Will We Lose Access to Cheap Russian Ammo?

[Fiv3r]

This is why I don't limit my shooting calibers to only a few. I would love to take the old M/N and Type 53 out for a shoot, but if I don't have ammo for them they just go back into the safe for the time being.

I'll just run my Ar for the time being.

It's the same reason I keep handguns in .38/.357, 9mm, .40, and .45.

If push comes to shove I can go back to black powder. I might even just break out my bow

 

[P5 Guy]

"Red Army Standard" is I believe manufactured in the Ukraine

Says Romania on the thirty boxes I bought.

 

[wally]

Says Romania on the thirty boxes I bought.

What caliber? I'm going by what the recent Century Arms ad said. It might all depend on what they can get cheapest with every lot.

 

[Davek1977]

As of a few days ago, SGAmmo.com had "Red Army" ammo in 7.62x39 from both Ukraine and Romania

 

[Killian]

Wasn't this idea of Obama issuing an executive order to stop imports of arms and ammunition from Russia widely denounced a few months back after Sandy Hook? I seem to remember quite a few people saying how it was "impossible" under existing law. Looks like it is possible after all.

 

[Killian]

Is this the end of cheap Russian ammo? Probably the end of *all* Russian ammo. There are probably some alternatives for 7.62x39 and other Russian calibers, but whenever you drop a competitor out of the market, prices rise. So while it might not be the end of these calibers, I would expect the prices on the stuff that does remain to go up.

 

[P5 Guy]

What caliber? I'm going by what the recent Century Arms ad said. It might all depend on what they can get cheapest with every lot.

123grain FMJ 7.62x39.

 

[Ignition Override]

Price update on Russian 5.45 and 7.62x39 this minute: No price change from months ago, either type;
.15-.17 for 5.45.
.22-.25 for 7.62x39.
This will piss off sellers trying to create more anxiety, but that's their problem.

Only seven of the 7.62 distributors-out of the few hundred on the list- show "sold out".
Only three of the many 5.45 sellers are "sold out". Any panic talk is still wishful thinking for those trying to rip you off.

The potential for this Executive Order to stimulate much more demand-all by itself-appears to be growing weaker as the days go by, and vast numbers of sportsmen/ladies are watching.

 

[goon]

I don't think a lot of people have been following the situation with Ukraine/Russia as closely as they followed attempts at new legislation. Those attempts prompted the panic in 2012/2013, but this time it doesn't seem to be going quite that way. I think a lot of people just aren't connecting the dots, so there is no self-fulfilling panic for us to get caught up in.

My friend at the LGS did order some extra 7.62x39 just in case it becomes hard to get and he says he's had a few calls with guys looking to buy as much as they can afford... so he cheerfully accommodates them.

 

[GlowinPontiac]

People are just trying to create another mass panic so they can make a fortune selling their ammo at ludicrous prices. Saw a guy on ArmsList a few days ago listing a 440rnd spam can of 54R for $220

Looked around at other sources and they were still selling it for normal prices. People are beginning to hoard the russian surplus though so it may eventually drive prices higher.

 

[Ignition Override]

There were many boxes of Tula 7.62x39 at Walmart, less than an hour ago on G'town Rd., Cordova TN.
Same price as in January: $5.15 or so per box of twenty.

goon: a week ago at Guns And Ammo in Memphis, the manager told me that he had many cases of this ammo.
Nobody was buying any of it when I was there, at about 1500. And nobody else was looking at the (Russian) Saiga rifles in 7.62x39, 5.45x39 or the shotguns.

 

[TennJed]

There were many boxes of Tula 7.62x39 at Walmart, less than an hour ago.
Same price as in January: $5.15 or so per box of twenty.

goon: a week ago at Guns And Ammo in Memphis, the manager told me that he had many cases of this ammo.
Nobody was buying any of it when I was there, at about 1500. And nobody else was looking at the (Russian) Saiga rifles in 7.62x39, 5.45x39 or the shotguns.

Last night I bought 5 boxes at the WalMart in olive branch (Memphis suburb). They had more. They have had some in stock everytime I have been there the last couple weeks

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

mr obama may be tempted to enact a 'billary' ban - as clinton did with the chinese ammo and semi-autos.

 

[barnbwt]

The sad part will be the impact on companies like Baikal, which are among the few successful industrial manufacturing operations running successfully over there. Honestly though, given how restrictive our firearms trade import regs are already, we might as well sever them entirely so as to no longer waste each other's time on the process.

