Do you balance out your reloading component inventory?

[Pepe-lepew]

It is difficult to balance when bullets and powder crosses over multiple cartridges that take different primer sizes. For example, H4895 is great for 30-06 and 223. You can make twice as many rounds of 223 with it but I can't predict which I will need far into the future.

Since bullets are the most costly, it probably is best to ensure there is more powder and primers than bullets and always buy as many bullets as possible when the pricing is good.

 

[JuglansRegia]

I have been doing some trading here and there to balance things out. Normally in an election year I would have done a big buy from powder valley no later than the beginning of October, either by myself or with a friend. But this year due to the pandemic, then nationwide insurrection, there wasn't really much to buy earlier in the year and it only got worse. I was buying rifle projectiles and loading with the primers and powder I already had but you can't even find projectiles now, just looked. A few weeks ago I scored 300 6.5mm 140gr match bullets, it all they had in that diameter on several websites I visited. I would have bought more but I only have enough H4350 for that many so I left them for someone else.

 

[Catfishmoon]

I try to have the reloading components in stocked in at least partial balance (I recently stocked powder because I noticed it was becoming harder to find)... That being said, primers are the key component for me currently. I am okay with using multiple types of powder or projectiles for my pistol range ammo, so that does provide easier access to components.
If I were a bench rest shooter with a preference for a single type of powder or projectiles, that could alter my approach.

 

[oremike]

To more accurately answer the question, I buy primers and powder by the "and then some" method. As in all I need to go with the bullets and cases and then some.

 

[1911coltguy]

I've been stocking up on powder and projectiles the past few months to better balance out the primers and brass I've been adding to wherever and whenever they're available. Really helps having new and old friends willing to reasonably sell or trade one another extra supplies to keep us all shooting. It would be pretty cost prohibitive to continue shooting on a retirement income if not for planning ahead.

 

[American123]

Experienced reloaders, do you keep a balanced approach to adding to your collection of reloading components. Or do you just purchase whatever catches your eye or seems like a bargain at the time.

If you had more powder than you had primers for, would you keep buying good powder deals or spend the money on historically high priced primers to balance out your stocks?

Inventory is based on sales and also an arbitrary number range of components that I like to keep on hand. The goal is to always be able to "go reload" and never having to be concerned about not having enough components. However - during less than normal circumstances obviously the inventory wouldn't last forever. I'd rather shoot less(if necessary) and wait to restock than what I perceive is throwing my money away at current prices.

Recently, I created a spreadsheet that has totals and then I put some formulas in to calculate how many rounds I can produce of the various loads I do. Seeing it all on a spreadsheet makes it far easier to consider what I might want to buy than sifting through the shelves.

 

[gtivan]

When I first started reloading under Obama, i bought anything I could. Once trump came in and things eased up, I was able to round things out a bit more. Then I moved. So I kept purchasing supplies but had no idea what I had. I eventually stopped purchasing cause I had no clue what I had.

Once I got settled in to my new home i ran an inventory sheet. Was going to round things out before the election for a 10 year supply but then COVID hit and ruined my plans. It will be awhile before I feel a crunch. Expect to run into some deals so I should be okay.

In retrospect I shoulda kept on purchasing. Live and learn.

But I also have a stockpile of new 38spl and 44mag brass that I have no use for until my current supply ages out. And I really dislike having extra inventory that wont be used for 5 or more years. So there are defenite cons to buying without knowing true need.

 

[HaveGun]

It is difficult to balance when bullets and powder crosses over multiple cartridges that take different primer sizes. For example, H4895 is great for 30-06 and 223. You can make twice as many rounds of 223 with it but I can't predict which I will need far into the future.

Since bullets are the most costly, it probably is best to ensure there is more powder and primers than bullets and always buy as many bullets as possible when the pricing is good.

Yep. Rifle components are tricky. Historically, I have had a 20 round box of ammo last ten years. One round to verify it's sighted in, then one round for the deer for that year.

