Component availability

[gspn]

Has component availability, (not cost...just the ease or difficulty of acquiring components) altered how much you shoot and reload over the past few years?

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Nope. I haven’t had to buy a lot, though. Bought some stuff just because but that was mostly to help out businesses I patronize that went to a lot of trouble to get reloading components and I didn’t want to see them lose money because nobody’s buying.

 

[anothernewb]

Thankfully, i heeded some advice - and stocked deep back in 2008, I've since kept the supply reserve as I used pieces up. With the exception of bullets, I have enough components to load enough to keep the skills up - for probably as long as I can physically handle shooting.

 

[Bosn Ski]

I was lucky at the beginning of the pandemic. In Dec 2019 I just purchased primers and powder at BPS, then went across the street to a gun show and bought more primers. In Feb 2020, I bought another brick of primers and 4 pounds of powder from Powder Valley. I was a little short on bullets, but RMR was taking back orders, so every month I put one in. I didn't shoot too much in the beginning of the pandemic. In the summer a friend of a friend invited us to his backyard range, so we were able to shoot every month or so until the other ranges opened back up.

I started reloading in 2014 and never experienced any shortages. The furthest thing from my mind in 2020 was reloading. I did not know enough to realize a shortage was coming. Now I know and have started stocking up now and paying for it...

 

[ballman6711]

I've been buying components as needed for the last two years. Found some powder for $35 - $40 per pound, and picked it up. Picked up primers for too high a price, but they were available and needed. Bullets and brass were never an issue for me (except 45 Colt brass which I started loading this summer) so I only bought bullets when the prices were good. The 45 Colt brass I found at Dad's place this summer while looking for some other things.

So my reloading hasn't changed at all. My first reloading shortage and I will say it sucks. Like others though I'm expecting things to change soon, with inflation what it is and people spending less on discretionary items like shooting and reloading.

chris

 

[AK Hunter]

I'm reloading a little less just because I'm getting stocked up on loaded ammo. I stocked up on supplies years ago & only buy enough to replace what need in reloading.

 

[Blue68f100]

Nope. I was well stocked before all this madness started.

 

[Riomouse911]

I was reloading a lot less last summer due to the dwindling numbers of SPP that I have. But recently I have found a few deals on SPP. I now have about 10k in reserve, so I will start hitting the presses again .

Stay safe.

 

[Ifishsum]

Having been through a few primer shortages now, during the times when they were available I just made it a habit to pick up a brick or two of SRPs each time I was at Sportsmen's or another store that sold primers and stash it away (at $29/1000 or thereabouts). I'm VERY glad I did that, as I have so far not had to cut back on any of my matches due to component supply. Still have a couple of years supply even if I don't buy any more, and I haven't had to scramble and/or pay ridiculous prices for them in order to keep shooting. That day might come but so far I haven't had to change anything

 

[9mmepiphany]

I expected to be loading less because of Vista being behind in the ammo contracts...less Federal and CCI avaiable. I was down to my last 10k Federal primers and was figuring out how to divide them between 9mm and .38Spl

Then I found that Genix was a good substitute for CCI, got 20k, and I was all good to loading at my regular rate

 

[kalielkslayer]

For LRP and MLRP, I probably had a lifetime supply. But I recently bought another 1,000 of each.

For shotgun I had 4,000+. For my hunting that was a lifetime supply. I’ve bought 7,000 Cheddite primers since I ahoot skeet regularly.

Early (March) 2020 I saw another Clinton/Obama shortage coming.

13 weeks in a row I made the 80 mile drive to a town that has 3 “big box stores.” I bought primers every time. A couple of time my wife went with me so a 1 brick limit was actually 2 bricks. A couple of time we changed masks and went back for another load.

I bought projectiles online.

Once I was in a Scheels and they had 7 Dillion 550Cs on the shelf.

I talked to the salesman. He told me the week before they had 11 750s on the shelf midday on Friday, they were all gone by Saturday afternoon!

I became the proud owner of a Dillion 550C. It sat in the trunk of my car for 3/4 months! I was scared of it!!! But now it gives me a smile everytime I think of it!

Eventually I set it up! I now have 6 shell plates and 3 powder drops. Gonna get another 3 powder drops soon.

Even if 9mm, or .223 prices come down to pre-pandemic levels, I’m shooting ammo I made, except for CCW ammo.

 

[mmb617]

Timing is everything. It just so happened that I only started reloading 3 years ago and since I was really into it I bought up a lot of components (at good prices) and hammered away on my press till I had 20k rounds of the 3 calibers I was shooting loaded up. I pretty much eased off the reloading then although I still had sufficient components to load another 10k rounds on hand. I shoot pretty often but I'm still working on that big stockpile of loaded rounds I had built up.

The only thing I wasn't prepared for was that I bought a rifle in another caliber and had no components on hand for it, so I had to pay premium prices to get some and wasn't able to stock up the way I'd like. I've only been reloading enough to keep 100 loaded rounds on hand for it and replace those as I use them up.

