I don’t know which forum this should go in so I went to general.
When I started shooting a lot Wal-Mart’s value pack of 9mm was about eight bucks. About two-three months ago it shot up to $11.xx. Then this week my wife picked up a few boxes for me and they were over $14 each! What is up with that?
Where do you guys get your ammo? Specifically, relatively decent 9mm ball for training only (like WWB).
Thanks,
Striker5
The increase in WWB pricing has been happening across the country for a couple of weeks now.
As far as sources, I buy whatever I can from whomever has the best price whenever I need the ammo.
I have to get 8,000 rounds of 9mm by May for a training class, and it is going to half kill me. I will be grabbing the best price I can find whenever I can find them. It takes some time and effort but there’s really no alternative.
Have you seen the price of raw materials? Brass, copper, steel, you name it has all risen. Saw on the news a dollar worth of pennies is actually worth 2$ now. Provided you are using pennies made prior to 1978 which are all copper as opposed to the ones now which have zinc in them.
I remember WWB VPs going up from $10.96 to $11.34 in January of 2005. They went up again last year to $12-something. I’ve been told they went up to $14 now, but I haven’t bought ammo since December.
J_W,
The best ammo price I’ve found for 9mm is Natchez Shooting Supply. They have Blazer for $5.99/50, which beats Wal-Mart’s price last year, at least.
It’s not gouging if everyone has been forced to raise prices. I’m no raw metals buyer, but for the last six months I’ve been hearing of the rising cost of raw materials and forewarned of the price increases. I’ve tried to buy here and there as finances would permit. I even switched from .45 ACP to 9mm this year in IDPA just for the sake of economics (as well as I’ve been shooting CDP for about 7 years straight.) The cost differential just paid for the new M&P. 
I’ve recently hit various Wal-Marts in VA and even NC just to get it while I could because in the city, the Wal-Marts just can’t seem to keep it on the shelf. (It’s apparently a New Year’s commodity for some miscreants) I went to Wally World on Tuesday of last week, passed on 19 boxes of 9mm 'cause I just didn’t “need” them. I have never seen 19 boxes in one Wal-Mart at one time ever but went back on Saturday of last week and the price had gone from $12.88/100 to $14.56/100. Needless to say, I was pissed and now have those 19 boxes of 9mm in spite of not saving $40 bucks. Durn. . . .
Point is, unless you plan on getting into reloading, shop around. I guarantee Wal-Mart’s WWB cash-and-carry is as inexpensive as anywhere else you’re going to find for the 115 gr 9mm. Just be glad you’re not enrolled in a class requiring 4,000 rds of .45 ACP. Ouch!!! Ammo is just getting to the point where I’m even considering purchasing some Wolf. :eek:
So, don’t fret the fact that prices aren’t what they used to be. There’s nothing we can do to change that. Just be glad the #1 retailer in the country still carries stuff we want. They haven’t done me wrong to this point, and if I can get what I want at a competetive cost without having to wait for it to be delivered to my front door, even better. And it won’t hurt to save those pennies made prior to 1978 either.
-Boris