Now I reload for my main hunting cartridges, which are .30-06, .30-06 Ackley Improved, .308, and .35 Whelen. I have around 300 or so .30 caliber bullets, which is a lifetime supply of hunting ammo for all but the .35 Whelen.

But, the way things are going, the .308 AR-10 may become a battle rifle, and then 300 rounds is not so adequate, or comforting.

I also have around 15 lbs of pistol powder, which is around 21,000 rounds of pistol ammo if you figure 5.0 grains is average. But, I only have around 8,000 pistol primers on hand. And, only around 3000 pistol bullets. So, I need way more bullets and primers.

 

[BigGame]

I inventory. What you choose to do depends on where your inventory sits.

Measuring in years of shooting for each cartridge, if everything else is 3+ years but your primers are at 4 months, you know what you must do. If you have a couple year cushion across the board, you can act differently. If you're long on low-priority components, now is a good time to trade for higher-priority fare.

 

[Wombat of Doom]

Not that experienced in the grand scheme of things, but I tend to buy what I can. I laid in pretty good stores pre panic. I buy what I need or seems like a good deal. I am pretty sure I am actually a might short on rifle powder comparatively. But I do like going in and say, cranking out 30 carbine some days, 300 bo a different 50ae... I keep a flexible variety.

 

[HaveGun]

Not that experienced in the grand scheme of things, but I tend to buy what I can. I laid in pretty good stores pre panic. I buy what I need or seems like a good deal. I am pretty sure I am actually a might short on rifle powder comparatively. But I do like going in and say, cranking out 30 carbine some days, 300 bo a different 50ae... I keep a flexible variety.

Up until a few months ago, all I reloaded for was pistol, and with the average can of powder good for between 1200 and 1500 rounds of pistol ammo, I figured a couple of cans of rifle powder was plenty. Nope.

One can of Varget is only good for 160 rounds of .308. Quite a difference.

 

[Wombat of Doom]

Up until a few months ago, all I reloaded for was pistol, and with the average can of powder good for between 1200 and 1500 rounds of pistol ammo, I figured a couple of cans of rifle powder was plenty. Nope.

One can of Varget is only good for 160 rounds of .308. Quite a difference.

Same problem with .308 though to be fair, I had a few pounds, but not enough. I do enjoy running my m1 carbine with titegroup though. (and I have plenty of that.)

 

[DizzyJ]

I normally only buy when on sale. I got caught off guard one time during the Obummer era, and I've stayed on top of things ever since.

I don't try to equal out primers needed for the amount of powder I've got etc etc. As long as I've got enough for the foreseeable future, I don't worry about exact balances.

I'm a lot more anal about The precision of my loads than I am the quantity of components.

 

[BigDog67]

No, I buy what I find, when I find it. I have a smorgasbord of components and I just decide what I want to load today.

 

[ma96782]

Dare I say it?



Aloha, Mark

 

[bbbass]

Back when the world was normal, I bought what I needed when I needed it. Then I bought what I could find, esp if there was a sale (I might not need it, buy hey, it's on sale!)

Now I'm not buying anything. Kids/grandkids coming in early April, might need to shoot up some of my 9mm and .22lr.

 

[Bobbygun]

I think I'm fairly balanced. But, like many folks, if I have a shortage it is in small pistol primers.

I've stocked up to where it "feels" like I've got enough to last me until the component market returns to normal. If I'm being honest though, I don't get out and shoot nearly as much as I think I will. If I were to project my future needs based on the last five years' usage, I'd actually have enough to last 100 years.

 

[GWS]

Experienced reloaders, do you keep a balanced approach to adding to your collection of reloading components. Or do you just purchase whatever catches your eye or seems like a bargain at the time.

If you had more powder than you had primers for, would you keep buying good powder deals or spend the money on historically high priced primers to balance out your stocks?

I'm a bargain guy. If primers were on sale I grabbed a sleeve. If powder was on sale I'd grab 5-10 lbs. There is no equal ratio of primers to bullets, powder or brass, just piles of everything.

 

[saxon]

always have more components then empty brass,