Anybody else notice the price of ammo keeps creeping up lately?

[echo1]

I've noticed as an observer, the ammo increases. I did happen to score on some scarce calibers from an LGS and a forum member. 200 gr 35 Rem (30 new no box) and 139gr 7X57 (100 NIB) @ a buck/roud and from the forum guy 100 rds of 200gr .35Rem NIB for $1.20/rd. Fantastic prices. While I was working in Idaho since 2019. I picked up .41mag as I found it too. PAX

 

[mblat1968]

Fortunately I have bought quite a bit during periods it can be shipped directly.
I also have some for sale (shameless self promotion )

 

[NedSled]

I've been eyeing some 9mm just to top off my stash. I think it's been pretty stable for awhile. But obviously 9mm is not rare or exotic. I just bought some from BassPro, which, actually had the lowest prices out of the vendors I typically scout out (BP, Outdoor Limited, Midway, Brownells) for the minimum quality ammo I'm willing to use (Armscor or CCI), not counting steel case, which the range I go to does not allow.

I find BP to be overall the best deal for qtys around 1000 of "basic" ammo; typically comes out cheaper once you factor in FFL fees and what-not.

Maybe if SGAmmo was still shipping here it would be different but they don't.

 

[compshell]

Powder per bullet is .02-.03 per lb. for 9mm. More for ,45 and .556 ( 24.4 gns)

There are still sales and it pays to buy 8 lbs at a time. I am afraid that primers are going to become scarce because of the war effort like they did at the beginning of the Ukraine conflict. I still have scored some decent powders in bulk at $38 a lb with no hazmat or free shipping. I got a crazy price on Vito Vuori N320 and grabbed 4 lbs. I've seen 8lbs of 231 for 300 very recently.

I was told before the last shortage to always have a few years worth of components. I've kept primers and powders at 4 year supplies. There never seems to be a projectile shortage and you can get good deals on sales. I would never buy locally.

I try to have at least 24K small pistol primers. 5-6000 small rifle and 2000 large pistol.

I'm still loading 9mm for .14-17 cents a round. Summit City, Blue bullets or Precision Delta. All run sales. Just got a good deal on 147 gn projectiles from Summit, 16% off , free shipping. I think it was .09 cents a projectile with shipping. If you order 2600 from Summit, it's free shipping always. A lot of sites sell pulled bullets or seconds. They are fine for practice.
.09 + .03+ .06 =.18 cents for a 147 grain bullet. You can't buy for anything close that. 124 grain and 115 are even less.

Before I started reloading I bought 10k of 22lr and since I've reloaded I never touch it.

Like I said- it’s almost not worth it-

You didn’t factor in the cost of the case or at least first case and your time/effort. You are 20 cpr with subpar powders and projectiles(spending time scouring the internet for deals). Reloading 9 isn’t worth it for me even at 18cpr. , Think big like 30 cal- 50cal loads.

 

[Deleted member 16735]

Like I said- it’s almost not worth it-

You didn’t factor in the cost of the case or at least first case and your time/effort. You are 20 cpr with subpar powders and projectiles(spending time scouring the internet for deals). Reloading 9 isn’t worth it for me even at 18cpr. , Think big like 30 cal- 50cal loads.

it's not subpar though, I load better rounds than factory, they are customized for each gun i.e. my PCC is different bullet weight and powder than for my pistol. It's literally half price, I don't mind the labor so it's worth it to me. If you don't shoot much it doesn't matter but 1000-2000 rounds a month makes it make more sense. you pay for your equipment in a year.

 

[millenialshooter83]

Speaking of PCC, is there a brass catcher for it? If this shortage means larger price increases for factory 9mm, I may have to consider this platform and start reloading lol. I know AR15's have them.

 

[Deleted member 16735]

Speaking of PCC, is there a brass catcher for it? If this shortage means larger price increases for factory 9mm, I may have to consider this platform and start reloading lol. I know AR15's have them.

the one I have has a little piece you put on the picatinny rail and the catcher locks into that so you can use it for either platform. I only use it on my 22 Arc though I just pick up the pcc brass off the floor as I don't care if I lose a few

 

[Bobalover209]

Wow, I just looked. I paid .34 per rd for Federal American Eagle 380 ACP 95 grain February 15th. Now I wish I had ordered more!

TS is always coming in and out of stock quickly, recommend the text alerts if there's something you really want.

Yeah I normally stock up enough for a year to weather through shortages, and order however much I need per range trip. But with prices as low as they were and seeing them shoot up I should have just stocked up enough to last longer.