I suppose we won't be seeing AK kits either, whenever the Russians formally drop the AK . At least not until they've set in a third party nation for the 20 years or whatever we require them to, in order to call the guns "theirs"

We won't see shortages for months unless there's a run on the ammo, btw. It's imported seasonally, and metered out by distributors for the rest of the year. One of the main reasons it took so long to come back after Sandy Hook, but came back quickly thereafter (unlike 22LR)

TCB

 

[Sam Cade]

The sad part will be the impact on companies like Baikal, which are among the few successful industrial manufacturing operations running successfully over there.

"Baikal" was a trade name for Izhmekh produced firearms. Izhmekh and Izmash merged last year and became the Kalashnikov Concern.
http://www.kalashnikovconcern.com/


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rostec

FWIW, Purchasing firearms and ammunition from Russian sources means that you are doing business with the Russian government.

 

[Ignition Override]

Sam Cade: True, but "...doing business with the Russian govt." might be similar to situations with much of the world's private industry. As for Russian ammo which so many of us use, that's where we will continue to shop-between panics. It would be nice if it were manufactured (for such retail prices) in Belgium, Canada or Lonoke AR. Not a chance.

It was Only because of the much lower prices for Russian-made 7.62x39 and .223 back in early '08, that the decisions were made to buy my SKS, Ruger Mini 30 and the Mini 14 that spring.

The "PR" of China doesn't exactly align with us either, on so many major global issues. Let's remember how many of our goods are produced there. They also seem to always oppose us on most foreign policies (Wall Street Journal). And the PRC seems to export very little petroleum, as they maneuver against us behind the scenes, quietly buying up so much around the planet, while hacking into....but for the moment it's all about the Russians.

At least Serbian, Romanian, Russian and so-called "Swiss" RUAG ammo force US ammo manufacturers to compete among certain types.

 

[max popenker]

FWIW, Purchasing firearms and ammunition from Russian sources means that you are doing business with the Russian government.

well, buying a gas for your car means that you are doing business with Saudi government (among others), and buying almost any electronic gadget means you are doing business with Chinese government.

 

[Armymutt]

I'm not sure what problems you are talking about. I've got 2k 7.62x39 on order for ~$.24/rnd delivered.

 

[TennJed]

well, buying a gas for your car means that you are doing business with Saudi government (among others), and buying almost any electronic gadget means you are doing business with Chinese government.

Not really. 36% of what we comes comes from America. Another 21% from Canada. We actually import more from Canada than all the Persain Gulf contries combined. Just 13% comes from Persian gulf companies.

 

[Sam Cade]

well, buying a gas for your car means that you are doing business with Saudi government

Not necessarily. Something like half of all US consumed gasoline is sourced from domestic oil.
Saudi Oil is only a small (and falling) portion of US oil imports. Last time I checked it was less than 7%.

buying almost any electronic gadget means you are doing business with Chinese government.

Sure, a large portion of US consumed electronics are made in China.

Many Americans (like myself) try to avoid the purchase of products from states that we may perceive as hostile to ourselves or our value set.

Whether or not an individual considers the Russian Federation or its ruling russkiye oligarchy hostile is a personal decision, but the Russian governmental apparatus does ultimately control (and most often owns) the small arms production export business though mixed ownership and holding companies.

 

[mrvco]

I'm not sure what problems you are talking about. I've got 2k 7.62x39 on order for ~$.24/rnd delivered.

Ditto, I just picked up 1k rounds of Russian 7.62x39 for $250 delivered to my door.

We continue to beat the drum, but it looks like this story has run out of gas. That is unless some idiot gives Tymoshenko a machine gun (or a nuke) and points her in the general direction of Crimea (ref: leaked phone call).

 

[max popenker]

Saudi Oil is only a small (and falling) portion of US oil imports. Last time I checked it was less than 7%.

Still, US gov't sees no problem in supporting extremely democratic, pro-human rights and absolutely non-supporting international terrorism Saudi government

but the Russian governmental apparatus does ultimately control (and most often owns) the small arms production export

Military small arms manufacture and export - yes
civilian ammunition - i don't think so. And last I've checked Tula, Ulyanovsk and Barnaul ammunition plants were open stock companies owned by certain individuals and private organizations.

 

[Neo-Luddite]

Hope not!

 

[Sam Cade]

Military small arms manufacture and export - yes
civilian ammunition - i don't think so. And last I've checked Tula, Ulyanovsk and Barnaul ammunition plants were open stock companies owned by certain individuals and private organizations.

Be interesting to know which of those "certain individuals and private organizations" are agents of or outright controlled by the Russian Federation government.

Last I checked JSC Tula Cartridge Works was ultimately controlled by Rostec
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergey_Chemezov

 

[RFMan]

Well, looks like 5.45x39 and 7.62x39 are doing fine, but 7.62x54R prices have been hammered (up) a bit, according to gunbot...