For those concerned about panic buying and ammo shortages with the next election,

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If I had to guess I'd say I've got somewhere between 7000-10,000 rounds of 9mm loaded right now and around another 3-4K of .45 ACP.
Believe me, I would like to keep that much loaded but family/friends/neighbors and their friends/families keep inquiring/expressing their desire to go shooting, especially learning point shooting.

My initial point shooting instruction takes 3-4 hours and even using 22LR in GSG 1911 and ARs, takes quite a bit of 9mm rounds when you have several people.

But life is short and looking at smiles on everyone's faces ... priceless, especially when they produce fast double taps anywhere on targets at will - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-help-me-speed-up.824618/page-4#post-10902245
 
Believe me, I would like to keep that much loaded but family/friends/neighbors and their friends/families keep inquiring/expressing their desire to go shooting, especially learning point shooting.

My initial point shooting instruction takes 3-4 hours and even using 22LR in GSG 1911 and ARs, takes quite a bit of 9mm rounds when you have several people.

But life is short and looking at smiles on everyone's faces ... priceless, especially when they produce fast double taps anywhere on targets at will - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-help-me-speed-up.824618/page-4#post-10902245

It's not loading the rounds that take the time. It's casting the bullets.

I can easily load 500 round an hour on my Dillon 650. However casting, coating and sizing bullets takes time. My new 8 cavity mold is helping though.
 
I can easily load 500 round an hour on my Dillon 650. However casting, coating and sizing bullets takes time. My new 8 cavity mold is helping though.
I have been saving lead to cast bullets in retirement but may now cast .300 BLK bullets to powder coat and using the rest for 2-5 lb balls for ocean fishing weights to maximize cost savings.
 
I have to keep at least 1000 9mm rounds loaded at all times as depending on who goes shooting with me (Son and his girlfriend, friends, neighbors and their family, etc.), whether we shoot just pistols or PCC, we will exhaust the ammo supply (And I am not counting other calibers like .223/5.56, 380Auto, 40S&W, 45ACP and 22LR).

I am thinking about increasing my stock on hand to 2000 9mm rounds loaded.
I just ordered 2000 bullets from RMR of the 124 gr Match Winner variety. Pretty sure they won’t last me very long. Might have to do that every other month until I have a sufficient supply to last a bit.
 
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How much to have on hand, is a metric I still struggle to define. How much is enough? And how do I quantify it?
Based on what I've constructed, I have a minimum of 4 years shooting supply of every caliber (some are quite higher, as I don't shoot them as much.)

The one thing that's now slowed if not totally stalled my shooting for the time being though, is my range being closed for construction; a project that will take several months it appears.
 
Believe me, I would like to keep that much loaded but family/friends/neighbors and their friends/families keep inquiring/expressing their desire to go shooting, especially learning point shooting.

My initial point shooting instruction takes 3-4 hours and even using 22LR in GSG 1911 and ARs, takes quite a bit of 9mm rounds when you have several people.

But life is short and looking at smiles on everyone's faces ... priceless, especially when they produce fast double taps anywhere on targets at will - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-help-me-speed-up.824618/page-4#post-10902245
There is no shame in asking your shooting friends to supply their own ammo.
 
During ammo shortages I focus on trigger time in order to maintain competency for HD and CCW.
Technique practiced while shooting .22LR and AP translates to CF shooting better than you might expect.
 
Since I shoot in my backyard brass recovery has always been a challenge, solution aluminum Walmart cheap ammo.

Now on to plan B, buying cheap ammo in bulk. .380acp, 9mm, .40 S&W but the focus will be 9mm.

recent events are now forcing me to get into reloading for .45 Blackhawk convertible because I’ve lost my supply of reasonably priced aluminum .45acp
 
For 9mm and .223 what is the best stuff to get for for a simple setup. I dont want the starter kit because I dont want to pay for stuff I won't use like the powder scale. I would probably opt for something digital instead or something more precise and efficient... anybody care to share a few simple items one needs to get going?

I've been briefly advised of this before but folks here said to get a starter kit and while searching for a kit on amazon many users said to part it out and dont bother with the kit...
 
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I need to pick up some more pure lead. I've got 500 linotype to alloy it with.
I wish I could be a fly on the wall when you guys cast and load.ive always been interested in this stuff but I dont know anybody who does it and I'm a watch and learn kind of guy....
 
If you don’t shoot very well, factory ammo is probably just fine.
However, I’ve noticed inconsistencies in both rifle and pistol factory ammo, even in different lots of the same brand. Sometimes the POI will vary and sometimes overall accuracy will suffer. Sometimes just a little, other times a lot.

My hand loads are always consistent so I always know what to expect. That’s important to me.
Even if I didn’t save $$$$ by reloading, I still would do it for the consistency.
 
For 9mm and .223 what is the best stuff to get for for a simple setup. I dont want the starter kit because I dont want to pay for stuff I won't use like the powder scale. I would probably opt for something digital instead or something more precise and efficient... anybody care to share a few simple items one needs to get going?

I've been briefly advised of this before but folks here said to get a starter kit and while searching for a kit on amazon many users said to part it out and dont bother with the kit...

You're going to need a scale. A beam scale is precise. Battery powered scales are problematic. They are fine as long as you have a beam scale to check them. Electronic scales can and do drift over time.

What exactly are your goals? What do you want to reload? How much do you shoot?
 
I use the little Lee powder scale that came with the starter kit for most powder measurements. I also have a chemist's scale that I picked up at a local pawn shop for weighing heavier items like rifle bullets and loaded rounds.
 
During the last so-called shortage if everyone would have just bought what they needed when they needed it there would have never been a shortage at all. (My Opinion)
We blame political parties but, Hey, we need to look in the mirror and accept a little blame ourselves.
Now go ahead and tell me what a dumb jerk I am!
 
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