We all know that in the past 60 days, prices have risen dramatically. There are a few factors to this, but the biggest one is the fear that President-elect Obama will follow through on pre-campaign pledges of banning handguns and semi-auto rifles. There has been a huge increase in gun and ammo sales since a couple weeks prior to the election. Many assault-style gun types are sold out across the country and those that are left have risen dramatically in price.
Some of the price gouging has become ridiculous. Cheap AK variants have gone from $350 to $550 dollars in less then a week. Handguns have risen in price, too. AR-style rifles, which started as low as $599 for Century Internationals rebuilds are now $799. This is pure profit taking. There is no reason for these huge price increases. Obama doesn't take office for another month and any changes will take some time after that. This is no better then gas stations charging $5 a gallon on fears of gas shortages after hurricanes, when in fact, the supply lines were slow but still open.
Here are hard facts from just one seller. Cheaper Than Dirt ( cheaperthandirt.com).
Item....................Dec. catalog... Jan Catalog
S&B 45 auto $15.97 $21.79
S&B 9mm $9.79 $14.49
S&B .30-06 $12.89 $16.39
S&B 7.62x25 $13.29 $21.79
SBR 9mm $23.19 $29.86
Win 40 S&W $17.39 $21.49
Win 40S&W (100)$34.09 $44.49
Russian7.62x54 $99.97 $129.97
Federal xm193 $7.99 $14.89
Lake City .223 $15.69 $21.79
Federal xm80 $13.79 $19.49
5.7x28 ss195lf $21.89 $34.49
All 50 cal ammo went up about $10/10 rounds fom $40.69 to $49.97 or more
Aguila subsonic $34.19 $47.29
Wolf gold 303 brit $12.89 $21.79
Wolf gold 308 win $11.69 $17.79
All Hornady TAP ammo +$7 or more
That's just some in the first 10 pages !!
Many "hi cap" magazines increased by $5...or a lot more
Springfield xD 9mm sub-compact 16 rd mag from $24.97 to $39.97
Beretta 92f from $9.97 to $14.97
DPMS 223 M-4 upper assembly.. from $499.97 to $799.97
Ap4 contour barrel from $189.97 to $209.97
I stopped looking after that. My frustration was very high. CDNN, Cabela's, Centerfire and many other retailers did not go to these extremes. I wrote Cheaper Tan Dirt an email:
I have been a long time CTD customer. I received your latest catalog in the mail yesterday and I am shocked at the price gouging !! Your surplus ammo prices have risen dramatically. Come on...this is stuff that been around in a warehouse for 20+ years and was purchased in bulk months or years ago. Your company is using Obama as an excuse to steal someones wallet? Even new Remington and S&B ammo has gone up by $4 to $6 a box. I am very disappointed in CTD not only playing on peoples fears about Obama but even worse, screwing over your loyal customers with this pricing garbage. Shame on you. Natchez, Ranger Joe, CDNN, and some of the other vendors I have used are no where near the craptastic price increase CTD has given us. Your Former Loyal Customer
Here is the response I received back 45 minutes ago from their email department person, Tonya Harris: Thank you so very much for you comment..
She obviously cared about what I wrote. So much so, she replied back in poor English... not your comment, but you comment.
See ya, CTD...hope your sales slide and your company falls by the wayside of bankruptcy.
