Case gluttony - or how much is enough?

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Stainz

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Yeah, same story as with my revolvers... I need more cases. And, when I get those cases, I feel it necessary to clean them - and load them! But... how much is enough?

Here is an example: I have ~600 rounds of .38 Special 158gr LSWC on my 'ready' shelf. I also have ~1,200 cleaned empties begging to be reloaded. Did I mention 16 boxes of assorted .38 reloads in a .50 cal can downstairs? I have a 2" M10 - that is my .38 collection. My .357's use down loaded Magnum cases... never mind how many of those I have reloaded. Then you have my .44 Russian, Specials, and Magnums as well as the .45 S&W and Colts... thousands of reloads! I even found more .45 ACP & AR reloads, and I sold my 625 last spring (I have a replacement on order - finally!).

The sickness exemplifies itself in my range trips. When I go to the range, it seems to be for the very purpose of making reloading cases. Never mind finding revolver brass there, they are all bottom-feeder types there. I even find myself looking for reloading goodies at shows. It is horrible. I'd give more examples, but my modified .32-20 cases for my 1895 Nagant should be clean now... gotta go reload them!

Stainz
 
Does this qualify you for a compulsive-obssesive discount at Midway? :)

Just think of all the money you are saving!

Dave
 
How much is enough?

I buy my case by the 1000's and have several thousand of most of the common pistol and revolver calibers. I scrounge 9mm brass and I don't even like 9mm. but I have over 1000 of them loaded and a couple of thousand more just waiting. I think I've a Little obsessive compulsive. But then I have plenty of ammo when I want to go shooting. And I have a couple of Hunky Sons that think nothing of shooting up several boxes of Dads ammo at the drop of a hat. :scrutiny: :)
 
I have more 9mm brass than I'll ever used, and I didn't pay for one piece. I have hundreds of once fired '06 and '06 derivatives that I picked up from hunting season sight in (great way to see "innovative" and mostly in-effective front rests). I have a collection now, but I can't get rid of it. I still pick up 9mm, I just can't bear to see good brass sit there.


Yep, it's a problem~!
 
Bragging?? Definitely not... just bemoaning the fact that at one time I enjoyed shooting my firearms. Now, it seems, my .22LR CZ's are the only ones I really enjoy. Everything else 'produces' fired cases to be refilled... or, a chance to use the range's chrono. Who am I kidding, I even chrono ,22LR ammo! Help - I need help!

Stainz

PS Stamp collecting... maybe another hobby...
 
I think I may be part squirrel...

...if I see shiny brass on the ground, I have to pick it up. I've got coffee cans of brass for cartidges for which I don't have a gun to shoot. I have several boxes of brass (most sorted by headstamp) marked "RTL" (ready to load). But, every once in awhile I reach into the cabinet and discover, "Well dang, I'd better get to loading a few hundred of those!"

Sure glad 22LR isn't reloadable.
 
If i go to the range myself,its usually about 3-4 hundred pistol,if my son comesits double and more! If its my wife figure about 1-2 hundred for her! Normally i have between 1.5 and 2k pds of 9mm, 10mm, and about 3k 45, and never enough 22s. Reloading is very addictive, also i couldnt afford to buy that much new ammo! :)
 
I go through 14 to 15,000 rounds a year (handgun) according to the logs that I have been keeping. Probably one years worth of ammo on hand, maybe a bit more, but the supplies to keep loading and staying ahead of the game.

The original msg was "case gluttony - or how much is enough" which sounds like it could refer to total number of cases, including empty ones. I have buckets of 9mm, 45acp, 38 special, and a lot of bags (each with just over 1,000 pieces) of 357 and 44 Mag. Everything else pretty much ends up at the scrap yard and I have been thinking about taking more of the 9mms and 38s along the next time I take in scrap.
 
I have scrounged and bought millions of rounds

As a commercial police reloader, Nra instructor of everything, Police and Civilian Rangemaster Scout shooting merit badge instructor and my scouts helped me teach my city Hunter safety course and my scouts vacuumned up every piece of brass on the outdoor ranges we used and we cleaned, sorted and sold them at local gun shows to earn Scout camping equipment. I have a bunch of odd sizes left that I am sorting and counting to list in the for sale accessories list here.
 
i cannot stand to see perfectly good brass on the ground, going to waste, being stepped on, tarnishing. all that. i am also a lead hound. i pack it home and cast into small ingots for "when". i have all the casting equipment i need to produce many k of cartridges. oh yes, primers too.

my old mama told me one day that the 2nd amend may ptotect guns, but there is No amendment to protect ammo. got me to thinking, so here i am ready with enough stuff to keep my grandchildren supplied. the constitution was written when muzzleloaders were the norm and a wimpy supreme court could be easily influenced by sarah and her ilk. i see the potential.
 
Case gluttony can be measured by...

The number of cartridge brass in ice cream pails you've collected for calibers you don't even own. ;)

(Guilty of the above, myself)
 
O K O K I get it!! I'll try to resist picking up discarded brass at the range and will refuse any brass that is offered by friends and I WILL return that brass that has been already given to me...LIKE HELL!!! Oh look....There's another one. ummph...Got it...
 
I pick up brass at the range for calibers that I don't even own because I might own them someday. Actually 10mm is the only one that I don't have. I don't have a .38/.357 yet, but my dad does so I pick 'em up to reload and shoot in his gun. Of course, the only dies I have are 9mm and .45. Yeah, I've got a little OCD for picking up brass :scrutiny: Actually sitting down and loading it is another story altogether :uhoh:
 
Thanks, guys! You make me feel better!

I was kinda wondering what was wrong with me when I ordered 1K 45 AR cases a couple of wks ago....I've got a 25-2 and a 625-2 that I don't shoot all that much. I had 1,200 cases (loaded) already but it just didn't seem like enough. I've always had in the back of my mind that "they" might quit making new brass for .45 AR, so I'd better grab some while I could.

Kinda the same for .38...I must have 3K cases "RTL", yet I only have a M 19 and a Taurus Mod 85 which also don't get much use.

Also .45 ACP...only got a 4506, and probably 3K cases RTL plus several hundred "RTS".

I could go on, but I guess I oughta just take step #1.......

"Hi! My name is Randy, and I'm a packrat!"

(That's the only step I'm willing to take, however.)
 
I think you guys are a bunch of reloading extremists. I don't think I have more than 300 cases for any of the calibers I I reload for. And that includes .223 and 9mm!

I only have 175 or so cases for my 7.5 Swiss. I think its enough.

I think you all should take up a new hobby. Like SHOOTING RELOADS!

(Of course, I've only been reloading about a year--maybe I've only got "reloading HIV positive", and not full-blown "reloading AIDS" yet.)
 
Hey...if you've got extra 10mm's

I'm down to maybe 1,000 empties

You know, for most people it's a big deal to go to the range and get "a box of ammo". That's like opening the bag and eating one chip.

We have a family shoot every year at our Thanksgiving dinner. Last year I took over 1,250 rounds. Funny...it was all gone in a few hours

Nice thing is it only cost maybe $75
 
i envy everyone here who has buckets of brass at their disposal! i've never tried going to the indoor and getting policed brass that they have. . . .i assumed they kept it now ill try. . . . . a barrel of nine 45 and 357/38 would be great. ..
 
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