I went in an outdoor store in Windhoek (Outdoor Centre) to look around and found they had more reloading components than any Bass Pro, Cabela’s, Scheels store or online retailer I’ve visited in a long time. They had brass for many rifle calibers that are “backordered” at home. Shelves full of Hornady, Sierra, Norma and other bullets, also in calibers pretty hard to find. They had a couple dozen boxes of Hornady .505 bullets, at a price lower than advertised at home (if available). Lots of brass, too. The manager told me that they had no problem getting components and that they ha a container load of bullets and brass waiting to be delivered. Sure wish retailers in the US would restock on these items.

Sportsman's Outpost here has a decent stock of reloading components, the only local store that does.

They just don't have the demand on their stock that we have. Not as many reloaders and few hoarders!

I visited with the department manager for several minutes and he told me that reloading is becoming more and more popular, the price of factory ammo is awful high in Namibia. Hornady .458 Lott DGS was $N4429.00. Or about $249.00 US. Norma .505 Gibbs converted to US would be slightly over $300.00, for 10 rounds.

I think that with what happened during Covid, the folks in the supply chain got used to padding their profit margins.

A prolonged period of stability would result in a decline in prices across the industry.

Having two shops in town selling the same goods eventually results in both reducing prices and trying to find ways to make the customer prefer them.

Right now, the customers are more worried about access than price.

My local branch of one of our nation wide gun stores currently has a 10rd packet of 404 Jeffery Norma PH ammo for NZ$159.00, current forex rate US$93.50.
I don't need any more ammo for my 404 but really should buy it, still listed as current ammo on the Norma website but almost in the collectable category as far as availability goes.

I thought the Woodleigh fire may have affected production of the PH line of ammo which used the Woodleigh bullets.