Everything Hans has said here is 'spot on'. The same can be said for ChanceMcCall's post #20 above. There's is nothing wrong with the capitalist system in most instances, and these are two prime examples of those.It really isn’t gouging.
It’s good old free-market capitalism; basic supply and demand. Last year, while there was a normal demand, the supply was plentiful—overstocked, really. I bought 5 cases of 9mm blaster (Rem/UMC) from Cabelas on a day after Christmas sale for $169/1k (.17/rd), delivered.
I’ve considered (but I’m not, considering this could go on for a while) letting some of it go now for the going rate of .50/rd...and that’s on the competitive side of pricing.
Am I gouging, or just market savvy? If I was doing this on the stock market, I’d be considered a pretty smart investor...why would this be different?
Just to correct the record here JJ, Epi-Pens are for people that are severely allergic to things such as Peanuts and bees/wasps/hornets, etc., (I'm allergic to both), to ease or prevent those from going into anaphylactic shock. It has nothing to do with diabetes (I'm diabetic as well), as I think you meant insulin shots for type 1 diabetics (I'm type 2 and take oral medicine). I also think you were referring to Martin Shkreli, the former CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals which makes the antiparasitic drug Daraprim, and raised its price by a factor of 56, from $13.5 to $750 per pill. He's currently in jail on securities fraud, but nothing related to the rise in the drug price.Everything Hans has said here is 'spot on'. The same can be said for ChanceMcCall's post #20 above. There's is nothing wrong with the capitalist system in most instances, and these are two prime examples of those.
On the other hand there are those who would profit on another's misfortune, or disadvantage and that makes it 'not right'. Good example of this was when the guy (Skreely, I think) who bought the rights to, or somehow obtained ownership of the "EpiPen" for diabetics and raised the price something like 5,000%. I honestly don't remember the exact increase in price, but it was pretty steep. This is definitely an example of when capitalism fails the general public and anything resembling fair play. Not in the sense of 'profit making', but in the sense of human decency.
Now I admittedly do not know all the details of the "EpiPen" situation, but don't think I'm speaking out of turn. Enough was reported on the nightly news to let me know there was a 'snake in the woodpile' somewhere. And IIRC, the guy is currently in prison for other wrong doings. When things are in desperate need, and/or people's lives depend on them, the truest in capitalism falls short. Again not in the profit making, but in the humanity and/or basic fairness of it.
There is absolutely nothing wrong in spirit in making a profit whether planned or dumb luck. But just as the example of how "Cheaper Than Dirt" is reported to have cancelled some on hand orders, then required customers to reorder at the higher prices would fall under the latter example, items of general use and/or want would not.
If I had a major stock of on hand ammo and someone else wanted some of it, I'd likely sell it to them at something over what I paid for it. Primarily because it's in demand right now and is not something desperately needed to sustain life, and it'll likely never go back down to where I originally paid for it and will cost me more to ultimately replace it. As well, I'd probably sell to a close friend at a better price than to a common acquaintance. Yeh, that's right .... I'd never sell or give any ammo to a total stranger, unless the two of us together, shoulder to shoulder were in an all out gun fight with the zombie apocalypse, and even then I'd have one eye on him and one eye on the zombies. On the other hand if I had a store of bread and peanut butter and a total stranger needed it to feed his kids, I'd likely give it to him. So, even as these are two pretty obvious examples, it should be easy enough to see where and how the difference between capitalism and gouging is determined.
Just a little food for thought and something to ponder y'all.
Don't mind at all man, it's all good. Sometimes I type faster than I think ..... I hate it, but I still do it. But I always blame it on typing too fast and not on thinking too slow. When I mess up while typing from my lap top I'll take the blame. But when I mess up while typing from my phone with the tiny little keys, I just blame it on it being an Obama phone.Just to correct the record here JJ, Epi-Pens are for people that are severely allergic to things such as Peanuts and bees/wasps/hornets, etc.,................."
"................ I get what your point was, that there are people and companies that gouge the public. I just wanted to set the record set on some of your statements in your post, and hope you don't mind.
I hear you there Joe. Sometimes, when in a rush, I write something, send it, and then think “that wasn’t right”, but too late to correct it. I just thought I should reply to your post, as being an Epi-Pen user, that whole cost increase really burnt me up. I even told some of the Doctors I see, that the CEO of Mylan was Senator Manchin’s daughter, and they were shocked on how that entire cost increase thing could happen. Furthermore, the government did nothing until if became public and they were pressured to lower its cost, by asking Mylan to produce a generic. I’m glad you took no offense at my post reply, as it’s just a subject close to my heart so to speak, as it effects my wallet.Don't mind at all man, it's all good. Sometimes I type faster than I think ..... I hate it, but I still do it. But I always blame it on typing too fast and not on thinking too slow. When I mess up while typing from my lap top I'll take the blame. But when I mess up while typing from my phone with the tiny little keys, I just blame it on it being an Obama phone.
You're absolutely right in that the EpiPen was what I was referring to, but in such a hurry attributed it to diabetics rather than allergies. And I should have recognized right away how I'd missed it 'cause the wife is cursed with some pretty awful allergies and often carries the pen with her. In fact she regularly injects herself for some of those allergies as a preventive.
Actually at the time I was typing I was being rushed to go to dinner and was trying hard to get it posted before we left. I was more intent on making the point than being meticulously correct I guess. I hate that too, but I still do it sometime.
As an aside, there's not much I personally hate worse than posted incorrect info, especially when it's me doing it. So if ever you see something you know ain't right, jump in and fix it. You won't hurt my feelings at all, I promise. Hopefully I'll more often than not catch it about the time I hit 'Post reply', then I'll hit 'edit' and fix it myself. I just hope you guys aren't counting the number of times you see my posts edited. LOL!!!
As my old grandpa, gone now but not forgotten, used to say ....... "Ya' dun good son, ya' dun good!"I hear you there Joe. Sometimes, when in a rush, I write something, send it, and then think “that wasn’t right”, but too late to correct it. I just thought I should reply to your post, as being an Epi-Pen user, that whole cost increase really burnt me up. I even told some of the Doctors I see, that the CEO of Mylan was Senator Manchin’s daughter, and they were shocked on how that entire cost increase thing could happen. Furthermore, the government did nothing until if became public and they were pressured to lower its cost, by asking Mylan to produce a generic. I’m glad you took no offense at my post reply, as it’s just a subject close to my heart so to speak, as it effects my wallet.
Just got an email from RK guns. They have some 308 for $17.99. Better hurry though.
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Agreed, I found and purchased .308 Fairly priced. Looked again a week later and the price went up..308 and 7.62x51 have been super easy to find. The rest, not so much.
I feel you pain ive noticed that people are selling in bulk on gun broker i cant say 5.56 for sure but 45acp , 40s&w , and 9mm are all going about a dollar a roundI’m seriously getting annoyed with the lack of availability in Ammo. I love to shoot on the weekends and I’m cutting back more and more because I can’t replace Ammo and when I can it’s ridiculously overpriced!! Last year there were tons of Black Friday Federal Black Pack deals and this year you have to sell your kidney to buy a 1000 rounds of 5.56! Ugh!
Leave notices on Midway and you will pay the same price for Blazer Brass. Not a great price but my last to notices for Blazer one for 115gr and the other for 147gr were for $350 for 1000 rounds (20 boxes). Not cheap but better than steel cased.I got 1k rounds of 9mm (steel case, but better than nothing) yesterday for .37/rd. ammoseek.com.
At least I'll be able to practice again.