Exchange rate for ballistic wampum

[smithers599]

Friend of mine sent me an email, says he is getting out of 12 gauge and .308, and what is a fair exchange rate for 9mm and .223/5.56?

I know there is going to be a difference between Tula and Hornady, but rough number, for decent quality FMJ practice ammo, what does the hive mind think is an approximate exchange rate for

12 gauge to 9mm
12 gauge to .223
7.62x51 M118 to 9mm
ditto to .223

I may or may not list it here. He says the 12g is #4B, 00B, and some 7 1/2, and some slugs.

Thanks for sharing your opinion.

[Lobo2087]

Unfortunately at today's rates I am close to saying I am willing to trade hole for hole unless it's something like 22lr or 300win mag and up.

I saw unbelievably 9mm at a bit over a buck a round earlier which is ridiculous. That said unless someone's ammo makes more than 1 hole or is magically more accurate than mine it is worth 1 hole in a target to me. If i have something someone needs and I can use what they have I am trading 1 hole for 1 hole.

If it doesn't work for that person no worries they keep what they have I keep what i have.

I may be ok at the moment but i surely cant trade and have to replace at current prices when i cant even find it as is

[Old Jeff H]

Yeah that's a tough one.

If you base it off of "normal times" it's one thing, and it can be another thing if you base it off of what the current market looks like.

Honestly I think it just depends on whatever what's being traded is worth to each of the two parties.

[Suck My Glock]

Yeah, going by previous prices before the craziness, one could argue that 7.62nato cost roughly 2x what 5.56 or 9mm did,...so a 2-to-1 exchange rate there seems appropriate.

12ga. however is more difficult to gauge (no pun intended), simply because there is such a wide variance in prices between mere birdshot and buck and slugs. And even among slugs and buck, there can be quite a disparate spread. For instance Federal Flitecontrol buckshot is definitely worth more than Wolf crap. Brenneke or BRI sabot slugs are heads and shoulders above plain old Foster type slugs. So it depends on what exactly it is he has. Current replacement value, however, for common regular buck and slugs runs about $1.50 per round. So assuming 9mm and 5.56 currently are at about $1 per round, that makes for a rough estimate of 3-to-2.

[Hammer 35]

Without getting into all the minutiae of all the multitude of loadings, it'd be easiest to just post it up here and see what kind of a deal can be struck.

In normal times I'd say probably 1:2 308-5.56/9mm now adays, probably more like 3:4 now since 5.56 is more in demand.

[smithers599]

I found this very interesting site -- historical prices of most common calibers -- except for 12 gauge, unfortunately.

But, much useful info here. Seems like the key is whether you assume people are trading ammo they have owned for a while and don't intend to replace (like my friend with the 12 gauge and .308), or going by today's prices.

Anyway, check this out: https://ammopricesnow.com/