I've been stocking up

[WestKentucky]

Depending upon how you classify being set up, I’m good for somewhere between 2 weeks and 2 lifetimes. 5 years ago I was loading like a mad man. Now I barely have time to think about loading. Kids in the house really changes things, and so does running a small business. Add a non-profit my wife started that I have helped with and you see real quick where my time goes. 5 years ago I would have blown through my whole stash in 2 weeks if I got in a mood to. At the rate I have loaded the last couple years it would last me a few lifetimes… but I’m stocked up!!! And just over half the OPs “experience level” at 37.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Im well stocked to ride it out. When things get back to normal. I'll restock. When covid 1st started i did grab 5000 more LPP and 5000 SRP.
And grabbed 12 lbs of bullseye and 8 lbs of green dot and red dot. On top of what i already had. I saw the writing on the wall as they say.

 

[twarr1]

Pretty sure this is not Dave Ramsey nor any credible financial advisor approved advice.

I can’t believe you used ‘Dave Ramsey’ and ‘credible financial advisor’ in the same sentence.
Some people are waiting for primers to go back to $30/1000 and powder to be under $15. All the while their money is less valuable. I’ve been through a few of these scarcities and this time is different. Maybe prices will trend down in the next few months, maybe not. If you can afford it, and need components, I say buy them now at the best price you can get.

 

[KY DAN]

I can’t believe you used ‘Dave Ramsey’ and ‘credible financial advisor’ in the same sentence.
Some people are waiting for primers to go back to $30/1000 and powder to be under $15. All the while their money is less valuable. I’ve been through a few of these scarcities and this time is different. Maybe prices will trend down in the next few months, maybe not. If you can afford it, and need components, I say buy them now at the best price you can get.

Borrowing to invest is literally a bad idea, if you don't like Dave then be reassureed that Warren Buffet says the same thing lol.

If you want to buy anything it's fine, but to spew advice that WILL financially ruin some one is messed up.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

I hope no one is offended by this but, in my opinion, life is just too short to count pennies or get upset about the dollar cost of a thing. You want and need a thing or you don’t. Cost is trivial compared to availability. Having the money to buy a thing only to be denied access to the market is an assault on our basic freedoms. Money is a way of valuing labor. Deliberately closing markets to consumers for political power or to manipulate trade is wrong.

 

[twarr1]

Borrowing to invest is literally a bad idea, if you don't like Dave then be reassureed that Warren Buffet says the same thing lol.

If you want to buy anything it's fine, but to spew advice that WILL financially ruin some one is messed up.

Yes. Borrowing to invest is always a bad decision. Converting fiat to durable goods can be a good decision when inflation is high.
If you’re reasonably sure you’ll use 5000 primers in 2025, and inflation is pushing 10%, it might be a smart move to just buy them now. IF you have the means.

 

[WestKentucky]

Current financial situation is very odd. Inflation is outpacing interest. Assuming a very liquid good matches or even roughly matches the inflation rate a person would be better off to mortgage the farm to buy stuff and then sell it in the future before they think that the inflation rate will slow down.

Primers would have been the perfect example about 2 years ago. If I could have bought $100,000 worth of primers and held onto them for 6 months I could have sold them and paid off the debt and have a half million in the bank.

BUT I think that ship has sailed.

Now it’s back to stock up to get by for a while. Adjust habits to turn that while into a longer while.

 

[AgPilot]

I'm 71, retired and started reloading @15 months ago when some were saying it was a bad time to start. Maybe so but I'm glad I did. Given rising prices for everything across the board, I've been stocking up on components to last me a few years when I can find them for what I consider reasonable prices. I've found 6K primers at a LGS on consignment for $100 per 1000 OTD and been bartering for others. I enjoy reloading and it's still a lot cheaper than buying 38/357 factory ammo and no problem with availability. Time will tell if it's a wise decision or not but at least I know I'm not going to run out. You younger guys have the time to wait it out for cheaper prices if and when it happens. Anybody else like minded or is my logic flawed?

I’m fixing to be 53. I buy when I see a deal also I buy if I need something regardless of price. I have enough components to last for several years. But Still buy when I see something I need. I’m not going to deny Myself on something I enjoy doing. Life is Too short to wait for primers or powder to go down $10-15. So I totally agree with what You Say!
And I’m not talking about just reloading supplies. I do that with everything. I may not be here tomorrow. So I live for each day!!!

