Ammo can shortage?

[+busterbabes]

Is anyone finding the price of ammocans skyrocketing? And the lack of availability?

 

I went to my local surplus store today to help with an IGO/BSA 100 year anniversary project.

30 cal cans were 3.95 last time I went in there, and there were at least 100 in stock..

today, there were 10 cans, and they were 8.50 a piece!

 

I was told that the government is crushing the ammo cans vs. surplusing them out?

 

Uncle Stan (my surplus guru) said he used to get a pallet of cans every week. He ran some numbers while I was there, the government pays 13,000$ to crush the ammo cans. And thats just the cost of the ammo cans being crushed that Uncle Stan could sell surplus. (Stan did not specify if that was weekly/monthly/yearly). Imagine the cost of ammocan crushing America wide!

 

I was very disheartened about this, and think something needs to be done to save the ammocans!!

[+Sol seaker]

They're probably tired of us hiding them for the cops to blow up

[+busterbabes]

Blowing up ammo cans is not a big issue here in Iowa.

[+Knight2000]

Last weekend I went to a trade show to stock up on ammo cans. I experienced the same thing you just reported. I was told that dealer cost has went way up. I didn't hear why.

 

I could get a .50 cal ammo can for the price of a lock & lock.

 

It stinks I tell you!

[+bittsen]

The US government isn't destroying any more than they always have. Just like the supposed ammo shortage, there is an ammo can shortage.

The problem is supply and demand. Most of the ammo is now going to the Middle East to fight wars and therefore less is being fired in exercises here in the states. Less ammo fired equals less ammo cans. Less ammo cans combined with ammo hoarders (because the fear that the gun rights are being taken away soon) will result in less ammo cans per buyer which, in turn, drives up the price on ammo cans.

 

I was looking to buy a few at a govt surplus auction and they were selling for 3-4 dollars at the auction. There is no way to combat the pricing.

 

I am toying with buying some at the next auction but the hard part will be to get enough buyers at $6 each.

[+ZeroHecksGiven]

The last time I went in .30 cals were about $7 and the .50 cal were $8 or so. Though there is a guy selling a bunch locally for 6.50 a piece, I grabbed a few, but may grab a bunch more to have on hand in case they do get tough to find. I do live about 15 minutes away from a pretty large army base though. 5 surplus stores on one block means the prices should stay low..

[+Turtle_Sask]

they'll tell you anything to jack up the prices.

[knowschad]

Its because of geocaching, I tell you! Hide more micros!!!

[+busterbabes]

Its because of geocaching, I tell you! Hide more micros!!!

 

whaaattt?

[+Knight2000]

they'll tell you anything to jack up the prices.

okie dokey.

[knowschad]

Its because of geocaching, I tell you! Hide more micros!!!

whaaattt?

 

Basic supply and demand economics. Stop buying so many ammo cans and the price will drop.

 

 

Or... maybe the reverse is true... maybe they've raised the price to continue making the same income despite the proliferation of free film cannisters. Oh, I'm soooo confused!!!

 

 

Really... considering the quality of construction... ammo cans are practically a giveaway (forgetting for a second that our taxes helped to pay for them in the first place). What else of similar quality can you buy for $3-$6? Not much. That barely buys you lunch at White Castle.

[Andronicus]

There is a thread like this ever once in a while. It is likely just a local shortage. Pluse, those prices that you are giving as high are about the same as our sale prices up here in Canada (we have fewer soldures per capita than the USA). Don't sweat it untill there is none left.

[+Binrat]

Buy in bulk yourself, as for me I get them free.

 

http://www.govliquidation.com/list/c7549/lna/1.html

 

Binrat

[+busterbabes]

Buy in bulk yourself, as for me I get them free.

 

http://www.govliquidation.com/list/c7549/lna/1.html

 

Binrat

 

Get a bunch free, then sell me 100 of them cheap.

We are looking to buy them/find donors to help us celebrate the BSA 100th anniversary of Scouting!

