or steel casings, and the military surplus which has been banned. I am certain there are others I am not aware of, but those are the main categories. The government also quit selling used brass last year. If the government imposes a ban on the surplus ammunition, and brass is unavailable except in new manufacture, then that leaves only commercially available ammunition. If you have tried to take some of your own steel cased ammunition to an indoor gun range, then you know those types are banned as well, even if they are lead core. A de facto ban on some sectors of both categories of ammunition.
As an aside, the M855 ban went into effect well before it was announced for the comments period.
Last Monday, government weasels got a federal judge to order a ban on open carry anywhere on federal property. The protesters in Spokane went anyway on Friday. No one was arrested. Not sure what will happen next, but when a Mandarin signs a court order that bans a practice legal in the state it has been imposed, a problem exists.
Speaking of which, a US district judge was shot in an attempted Detroit home invasion Friday.
Fascists, with all their heavily armed thug cops around, want something done about "ghost guns". "Ghost guns" are rifles, usually AR and AK types, which have been assembled from a kit using a receiver that is 80 percent or less complete. The government rules on those receivers are draconian and unnecessary. Fascists will tell you they are unregulated, when in fact they are heavily regulated. They will tell you because it makes crime easier to solve, except that serializing guns makes it easier for the government to identify owners, not to solve crime. As it is, and it has been reported everywhere else, "ghost guns" are not usually used in crime anyway.
Lastly, an indication of how stupid your Republican legislator thinks you are: Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner wants to dismantle the ATF. How about dismantling the Firearms Control Act of 1933 and so on?
Loads.
Rantburg's summary for arms and ammunition:
Prices for rifle ammunition were mostly higher while prices for pistol ammunition were mixed.
Prices for used rifles were mixed while prices for used pistols were lower across the board.
Pistol Ammunition
.45 Caliber, 230 grain, From Last Week: +.01 Each
Cheapest, 50 rounds: LAX Ammunition, 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: -.02 Each After Unchanged (2 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: I.Q. metals, HSM, FMJ, reloads, .24 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: LAX Ammunition, Store brand, reloads, .24 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged)
9mm Parabellum, 115 grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (4Q, 2014)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: SG Ammo, Wolf WPA, Steel Cased, FMJ, .20 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Selway Armory, Northern Hill Precision, Reloads, FMJ, .19 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (3 Weeks))
.357 Magnum, 158 grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (4 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Outdoor Unlimited, Prvi Partizan, FMJ, .37 per round
Cheapest Bulk: 250 Rounds: LAX Ammunition, store brand, Bulk, FMJ, .36 per round (From Last Week: +.02 Each)
Rifle Ammunition
.223 Caliber/5.56mm 55 grain, From Last Week: +.03 Each
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Able's, Brown Bear, steel cased, FMJ, .30 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: Sportsman Guide, Wolf WPA, steel cased, .28 per round (From Last Week: +.02 Each)
.308 NATO 145 grain, From Last Week: +.07 (!) Each After Unchanged (3Q, 2014)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Munire USA, Brown Bear, steel cased, .48 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: SG Ammo, Wolf WPA, steel cased, .48 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged)
7.62x39 AK 123 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Bellagio Security, Unknown Brand, steel case, .24 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,080 rounds: Lucky Gunner, Wolf WPA, steel case, .24 per round (From Last Week: +.02 After Unchanged (2 Weeks))