Last September I got a case of .380 blazer aluminum for 25 cpr, kicking myself for not getting more. Text alerts are a good idea.

My working theory on why .380 is affected more is the rise of its popularity in pocket pistols/subcompacts, paired with the lower supply compared to 9mm and increased destability we are seeing throughout the country.

 

[Joker67]

Like I said- it’s almost not worth it-

You didn’t factor in the cost of the case or at least first case and your time/effort. You are 20 cpr with subpar powders and projectiles(spending time scouring the internet for deals). Reloading 9 isn’t worth it for me even at 18cpr. , Think big like 30 cal- 50cal loads.

I don’t buy brass. If I go to a carbine class or multi gun practice I walk away with all the rifle brass I need. I shoot at two different clubs and have 10 gallons of 9mm brass at any given time. All free. I save 2 gallons of Federal for matches .

I don’t search for deals . It’s 2026. People post deals to the Discord server, I choose what products I want to be notified about. Discord automatically notifies me when a deal posts. As I’ve bought over time , I sign up to mailing lists from suppliers for what I like to buy. I get sale emails daily. No searching . The hardest part is deleting the emails and notifications.


9 mm is closer to .35-.40 cents a round with shipping , hazmat , California taxes and FFL charges. That’s double my cost and I can reload 300 rounds an hour on a Dillon.

H335 is not a subpar powder. Neither is Titegrouo, N320 , Win 231 or 700X ( for .45 ACP)

For matches I shoot Precision Delta. Not a low quality round. Neither are Blue Bullets.

No interest in .30 cal or .50 cal. Serves no practical purpose for me. I like Action /Practical shooting and Defensive shooting . Pistol / Carbine/ Defensive Shotgun. I shot 200 rounds a week all through Covid when 9mm hit .80 cents a round if you could find it .

 

[Skilly]

I don’t buy brass. If I go to a carbine class or multi gun practice I walk away with all the rifle brass I need. I shoot at two different clubs and have 10 gallons of 9mm brass at any given time. All free. I save 2 gallons of Federal for matches .

I don’t search for deals . It’s 2026. People post deals to the Discord server, I choose what products I want to be notified about. Discord automatically notifies me when a deal posts. As I’ve bought over time , I sign up to mailing lists from suppliers for what I like to buy. I get sale emails daily. No searching . The hardest part is deleting the emails and notifications.


9 mm is closer to .35-.40 cents a round with shipping , hazmat , California taxes and FFL charges. That’s double my cost and I can reload 300 rounds an hour on a Dillon.

H335 is not a subpar powder. Neither is Titegrouo, N320 , Win 231 or 700X ( for .45 ACP)

For matches I shoot Precision Delta. Not a low quality round. Neither are Blue Bullets.

No interest in .30 cal or .50 cal. Serves no practical purpose for me. I like Action /Practical shooting and Defensive shooting . Pistol / Carbine/ Defensive Shotgun. I shot 200 rounds a week all through Covid when 9mm hit .80 cents a round if you could find it .

This makes sense and in the quick info Ive been reviewing under the build vs buy lens for 9mm.

With an FFL03 + COE, cost for this is more like 20-25 cents a round all in shipped to the door for 9mm. Calculating time and gear to build out it doesnt make sense unless you like doing the ground work and spending the time doing the work. Then its not to save money or time - more like a hobby.

 

[maxxer]

It's almost never worth it to reload unless you have absolutely no care for your own labor/time especially for more common calibers such as 9mm, 40sw, and 45acp. Even 10mm is debatable. However, calibers such as 41mag and 327 federal might be "more" worth it (more for availability than actual price). However, I do reload just for fun "sometimes" for the more rare 41mag and 44 special. I also try to finish up all the bullets for 40sw, 10mm, and 45acp (once I use up all the bullets, I will likely stop reloading for these calibers). Remember that for semi-auto caliber, it's not just the time for reloading, it's also the time for picking up your brass at the range.

As for ammo price, yes it has crept up lately, I recall being able to find 1000 rounds of 9mm for about $200 half a year ago and now it's mostly $225-$250 for the same brands now. 40sw were about $275 and now it's like $325. These are examples but pretty all across the board. Interestingly the 41mag/44 special prices stayed the same because ironically they are already too high.

 

[claycrusher]

Speaking of PCC, is there a brass catcher for it? If this shortage means larger price increases for factory 9mm, I may have to consider this platform and start reloading lol. I know AR15's have them.

i've got a caldwell universal one that would likely work. i use it on my 22 and ar in my secret shooting spot to not make a mess and blow up the spot.

