Trying to follow metal price chances, and need some help.

[Jamie Young]

http://www.metalprices.com/FreeSite/


Can anyone explain where the brass for ammo would be on this website?

I'm trying to find out of there is any truth to this rumor about Chinese buying up scrap metal and this affecting brass prices.

I'd like to try and follow the price chances, but this metal science is over my head.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[QKShooter]

BRASS
Well, you wanted to attempt to track it all the way down to the "base metal" prices then you would have to somehow combine the spot prices for both copper and zinc.
Brass is an alloy comprised mostly of copper plus added zinc.

I think that most new mfg cartridge cases are made from virgin brass alloy and not recycled scrap brass metal.

[HotGuns]

It is a fact that the Chinese have been hoarding all of the steel and lead that they can get and its been ongoing for the last 2 years.

I buy steel for use in maintenance at a nuclear power plant. It has become increasingly difficult to get and its not just me, its the same story for the several others nuclear plants that I am in contact with.

The Chinese are using way and above what they can manufacture. Not only that, but according to governmnet sources they are absorbing most of the worlds production of lead which they are using to shield their critical infrastructure componets from nuclear attack.

Several years ago, the tire companys couldnt give away their used leadwheelweights and were happy to give them to anyone that wanted them. Now, most of them are sellling it, because they can.

Its the old law of supply and demand. If you got something that everyone wants and there isnt enough to go around, you can pretty well name your price.

Its payback time and now we are seeing it. In the late 70's early 80's the Japanese were killing our industry with their imported steel which was of the same or better quality for a whole lot less money. The big steels mills just couldnt compete and had to shut down. As a result of that, we just dont have the steel producing capabilities that we once had and are very dependent on foreign suppliers.

Add that to the rising cost of fuel and steel prices have more than doubled in the last year...enough that now we hear of people gutting airconditioners to sell the copper for scrap and people stealing copper roofing materials. Just last week in this small town that Im in a guy was convicted of stealing 60K worth of copper wire and selling it to the local scrapyard. Copper was 70 cents a pound two years ago and now it is selling for over 3 dollars.

Its not just copper, or brass, or lead, its steel and everything in between that continues to go up. Notice the prices on ammunition lately ? It'll only continue to go up.

Welcome to the wonderful world of the Global Economy that those in power seem to worship.