.22 LR 40 Grain, From Last Week: +.01 Each
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Ammo Fast, Aguilar, RNL, .11 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 2,500 rounds: Bang It Ammo, Cascade Cartridge, RNL, .11 per round (From Last Week: +.01 Each)
Guns for Private Sale
Rifles
.223/5.56mm (AR Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $556 Last Week Avg: $556 (=) ($600 (18 Weeks), $515 (4 Weeks))
California (211, 212): Palmetto State Armory: $600 ($650 (7 Weeks), $425 (10 Weeks))
Texas (248, 245): Smith & Wesson M&P 15 Sport: $480 ($675 (7 Weeks), $450 (221 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (129, 144): Palmetto State Armory: $500 ($600 (21 Weeks), $490 (11 Weeks))
Virginia (198, 210): DPMS Oracle: $700 ($700 (4 Weeks), $500 (5 Weeks))
Florida (323, 313): Smith & Wesson M&P15: $500 ($600 (3 Weeks), $450 (19 Weeks))
.308 NATO (AR-10 Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $1,209 Last Week Avg: $1,200 (+) ($1,209, $953 (18 Weeks))
California (38, 44): Noreen AR10: $1,350 ($1,700 (12 Weeks)), $1,000 (13 Weeks))
Texas (49, 58): Armalite AR-10: $1,395 ($1,500 (15 Weeks), $900 (20 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (31, 35): Bushmaster: $900 ($1,100 (19 Weeks), $800 (8 Weeks))
Virginia (38, 37): Bushmaster: $1,450 ($1,450 (3 Weeks), $900 (16 Weeks))
Florida (51, 49): Rock River Arms: $950 ($1,500 (16 Weeks), $750 (5 Weeks))
7.62x39mm (AK Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $567 Last Week Avg: $626 (-) ($626 (2 Weeks), $462 (15 Weeks))
California (50, 50): IO: $600 ($695 (15 Weeks), $320 (10 Weeks))
Texas (45, 42): Npap AK-47 (Srbska): $635 ($699 (4 Weeks), $350 (17 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (54, 63): CAI Yugo M70 (Underfolder): $575 ($750 (5 Weeks), $450 (18 Weeks))
Virginia (62, 60): VZ2008: $525 ($625 (3 Weeks), $350 (5 Weeks))
Florida (98, 92): Romak: $500 ($625 (3 Weeks), $300 (15 Weeks))
30-30 Winchester Lever Action Average Price: $415 Last Week Avg: $390 (+) ($489 (8 Weeks), $320 (7 Weeks))
California (11, 14): Marlin 336 W: $400 ($400 (8 Weeks), $375 (10 Weeks))
Texas (13, 12): Winchester Model 1894: $400 ($550 (5 Weeks), $300 (9 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (12, 13): Marlin 336: $350 ($450 (5 Weeks), $250 (10 Weeks))
Virginia (6, 6): Marlin Model 30AS: $425 ($425 (6 Weeks), $350 (7 Weeks))
Florida (19, 21): Winchester Model 94: $500 ($500, $300 (8 Weeks))
Pistols
.45 caliber ACP (M1911 Pattern Semiautomatic Pistol) Average Price: $360 Last Week Avg: $390 (-) ($450 (10 Weeks), $360)
California (147, 159): Thompson Auto Ordance 1911: $400 ($600 (4 Weeks), $350 (15 Weeks))
Texas (170, 170): Rock Island Armory: $400 ($600 (15 Weeks), $350 (2 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (123, 153): Regent Arms 1911: $350 ($525 (11 Weeks), $325 (13 Weeks))
Virginia (155, 151): Rock Island Armory: $400 ($495 (7 Weeks), $250 (12 Weeks))
Florida (323, 316): Cimarron 1911: $250 ($450 (5 Weeks), $250)
9mm (Beretta 92FS or other Semiautomatic) Average Price: $305 Last Week Avg: $336 (-) ($336 (2 Weeks), $286 (7 Weeks))
California (156, 167): Smith & Wesson SW9VE: $300 ($450 (4 Weeks), $250 (9 Weeks))
Texas (205, 226): EAA Witness: $350 ($355 (3 Weeks), $235 (11 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (240, 246): Ruger P95 (Stainless): $300 ($350 (20 Weeks), $275 (7 Weeks))
Virginia (173, 181): Ruger P95: $275 ($350 (21 Weeks), $275 (16 weeks))
Florida (377, 368): Springfield XD9: $300 ($375 (12 Weeks), $270 (13 Weeks))
.40 caliber S&W (Glock or other semiautomatic) Average Price: $335 Last Week Avg: $343 (-) ($345 (17 Weeks), $300 (19 Weeks))
California (69, 89): Smith & Wesson SW40VE: $300 ($350 (22 Weeks), $250 (9 Weeks))
Texas (82, 100): Smith & Wesson SD40VE: $350 ($425 (15 Weeks), $300 (21 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (96, 110): Glock 27: $250 ($340 (17 Weeks), $250 (4 Weeks)
Virginia (76, 82): Glock 22: $375 ($450 (12 Weeks), $275 (8 Weeks))
Florida (132, 152): Stoeger: $400 ($400 (3 Weeks), $275 (18 Weeks))
Used Gun of the Week: (Georgia)
FN Herstal SCAR 16S Chambered in 5.56mm
Chris Covert writes for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com