Where are the Ammo and Reloading Supplies? - Merged Threads
- Thread starter wingman
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Shane Tuttle
Staff
Self inflicted. Pure and simple.
hodaka said:
Glad I don't work for CCI...
James R. Burke
New member
I have been able to get lucky finding some stuff at some small ma and pa shops. There about the only places your going to find anything. Try the small shops, and good luck.
I guess I'm somewhat of an oddity. I buy several different calibers' supplies, and have done so on a regular basis for many years. I've also always believed in picking up a few bricks of .22 ammo every time it is on sale. What's the big rush now? Our neoghbors are simply screwing the rest of us by their foolish and selfish actions. 
-7-
-7-Gypsysteel
New member
I think you can order online from Gander, if not let me know. I don't mind grabbing it for you and shipping.
docspencer
New member
Primer panic
I suppose that it is mostly due to the new government and panic. I work two jobs like most folks I know, and reloading small orders locally helps pay for gasoline, propane and Firewood. What small client base I have is reducing because components aren't there and these same clients are trying to stockpile for what ever phobia (real or not). I do this also as a hobby because it is fun and very relaxing and gives me a sense of building something useful that people value and appreciate. I get the same satisfaction I get from designing a new bridge or structure.
I don't get whole sale rates so it's tough to be competitive, but my clients like the quality they get from me. I enjoy the sense of fulfillment and paying my bills. Right now it's just plain hard. I will keep looking for primers and powder and hope I can continue my quite ma & pa buisness.
I suppose that it is mostly due to the new government and panic. I work two jobs like most folks I know, and reloading small orders locally helps pay for gasoline, propane and Firewood. What small client base I have is reducing because components aren't there and these same clients are trying to stockpile for what ever phobia (real or not). I do this also as a hobby because it is fun and very relaxing and gives me a sense of building something useful that people value and appreciate. I get the same satisfaction I get from designing a new bridge or structure.
I don't get whole sale rates so it's tough to be competitive, but my clients like the quality they get from me. I enjoy the sense of fulfillment and paying my bills. Right now it's just plain hard. I will keep looking for primers and powder and hope I can continue my quite ma & pa buisness.
The last really good shooting war that went on in the middle east caused pretty much the same situation. First all the 7.62 dissappeared, then it started effecting the reloading supplies. It took a couple of years for things to get back to normal if I remember correctly. Now we have three.
How much are you guys shooting that you need to pick up 5 and 10,000 primers at once?
Personally, I load 223, 30-06, and 45ACP. When I pick up primers, I typically pick up about 2000 of each. 2000 rounds of 223 lasts me at least 6 trips to the range, 45 ACP will usually last me 10-15 trips to the range, and I've never had to buy more LR primers since my first purchase. Granted, I've only been reloading for about 3 years, but in that time I've only had to pick up primers for the 45 and for the 223 3 times. Maybe I'm on the low end of the spectrum as far as shooting goes, but I'd much rather spend my time out in the field stalking a coyote than plinking away at the range.
As far as real or self-induced, I'd say a little bit of both. The next time I go out and pick up primers, I may pick up an extra thousand of each, but I'm certainly not going to buy 10 or 20 thousand "just to make sure".
There are obviously more people reloading now judging by the emptiness of even the die section of Scheels and Sportsmans Warehouse, but I can't imagine that just new reloaders are causing the shortage. Sooner or later the demand will drop off and we'll be back to being able to pick them up whenever we need them. Until then, I'll probably step up the field work and dial down the range time. I can spend 3 hours in the field and take 5 shots and have just as much fun as 1 hour at the range blasting off a few hundred rounds.
Personally, I load 223, 30-06, and 45ACP. When I pick up primers, I typically pick up about 2000 of each. 2000 rounds of 223 lasts me at least 6 trips to the range, 45 ACP will usually last me 10-15 trips to the range, and I've never had to buy more LR primers since my first purchase. Granted, I've only been reloading for about 3 years, but in that time I've only had to pick up primers for the 45 and for the 223 3 times. Maybe I'm on the low end of the spectrum as far as shooting goes, but I'd much rather spend my time out in the field stalking a coyote than plinking away at the range.
As far as real or self-induced, I'd say a little bit of both. The next time I go out and pick up primers, I may pick up an extra thousand of each, but I'm certainly not going to buy 10 or 20 thousand "just to make sure".
There are obviously more people reloading now judging by the emptiness of even the die section of Scheels and Sportsmans Warehouse, but I can't imagine that just new reloaders are causing the shortage. Sooner or later the demand will drop off and we'll be back to being able to pick them up whenever we need them. Until then, I'll probably step up the field work and dial down the range time. I can spend 3 hours in the field and take 5 shots and have just as much fun as 1 hour at the range blasting off a few hundred rounds.
762 shooter
New member
I predict that reloading components will again be available at reasonable prices by June 14th, 2009 at 2:31 PM.
Magnum Wheel Man
New member
personally... I've been researching the powder burn rate charts, & putting together a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, ... in some cases up to 10th choice on powders & primers, & plan on spending some time this summer putting together 4-5 "best reciepes" for each caliber / bullet choice... just to not get put in this position again... ( I have several new cartridges I'm loading for this year, some are Wildcats like 17 K Hornet, some are newer cartridges like 5.7 X 28 ), but often there are anywhere from 1-2 up to a handfull of published reciepes, so I'm doing much expiriementing this summer on new loads
MWM, I think that's a great idea, but the amount of time it takes is quite an investment. Yes, it's fun, it is what we do, so it's not like work. But when your range time is a very limited quantity, it's a lot tougher to do exactly that.
