Can anyone explain why I can go buy 23,233 boxes of 20-25rd self defense cartridges, but we civilians are “restricted” from buying a 50 round box unless bought online? What is the mindset here? All of this bullshit nonsense is just pushing me further and further into the reloading world. I’ve checked all over town again today, and no dealer sells any 50 round boxes of decent SD rounds.
Even putting that aside, the fact they charge almost the same price for 20-25 rounds as LEO pays for 50 rounds is asinine.
Yes, I know, if I don’t like it I can buy online and have it shipped. You’re almost paying $2/rd if bought that way. How in the world is anyone supposed to really train with their carry ammo and see how well it functions in their CCW at $2 a pop?
All I want is a local shop to carry 50 round boxes of HST, GD, or Ranger T. It can’t be that difficult.
Your not restricted from anything. It s the gun shop that would rather sell you a 20 round box for the same price as a 50 round box so you’ll buy more. Only restricted round I can think of are the piercing 5.7 rounds.
Yep, it sucks, but isn’t good business? No, screwing over a customer is not good business. If said customer doesn’t know any better anyway, then the LGS will try to get away with it. People buy 20-25rounds of SD ammo all the time, if that quantity never sold, maybe things would change. I am reloading now so saving in practice ammo sometimes justifies a box of 20 to 25 SD ammo. Sometimes.
I understand what you’re saying, but “technically” we’re not supposed to be able to buy the 50 round boxes according to the manufactures. It’s through overruns and loopholes we even have the ability to buy them online.
Personally buying online the smarter option in my opinion and the price difference between buying some good SD ammo online as opposed to some local dealer is well worth it in my opinion.
I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’ve never seen Ranger or Gold Dots (.223) in anything but 20 round boxes regardless of the source. Handgun calibers are packaged in 50 round boxes.
Are you assuming that LE agencies are buying everything in 50rnd boxes? You’d be wrong about that. No magical 50 round box exists for LE agencies and no one else.
As to prices, its all relative as to volume. I’m sure the military pays even less per round due to the volume they buy in.
You can find deals where the seller will cut you a price break if you buy cases at a time. Imagine if you bought pallets at a time.
Pricing and packaging will vary by market, product, demand.
LE ammo usually flows through dealers and distributors who buy on different contracts and pricing schedules than your LGS. Even the smaller LE dealers with access to the LE lines will pay more. Agency customers don’t pay FET.
Packaging varies by individual customer, market, etc as well. There are many variations that are not commercially available or often seen. Various loads from ATK and Winchester have been available in 20, 30, and 50rd packaging, on strippers, bulk packed, in ammo cans, etc. Decide what you want, order the minimum quantity, and a manufacturer will package it any way you want.
Remember that most folks are gun owners, not shooters. They tend to buy far fewer rounds and buy by price. A 20rd box will cover a “sight in” and three deer seasons, a full magazine for their CCW pistol, most of a 30rd mag for their AR or AK, which they’ll fill the rest of with ball ammo. Manufacturers are simply meeting demand.
Actually, yes I would assume LEO only buys 50rd or bigger boxes of ammo. And if you read around, most 50rd boxes of SD ammo (Ranger, HST, etc) are not “supposed” to end up in the civilian market. That generally doesn’t work, but still yet. That is the manufactures “rule”.
I don’t know where you’re shopping online nor what calibers you’re talking about, but I just priced the above ammo in .45ACP at SGammo.com and a single box, with shipping, was less than $1/round.
By the 500 round case the cost is $0.65/round, give or take a nickel.
Back when we first started with the .40S&W 96D Berettas our duty ammo came packaged in 25 round boxes from Remington. Eventually these were replaced by 50 round boxes, and then other contractors were thrown into the mix, Winchester and Federal being two that come to mind. I still have some of the 25 round boxes as the original R40SW1 155gr .40 is my preferred carry load. For as long as I can remember our rifle ammo has come in 20 round boxes packed into 500 round cases, regardless of manufacturer.
I buy my ammo in bulk. When one local ammo specialty store has a special I buy there but for the most part my ammo comes from either Ammunition To Go or Palmetto State Armory, in 1,000-3,000 rounds at a pop.
Why would it even matter how ammunition is packaged? Again, I’ve never seen handgun ammo in anything other than 50 count boxes. Maybe bulk pack Federal in the 100 round boxes, but that is typically always FMJ, not defensive stuff.
Look, I understand wherever you’re located, there isn’t such thing as a 20/25 rd box of SD ammo. Where I am, and most of what I’ve seen, it’s all 20/25 rd boxes. I also understand its so far fetched you’re mind can’t grasp what I’m trying to convey, so I’m going to post a link showing examples of 20/25 round boxes.
Click on the link above, scroll through. Try not to get lost in the FMJ ammo, look specifically for SD ammo. Notice how many boxes are packaged with 20/25 rounds? That’s the only thing I can find locally. That was the point of this thread. I’ll sum it up again, the point of this thread is - “Why can I only find 50 rd boxes of quality SD handgun ammunition online and why do manufactures “restrict” sales of this ammunition to LEO?” (PS, again, I understand it’s not actually “restricted” but it is supposed to be)
If you need further assistance or links, I’ll be here all day.
I have a few hundred Ranger 45 in regular and +P .all was bought online in 50 rd boxes cheaper than anywhere around Me.
I stopped Buying ammo at the Local gun stores long ago the Mark up is crazy compared to what it would cost me to drive and pay their price and tax ,when I can have it shipped right to my door .
I have found 50 rd Boxes of Remington Hollow points at wally world at a better price than the gun stores .
Gun stores right now are making a killing and are just like drug dealers they name their own price and you pay extra for the good stuff;).
Buying online that is the best option cost wise where i am at . and the Only place I can find 50rds I never understood the whole 20 rd deal either CorBon does that with their package
I understand your frustration and I agree with the posters that state it is a business decision…its all about the mighty dollar. Just another way to rip off the consumer. Sometimes I wonder how these ‘bean counters’ can sleep at night from the evil ways they come up with new ideas on how to screw over customers and steal from our wallets. I am all for making a reasonable profit but most companies out there are not geared toward satisfying the public, only on making the most money they can.
If you don’t want to order online another option is to visit the next gun show in your area. There is bound to be an ammo dealer there that has what you are looking for in 50 rnd. boxes. That is where I generally get mine due to never knowing where I will be from one day to the next so it is hard for me to get ammo delivered.
Not sure what is up bp7178’s craw. I have lived all over the world and am currently living in the boonies so I am totally lost on where the heck bp7178 is at if he has never seen a box of 20 rnds. of pistol ammo. Hell I have some old Super-Vel 20 round boxes from eons ago and also have older boxes of 44 mag ammo HP that was only sold in 20 round boxes. Maybe he is just having a bad day and wants to argue. Might even be a heck of a guy but just not his day today.
While I’ve bought 25 round boxes of JHP ammo in the past, I haven’t had any difficulty buying 50 round boxes, either. I’m guessing it’s either your local store’s issue, or maybe a really backwards local ordinance. Can’t say I’ve ever heard of a manufacturer restricting box size for civs, at least not in my neck of the woods.
Bottom line, if your LGS is refusing to stock what you want to buy, vote with your wallet and go elsewhere. And make sure to tell them why you’re going.