Are you stock piling reloading components, ammo, or both?

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Dewey 68

Dewey 68

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I've got a pretty good supply of reloading components so I haven't been checking prices lately but ammo prices are really low right now for many calibers, low enough that unless you are casting your own bullets you aren't going to save much by reloading many of the more common calibers. I know many reload to get ammo that is more consistent than factory, but with the prices I'm seeing for even .45 ACP I'm thinking of stocking up on ammo while it's so cheap. Of course what I consider "stocking up" may be a drop in the bucket for some folks on here.
 
If a gun owner is laying down a nice supply of ammo right now then he/she doesn't have a long history of ammo prices. The prices we are currently seeing (from time to time, when shopping around) are pre-9/11 prices on many of the common calibers (9mm, .40, .45, .223/5.56, .308, .22LR).

In the past few months I've purchased (all brass, reloadable) at the following prices shipped to my door, and a majority of it from Palmetto:

9mm - $0.135
.223/5.56 - $0.23
.22LR - CCI Minimags $0.05, cheap stuff ~$0.02
.308 Win - $0.42

If one is not using: gun.deals, ammoseek.com, and Palmetto State Armory websites one is not getting the best deals.

But to answer your question, I've been buying mainly ammo currently, but if I find a good deal on components then I buy them and save them to reload with when ammo goes through the roof, because we all know it will.
 
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Everyone that has been through a shortage should have something stashed away. Some of us have been through more than one shortage although it seems like 2008 was one of the worst. I don't advocate filling up your garage, basement, attic and several mini-storages with ammo and components but everyone should search for a happy medium. How much depends on how much you shoot or want to shoot. But yes, now would be a good time with ammo prices being lower.

Just keep in mind the legalities concerning powder and primers. Check your local fire codes and local laws.
 
I normally have a lot of components on hand (6-8 lbs of common handgun powder, 900- 1,100 various primers, I cast so I have prolly 1,000-1,100 ready to load bullets). I do have a "Just in Case" stash that I add to when I'm not doing anything else; I have about 1,000 45 ACP hand loads that work in all my 45s, about the same in 9mm that work in my 3, 9mm pistols and a couple thousand rounds for my semi-auto "battle rifles". I also have close to 8,000 22 lr rounds stashed. I built up my "hoard" by buying a little extra when shopping. If I was at a local box store shopping for other stuff, I'd go by the sporting goods dept. and buy a brick of 22s or primers. If I was searching for lead, I got a bit more than I thought I would need. When I bought powder, I'd buy an extra pound. Over the years this method built up a good supply and didn't hurt the pocket book too much and alleviated any "panic buying"...
 
Before I started reloading, I had started collecting ammo and have a fair amount of factory ammo on hand.

I started reloading about 6 years ago and remember well the shortage of components (first were pistol primers, then pistol powders) so I have stocked up on enough components to last me a few years. I try to keep the inventory slowly growing as I order more components.
 
I don't stockpile per say but when I see sale on reloading components I pick some up so over the years I have enough to shoot a few years on hand it has just accumulated
 
mdi said:
I normally have a lot of components on hand (6-8 lbs of common handgun powder, 900- 1,100 various primers, I cast so I have prolly 1,000-1,100 ready to load bullets). I do have a "Just in Case" stash that I add to when I'm not doing anything else; I have about 1,000 45 ACP hand loads that work in all my 45s, about the same in 9mm that work in my 3, 9mm pistols and a couple thousand rounds for my semi-auto "battle rifles". I also have close to 8,000 22 lr rounds stashed. I built up my "hoard" by buying a little extra when shopping. If I was at a local box store shopping for other stuff, I'd go by the sporting goods dept. and buy a brick of 22s or primers. If I was searching for lead, I got a bit more than I thought I would need. When I bought powder, I'd buy an extra pound. Over the years this method built up a good supply and didn't hurt the pocket book too much and alleviated any "panic buying"...
Click to expand...

900-1,100 primers is an afternoon of loading for me. I'd guess I have 1,000 lbs of bullets cast and coated sitting around right now. .22 lr ammo I'm just shy of 50k.
 
I don't buy a lot of factory ammo so no, not stockpiling factory ammo. I load all winter and shoot it all up during the good weather months, handgun and rifle ammo alike.

As for reloading components, while not stockpiling I do have a good supply. I will never ever be caught short again!

One man's stockpile is another man's normal supply, it's all relative.
 
I'm still getting things like trimmer and case prep for when I start loading rifle as well as a holster for a couple handguns. I can't afford to stock up on much but do try to keep 200 rds of ammo for each carry pistol I have plus a box of defensive ammo as well. It isn't much but what I can afford until my wife's student loans are paid off, could be by the end of this year if we push it.
 
<*(((>< said:
9mm - $0.0135
.223/5.56 - $0.23
.22LR - CCI Minimags $0.03, cheap stuff $0.02
.308 Win - $0.42
Click to expand...
Where are you buying your 9mm ammo? While I don't usually buy handgun ammo, especially 9mm ammo, at only $1.35/100 rounds I would buy at least 10,000 rounds!

