mundaire wrote: ↑Thu May 04, 2023 10:44 pm
1. Both 9x19 mm and .45 ACP are popular calibres overseas and thus produced in large quantities. The .32 ACP is much smaller (read much less raw material cost), but sells for a much higher price than either of the earlier mentioned 2 cartridges! Why? Because demand is much lower, so both production and inventory carrying cost is much higher for the .32 cartridge.
This is for sure the truth! 9 mm far outstrips any other handgun ammunition found on the shelves. Before COVID and the Ukraine War, 9 mm was continuously diving toward 22 LR prices! Personally, I began to think it might even supplant 22 LR for many purposes, both handgun and rifle!
mundaire wrote: ↑Thu May 04, 2023 10:44 pm
2. Amongst shotgun cartridges, the 12 bore/ gauge is by far the most popular amongst all. Once again, you'll see that much smaller (but less popular) 16/ 20/ 28 etc. Bore/ gauge cartridges sell for a lot more money (once again- read much less material cost) than their bigger 12 bore/ gauge cousin! Why? Same reason as above.
Again, so true! about all the shotgun ammunition on shelves is 12 gauge. There is some 20 gauge available, but it is only a small fraction of what one can buy in 12 gauge. 410 bore has made a little comeback, due I suppose to these "Judge" revolvers in 410 that have become a bit of a fad. 16 gauge is very rarely available, even less so than 28 gauge.
It is odd that many of the older cartridges, like 35 Remington or 300 Savage aren't being offered, many of these new "Creedmore" or "PRC" rounds are being offered. Manufacturers say that they want to concentrate on the most used ammunition, but they have dropped a lot of the older cartridges in favor of very expensive new ones.
For someone shooting one of these older cartridges, imported sources like Prvi Partizan might offer what one wants, perhaps. Finding 7.5 x 55 Swiss is like this, but finding 8 mm Lebel is even worse. It will soon get to the point where anyone shooting older cartridges will need to form their own brass, and maybe even cast their own bullets for these chamberings, too.
One can hardly find any 32 Auto ammunition, and it has been a few years since I've seen any 32 S&W on the shelves. There is some 30 Super Carry though. But, pretty much below 9 mm, 380 Auto is about all that's available. Most of anything else is a "roll your own" proposition, Where one must painstakingly find components. Brass can sometimes be found from specialty makers, like Starline, or bought as used "range brass." I felt fortunate to grab 500 rounds of 32 Auto cases a few months back. It can be found, but it's not all that common. The leaders in used brass are 9 mm, 45 Auto, and 10 mm.
mundaire wrote: ↑Thu May 04, 2023 10:44 pm
Even if one were to import/ buy from others the individual components to manufacture ammo, low demand means that your plant, machines & labour (fixed cost) would be idle for much of time, which would mean much higher end total cost per cartridge...
<end of rant>
Yes, yes, and yes! Ammunition makers have been coalescing into just a few large companies. Import bans, such as the ban on cheap Russian ammunition, has put a huge dent in supply. I would suppose that, in any case, Russian ammunition would be in short supply even if import bans weren't in place. Many other govenments have been claiming production from manufacturers to build out their own national stocks or to meet political commitments internationally.
India is a huge potential market, but the likelihood of that potential being realized is the big question. Low levels of gun ownership, low quotas on ammunition, and bans on chamberings that are most popular elsewhere doesn't seem like a good investment, considering the tooling needed and distribution issues that would have to be worked out.
It is easy enough to ask, "Who will meet my need for such-and-such ammunition?" but really, who is listening and who cares?
(edited to add: Of course, we gun lovers here at IFG
DO care! My question only highlights the point that few others do.)