~Jenni

www.iowageocachers.org

[+Cache O'Plenty]

I don't know what you folks are complaining about. The last time I was in a surplus store around here, they were selling ammo cans for $19.95. Didn't buy any!!!!!!

[+Castle Mischief]

There is a thread like this ever once in a while. It is likely just a local shortage. Pluse, those prices that you are giving as high are about the same as our sale prices up here in Canada (we have fewer soldures per capita than the USA). Don't sweat it untill there is none left.

 

Ding ding.

[+Col. Flagg]

Buy more decon containers, they always have those since they have an expiration on them.

[+Castle Mischief]

It's only a matter of time before somebody posts one of the auctions being held by a local surplus depot with metric butt-loads of ammo cans just waiting to be won.

 

Re-sellers start these rumors to inflate prices.

[+tekkguy]

I finally found some in the Dallas area for $10 for .50 cals ... I'm going to go pick up a few today.

 

Everywhere except this one location that I called or went to has them for $15 - $20 a pop.

[+Knight2000]

If it was a local issue people from one area would be reporting it.

 

I don't know what you folks are complaining about. The last time I was in a surplus store around here, they were selling ammo cans for $19.95. Didn't buy any!!!!!!

At that rip-off price I wouldn't buy any either.

 

I see those prices too. Military surplus stores will really rip you off. You just have to know where to shop.

 

I'm thinking it has to do with the way people are stockpiling ammo here in the states. I buy them at gun shows and men were almost lining up to buy them at the current high prices. They are great for storing ammo in. Blame Obama.

[+Knight2000]

Wow. I did the math on one of those government auctions. It shows the original price that the government paid for those items. 164 cans for $1,833.52. $11 a can.

[+Castle Mischief]

Blame Obama.

 

How about we keep the political commentary in off-topic?

[+welch]

Wow. I did the math on one of those government auctions. It shows the original price that the government paid for those items. 164 cans for $1,833.52. $11 a can.

Built brand new to government spec...

which is why ammo cans are/were such a good deal since when they get sold off its usually for much less than was paid for them new.

[+welch]

Is anyone finding the price of ammocans skyrocketing? And the lack of availability?

 

I went to my local surplus store today to help with an IGO/BSA 100 year anniversary project.

30 cal cans were 3.95 last time I went in there, and there were at least 100 in stock..

today, there were 10 cans, and they were 8.50 a piece!

 

I was told that the government is crushing the ammo cans vs. surplusing them out?

 

Uncle Stan (my surplus guru) said he used to get a pallet of cans every week. He ran some numbers while I was there, the government pays 13,000$ to crush the ammo cans. And thats just the cost of the ammo cans being crushed that Uncle Stan could sell surplus. (Stan did not specify if that was weekly/monthly/yearly). Imagine the cost of ammocan crushing America wide!

 

I was very disheartened about this, and think something needs to be done to save the ammocans!!

 

Increasing cost yes. Lack of availabity, not so much. There are cans around, Its just kinda sticker shock when they double or triple in price from what 2-3? years ago.

 

As for the government crushing them, who knows maybe. But rumors about the demise of ammo cans have been around for a long time. Different stories, sometimes its ammo cans going to be kept and reused, kept and sold for scrap, changed out for plastic, completely replaced with cheaper disposable vinyl bags, and so on. The point of the rumor though is that they will cost more so buy now for whatever they cost.

 

If you look at the governmentliquation site there are still ammo cans out there. My personal option i the problem in Iowa is that none are being sold from the 'close' bases. That GL used to have auctions come up in different places in Illinois from time to time. Now most of the auction lots are farther away (and perhaps for larger amounts?) like Texas, Georgia, California, etc. Seems like the closest any have been in a while is the middle of Missouri.

Do you happen to know where Uncle Stan gets his cans from? At one point in time someone there told me they go to fort riley Kansas and bring them back. I kinda wonder if maybe they can't find any 'locally' so they either have longer (higher) travel/shipping costs, and/or they aren't buy them directly of GL just a pallet at a time from a middleman. Either way it ends up costing the people buying them for caches more.

