Giving up hand loading?

[Spitpatch]

I'm not a stump killer, nor do I enjoy turning vast quantities of money into vast quantities of noise. Volume of production has never been of any interest to me other than prepping for a Prairie Dog event.

I like weird stuff, including off-beat calibers, so have no choice but to reload for those.

...and when I sit in front of the press (56 years now), all else melts into its proper perspective. It is my sanity--preserving refuge. I fear withdrawal no less than a Jonesin' junkie.

 

[HighlandLofts]

With the current situation on the anti-gun agenda I'll never give it up.
Our rights are being trampled on more & more every year.
Now in New York you have to do a back ground check for ammo and the powers to be here in Washington state want an additional 11% sales tax on ammo.
So reloading is a must if you want to do any shooting.

 

[BMGMAN]

Washingtonians will likely be paying a Governor "tribute" of 11% for ammo. Given that, anyone who reloads should continue.

Just wait until there is a different tax form they start charging you per round for your reloaded ammo. Then a "safer storage" tax per round of ammo you store. For public safety of course. Communism really does completely suck!

 

[Xmark1]

I wonder if people are giving up altogether on hand loading, given the scarcity and sky high prices of primers (and powder)?
If I were running the companies that make hand loading equipment (RCBS, Dillon, Hornady etc.) I'd be trying like hell to get primers to consumers at reasonable prices.
Maybe starting new production lines or importing primers from overseas makers.
I'm guessing they've thought of this.

Anyway, I've been at it for more than 40 years, no plans to quit, but I am not encouraged by the current supply trends.

For the likes of 9mm, 40 S&W, 5.56 it costs as much to reload (now days) as to buy it new. And by buying it new I avoid the 17,000 steps of work involved in reloading a case. My reloading process for those calibers is a 17-step process, times 1K rounds.
For custom precision long gun ammo, I still reload.
I just noticed that BLC-(2) is up to $50 a pound, WTF? Other powders like Retumbo and H1000 up to $70 per pound. This is madness!

 

[HighlandLofts]

And who do you guys think are behind this round of high prices?
Like everything in life follow the money.

 

[Mikej]

And who do you guys think are behind this round of high prices?
Like everything in life follow the money.

democ-rats.

 

[Croat]

Giving up? Hell no.
Reduction in activity due to extreme price gouging, insecure supply, and emphasis on preservation of existing resources? Sadly, yes.
As others have said, the ability to make your own is imperative as we see domestic and international chaos worsening. Frankly, I'm beginning to see reload capacity as not just a necessity, but as a duty for protection in our future. YMMV, but anyone who wants to preserve our rights should be a reloader. To allow our rights to be subject to the availability of ammunition in retail stores is naive at best, stupid and even dangerous at worst.

 

[Spitpatch]

And who do you guys think are behind this round of high prices?
Like everything in life follow the money.

History lesson (for those young enough not to have been driving in the '70's):

What has happened in the ammunition (and reloading component) supply and price is a time-worn template.

In the '70's, a "Gas Shortage" materialized. (Something was trotted out about numerous refineries shut down for "maintenance"...curiously all at the same time.) Rationing was implemented. This was the end of America's reliance on fossil fuels. Reserves were drained and wells were drying up worldwide, we were told.

Of course prices skyrocketed.

And stayed there (or went up) even after the preparatory propaganda smokescreen cleared and once again you could buy all the gas you wanted.

 

[brucekr]

I haven't loaded anything in a couple of months. I go through spurts of it, but am well stocked for now. Caught some great deals on 9mm and 5.56 a couple of months ago so I'll shoot those up and have even more available brass for cheaper than I could've loaded them for.

I primarily handload subsonic 9mm and 300 BO because the cost savings are greater compared to factory ammo.

I can definitely see legislation coming that will make bulk purchasing ammo a thing of the past, so I've tried to set myself up for the years to come.

 

[cog357]

If I gave up handloading there would be several rifles I would need to get rid of - the price of the loaded ammunition is too exspensive or non existant. When was the last time you saw 9.3x74r or 338-06 at walmart.