 

[dannyd]

I shoot so I can Reload; I pay what they want because like others life is to short to put off something you like to do. I have paid from 5 dollars a 1000 over thirty years ago to 106 dollars a thousand now days. I stay within the quantities set by Fire safety code and enjoy my hobby. The only advantage of getting old is I have gone from shooting 25,000 rounds a year to about 12,000 rounds a year . The day after casting bullets tends to be rough first thing in the morning.

 

[Hikingman]

But everything is on SALE NOW! Every day I get e mails from any company I ever bought stuff from They all have ammo, primers powder, presses etc for sale but not at a price I want to pay, Nor do I need it. I stocked up before Obummer V1.
It's insane and is going to get worse with all the things going on that are not allowed to be discussed,

For nearly 20 years, I've mostly ignored shipping and tax. Shipping is now taking on a new meaning!

 

[barnfrog]

Primers would have been the perfect example about 2 years ago. If I could have bought $100,000 worth of primers and held onto them for 6 months I could have sold them and paid off the debt and have a half million in the bank.

Yeah, but you would have had to live with everyone here calling you a greedy scumbag scalper jerk.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Yeah, but you would have had to live with everyone here calling you a greedy scumbag scalper jerk.

Nah. Rich people don’t hear the lesser classes so he’d never know or care what we called him.

 

[kalielkslayer]

Everybody needs to do what they are comfortable with.

I’ve reloaded shotgun since the 70s, rifle since the late 80s.

pistol??? Never!!! I just bought cheap ammo to train with and some quality to carry.

So in October 2020, I knew I needed to stock up pistol components for the future.

I drove an hour and 15 minutes to the nearest city, 1X, 13 straight weeks.

There are 3 “big box” sporting goods stores and a couple of small gun shops that carry reloading supplies.

I’ve paid from $34/1,000 to $84/1,000 for primers in that time.

But in 13 weeks, I only came home 2Xs without primers. My wife went with me and a couple of times we came home with 6,000 primers, SPP, SRP, CCI #41s, even a few 1,000 shotgun primers.

The gas probably wasn’t any savings over HazMat fees but I have a problem paying HazMat for 1,000 primers, or less than 6 lbs of powder. But that’s just me.

My point is I started at the absolute worst time and I was able to procure enough components to load rounds for every handgun we own for the rest of my life. This includes a progressive machine, dies for many of these calibers I didn’t have. For .380, I couldn’t find ammo anywhere for months despite many efforts. It was my only option.

I don’t shoot 20,000 handgun rounds a year, but I do shoot several 1,000.

I’m in a good place and although I still search for components occasionally, I’m only making value purchases because I no longer have a need, just a want.

 

[barnfrog]

Nah. Rich people don’t hear the lesser classes so he’d never know or care what we called him.

Does half a million even qualify as "rich" any more?

 

[WestKentucky]

Does half a million even qualify as "rich" any more?

Can’t quit the day job on it. Might be able to change the day job to something more enjoyable that pays slightly less. Half mill is basically a house and 2 cars here. In other places it would be a lot less. Take a half mill and move to Belize or Honduras though and you are a king.

 

[Walkalong]

It was cheaper than normal for these days

Yep. $65 is a "good deal" right now. And 450s to boot.

 

[stonebuster]

Borrowing to invest is literally a bad idea, if you don't like Dave then be reassureed that Warren Buffet says the same thing lol.

If you want to buy anything it's fine, but to spew advice that WILL financially ruin some one is messed up.

What you say may be true but I don't think members on this forum will risk their nest egg on investment advice they see at THR. Personally, my wife and I have saved enough (despite relatively low paying jobs) due to making good financial decisions to afford what we want within reason. I knew I could count on THR members to enable/reinforce my buying tendencies whether it be guns or components. Thanks!

 

[jmorris]

It’s been a long time since I started reloading but I have always been a “buy low/sell high” kind of guy.

I would suggest jumping in now and stocking up a lifetimes worth of components about as much as I would suggest liquidation of stock market assets after it tanks vs waiting for it to recover.

That said, there are people that make a living off of others that do both…

Those $100/1000 primers will be a bargain

Or they won’t. Just like the guys after Clinton signed the AWB buying 10/22 mags for more than the rifles cost, Glock mags being bought for $180 each.

