Berger Sales Suspended - at one retailer

[C-130 Dude]

Cant speak to Berger or bullets but the same is happening with the primer companies. Went to see “my guy” yesterday to grab some powder he had in stock. Got to talking about the prices going up and companies price gouging. He spoke of a conversation he had with CCI about all the recent price hikes on their end over the last few months. Long story short it boils down to all of these companies watching what goes on on sites like gunbroker. People start actively pairing $100 for a box of 1000 primers then why should the manufacturer keep seeking them for $35?
That’s the problem with supply and demand. People still pay those outrageous prices and now more and more vendors are raising prices on their end simply because they can.
So kudos to the company you found if they’re gonna stop giving them their business until prices settle back down then good on them.

I only wish I could find primers for $100/1000. Gunbroker.com was posting for $238+ a week ago for Fed 205s. Nuts pure nuts.

 

[KZP]

I only wish I could find primers for $100/1000. Gunbroker.com was posting for $238+ a week ago for Fed 205s. Nuts pure nuts.

I was able to get 5k of cci #200 primers for $150 per 1000 shipped. Best deal I was able to find in recent times.

 

[Cynical]

Berger’s only real competition in the precision rifle world is Hornady A tips. So until Berger costs the same or more than A tips, people who want to play the precision rifle game are going to pay for them. In my opinion, at least.

Also fwiw, in March last year I paid $3.09 more per 100 for Berger 6mm 105gr hybrids than I paid last week, from the same large company with a retail and a dealer side. A different retail company recently raised its price on the same bullet (500 count) by 3.7%. So that’s not too bad in my view.

 

[Im2bent]

I went to the gunshow in Costa Mesa, CA. on 3/27. It had been cancelled all of 2020. Most of the booths were non gun stuff, a ton of booths selling carriers and plates. A lot of mom and pop booths with older reloading stuff. Most of the mom and pop booths wanted 200 for a 1000 primers. There was one big booth that is always there with loaded ammo on one side and reloading stuff on the other side. The loaded ammo line was 200 people long the reloading side was 10 people long. SRP at this guy was 160 for a 1000. I bought a 1000 because I was not sure what this admin has up there sleeve as far as internet sales of components, prices are not coming down for at least a year (from what the manufactureres are saying the backlog is at least a year), and at the end of the day it increased the price per round by 11cents so a hundred rounds will cost you 11 bucks more and I figured I did not want to go be poor somewhere else. I also got 8 pounds of retumbo for 35 a pound. They had no 8 lbers of retumbo but did have a lot of other powders and in 8 lb kegs price was around 260.

 

[OneMoreNoMore]

What happens when some shooters say, "That's it, I'm done. The price of competing in (fill in the shooting discipline) has gotten beyond what I can afford." Some shooters may shoot a lot less and some might stop completely. The component manufacturers and retailers had better take this into consideration. Numerous other sports started out being affordable but now their numbers have dropped drastically.

This is what I said in early to mid 2000’s when lead shot went up 3-4 fold. It was cheaper to buy loaded federal top gun than it was to reload then loaded ammo went up too. I haven’t shot trap really since then and don’t know how it affected the shooter participation but there were a lot of people like me that had to call it quits.

 

[Alienta]

Cant speak to Berger or bullets but the same is happening with the primer companies. Went to see “my guy” yesterday to grab some powder he had in stock. Got to talking about the prices going up and companies price gouging. He spoke of a conversation he had with CCI about all the recent price hikes on their end over the last few months. Long story short it boils down to all of these companies watching what goes on on sites like gunbroker. People start actively pairing $100 for a box of 1000 primers then why should the manufacturer keep seeking them for $35?
That’s the problem with supply and demand. People still pay those outrageous prices and now more and more vendors are raising prices on their end simply because they can.
So kudos to the company you found if they’re gonna stop giving them their business until prices settle back down then good on them.

The problem is basic economics. Demand has exceeded supply so the price goes up. The real problem is hoarding not shooting. Ask any range what happened to all the shooters.

 

[Romeo458]

The more money they print the less buying power it has. Prices are going to continue to go up the more stimulus a pump in to our dead economy.

 

[lte82]

The more money they print the less buying power it has. Prices are going to continue to go up the more stimulus a pump in to our dead economy.

Inflation works like two edged sword as well. Say it goes up 10% and your salary stays the same, your salary is effectively cut by 20%. Yes, you spend 10% more, but now you have to save 10% more to equal what you were doing because the value of it is now 10% less. Our “raises” are not keeping up with inflation, and despite more people making six-figures, we effectively have less than ever.

 

[marchboom]

This is what I said in early to mid 2000’s when lead shot went up 3-4 fold. It was cheaper to buy loaded federal top gun than it was to reload then loaded ammo went up too. I haven’t shot trap really since then and don’t know how it affected the shooter participation but there were a lot of people like me that had to call it quits.

This is what every firearm related business must keep in mind. They must keep the prices as low as possible. If participation in the shooting sports drops off by as little as 20% can businesses stay in business with that drop? Some will not be able to.

