The local guy down here said he got an e-mail saying that all ammo was being produced and sent to our troops and to Israel. So they were not making as much ammo for other calibers, and 223 is all being made to ship to other countries. All ammo except for Hornady, I think, went up 15% September 1, and is supposedly goin up another 15% at the first of the year(Hornady is 25% I think). The 15% increases were for like 243, 308, 30-06, etc. 223 went up 25%. Believe what you want to believe the story about all the ammo going to Iraq maybe just a story. I know that I am glad I reload, and even that is getting expensive. A bottle of Varget I bought last fall was 17 dollars then, I went to get another bottle about 3 weeks ago and it was 27 dollars.