[+Castle Mischief]

Can somebody remind me how to search for words that are too short to be used in the forum search feature? This has come up at least three other times in recent memory and has been disproven- to my memory.

 

Oh hey, found two of them:

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...=210250&hl=

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=173294

Edited October 7, 2009 by Castle Mischief

[+Renegade Knight]

Buy more decon containers, they always have those since they have an expiration on them.

Ha! We have a local shortag of those.

[+bflentje]

Its because of geocaching, I tell you! Hide more micros!!!

whaaattt?

 

Basic supply and demand economics. Stop buying so many ammo cans and the price will drop.

 

 

Or... maybe the reverse is true... maybe they've raised the price to continue making the same income despite the proliferation of free film cannisters. Oh, I'm soooo confused!!!

 

 

Really... considering the quality of construction... ammo cans are practically a giveaway (forgetting for a second that our taxes helped to pay for them in the first place). What else of similar quality can you buy for $3-$6? Not much. That barely buys you lunch at White Castle.

 

You need more than $6 at White castle?? My friend, you've gone over the deep end.

[+DocDiTTo]

I stop in at a surplus store in Lewistown, PA every 6-12 months or so as my travels take me that way. I've always picked up ammo cans pretty cheap there, $3.95 for the .30 cal cans and $4.95 for the .50 cals. Last time I was in (a couple months ago) the prices had more than doubled. I asked what was going on and was told that the supply had dried up -- the store couldn't get many at all from their supplier, and what they could buy were much more expensive.

 

So no, this isn't a local thing, it's a supply/demand thing.

[+Wogus!]

[+magking1971]

What shortage? http://www.govliquidation.com/auction/ende...amp;cmd=keyword

[+Knight2000]

Blame Obama.

How about we keep the political commentary in off-topic?

That's irritating. I would really love to know what commentary you are talking about. I gave no commentary. I do not get involved in politics.

 

I do know that because of his past political history firearms and ammunition sales have skyrocketed since he was elected.

 

I didn't say anything positive or negative about him.

[+bittsen]

What shortage? http://www.govliquidation.com/auction/ende...amp;cmd=keyword

 

Not everyone can afford to lay out thousands of dollars for hundreds of ammo cans.

The shortage is to the end user, not those who buy them from the government auctions.

 

Also, if you had been watching the govt auctions for many years you would have noticed that the ammo cans available from the government auctions has dried up compared to the availability a few years ago and especially before the Bush era wars. (not political, just setting a timeline).

[+WRASTRO]

Blame Obama.

How about we keep the political commentary in off-topic?

That's irritating. I would really love to know what commentary you are talking about. I gave no commentary. I do not get involved in politics.

 

I do know that because of his past political history firearms and ammunition sales have skyrocketed since he was elected.

 

I didn't say anything positive or negative about him.

What a crock. By saying "blame Obama" you have posted an opinion that is inherently political. I disagree with almost everything the current administration is doing but I do agree with CM's post.

[+benh57]

I know of a website with plenty of free ammo cans. People just put them out there, free for the taking!

 

Here:

http://tinyurl.com/yupfd

[+Knight2000]

-

Edited October 8, 2009 by Knight2000

[+Castle Mischief]

Blame Obama.

How about we keep the political commentary in off-topic?

I do not get involved in politics.

 

Says the man with a sig line about gun control.

[+Elderiss]

I finally found some in the Dallas area for $10 for .50 cals ... I'm going to go pick up a few today.

 

Everywhere except this one location that I called or went to has them for $15 - $20 a pop.

 

Go to First Monday in Canton each month, I buy mine there for about 3 bucks a pop.

[+brokenoaks]

ok this one should help with the shortage. if they were all this size look at all the metal we would save.

[+Berta Nick Zoey]

Did some one say ammo cans needed? I only have 1500 50 cals left to get rid of and Ive been selling them fairly cheap.

[+Minimike2]

ok this one should help with the shortage. if they were all this size look at all the metal we would save.

