Why surplus firearms and ammunition have increased in the past ten years

[Pathfinder]

Some have asked why the cost of surplus equipment and ammunition has increased in the last 10 years and this is a good question and answer worth sharing with Forum members

Unfortunately when the international market gobbles up the equipment, especially Eastern Standard equipment this leaves less for the collector importer market and 7 to 10 years sounds about right, - and in many cases the prices do go up, sometimes to a crazy level. Since about 2003 and massive Eastern Standard equipment purchases, especially by the U.S. Government for Iraq and Afghanistan has driven up prices internationally, - almost like a "gold rush" which is not good for the market industry in the long term.

Coupled with that are also some international smallarms disarmament moves in the last 10 years based on the concept more you destroy instead of having properly regulated sales, the more pure and saintly the entire human race will become ( The teachings of Alice in Wonderland and Bugs Bunny). If it were not for guns, our whole species would turn into monks and nuns. “Interesting concept” anyway! While this is sometimes a general trend until economic reality kicks for properly regulated sales it does effect the market as a whole

[O.S.O.K.]

So we can expect milsurp ammo to increase in price. Which means that it's always money well spent to get some and hold onto it.

I think I am jiggy with this.

[Richard Simmons]

Can't speak to surplus sales but I did hear on the radio yesterday that overall firearms sales here in Virginia were up 16% over last year and that's not counting private sales.

[Helen Keller]

I thought it was the weak US dollar.

[mriddick]

We emptied out alot of warehouses in the late 90's and early 00's, plus the Europeans got smart and figured out what they had was actually worth.

[mrkalashnikov]

What is "Eastern Standard" equipment? Do you mean Eastbloc or Warsaw Pact military surplus small arms & ammo?

As far as price increases go, it can be chalked up to Supply & Demand. Supplies have been exhausted over the last decade or two since the crumbling of the former Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact countries which were the source of much of that good, inexpensive hardware. It was bound to happen sooner or later, once the reservoir of cheap milsurp goods were bought up.

Come to think of it, just about everything has substancially increased in price in the last 10 yrs; gas, food, cars, housing, etc..pretty much anything you name.

[Kadmos]

Seems to me it's a lot of possible reasons, not the least of which is shipping costs.

Demand has been pretty high overall.

Gun show attendance seems to be up around here

And of course with surplus items supply is sporadic, sometimes a glut of one thing and a scarcity of others, then a few months later they might switch.

I got rid of my Enfield's when it looked like the ammo supply was fizzing out, and of course the last several shows I see a ton of it, but the guns are now harder to find and prices are up 30%..go figure.