Giving up hand loading?

[gmerkt]

It seems ironic the retail prices of primers and powder are now about the same for what some (many) were paying scaplers just a couple years ago.

I often wonder if the current prices are partly due to to this, and the mfgs raised their wholesale prices and retailer markup is now in those price ranges.

Price discovery. I agree with you, the manufacturers were able to find out just how much people were willing to pay, then adopted that price.

 

[nammac]

I saved 10% switching to Geico, now I can afford primers.

You should try Progressive, then you could afford powder too…

 

[Mikej]

You should try Progressive, then you could afford powder too…

Wouldn't you be spending TWICE as much? Seeing as you pump out so many more rounds in the same time with a Progressive?

 

[nammac]

Wouldn't you be spending TWICE as much? Seeing as you pump out so many more rounds in the same time with a Progressive?

That right there was funny. I was referring to Progressive insurance. Thanks for making me think and laugh, I needed the diversion.

 

[Mikej]

That right there was funny. I was referring to Progressive insurance. Thanks for making me think and laugh, I needed the diversion.

Actually, that did occur to me.....Secondary!

 

[CLT65]

Price discovery. I agree with you, the manufacturers were able to find out just how much people were willing to pay, then adopted that price.

The scalpers and flippers taught the manufacturers just how much "we" were willing to pay. When, or more appropriately if supply and demand normalize, the collective "we" may not be willing to pay quite so much. It may be interesting to see what happens then.

I think there's an artificially large profit margin, between cost of manufacture and retail. Market forces won't allow that to last indefinitely.

 

[RogerJ]

I have 1000's of bullets, about 5 lbs. of powder, and about 7,000 primers. I quit reloading bout 2 years ago because I could buy new ammo for the same price or less than components. I'll save what I have for the next ammo shortage.

 

[64MercurysRule]

I have 1000's of bullets, about 5 lbs. of powder, and about 7,000 primers. I quit reloading bout 2 years ago because I could buy new ammo for the same price or less than components. I'll save what I have for the next ammo shortage.

That sounds like a fun weekend get together .

 

[223to45]

I have 1000's of bullets, about 5 lbs. of powder, and about 7,000 primers. I quit reloading bout 2 years ago because I could buy new ammo for the same price or less than components. I'll save what I have for the next ammo shortage.

Amateur.

 

[RogerJ]

I began reloading in 1971 and bought a used Star progressive from the local police department. In 1972. Oblivious to liability laws I reloaded 10's or 1000's of .38 wad cutters for the local gun shop for the next 2 years. Now that's what I call amateur!

 

[ma96782]

Looking over the current offering of 9mm ammo that Bi-Mart has on sale (good until 02-12-24).



OK, Ok, ok......I did some quick math. So.....we're looking at about $0.22 per factory loaded round of 9mm.

vs.

What can I reload it for?

$0.10 bullet
$0.08 primer
$0.02 powder
$0.03 used brass case

Of course, it also depends on how much you paid for your components. AND, my TIME is FREE. Rrrrrrrright......

NOT.

So yeah, I bought a case.

Aloha, Mark

 

[Spitpatch]

Looking over the current offering of 9mm ammo that Bi-Mart has on sale (good until 02-12-24).

View attachment 1818118

OK, Ok, ok......I did some quick math. So.....we're looking at about $0.22 per factory loaded round of 9mm.

vs.

What can I reload it for?

$0.10 bullet
$0.08 primer
$0.02 powder
$0.03 used brass case

Of course, it also depends on how much you paid for your components. AND, my TIME is FREE. Rrrrrrrright......

NOT.

So yeah, I bought a case.

Aloha, Mark

Of course, it also depends on a comparison of the quality of ammo produced. Economic breakdowns ignore this, because for the stump-killers and money-to-noise converters it is of no consequence. (It goes bang and a bullet comes out: mission accomplished at a "savings".)

And, when it is considered that the brass can be re-purposed 5-10 times, the 3 cents needs to be spread out over those loadings.

Now we're talking NOTHING but your time as a balance against ammunition quality.

 

[RogerJ]

Looking over the current offering of 9mm ammo that Bi-Mart has on sale (good until 02-12-24).

View attachment 1818118

OK, Ok, ok......I did some quick math. So.....we're looking at about $0.22 per factory loaded round of 9mm.

vs.

What can I reload it for?

$0.10 bullet
$0.08 primer
$0.02 powder
$0.03 used brass case

Of course, it also depends on how much you paid for your components. AND, my TIME is FREE. Rrrrrrrright......

NOT.

