Maybe I'm the one who's nuts... thoughts on the great ammo & reloading run of '21

[jeff_gibbons]

My wife has pointed out my natural contrarian nature on more than one occasion. Maybe that trait is the driver here but i'm watching this ammo and reloading component run develop and can't help but think my fellow shooters, hunters and 2a supporters have gone nuts.

I browse gun broker for fun to see what reloading components are going for and get shocked each time i look. Here are some examples:
- WLR brick of primers for $325
- Two pounds of Varget for $226
These examples are actual bids. see the pics. people are outbidding one another to pay these bonkers prices.
This hysteria isn't just on ammo, powder and primers. It's thoroughly spread across all things gun. Dies, brass, guns, gun parts, bullets of almost every caliber. wow.

I can't jump into this hysteria because i don't see the likelihood of an entire industry being shutdown by a change in administration, house and senate. I can see them going after ARs, high capacity mags etc. (btw, you can still find high caps for sale but not 30-30 dies) but not shutting down all reloading, ammo sales etc through any legislation or exec order that sticks.

My hope is to see people come to their senses soon. Im fortunate not to be out of anything i need but do like to shoot in the offseason and will have to stop at some point if i can't replenish supplies.

what do you guys think? Am i the one who's nuts? How are you thinking about this?

 

[JLS]

I think people are going to find they wasted a lot of money. It’ll take a bit of time though. If you can ride it out you’ll be fine.

 

[Southern Elk]

My biggest gripe is that my 10 year old can’t do all of the shooting that he would like to right now. We can’t find .410 ammo for the single shot that his grandfather gave him. I hope all
of the hoarders are happy sitting there looking at stacks of ammo knowing there’s a kid somewhere heartbroken because he can’t shoot the gun his Pop gave him.

 

[marksjeep]

It started well before the election went full nutz. Covid kicked it off, more people got into guns and hunting, and anti-gun rhetoric came blaring through during the election chaos.

Here is the latest from the CCI president on the shortages.

Primers will continue to be unobtainable, mainly because the ammo manufacturers are using all of the primer supply to load ammo.

I feel bad for folks just getting into guns or hunting. It's hard to practice, develop proficiency, and learn to enjoy shooting if there is no ammo. Same for folks in the shooting sports. You run through a pile of ammo to practice and develop/maintain proficiency, and it's a perishable skill.

I don't see this nonsense settling out for quite some time.

 

[np307]

I survived 2013. Thats actually when I first started shooting and reloading. Just have to get back into that mindset I guess. And take better advantage of full stock when it returns.

 

[Shangobango]

My only concern at this point is with the primers and then powder to a lesser degree.

Not feeling able to get in good amounts of target practice absolutely stinks as well.

 

[BuzzH]

It started well before the election went full nutz. Covid kicked it off, more people got into guns and hunting, and anti-gun rhetoric came blaring through during the election chaos.

Here is the latest from the CCI president on the shortages.

Primers will continue to be unobtainable, mainly because the ammo manufacturers are using all of the primer supply to load ammo.

I feel bad for folks just getting into guns or hunting. It's hard to practice, develop proficiency, and learn to enjoy shooting if there is no ammo. Same for folks in the shooting sports. You run through a pile of ammo to practice and develop/maintain proficiency, and it's a perishable skill.

I don't see this nonsense settling out for quite some time.

Yeah, I agree with new shooters.

What I see most often is people that hunt, heading to the range right before the season and shooting a whole bunch then.

What I've done the last 10 years or so, is to make it a point to shoot at least once or twice a month during the off-season. Maybe once a week right before the season.

Lots of times, when I head to the range, I might shoot 3-4 shots is all. I'll shoot steel at 250-750, really taking my time concentrating on the mechanics of shooting. If I'm going to burn a box of ammo these days, its not going to be all at one time, the week before hunting season.

Lots of variables though, some people don't have a convenient place to shoot, are busy with other things, etc.

But, outside of load development, I just don't shoot more than 3-4 shots per rifle anymore during any range session. Just enough to make sure my platforms are still right and to keep shooting skills proficient.

