That's primarily due to the unprecedented increase in the market price of metals such as copper, zinc, and tin and the alloys that are made from them. I don't believe this has anything to do with the government making ammo more expensive or reducing the number of privately owned guns. It's mostly the fault of higher demand for those metals caused by the rapidly growing industrial capacity of China, India, and other former 3rd world nations that are fast becoming manufacturing powerhouses. Copper futures, which is needed to make brass cases, primers, and copper jacketed bullets, are at an all time high and still rising. So don't expect to see any cheap ammo or brass cases anytime soon, or probably never.
Not to mention that there are several significant wars going on. Much Military surplus is being shot up before it becomes surplus, mostly in training, but quite a bit in action as well. Less supply, higher demand, means higher prices.
The fact that there’s a war on might also be affecting availability, ya think?
The US needs the output of practically all .223, .308 and .50BMG manufacturers to supply troops in Iraq. That considered, prices haven’t gone up all that much, as when a HUGE customer says “I’ll buy everything you have, and then some”, that doesn’t leave much left for others to squabble over.
This also translates to reduced availability of raw materials, affecting other calibers.
All that said, MaDeuce does have a point regarding the import restrictions. We could have more ammo cheaper if not for stupid import regulations.
BLOAT.
Stockpile.
Take an interest in low-volume and odd-caliber shooting sports.