You have GOT to be kidding me.
Front page Daily News story - gun enthusiasts are reeling from the high price of ammunition:
Across Alaska, and across the country, ammunition prices have spiked over the past two years. In some cases, the costs have more than doubled, and shooters, shops and ammo-makers mostly blame the soaring cost of metal.Oh, wahhhh...for God's sake! Folks are having a problem feeding themselves and getting to work because of food and gas prices, and these guys are whining about the expense of their hobby. Because let's not fool ourselves, poor folks can't afford to be gun enthusiasts, K?
In a state where politicians argue over who loves guns the most, the price of a round has far-flung impact.
Just ask members of the Alaska Machine Gun Association, who practically breathe bullets.
"That same ammo that we bought for, say, 6 cents a round three years ago is now 35 cents a round," said Dave Arieno, president of the club.
There was a delay between the increasing commodities cost and ammunition prices as manufacturers ate the loss, said gunsmith Steve Untiet, who owns Alaska Custom Firearms on the Old Seward Highway.
No more, Untiet said. Ammo-makers began passing the cost on to consumers about two years ago -- which is around the time retailers and buyers say prices shot upward.
The industry magazines say people are reloading more, or making their own ammunition rather than buying new shells, and firing fewer rounds, he said.
"But the guys down at the range tell me they're just as busy as ever."
Of course they are - they service the folks in Rabbit Creek and on the Hillside. They can afford to blow a bunch of ammo at a range.
I have empathy for the folks out in the Bush. Many of them subsistence hunt small game so this would definitely be one more expense they don't need. However, they'll just be more conservative with their ammo. It's the guys that are shooting off 1,200 rounds a month who are whining.
Only in Alaska would we see this one on the front page with everything else going on.
posted by CelticDiva at 1:12 PM
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2 Comments:
All along the road system, the signs are shot up. Ug. Sad to admit, but it is a road system problem. And it goes beyond the signs. Cars, dogs, PO boxes, wood stove stacks, stacked cords of wood, etc. (these are items that experience bullet holes at my sisters house south of Fairbanks...).
Perhaps with this increased cost, less bullets will cross my sisters property line, due to mindless drive by shooters.
Yes, those that shoot for food will feel the increased costs... And the resourcefullness of these individuals/families will prevail.
But those Alaska highway drive by shooters ... ug. They just make me want to swear buckets of cuss words... no matter how much whining spews from their mouths...
Diva, at the begining of this, I did have a logical, thoughtful comment... but my anger about the drive by shooters is getting the best of my logical thinking... so it is best to just say, you got some good points here.
quyannnnnnna !
Yeah, and paint. Damn that paint. Darn drive by painters, spraying crazy lingo on walls. And lets not forget the cowards who splashed some red paint on the war memorial in Anchorage. Down with paint!
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