So yeah, I bought a case.

Aloha, Mark

If you could not purchase these components at a store or gun show these items would have to be ordered. So you have sales tax, shipping, and don't forget that ridiculously high hazmat fee.

 

[Camelfilter]

If you could not purchase these components at a store or gun show these items would have to be ordered. So you have sales tax, shipping, and don't forget that ridiculously high hazmat fee.

Yup.

That's why some folks who've been thru this in the past stocked up wisely.

Which can even be done amidst "the crazy" of a blight, if one wishes.

Watch for pricing, and watch for "free" hazmat &/or "free" shipping. (Nothing is free, hence my first point of watch for pricing).

 

[Bobbygun]

for the stump-killers

HEY!

money-to-noise converters

HEY!

depends on a comparison of the quality of ammo produced

depends on which direction you mean

The rifle ammo I produce of high quality because I'm picky about the components (particularly) bullets, and I rigorously test the stuff.

Much of my pistol ammo is for killing stumps and converting money to noise bouncing a mocha cup or reactive target around in a gravel pit in the national forest somewhere. I'm pretty conservative when reloading for that and my loads are good enough to cycle my pistols, but nowhere near hot, and the bullets are usually the cheapest I can find. I doubt that it's any better than anything on the store shelves except maybe Tula? So, particularly for 9mm, I tend to stock up on ammo instead of components. The dang primers are so hard to come by these days, it's tough to stock up without paying an arm and a leg and a tooth.

You just wait and see. Someday money to noise conversion and stump killing will be a highly paid profession!

 

[Dozer99]

I've been reloading for a while, but I've been collecting components for a long while. My cost per round on some calibers is very low because of this fact.

However, saving money is not why I reload. To be honest, it's probably at the bottom of the list. My time is worth money to others, but to me, Time is all I have. If I spend my time doing what makes me happy, such as being with family, or spending time on my hobbies, that "time" is priceless.

So unless the components take money away from my family, no, I will not stop reloading.

 

[oremike]

HEY!

HEY!



You just wait and see. Someday money to noise conversion and stump killing will be a highly paid profession!

It's what keeps me in business

 

[Capn Jack]

Doesn't seem like it is going to be better as time goes on . Sure won't be as it once was . Hey that sounds like the start of a country song .

You forgot Ma Ma, Trains and when you were in prison.

 

[Capn Jack]

They don't have to be materially involved with production, distribution, or marketing, but they can certainly impact all of those in a big way. All we can do is guess, but if I were a nefarious Democrat in charge of destroying the market for guns and ammunition I could:

• Send IRS agents to manufacturers, not so much to audit, but to let them know they could be audited
• Drop indirect hints and suggestions to industry lobbyists about how they "could do better"
• Put an emphasis on OSHA inspections so that manufacturers knew they were being watched more regularly
• Work to increase military purchases of ammunition and steer manufacturing capacity away from civilians
• Work with state and local officials same as above, but also for more inspection of gun/ammo storage and transportation
• Have all federal and state agencies involved in regulation of gun/ammo manufacturing start working on more federal rules
• Engage public information campaigns about dangers of guns, of ammunition storage in homes, ammo health hazards (e.g., lead)
• Have public health officials study societal health impacts from guns as well as (like above) health impacts from ammunition
• Impose importation barriers, or at least higher costs, for ammunition and components from abroad
• Work with Congress, state legislatures, and local officials to impose higher taxes on guns, ammunition, and ammunition components
• Outlaw certain kinds of ammunition unless granted a special license from ATF (e.g., anything above .308 caliber)
• Impose quantity limitations on both gun ownership and ammunition storage in a residential structure
• Increase hunting fees and similarly negative regulatory impacts in order to undermine a primary driver of gun culture in America
• Impose licensing requirements on gun ownership, on gun possession, on ammunition even
• Make both gun manufacture and ammunition reloading illegal without a special license from ATF
• Find reasons to close National Forests and other federal and/or state lands to hunting

I'm just doing some quick spit-balling here, and of course almost all of these nefarious options would be fought in court, but you get the idea: find ways to attack gun culture, components of guns and ammunition, guns themselves, and manufactuers. Then wrap the whole thing in public information campaigns to make the ignorant public think Democrats are doing the right thing.

YOU NAILED IT !!

 

[64MercurysRule]

You forgot Ma Ma, Trains and when you were in prison.

You forgot Ma Ma, Trains and when you were in prison.

And Okie , Sue , Big Iron , Fighting side , Darlin' , Linda , El paso , Sport coat , Girls I loved , Good hearted ..... So many more