Here is my original post, and here is my reference to Jim Shepherd's article in The Shooting Wire on the subject.
A few days ago, Shepherd asked for comments from his readers about how the rising costs of ammunition (and reloading components) has affected participation in the Shooting Sports.
Here is his June 16, 2008 resulting article, presented (for a first) with no apology for quoting his article in full ... for reasons which will be obvious:
Reader Feedback on Shooting Costs
The response to our three questions as to whether rising costs were impacting shooting have been, to say the least, overwhelming. As the general survey results recapped last week verified, although unscientifically, it seems a majority of the shooting public is tightening belts in order to continue their shooting hobbies. Unfortunately, a small minority is finding that shooting is simply out of the budget until the economy turns.
There's no future in preaching gloom-and-doom for our economy in general or shooting specifically, but it is no sweeping generalization or oversimplification to say that rising energy costs are impacting everyone.
How drastically was made obvious to me last week as I saw workers scrounging together their change in order to buy enough gas to get to work. They were going to worry about getting home later.
It was brought into absolute clarity afterwards when I parked my car in the hotel lot (in broad daylight) only to come out later to a fuel gauge that read three-quarters of a tank. Someone had lightened the fuel load by around five gallons, effectively stealing a twenty-dollar bill out of my pocket in the process.
Money is getting tight for the average American, and very tight for those who were already struggling to make ends meet.
That same frugality is obvious at shooting ranges, too. Where I shoot, people used to routinely police up their brass and toss it into a communal recycling drum. Not anymore. The question "do you reload" or quick comment "I'll take that" has replaced the laid-back attitude toward reloading components.
Last week, I asked you to share with me some of the ways you were being impacted - and reacting - to rising costs.
Today, excerpts from those responses. I think you'll see why we think the cost of shooting is another of those areas that must be addressed in next week's Shooting Industry Summit.______________________________________
"I have been reloading for handguns since 1979 and for rifles since the 1980s. In that time I've built up a good supply of components so the big increases haven't hit my handgun and rifle shooting hard yet. I got some .38 and .45 bullets at a reasonably good price from a local bullet maker last fall and hope he still has some available this summer. Bought some pulled 9mm bullets so I can start reloading that caliber again sometime this year. I've been buying up all the "bargain" shotgun loads I can find and will get some more this payday. I put the word bargain in quotes because there aren't that many real deals out there at the moment. I can get though this fall with what I have on hand, after that it's going to get interesting. So far, high gas prices are doing more damage to my shooting than high ammo prices. If I wasn't a reloader..."
______________________________________
"I too have gone to shooting more .22. I all ready owned a conversion kit for my AR, but I use it more and more now. My next purchase may be another .22, instead of a concealed carry 9 mm pistol as I was originally planning to do. I am also thinking about getting a high quality BB gun to plink with-at least it is something I can afford to shoot."
______________________________________
"I read your article in The Shooting Wire, and while I don't have a solution, I do have a comment. You said a lot of people don't shoot regularly or at all anymore. I am one of those. Even though I handload, and budget all my money down to the dollar, I can no longer afford the gas to go out to the range. The range I normally go to is about 20 miles out of Edmonton, The Spruce Grove Gun Club. Suburbs are boxing it in and everyone is sure it will be closed down within the next year or two because subdivisions are now being prepped for houses within 2 miles. The next range closest to me is Genesee. This range is about 50 miles out of town. The cost to drive there and back exceeds the cost of the ammo I shoot. Going out to shoot is now like a small vacation. If I get out twice this summer, I will consider myself lucky."
______________________________________
"Jim, those "no lead" video deer and big game hunting games are pretty fun. Outside of the initial cost, no more ammo to buy! Kids love 'em, too."
______________________________________
"One of my ways of coping with the rising cost of shooting is to buy two rounds for every round I shoot. Aas [sic] the cost rises, I get some protection. It also allows me to bank against a Democrat takeover of our Federal government."______________________________________
"As for coping with the high price on ammo, I usually look for sales. Cabela's usually has some in-house sales. Because prices are high and people are not buying as much, some stores do run specials. Second, I shop around on websites for closeouts, bulk purchase, etc. I usually try and keep a handle on prices so I know if something is a good price, I can buy in bulk or case quantity. I also go to gun shows and buy reloads for good reload sources. However this ammunition I only use for range purposes. The third thing I did in my purchasing of firearms was to limit myself to specific calibers. I own a 9mm and .45 in handgun and .22, .223 and .308 in long guns. Again when I find good prices I stock up and do not have to spread my purchases over several calibers. I look forward to see what you hear from other shooters."
____________________________________________
"In your June 11 article, you asked about "sharing [my] suggestions". I'm not certain that this would be applicable or even feasible for many of your readers, but I'm in an unusual situation: Most of my close friends compete, and reload to keep the costs down. One of our members is a "dealer" and is able to float the costs of quantity buying. We buy bullets, powder and primers in large lots and split the expenses. We buy Montana Gold Bullets, for example, in shipments of over 11 cases. Each case weighs about 85#, which constitutes 4,000 115gr .355 RN bullets. I take a case every 4 to six months (it use to be a case every other month). In those quantities, shipping is free.
We buy powder (Vihta Vourhi) in minimum 100# lots. I bought 16# this month, which will load about 15,000 rounds and should last me a year ... at $85/#. (*)Primers we buy in 5,000 primer 'sleeves', which early last year cost $85 but now ... I don't know. We can't get large shipments anymore. Primers which use to cost $15/brick (1,000) cost over $20 last year; now it costs $30, in the retail store.
The math seems hazy, because our Dealer friend can no longer afford to 'front' large shipments and most of us are still relying on reserves we bought last year. By the end of this year, we will all be re-evaluating our dedication to competition, and will doubtless have to pony up the price of components at least 2 or 3 months before our expected need. And of course, the cost of new brass has doubled in the past year ... when you can get it. This is the best arrangement we can make, and it is definitely not satisfying. Too-many of us are not shooting as much, or not shooting at all any more. With each participant falling by the wayside, the options of 'bulk purchase' are decreasing.
However, I am happy to inform you that the sport is attracting new shooters every month, who seem willing and even eager to absorb not only the cost of buying ammunition at retail prices but at the same time budgeting for new pistols, holsters, magazines, magazine carriers, and all the other accoutrements of competition shooting. Unfortunately, I predict that they too will soon be overwhelmed with the increasing costs of ammunition, and too many will fall by the wayside.
It's a shame, really. We in USPSA have worked for decades to 'grow the sport', and it is reaching new levels of interest. Now, just when interest is at a new high, we're bracing ourselves for the gloomy near-future when we can only expect that all the eager new faces will discover that it costs as much to shoot for a year as it costs to buy a new pistol.
Not everyone -- not most of us -- can afford this. That means that people who are likely to increase demand on retail products will leave the 'customer base' because the market cannot provide us the means to practice our skills at a bearable price.
This is becoming too depressing to continue. (Sorry for the pun.)
EDITOR's NOTE: The last comment comes from Jerry ("The Geek") *******. Jerry's among our favorite bloggers (and not because he occasionally quotes us) you can check his blog out at: http://jerrythegeek.blogspot.com.
--Jim Shepherd
* NOTE: The "$85 /#" quote for the price of VV gunpowder is accurate, in that this is what I wrote; however, it is not the cost incurred. It should have read "$85/4#", which is considerably less! I apologize for the misleading information.
No comments:
Post a Comment