 

[five.five-six]

Like I said- it’s almost not worth it-

You didn’t factor in the cost of the case or at least first case and your time/effort. You are 20 cpr with subpar powders and projectiles(spending time scouring the internet for deals). Reloading 9 isn’t worth it for me even at 18cpr. , Think big like 30 cal- 50cal loads.

Whatever you have to tell yourself to sleep at night.




Can you show us on the doll where the 12CPR 9MM touched you?

 

[five.five-six]

It's almost never worth it to reload unless you have absolutely no care for your own labor/time especially for more common calibers such as 9mm, 40sw, and 45acp.

what you don’t understand is that most of us really enjoy it. It’s very zen. You are completely in the here and now. It’s soothing and relaxing. Time far better spent than scrolling or watching sitcoms. I much prefer reloading to watching tv sports.

And even with cheep components, it still shoots better than 80% of what you can find commercially.

 

[echo1]

Zen?
I think it's more like "The Force is Strong with this one" PAX

 

[maxxer]

what you don’t understand is that most of us really enjoy it. It’s very zen. You are completely in the here and now. It’s soothing and relaxing. Time far better spent than scrolling or watching sitcoms. I much prefer reloading to watching tv sports.

And even with cheep components, it still shoots better than 80% of what you can find commercially.

I actually understand and enjoy it. I reload 41mag, 44 special, 40, 10mm, 327 & 32 h&r, and 357 mag. But it's not worth it from a purely functional or financial perspective. It's like playing video games; it can be very fun but from monetary perspective it's a waste of time especially for many people here in CA. But yes it can be very calming.

 

[Smittty]

I was at my lgs/ range on Monday to shoot my S&W. On the way out I’d thought I should grab another box of 357 or two to have for next time, but the line was too long on the retail side so I passed. However, I did take a look at the price before I walked out. I went back yesterday to shoot again and this time I needed to stop at the retail side before I hit the range because I was out. It went up $2.99 a box! It’s like driving by a gas station on your way to work in the morning, and on your way home It goes up another dollar a gallon! From what I’m hearing it’s the cost of materials that are driving up the retail cost?

Price creeping up like steak at, no I haven't noticed. Steak though, it's getting expensive!

 

[five.five-six]

; it can be very fun but from monetary perspective it's a waste of time especially for many people here in CA. But yes it can be very calming.

from monetary perspective, reloading is a far better use of time than driving either of these. All of which I enjoy. Have you seen the price of high octane fuel lately? Not to mention the equipment costs LOL. You could buy an entire reloading setup for less than the fuel costs for one trip in either.

 

[Joker67]

This makes sense and in the quick info Ive been reviewing under the build vs buy lens for 9mm.

With an FFL03 + COE, cost for this is more like 20-25 cents a round all in shipped to the door for 9mm. Calculating time and gear to build out it doesnt make sense unless you like doing the ground work and spending the time doing the work. Then its not to save money or time - more like a hobby.

That's about right except dialing loads for your specific pistol or rifle but people still win matches with Blazer 115.

I got lucky on set up costs. Just before Covid , some club members were telling me to reload. “There is always a shortage.” I started buying primers and powder through the club before I had a press. I bought 7000 rounds of 9mm pistol ammo for 17.5 cents a round …shipped. During Covid , 9mm soared to .80-..90 cents a round if you could find it. I sold all my ammo for .60 a round and people snapped it up. I used that money to buy a Dillon XL750 and enough components to load 32,000 rounds. It’s paid for itself a few x over . It depends on how much you shoot. If you shoot 600-1000 rounds a month it’s worth it.

I also can tailor light loads for my CMP 1911A1 vs factory. I load lighter practice loads for my wife too.

 

[foothillman]

After the Holiday Sales I noticed that the price of 9mm range ammo continued to be lower until February.
Black Friday 9mm last 3 years.
2023 .24 CPR no rebates that year.
2024 .20 CPR no rebates that year.
2025 .20 CPR with rebates .17 CPR best price since COVID for me.
2018 best year .17 CPR with rebate .13 CPR.
Luckily "buy cheap, stock deep" and every family member and friend had rebates.....
Sportmans Warehouse was running sale after sale every week, hurting for $$
Today the price has been very steady with slow increase with no drops like before.
Maybe the Manufacturers and Retailers are testing at what price point the sales will drop off.
Every time the warning of increased price rumor hits actual cost has not.
My guess is bulk buy today, do not think they will go down again.

Good place to check trend.
9mm around .21/.22 CPR for CA .24 CPR https://blackbasin.com/ammo-prices/9mm/

All, shows relative change for last 30days, can single out for last 6 years. https://blackbasin.com/ammo-prices/