Bi-Mart, Ticker Licker Firearms in Corvallis and Salem and ace hardware in Naches Wa.
Bass pro shop in Tacoma right off i5 has primers all sizes, just fyi

 

[JRuby]

Bi-Mart, Ticker Licker Firearms in Corvallis and Salem and ace hardware in Naches Wa.
Bass pro shop in Tacoma right off i5 has primers all sizes, just fyi

They have 9.3x74r in stock - any idea on the price?

 

[Catfishmoon]

I shoot about 750 -1000 rounds per month, primarily 9mm, some .45acp and .380. I go to the shooting range 2 -4 times a week and have been doing that for years. I have a membership at a range nearby and I stop before or after work or on weekends. I only shoot about 60 - 75 rounds on a weekday visit, but I do this frequently. On a weekend I may take multiple guns and shoot more rounds. The only way I can justify the cost to shoot this many rounds is to reload.
I pay about .14 cents for the components to reload better than average 9mm ammunition. The savings are achieved by purchasing in bulk. Recently someone posted a link on this website for small pistol primers shipped to the door for .05 - .06 each. Buy powder on sale in an 8 pound jug, buy projectiles on sale with free shipping.
A year age the calculation was different for the cost and availability of reloading supplies vs. factory ammunition, I imagine it will be different again a year in the future.

 

[RVTECH]

Frankly, I'm beginning to see reload capacity as not just a necessity, but as a duty for protection in our future. YMMV, but anyone who wants to preserve our rights should be a reloader.

This is how I have thought as well, as part of the reason(s) I reload.

I find it funny how some in the past have mentioned because of the volumes they shoot it wouldn't make sense or would be a waste of time to reload, or they could buy bulk ammo cheaply - then some of them mentioned how (during shortages) they had no ammo and couldn't find any.

I would have liked to ask some of them if they still thought that way about reloading.

 

[223to45]

I have often wondered where they 'stand' with the prices and lack of availability of components.

Where is the lack of components?? Granted pricing isn't great, but you can find just about anything.

 

[223to45]

I think prices have stabilized, I don't see them dropping much more. I think this is the new pricing.

I just bought a whole bunch of stuff, hopefully hold me off for couple years.

Powder might get really expensive with the coming shortage

 

[RVTECH]

but you can find just about anything.

Well, I wouldn't say just about anything - and not near the degree of in the past.

Last time I was in SW there were just a few bottles of powder on a small shelf. Same in Bi Mart, and I have not seen any of the once common powders such as Tite Group, Bullseye, Unique in a couple years. Primers are available but not all styles, and what they have are just a few stacks - no bricks.

My point being I cannot imagine as many getting into reloading now, as say in the past decades and the mfgs of reloading equipment must be feeling the effects.

 

[HighlandLofts]

History lesson (for those young enough not to have been driving in the '70's):

What has happened in the ammunition (and reloading component) supply and price is a time-worn template.

In the '70's, a "Gas Shortage" materialized. (Something was trotted out about numerous refineries shut down for "maintenance"...curiously all at the same time.) Rationing was implemented. This was the end of America's reliance on fossil fuels. Reserves were drained and wells were drying up worldwide, we were told.

Of course prices skyrocketed.

And stayed there (or went up) even after the preparatory propaganda smokescreen cleared and once again you could buy all the gas you wanted.

That so called gas shortage back in the 70s made several millionaires.
This high price reloading supplies is putting more millions in some ones pocket.

It's past time to totally abolish the entire democrap party and all of their voter base and the globalist who fund the democraps.

 

[Wheelgunfan]

Where is the lack of components?? Granted pricing isn't great, but you can find just about anything.

Yes, primers are available now in very limited supply in some areas.
Are you okay with paying two to three times the price compared to what they were 4 years ago?
I'm hoping supply will return to normal and drive prices down, but I have no way of knowing.

 

[Croat]

Yes, primers are available now in very limited supply in some areas.
Are you okay with paying two to three times the price compared to what they were 4 years ago?
I'm hoping supply will return to normal and drive prices down, but I have no way of knowing.

Primers are definitely available, but invariably small -- small rifle, small pistol. Olin and Vista are still starving the market of large primers; large rifle and large rifle magnum. After three years and running I think we can take off the rosy glasses and put an end to the pretense that this is due to "supply chain" issues. This is designed starvation.

 

[RVTECH]

This is designed starvation.

But who has 'designed' it?

I bought a couple trays of LRP a while back at Bi Mart - but they didn't have many....