 

Sadly, those cost more than the real ones. I have one out as a stage in a multi.

[+tekkguy]

I finally found some in the Dallas area for $10 for .50 cals ... I'm going to go pick up a few today.

 

Everywhere except this one location that I called or went to has them for $15 - $20 a pop.

 

Go to First Monday in Canton each month, I buy mine there for about 3 bucks a pop.

 

Thanks for the heads up ... might try to make it out there for November.

Edited October 8, 2009 by tekkguy

[djhobby]

I know of a website with plenty of free ammo cans. People just put them out there, free for the taking!

 

Here:

http://tinyurl.com/yupfd

 

Sadly that's happening around here. For the last couple of years someone has been stealing the ammo cans that are easily gotten to. The thief dumps the cache contents on the ground and takes the can. It has come to the point to where some of the local hiders don't list in their cache description what type of container it is, or say their ammo can is tupperware. I think it's the army surplus store people myself. What better racket. Sell me an ammo can for 4 dollars, steal it, and then sell it again to someone for 5 dollars, because there is a shortage and the price has gone up.

[+smstext]

where would i source them in the uk? i live in oxfordshire.

[+Castle Mischief]

where would i source them in the uk? i live in oxfordshire.

 

I've never thought about it, but are ammo cans different on your side of the pond or are they universally sized due to quantity and dimensions of the rounds?

[+okie-wan]

If my Marine Corps wasn't so dad gum stubborn we all would have plenty of ammo cans! I'v been trying to get "over there" since 9/12! They keep sending me home, some nonsense about being too old!

[+EscapeFromFlatland]

That reminds me, I should see if I can send empty ammo cans back home from here.

 

But we're not going thru much ammo here.

Edited October 8, 2009 by bramasoleiowa

[+smstext]

where would i source them in the uk? i live in oxfordshire.

 

I've never thought about it, but are ammo cans different on your side of the pond or are they universally sized due to quantity and dimensions of the rounds?

 

same boxes over here!! well the only ones ive seen were orginally used by the US Army, not seen any UK forces ones unless someone can correct me.

[+Da Beast]

i wish i could get them that cheap!!!! they sell for 30+ when i can find them But luckly the local caching store sells the 7.625 for 7 bucks

[+EScout]

I know of a website with plenty of free ammo cans. People just put them out there, free for the taking!

 

Here:

http://tinyurl.com/yupfd

 

Sadly that's happening around here. For the last couple of years someone has been stealing the ammo cans that are easily gotten to. The thief dumps the cache contents on the ground and takes the can. It has come to the point to where some of the local hiders don't list in their cache description what type of container it is, or say their ammo can is tupperware. I think it's the army surplus store people myself. What better racket. Sell me an ammo can for 4 dollars, steal it, and then sell it again to someone for 5 dollars, because there is a shortage and the price has gone up.

 

Hello Ben, fellow "League of South Bay Geocachers" team mate.

 

Regarding the thefts, there was a recent topic on this, and I told how one of my cans got taken after over 6 years in the field. The discussion moved to methods of making your can ugly, and less desireable.

Suggestions included filling partially with concrete, stamping names and numbers in the can, and gluing stuff on the outside. I just completed a replacement 30 cal, with the geocache number and my name stamped in 6 places, and gluing over 50 small rocks. Its ugly. I will post a photo.

[+bittsen]

 

Hello Ben, fellow "League of South Bay Geocachers" team mate.

 

Regarding the thefts, there was a recent topic on this, and I told how one of my cans got taken after over 6 years in the field. The discussion moved to methods of making your can ugly, and less desireable.

Suggestions included filling partially with concrete, stamping names and numbers in the can, and gluing stuff on the outside. I just completed a replacement 30 cal, with the geocache number and my name stamped in 6 places, and gluing over 50 small rocks. Its ugly. I will post a photo.

 

I have a large one out there with 80lbs of concrete in it.

 

If someone wants to haul it out, then good for them. $7 will get me another one.