Some handloaders will stay in the hobby but will cut their component usage by 40-50%. What reloading component businesses can absorb that drop? Keeping component prices as low as possible will be a major priority.

 

[Winny94]

This is what I said in early to mid 2000’s when lead shot went up 3-4 fold. It was cheaper to buy loaded federal top gun than it was to reload then loaded ammo went up too. I haven’t shot trap really since then and don’t know how it affected the shooter participation but there were a lot of people like me that had to call it quits.

On the contrary, trap, skeet, sporting clays is at an all-time high for participation. Booming as a highschool sport & club, and a metrics in the industry are indicating there are more clay shooters than golfers in the US. It may have moved into a different socio-economic level, but its more popular than ever.

 

[rottenruger]

So, I was checking to see if any online retailers had any Berger 109’s in stock and ran across a company that had suspended sales on Berger bullets. There was a notice that popped up saying this retailer was suspending order on all Berger and Lapua bullets temporarily until pricing could be resolved with Capstone. I interpret that to mean that Capstone has raised the cost of bullets to retailers. This matches with the pretty large increase in price I’m seeing on Bergers from retailers very recently. If Capstone has raised the cost to retailers it only make sense that retailers are having to increase the price to consumers.

I’ve been seeing about a 35-40% increase in Bergers recently at online retailers. Anyone have any insider info on what’s going on? Has commodity prices driven this or just a supply/demand capitalization?

Prices going up with the BidenRonaFear.......and if they ever come back down, it will be only partially back down.

Tried buying lumber lately? Corporate America is on a price gouging binge, for whatever reasons.

 

[Winny94]

Prices going up with the BidenRonaFear.......and if they ever come back down, it will be only partially back down.

Tried buying lumber lately? Corporate America is on a price gouging binge, for whatever reasons.

Adjusting prices of raw materials due to higher demand and/or limited supply is not price gouging.

 

[Joel Danielson]

People need to get off their asses (and computers) and go visit some brick and mortar. I bought 2K of BR4 and 1K of BR2 this past week for $65/K. A brother has been stopping by a store every day for the last week and buying 1K of CCI 400 and Winchester SRP @ $75/K. The companies selling on the internet aren't the only ones getting primers and powder. BTW, we got together today and went through 400 rounds of 9mm, 700 rounds of 45acp and god only knows how much .223 going through drills. Some of us are using what we buy.
Cheers

 

[CcoFirst]

Thank you. That was the data point I was really wondering about. So, this would indicate that Capstone is simply capitalizing on a supply/demand situation, and it’s not an increase in raw materials pricing. And I can’t say I blame them one bit. Someone is going to make the profit when Demand far outstrips the supply. If Capstone doesn’t keep the profit, then individual people will simply buy and resell themselves and make the profit. You and I may not like the increased price, but that is the way it works.

I was beginning to think I was alone in these thoughts.

 

[lte82]

Here's a fun email I got today:

Steel has over doubled. Copper and aluminum up 50%+. Inflation, supply / demand shift via over-stimulus?

 

[Fgcook]

Remember the TP shortage last year?

 

[Cascade Hemi]

Here's a fun email I got today:

View attachment 7605701

Steel has over doubled. Copper and aluminum up 50%+. Inflation, supply / demand shift via over-stimulus?

All lies, this is just an elaborate ruse to cover for Brunos price gouging on their website.

 

[dzander]

Like I said , Bought 1000 CCI450's for $35.00 monday from a retail shop. They just got them in, limited to 1000 per customer, they don't ship.
I'm sure they're making there normal margin on them. Their powder is also reasonable, $204. for 8# H4350 and 1# was $31.00.
They're being smart about it and if this panic buying ever comes to an end they will have a whole lot customers that the gougers won't.

 

[Danimal35]

But the real question. Does anyone have any 105 Berger’s they want to get rid of or where to find them? Any idea how often a “batch” gets released?

you would think with primers so hard to find that projectiles would be in abundance.

 

[Can't group Jim]

But the real question. Does anyone have any 105 Berger’s they want to get rid of or where to find them? Any idea how often a “batch” gets released?

you would think with primers so hard to find that projectiles would be in abundance.

I have some that I would trade for 109's.

 

[Winny94]

Like I said , Bought 1000 CCI450's for $35.00 monday from a retail shop. They just got them in, limited to 1000 per customer, they don't ship.
I'm sure they're making there normal margin on them. Their powder is also reasonable, $204. for 8# H4350 and 1# was $31.00.
They're being smart about it and if this panic buying ever comes to an end they will have a whole lot customers that the gougers won't.

Tell that to CTD who is bigger now than ever despite years of customers saying they'll never shop there again following questionable pricing

 

[Danimal35]

I have some that I would trade for 109's.

If I had 109s. I’d shoot those too. Lol. I’ve got 136 rounds left and saving them for the next comp. then my year is over until they start showing back up.