[luremaker]

Okay blame the tackle monkey or who ever but here is what is coming down the road. Around the first of October expect to see a 25 percent increase in the cost of any product that contains lead and another the first of the year this came out of all my wholesalers and was mentioned at Icast by several of the manufacturers. But the good part is we are not in this boat alone as the hunters and shooters are going to take the same hit

 

[LiveBait]

I remember seeing something on the news about it as a ploy by the tree hugging liberals and control mongers to hurt the ammunition trade. They were even talking about banning lead all together and making everyone go to brass and copper.

 

[sinker man]

LiveBait, I know what will happen then. People will be breaking into houses to strip out the copper wire while people are on vaction. It's almost to that point now. The next step ... people will go out and pay them higher prices for bullets when they realize how effective our law enforcement / criminal justice system is. Back in the late 70's sinkers were 10 cents per ounce. My fishing partner and I scoured Va. Beach and Norfolk and finally found some for .08/ oz. A couple of weeks ago I noticed a .com site that was pricing theirs at .06/oz. It is a losing proposition to wholesale them that cheap if they are made here. Most sinkers are imported by large tackle companies from Hati and China. Those people probably get paid less than a penny /pound to pour them. Industrial hygeine and workmens comp. aren't even concepts in those countries. Environmental concerns: What is that? I'm all for a price increase if it helps the people doing the work. If it is going into the wrong pockets, then it is just business as usual and yet another rip off.

 

[fojoloy]

I might have to go back to using old used spark plugs in the place of bank sinkers-- Thats what I started with-- so I guess thats what you can call full circle.

 

[Dave B.]

Hmmm.. Govnmt is the biggest purchaser of bullets... wonder how that'll fly.

Welp, guess it's time to load up again at Cheaperthandirt.com on some ammo

 

[backlash]

Ammunition companies have been taking two or three price increases per year for the last three years and I'm hearing that there will be another increase in the fall that could be 30 to 40 percent. I was selling gun safes a few years ago when the price of steel began to jump through the roof and we were forced to increase prices 25% or more within the year. In the last years, the price of base metals have been going through the roof. Some of this is due to the war but largely due to the emerging economies of India and China, who are buying metals at a rate never seen before. The media gives a lot pay to gas but has overlooked the astronomical jump in the price of base metals. I can tell you first had that the price of brass stock increased 50% in 06 and has increased twice already in 07. Sadly, there doesn't seem to be any relief on the horizon. I wouldn't be surprised if the stated 25% wasn't just the beginning.

 

[lefty]

Will this apply to every product that carries the state-of-California lead warning, or only those products that actually do contain lead? (I presume it's more cost-efficient for Berkeley to label everything "this product may contain lead and might cause cancer to Californians" than it is to convince a legislator that monofilament line actually does not...)

If it's driven by the cost of raw metal, then it seems like it would apply only to products containing metals. But if it's legislatively-driven, then who knows...

 

[Angler Systems]

Very interesting, many thanks.

 

[Dave B.]

I might have to go back to using old used spark plugs in the place of bank sinkers

what are those in the weight range of Forrest,, 1 - 1/2 ounce for the everyday average plug?

 

[backlash]

I really don't beleive that it has anything to do with legistalion or labeling requirements as manufacturers have been required lead label their packages for sometime. IFrom everything that I have read it has more to with supply (because of India and China) and energy cost than anything.

 

[fojoloy]

what are those in the weight range of Forrest,, 1 - 1/2 ounce for the everyday average plug?

Heck--I don't know weight--when I was a kid my uncle ran a service station and they were free. They were heavy enough to create the mother of all backlashes on an old J.C. Higgins baitcaster on a steel rod. I had so many backlashes back in those days that there is no way I will ever use another baitcasting reel to this day. Bill Dance never convinced me and I don't care how much improvements have been made.

 

[sinker man]

The story that I read on the net that seemed to make the most sense is that with their new found riches (gained from doing our work for us) the Chinese workers are electrifying their transportation system. (BICYCLES) That is putting a huge demand on the lead supply suddenly. Now all of the sudden the whole world is in another metals market lurch. Gee... If prices on all metals go thru the roof does that mean that China is amassing a stockpile of strategic materials or are they that sucessfully competing the market place? I predict both. Time will tell.

 

[backlash]

I sold Gun Safes for awhile and back in 05 we started seeing increases in the price of steel due to increased consumption by China. The increase was blamed on the Three Gorges Dam project which is called the world's largest construction project since the Great Wall. Not only are the materials needed for the dam construction , but also for building housing for all the people the reservoirs will displace. Keep in mind that these reservoirs are to support traffic of 10,000 ton ocean going vessels.

Sinkerman's point about the batteries is on the money. Lead-acid batteries are the number one purpose for lead. I don't about bicycles but China has the world's fastest growing automobile market which means lots of batteries.

Strategic Materials ? Yes, The CIA was warning of China's increase in military production in 04. Reports now put their increases in Military spending at 20%. Now, they tell us that China is holding joint military exercises with Russia. In my opinion, this all means that we're headed for some tragic confrontations down the road.

 

[sundrop]

And lets don't forget about China's buddies in N Korea...I sometimes wonder if they aren't China's henchmen in training..

oops sorry...off topic no more said....

 

[LiveBait]

And lets don't forget about China's buddies in N Korea...I sometimes wonder if they aren't China's henchmen in training..

oops sorry...off topic no more said....

I believe that you are right Sundrop.

 

[dampeoples]

I've not noticed any increases, and have a nice stockpile of lead, but have started steering away from lead stuff anyway!

I currently buy sinkers and such, but if it really starts to climb, I might have to start pouring them