07.01.2008 10:07 am
Gas. Beer. Ammo.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
We know all too well about the rising costs of gasoline. We are just learning about Anheuser-Bush’s plans to raise beer prices.
But who knew that ammo costs were going through the roof — my old paper the Dayton Daily News has an item this week about how the price of ammunition has gone up 25 to 50 percent in some cases more.
You may have a right to bear and keep arms — but you’re going to get nicked at the check out counter when it comes to buying bullets.
Like they say, freedom’s not free.
Eddie Roth writes about education, social justice, public safety, transportation, legal affairs and historic preservation. He joined the Post-Dispatch editorial page in 2008 after six years as an editorial writer with the Dayton Daily News. But he is not new to St. Louis. Eddie grew up in Webster Groves and south St. Louis County. He's a lawyer who for many years practiced with a downtown firm, and was active in civic affairs, including serving a term on the St. Louis Police Board. He and his wife, Jeanne, and their three daughters, Emily, Julia and Alice, live in the Shaw Neighborhood.
When it comes to community organizing, he endorses Quentin Crisp's advice: Rather than keeping up with the Joneses, it's better to pull them down to your level. 
Yes, around here the cheapest ammo could be had from Wally Mart for about 11 cents per round. Prices over the last year have steadily climbed to over 16 cents per round. I was shooting over a hundred rounds a week, I’m down to about 100 per month now. Some of those who reload their own are probably still doing so cheaply.
I’m assuming the price of brass is the cause of the biggest increase but transporation costs could be causing it as well.
Do we have to cut back on gasoline, beer, and shooting? Ted Kennedy would love the last. Since he couldn’t outlaw all our guns, he tried to tax all ammunition out of existence. Neither idea has worked yet, but he’s still trying.
As usual, foreign countries come to our aid. I needn’t have worried about the previously scarce and expensive ammo for an accurate and historic old Swiss K-31 Karabiner. “PRV” of Serbia offers fine new, inexpensive, commercial factory ammo, as well as empty boxer-type cartridge cases for people who shoot and reload the 7.5 Swiss and some other unusual rifles. They’re regularly stocked at Graf’s in St. Charles.
AJ, you can reload a .38 for about a nickel a round if you cast your own bullets (which is a labor of love). Wheel weights are still free for the asking at some tire stores, including my Wally Mart.