Ammo Price Trends - update?

[Once Fired]

Hi all

First time poster to Calguns. I found something here while doing a search for historical ammunition prices, and was hoping the folks here could help out.

I myself am a former California resident now enjoying the much more relaxed firearms regulation in Texas. So I have a special place in my heart for the pain you guys deal with. I don't know if there's something in the water here in TX, but even my wife has magically changed her opinion about firearms, and has bought her own pistol.

Regardless of whatever TX has going on that front, it appears the CA enthusiasts have the market cornered on having super good info I am looking for, so I thought I'd inquire with you guys.

My goal is to find a current version of the excellent info I located in THIS thread on Calguns about ammunition price trends. That post was downright amazing!

Alas, it was last updated in Dec of 2006.

With the plethora of shooting enthusiasts & hunters here in Texas, I am actually considering starting up an ammunition sales business. There are a number of gun ranges near me, but surprisingly there are relatively few gun stores. (I'm in the Austin area.) I figure I have a reasonable chance of filling unmet demand. I intend to cater to Texas primarily, but given the pent up demand for places who ship to CA, I should consider that, as well. But I need to keep my eyes on the big picture, of course.

It's easy for folks in TX to forget there is a whole world beyond the state line. I don't want to be that guy. hahahha I'd love to learn from anyone who has already put forth the effort on the pricing issue. I recall that the past couple years had some brutal upswings on ammo prices and really poor availability, so I am hoping this issue has already been documented.

Any help you guys can offer would be greatly appreciated.

ZAG

[Cowboy T]

Before you do that, I suggest you read this.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=314780

Starting up a business doing this will require proper money management and a proper business plan. Not saying you can't do it; on the contrary. Several do and are successful at it. Consider this some "lessons learned" from a guy who did try it.

[Once Fired]

Very in depth posts

Hi Cowboy T

That litany of posts was very informative. Lots of information in one place - thanks for that.

I've built many business plans over the years, most of which have been successful. I'm a marketing guy, so building a plan with a high degree of probability for it to work out as desired is what I do. It's also why I am not a carpenter, or a ship captain, or a professional athlete. I suck at those.

That said, I am not an experienced reloader. I am a complete newbie. I am heading toward learning it, but I am certainly not about to jump in over my head into something that others are much more knowledgeable about than I am.

For the moment, I am interested in three main things, in this order:

1) Buying ammo at wholesale prices, and reselling
2) Maintaining a stockpile to weather the inevitable price spikes
3) Learning the complexities of reloading & the business operation behind it

I am not interested in selling guns - don't have the expertise there, either. Besides, that requires a lot more licensing, etc.

What I do know is how to generate demand on a local and internet basis. I know how to minimize the amount of energy spent to find customers, and then maximize the probability of closing the sales.

I can do #1 and #2 purely by being very selective about what & how I purchase. Most shooters I know don't go out and buy 5,000 rounds of anything at once, let alone 25,000. I am prepared to do that, to get myself started. And I do not require quick inventory turns - I can be very, very patient. Multiple years of patient.

And that patient period will be spent on #3.

ZAG