That's a good way to stretch ammo supply.

 

[jeff_gibbons]

My biggest gripe is that my 10 year old can’t do all of the shooting that he would like to right now. We can’t find .410 ammo for the single shot that his grandfather gave him. I hope all
of the hoarders are happy sitting there looking at stacks of ammo knowing there’s a kid somewhere heartbroken because he can’t shoot the gun his Pop gave him.

I’ve got a box or two I can send you. Pm me. My kids grew out of it and I won’t be shooting it before sanity returns

 

[Shangobango]

My biggest gripe is that my 10 year old can’t do all of the shooting that he would like to right now. We can’t find .410 ammo for the single shot that his grandfather gave him. I hope all
of the hoarders are happy sitting there looking at stacks of ammo knowing there’s a kid somewhere heartbroken because he can’t shoot the gun his Pop gave him.

I’ve got a box or two I can send you. Pm me. My kids grew out of it and I won’t be shooting it before sanity returns

I second that offer. I have more than I need at this time.

 

[JohnCushman]

Paranoia of a new regime. It will subside, it always does.

 

[Don Fischer]

I think people are going to find they wasted a lot of money. It’ll take a bit of time though. If you can ride it out you’ll be fine.

I think the people that waste money like that do so because they have a lot of money to wast'e! Some of it, maybe more than some, I suspect is non shooter's taking and buying component's for resale at absurd prices. What they get stuck with they can sell next time this happens. Seem's to be happening a lot lately. For myself I haven't stocked up much on component's. Have about 30,000 primer's but got them from a friend when he died. I usually only buy what I need. Down side to that is in time's like these I've short changed myself but, I have enough ammo to get through a long time just shooting for meat! But component's become available again and I'm gonna stock up more on powder and bullet's, just always seem to be short on them! So much for buying 1# cans of powder. Have an 8# can of H414 and one of Red Dot, probably never run out of either. Next need RL-22, Varget, H4350, H4831 ect. Probably some IMR4064 for the 308!

 

[Shangobango]

I was just digging through a box of my reloading stuff and found this completely full bad boy at the bottom. Feels like I hit the megamillions. Check out the price tag.

 

[JLS]

The funny thing is, supply shortages exist everywhere right now. It’s hard to find mountain bike parts, off road parts, etc. Gun owners just have a propensity to insert paranoia into the equation and panic buy.

 

[brockel]

I was just digging through a box of my reloading stuff and found this completely full bad boy at the bottom. Feels like I hit the megamillions. Check out the price tag.

Found this in my stash. Never see that again

 

[Shangobango]

The funny thing is, supply shortages exist everywhere right now. It’s hard to find mountain bike parts, off road parts, etc. Gun owners just have a propensity to insert paranoia into the equation and panic buy.

Yea we are having a hard time getting certain supplies at work due to aluminum shortages.

I don't know if it has let up or not but I had quite the adventure trying to buy a deep freeze back in November.

 

[WapitiBob]

In the last two weeks I've bought 10# powder, Fed mag rifle primers, and hundreds of bullets from sportsmans or online. It's getting better.

 

[mtmuley]

The funny thing is, supply shortages exist everywhere right now. It’s hard to find mountain bike parts, off road parts, etc. Gun owners just have a propensity to insert paranoia into the equation and panic buy.

True, but the political climate drives purchases by gun owners a lot of the time. Bike parts not so much. mtmuley

 

[JLS]

True, but the political climate drives purchases by gun owners a lot of the time. Bike parts not so much. mtmuley

Absolutely. My point is there is no grand conspiracy. People just think that and it drives their purchasing. No one is worried the government is out to take their Bilstein shocks, so they’ll pay 4-10x retail in order to get them.

 

[mtmuley]

I still tend to err on the side of caution when it comes to components. Especially since I use quite a bit of the most sought after parts. Past history..... mtmuley

 

[Poke 'Em]

Thank the NRA for this. They stoked the fear that democrats = the end of the world, even though it's proven untrue time and time again.