I'm sure you slipped a decimal there lol.

.22lr ammo @$10 a brick, really? Where?
 
Like I said follow gun.deals, ammoseek and palmetto.

Palmetto I bought 2,500 rounds of 9mm for 449.95 shipped with $20 back on a Federal rebate for each 500 rounds. I guess that's $0.14 not 0.135, I was going off memory there but looked back at my emails.
On the .22lr there are several online vendors that run deals at $0.02 on cheap .22, be it federal, aguila, winchester or remington. Right now on ammoseek there is .22 for $0.025. All that one has to do is follow those websites I talked about and jump on sales.
The $0.05 CCI 36gr HP Minimags I bought off PSA 5000 rounds for $250 shipped, I think I had written .03 I meant .05.

I edited my original post for accuracy after looking up my receipts. Yes, $1.35/100 would be too good to be true, my bad.


ArchAngelCD said:
Where are you buying your 9mm ammo? While I don't usually buy handgun ammo, especially 9mm ammo, at only $1.35/100 rounds I would buy at least 10,000 rounds!

I'm sure you slipped a decimal there lol.

.22lr ammo @$10 a brick, really? Where?
Click to expand...
 
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Dewey 68 said:
I've got a pretty good supply of reloading components so I haven't been checking prices lately but ammo prices are really low right now for many calibers, low enough that unless you are casting your own bullets you aren't going to save much by reloading many of the more common calibers. I know many reload to get ammo that is more consistent than factory, but with the prices I'm seeing for even .45 ACP I'm thinking of stocking up on ammo while it's so cheap. Of course what I consider "stocking up" may be a drop in the bucket for some folks on here.
Click to expand...

I have fallen into the reloading trap and become a hoarder! I have enough .45 brass to choke an elephant and I dont shoot .45 very often. I have enough .223 components to probably build 10,000 rounds and I dont shoot much .223. Of course the stuff I shoot more frequently like 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 win and 9mm I have the least of. I need to get my priorities straight!
 
TheDomFather said:
I have fallen into the reloading trap and become a hoarder! I have enough .45 brass to choke an elephant and I dont shoot .45 very often. I have enough .223 components to probably build 10,000 rounds and I dont shoot much .223. Of course the stuff I shoot more frequently like 6.5 Creedmoor and .308 win and 9mm I have the least of. I need to get my priorities straight!
Click to expand...

I have stopped picking up 9mm brass (except for when I'm shooting 380 and pick up 9mm by accident) because I have so much of it! The last time I was at the range there were several people shooting 45 ACP and not picking them up. I was like a kid gathering Easter eggs!
 
ArchAngelCD said:
Where are you buying your 9mm ammo? While I don't usually buy handgun ammo, especially 9mm ammo, at only $1.35/100 rounds I would buy at least 10,000 rounds!

I'm sure you slipped a decimal there lol.

.22lr ammo @$10 a brick, really? Where?
Click to expand...

Federal was running a Black Special on a lot of ammo; one of which was their .22. On sale and after rebate it came out to $40 for 1600 rounds; not quite the OP's .02, but I consider .025/ea to be close enough.
 
Components are pretty much all I care about. I rarely shoot factory centerfire ammo anymore, as all surplus M2 and M80 ball is magnetic and can't be used in the matches I shoot, and handgun ammo is too expensive in many cases. I have a couple dozen pounds of powder stored in a couple locations, as that was the real rare component during the last crisis. I should be stockpiling primers but I load them too fast. I have a few thousand LPP so worst case I could shoot .45s primarily for a while. I don't like shooting them in matches because I don't like losing the brass. 9mm brass is basically free.

I should buy a brick of .22 and 1K SPP a month but I am on a tight shooting budget and I mostly buy bullets and enough primers to fire them.
 
Dewey 68 said:
I have stopped picking up 9mm brass (except for when I'm shooting 380 and pick up 9mm by accident) because I have so much of it! The last time I was at the range there were several people shooting 45 ACP and not picking them up. I was like a kid gathering Easter eggs!
Click to expand...
I try to pick up anything I can, but lately I have not been as diligent at picking up the 9mm I shoot. I recently sold some surplus 9mm I had, a full 5 gallon bucket that weighed about 75 lbs, to a friend that has a full-auto 9mm carbine. I only charged him $100 for it, so he got a deal and I got some money to buy some more stuff.

I just wish the revolver shooters would throw their 357mag and 44mag brass on the ground like the semi-auto guys do. :)
 
I collect what I think I might need into the future. I buy bulk as to get the best price I can. Sometimes way over purchasing and selling the unneeded at a micro profit.
 
I definitely have enough stuff to get me through near term.

I'm of the age where I'm starting to pare down my supplies. I took an inventory of my bullet stash last year in order not to buy ones I already have a bunch of. I'm glad I did because I found boxes I didn't remember that I had. The only things I will need soon are .224 68/69 match projectiles and some 4198 powder. I'm keeping my eyes open for a screaming deal :what:
 
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