 

[kcofohio]

I reload about the same as before. I started 2020 with a healthy supply of primers and powder. Equal amounts of SP, SR, and LP.

I now realize the next time for stocking up, will be more SP, and then SR. 45 Auto is the only cartridge I us LP in, so those will last longer.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

No because i had the foresight to stock up.

 

[Targa]

I am sure I don’t shoot as much as many members here and my reloading follows suit so not much has changed for me. I have enough essentials ie…primers and powders to last a number of years at my reloading rate. I also have enough brass, lead and antimony to keep me in bullets for a number of years as well.

 

[mdi]

Perhaps because I grew up in earthquake country I learned to be prepared. I had living supplies in all our vehicles, onboard our boat in the marina, in the bedroom closet, and in the shed out back. I didn't buy all the stuff at one time, but bought a little extra each time In went to the store. Same with reloading supplies. Occasionally when in a gun shop or sporting goods section of the box store in town I bought an extra pound of powder, or a brick of primers or rimfire ammo. Since the "panic shortage" I have only purchased 3 lbs of powder (didn't need any just a new to me powder), one brick of primers, and 200 bullets for a new to me cartridge. I have 3/4 ton of lead for casting and I'm set for a while, at least...

 

[Highland Lofts]

I pick up as much reloading stuff as I can. I have enough primers for a long time. Just spent $650 on reloading stuff yesterday and will be buying another $300 on reloading stuff next weekend.

 

[.38 Special]

Yes, absolutely. Although I have plenty of most things, I feel bad about using them because I don't know when/if I will be able to replace them. It's kind of silly, but I can't shake it, and it's taken some of the pleasure out of shooting.

 

[ms6852]

Reloading the same, but not because I am buying at today's prices. I have always bought and stocked my reloading inventory every payday, whether I needed it or not. Through the years life has shown me droughts like this happen all the time, regardless if they are politically motivated or consumer demand. I have not purchased any reloading or ammo since before Covid simply because I am well stocked and 90% of my training I do with 22lr simply because it is more economical to shoot 500 rounds of 22 than 100 rounds of .357 which I carry.

 

[barnfrog]

I pick up as much reloading stuff as I can. I have enough primers for a long time. Just spent $650 on reloading stuff yesterday and will be buying another $300 on reloading stuff next weekend.

Recession? What recession?

 

[TEXASJD]

When I started reloading it was in the 2008 shortage I think, after that every time I was in a reloading shop I would pick up 1-2k primer or a 8lb of Varget or somthing else I use. I look for supply to keep going up and price to go down on supplies as the economy get worse.

 

[Highland Lofts]

As I said before with this administration giving the Ukraine billions upon billions of dollars and then military supplies depleting our military demands they ammo companies will be doing catch up on our own military quotas so this will create another long term so called shortage so be prepared to pay double or maybe triple current prices or no availability at all on some products.
I'm set for a long time with my current stash that I built up over years of buying and saving.
Most of my reloading stash is stuff I bought used on the gun forums. I have thousands and thousands of primers all bought second hand. I can't remember when I bought a new pack of primers.
I just bought 1,500 primers yesterday for $90. Probably the highest I ever paid for primers. But I thing they will be over $200 a thousand by mid-summer.
I will be getting another 1,300 primers for free on a $200 reloading bundle I will be picking up on the 1st.
I will also be stocking up on 22lr ammo before that disappears again.
I did good on the shortage when Obama was in office. I was using it to trade for guns at a local gun shop. I was getting $50 a brick towards used guns they had on their shelf. I got between 25% to 35% off shelf price on the guns and almost twice the amount what I paid for the ammo.

I will also be stocking up on 12 gauge trap loads for my grandson so he can shoot clay pigeons.

 

[Walkalong]

One thing about all vendors instead of a few charging more these days folks can't buy as much and there is more available overall than the last "availability crisis".

I ordered RCBS .270 dies and 100 Hornady 140 Gr Interlocks today, plenty to hold my nephew hunting this year and next, maybe more. He'll supply brass from factory 140 Gr Interlock ammo.

 

[emb]

I got caught in 2008 and a little less so in 2012, but I stocked up afterwards and keep it that way. As the 2016 elections approached, I made sure I had plenty of everything. Again, I keep a running inventory and continually stock up as needed. With the exception of Large and Magnum Rifle Primers, I eventually find what I need. Also, it does depend on the gun. I have a .450 Marlin that I cannot find cases or even loaded ammo. I love hunting with that rifle, but decided to use one of my 30.06s this year simply because I can get all the cases etc I need.

 

[BBarn]

I'm working from a banked inventory of components, so my reloading has reduced only slightly, and I shoot a little more 22LR now. However, I have also stopped buying over-priced items like primers. I still have enough primers to last awhile longer, hopefully until production catches up and they are on sale once again.

If I shot much 9mm, I'd be buying that ammo at this point.