It’s a sign of the time I suppose, from a CMP email:
AMMUNITION PURCHASE LIMIT: During the past 60 days we have experienced a ten-fold increase in orders for HXP .30-06 ammunition. This activity has significantly reduced our inventory. To ensure that the current inventory last another few years, effective immediately we are establishing an individual maximum purchase limit of ten cases of .30-06 HXP item # 407-Case and 10 cases of item # 415 per year.
NEW HXP .30-06 AMMUNITION PRICES:Â New prices are: Item #407-Case – $238 per case; item #407-Can – $60 per can; item #415 – $134 per case; item #415-CN $67 per can. New prices are effective 5 May, 2008. CMP will honor the old price for all orders already received, but not yet processed.
It’s disappointing, but I’m not sure there’s going to be any more cheap .30-06 once the HXP runs out. One thing I think gun owners need to work on changing is the prohibition on the US military selling surplus ammo to civilians. While that won’t help the .30-06 situation any, it might help reduce prices for more modern military calibers. Cutting off military surplus ammo is also one of the chief dangers of international arms control. HXP is of Greek manufacture. Imagine a world where no one can sell anything to civilians. Think about how many of your favorite guns are foreign made, and you see how this becomes a big problem.
The most recent issue of the Garand Collector’s Association magazine stated that the CMP, at that time, had possession of nearly 65 million rounds of Greek HXP ammo.
It’s excellent ammo, and it’s obviously selling fast…