I have a lot of time to devote to the load bench, but not a heap of time that I can spend testing loads.
I have a lot of time to devote to the load bench, but not a heap of time that I can spend testing loads.
Magnum Wheel Man
New member
I have my own 300 yard range... I plan on spending a lot of quality time with the chrony this summer...
with the hopes of doing 8-10 calibers per summer ( I have somewhere between 40 & 50 calibers I currently load for ) & a goal of 4-5 real "good" reciepes per caliber, using a couple different primers & powders, so that if anything should run short again in the future, I'll have options... of course if things settle down, I'll have to make note of those "favorites" & keep a little extra of those components on hand as well... it should be fun, & I might even learn something, & will likely find a better combo of components than some of my current "best" reciepes that I have right now...
part of the trouble is that often we are talking about up to 4-5 guns that shoot the same cartridge, so there could be multiple "best" loads I keep for each... one "best" for the Contender, one "best" for a revolver, one "best" for a semi auto hand gun, one "best" for a rifle ( 30 carbine for example... which I won't even likely work on this summer )
with the hopes of doing 8-10 calibers per summer ( I have somewhere between 40 & 50 calibers I currently load for ) & a goal of 4-5 real "good" reciepes per caliber, using a couple different primers & powders, so that if anything should run short again in the future, I'll have options... of course if things settle down, I'll have to make note of those "favorites" & keep a little extra of those components on hand as well... it should be fun, & I might even learn something, & will likely find a better combo of components than some of my current "best" reciepes that I have right now...
part of the trouble is that often we are talking about up to 4-5 guns that shoot the same cartridge, so there could be multiple "best" loads I keep for each... one "best" for the Contender, one "best" for a revolver, one "best" for a semi auto hand gun, one "best" for a rifle ( 30 carbine for example... which I won't even likely work on this summer )
And things like the following by the government :
http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Federal/Read.aspx?id=4671
Just makes a lot of people 'nervous'. Our own government working against us ....
Primers still in short supply here....
Mbreitba said:
Most all active match competitors I know buy primers and .22 LR ammunition by the case, which is 5,000. Normally it's done because you get the best price break there. But right now, with prices so high, it isn't so. If you have to buy primers now at high prices, I would go for the minium needed and wait out the storm.
How much people shoot is another issue. Top practical pistol competitors probably shoot the most ammo. 2,000 rounds a week in practice isn't uncommon for them, though they usually have sponsors providing loaded ammo for them if they are top tier. I don't really know what the most active reloaders shoot? When I get together with friends for a week of practice we all go through about 750-1000 rounds of .45 ACP apiece in the daytime and reload it all at night and go back and do it again the next day. Take a week of that times four or five people and do the math. The Dillon 1050 is kept going all evening long during those sessions. Probably wear us out if it lasted longer than a week a year.
I was in a local gun shop today and they had no powder or primers. I went over to Sportsman's Warehouse and the shelves were empty of primers. They only had a few pounds of certain powders available. The selection of bullets was pretty slim also. The guy at the counter said Hodgon was at 130% capacity just trying to keep up with demand. I called another Sportsman's, Gander Mountain, Reloaders Corner, Big Five and Bass Pro Shops and neither had powder or primers. Anyone in the Denver area having any better luck finding any supplies?
James R. Burke
New member
I was in Green Bay, Wi this weekend visiting the Grandkids. There Sportsmans warehouse is shutting down, and they had everything marked down. I could not believe it there prices on all items were more than double with the mark down. The place was packed, and nobody was buying anything. I went to a small gun shop there, and bought the powder I needed for 23.00 a pound. Sportsmans wanted 55.00 with a ten percent mark down. Glad I never done any business with them in the past, and I sure wont do any in the future. This whole thing is crazy. I have about 3,000 Large CCI Rifle primers, and that will last me for awhile. I have the same in small and large pistol. For some people thats not very much, and I can understand that. They do alot of shooting, and it is a nice clean sport. I feel sorry for the people who are just getting into it. I am sure the supply will come back but like I said at a much higher price. Hope it is soon. I started using CCI and pretty much stuck with them so I am glad so far I dont need to rework the loads I have worked up. Most of the primers I believe are good ones just dont like redoing things that are already working. Just my two cents. Done!
I was lucky enough two weeks ago to find a local shop that had @2500 small pistol primers, so I grabbed 2000, and then without my step son knowing I had picked them up he went to the same shop and wiped out the rest of his stock.
He then went to another small store and they had 500 more, so he grabbed them to. So I know have 3000. It should keep me good to go through the summer as I already have 3000 rounds of 9mm loaded and will only reload as I shoot. Luckily I have a good source of brass, but now I am trying to get a good lead on some cast bullets for plinking.
I think that some of the manufacturers are taking advantage of the nervousness of consumers and not increasing production at all, just raising prices to fill their already fat wallets. Just look at how gas prices are going again, it is the American way..... screw thy neighbor and get as much money as you can while doing it!!!!
Just my 2 cents worth.
He then went to another small store and they had 500 more, so he grabbed them to. So I know have 3000. It should keep me good to go through the summer as I already have 3000 rounds of 9mm loaded and will only reload as I shoot. Luckily I have a good source of brass, but now I am trying to get a good lead on some cast bullets for plinking.
I think that some of the manufacturers are taking advantage of the nervousness of consumers and not increasing production at all, just raising prices to fill their already fat wallets. Just look at how gas prices are going again, it is the American way..... screw thy neighbor and get as much money as you can while doing it!!!!
Just my 2 cents worth.