Giving up hand loading?

[Croat]

Not a Vihtavouri guy as it has seemed more expensive over the years. Looking now, seems Vihtavouri is pretty much the same price as has been. While everything else has jumped lately.

Well, if Vihtavouri has always been the same price I can certainly see why you thought it has been expensive all these years. Sportsmans Warehouse had an 8-pound jug of N568 on the shelf last week. Nearly $400. I thought that was as "jumpy" as the rest of them, but if that has actually been Vihtavouri's going rate for a while now then even more surprised.

 

[2ndtimer]

I will give up handloading when they pry my cold dead hand off my RCBS Rockchucker or my Dillon RL-550B. Of course, I will still diligently hunt for bargains, online and local to be able to. And eventually may need to move to a free state, but will do whatever I can to continue.

 

[223to45]

Not a Vihtavouri guy as it has seemed more expensive over the years. Looking now, seems Vihtavouri is pretty much the same price as has been. While everything else has jumped lately.

Yeah right now VV is looking pretty good.
Both N550 and N568 are $350

 

[223to45]

Madness is right. Olin and Vista are in for a rude awakening when they realize their extreme greed killed the goose that has been laying their golden eggs. Powders are just as bad. Up well beyond 100% in three years.
Remember those disingenuous YouTube videos by Jason Vanderbrink, CEO of Vista who kept pedaling "patriotism" spew while screwing customers? Now Vista has been purchased by a European firm out of Czech Republic, CSG. And he's still spewing the "patriotism" crap on YouTube. Ain't that lovely.
What would be truly patriotic is rational pricing so that American gun sports and reloading do not go the way of the Dodo Bird. I'm not holding my breath...

It probably going to get worse.

Nitrocellulose which is a.major component of gun powder will be in short supply.

China supplies 30%, will now not sell to US or Nato countries
Russia supplies another 20%, no longer supplying it.

Ammo prices are going up, powder going up.

 

[Croat]

It probably going to get worse.

Nitrocellulose which is a.major component of gun powder will be in short supply.

China supplies 30%, will now not sell to US or Nato countries
Russia supplies another 20%, no longer supplying it.

Ammo prices are going up, powder going up.

Which is stupidity personified. There is nothing magical about nitrocellulose, being a nitrate ester that virtually any country can produce. But these genius manufacturers got sucked into the greed of having it made cheaper in China and now their supply is sucking wind. Excuse me if I have zero pity for the stupidity of their business decisions. Of course they don't care about consumers so price hikes keep coming our way, but the stupidity is owned entirely by them. Well, not entirely -- we'd have to be pretty stupid consumers to bend over for their greed and buy at their exhorbitant prices.

 

[Mikej]

Which is stupidity personified. There is nothing magical about nitrocellulose, being a nitrate ester that virtually any country can produce. But these genius manufacturers got sucked into the greed of having it made cheaper in China and now their supply is sucking wind. Excuse me if I have zero pity for the stupidity of their business decisions. Of course they don't care about consumers so price hikes keep coming our way, but the stupidity is owned entirely by them. Well, not entirely -- we'd have to be pretty stupid consumers to bend over for their greed and buy at their exhorbitant prices.

I just want the Em-Effer's to stop EFFing with my last and only recreational hobby!! BUBBLGUM!

 

[aljames]

I quit. Can't find components at reasonable prices. If things stabilize I may get back into it but for now I'm done.

 

[Camelfilter]

Which is stupidity personified. There is nothing magical about nitrocellulose, being a nitrate ester that virtually any country can produce. But these genius manufacturers got sucked into the greed of having it made cheaper in China and now their supply is sucking wind. Excuse me if I have zero pity for the stupidity of their business decisions. Of course they don't care about consumers so price hikes keep coming our way, but the stupidity is owned entirely by them. Well, not entirely -- we'd have to be pretty stupid consumers to bend over for their greed and buy at their exhorbitant prices.

Perhaps government regulations make US production of it problematic. No idea, just spit balling...

 

[Longwalkhome]

I just want the Em-Effer's to stop EFFing with my last and only recreational hobby!! BUBBLGUM!

no way will they ever just let us enjoy life. Turn us woke or make us go broke doing what we love. Enjoy shooting while you can.

 

[Mikej]

no way will they ever just let us enjoy life. Turn us woke or make us go broke doing what we love. Enjoy shooting while you can.

Sure seem like that don't it.

 

[RVTECH]

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.

 

[po18guy]

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.

I find that the 70s, 80s and 90s were the time to stock up. Watch for my estate sale!

 

[Croat]

I quit. Can't find components at reasonable prices. If things stabilize I may get back into it but for now I'm done.

I don't blame you, reality to be sure, but that's sad stuff there. Sad in this country at least. Guess we're not the same country we used to be...

 

[DizzyJ]

Definitely not quitting.

People said the same thing when 9mm and .223 were cheap to buy. Then they went sky high. Then they disappeared altogether. When they came back it was t uncommon to see them for $1/round.

Now again I hear it doesn't make sense to reload.

I stocked up after the obummer debacle. I'm good for quite some time, however I also picked up a few thousand SPP not too long ago from American reloading. I also didn't pay any hazmat or shipping. So yeah, I'm still accumulating when price and opportunity allow.

PS,
You can't buy ammo as accurate at ANY price as I can create for precision rifle and long range shooting. Usually that stuff is a dollar or more a piece factory and I'm able to create it (and more accurate) for .30-.50 a round.

So again, no I have zero plans to stop.

 

[Koda]

If you give up reloading because of supply and inflation then you will have the same problem with buying factory ammo.

 

[Spitpatch]

I quit. Can't find components at reasonable prices. If things stabilize I may get back into it but for now I'm done.

Hamburger too?

 

[aljames]

Hamburger too?

Yep. I switched to filet mignon. After I stopped buying primers I've been pretty flush

 

[Koda]

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

 

[George1231]

I have been loading for 44 years and have no plans to quit now. I started for economic reasons but continue mostly for other reasons, and I truly enjoy the process. The shortages and high prices have caused me to be more resourceful and creative, but I soldier on. Having loaded this long I have endured many market disruptions and have mostly learned what to stock up on and when to do it. Of course I have been caught flat footed here and there but so far adequate solutions have been found.

I got caught flatfooted the last shortage so I made sure it never happens again. Now, I'm sure glad I did!!!!

 

[Spitpatch]

Primer shortages sure tell a guy who his real friends are.

Almost like, " Who would you call to bail you out if you were arrested with a dead prostitute in the trunk of your car?"