Or the guys still paying interest on the AR’s and stuff they bought after Obama part II and sandy hook.

It is speculation that $100/1000 primers will be a bargain. Kind of like the folks that bought up bump stocks before the ban. How did their return on investment come out?

 

[KY DAN]

What you say may be true but I don't think members on this forum will risk their nest egg on investment advice they see at THR. Personally, my wife and I have saved enough (despite relatively low paying jobs) due to making good financial decisions to afford what we want within reason. I knew I could count on THR members to enable/reinforce my buying tendencies whether it be guns or components. Thanks!

You should buy what you want within reason of the financial parameters you establish for yourself. No one knows your affairs better than yourself.

While we think people would not listen to such flawed advice, greed often gets in the way of logic.
I attempted to sell a collection of m3a1 grease gun mags and parts on thr in 2021 for a small profit and a member from Africa messaged me and we started email exchange and he agreed to buy everything I had. He had an exporter in Miami and he seemed on the level until he said he needed my bank account number........ if I had been blinded by the money I no doubt would have been hooked.

Buy primers and be happy folks

 

[lightman]

I'm 71, retired and started reloading @15 months ago when some were saying it was a bad time to start. Maybe so but I'm glad I did. Given rising prices for everything across the board, I've been stocking up on components to last me a few years when I can find them for what I consider reasonable prices. I've found 6K primers at a LGS on consignment for $100 per 1000 OTD and been bartering for others. I enjoy reloading and it's still a lot cheaper than buying 38/357 factory ammo and no problem with availability. Time will tell if it's a wise decision or not but at least I know I'm not going to run out. You younger guys have the time to wait it out for cheaper prices if and when it happens. Anybody else like minded or is my logic flawed?

You did kind of get a late start but I think you are making about the best choice given what information we have. Historically prices have always come back down after these panic driven shortages have ended. But this one feels deferent.

 

[NC9mm]

Does half a million even qualify as "rich" any more?

Depends on your age.
Going into retirement it ain’t going to make it.

 

[ballman6711]

Stocking up is different for everyone. What works for me may or may not work for someone else. It's all relative to your needs/wants as well as your finances or goals.

As for 500 million, I could easily retire on that today and be comfortable the rest of my life barring accident or illness. And I'm "only" 54 years old. Again, it's all relative to the individual. No house or car payment, no other debts, and half a million would go a long ways if used/invested wisely.

Glad you're stocked up, enjoy it while you can.

chris

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Depends on your age.
Going into retirement it ain’t going to make it.

And where you live. Around my area (Cost of Living quotient is 79/100) half as mill is a fortune, and not a small one.

 

[Airborne Falcon]

I'm 71, retired and started reloading @15 months ago when some were saying it was a bad time to start. Maybe so but I'm glad I did. Given rising prices for everything across the board, I've been stocking up on components to last me a few years when I can find them for what I consider reasonable prices. I've found 6K primers at a LGS on consignment for $100 per 1000 OTD and been bartering for others. I enjoy reloading and it's still a lot cheaper than buying 38/357 factory ammo and no problem with availability. Time will tell if it's a wise decision or not but at least I know I'm not going to run out. You younger guys have the time to wait it out for cheaper prices if and when it happens. Anybody else like minded or is my logic flawed?

God Bless you Brother. It's never too late .... welcome to the club! Your logic is flawless. I stack mine high and pack it deep. If you've got it flaunt it. (Figuratively and rhetorically speaking of course.) Be sure to follow all the safety rules about storage and double-checking and triple-checking and stuff. There are a lot of us in our age range around here. Glad to have you on board.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

God Bless you Brother. It's never too late .... welcome to the club! Your logic is flawless. I stack mine high and pack it deep. If you've got it flaunt it. (Figuratively and rhetorically speaking of course.) Be sure to follow all the safety rules about storage and double-checking and triple-checking and stuff. There are a lot of us in our age range around here. Glad to have you on board.

I felt pretty young at 55 until I had a heart attack, then several, then angioplasty, then more stents... by 58 (now) arthritis has became more than just an annoyance; it's a real pain! (I spent three days this week using a cane to get around).

I tell ya, if I'd known I was going to live this long I'd have taken better care of myself when I was younger.

Nah, who am I kidding? I had WAY too much fun NOT playing it safe.